To Catch A Warrior [Unearthly World Book 5] (18 page)

“There is no doubt this child is mine,” Titus said. “The resemblance beside the obvious is uncanny.”

Zabbie smiled a small smile. “Yes, he’s all yours, Titus. Are you annoyed he’s male?”

“Annoyed? I’m ecstatic. I have a child. My child, our child.”

Titus gazed into his son’s shining green eyes, his mother’s eyes. His long flowing hair was ebony, like his mother’s but undeniably Zargonnii. His body was bald except for a white thatch of fur covering four horizontal stripes across his forearms, another Zargonnii trait. The babe yawned and stretched, and grew. Before Titus’s eyes the baby grew larger to resemble a male child ready to be handed over to his father.

“Finn?”

“I can see.”

“Do you think this means if a human female comes into contact with the Gorgano she can conceive male offspring?” Titus asked.

“All of the other humans have given birth to females.”

“Excuse me, he’s a boy all right.” Zabbie reached for her son and held the babe under his arms letting his feet dangle. “He has the right equipment and Titus, you know I didn’t cheat on you.”

Titus opened and closed his mouth a few times in surprise. “Well, of course you didn’t cheat on me,” he spluttered.

“No, he is definitely half Zargonnii,” Finn said. “It’s strange though. When the female babes are born their fathers get bigger and stronger, giving the males the edge needed to take care of her. Titus, you’re the biggest male warrior I know, but you haven’t changed.”

Titus took his son from Zabbie. “No, I didn’t, my son did. He is bigger than any babe his age. He has the edge. It’s fitting.”

“I wonder how much of an edge,” Finn mumbled and Titus heard a twinge of worry.

“Your son needs a name,” Zabbie said.

Titus grinned. “You want me to name him?”

“If a female Zargonnii had given you a son you’d be naming him, right?”

Titus cuddled him closer. “My father was named Zell. He was a powerful warrior and he loved me. He loved Cy, too.”

It hurt Titus that Cy couldn’t be there to share in the birth of his son. He had no clue where his warrior went. There was a rumor he’d gone mercenary rogue. Titus hoped Cy could fight off some of his anger.

“Zell is a fine name,” Zabbie said. “Zell of the Zargonnii warriors. I wonder if he’ll have the ability to incinerate things. His eyes aren’t red. He has no fur really.”

“The human female babes have no fur. They do have the long hair but each has a thatch of their mother’s hair coloring as well.”

“Titus?”

All turned when Tane entered the room. They were in the main hall in Finn’s office. No one was certain what to expect when the baby was born so all warriors were on high alert, they also wanted to glimpse the baby. It was rare for fathers to allow warriors too close to their daughters. They were held up in the window in the safety of a warrior’s home for the males to see.

“
Yikes
,” Zabbie squealed. “Don’t any of your warriors know how to knock?”

She was half naked and yanked a sheet over her. Zell made the strangest noise. Two small green laser beams shot from his eyes to zap Tane in the shoulder sending him back a pace.

“Youch, that wasn’t pleasant,” Tane howled.

Titus chuckled. “Well, I guess we have our answer.” He handed the baby to his mother.

Finn went to check on Tane. “You’ll be fine. Looks like Zell has his father’s protective streak. That’s some weapon. So soon, too. Normally our males don’t have the ability to blaze their eyes until they can control them.”

“Holy fuck, I’ll go warn the others; I mean, tell the others you have a son,” Tane said and left grumbling.

“You make a good point, Finn. Our little warriors have the ability when they can control it. In time, let’s hope we find Zell has this ability because he already knows what he’s doing,” Titus said.

“Well, little warrior, what surprises do you have in store for us?” Zabbie said.

Zell yawned and fell asleep. Finn left at a nod from Titus. He tucked the blankets around Zabbie and lifted her. His son was no threat, at least not at this moment, and Titus was feeling overprotective and a bit testy. Titus would teach him to be a good warrior. He came from a good blood line. He wanted his family home.

“Maybe you should wait,” Zabbie said as Titus strode from the structure. “I’m exhausted and can feel myself falling asleep. We know there are still bangor out there. I’m not questioning your strength, but you’ve got your hands full.”

“We’ll be fine. There are about eight warriors following us, all keeping a respectful distance.” He sensed every warrior who followed. His senses were keener and perhaps Zell had given him a new gift after all.

Titus rocked the lives he held protected in his embrace and crooned to them, a quiet calming sound meant to soothe. He smiled when he realized more crooning was coming from behind him. Some of the warriors had sons of their own and knew the tone well.

A tiny sound reached his ears and Titus looked at his son, his eyes were wide. A slight turn of the babe’s head and Titus stopped, startled. The bangor was standing one second, poised to strike, the next its eyes were zapped by two green laser shots, and it fell to its knees then belly. Zell yawned, snuggled against his mother’s breasts and was soon sleeping.

Titus, eyes still wide stepped over the dead bangor, two small holes were smoking from the back of its head. Titus continued to walk home. He had two thoughts. His son was strong enough to kill with a look and he hadn’t hit Tane the same way. Little Zell had control. As he walked, he heard the exclamations from behind him as the warriors dispersed. All had come to the same conclusion, especially Tane.

Once home, Titus settled Zabbie onto their bed. He sat with Zell in his arms. The babe had strong male features. There was an oval patch on his belly resembling Titus’s. It meant his son could expand into warrior mode one day.

On his little hands were black fingernails. Titus rubbed his thumb across the tips of Zell’s fingers. Black razors formed and retreated. His lips were blue but not as dark as Titus’s. A careful examination of his mouth and Titus frowned when he noted his son’s teeth had spaces but were flat. Titus ran his finger over the dull teeth, so much like his mothers. He was surprised when the teeth expanded and grew sharp.

“Poor Zabbie.” His son was awake and watching him. “Little warrior, if I were you I’d show restraint around your mother’s boobs.”

Zell made a cooing sound. Titus mimicked the noise, startling the baby. He waved small fists and kicked his legs. There had been a single second Titus was disappointed he didn’t have the daughter he wanted. There was another moment when he was worried his son wouldn’t be able to take care of himself when he grew older. Time would tell how big he would get, but Titus was no longer worried. The second the warriors had seen the dead bangor, they left. A few laughing about how Titus didn’t need protection, the bangors did.

“I’m going to teach you to be the best leader the Zargonnii have ever seen, my son.”

“You might want to let me feed him first,” Zabbie said and rose to an elbow.

“Remember,” Titus whispered to Zell. “Don’t bite the boobs. They’re yours on loan only.”

Damned if the little warrior didn’t smile at him.

* * * *

Titus and Finn walked around the battered shuttle. It lay resting by a large pond. Very little scum covered the top of the water and the warriors were in no danger.

“It’s one of ours.” Titus placed his foot on the vessel and gave it a small shove. Most of the identifying sign was gone, but Titus could guess what vessel it was. His heart fell. Titus had programmed this shuttle himself on a fateful night in space hoping to save a life. Instead the life was lost.

“The homing device must have brought it here through a water portal. I doubt Arax or even the shark people would send it through. They battle their own war, they aren’t interested in ours,” Finn said. “It’s so battered it must have moved inch by inch before sensing a portal to bring it home and complete its mission.”

“This is the vessel Bertha was in. Do you suppose the scum ate her?” Titus asked. The idea appalled him.

Finn put his hand on Titus’s shoulder. “By the looks of the vessel Bertha is long dead, I’m guessing before reaching our planet. I’ve walked by here many times, as have you. The shuttle has only recently resurfaced. If there was anything left of Bertha it wouldn’t have been much.”

“This, her, it’s killing me. I love Zabbie and our son so much, but this one thing keeps me from complete happiness. The one time I failed.”

“Titus, Arax knows Bethany and me, maybe we could go…”

“No, I won’t risk it.”

“Bertha’s whereabouts affects the others. Bethany doesn’t say much, but she feels she lost one because she took on the responsibility of the other women. We know exactly where Bertha ended up now. It won’t take much to travel to the dark warriors and search for a portal into the water world. We need to exchange information with the dark warriors. They need to know cold will kill the Gorgano.”

“But your daughter needs you both.”

“My brother and his mate will watch her. She will be safe.”

“I don’t know.”

“We all need to know.”

“Alright, but get in and get out.”

Finn grinned and slapped him on the back. “That’s funny, that’s what Bethany says when she’s tired.”

“Too much information.”

Both warriors laughed.

Titus was relieved to see Finn stroll into his home. He and Bethany had been gone less than a week, but it was a tense week. The dark warriors were able to send word they made it to their planet fine. It was Arax’s water world that bothered Titus. There was zero communication from that world within a world. The shark warriors and water warriors were at war last he heard. Titus strode to Finn and clasped his arms.

“Damn, it’s good to see you home safe.”

“It was an interesting trip,” Finn said. “The dark warriors are cultivating a machine to make snow. Bethany told them it was possible. It appears they had them on Earth. They want it enhanced. The machine will catapult huge ice balls as well; their Angano fly. I thought the Gorgano were bad but their distant cousins are creepy as hell. Since Bethany can connect with the creatures, the dark warriors know where they are and in what realm. That will be some war. The Castians are gearing up as well. Wish I could go.”

“We need you here, Finn.”

“As for Arax, things are heating up with the shark warriors. But no worries, I’m certain he can handle them…and Bertha is just fine.”

Titus couldn’t breathe for a moment. He blinked and gazed into Finn’s smiling face.

“Bertha is alive in an alternate universe? She’s with Arax?” Titus was amazed and relieved.

“She is. She’s been given a second chance,” Finn said. He placed his hand on Titus’s shoulder. “You would be amazed at the transformation.”

Finn looked so secretive Titus shook his head. “She’s safe?”

Laughing, Finn clapped him on the back. “You have no idea.”

“If Cy finds a way to get to her he might try.”

“There is no way Cy would get near her. Arax is protecting her. Nothing will touch her.”

“I’m happy she has someone in her life. She is happy?”

“Yes. But I’m sworn to secrecy. All in the universe including the enemy know she has been an Achilles heel to you. She’s safer if her whereabouts are unknown and who she is with are unknown. Just know she is loved.”

Finn strode from the room. It was apparent Finn needed to keep his secret. Titus could live with that, but he was shaking his head. Loved? Now that was amazing. If Bertha could find love maybe there was hope for Cy.

“Was that Finn who just left?” Zabbie asked.

“He said Bertha is alive and doing well.”

“That’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you.”

“For me?”

Zabbie stroked a long lock of his hair. “You didn’t fail her. You never did to begin with.”

Titus was thoughtful. “I guess I didn’t.”

“You have your family and now you can have your peace. I know the war is in full swing. We have some pressing issues of our own. Come here let me show you something.”

Zell was playing in a huge playpen. The toys around him were dancing, or so Titus thought. As he watched he noted the moves of certain toys were strategic. Titus crouched down. His son flailed his arms and babbled when he saw his father. A toy was suddenly in Titus’s hands.

“Oh, boy,” Titus muttered.

“There’s more. You may want to sit and don’t panic. Who’s your new friend, Zell?”

Titus almost bellowed when a Castian baby boy appeared in the playpen. The baby grinned at everyone, cocked his head and disappeared.

“Who was that?” Titus asked. “What the hell just happened? There was a Castian baby, I saw him.”

“A little powerhouse in his own right. He is the son of Roam and Jinx. I returned him the first time to his parents. I admit it was a little hair-raising appearing in the midst of a bunch of freaked out Castians who were terrified for the baby. I stood there holding him shaking. Roam was very nice. He said he could scent my fear and he took his son and told me everything would be okay. They wondered if maybe their son was searching for wayward females in need of rescuing. They don’t know the extent of the boy’s powers.

“I explained their son had shown up in my home and unfortunately, I’m not sure of our son’s powers. They are of course not thrilled, but we’re not sure if Zell is bringing him here or not. The first time, I think he did. But the child seems to be able to hear his mother, Jinx, call. I have no clue how or why they connected but two powerful males seeking out each other can’t be a coincidence.”

“Does Zell leave on his own?” Titus was beyond worried.

Zabbie was about to say something when Zell frowned and disappeared. Titus panicked.

“Zell,” he yelled.

Zabbie placed her hand on his arm. “He’s fine. I have a feeling Jinx and I are about to become best friends, whether we want to or not. I’m not complaining, your warriors are more wary of Zell than me now.”

Zell returned with a toy in his hand, the toy vanished and Zell yelled. The toy reappeared, vanished, reappeared. Their son grabbed another toy and it vanished. He continued to hold the coveted toy.