Cassandra's Challenge (10 page)

“Lucas!” Victoria squeals jumping at him.
Catching her he swings her up. Cassandra smiles entering behind
them.

At the end of the corridor Falco watches as the
hatch opens and the two refugees enter the Admiral’s quarters, the
woman smiling. Jealously is raging through her. Who does this
person think she is coming between her and the Admiral? He is
hers
! She would have to pay! Falco turns and walks away.

Inside the ready room Victoria chatters away to
Lucas giving Cassandra a chance to see a table’s missing.

“Where have you been Lucas? I haven’t seen you
in
forever
!”

“I’ve been busy, on patrol.” He tells her
walking into William’s private chambers. “What have you been up
too?” She proceeds tell him all about school and Amina.

Following she finds William coming towards her,
the look in his eyes telling her she’s about to be kissed. Her
nerves leave as she gives him a half smile reaching up for him as
his mouth swoops down capturing hers. It is a through kiss leaving
them both breathless.

The buzzing at the hatch separates them. “It’s
Hutu with third meal. I want you to meet him.” Several men enter
the room carrying covered trays.

“Take them to the table in back.” A large golden
skinned man with golden eyes directs them. “We’ll out of here in a
few minutes Admiral.”

“That’s fine. Hutu I’d like you to meet
Cassandra. Cassandra this is Hutu, he’s been my personal cook for
five cycles now. If there’s something you want just ask him, he can
probably make it. He’s a genius in the kitchen.”

“Thank you Admiral. Out you two get out!” He
tells his staff. “It’s nice to meet you mam.” He holds out his
hand. Not sure if she’ll take it. Cassandra shakes the man’s hand
firmly and without hesitation. Hutu is impressed. Victoria steps
into the room.

“And this,” the Admiral says motioning Victoria
forward, ‘is Victoria, Cassandra’s niece.”

Hutu leans down to the child, again holding out
his hand. Again Victoria puts her much smaller one in his and
shakes. “Nice to meet you.” She says, melting the large man’s
heart.

“You too.” He straightens.

“Anything else Admiral?’

“No thanks Hutu.”

“Goodnight then.” Hutu nods to Lucas who has
entered the room.

“Goodnight.” As Hutu leaves William walks over
securing the door.

Lucas raises an eyebrow, “So are we going to eat
or what?”

Entering the private chamber Cassandra discovers
the missing table with two chairs on each side of it, the trays of
food sitting on it. A sit down family meal, her breath catches in
her throat stopping her in her tracks.

William puts his hands on her waist, leaning
down to whisper, “It’s alright?”

“Better then alright.” She whispers back putting
a hand over one of his squeezing. She walks to the table.

Lucas witnessing the exchange looks from his
father to Cassandra then back. William meets his son’s gaze
straight on.

“Lucas,” Victoria says grabbing his hand, “Where
are you going to sit?”

Lucas looks down at her, “Why next to you of
course.” Victoria grins, choosing her seat, Lucas waits until
Cassandra sits then the two Zafar men pull the covers off the
plates and join them. Cassandra and Victoria look at their plates.
Three of them are the same, one different, the one in front of
William.

“Here,” He says, “This one is for you Victoria.
It’s called
cnaipini sicin
Hutu says all
the children on the ship like it.”

“Okay.” She says in a brave voice.

“So what are we having?” Cassandra asks trying
to draw attention away from her.

“It’s called Rhea. You liked the Zebu, you’ll
like this.”

“You had Zebu?” Lucas demanded looking at his
father.

“Last night,” William grins at him, “Hutu cooked
it perfectly.”

“And you didn’t invite
me
?” He
demands.

“No I had someone much prettier to share it
with.” William looks at Cassandra who feels her face get warm.
Thankfully it all went over Victoria’s head as she bravely tries
her first bite. Slowly chewing her face lights up.

“Aunt Cassie! It’s Chicken Nuggets!” Cassandra
grins at her as she quickly takes another bite.

“Awesome, what do you say?”

“Thanks Admiral!” Her mouth full, a large grin
on her face.

“Victoria Lynn!” Cassandra scolds.

“Sorry,” Victoria covers her mouth, eyes still
grinning. “But it’s the best ‘surprise’ we’ve had since we got
here.”

“Surprise?” Lucas asks starting to eat.

“It’s just what we call meals on the
Retribution.” Cassandra watches to see how to eat what’s in front
of her.”

“Why?” He persists, missing his father’s
look.

Looking to see Victoria is engrossed in her
meal, she answers. “It’s just, unfamiliar is all.”

“Patrol went well?” William asks already knowing
the answer. Looking at his father Lucas lets the matter drop.

“Went fine.”

Cassandra chews her food. “Your right William, I
like this.” Immediately she realizes she’s addressed him by his
first name in front of Lucas.

“Of course I right.” He jokes, trying to put her
at ease. Lucas eats saying nothing.

“
Lucas do you ever go to the play
area?”

“
The what?” He gives Tori a confused
look.

“The play area it’s really fun!”

“Deck F.” Cassandra tells him. “Open area for
kids to run.”

“Oh. No Victoria, I don’t really get down there
much.”

“Oh.”

Cassandra knows William wants to talk about what
happened last night, but she can’t with Victoria listening. As they
finish their meals he catches Lucas’ eye.

“Victoria, Lucas and I need to do some work in
my ready room. Can you and Cassandra put the dishes over
there?”

“Guy talk?” Both men just look at Victoria.

“Daddy and Granpa Jacob used to do that a lot.
Mommy always said they did it when they thought it would upset
her.” Her look is older than her years.

“Or it could just be work.” Cassandra
interjects. “Let’s clear the table and we’ll get started on
homework.” Victoria just shrugs.

“Ok.”

William shuts the adjoining door they enter his
ready room. Once Lucas gets to his father’s desk he turns demanding
to know.

“What the fuck is going on? You secure your
outer door? You and Cassandra have obviously been intimate. She
calls you William. You’re having private dinners. Who the fuck is
taking care of Victoria?”

William stands toe to toe with his son. “Don’t
you
dare
question her commitment to that child! She hung
upside down out of a Raptor, flames all around her! She’s been
there every night since dealing with the nightmares!” William turns
taking a deep breath.

Lucas is amazed by his father’s emotion. He’s
normally very reserved except for family.

“Dad, what’s going on between you and Cassandra?
Don’t bite my head off!” He says quickly as is father turns. “I
think I have the right to know.”

William isn’t sure how to explain to his son
that his mother wasn’t his life mate so he decides to just say
it.

“She’s my life mate.” Lucas’ jaw drops.

“What? How? You’re sure? You have no doubts? It
hasn’t been long enough.” Lucas stutters. William just looks at
him.

“I know the difference. I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“That is wasn’t your mother.”

“Dad, it was perfectly clear that you and mom
weren’t life mates.” William’s surprised at this comment.

“If you tell me she’s your life mate then I
believe you. I know she’s committed to Victoria. But what the hell
is going on. What nightmares? Dad….” Lucas hesitates.

“What son?’

“Victoria…” He looks at his father. “She’s
my
life mate.” Lucas lets it stand.

William doesn’t say anything at first. Assessing
his son. “You’re sure?”

“As you are.” Lucas replies.

“You have a long road ahead of you then.”

“I know. What nightmares?” At William’s
hesitation Lucas continues. “She’s mine to protect, whether she’s
nine or nineteen. I can’t do that if I don’t know what’s going
on!”

William walks to sit behind his desk.

“Last night Victoria was having a sleep over at
Amina’s. I’d convinced Cassandra to stay with me. Leander called
saying Victoria had a nightmare, we went to get her.” He looks at
Lucas judging what he thinks he can handle then realizes that that
isn’t up to him. His son has found his life mate he couldn’t
interfere in that by withholding information.

“I’ve never seen a child so distraught.” William
tells his son. “She was petrified but trying to control it. She
dreamed she was trapped in the fire.”

“Shit!”

“There’s more.” Lucas looks at him. “She told
Cassandra the Glitter Man was there.” Lucas is confused.

“I don’t know everything yet. Cassandra wouldn’t
talk about it with Victoria in the room. But this Glitter Man did
something to Victoria. He’s real and she’s dreaming he’s trying to
find her,
can
find her, anywhere.” Lucas goes pale as he
sits.

“What are we going to do?”

“We find out the truth and protect our life
mates.”

Back in private quarters Cassandra is wondering
what’s going on in the other room.

“Aunt Cassie?”

“Yeah baby?”

“I’m tired, can I lie down?” Cassandra looks
sharply at her.

“You’re feeling okay?”

“Yeah, just tired.” She gets up and takes a
pillow and blanket off the bed.

“Here you go, lay down on the couch.”

“Will you tell Lucas goodnight for me?”

“Yes,” In minutes she’s is asleep.

The men look up as Cassandra enters the room,
quietly closing the connecting door.

“She’s asleep.” Crossing the room she sits back
in a chair, suddenly as tired as Victoria.

“Is she normally asleep this early?” Lucas
asks.

“No.”

“Cassandra, I’ve decided that Lucas needs to
know what’s going on with Victoria.”

“You’ve decided?” Cassandra’s voice is sharp as
she sits up, tiredness forgotten. “That’s not
your
decision
to make Admiral. She’s
my
niece!”

“It concerns the safety of
my
ship and
crew. That makes it
my
decision!” William’s tone is one his
crew fears. It has no effect on her.

“That’s bull shit!” Cassandra starts, cutting
herself off when Lucas starts to chuckle.

He’s been following the heated exchange with
great interest. When his father told him this small woman is his
life mate he’d been concerned she would be unable to handle the
demands of a Carinian male. Seeing her go toe to toe with the
Admiral his doubts fade away.

“What’s so funny!” She demands, pinning Lucas to
his chair with angry blue eyes.

He holds up his hands in a universal sign of
surrender. “Just glad to see there’s someone not afraid to stand up
to the old man.” Still chuckling he looks at his father. “Should
keep things interesting.”

“What?” Shocked eyes turn to William.

“Lucas that’s enough.” William watches her.

“I’m just saying that as unusual as it is, the
two of you seem to work…” Lucas trails off at his father’s furious
look. Looking at Cassandra he finally realizes his blunder.

Cassandra pales. William’s told his son about
their intimacy. Just like at MIT. What else has he told him? Has
she made a mistake, being with William?

“Cassandra,” William watches her eyes take on
that shuttered look he is coming to hate.

“You need to know about Victoria’s kidnapping.”
Her voice is brisk, flat. Unable to sit she walks across the room,
staring at the painting of setting suns.

“When Victoria was two, she, her mother and my
grandmother took a trip to meet me in Kayseri. I was finishing up
my doctrine on ancient Sumerian, I was eighteen. Dad thought it
would be a perfect girl’s trip, so he stayed behind, Peter was
‘gone’. I’d rented a two bedroom house, with a private courtyard,
once I knew they were coming. Victoria and I were sharing a room.
That morning I left earlier than normal I had to present my
dissertation. She was in bed sleeping when I left.” She turns away
from the picture looking at the avidly listening men but not moving
towards them.

“I’d barely been gone thirty minutes when Cyndy
calls, frantic. They can’t find her. The doors were all locked but
she wasn’t there. Her robe and slippers weren’t in the bedroom. We
searched again, we found one of her slippers in a bush, the other
was on the roof, the fucking roof! We called the police but they
didn’t have any more to go on then we did.”

“We couldn’t find her, no one had seen anything,
God what a helpless feeling. My grandmother just kept saying it was
them, it was them. Eighteen hours after she was taken she was back.
She was lying in the courtyard crying. A house full of people
trying to help find her and she was just
there
.” Cassandra
runs a hand through her hair.

“We couldn’t get her to stop crying, she was
terrified. We took her to a doctor but one look at him and she went
crazy. It took four of us to hold her down her down so they could
give her a sedative. While she was out we had the doctor examine
her,” Cassandra finally meets William’s eyes sees he
understands.

“She wasn’t sexually assaulted.” William
releases the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “There
wasn’t a mark on her. Not a hair, not a fiber, not a piece of
dust.” She sits back down watching William.

“Nothing?” William asks, Cassandra shakes her
head.

“She wasn’t physically hurt.” Lucas demands of
Cassandra.

Cassandra looks at him totally confused by what
she’s seeing on his face. It’s like he’d been sucker punched but
his eyes were raging.