Jo's Journey (19 page)

A month later:

“
What happened to you?” Manota asked as his father strode into the room with a dark scowl on his face.

He, Torak and Jazin were enjoying a brief get together after reviewing some of the data that was pouring in from the additional accounts Tai Tek had. It would take months, possibly longer, to discover just how far the deception had gone. He leaned back in his chair sipping a dark amber liquid while his eyes followed his father.

Ajaska looked like he had been dragged through the twelve levels of Killian and back again. His shirt was ripped in several places. There were four long rips across the front and another set of smaller ones across the back of his thigh. His hair was disheveled and he looked angrier than any of them had seen him in a long time.

“
I need a drink,” he growled out.

He was walking over to pour a drink when they all heard Walter
’s loud voice echoing angrily down the corridor. Ajaska poured a double shot of the potent liquor and drank it down in one swallow before he poured another. He turned just as the small ringmaster and his wife came charging through the door.

“
Torak, I demand you do something!” Walter growled out. “I demand retribution.”

Torak
’s eyes widened when he saw Walter’s red face and Nema’s concerned one. He rose from his chair and ushered them over to the couch. He smiled as he watched Walter help his tiny wife up onto the couch before he climbed up on it. Once they were comfortable, he nodded to the servant who had hurried in to set a tray of refreshments down before leaving. Everyone in the palace knew that Walter had a love for their dark root tea while Nema loved their fruit juice. 

“
What appears to be the problem?” Torak asked as he handed each of them their drink.

“
I’ll tell you want the problem is,” Jo said. “This little guy has a triple dose of cuteness,” she teased, giggling down at the infant in her arms.

She was carrying River and Torak
’s son, Ajaska Jr. or AJ, in her arms. She brushed her lips over his soft dark hair as she smiled tenderly down at her nephew. Her own figure was beginning to show the slight bump in front. Her eyes collided with Manota’s for a brief moment. His eyes filled with love as he watched her and the babe. He reluctantly released her gaze as Star came in behind her sister with a grumble of discomfort.

“
I can tell you what else is wrong,” Star said with a groan as she rubbed her back. Her rounded belly sticking out in front of her. “Being the size of a soccer ball is a pain in the butt. Just so you know, you are having the next one!” She said with a glare at Jazin who just grinned and held his arms open for his tiny, rounded mate. He loved how her belly had swollen over the last month.

River came in a moment later carrying a small bag filled with the essentials for a newborn. She set it down, pulling a small blanket out of it before reaching for AJ. She settled into one of the chairs and draped the blanket over the baby and across her chest. She quickly unbuttoned the tunic she was wearing and breathed a sigh of relief wh
en the infant drank greedily, relieving some of the pressure. Torak’s eyes darkened as he heard his son suckling at his mother’s breast.

“
Torak, did you hear me?” Walter demanded.

“
What?” Torak said distractedly.

“
He said Ristéard has kidnapped Ricki,” Manota said dryly. “He wants to know what we are going to do about it.”

“
I will contact him,” Ajaska said, trying to flatten the torn pieces of his shirt. “Now that his planet is part of the Alliance, he’ll have to follow the guidelines. He can’t just kill any councilman that doesn’t agree with him or kidnap females that he wants in his bed.”

“
In his bed?!” Walter sputtered. “I’ll call him out! I’ll cut off his dick and feed it to those damn tigers and lions that Katarina has.” He paused as he looked at Ajaska’s shirt. “It looks like you’ve met them.”

Ajaska looked down at his shredded shirt.
“You can say that. No one told me she had the damn things living in her house,” he muttered.

“
She should have told you that when she answered her door,” Walter said puzzled. “She always tells everyone who comes to the door when she has them out.”

“
I don’t think he was going through the door,” Manota responded with a sly look at his father’s reddening face. “More like a window.”

“
It was a door,” Ajaska said before he grinned. “It just happened to be the one to her bedroom upstairs.”

“
Ajaska!” Jo, Star and River gasped at the same time.

“
What?” He grinned again before he finished off his drink. “I think I need another drink.”

“
What about my daughter?” Walter growled out. “What are you going to do?”

Ajaska shrugged his shoulders.
“Kidnap her back,” he said with a mischievous grin. “Right from under his royal blue nose.”

To be continued…..
Ristéard’s Unwilling Empress
:
Lords of Kassis Book 4.

Ajaska
Ja Kel Coradon, father of three sons,

mated to
Katarina Bukov

Torak
Ja Kel Coradon
mated to
River Knight

Jazin
Ja Kel Coradon
mated to
Star Strauss

Manota
Ja Kel Coradon
mated to
Jo Strauss

Alan and Tami Strauss
parents of
Jo and Star

Kev Mul Kar, Torak
’s Captain of the Guard,
mated to
Jade RyanRyans, FBI agent

Jai
t’Dubar
mated to
Mattie Abrams, animal trainer and handler

K
’tar Sali, Manota’s Captain of the Guard (East House) and communications officer,
mated to
Sunny, dancer/performer

Dakar Mul Kar
mated to
Annie Cabot, reporter

Jarmen
mated to
Jane Doe

Ristéard Roald
, Grand Ruler: Elpidios
mated to
Ricki Bailey, circus coordinator and daughter of Walter and Nema, owners of the circus

Armet De
’hart, Jazin’s Captain of the Guard (West House)
mated to
Shannon Andrews, FBI agent

Susan Smi
th has always been a romantic and a dreamer. An avid writer, she has spent years writing, although it has usually been technical papers for college. Now, she spends her evenings and weekends writing and her nights dreaming up new stories. An affirmed “geek,” she spends her days working on computers and other peripherals. She enjoys camping and traveling when she is not out on a date with her favorite romantic guy. Fans can reach her at
[email protected]
or visit her web site at:
http://sesmithfl.com
. Join me for additional information about the books at
http://pinterest.com/sesmithfl/s-e-smith/
,
http://twitter.com/sesmithfl
,
http://facebook.com/se.smith.5?fref=ts
and at my new book discussion forum at
http://www.sesmithromance.com

Additional Books:

Abducting Abby
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 1)

Capturing Cara
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 2)

Tracking Trisha
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 3)

Ambushing Ariel
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 4)

For the Love of Tia
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 4.1)

Cornering Carmen
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 5)

Paul
’s Pursuit
(Dragon Lords of Valdier: Book 6)

Choosing Riley
(Sarafin Warriors: Book 1)

Lily
’s Cowboys
(Heaven Sent: Book 1)

Indiana Wild
(Spirit Pass: Book 1)

River
’s Run
(Lords of Kassis: Book 1)

Star
’s Storm
(Lords of Kassis: Book 2)

Jo
’s Journey
(Lords of Kassis: Book 3)

             
Rescuing Mattie
(Lords of Kassis: Book 3.1)

Tink
’s Neverland
(Cosmo’s Gateway: Book 1)

Hannah
’s Warrior
(Cosmos’ Gateway: Book 2)

Tansy
’s Titan
(Cosmos’ Gateway: Book 3)

Cosmos
’ Promise
(Cosmos’ Gateway: Book 4)

Gracie
’s Touch
(Zion Warriors: Book 1)