Euthara (38 page)

Kelly and Nefeit were both sitting at the table chatting softly, both naked. Jon groaned silently to himself, this naked thing was going to be the death of him. Nefeit pushed a cup of coffee towards the empty seat between both girls. Jon picked it up and took a sip as he sat down.

“Morning ladies, how are you both doing this morning?” Jon said as he took his seat. He was doing his best to ignore the fact that there were two completely nude women seated next to him.

Both of them smiled at Jon as Nefeit answered, “Fine, we’re just talking girl talk.”

“Uh huh,” Jon said. He stood back up and took another sip of his coffee. “In that case don’t let me interrupt you. I have to get ready anyway. I’m supposed to meet Breq and Mark at the impact site today. I’m going to take a shower; I’ll be back in a few.”

Jon turned and left the room and headed for the shower. Nefeit grinned at Kelly as she stood up. “I’ll be right back,” she said as she followed Jon from the room a few seconds later.

The shower had just warmed up as a blast of cold air hit Jon when the door was opened behind him. Jon turned around and watched Nefeit step into the shower. He turned back around and leaned forward to let the hot water cascade down his back as Nefeit grabbed a rag and started soaping up his back.

“This nude thing is going to become commonplace isn’t it?” Jon said.

Nefeit grinned as she spoke, “I kind of like the freedom.”

“You know I’m a guy right and we can’t exactly control our reactions to naked nymphs running around, right?” Jon said.

“So,” Nefeit said. “You telling me you don’t like what you see?”

“No, I’m saying Kelly makes it a bit awkward. She is the widow of my best friend, and it's already bad enough what happened the other day. Now she’s slipping into our bed in the middle of the night,” Jon said. “It makes me feel like I’m dishonoring his memory.”

Nefeit turned Jon around and started washing his chest as she spoke, “I don’t think so, I think Bill would be happy that you’re there for his wife. She doesn’t really have anyone to lean on and you’ve provided the support she needs. I think Bill would want you taking care of her.”

“Maybe, but I doubt he would want me sleeping with her,” Jon said. He bent down and let Nefeit lather up his hair. “Thank god it’s only happened once and the rest of the time has been pretty much platonic.”

“Want to know what I really think?” Nefeit said.

“Of course,” Jon said. He looked up at Nefeit when he spoke.

“I think she feels a bit unwanted and lonely right now,” Nefeit said. She helped rinse the soap from Jon’s hair as she spoke. “I think the only other person she loves out of everyone here is you. She has attached herself to that so she doesn’t lose herself in grief for her loss. That person has given her part of what she needs and has held back on the rest.”

“Grieving is a good thing,” Jon said.

“True, Kelly grieves every night before she comes into our room for comfort,” Nefeit said.

“I thought I could hear her crying,” Jon said.

“You do,” Nefeit said. “When she’s done crying she comes in and snuggles up to you for comfort. She’s not looking for sex but if something happens I don’t think she really minds. In her eyes it’s a form of comfort and flattery that you would want to have sex with her.”

“It’s a form of comfort and flattery that I would take advantage of her situation?” Jon said.

“Of course, she’s pregnant and most women are notorious for thinking they’re ugly when pregnant. Their bodies are all bloated and they’re gaining weight. To have a man want you while you’re pregnant makes you feel good about yourself,” Nefeit said. “The comfort is that you accept her into the bed and allow her to snuggle without complaint. You’ve taken one of them away from her and she’s confused about it but she’ll accept what she can get which right now is the comfort.”

“So, you’re saying I should sleep with her and not worry what anyone else thinks?” Jon said. “By sleep you know what I mean.”

“Yup, besides everyone already knows she’s staying here and most if not all of them are happy she’s found someone to help her,” Nefeit said.

“They know she’s staying her. They don’t know she’s been sneaking into my bed nude and snuggling up nice and close to me. That something happened the first time it happened and has almost happened several other times,” Jon said. “What do you think they would say about that?”

“Nothing, I don’t think they really care,” Nefeit said. “Besides what happens here in these quarters is none of their business.”

Jon rubbed the soaped up wash cloth over Nefeit’s chest again and lathered it really well. “I don’t know,” Jon said as he concentrated on a couple of areas.

“I do, I’ve been speaking to her and she has no regrets about anything,” Nefeit said. “Bill told her if anything was to happen to him she was to come here and you would take care of her.”

“I don’t think that’s what he had in mind,” Jon said. The water had washed the soap off Nefeit’s chest and Jon started to lather it back up again.

Nefeit swatted Jon’s hands away. “I think my chest is clean,” Nefeit said.

Jon pretended to inspect her chest and shook his head. “I don’t know still looks a bit dirty,” Jon said as he wiggled his eyebrows and did his best leer look.

“I think five lathers is enough you dirty old man anymore and I’ll be raw,” Nefeit said as she smacked him in the ass and shooed him out the door first.

“Spoil sport,” Jon said as he grabbed a towel and started to dry off.

“You know it,” Nefeit said as she followed suit. “Just think about what we’ve talked about, please.”

“I think you’re asking me to take another wife,” Jon said.

Nefeit shrugged as she spoke, “Maybe eventually down the road. You do need a human wife to help continue that side of the line or at least a mistress to give you human children.”

Jon never really thought about it that way. “Maybe,” Jon said. He was pulling on his shirt as he answered.

“I’m just saying think about it,” Nefeit said. “Deatra and I have already talked a little about it ourselves. She knows Kelly is here and what has happened, and she doesn’t mind if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“That did cross my mind,” Jon said. He knew Nefeit and Deatra talked through the bond, something he hadn’t really gotten the knack of yet. He could use the nanites but they gave him a huge headache. Andie had told him it was something to do with his bond to Deatra and another bonding only seemed to make the matters worse.

Jon walked out of the bathroom with Nefeit close behind and in on Kelly in the bedroom. She was bent over giving him a perfect view of her firm ass and other assets as she picked up clothes off the floor. Jon had a small reaction to the view as he stepped up behind her. She had just stood up as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. Kelly jumped from the unexpected contact, he gently rubbed her belly.

“You know I care for you right?” Jon said. “Anything you need just let me know, we’re all here for you.”

Kelly leaned back into him and sighed it was a sigh of relief and knowing she wasn’t alone.

Jon planted a small kiss on her cheek as he let his hands fall and turned to Nefeit and gave her a kiss.

Nefeit leaned in after the kiss and said, “Thanks, you just made her day.”

Jon nodded as he spoke, “Ok, well I have a few things to do. I’ll be back later on.”

“As do I,” Nefeit said. “If you need me Kelly just call or send one of the guards outside to get me.”

Jon had added a security detail to Kelly since she was staying with him. He felt that since she was living in his quarters it made her a target, and he had promised Bill he would do everything he could to protect her.

Thirty minutes later Jon walked into the security section where the mysterious women were. Supposedly one of them was Deatra’s sister, and he was going to find out what was going on and if it was true.

Terri had explained what had happened at the compound where she had been held just before the troops arrived. Hell he didn’t even know Deatra had a sister, it wasn’t something she had ever mentioned.

Jon was in good spirits as tomorrow his sister and Oojoung were getting out of the medical ward. They still had a week left of inactivity but they could resume light duty in the interim. It was something the doctor had agreed to, it was either that or keep them both where they were.

Jon motioned to the guard on duty who unlocked the door and saluted. “Have any troubles from them?” Jon said.

“No Sir,” the guard said.

“Good,” Jon said.

Jon stepped into the room connected to the cell the women were being held in; his guards spread out as soon as they passed through the door.

Six of the women were in a half circle around a woman in the center of the cell. They all had their eyes shut and looked like they were meditating.

“I take it you’re Opellissa, is that correct?” Jon asked.

Never opening her eyes Opellissa said, “You must be Captain Hunter then if you know who I am.”

“That is correct,” Jon said.

“Did your sister tell you what my mission was as well as my name?” Opellissa said.

Jon arched an eyebrow at the question. Somehow this woman knew he had gotten his information from his sister. “Yes, of course,” Jon said. “How did you know it was my sister that told me who you were?”

“Just a guess,” Opellissa said. She still had her eyes closed and none of the other women had moved since his arrival. “It’s not a very large leap really. I was sent to kill you, and your sister was going to be the bait. We got captured and I assumed she would survive her wounds. The Buranis is another…”

“He lives,” Jon said.

“Surprising, considering his wounds were pretty severe,” Opellissa said. “I’ve heard they were a hardy race.”

“The Buranis are pretty resilient and when you combine that with the nanites coursing through his system it makes them almost unstoppable,” Jon said. “Though, he came very close to death.”

“I’m happy to hear they’re recovering,” Opellissa said. “How is my sister?”

“Sequestered at the palace,” Jon said.

“Why?” Opellissa said.

“Something about how your father hates my guts and wishes the two of us weren’t bonded,” Jon said. “I imagine he’s been working really hard to get around it legally. You should really ask him since you work for him.”

A smile appeared on Opellissa face as she spoke, “I don’t work for him and for that matter I don’t associate with him. Up until a few days ago I thought my sister was dead and he was at fault.”

“Oh?” Jon said.

“Yeah, now I find out not only is she alive, she’s bonded to my target,” Opellissa said. “That leaves me a lot of questions and choices. If you are who the prophecies say you are, I shouldn’t be hunting you. I was led to believe you were something other than what you appear to be right now.”

“You have my attention,” Jon said. “I’m here to decide what to do with you and your friends. That can depend a lot on what you say.”

“It’s a simple story, actually. My sister and I were very close, she was the good little princess and I was the wild one. I always wanted to be an elite warrior, something that was frowned upon for a princess of any rank,” Opellissa said. “My father gave us both a choice, I could abdicate the throne and join a holy order and my sister could one day become Queen or we could stay together and he would revoke our status.”

We opted to stay together but my father had other plans. I was told a week later that Deatra had died in some sort of accident on one of her trips to find a bond-mate I imagine she was told some other lie to fit the circumstances at the time. I was so upset at the loss I blamed him and abdicated my position to the throne. He was the reason for her journeys, it was one of the ways he kept us a part. Now that I know she’s alive I can see it was part of his greater plan. He knew I would get angry and do what I did and he used it against me.”

I don’t regret my actions at the time. The only thing I regret is the time I missed with my sister and being tricked by my father.”

“Your father isn’t as sneaky as he thinks he is,” Jon said. “Sometimes he’s a bit transparent in his actions.”

“I’ve heard about your dealings with him,” Opellissa said. “I’m impressed that you have been able to take a bad situation and turn things around.”

Jon was starting to get curious as to why she hadn’t looked at him yet but pushed it to the back of his mind. “You mean the city?” Jon said as he guessed what she was talking about.

“Yes, mainly the city,” Opellissa said. “I got a good look at it as we passed over. I’m surprised at how much you’ve gotten done here in the short time you’ve controlled it.”

“It’s because people are ready for a change and they’re working hard to get that change,” Jon said. “The local outlying villages have returned to their former suburbs around the city and have all pitched in a hand to help. The local Eutharan military has also decided to join in and work towards making their city whole again. I have very little to do with what is going on here, all I have done is given them a chance to make their life better.”

Opellissa smiled as she spoke, “You have more to do with it than you know or want to admit. Leadership is an important thing, and you have shown you have the ability to lead while making good choices for those around you.”

“Maybe,” Jon said.

“My father has lost that ability to lead, and has made some mistakes that have stagnated my people,” Opellissa said. “They’re ready for a change, and you’re making that happen for them. They know they’re on the brink of dying out, and yet my father sits on his hands and does nothing. You’ve brought that to their attention with the recent events. If you had been anyone else, he would have had you thrown into a deep dark cell or killed for what you’ve been doing.”

“He can’t reach me,” Jon said.

“He tried to reach you through your sister and almost succeeded in the attempt,” Opellissa said.

“No, he was never even close,” Jon said. “I could have retrieved her at any time. What he did was to almost call down the wrath of the Ga’sahde.”

“Yet you stopped them,” Opellissa said. “Why?”