The flickering lights woke Megan just as she heard Morax speak from somewhere above her.

“Report.”  His voice caused a slide of hunger to coast over Megan’s skin, even before she opened her eyes and saw him dressed in his usual warrior leathers and armor plates.  His eyes were on her and she blushed realizing she was still naked and in the green, a place anyone could decide to visit.  Morax handed her a bundle of clothes and she felt better thinking he must have gotten dressed to get her clothes since he ripped hers to tiny little pieces.  At that reminder, the blush that had been coating her cheek suffused most of her body.  As the gold in his turned molten she had to look away. 

Logaan’s voice reported over the com link distracting her.  “We are at the coordinates and Creeg just informed us we can expect a few guardians to make free with the ship, as one already showed up in their quarters.  He’s pissed,” Logaan said his usual humor evident even over the com.  “Apparently one of them likes to flit about in Sara’s mind, and it was the wrong time.”

She felt Morax’s eyes flash to her and the heat in them turned decidedly predatory.  She could feel he did not like the idea of anyone in her mind but him.  She could not say she was enamored with the idea herself, especially at the wrong time.  She quickly stood and pulled on the tunic and trousers he had brought her.  They were hers so she knew he must have gone to her quarters to get them.

Logaan was still talking.  “Creeg has ordered everyone to the bridge.” There was a pause.  Then his voice went dry.  “Megan did not answer her com, what are the chances you are lurking around her quarters and can pass on the message.  If she doesn’t get here before Sara does she will probably want to go looking for her, and Creeg is not about to let her out of his sight with the Guardians roaming the ship.”

At his words about him lurking around her Megan finished settling her tunic and smiled at Morax.

“I have her,” was all he said.  Nothing showed on his face and Megan sighed and looked away.  There was something wrong she just could not put her finger on it.  If she could not feel his bone deep satisfaction when he looked at her she would worry he regretted the claiming.  She knew he didn’t and still something about the walls he seemed determined to keep between them made her worry.

“What a surprise,” Logaan muttered with clear sarcasm.  There was a short pause.  “Creeg and Sara just walked in and they are not alone.”

“We’re on our way,” he said and then cut communications.  He walked quietly to Megan and pushed the hair back from her neck, his thumb rubbing over the color still in her cheeks.  She met his eyes and could feel herself melt just with that one soft touch.  Then he kissed her, and there was nothing soft about it.  He claimed her all over again with that kiss, until the feel of his tongue and lips had her clutching at him.  He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her high in his arms crushing her to his chest as he devoured her.

Whatever wall he had erected between them was suddenly gone and she felt everything he had been holding back from her.  The tsunami crashed over her and she gasped under his lips.  He pulled back until he could meet her eyes.  “Later I will show you exactly why your worries are so ridiculous.”

He kissed her one more time and then placed her back on her feet. 

Her knees were no longer quite so steady, but she blew out a breath and laughed.  “Understood.”

Then he took her by the hand and led her out of the green.  He stopped again just as they reached the portal and it swished open.  “Everyone, including your sister will know we are mated as soon as they see you.  He ran his hand over her cheek and then lifted her arm to show her the gold shimmer she had missed in the shadows of the trees.  She sucked in a breath as he let go of her arm and pulled her hair in front of her shoulder so she could see the strands of shimmering gold that now moved through the dark brown strands like veins of gold.  Megan blinked and licked her lips nervously.

“My eyes?” she asked.

“Tellox,” he said simply.

“And I smell like you,” she said feeling his satisfaction flare at her words.  She smiled and shook her head.  “Any chance I get a shower before we have to get to the bridge.

He leaned down and kissed her hard on her already swollen lips.  “It wouldn’t matter if you did.”

“Great,” she muttered, even as he was taking her hand and pulling her through the doors.  She pulled back from him long enough to call the dogs.  Both came, Lucky carrying a piece of her destroyed tunic in his mouth.  She knew immediately that she smelled wrong to them, but she soothed them with her mind, until they lost the tension in their backs and galloped to her side once again.

She could sense Morax was more resigned than anything else but he did bare his teeth and snarl just a little warning when Lucky tried to stand between them while they walked to the bridge.  Lucky very quickly joined Penny on her other side. 

The pecking order is established, Megan thought with a chuckle.  Here’s hoping it goes as smoothly with my sister.

***

Sara did not get a chance to speak when they stepped onto the bridge.  Every eye came to them, and more than one flared golden fire at the sight of her transformation.  Megan watched Sara’s eyes widen so missed the look that came over Creeg’s face.  He was not surprised, but pleased. 

Before her sister could get over her shock Megan heard a stranger’s voice in her head.  “Good, all are present.  Allow me to escort you to the surface.” 

Before any of them could react to the words or the voice they all watched as the view finder suddenly showed a planet where none had been seconds before, then as the scene before them seemed to waiver like a mirage they were plucked from their ship and an instant later were standing in what looked and felt like a primeval jungle.

More than one growl came from the warriors around them. But Megan was too busy dealing with the barrage of plant energy that was suddenly bombarding her from all sides.  She reached out a hand as if for help and Morax wrapped first his hand, and then his body around her, buffering her, protecting her.  It helped enough that Megan could think again.

Then the owner of that voice flitted through her thoughts once again, this time it felt more like an introduction.  An invasive one since he stayed to frolic.  She could feel him absorbing some of the energy buffering her, and little by little it eased enough that she no longer felt a part of the whole jungle, but once again Megan.  A picture formed in her mind and she just suddenly knew how to control the flow of energy she was fighting so that when the being backed off she was no longer in danger of either harming others with her out of control gift or being harmed herself by absorbing too much of it.

Thank you, she thought to the being as it receded.  Relaxing against Morax, she realized he was so tense she wondered that he didn’t break something.  I’m alright, she thought to her mate.  Trying to send him waves of reassurance.  He was just helping me.

Her reassurance did nothing but make him bare his teeth with a growl.  He was looking around them but could see nothing of the presence he had felt in his mate’s head.  Megan was happy about that, considering his intentions were to dismember the entity, which would be bad on several levels.

“He really did help,” she said out loud, turning in his arms to meet his eyes.  She reached up and brushed her hand down his cheek.  “Not just at this moment, Morax, I think he showed me how to keep my gift from overwhelming me in any situation.  He really did help,” she repeated.

Megan relaxed when she saw that he understood what she was saying and the light of mayhem died down in his eyes.  He pushed his hand into her hair and bunched it in his fist.  He didn’t speak, just studied her, his mind brushing over hers, all of it reassuring him that she was indeed fine.  She allowed all of it, smiling at him as she returned the touch of his mind.  It relaxed his guard enough that when the being of light manifested before them he did not immediately attempt to smite it, which Megan could only be grateful for.

Sara spoke, and Megan turned to see Creeg so close against her back he could have been welded to her.  He did not look any more pleased than Morax did even though her words were benign enough.

“You are the guardian that we met before,” she said.

I am.  Since everyone seemed to come to attention at that moment Megan realized that the being was talking to them all telepathically at the same time.  You are welcome.  We owe you a debt we cannot repay for the service you rendered us, we brought you here to offer you sanctuary on this planet. 

Every one of them stilled at his mental words.  Sara cleared her throat and looked from Creeg to the shimmering light.  “That is a generous offer.  Is it just guardians who live here?”

Many eons ago it was our home, when we had mortal flesh.  Now it is a protected space, no one may come without welcome.  We have long since considered bringing others here, who could take care of the land and live in peace, but in our travels we have found none that fit our needs so perfectly as you do.

“Needs?” Sara asked.

We can sustain ourselves on energy, but our preferred power source is the fuel of emotions.  It is too easy for us to tire and fade when we do not have that around us.  So many of us travel amongst the stars touching humanity here and there to find that energy source.  You, and it seems your sister… Megan felt the brush of a warm energy sweep through her mind briefly as he spoke, it did not scare her, it was too benevolent and energizing to scare her.  Morax noticed something though and growled, pulling her close against his chest, sending another warning glare toward the being before them. He was ignoring all of it and going on with his explanation.  …are the cleanest, purest energy we have felt in far too long.

“So, you are inviting us to stay?  Here on this planet?  For how long?”  She tilted her head and studied the being, and Megan knew without being told that it was not her eyes she was using to do it.

We would like you and your children for generations to come to consider this your home, with an understanding that while we will help you make this place into what you need, we will not allow anything to be done here that will destroy the planet we have protected for so long.  In exchange, we will share with you technologies that will ensure your safety and survival.  They all felt his humor before he continued.  Guardians can see many possible futures when we look for them.  Your family and the Tellox that have claimed you have the best chance of prospering here with us but we do not expect you to simply agree.  You are welcome to come and go as you please, and you may invite anyone you wish to join you, but it will be with the knowledge that the Guardians can and will refuse entrance to the planet to anyone not suitable or who intends harm to the people or planet.

Sara turned and looked at Creeg. 

He in turn spoke directly to the guardian.  “Is that it?”

When the light form bowed its head in agreement Creeg growled.  “Return us to our ship.  We have a great deal to discuss.”

The being of light moved as if bowing to Creeg’s dictates, and it had been a clear order.  Luckily the guardian took no offense and a moment later they were back on the bridge where they started.

Sara puffed out a breath, pointed at Megan and spoke fast and with that Tellox growl her mate did so well. “You and I will be having a conversation,’ she said.  “Later.”  Then she turned and looked at her mate.  “Well, still think coming here was a bad idea?”

And that was the start of the long conversation where everyone came to the same conclusion.  In their current predicament, it was more that they could have hoped for.  The Tellox, being the Tellox wanted to start exploring the planet immediately.  And explore it they would have to do, since none of their sensors read anything but space when they attempted to do a bio scan.

That along with the promise of both sanctuary and new technologies had everyone agreeing it was a good deal, if the guardians could be trusted.

That last seemed to be on every warrior’s mind, but Megan looked at her sister and smiled.  “Just ask Sara,” she said.  “She always knows when someone is up to something.”

The conversation paused as everyone turned to look at first Megan and then Sara.

Sara shrugged.  “I already told Creeg they were telling the truth.”

“These are Guardians,” Logaan said.  “It’s possible they can make you think anything they want you to.”

Sara shrugged again.  “Then they have no reason to allow us to return to our ship.  They could have just made us want to stay if that were the case.  They didn’t.  They also didn’t give us any laws we wouldn’t want to live with.”

Megan grimaced slightly wondering if bathrooms and running water were considered bad for the planet.

She felt a brush of that mind again, filled with enough humor that it made her smile without realizing it.  These things we see in your mind are acceptable and easily and quickly produced with our technologies.

Morax growled and every eye came to Megan.  She blushed under the attention and cleared her throat.  “Apparently toilets and running water are a go.”

Sara laughed but no one else seemed to like the idea that they were being monitored.  “It just proves my point,” she said with clear exasperation.  “They really are that powerful, if they wished us harm they did not need to bring us here and offer us sanctuary to make it happen.  I say at the very least we accept the help offered.”  Her eyes went to Megan’s.  “We might even be able to do more than just survive with the guardians on our side.”  She did not need to say that she was thinking that they might be able to help the people of Earth.  It was only at that moment that Megan realized Sara was set on more than just Ariel being free of the Tellox invasion.  She sucked in a breath at the implication but said nothing, there would be time enough later to discover what her sister had in mind.

Creeg held up a hand as the conversation continued.  Everyone fell silent.  He looked grim and determined in equal measure.  “My mate is right about that at least.  Staying here will allow us a measure of safety while we plan.  We will accept the sanctuary offered and build a home base here where our mates will be assured safety.  And we will explore what the planet has to offer.  Beyond that,” he said looking at all of them in turn.  “We will await word from General Brax, then we will have a better grasp of the situation on Earth and what can be done about it.”

So, they were staying.  Megan tried to picture again the lush tropical jungle they had seen so briefly.  Then another thought occurred to her and she tentatively sent it out into the universe.  I don’t suppose you have beach front property somewhere on this planet?

At her question, a whole host of pictures fluttered through her mind like a fast-shuffled deck of cards.  The beauty of what she was seeing took her breath away, so much so that she gasped aloud.  When she could finally blink and see the bridge around her once again she saw she had everyone’s attention again.  Morax was practically vibrating with anger and worry, but she just took a breath, gave him a smile and said.  “There’s a beach.”  Then she went on happily.  “I know where I want us to build our dream house.”

She felt instantly how much the words our home affected him and she gave him another smile.

After a moment Sara snorted out a laugh.  Megan transferred her smile to her sister.  “Want to be neighbors?”