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  Khiershon drew in a ragged breath and his hands moved down to her hair, clamping her head as she plied his willing flesh. He was trembling beneath the sweet ecstasy of lips, a fiery pool of desire flooding his loins. His hands roamed over her head, stroked her hair, pushed it back from her forehead. His breathing grew ragged, his heart pumping faster with each gentle tug of her lips. He stood it for as long as he could then grabbed her upper arms and pulled her up his body, turned them both over so that he was lying atop her, his knees pushing her thighs apart.

  "What would McGregor say?” she whispered.

  "The hell with McGregor and his prudish thoughts,” her Reaper proclaimed. He slanted his mouth across hers and claimed her in a heady kiss that took her breath away. His hand went to the juncture of his legs and he slid unerringly into her warm sheath, lifting her rump so he could thrust deeper with lengthening strokes that had her fingernails digging into his back.

  Caitlin lifted her legs and locked them around her husband's hips, anchoring him to her as he plunged into her heated wetness. She could feel the building pressure flooding into her lower body and arched her hips to meet his thrusts. He filled her, touched the very core of her, and when she climaxed, the peel of her release was lost in the sweet cavity of his mouth, his tongue dueling with hers.

  Khiershon pulled his mouth free and let his head fall back, a cry of fulfillment pushing at his clenched teeth. He was afraid if he released that sated roar, it would echo through the ship and reach every ear.

  She looked up at him—the broadness of his shoulders, the damp hair swirling over his chest, the strong column of his throat where a wild pulse throbbed out of control. As he lowered his head and their eyes met, she saw a crimson glint sparking through those amber eyes and knew she had been marked far beyond a lustful mating between lovers.

  He had given her his seed.

  Chapter Six

  "Any new developments?” Khiershon asked when he made his way back to the bridge later that morning.

  Iyan shot him a look then put his hands on his hips and shook his head. There was no need to ask the Reaper where he'd been and what business he'd been conducting. Cree had that afterglow on his handsome face that Iyan had grown to know all too well of late. “Did you take care of your important matters, milord Reaper?” he inquired around a tightly clenched jaw.

  "Everything came out just fine, McGregor,” Khiershon reported. “Thanks for asking.” He turned to his Com Officer. “What's happening now, Hesar?"

  "The two ships are sitting right where they were but now the StarRaider is blocking its transmissions. I think the princess realized we're out here monitoring her movements,” Hesar told him, trying to keep a straight face.

  "It's as though whatever Raphie said to Captain Chakai concerned her and all outgoing conversation between them has been taken up to a more secure channel,” Iyan stated, “so we wouldn't be able to hear it."

  "They are talking about me,” Khiershon said with disgust. He actually felt his ears burning.

  "That would be my guess,” Iyan agreed. He glanced at his friend and noticed that the Reaper was plucking at the arm of his command chair, staring at it, preoccupied.

  "As best we can tell there isn't going to be any trouble from the Alluvia . Her crew never even put their weapons on standby,” Pat Rasey, the weapons’ specialist commented. “Neither ship is geared for confrontation."

  "I'd like to know what they are discussing for such a gods-be-damned long time,” Iyan grumbled.

  “They've been sitting there for over two hours, chit-chatting."

  "Not all women chit-chat, McGregor,” Barb Fuller, a Terran black woman quipped. “They could be exchanging recipes for all you know."

  Iyan snorted. “I'm more inclined to believe it would be instructions on how best to emasculate the man they're holding captive on the Alluvia .” He glanced at Barb Fuller, the black Terran who understood as no one else did his feelings about such things for in her native country she had been subjected to female genital mutilation.

  Barb smiled gently at McGregor.

  "I'm not picking up on him being in pain,” Khiershon said. He felt great sorrow over Iyan having been castrated when they were both captives on Amazeen.

  "Stop remembering,” Iyan snapped, knowing exactly what his friend was thinking.

  "Could the Reaper on the Alluvia be under Chakai's protection?” Wynth inquired.

  "Possible but not gods-be-damned likely,” Khiershon replied. “How many Amazeens do you know who are on the side of a Reaper?"

  "We know at least one,” Iyan said.

  "Well, whatever they were discussing, it seems to be at an end,” Dax said. “They're engaging engines."

  There was a long moment of silence, and then Iyan asked, “Are they moving away from one another?"

  "No,” Dax replied. “The StarRaider is dropping in behind the Alluvia ."

  "What the hell is she doing?” Khiershon demanded, shooting to his feet. “Try hailing her ass again, Bryan!"

  "Unknown Serenian StarRaider, this is the DarkWind ,” Helen Bryan radioed. “Please respond."

  "Does the StarRaider even have a name?” Iyan asked.

  "Not to my knowledge,” Wynth replied. “It hadn't been christened yet when we left."

  "What you want to bet Raphaella named it when she took command,” Khiershon asked. “And where the hell did she learn to captain a vessel to begin with?"

  "My guess is the Serenian and Oceanian women are running the ship with Raphie as the titular captain,” Iyan answered. “You know she wouldn't just be a member of the crew."

  "With her ego? Not likely,” Khiershon agreed with him.

  "Serenian StarRaider, this is the DarkWind . Do you copy?” Bryan said. She tried again then twice more but the StarRaider did not acknowledge the hail.

  "You know,” Caitlin said as she came onto the bridge, “she could just be ignoring you, Reaper. She wouldn't want to take the chance you would order her back to Corinth."

  "That's true,” Iyan said. “And very likely the case."

  "Open the channel,” Khiershon ordered. “She may not reply, but she'll be able to hear me chewing her ass out."

  "Let it go,” Caitlin advised. “She's going to do what she's going to do whether you yell at her or not and we don't want any passing ships aware there are men onboard the DarkWind ."

  Iyan gave his best friend's wife an admiring look. “She's right, Khier."

  "So I'm just to ignore the fact she disobeyed a direct order?” the Reaper snapped.

  "I think it best,” Caitlin said, running her hand across his upper back in a soothing motion.

  "She disobeyed me,” Khiershon complained.

  "Aye, but technically she's not a member of your crew so she's not under your command,” Caitlin reminded him.

  "She disobeyed me,” he repeated.

  "Let it go, Reaper,” she said, patting his shoulder. She met Iyan's direct gaze and winked.

  Iyan turned away. He didn't want Khiershon to see him grin.

  "If she can hear us, that means the Alluvia can, too,” Bryan said. “Want me to try raising the Amazeen ship?"

  "The Alluvia ?” Caitlin asked, frowning. “Wasn't that the ship that challenged us over by Montyne Vex?"

  "By the gods, she's right! I'd forgotten about it until she mentioned it,” Iyan said. “They'll know we've retrofitted the Orion !"

  "And wonder why,” Khiershon added.

  "They think we're lesbians,” Caitlin reminded Iyan. “And they know we are Terrans."

  "But with a crew from other planets if I remember correctly,” Iyan put in. “They have to be wondering what we're doing on this side of the wormhole now."

  For a long time no one on the bridge of the DarkWind spoke. Dax was tracking the path of the Alluvia carefully. Hesar and Bryan were monitoring its communications system.

  "Open the channel to the Alluvia ,” Caitlin said, “and direct the vid-com only on me."

  "Why?�
� Iyan asked.

  "Humor me,” Caitlin said and nodded to Helen.

  "It's open,” Bryan said.

  "Greetings, the Alluvia !” Caitlin called out. “Fancy meeting you out here in the wilds of space. How's it hanging, girls?"

  Khiershon winced and Iyan frowned.

  The face that materialized on the vid-com was not smiling. “I am Major Akkadia Kahmal of the LRC the Alluvia . To whom am I conversing?"

  "I guess you and I didn't meet before over by the Vex,” Caitlin said with a grin. “I'm Captain Cait Kelly formerly of the United Space Alliance Medivac Command. Where's that gorgeous Captain Chakai?"

  A deep scowl passed over the Amazeen's face. “You are the Terrans as I remember."

  "Aye, we are. Is the good Captain Chakai still with you or was that delicious lady promoted?"

  "Captain Chakai passed on into the arms of the Gatherer,” the Amazeen Major informed her. “Why do you seek her?"

  "The Gatherer?"

  Major Kahmal rolled her eyes. “She died, Terran."

  Caitlin shrugged. “That's too bad. I just thought she and I hit it off, you know?” She broke out into a wide grin. “How ‘bout you? Do you want to swing my way, Major?"

  It took a moment for the Amazeen to understand what had been asked and when the meaning hit her, her lovely face turned hard as rock. “I am not one of your kind!"

  "What a shame,” Caitlin said. “We're enjoying ourselves over on this side of that anomaly. Glad you showed it to us."

  The Amazeen was unsuccessful at hiding her dismay. “Glad to have been of assistance,” she bit out.

  “Does your command know you entered the anomaly?"

  Caitlin winked. “No way, baby! We're boldly going where no Terran has before and loving every minute of it! Boy, will we have a tale to tell when we get back to base!"

  "I see,” the Amazeen said, lips pursed. “What is it you plan to do while you are visiting our part of the megaverse, Captain?” Her gaze narrowed. “How is it possible for you to refuel on this side of the anomaly?"

  "Oh, we've discovered all kinds of wonderful new friends who have been ever so helpful. We were told about a shindig going on in some place called Rysalia Prime. Have you been there? It's a planet with nothing but women! Can you dig it? There's going to be some kind of rip-roaring party over there in a few days. Some of our new friends from Oceania souped up our ship so we could make the journey in style. We gave our vessel a new name, the DarkWind . How cool is that? How ‘bout we meet up with you and your crew and...."

  "We are not interested!” the Amazeen snarled.

  "Oh,” Caitlin said. “Come on. You look like my kind of woman. I...."

  The transmission between the two ships was terminated just that quickly and Caitlin was staring at a blank screen.

  "Depraved woman,” Iyan chuckled, shaking his head. “Your boldness never fails to amaze me, Caitlin."

  Khiershon was staring at his lady as though he'd never seen her before. When she turned toward him, batted her eyes, and puckered her lips in an air kiss, he couldn't hold in the laughter that exploded from his lips. He reached out and dragged her into his lap, pinning her there within the safety of his arms. “If I didn't have such a feeling of dread, wench, I'd kiss you,” he told her.

  "Dread?” she repeated. “From what?"

  "I don't know,” he answered. “It's been there since I came on the bridge this morn and I can't seem to shake it."

  "The Alluvia is streaking across the heavens just as fast as their engines can blast them,” Dax said. “The StarRaider is right behind it like a bat outta the Abyss."

  "Raphie would have recognized your voice, Cait,” Khiershon said. “Let's hope she doesn't give away your performance.” He shifted once more, the niggling feeling prodding him. During the time Caitlin was conversing with the Amazeen Major, his uneasiness had grown.

  "She won't,” Caitlin said. “She values your life too much and she'll know we were simply bearding the lioness in her den lest the Major wonder what we're doing out here with a supercharged vessel full of Terran women."

  * * * *

  Khiershon was still uneasy as afternoon stretched into evening. He had the strangest feeling all was not right on the Amazeen ship, the Alluvia . He knew there was a Reaper onboard the ship, but he had sensed no pain or sorrow coming from the ship while Caitlin was conversing with the Major. Had it been a Reaper cadet he knew on the Amazeen ship being transported to Rysalia Prime as a prisoner, he would have been able to home in on that one's presence. He didn't believe there was a Reaper cadet alive with whom he had not shared blood but obviously there was. Closing his eyes, he tried to send his mind out into the cosmos in search of the presence he felt on the Amazeen ship but the Alluvia was too far away and the emanations far too weak to register. Yet the uneasiness persisted. "Damn,” he spat and opened his eyes, unnerved by what he wasn't able to understand or reason out. He gave up and shoved his hands into the pockets of his leather uniform britches, hunched his shoulders, and headed for the lounge where everyone would be gathering within the hour to go over the plans for rescuing his bloodkin.

  Iyan glanced up and took note of the heavy frown on his friend's face. He knew Khiershon better than anyone and a look like that generally boded ill for whoever had caused it. The Reaper was moody at best and downright dangerous when he bore such a hard, sharp expression.

  Khiershon threw his leg over the back of the chair beside Iyan and sat down, his brow furrowed. He picked up a straw lying on the table top and began twisting it between his fingers.

  "Should I be concerned with whatever it is that is plaguing you?” Iyan asked quietly.

  "There is something about the male on that Amazeen ship,” Khiershon said. “It worries me."

  "We scanned the ship the first time we came into contact with the Alluvia and there was no male onboard,” Caitlin said. She had been sitting with Iyan, waiting for her husband.

  "That in itself isn't strange,” Iyan said. “They could have swung by Amazeen and picked him up on their way back. If he's a Reaper, we know where they're heading with him."

  "Remember the LRC that was fast approaching the wormhole right behind us when we left the Vex?” Khiershon asked.

  "Vaguely,” Iyan answered.

  "They were burning a Reaper,” Khiershon said. “I felt it."

  "And you wouldn't allow us to blow the ship apart for that reason,” Iyan remembered.

  "Could that have been the Alluvia ?” Khiershon asked.

  Iyan and Caitlin exchanged a look. “Possibly,” Iyan replied. “We haven't encountered any other Amazeen ships."

  "What's bothering you, milord?” Caitlin asked.

  "If the male on the Amazeen ship is a Reaper cadet, I don't believe I know him,” Khiershon said. “I thought at first it might be Sajin, the next to the youngest of my bloodsire's offspring, but now I'm convinced it isn't Sajin. We passed a Reaper being tortured. I felt his pain. If he is the one who is now on the Alluvia why didn't I feel his pain when you were speaking to the Major?"

  "This may be another cadet entirely,” Caitlin said.

  "Something tells me he's the same one,” Khiershon stated.

  "Then perhaps he is unconscious,” Iyan suggested.

  "That's what I'm afraid of,” Khiershon said. “He could be near death already. It's obvious they are headed for Rysalia Prime so they would be taking him to his execution."

  "Would Raphie have known this Major Kahmal on Amazeen?” Caitlin asked. “Could they have been friends on Amazeen?"

  "Doubtful,” Khiershon said. “She didn't have friends. The only females with whom she associated were.... “He stopped, his eyes widening.

  "What?” Iyan asked.

  "She was to have become the next Domestic Queen,” Khiershon said. “There were only three other women—all daughters of the Defense Queen—that Raphaella deigned to associate with and one of them was named Akkadia."

  "That's a common enough Amazeen name, Khier,”
Iyan reminded him.

  "Aye but if memory serves, the Defense Queen was named Melanippe Kahmal!"

  "Kahmal is the name of the Major on the Alluvia ,” Caitlin said.

  "But surely Kahmal is sworn to bring Raphaella to justice for helping you to escape,” Iyan said.

  "Not necessarily,” Khiershon disagreed. “I always thought she must have had inside help in aiding me to escape Amazeen. What if that help was Akkadia Kahmal?"

  "You may be right. Hell, she was even bragging to Kahmal!"

  "If they were friends...” Caitlin began.

  "She had no friends, I tell you!” Khiershon said. “I would have known!"

  "All right,” Caitlin said, taking his word for it. “Then either one of two things is happening here.” She held up her thumb. “The two of them came to some kind of understanding and the Major isn't going to hold Raphie accountable for setting you loose or.... “She held up her index finger. “The Major is leading Raphie to her death on Rysalia Prime."

  "With an unconscious Reaper cadet in tow,” Khiershon said, his face as stony as granite. “We've lost dozens of Reapers already to the Multitude's fires. I've no intention of losing even one more!"

  "Khier, other than you, the only cadet not accounted for is Sajin. If you're correct, it is most likely him on the Amazeen ship,” Iyan stated.

  "The only cadet we know about,” Khiershon corrected. “What if there are more that we don't know about? We need to liberate him before they can turn him over to the Multitude and question him to see if there are more cadets out there somewhere."

  "And alert the Amazeen that you have a ship of men being masked as women on their scanners?” Caitlin asked. “You might as well signal on ahead to Rysalia Prime that we're coming to the Reapers’ rescue."

  "She's right,” Iyan said. “I don't see any way to snatch the lone male off the Alluvia without giving ourselves away."

  "Then he'll have to stay where he is and we'll add him to our pickup list,” Caitlin said. “Isn't that what we're doing here tonight? Cementing our plans for snatching your bloodkin from their doom?"