Kenzie (More Worlds Beyond Book 3) (10 page)

    
“Perhaps you have feelings for her.
 
Zahin felt possessive of Eliana at
first.
 
He didn’t want anyone else around
her.”
 
Dar knew he needed to tread
lightly.

    
“I am
not
Zahin!
 
I am not ready to take an
Ardhangini!
 
I have explained this to you Dar, Eliana will
not let Zahin be with other females, and I will not let Kenzie do that to
me.
 
It is not our way, and I love sex
and being with different females.”
 
Dar
knew this would not end well.
 
Kenzie had
confided in him last night and he now knew there would come a time that he
would choose to help her as he could only see disaster in their future.

    
After a couple more hours of sleep, Kenzie
finally showered and headed to the Galley.
 
She found Jaylynn sitting by herself.
 
“Mind if I join you?”

    
“No, seeing how we are the only two people
here.”
 
She laughed.
 
“How are you Kenzie?
 
How are you really doing?”
 
She asked with genuine concern.

    
“I’m Ok.
 
I wanted an adventure, and I certainly have had one.
 
How about you?
 
I
haven’t
seen you
very much.
 
They say this ship is
small.
 
I can’t even imagine what a big
one would be like.”

   
“I know right?”
 
She sighed.
 
“I’ve been Ok.
 
I have been
spending a lot of time with Cedrick, and even Dar.
 
They are both really nice, but Cedrick acts
more like a friend or brother, and Dar is always coming on to me.”

    
“Really?
 
I mean I can see Dar coming on to you.
 
You’re beautiful Jaylynn and I can’t believe
Cedrick doesn’t find you attractive.”

    
“I know I can’t figure it out.
 
He always seeks me out, and we laugh and have
a good time together, but he has never tried anything.
 
Maybe he just
doesn’t
like me.
 
Maybe he would prefer someone
who is of his own race of people.”

  
  
“Have your asked Adriana about it?”

    
“GOD NO!
 
What would I say, ‘Why don’t Cedrick like
me?’
 
Yeah, I would sound like I was
seven years old and having my friend ask a boy to ‘go with me’.
 
No thank you.
 
Besides Adriana has always thought of me as being too
young.”

    
“You’re not to young Jaylynn, you’re
twenty.”
 
She sighed.

    
“So what’s going on with you and
Tolan?”
 

    
“Changing the subject I see.”
 
She chuckled.
 
“I don’t know, but I think I’m falling in love with him.
 
It scares me because you know what luck I
have with men.”

    
“Maybe this time it will be
different.
 
You deserve to be happy
Kenzie.
 
You spent your whole life
helping others, and
then
you became a
nurse.
 
You’ve
also kept peace between me and Adriana through the years.
 
Nobody deserves happiness more than you.”
 

    
Kenzie smiled.
 
“Thank you sis.
 
Are you going to
Santar
or Sukara?”

    
“I don’t know.
 
Dar is cute and all, but I just
don’t
have that spark for him.
 
You know what I mean?”
 
Kenzie certainly did.
 
She felt that spark every time Tolan came
near her.
 
“Cedrick is wonderful.
 
I don’t know if I like him, or I just wonder
why he doesn’t like me.”
 
She
laughed.
 
“I sound like a crazy person
now.”

    
“No you don’t, you sound like a twenty
year old.”
 
Kenzie said with laughter in
her voice.

    
“What about you?
 
What are you going to do?”

    
“I think I will see Sukara.
 
If things
don’t
work
out, I can always join you all on
Santar
.
 
It sounds like it’s fairly easy to travel
back and forth.”

    
“Sounds good.
 
I’ll miss you.”
 
She gave her a big hug as tears filled their
eyes.
 
Then they laughed and finished
their food.

    
Kenzie headed back to her room only to
find Tolan waiting on her.
 
“I’m sorry
Kenzie,
I don’t understand why I acted that way.
 
I didn’t mean to accuse you of something I
know you didn’t do.”
 
He said, sitting on
her bed.

    
“I don’t like you accusing me of
cheating.
 
You know how I feel about
that.”
 
She said, standing with her hands
on her hips.

    
“I do.
 
All I can do is say I’m sorry.”
 
He said, pulling her to him.
 
She
knew she should still be angry, but when he kissed her, she let herself get
caught up in the moment.

Welcome Home

    
Pakhi and Cedrick were staffing the
control center when the alarm sounded.
 
Another ship had just came into range.
 
“On Screen.”
 
Cedrick flip a switch and the vessel appeared on the large view screen
that lay before them.
 
A huge smile split
Pakhi’s face as he recognized the Chandra.
 
“Open a channel Cedrick.”
 
Pakhi
waited with anticipation.
 

    
Algie
had been
commanding the Chandra for over one Santarian Year now, and he watched for
Pakhi’s return every Santarian day.
 
He
knew that if everything had went according to plan, he should be arriving home
soon.
  
“Commander, we’re picking up a
small ship that has just came into range.”
 
Algie’s
heart raced, could this be him?

    
“Open up a channel Justyn.”
 
He waited and Pakhi appeared on the view
screen.
 
“Brother, it’s nice to see your
face again.”
 

    
“Likewise.
 
It’s
good to be home,
or at least in our solar system.
 
Come on
over.”
 
Pakhi
couldn’t
keep the excitement out of his voice.
 
“I’ve got someone I’d like for you to meet.”

    
Algie
couldn’t
imagine who Pakhi was talking about.
 
“Justyn you have the Bridge.”
 
He flashed and materialized in the Control
Room. Both males clasped arms.
 
“It’s
good to see you brother.
 
I hope you had
a safe trip?”

    
“We did.
 
We had a little trouble at the new Space Station, but it didn’t delay us
very long.”

    
“Good.
 
We have been monitoring this section, but there
hasn’t
been any activity.
 
It has been a long
time and I for one am ready to go home.”

    
“I couldn’t agree more.
 
Adriana’s family came with us and I need to
see who will be traveling with us, and who will go to Sukara.”
 
Algie
had a very
surprised look on his face.
 
“Come.
 
There is someone I want you to meet.”
 
Pakhi led him down the corridor until they
reached his quarters.
 
As they entered,
Maile
sat in the floor playing.
 
As soon as she looked up, she came running.

    
Pakhi scooped her up as
Algie
stared in wonder.
 
She gave him a toothy grin.
 
“Daddy, your home.”
 
She kissed his cheek.

    
“You have young?
 
You have a female?”
 
Pakhi nodded.
 
“How?
 
I
mean I know she’s yours, but she’s much older than I’d expect.”
 
He
couldn’t
take his
eyes off her.
 
She was beautiful.

    
“Adriana was already with young when they
took her.
 
I could kill them all for what
I have missed with my family.”

    
“I understand.
 
Do you realize what this means Pakhi?
 
She is the first female born in many standard
years.”

    
“I know
Algie
.
 
Let me gather everyone and see who is ready
to head home.”
 
“
Adriana,
Algie
is with me.
 
Where are you?”

    
“Oh my God!
 
I’m
right
here.
 
I was just in the cleansing
room.
 
Hi
Algie
!”
 
She
threw her arms around his neck.
 
“I’ve
missed you.”
 
She kissed his cheek.

    
“I’ve missed you too.”
 
Algie
said,
laughing.

    
“I let
Cedrick know to have everyone there.
 
Let’s go.”
 
They made their way to
the Galley as Pakhi told
Algie
about Adriana’s
parents and sisters coming with them.
 
Even Eliana’s parents came.

    
“Mother and Father are in for a big
surprise.”
 
He said, grinning.
 
As they entered the Galley,
Algie
felt like his heart stopped beating, and then resumed
at a thunderous pace.
 
A beautiful female
sat by Cedrick.
 
Algie
felt his cock stir, the sign he had found his mate.
 
Smiling, she looked up and their eyes
met.
 
He noticed that her breath hitched,
and her eyes grew slightly wider.
 
This
female was his.

    
Pakhi explained that they had reached the
Chandra, and the Santarians would be departing.
 
All that wanted to leave with them needed to pack their bags.
 
Everyone decided to go except for Eliana’s
parents, and Kenzie.
 
With tear-filled
eyes, Adriana hugged her sister.
 
“Tell
Eliana to take care of you for me, and if you get tired of living there, have
Zahin contact us and we will come and get you.”

    
“Thank you Sis.”
 
Kenzie said, hugging Adriana.

    
With Adriana and her family on board the
Chandra, it only left Tolan, Dar, Kenzie and Eliana’s parents.
 
They would be arriving home that day, and
everyone was excited.
 
Tolan sat at the
controls, Kenzie watched with admiration, as he was very confident in his actions.
 
Cedrick sat beside him as we watched the
planet come into view on the main screen.
 
The blue and yellow planet that she would now call home kept getting
larger.
 
“This is Sukara?”
 
Kenzie asked
,
her
eyes glued to the screen.

    
“Yes.
 
This is home and I am so glad to be back.”
 
Tolan answered,
he’s
hands still working the controls.

    
“Home never looked as good as it does
right now.
 
I think this is the longest I
have ever been away.”
 
Dar said, also
staring at the view screen.
 
James and
Janice never said anything.
 

    
After landing, the King and Queen, along
with Zahin, Eliana and Destiny met them as they disembarked.
 
When Eliana spotted Janice and James, she
started screaming for them.
 
She took off
running and when Janice spotted her, she met her halfway, and they embraced in
a tear-filled hug.
 
“What are you doing
here?”
 
She finally asked after hugging
both of them.

    
“There was no way we would stay on Earth
when our only daughter was here with our only grandchild.”
 
Janice said, laughing and crying.

    
“Come on.
 
I want you to meet my husband and your granddaughter.”
 
Eliana said, taking her mother by the
hand.
 
“Mom, this is my husband
Zahin.
 
Zahin, this is my mom and dad.”
 

    
Janice pulled Zahin in for a big hug.
 
“Thank you for taking care of my
daughter.”
 
She said, smiling. Then she
spotted the most stunning child in and older
womans
arms.
 
“Is this her?”
 
She whispered in awl as Eliana took the girl
into her arms.
 

    
“Mom, this is my daughter Destiny.
 
Destiny say hello to your Grandmother.”
 

    
“Hi Grandmother,” The little girl
said.
 

    
Janice turned questioning eyes to Eliana,
and with her nod, she took Destiny into her arms.
 
“Look James, look at our beautiful
Granddaughter.”
 
She said, crying tears
of joy.

    
Queen Saia stepped forward to hug
Tolan.
 
“You’ve been gone along time
son.”
 
She
said,
relief in her voice that he was back.

    
“I know mother,
It’s
been a long time and I am glad to be home.
 
You and father are looking well.”
 
Tolan said, hugging his mother.
 
When he stepped back, he noticed the instant she noticed Kenzie.
 

    
When they had first met Eliana, things did
not go well, and it took a long time for Eliana to forgive them.
 
“Mother, I would like for you to meet Kenzie.
 
She is the sister of Prince Pakhi’s Mate, and
Eliana’s friend.”
 
Tolan watched his
mother’s expression and it surprised him to find…acceptance.
 

    
“Hello Kenzie.
 
Welcome to Sukara.”
 
Queen Saia stepped forward to hug the new
female.
 
She
didn’t
know if anything had happened between Kenzie and her son, but she would not
make the same mistake twice.

    
“Thank you.
 
It’s a pleasure to meet you your
majesty.”
 
Queen Saia took in the
appearance of this new female.
 
She had
dark hair, alabaster skin, and stunning blue green eyes.
 
She could easily see how any male would want
her.

    
“Kenzie this is my father, King
Yayin.”
 
Her eyes darted to him, and he
looked regal standing there.
 
He had
short hair, and the body of a well-toned military man.
 
He exuded power, and it left no doubt about
who was in charge.

    
“Nice to meet you your majesty.”
 
Kenzie tilted her head down slightly to
acknowledge his royal status.
 
She
noticed his eyes darted to Tolan and then back to her.

    
“It’s nice to meet you Kenzie.
 
I hope you had a good trip?”
 
He said, studying her.

    
“I did, thank you.”
 
Tolan watched the exchange, and it seemed
cordial enough.
 
He knew his parents did
not want to start out on the wrong foot as they did with Eliana.

    
“Kenzie?
 
Oh my God Kenzie!
 
What are you doing here?”
 
Eliana said as she grabbed and hugged her,
barely able to contain her excitement.

    
“I came with everyone else.
 
Mom, dad, and Jaylynn went to
Santar
with Adriana.”
 
Kenzie said, laughing.

    
“And you came here?”
 
Eliana asked, puzzled.

    
“Well, Tolan told me I could train with
your healer so yes, I came here.”
 
She
diverted her eyes.
 
She
didn’t
want her to know that she came to be with Tolan.
 

    
“Uh-huh.”
 
She said with a suspicious look.
 

    
“Kenzie, are you ready to go?”
 
Tolan asked, needing to get away from all the
stares.
 
He knew his parents wondered if
he and Kenzie were together, if she would be his
Ardhangini,
and now he could see Eliana wondering as well.

    
“Yes.
 
Eliana, I hope I will see you later.”
 
Kenzie took
Tolan’s
hand as he led her to the
Palace.
 
It was hard to stand there and
feel like
you’re
being scrutinized.
 

    
“Sorry about that.”
 
He said, leading her from the landing bay to
the Palace when she came to a complete stop.
 
When he looked back at her, he could see the wonder on her face.