Determinant -Guardians of Vesturon [3] (36 page)

“Yeah, well, whatever, but I have it on good authority, that all the women here will be heartsick at the loss!”

I shook my head. I put my arm around January and steered her into the corner. “I have waited so long for this day. I am not sure how much longer I can wait to be alone with you.”

“Well then, why don’t we just leave?” she asked.

“Do you truly want to?”

“Are you kidding? I’ve been nothing but a heap of combustible hormones since I’ve met you. Of course I want to leave!”

I latched onto her wrist and tugged her down the hall. When we were away from all eyes and ears, I picked her up, kissing her, and carried her up the stairs to our room, where I placed her on the bed. Lying next to her, I continued my exploration of her with my lips. I kissed her neck, running my tongue along her pulse point, feeling it beating beneath me.

I sat up and looked at her in awe. She was a glorious vision...braided hair fanned out across the bed, and cheeks like summer roses. Her lips were lush and pink from our kisses and her eyes smoldered with passion.

“Sweet Deity, I thought when you walked down the aisle that I had never seen you look more lovely. I was wrong. Lying here, with your eyes on fire and your lips swollen from our kisses, I have never seen a more beautiful female...and you belong to me, body and soul.”

“Yes...always and forever yours Rykerian.”

Her arms encircled my neck and drew me to her. Then she pushed my shoulder and rolled me to my back. Climbing on top of me, she began her exploration of my body. Her fingertips gently touched my arms, then my shoulders. She made her way to my shirt where she began to undo the buttons, locking onto my eyes as she did so. I was absolutely dissolving into her.

January always seemed to render me into nothing, turning my bones into liquid gold. This time, however, I began to feel a surge of intense heat as it made its way through my veins. Every cell, every molecule in my body responded to her touch. We always had this connection, this awareness of each other. But now, it was overpowering, almost as though I was feeling what she was and vice versa. Her eyes widened as the same realization hit her.

“I had a conversation with Rayn after he and Maddie united,” I began, “and he told me it was unimaginable. I suppose this was to what he was referring,” I whispered, breathlessly.

“I never thought it would be like this Rykerian.”

“Neither did I,” I grabbed her and kissed her, not wanting to spend any more time chatting.

When the last button was undone, I could barely shrug out of my shirt as my breath caught and her hands continued their journey across my chest and down the planes of my torso. When I could take no more, I grabbed her hands and brought them to my lips. It was the most world shattering experience of my life.

“My turn,” I whispered brokenly.

She looked at me with her doe eyes and nodded.

“Are you frightened January?”

She shook her head. “Frightened? Never. Not with you. On the other hand, I am a bit nervous.”

“Ah, my love. Please do not fret. We will go slow and if at any time you want me to stop, just say the word and I will. Okay?”

“Okay. I love you Rykerian.”

“As I love you January. Always and forever.” I knew exactly what I wanted to do with her but I would do it with care because I wanted this to be the most special night of our lives.

I sat up and wrapped my arms around her and began my own exploration of her lovely body, beginning with her lips. It brought me back to the very first time I had tasted them...honey, sweet, luscious honey.

“You are more than anything I could have ever hoped for January,” I said against her lips and then I lowered my head to nibble on her alabaster neck. I ran my tongue along its length until it met her collarbone, where I allowed my fingers to play lightly across its ridge. I leaned away from her and was treated to an exquisite view—her head was thrown back, her lips were slightly parted and her chest was swelling with her every breath.

I laid my hand across her chest for I had an urge to feel her heart beating beneath my fingers. She looked at me at that moment and then placed her hand on top of mine, but surprised me when she moved it to the swell of her breast.

I gently nudged her backwards until she was lying on her back, and softly breathed, “Don’t fret love, there will not be one tiny inch of your loveliness I won’t be touching or kissing before the night is over.” Her breath caught in her throat at my words and she tugged me to her and kissed me fervently.

I would commit to memory the picture she made forever. She was lying there in her bridal tunic with one arm over her head and the other stretched out, her hand clutching the satin sheets. Her eyes were focused solely on me, her lips were slightly parted and she was making the tiniest of moans that nearly drove me mad with desire. I slipped my hands beneath the hem of her dress and slid them along her silken skin, as I slowly removed her garment. I heard a whiff as she quickly inhaled.

“Tell me I’m not dreaming Rykerian. Tell me I’m not going to wake up to find this was all not real.” Her voice was husky with desire.

“I believe it is I who should be saying that as I behold something as beautiful as you.” I had to pause before continuing, for she was simply breathtaking. “I promise you love, this is very real, and what you will soon feel will prove to you that it is so.”

Our senses were heightened with desire as currents of heat ran between us. We were linked by our souls and the waves of passion ignited and burst forth as we discovered each other through our touch, hearts and minds. We fell asleep in each other’s arms, exhausted from our hours of lovemaking.

We awoke the next morning, tangled up in sheets and limbs, I was grinning and she was smiling shyly.

“Nothing to be shy of, love.” I ran my thumb along her bottom lip as I cupped her cheek in my hand. It was impossible not to caress this lovely mate of mine.

“I guess I never thought that it would feel quite so...well, so
good
! And it was so
wicked
!”

I roared with laughter at her response. “Of all the things I expected from you this morning, ‘wicked’ was not one of them.”

“I didn’t expect that either! When can we do it again?”

“Um, is now a good time for you?” I asked as I grabbed her, pulled her on top of me and picked up where we left off the night before.

“I thought we promised to be by each other’s side always, Rykerian. I thought that’s what our vows meant.”

“Listen to me love, I cannot have you on Xanthus with me. I would not be able to do my job with you there. I would be incessantly worried about your safety. It is a very dangerous place.”

“But I won’t be able to stand it here without you. Please,” she pleaded.

We both heard the pop and felt that current flow through the room.

“Are you insane? Do you think for one minute either of us would allow you to be there? I know your mate is adamant about this January, as am I. You
cannot
come. If we have to put you on the space station to ensure your safety, so be it,” Jurek said.

For once, I completely agreed with him.

“Look love, I hate leaving you as much as you hate it. I do not want to go, though I must. It is my duty, not only as a Guardian, but also as a brother. Therron needs us and so does Saylan. I promised Xarrid we would stop at nothing to find out what happened to her and I meant that. Now, does Jurek have to take you to the station or will you stay here?”

They both looked at me like I had lost my mind. I rolled my eyes at them.

“You did not just roll your eyes at me, did you?” she asked.

“As a matter of fact I did. However, you did not answer my question.”

“I will stay here of course. Jurek, will you stay by his side?”

“If I must,” he said sardonically.

She flung out her arm and bashed him in the shoulder saying, “Yes you must!”

Then January flung herself at me and wrapped herself around me like she would never see me again.

“Hey, it is all right love. I will be fine. I promise,” I swore to her, hugging her tightly to me and inhaling her essence. “I take you with me everywhere I go. You have my soul as I have yours.” I pulled back a bit so I could look at her. I saw the tracks of her tears so I took my gloved thumbs and swiped them away. Then I kissed her face where they had been and moved my mouth to her lips. She clung to me like I was her lifeline. I tore off my gloves and placed my hands on either side of her head, willing Tranquility into her.

“Better now?”

“Yes,” she murmured huskily. “I love you so much. Be safe.”

“You know I will and do not forget, I have a babysitter.” That made her lips curve upward so I felt better as well.

*****

Xanthus was a changed place. It literally looked like a version of hell, complete with the fires. Destruction ruled and so did the rebel fighters. They had grown to such large numbers; they had taken over what had formerly been the Xanthian governing facilities.

Smugglers were in and out as the planet could not supply all the necessary items for survival. There were rumors of a secret sect that had ties to a unified superpower of sorts. It was said that this unity consisted of various planets that never would join the Universal Free Rule of which Vesturon was a part. Vesturon and the Free Rule believed that all creatures had a right to exist freely and equally in the universe and could do so as long as they were willing to work hard and live according to the democracy. Its people were not dependent on any form of government nor did any government own the people.

The Unified Superpower, on the other hand, wanted control over everything, including finances, property and rights for all. It was a tyrannical rule, one that went against everything Vesturon and the Free Rule stood for.

There were other rumors that Unified Superpower was starting to amass an army of vast proportions in an attempt to take over the universe. There were reports of Xanthians already on many planets, infiltrating their governing bodies, so when the appropriate times came, they would rise and over take everything.

My father had been right all along. For years he had tried to convince the council that turning a blind eye to things was not the way to solve problems. They had not heeded his advice and recommendations and we would be paying for it in the years ahead.

Jurek, Xarrid, and I were to rendezvous with Therron and his allies. We crept through the darkened streets on our way to the assigned place, with Xarrid leading the way. Jurek’s men were to follow on his command.

As we neared the place of the meeting, I felt an impending sense of doom descend upon me. It felt like it was smothering me.

“We have to get out of here. Something is dreadfully wrong,” I whispered.

“I agree, but we cannot leave Therron. He is expecting us to be here,” Xarrid answered.

“You two go on and I will remain behind,” Jurek suggested.

“That will be of no use. Therron does not know you.”

“There he is!” called Xarrid.

I looked up to see Therron zig-zagging his way toward us. Suddenly, the night air lit up with blaster beams. We were surrounded on all sides.

I shouted to Xarrid, “Hit the deck!”

Jurek converted to energy and began taking out the enemies.

Xarrid screamed, “Don’t kill them all! We need a hostage. One of them may know something!”

I lifted my shadar and began firing in the opposite direction of Jurek. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Therron making his way closer and closer to us.

Xarrid and I had crawled behind a pile of debris left by some previous skirmish, or so it seemed. “Keep your head down Xarrid!” I yelled.

“I’m trying, but I can’t get a good shot!”

“Any shot is better than having your head annihilated!” I screamed back at him over the ruckus.

Therron was getting closer and closer and I was beginning to breathe a sigh of relief. Once he got here, we could teleport out. I didn’t want to do it without him because his teleporter wasn’t functional and I could not leave him behind.

I turned to order Xarrid to cover me, for my intention was to distract the firing away from Therron so he could make a break for us. The words never left my lips. The air suddenly lit up with a huge flash and I saw Therron’s body burn brightly for a brief second and fade away into nothing. I shook my head in disbelief. The blast was so forceful, the aftershock threw my body backwards and then everything began to fade. I heard someone screaming Therron’s name when a subtle warmth covered my arm. It silenced the screams, but a numbness descended over me. I wasn’t even aware Jurek held my arm until January’s face came into focus.

January

After Rykerian, Jurek and Xarrid left, I could do nothing but chew my fingernails. My stomach roiled and my body felt reminiscent of the day my dad kicked me out of the house, but this was much worse. I feared for Rykerian’s life. I was no fool. Xanthus was anything but safe and Jurek could only do so much.

Maddie tried to comfort me. I swore I was going to become a Guardian so I could accompany him wherever he went. I did not ever want us to be separated for any reason. I had never felt so helpless.

“Come with me,” Maddie said.

“Where?”

“Just come on,” she said.

I followed her outside where we hopped in a car—except it didn’t have wheels. It flew—not high like a jet or anything, but more like one of those Speedster things that Rykerian took me on. We were chauffeured by someone to a building called the Academy of Sciences. When we arrived, Maddie took me by the hand and pulled me inside. She stopped by a glass case filled with awards.

“The first time I ever came to Vesturon, Rykerian brought me here to show me Rayn’s awards. That’s not why I brought you here, although I did want you to see Rykerian’s. Our spouses are terribly modest January and would never talk about themselves. So I am going to tell you. They are brilliant. I mean, total geniuses...amazing. So check out your Rykerian’s awards. They’re bound to put a smile on your face.”