Worth Fighting For (Little Blue Book 1) (9 page)

Juno looked up at Kaycee and studied her. “Then you should choose them.”

Kaycee’s shoulders slumped, and Juno could see tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t want to be separated from you guys.”

Juno leaned forward and put an arm around her shoulders. Jeri and Benny—also with tears in their eyes—sat beside her, and held her from the other side.

“We’ll find a way to keep in touch,” Juno said with conviction. “Don’t settle for something less than what you want. We’ll always be your family, and all we want is for you to be happy.”

Kaycee wiped away the tears that started to fall, and then wiped her hands on her jeans. “When do we need to decide?”

Jeri leaned over and picked up a different sheet of paper. “By tomorrow, because they’re shipping the entire B class out the day after that, to designated bases, to prepare us for the different mating rituals. Class C leaves tomorrow, so they have to decide by tonight, and A class is going to be the last to leave.”

Juno leaned back and looked at the papers again. She flipped them over and back, but couldn’t find what she was looking for.

“They don’t say what the rituals are for either of them.”

“Guess we won’t find that out until after we can’t back out of it.” Benny said, drying her face on her sleeve. “Why are B and C going before A?”

Jeri shrugged her shoulders as she continued to look over the paper she was holding. “It doesn’t say, but I think it has to do with several different variables. First, the A group is the smallest, which is weird because when we saw Paige, she said their class has six races to choose from. Even so, maybe they are waiting for more of them to show, before they ship them off. It could also have something to do with where they are sending us. Some closer, some further away. And maybe some of it depends on what the rituals entail. I could probably think of more reasons.”

Juno grunted unhappily with what she just read. “Says when we choose, we’ll be getting yet another packet of papers that will tell us where we’re going and what we’re going to be doing there.” She handed the paper back to Jeri and sat back. “Anyone else feel like a plastic bag blowing through the wind?”

Benny giggled. “Katy Perry rocks.” Her face grew serious. “If the C class has to choose by tonight, we should head over and see if Maggie could use some help deciding.”

When the girls arrived at the barracks, Maggie crushed them in a hug.

“I already chose.” She told them after they all sat down. “There was only one other race to choose from, but they wouldn’t be here for another week, and then, since they refuse to mate with us here, we would have to travel two weeks away. That wasn’t what I wanted, so I chose the Larent.” Maggie showed the girls the paper with the information on the race.

The girls crowded together to look at the information and profile picture of a Larent male.

“Oh wow, the scales they have are more like snake scales, and they’re iridescent,” Benny said.

Juno smiled as she admired the picture. “You would think that would be creepy, but it’s actually quite beautiful.”

The girls handed the paper back. Maggie shrugged a shoulder and looked down at the page in her hand. “I never had any problems with snakes, but I never thought they were beautiful before either. I don’t know if I can do this. I can’t even swim.”

“Did you tell anybody that?” Juno asked.

Maggie nodded her head. “They said it wasn’t up to them to put me into a different class. I’m stuck with this one.”

The girls engulfed Maggie in a group hug and spent about an hour trying to comfort her before they were forced to head back to their barracks. All the girls got to see each other during mealtimes, so the next morning before Maggie was loaded onto a transport aircraft they enjoyed breakfast together one last time.

Juno, Jeri, Kaycee, and Benny went together right after, to take their stacks of papers to the office to turn them in. The man behind the desk assigned to their class, looked over the information, and then scanned them and entered their updated information into the computer. Next to him were two stacks of folders, one red and the other blue. After entering Juno’s information, he handed her a red folder.

“This is the information that will explain where you’ll be heading to next, and also more information on the race you’ve chosen.”

Juno waited as he did the same thing with Kaycee, Jeri, and Benny. Only Kaycee received a blue folder. The girls headed back to their barracks. They sat on their bunks, each reading the papers in the folders they received. Benny was sitting at the foot of Juno’s bed.

Juno sat forward abruptly. “Are you freaking kidding me?”

Benny’s head shot up. “What?”

“No wonder they waited to tell us what the mating ritual is for the race we chose. It says here the Zori call theirs ‘The Catch’. They drop the females naked, from a high altitude, and then the males have to fight each other as they fly up and catch a mate before she falls to the ground.”

Kaycee’s eyes grew wide. “Seriously? What if they don’t catch you in time? That’s insane!”

Jeri waved her hand at them to get their attention. “It isn’t as bad as she makes it sound. It says we will have devices put on our bodies to keep from falling to our death.”

“Psh, very naked bodies, don’t forget that part.” Juno gave Jeri a disgruntled look.

“At least it will be in Florida,” Benny said cheerfully. “Viewers are going to be able to watch from the same place they observed the shuttles launching.” She sounded impressed.

Juno didn’t like that any better, but changed her expression as she turned to Kaycee. “What does it say you have to do?”

“Mine says the males stand in a room, strutting their wings and bodies, and flirting to attract a mate. We girls just walk into the room and choose who we are attracted to the most.”

“Seriously? You got the better deal on mating rituals.” Juno knew she sounded whiny, but she was terrified of the ritual she was going to be forced to take part in.

Kaycee gave a slight shrug. “The only thing is if there is more than one girl interested in a male, the male gets to choose the female.”

Juno sat back against her bed. “Still better than being dropped, naked, thousands of feet, while the alien decides if he wants to catch you or not.”

“I think it will be fun.” Jeri smiled and gave them an almost excited look.

Juno rolled her eyes. “Says the woman with a perfect body. Meanwhile, my extra pounds will be flapping hello on the way down.”

Benny and Kaycee laughed hard, but Jeri shot her an annoyed look. “You are beautiful, so stop putting yourself down.”

****

Fifteen days later

Juno scowled, as she and the other girls were led to the glass boxes that would hold them, suspended several thousand feet up, for The Catch. The box was connected to a device that was programmed with a destination. She was assured the glass box would provide oxygen, and even heat…

Until they hit the stupid button, and I become a naked skydiver, without a parachute.

The day was warm enough, but the event was galactic.
Not just global, no, galactic. Everyone in the galaxy would see me naked.

And she pretty much guessed it really was just about everyone. It was an unprecedented event. Heat burned up her neck, to her cheeks, from her extreme embarrassment.

She was cautious how to sit in the small glass box, trying to keep from showing her private parts through the bottom.
My hootch and scootch are not the first things I want someone to use to judge whether or not to choose me.
It was also not what she wanted pictures taken of, and most of the cameras were pointing up, from down below.

The box began to rise into the air, along with the others. She could see Jeri’s and Benny’s boxes starting to rise, too. Benny looked excited, and Jeri looked relaxed. The ground seemed to pull away from them as they rose. Juno shut her eyes tight.
I hope I don’t get sick.
In the back of her mind, she also, desperately, hoped her new future would be a happy one, because she had no say about who caught her.

Chapter Eleven

Tasid stood naked on a platform, which was constructed especially for The Catch, along with dozens of other Zori males, many of whom were members of his own crew, including Errim. This event was taking place in several locations around Earth’s globe, starting with this one, followed by additional rituals for other races taking place throughout the day. Many of his officers were in those as well, and he hoped for the best for each of them.

Tasid glanced up at his parents, who were sitting in the front row of the bleachers, which were on his right. His parents were set to head back to their home-world tomorrow, staying just long enough to see him mated … that is, if he actually caught a female. In spite of the large number of females that signed up, many were being held back to wait for the next mating event. It was also tradition to have more males than females to participate in The Catch, to give the males a fighting spirit and to ensure only the fittest of them would prevail. Many males had to take part in The Catch more than once before becoming successful, and some never achieved the honor.

In the bleachers on his left were human reporters, joined by alien reporters, all eagerly recording the event. It was predominantly the only news the galaxy cared to hear about. This had made Tasid’s political power go supernova. He not only had huge power over his birth alliance, but he had the same over the other two alliances as well. Tasid hated it.

The more power you have, the bigger the target you are.

Tasid had urged the Earth’s governments to create a galactic council, and place one person in the head of it, to act as the speaker. That man, Adam Nuntz, now stood in the middle of the field they were on, and was about to start the event.

Tasid stretched out his wings and flapped them a little bit, buffeting the air around him, eagerly anticipating what was to come. Beside him, Errim and a few of the others did the same. The females chosen for the event were by now somewhere high in the sky, waiting in floating clear glass boxes, arranged in a massive circle above the platform. This made the distance to every female the same.

The speaker held the microphone up and greeted everyone. After doing so, he started to explain the event they were about to see.

“I’ve learned,” he began, “that on the Zori planet, Gorvo, typically the females—who do not have wings—would be dropped naked out of glass boxes, from high up in their atmosphere, symbolizing that they are completely helpless, dependent on a male to catch them. The males would then fly up to catch them, battling each other along the way. Hence why it’s called ‘The Catch’.

“However,” he continued, “our atmosphere is much shorter than theirs, so for The Catch performed here, on Earth, the rules have been slightly modified. The women will be held in the glass boxes, and the battling Zori will fight their way up to them, and release them themselves, then catch her before any of the others do. He’ll do this by wrapping his guardian wings around her, securing her against him. Barring any unusual circumstances, once the male lands, the couple will be officially mated.”

Another man leaned over and whispered something to Adam. Adam nodded to acknowledge him, then spoke to the crowd. “I’ve just received word that the women are in place.” He turned towards Tasid and the others. “Are you ready?”

Tasid and the others readied themselves for the leap into the air. Their wings flapped, and he could feel excitement zing through his veins.
This is it!
He nodded back at the speaker. Adam aimed a little starter pistol into the air. The shot echoed loudly around them, signaling their release.

All around Tasid, males shouted and fought each other as they lifted off the ground. A few fell to the ground before they were more than a few feet off the ground, but Tasid kept his focus on the males around him. He wasn’t worried about Errim. They had agreed not to fight each other. However, there were plenty of other males ready to battle for the right to a mate, especially a human mate. Add to that, he was a high ranking male, which would spur some males into challenging him, to prove who was stronger.

Two males angled for him, but Tasid had seen their intent in their eyes. He dodged them and kicked at their passing forms. It wasn’t enough to do any harm, but it did knock them down from the sky a little bit, which slowed their ascent.

Tasid beat his four wings as hard as he could. He flexed his four arms and kept them up defensively. He heard Errim’s grunt and looked to see what happened. Pain shot through his head as another male attacked him from behind, landing on his back and grabbing his wings. They tumbled a bit, losing altitude. Tasid flipped backwards, then twisted, surprising the male. He raked his clawed nails across the other male’s unprotected chest. His attack was diverted before hardly any damage was done, and he was forced to block as the male countered with a strike from his battle wings.

Tasid quickly crossed his guardian wings over his chest and beat his battle wings, rolling himself backward, then kicked his feet up and over as he went. His feet hit the male in the face, hard. Errim finished his battle, and the two flew higher, together, with the sounds of battling males coming from below them. In the distance, he could spot a few others were making their way upwards in random succession, while others below them still battled.

Errim kept the brutal pace Tasid set as their wings continued to carry them higher into the atmosphere. He could see many of the other males rising not far below him. They wouldn’t get much time to release the female and catch her before any of the others caught up with them. He soon spotted the glass boxes.

His race had exceptional eyesight, so he scanned the boxes to choose a female. One female caught his attention, and he felt himself drawn to her like a magnetic pull. He growled low and narrowed his eyes.
Mine.

“I take it you found one?”

Tasid grunted his acknowledgement.

“I hope it’s not the same one I want. She’s so beautiful. I would be willing to even fight you for her.”

“Mine’s the one with dark red hair. I am strongly drawn towards her.”

“I also feel a pull to the lush beauty with black hair, in the box next to hers.”

Tasid looked around and then down. The males around appeared to be going towards other females, leaving these two open to him and Errim. Below them was just enough distance to release and catch the female before any of the other males could steal her from the sky, from him.

“If we do this right, we can release them before anyone else can snatch them away. Go, my friend. Fly high and strong.”

“Good fortune to you as well.”

The two started to fly away from each other; each on course for their target. Tasid kept his eyes fixed on the frightened female with the hair the color of the delicious
rytcha
berries that grew on trees on his home planet. The sun shone brightly on her pale skin, and he drew close enough to see the color of her eyes.
Blue! Like the sky!
Tasid hadn’t wanted anything more in his life.

****

Juno’s eyes widened when she saw the males approaching. Her heart beat hard in her chest with fearful anticipation.

The two closest males separated. Juno kept her eyes glued on the bright blue one, who looked to be coming right for her. She could see the power in the beats of his wings, as they strongly propelled him forward. His form and his movements were beautiful, graceful even. She was so in awe of him, she forgot all about her own humiliation. Just as the male was close enough for her to make out his face, Juno gasped.

Him!

****

Tasid pushed himself the hardest in the last few beats. He landed against the top of the glass and hit the button on the part of the device that held the box in the air. A high-pitched shriek broke the heavy silence that surrounded them as the female began to fall. Tasid was already in motion as soon as he had hit the button. He arched his back and leaped back and down. He beat his wings and aimed for the rapidly descending female.

Further down, Tasid saw another male rising, closing in on his intended mate. Tasid growled and beat his wings harder with a powerful resolve. At the last moment, he shot his guardian wings and lower arms out and around the female and pulled her close, wrapping them tightly around her. The male below folded his wings and rolled aside barely missing being hit by him. Tasid let out a roar of triumph.
Mine!

The female’s soft body was secured against him, causing his dick to harden. She held tightly to him, but instead of screaming, she was now crying. Tasid let out a soothing trill. He opened his battle wings, and slowed his descent before flapping them to hover in place. He looked to find Errim, whom he spotted flying towards them with his guardian wings wound tight around him.

Errim slowed as he got closer. “You got her! That was intense. I thought for sure you were going to slam into the other male, and at that speed, it would have been ugly.”

The two slowly descended together as Tasid responded. “I would not have let any harm come to her. I knew what I was doing. Congratulations on your mate. I hope our other friends are equally successful today.”

“Ha! I had it easy. All the strongest males went for you, and the ones closest behind me aimed for other females who were still available. You were the only one lucky enough to make a dramatic catch. It’s the last males who will be doing most of the fighting.”

Tasid could feel his mate shivering in his arms. His erection flagged as he became concerned for her. He continued to trill softly to calm her. Errim looked at him curiously. Tasid answered his unspoken question. “My mate is still greatly stressed from the event. How is yours doing?”

“Mine is pretty calm. The drop didn’t seem to have fazed her too much.”

A muffled voice rose up from within Errim’s wings. “I’ve got a name, you know.”

“Benny? I-is t-that you?” the female in Tasid’s arms asked.

“Juno?”

“Y-yeah, it’s me.”

“Are you all right?” the first girl, Benny, asked.

“Yeah, I think so. I hope I never have to ever do that again.”

Tasid and Errim shared a bewildered look, but before Tasid could respond to his little mate, movement behind Errim caught his attention. The male whom he had almost slammed into was descending with a mate wrapped in his wings. What got his attention was the male he saw flying right for them, his intent clearly shown on his face.

Tasid banked and flew in that direction. Errim followed, and both watched in horror as the males collided with a sickening mix of sounds.

“Hold on, Juno,” Tasid said as he angled his body, folded his wings, and began diving after the falling and fighting duo. The sound of a female’s scream lifted up to them.

Tasid roared as he approached. The attacking male looked up and paled when he saw Tasid coming. There were a few other males nearby, and they were heading in their direction.

This has the potential to get really bad
, he thought.
If they’re friends of his, they could end up taking me and Errim down, too.

Tasid glanced down and saw the injured male still holding tight to the screaming female, but one of his battle wings had broken bones in the fingers of the webbing. Flying in itself would be difficult like that, but with a mate, Tasid didn’t think they would make it. That made them his first priority.

Tasid continued on a trajectory towards the injured male, with Errim right behind him. The guardian wings were attached to their lower backs, separate from their battle wings, which attached to their upper backs. But to move them independently was more than difficult, other than for their intended use, so Tasid watched with amazement as the male wrapped his injured battle wing over his front, and carefully bent his guardian wing on that side, under, then over, to extend it. Their fall slowed, and they began to glide. That was when Tasid caught up with him. He took one side of the male, and Errim took the other, to guide and protect.

Tasid looked up and saw the other males escorting the attacker down. He had yet to figure out if they were friends of the attacker, or if they were honorable males. Tasid looked back at the injured male.

“I’m Advocate Tasid. What’s your name?”

“Oduz.”

Tasid could plainly see the pain etched on Oduz’s face.

“Are you going to make it down safely?” he asked him.

Oduz gave a shaky nod. “I can’t fly, but I can glide us down safely.”

Tasid further questioned him. “I saw him attack you. Do you know him?”

“Yes. His name is Nerk. He’s been unable to catch a mate in three previous tries, back on Gorvo. His father works for Ambassador Jurresh. We’ve gone to school together, so I know him enough that I should have anticipated this. He cheats at everything, and he’s a sore loser.” Oduz bent his head closer to the hidden girl beneath his wings, and tightened his hold on her. “I couldn’t let him get her, sir. I played dirty to get her. I’ve seen him do things, bad things. I just know if he had won her that he would have abused her.”

“Tell me about your catch,” Tasid asked, as he looked around at the males in the sky.

“I fought another male to get to her. When I defeated the male, I looked up and saw Nerk about to open the box. I flew my hardest to get to her. I was able to catch her right before he did. It was almost as close as it was with you, only I didn’t fail this time.”