Prime Deliverance (Katieran Prime Series (Book Five)) (3 page)

“I don’t want to leave without you and mother.”

“Now, AriELa!” her father yelled as another blast hit their ship making the lights flicker.

“But…” AriELa didn’t finish her refusal to leave. Her father kissed her forehead and then shoved her inside the small pod. He closed the door and secured it.

AriELa could see out of the viewing screen on the door. She watched as a tall man with no hair and strange skin coloring blasted his way into the docking bay.

“Father!” she yelled and beat her hand against the door.

The tall Morin walked closer to the pod and was able to see inside. He looked at her with his solid, yellow eyes and tapped his forehead. She wasn’t sure what that meant. Her father’s last action was hitting the ejector controls and the pod moved into position. It shot down through a tunnel and then the pod was ejected out the side of the ship.

“May Goddess KatieRI watch over you, my daughter,” ConEL whispered with tears in his eyes. He knew it would be divine intervention for him to be reunited with his first-born. Right now he needed to try to fight his way to his mate and unborn child, but he had a sinking feeling that it would be a hopeless battle.

AriELa beat on the side of the escape pod trying to open it but once the ejection codes were entered, she couldn’t open the door until reaching the programmed destination. She didn’t know where that was.

She sat down in one of the two seats and buckled herself in. She had no sooner clicked herself in when she felt the jolt of the pod moving through the ejector tunnel. She could see what was happening from the viewing screen above her seat.

As the pod was shot out into the black space, AriELa could see everything. Including the two Morin Transport ships that surrounded her family’s ship. She watched Morin shuttles board the smaller ship. A few minutes later the Morin shuttles departed. Then she watched in horror as the transport with her family on board blew up into tiny burning particles. One moment her family was there, and then the next, they were suddenly gone.

*****

Twelve hours later

“Where is the escape pod?” Prime Commander KydEL yelled at his Lieutenants. Having taken over as Prime Commander in his uncle’s absence.

“Sir, the beacon indicates the pod landed on the east side of the Luna.”

“Why in Kitana are we on the wrong side?” KydEL was beyond angry. He received the distress call from his uncle, who was the Prime Commander for Katiera, stating that their ship was under attack. His uncle, aunt, and cousin were missing and he was desperate to find them. Now he had to step up and take over as Prime Commander until his uncle was found. He wasn’t sure he was ready for all the responsibility. He worried that only one pod had been released. One pod could only hold two people. That did not bode well.

“Take it easy, the pod is not far and our sensors detect at least one life form inside,” his brother, Prime SydEL, told him.

Only one? Oh sweet Goddess KatieRI.
His family was going to be devastated over this loss.

“Sir, over here!” the son of the chief of security, MarAK, called out. The young male was around eighteen years old. He had started training as a security officer.

“TarAK, wait till we get there before opening the pod!” MarAK yelled after his son. Unfortunately, his son was not the most obedient.

TarAK would not wait. When he found out that Prima AriELa’s ship was under attack, he begged his father to bring him along. They were midway there when they received the beacon call announcing that an escape pod had been ejected.

He met the Prima a few years ago when she and her family moved to the City of Katiera. His father, as chief of security for the Prime family, was teaching him how to work security. The young female followed him around. He knew she was too young for him, but he liked having her around. She was sweet and funny. She was a quick study with things and she asked really good questions. He just liked hearing her gentle voice. She calmed him when she was near.

The thought that she might not have made it off the transport before it had been blown up tore at him. Everything male in him demanded that he find and protect her. He reached the pod before everyone else and quickly entered the security code to open the door.

AriELa was curled up in the seat and she had her head leaning down against her arm. She didn’t even look up when the door opened. He thought she might be dead at first, until he heard her sobs.

“AriELa?” He leaned inside the small pod awkwardly. She didn’t respond to him, she just kept crying. Something broke inside him to see her like that. He reached inside and picked her up. He pulled her out of the pod and started walking back toward the others.

“Are you injured?”

She said nothing but continued to cry. She lowered her head against his shoulder. The tears that fell wet his shirt, but he didn’t care. He growled as another Lieutenant ran up to them. He didn’t like the other male near his female.

“Give her to me and I will take her to the medic,” the other male offered as he spread out his arms.

“No!”

A medic and his father arrived. The medic tried to take AriELa from him. He growled, “Do not touch her!”

“TarAK, let the medic check her out for injuries,” MarAK told his son. He was a willful child, but this was worse than that.

“I won’t let anyone else touch her!” TarAK didn’t know why he was reacting this way. His only thoughts were to protect AriELa.

“Give her to me!” Prime Commander KydEL yelled.

“No!” TarAK pulled her tighter to him. AriELa looked up and stared into his unusual grey eyes. She had such sadness there and remained quiet. She aged right before his eyes.

“TarAK, I’m her cousin and a medic in training. Let me take her so I can treat her injuries.” Prime SydEL approached the irate youth with his hands up in the air.

The red haze in his eyes slowly started to fade. He knew SydEL, they were friends. The Prime loved his cousin and he would never hurt her. He nodded his head and slowly shifted AriELa into her cousin’s arms.

MarAK nodded at the medic signaling him to make his move. The medic injected TarAK with sedation medication. TarAK’s last thoughts were of AriELa, grateful she was safe.

*****

“This is a dangerous situation, MarAK,” Prime Commander KydEL and Prime Leader RendEL spoke calmly.

“I understand, but if it is meant to be …”

“Then it will be, but not now. It is too soon.”

“I know. Neither of them is ready.”

“Then we do this for them, until the time that they are ready.”

“Agreed.” MarAK hoped his son would understand his actions one day.
May the Goddess KatieRI watch over them.

Chapter Two

Seven Years Later at the City of Katiera

AriELa watched him walk across the landing field. He was bigger now, taller, and wider in the shoulders. His skin had darkened from the hours spent out on the sandy beachside facility for training. Even from this distance, she could see him taking in his surroundings.

She was nervous. This was the first time she had seen him since she had been rescued all those years ago. She remembered him opening the pod up and reaching for her. Nothing had felt as safe to her as being in his arms. For some reason, his father, MarAK, sent him away after that awful day. She never truly felt safe since.

MarAK had died while on patrol. She was told an asteroid collided with his shuttle. It still sounded pretty suspicious to her, but no one asked for her opinion. TarAK was called back to the City of Katiera to take his father’s place with security. She followed her cousin and aunt as they went to greet him. He barely glanced at her. It was as if his eyes seemed to roll over her and then dismiss her as if she wasn’t even there.

“Sorry your return to Katiera is under less than pleasant circumstances,” Prime Medic SydEL told the young male as he reached out to clasp forearms.

TarAK accepted the forearm clasp. “I am happy to help pick up where my father left off.” He kept telling himself over and over not to stare at Prima AriELa. It had taken years of hard work and heavy training to purge himself of most of his thoughts of her. She only invaded his thoughts when he dreamed. His memories of her had been when she was younger. Now she was a beautiful, mature female. He had to fight to keep himself from becoming aroused, but it was difficult, very difficult.

“Security Liaison TarAK, it is such a pleasure to see you again. You have been gone too long,” AriELa’s aunt greeted TarAK warmly. She had been very close to TarAK’s mother before she died.

“Prima SandELa, you look lovely as ever.” TarAK clasped forearms with her, but she pulled him into her to give him a hug.

Seeing TarAK in another woman’s arms tore at AriELa’s heart. Even though it was her aunt, it still bothered her. She had been consumed with thoughts of TarAK. A part of her believed that he was her Bond Mate. Her breath caught when he finally turned his attention to her.

“Prima AriELa, it is good to see you again,” his deep voice rumbled.

AriELa shivered as he looked her from head to toe. “TarAK,” her voice came out breathy and soft. Something flickered in his dark eyes, but he turned from her quickly and followed the rest of the security detail to their training facilities. He had dismissed her again without a backwards glance. Her heart sank.
Would he always see her as a child?

“Come, AriELa, we need to check on the accommodations being made for the Earth females.” Her aunt hooked her arm around AriELa’s waist and pulled her in the opposite direction.

*****

Four Days Later

Why was he ignoring her?
It was blatantly clear to AriELa. Every time she approached him, he would be cordial but short, and he never looked her in the eyes.
Was she so unattractive that he couldn’t even look at her?
Other males gave her smiles and sometimes even flirted with her, but not TarAK.

Maybe he didn’t want anyone to see them together. She intimidated some males because she was a Prima. She thought and thought about it. There had to be a way. He couldn’t ignore her forever. She was convinced that all she needed to do was get him alone.

She walked along the sandy beach toward the training location. TarAK and the other security liaisons, along with some of the warriors, were training on the beach that day. She slowed down as she neared them. She watched TarAK fighting with one of the bigger males. Neither male wore a shirt. Sweat glistened off their golden bodies. Both men were sexy, but TarAK was the one that had her complete attention.

TarAK threw a punch at his opponent who blocked it.

“Come on, TarAK. Is that the best you can do?” TasON taunted him.

TarAK grunted his response, “You talk too much, TasON.”

TarAK blocked a kick that was aimed at his stomach. He jumped backwards out of the way. TasON lost his footing having missed his target. TarAK took advantage and jumped at the larger male, knocking him to the ground. Their trainer called an end to their training.

AriELa had been holding her breath the whole time. She didn’t like violence. She didn’t even like it when her cousins yelled at one another; it made her feel uncomfortable. She watched everyone except for TarAK head further down the beach. They were going to another location. TarAK was the only one to remain behind—this was her chance.

She made her way toward him—her steps hesitant. He hadn’t seen her yet. He was cleaning up the training area, which allowed her a chance to admire him. He was beautiful. His dark hair flipped over his forehead on one side and when he smiled, the dimples on both his cheeks became prevalent. Those dimples had her thinking all kinds of wicked thoughts. She wanted to rub her hands all over his sculpted chest and lick those dimples. They were her weakness. When he looked up and locked eyes with her, her knees felt wobbly.
No, his eyes were her weakness.

“Prima AriELa, what are you doing so far from the Prime Building?” He looked around and saw that they were completely alone—not good.

“I needed to speak with you.” She stopped just a few feet away.

“You needed to speak with me?”

“Yes.”

They stood there looking into each other’s eyes, but neither one spoke. The two suns were starting to set making everything glow. TarAK was entranced watching AriELa stand there against the beautiful background. She was glorious, a goddess and so far above him.

“TarAK, I wanted to thank you,” she was finally able to get the words out.

He looked at her confused. “Thank me for what?”

“Seven years ago, you pulled me from the escape pod.”

He shook his head. “I didn’t do anything that anyone else wouldn’t have done.”

Her heart sank. That was the crux of their problem. She felt more in that one encounter than she had with any other hopeful suitor that pursued her through the years. However, TarAK thought nothing of it.

“I have always been fond of you. Do you remember me? How I followed you around?” She knew she was blushing.

TarAK grinned at her, which made his sexy dimples pop out. “I remember. You were an adorable young.”

At least he remembered her. “Thank you. I remember that awful day…when you held me. I felt something more.”

TarAK stood completely still.
What was she saying?
Surely she didn’t mean that she had feelings for him.
He hadn’t realized that she moved closer until he felt her small hand being placed against his heart.
Oh, Kitana!

“That feeling has only grown stronger. Even with you being gone, I have dreamed of you often.”

“AriELa…” TarAK tried to deny her, but she interrupted him by leaning up on her tiptoes and kissed him.

It was a gentle and timid kiss. She was innocent and yet provocative. Both AriELa’s hands came up to rest against TarAK’s neck. He tried fighting his response, but he could hold back no more. He clutched her to him and kissed her back.