Chapter Ten

The chocolate had worked. Temporarily. Mami might be a chocoholic like me, but once she fixated on something, she never stopped until she achieved her goal. Like becoming an archaeologist, finding Qeeturah, and now rescuing Papa. Her tenacity was one trait I was glad I had inherited.

As the hot water pounded my sore muscles, I carefully eased into Quinn’s mind and eavesdropped on his conversation with my mother.

“I’ve programmed the tracking scanners to do a deep scan of the area. If Lysis has taken refuge in a cavern, we will find him.”

Displeasure in her voice, Mami asked, “What are your intentions toward my daughter?”

Hadn’t seen that one coming.

“Xenia is my mate.”

“Lysis will never allow it.”

“The Overlord knows and approves,” Quinn countered.

Mami retorted, “Zarek also granted Lysis the power to veto any warrior he didn’t consider worthy of my daughter. You have no honor. You shot me, a helpless female, with the tranquilizer gun.”

“Helpless you’re not, and you shot me first,” Quinn pointed out.

“I did it to protect my daughter.”

“To break our mental bond would cause irreparable damage to Xenia’s mind.”

I scowled. Not to mention Quinn’s.

“Until I can discuss this matter with Lysis, you will not touch her.” My mother’s voice was venomous.

I didn’t think Mami had it in her to go toe-to-toe with a warlord. I stood corrected.

“You have my word I will not touch her until she is twenty-one.”

“If you do, I will have Lysis neuter you.”

“I see where Xenia gets her mean streak from,” Quinn replied. There was a touch of laughter in his voice.

“You find this amusing?”

“Not at all, ma’am.”

“I do not like you,” Mami huffed and stormed off.

I linked with Quinn. “After spending more quality time with my mother, do you still want me as your mate? My parents and I are a package deal.”

“Darlin’, the minute Zarek showed me your picture and told me how you had almost singlehandedly stopped a Tai-Kok attack, I wanted you.”

“Really?” To say I was flattered would be an understatement.

“A Boy Scout never lies.”

“You were a Boy Scout?”

“I was. I’ve got the merit badges to prove it.”

“What’s the Boy Scout motto?”

“Be prepared,” Quinn answered.

“Remember that when you meet my father.”

“The Overlord told me about his battle with your father. Lysis is one of the few warriors with the ability to defeat him.”

A shudder shook me as I remembered that terrible battle. “I was there. They would have killed each other if Detja hadn’t stopped the fight.”

“Detja and you have a great deal in common.”

“We’re both troublesome females?”

I felt the brush of Quinn’s mind like fingertips stroking my skin. “Your loyalty to your family. No matter what happens, you will never abandon them. You will fight to your last breath to protect them. That trait is very important to me.”

“You say the sweetest things, but the next time I see Dolon, he’s a dead man.”

Quinn groaned. “Heads up, darlin’. Your mother is about to pay you a visit.”

“I’m going to need more chocolate.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Mami opened the shower door. “You bonded with that snake?”

“I did.” I bit my lip to keep from laughing when the water sprayed out, hitting my mother dead in the face.

“Why would you do something so foolish?” Mami narrowed her eyes as the water continued to bathe her.

“Originally, I wanted to keep the Tai-Kok from eating me. Once our minds joined, I discovered Quinn is an honorable male who loves his family. His warrior skills are as good as Papa’s, and Quinn will stand by me no matter what fate throws at us.” A smile tugged at my lips. “He’s also a great kisser.”

Mami shrieked, “You kissed him?”

“He kissed me, and I really enjoyed it. Another point in his favor: Quinn would give his life for me. Just like Papa would die for you.”

“He’s sneaky! He shot me with my own tranquilizer dart.”

“Quinn did what was necessary. He couldn’t concentrate on helping me fight off the Tai-Kok with you screaming like a demented banshee,” I replied patiently.

Big, fat tears rolled down my mother’s cheeks. “You’re taking his side?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Your father will put a stop to this nonsense,” Mami said stubbornly.

“Did you forget Papa agreed to bring me to Tanith on my twenty-first birthday to be given to some stranger?”

“I had hoped they would forget about you.”

“Forget?” I laughed. “There’s not a chance in the nine hells Zarek would ever forget about my unique abilities, and he now knows I’m a berserker.”

“Because of Quinn. The snitch.”

I shook my head in disbelief. Mami had totally ignored the fact that her big mouth was the reason Zarek knew about me in the first place.

My mother’s appalled gaze settled on something in Quinn’s sleeping quarters. “Why are you and Clio covered in blood and body parts?”

Blood? I peered around the shower wall. Holy Goddess! Clio and Adan were back from the feeding ground, and their yellow eyes were the only things visible on their gore-draped bodies. “What happened?”

“It’s been two centuries since I hunted on Piscium. Those furry little creatures I once pursued are now the size of a house and equipped with tusks.”

“In other words, you had to run for your lives,” I said with a frown.

Mami tugged on my arm. “What’s he saying? What’s he saying?”

I told her.

Mami gasped. “My baby could have been killed. What kind of father are you?”

“Tell your mother Clio was never in danger. I quickly brought down one of the Gur and let her eat. The little monkey burrowed into the body, and it took me a while to dig her out.”

I repeated what Adan had said.

“Never in danger? Ha.” Mami gave Adan the evil eye.

“Me want. Me want.” Morphing into her toddler form, Clio squirmed out of Adan’s hold and rushed into the shower. “Me like. Me like.” She tried to catch the water with her mouth.

Adan followed her into the tiny room, squashing me against the wall.

Bloody pieces of intestine slithered down my leg. Ugh. “Get out! I’m not taking a shower with you.”

“Very well.” Adan pushed me out of the shower and shut the door.

Quinn walked in, took one look at my nude body, and stopped dead. “You are so incredibly beautiful.”

“Thank you.” A blush heated my cheeks as his worshiping gaze roved over my body. Desire welled up inside me. I wanted to see Quinn naked. I wanted to feel his skin against mine. I wanted to see what Mami called the joy arrow.

Quinn frowned. “Is that an intestine wrapped around your ankle?”

I immediately kicked it off. The intestine smacked against the wall and slowly slid to the floor. Quinn never even noticed.

“What are you staring at?” The outraged expression on Mami’s face was comical.

“Perfection,” Quinn answered.

I cupped my breasts. “Like what you see?”

“Oh, yeah.” Quinn’s voice had deepened an octave.

Mami jumped in front of me. “You will not look at my daughter in such a manner. It is unseemly.”

With a sigh, Quinn turned around. “Better?”

“Go. Pilot the ship and continue your search for Lysis.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Quinn walked out.

Enough was enough. I had found the perfect mate and my mother wasn’t going to mess it up. “I’ve chosen Quinn, Mami. Nothing you say or do will change that. Why can’t you be happy for me?”

“Do you love him?”

I chewed my lower lip. “I think so.”

“You think so? Bah. The minute I met your father I knew he was the one for me.”

“This is all new to me. I’ve never had a relationship with a male other than Papa. I’m drawn to Quinn. I want, need his touch. He treats me as an equal and is pleased with my warrior skills.”

“You’re still a child. You have no idea what you need.”

Sometimes I really wanted to strangle my mother. “I’m not a child. I am a warrior and a relic hunter. I deserve to have a mate I choose, not one forced on me.”

“Do you think your warlord will allow you to continue being a relic hunter?”

“I don’t know. It’s something we must discuss.”

“Talk to Detja before you make your final decision on Quinn. She is a wise female.” Mami held out the control belt to my biosuit. “The self-cleaning function just finished, and I programmed it to respond to your voice until we can get you another communications bracelet.”

“Thank you, Mami.” I clasped the belt around my waist. “Deploy without helmet.” My biosuit covered me.

Mami quickly braided my long, wet hair. “You are your father’s child. Fierce, impulsive, and determined to win at all costs. I had hoped you would have some of my better qualities.”

I smothered a groan. Mami only used guilt trips when she was feeling insecure. “You are one of the most highly respected archaeologists in the galaxy. For a Farin female that is a great accomplishment. I inherited your love of history and your drive to find lost civilizations.”

Mami beamed and kissed my forehead. “You have blessed my life.”

The shower door slid open, and a very wet Clio shot out. “Geema. Geema. Me clean. Me clean.” She danced around my mother.

“Yes, you are.” Mami picked her up. “We need to get you some clothes.”

Wearing his wizard persona, Adan followed her out. His hair stuck out in every direction, and he was stark-ass naked.

I eyed his overly large penis. In his dreams. “You forget something, Adan?”

He looked down, and poof! Clothes materialized over his skinny form. “She’s wearing me out.”

“Children do that,” Mami responded, raining kisses over a giggling Clio’s face. “Xenia was a menace with her training sword. She even slept with it.”

“I slept with my sword because our dig site was in the middle of a jungle full of things that wanted to eat you. What are you plans for Clio?”

“Give her to Detja to raise.” Adan took Clio from my mother.

I figured he would take the easy way out. “Smart move, but how does Detja feel about that?”

“I plan to find out.” Adan walked out of the room.

That should be an interesting conversation.

Mami suddenly blurted out, “Why hasn’t Quinn located Lysis yet? This ship has the best tracking scanners in the galaxy, and Quinn’s a powerful psychic. He should have found your father by now. You’re sure Zarek put the claim to Qeeturah in our name?”

Before Mami could work herself into a frenzy, I quickly replied, “When Zarek says he’s done something, he has. If Papa doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be.”

“Try to link with your father again.” Persistence was my mother’s middle name.

Quinn’s mental presence enveloped me. “Deep breath, darlin’. Deep breath, and think of all that chocolate.”

I reveled in his soothing warm. “You are a keeper, lovey.”

Mami tapped my arm. “Are you listening to me?”

“You’re a difficult female to ignore.” Oh Drekk! That had come out a little too snarky. I cringed and waited for the yelling to begin.

“That’s exactly what your father said to me when I first met him.”

“Probably because your mother was screaming bloody blue murder,” Quinn inserted.

I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “Oh. How romantic, Mami.”

“It was. Lysis was so handsome in his battle armor. He scooped me up and carried me to safety.”

Quinn interjected, “Probably to keep his own warriors from shooting her and blaming it on the pirates.”

“Stop. My mother is a sensitive female who is easily frightened.”

“I disagree. I think she does it to get her way. Most rational folks would do just about anything to get her to shut up,” Quinn commented.

He had a valid point.

“Try to link with your father again,” Mami demanded.

For the twentieth time, I said, “It won’t do any good. Papa still has his shields locked down.”

“Orbiting Qeeturah,” Quinn advised.

“I’ll be right there.”

“Please, you must find him,” Mami pleaded.

I hugged her. “It’s going to be okay. Have you eaten anything?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“How about more chocolate?”

Mami perked up. “Quinn has more?”

“He does.”

“I guess he has some good qualities,” Mami said, following me out of the room.