Prime Deliverance (Katieran Prime Series (Book Five)) (15 page)

“You sound like her, too. She used to sing me to sleep until she died.”

Another tear slipped past trailing down her face. “What did she sing to you?”

“Something about loving the Goddess with all your heart.”

AriELa nodded. Her mother sang that to her when she was young as well. She started to sing the words to the little boy. “
Love the Goddess KatieRI with all your heart and your heart shall be filled with Joy.
Do not fear the dark and grey for the Goddess will bring you the light of day.
”

The little boy sang with her a few of the lyrics as he got closer to her. He reached up with his small hand and wiped her tears from her cheek. “She spoke of you. She said that I had a beautiful sister who would love me as much as she did.”

AriELa nodded her head and opened her arms wide. He hesitated then threw himself into her waiting arms. They both cried. She could hear male sniffles behind her as well. She looked up and caught the eyes of her father. He was so thin and frail. His color was white and sickly looking. He had been such a strong, proud male.
Oh Goddess, what had they done to him?
He backed away from them, unable to continue to hold her gaze. He left the room.

She wanted to go after him. To run into his arms but he wasn’t the one that needed her the most at that moment. She kept her focus on her brother.
What was his name?

“Do you have a name?”

“I only have the name that Leader Krosis gave me, Silis.”

“Did our mother call you by another name?”

He shook his head. “She only called me ‘son.’”

“It doesn’t matter right now. How about you take your time and pick your own name?”

“I get to pick it for myself?” He looked surprised.

“Yes. I think you earned the right to choose it for yourself.” AriELa stood and reached out her hand to him. He hesitated but then put his small hand inside hers. She felt a piece of herself that had been missing, now refitting itself back.

She led him out of the room peacefully to the amazement of everyone there. TarAK tried to reach out to her, but she brushed past him quickly.

“Are you hungry?”

He nodded. “I didn’t eat today.”

“Well, let’s go get us some food then. I’m starving.”

“Do they not feed you?” The little boy looked around at the tall males angrily. How dare they abuse his sister. Already he was feeling protective over her.

“It’s okay. I just mean that I have worked up an appetite.”

He still didn’t look at ease with the large males around. “The male who is supposed to be our father, what is his name?”

“He
is
our father. His name is ConEL.”

“Who is the female behind us?”

“The male is our cousin, Prime Commander KydEL. The female is his bond mate, Prima Jaxon. She is a female warrior.”

“A female warrior? Truly?” The boy looked back at Jaxon in awe. “She is smaller than the dark female warrior, Lucy. Can she fight?”

“Better than most males,” she told him. “Perhaps she can show you. She’s been helping me learn some defensive moves.”

The little boy’s eyes turned back to her with concern. “You cannot fight. You must be protected at all costs.”

Wow, for a young who spent his whole life with the enemy, he sure did pick up the Katieran male mentality in a heartbeat.
She was curious. “What do you know about Katierans?”

They reached the Meal Room. All eyes turned to watch them as they got their food. It took fifteen minutes. Her brother didn’t know what to pick. He had started loading everything on his tray. She had to pull stuff off in worry that he would make himself sick if he ate too much.

They sat down and she waited until he slowed down with eating the food. She asked him her question again, “What do you know about Katierans?”

“Mother taught me the laws.
First Law
is to protect all females and young.
Second Law
is to protect the Prime families.
Third Law
is to serve the people of Katiera.
Fourth Law
is to honor the mated pair of Gods.
Fifth Law
is to protect all natural resources.”

“Very good.”

He puffed his chest out at her praise of him. Then he grew sad. “I failed the first law.”

“What do you mean?” she asked him with confusion.

“I failed to protect mother. Krosis was…he hurt her. I couldn’t stop him. I tried, but he threatened to kill her if I didn’t behave. Then he would send me to the holding room with the other male…ConEL. ConEL talked to me sometimes. But each time I was sent there, he knew that mother was…being hurt. He stopped talking after a while.”

She reached out to gently touch his hand. He allowed the touch. “The Morins used all of you against one another to keep control of you. They are at fault. Our father felt helpless to protect you and mother. He should have comforted you though. None of what happened was your fault. ”

“She would tell me that whenever she was returned with bruises, but I still feel like I failed her. Did Krosis hurt you?” His young face looked at her with scrutiny.

“I am fine, really. I’m grateful that I found you and father.”

He looked away feeling shy. His eyes caught those of a strange male staring at his sister. “Is he your mate?” the boy asked.

AriELa looked to where her brother pointed. TarAK stood at the door watching her intently. Seeing him there made her heart rate speed up. “No, we are not mated.”

“Then I will make him stop staring,” her brother growled.

“No! I mean, it’s okay if he looks.”

He looked at her cautiously, then he began to pick at his food. He was tentative at first but then started to shovel food in his mouth before he had a chance to chew and swallow the previous spoonful.

“Easy, little brother. If you eat too much too fast it will make you sick.”

He paused with a spoonful at his lips. He looked around at how the rest of the people were eating. They all seemed to be taking their time.

“I have to store it up in case it is a while before they give us more food.”

AriELa tried not to show her emotions on her face. It tore her heart in half to hear about the abuse the young suffered. Separated from his father, watching his mother deteriorate and being repeatedly abused. After their mother died, he was pretty much alone.

“We eat three meals a day in the Meal Rooms. The Meal Rooms are kept open at all times of the day. If you get hungry, we can come back any time.”

“Really?” he looked like he didn’t quite believe her.

“I promise. But if you want, we can get some of this to take back with you for later.”

“Where will I stay? In the holding room?”

She shook her head. “You’ll stay with me.”

“For how long?”

Forever
was what she wanted to say. But she didn’t want to scare him. “You can stay with me as long as you want. Do you want to stay with me?” she should have asked him that first. Maybe he would want to stay with their father, though it didn’t look like they were getting along earlier.

“Yes, I would like to stay with you.”

Chapter Seventeen

She got her brother settled in bed and it took a while, but he finally fell asleep. Something had been bothering her about her father’s behavior and she needed to speak with him. She didn’t want to leave her brother alone in her sleeping quarters, but she had to see her father. It had been years. She had a difficult time recognizing him. He had lost a tremendous amount of weight.

LanER stayed behind to guard her brother while AtOM escorted her to her father’s sleeping quarters. She was nervous. Her hand shook as she reached up and knocked on the door. No one answered. She knocked a little louder. He might be resting.

“Go away!” an angry male’s voice shouted from inside the room.

“Father?” AriELa yelled back in question.

A few seconds later the door was slid open. Her father was now showered and changed into a warrior uniform. He towered over her.

“AriELa?”

She waited for him to take her into his arms. He used to give the best hugs. It always made her feel safe when she was within his arms. However, he just stood there staring down at her, not making a move for her at all.

“May…may I come in so we can speak in private?”

He shuffled to get out of her way. She turned to address AtOM. “I need to speak to my father in private, please wait outside.” He didn’t look happy about it, but he nodded his head. She entered and closed the door behind her.

Nothing looked touched at all. Not even the bed. She saw a sheet lying on the floor bedside the bed and cringed inwardly. He must be resting on the floor. When she looked up at him, he had seen what she looked at and blushed from embarrassment.

“I am no longer used to soft surfaces. Do not feel bad, the floor here is much cleaner than anything I have grown accustomed to.”

Oh Goddess, help me to not cry.
“I’m sure there will be many adjustments to be made for both of us.”

“Would you care to sit?” He pulled up a chair for her.

She sat down, disappointed again that he had not taken her into his arms. All these years she had longed for him. Now, she sat in the same room with him but could not even find the words she wanted to tell him. Neither spoke for what seemed like a really long time. He finally broke the silence.

“You look so much like your mother,” he sounded pained by the idea.

AriELa looked down at her hands feeling inadequate. Her mother would know what to say. “I may look similar but…I am not her.”

“I am grateful to see you well. I had worried for years that I didn’t get the pod released quickly enough. Then I worried the Morins had recovered you anyway. They taunted me with that over the years.”

AriELa tried to reach out to comfort him, but he moved away from her touch. It was a slap in the face. Why did it seem like everyone in her life pulled away from her? Why could they not love her?

“As you can see, I am fine. KydEL found me. Aunt SandELa took me in and raised me.”

He nodded his head looking relieved. “I thank the Goddess for that. How did the Morins capture you? Was Katiera attacked?”

“I traveled to Kiljor to discuss a possible mating between myself and the Kiljorn Prime Leader KadEN. The Morins attacked Kiljor and took me off planet.”

“Have you mated with the Kiljorn Leader?” He had only seen the Security Liaison TarAK watching her. He had not seen the Kiljorn Leader on board.

“No. We were not destined to mate. He found his bond mate in an Earth female named Lindsey. They are planning their mating ceremony as we speak.”

He perked up at the mention of the Earth female. “Lucy is an Earth female as well. Are all the females from Earth warriors?”

“No. There are only a few that I have seen so far.”

He didn’t say anything. He picked up a digital tablet and used it to search for something. He didn’t ask any questions about her life at all. He hadn’t asked about her brother either. Did they mean so little to him?

“The young will stay with me.”

He nodded without looking up. “That’s good. You will be good for him.”

She stood abruptly. She had to leave before the tears started falling. “I will see you around.”

“See you later,” he commented while still looking at the digital tablet.

*****

TarAK went to check on AriELa. He meant to find a private moment so he could apologize for his behavior. But now that her brother was staying with her, it would be more difficult to be alone with her.

He realized standing in the holding room watching AriELa reaching for her brother, that life was too short. She was his bond mate and he was pushing her away for no good reason except for feelings of inadequacy. He may not be able to give her power or financial rewards, but he would give her his love and protection for all their days. If she would forgive him again.

“She is not here,” LanER told him as he approached.

“Where did she go?”

“She is off with AtOM.” He didn’t elaborate.

“Where did they go?”

LanER didn’t answer him.

“When will they be back?”

The male shrugged his shoulders. “Not sure.”

“Why are you still here then?”

“I am watching over the young. He is staying here with AriELa.”

TarAK grunted and glared at the other male. “Then I will wait here with you to guard the young.”

“There’s no need…” LanER tried to object, but TarAK took his post on the other side of the door.

TarAK wasn’t going anywhere until he spoke with AriELa. He hoped she would accept his apology. If she didn’t, he planned to seduce her and keep her with him in his bed until she agreed to mate with him. Out of anxiousness he paced up and down the corridor looking for any sign of her.

*****

After saying goodbye to her father, AriELa walked down the corridor with slow steps. “Kitana!” The tears started streaming down her face.

“Prima? Do not cry.” AtOM looked almost panicked. He looked around but found no one to help him with her emotional outburst. He took her into his arms to give comfort. This was not how he fantasized taking the female in his arms. In his fantasies the Prima was passionate and demanding of his kisses. This sobbing female was anything but what he had dreamed of. He felt helpless.

AriELa was grateful for at least one male in the whole galaxy that welcomed her into his arms. Even though she could tell his discomfort, he went out of his way to console her. Why couldn’t AtOM be the male for her? She wrapped her arms around his neck soaking in his warmth.

He patted her back. “It will work itself out. You’ll see.”

“I hope so. Right now I feel like I am shattered into a million pieces and may never be whole again.”

The male held her tighter in his embrace saying soothing words. There was a growling noise behind her. That was the only warning she got before she was suddenly whirled around and ripped from AtOM’s arms.

Dazed and confused, she looked back around to find an enraged TarAK holding AtOM by the throat suspended in the air.
Kitana!
She had no idea he was that strong.