Apparition (12 page)

“Zoe,” Doss said with alarm.

“Come with me,” she pleaded but she wouldn’t give up
the dream—she couldn’t give up the dream.

The
Tonan
laughed at the
terror coming from the cells around them as they passed. Zoe was shaking, but
Doss was here. There was something…Doss needed something from her. The door to
Loy’s cell opened. Loy stood angry, his eyes narrowed. Doss had his hand on
Zoe. The scene played out. The
Tonan
was cruel, Loy
was furious. Zoe hated them both. When Loy pushed Zoe away Doss growled. Even
though his armor was up, Zoe could tell Doss was ready for blood.

When the
Tonan
poised his
tail to strike her, the dream fast-forwarded. Still, Zoe wouldn’t give it up,
there was more and Doss had to see all of it. The
Tonan
dropped his armor and if Doss hadn’t already killed him he would be dead now.
When finally Zoe bit the
Tonan
and the
Tonan
raised his hand to her, the image shattered like
glass. Zoe knew Doss could take no more and for some odd reason, she knew she
had given him what he had needed to see.

Zoe woke in Doss’ arms. His body was wrapped around
her protectively. “Aw, Zoe,” he mumbled, he sounded wounded for her.

“I couldn’t help it, Doss. There was something you
needed to see.”

“There was something I needed to scent. I’m so sorry
that happened to you. I will never allow you to dream that again; it hurt my
soul to watch. It was my armor that led us there. My armor senses I needed to
work something out in thoughts because after meeting Loy both my sides have
battled indecision. I was drawn to him, his
Castian
side no doubt. Because he was the first kind warrior I have met. I can’t keep
battling myself. My armor protects us both. I can’t keep you safe if I battle
myself.

“Loy wasn’t angry with you, Zoe. He was furious his
warrior mate was dead, he hated the
Tonan
. He was
terrified he would give in and take you even though he sensed your fear of him.
There was one more thing I sensed from him.”

“What?”

“He would have done the same thing as his warrior mate.
He would have done his best to impregnate you to save you.”

“He would have been killed.”

“Yes.”

“How can you scent emotions in a dream?”

“Your dream left an imprint; it was a very emotional
experience for you. Some memories are stronger; they grip us tighter and a
scent, a smell, something triggers them. My scent is highly evolved. The scent
was like a shadow. It wasn’t whole, but it was enough to see and enough to
scent.”

“What do we do? I’m still afraid of
Castians
, but I hate
Tonans
. The
Tonans
will come after us. The war will continue. What if
we have a child? The baby will be all alone with no others to play with.”

Doss pulled her closer. “I spent my life thinking
Castians
were cowards and
Tonans
were evil. I still think
Tonans
are evil filth.
Especially after what I just saw.
I felt Loy’s rage when the
Tonan
whipped you. I’m sorry, Zoe, but that part I fast-forwarded;
I couldn’t bear it and I’m so proud of your courage. But I knew if Loy had a
shield, he would have done his best to kill the
Tonan
for you. He is a warrior with courage.”

“I don’t scent emotion like you, Doss. I can feel some
of what you feel. I sense you. I want to sense Loy. I can in a way. Is it
because we connected in the cell?”

“I guess some of what you feel is from me,” he said
and shrugged. “I know you have no fear of Loy. But Cobra is right. The healing
process will take time. The women are terrified of both the
Tonans
and
Castians
like you are. But at least you have one
Castian
that you trust. It’s more than the other women can
say.”

“I have you, too.”

“You will always have me.”

Zoe giggled. “I’ll always have Caveat.”

Doss groaned. “Quit sniffing my ass, you damned hairy
beast.”

Caveat whinnied. “I think he wants an apple. Is there
fodder for them out there?”

Doss got up and dressed. He went to the replicator and
before long there were enough apples of every kind and color as well as carrots
to keep the horses happy for a little while. After Zoe dressed and they had
both eaten, Doss took her hand and they went outside. The suns were rising.

Doss gripped her hand and pointed out intricate
markings on the trees and places on the soft stone structures resembling rocks
said to have belonged to another race over millions of years old. The forest
smelled primitive. It gave Zoe an odd feeling.
Almost déjà
vu.
If she didn’t know better she would have sworn at one time she had
walked the region. It became apparent to Zoe that Doss was more than well aware
of the area.

“Do you come here often?” Zoe asked.

“Often enough.
I’m eight hundred years old. I get bored so I wander.
I know every inch of this planet.”

Zoe stopped him. “Do you know where the
Tonan
slave camps are?”

“Yes.”

“You should tell Cobra.”

Doss hesitated. “Zoe,” he began.

Zoe frowned. “You’re afraid. Why? You were as eager as
I was to save that woman and those children.”

“Then we met Cobra and I started thinking. If the
Castians
and
Tonans
stop warring,
who do you think they’ll wage war on next?” Doss answered. “Warriors need a battle.”

“Are there more hybrids?”

“I’ve never seen one, but I have heard rumors. Zoe, a
hybrid is more dangerous than a
Castian
and
Tonan
combined. I’m a good person, but what if some hybrids
aren’t? What if some lean more on the side of
Tonans
?
Cruel evil males that can kill both sides.
Introducing
human females has proven dangerous. There are
Tonans
who are breeding with human females and some who might have considered giving a
piece of their shields to their sons when our second must hits.”

“How do you know?”

“I can control my scent emotions; I blend in and move
quickly. I hear a lot of shit. Not a lot of good shit either. With the loss of
our females, the
Tonans
realized their mistake and
instead of killing these human females, they’re keeping many to build their
race. Human females aren’t capable of repelling a male. They’re vulnerable
unless mated. By the time a
Tonan
and
Castian
reach the age of twelve they are deadly warriors.
New armies on both sides will build.”

“Sounds to me like they could use a
mediator.”

“The
Tonans
and
Castians
can never live together in harmony. Because I have
the blood of both, I have the scent memories of both. I understand each race.
There is no emotional empathy in a
Tonan
warrior,
it’s been bred out.”

“I think it would be in Cobra’s best interest to
welcome you into their midst.”

“They fear me.”

“They don’t know you.”

Zoe looked at the massive trees they were surrounded
by. The tree tops overlapped to close out the sun and Zoe was concerned. Doss
needed the sun. It shone sporadically in places and she guided him to one of
those areas. Doss was chuckling as she dragged him along.

“Relax, Zoe. It takes a long time for my armor to
suffer from the loss of sunlight.”

“Those trees are so high. What on earth would a
Castian
do if they were afraid of heights?” Zoe mused.

“It would be a very embarrassing situation for sure,”
Doss said and laughed.

“Look!” Zoe squealed and pointed.
“
Moonway
.”

The little creatures were studying them just as
curiously. They stood upright on their hind legs, the females hanging back with
their young. There were perhaps twenty. Surprisingly, Zoe noted a domed wood
home like the
Tonan
camp. It was much smaller, proportioned
to the
Moonway
size. It was up off the ground like a
bird’s nest.

Zoe moved back into Doss’ arms. “Oh how I would have
loved one of these when I was a child.”

“These creatures also mate for life. I don’t know how
long they live though. I don’t think they die when their mate dies. You see the
one holding the babe,” Doss asked and Zoe nodded. “They were brought here by
the
Tonans
about twenty years ago. That female would
curl into a ball and rock. She looked so sad it near broke my heart. I’m
guessing her loved ones were left behind when they were captured. It took a
long time and tenderness on her new mate’s part, but eventually he convinced
her she wasn’t alone.”

“How sad, and yet how beautiful.”

“I could understand her loneliness,” Doss whispered.

“I don’t understand, though,” Zoe mused. “The water
was poison. How did the females survive?”

Doss ducked his head and looked a bit sheepish. “I
told them not to drink the water. I know it sounds odd but I replicated what
was needed when I came across them. They seemed to understand. They’re used to
me. Then the humans landed and the
Tonans
, seeing
their golden opportunity, introduced chemicals that made the water palatable. I
didn’t want the little females to die when they came here. The males would have
been so lonely. And they were so vulnerable.”

Zoe looked up into his eyes; they were simply gray
with the sadness he was feeling. “You’re not alone any more. We have each
other.” She traced a finger down his cheek thinking what a wonderful sweet man
he was to go out of his way to save the lives of the little creatures. He may
be half
Tonan
, but nothing about him reminded her of
any. The idea made her frown. It didn’t seem like a
Castian
trait either.
Except she liked Loy.
Perhaps it was
just his nature and what his mother taught him.

Doss kissed her lips, his hand stroked her back. When
the kiss ended Zoe chuckled and Doss looked at her questioningly.

“Apparently
Moonway
see
Moonway
do,” she said and pointed.

One of the male
Moonway
was
pressing its tiny lips to its mate. The creature’s eyes were wide in surprise.
The little female being pushed the male off her and leaped away, the male was
in pursuit. Doss laughed. He grabbed Zoe up into his arms and closed his armor
over her. In seconds he had climbed to the top of the tree.

When Zoe slipped to the foliage under her feet she
gasped. Massive trees stretched for miles and miles blending in like rolling
mountains of leaves. Very few clouds dotted the sky. Doss had told her
Tonans
regulated where and when rain would fall to keep the
planet vibrant but still bathed in sunshine. Doss led her to a tiny area that
was covered from the high suns that beat down on them. Doss loved the suns, but
Zoe couldn’t take the intensity of them for too long.

They lay in the shaded area. Leaves almost the size of
Zoe flapped in the breeze fanning them. Doss pulled her on top of him. He was
bare-chested and barefoot like always. His sleek gray-white pants hugged his
hips low. Zoe could see the outline of his erection. She traced it with her
fingers. Doss pulled Zoe’s tiny shirt over her head, she was also barefoot. The
concept of shoes was lost on this planet.

Doss’ hands rubbed at her breasts. His fingers worked
her buds until they puckered and hardened. Zoe tossed her head back and let him
play while she felt his secretions slip into her skin and arouse her. His hands
were perfect and large, his fingernails were white; it was an odd contrast to
his tanned body. Charming was the word that came to mind when she looked at his
hands. His cock was hardening under her as she slid against him, rocking her
body against his hands.

Doss pulled her higher and when their lips met, Zoe
could feel him inside her with his emotions. The taste of love was strongest.
The heady feeling of ecstasy consumed her. Zoe’s pants were rolled down over
her bottom. Doss slipped his fingers between her thighs and played with her
bud. He grinned up at her and pulled her toward him. Zoe shuddered when her
pussy met his tongue. Doss sucked her nub and Zoe heard him groan. His mouth
was soon ravishing her while she wiggled and squirmed. He held her tight.

Zoe knew she was about to come, she felt it build. One
of Doss’ hands held her ass while the other kneaded one breast. His tongue was
inside her, tasting her. Zoe cried out and she heard Doss swear while softly
lapping at her. When she moved back he looked dazed for only a second before
turning predatory.

Doss slipped his cock free of his pants and pushed her
back onto him. Zoe moaned when he entered her, inch by large inch. When she
finally sat on him, his cock completely encased in her heat, Zoe arched her
back and slid up his shaft.