Page 47 of Argurma Warrior (The Argurma Chronicles #1)

“I ncoming communication,” Deragath interrupted, drawing Kaylar’s attention from his mate caught below him on the training room floor.

Brows dropping, he warily stood, drawing Meg up with him. “Source?”

“Ship identified. Communication from Veral’monushava’skahalur.”

“Terri!” Meg exclaimed, grabbing ahold of his arm.

She gave him an insistent tug as if to provoke him to quicken his pace but Kaylar responded by snagging her around the waist and lifting her up against his body as he continued to walk at an even clip along the corridor. It had been many lunars since he spoke to his cousin, the male could stand to wait a few more zecs.

Not that it had been intentional. Upon leaving earth, he had discovered that the virus had not only terminated his link to his handler and command but also the private links he had established among those within his clan. He had thought briefly once to contact the male through his vessel’s transmission but as a deserter, he had not wished to bring further danger upon his cousin, the male’s mate and his offspring, or anyone within his clan. So he had retained his silence, hoping that he might come across one of his mother-line to send a message with back to his kin on Argurumal.

As of yet, he had not been fortunate. But it seemed as if it was no longer required. Veral had found him.

“Huge, ridiculously strong brute,” Meg grumbled as she slapped at his arm impatiently in silent demand to be released—which he ignored.

Her defiance lasted for only a moment before she went lax in his arms with an annoyed huff that never failed to bring a smile to his face. He knew that he would be paying for that later and he was greatly looking forward to it once he dealt with his cousin. There was something to be said for having a spirited mate who enjoyed sparring as much as he did—whether of the verbal, physical, or the more intimate variety. Since finding Meg, the latter was quickly growing to be his favorite sort.

“Patience,” he rumbled as he lifted her higher and ducked his head to rub his nose affectionately along the sensitive spot just behind her ear. She shivered in his arms and he chuffed. "We are nearly to the bridge. They are not going anywhere."

She hummed in her throat with the slick touch of his tongues tracing along her neck, tasting the salt of her sweat and the sweet pheromones that belonged to his female alone. It was enough of a distraction to keep her pliant in his arms as they traversed the remaining short distance though his civix had punched forward enthusiastically from his sheath and was evident within his suit. Meg was not unaware of its presence either since she twitched her hips so that her ass rubbed enticingly against the length reaching for her. With a growl of warning to his mate to behave, he dropped down into his seat, dragging her over his lap to disguise his reaction to her soft body.

“Open comms,” he grunted and his hands tightening until his claws faintly pricked against Meg’s suite as his cousin’s image filled the viewing screen, a scowl on the male’s face.

“Veral,” he greeted cautiously.

The male inclined his head stiffly. “Kaylar. It pleases me to see you well. I have been very concerned since our link was lost. Especially since it has become known that the council has the coordinates to Earth in their possession and have broadcasted your last known coordinates throughout the sector.” The male cocked his head, his gaze drifting to Meg in a way that made Kaylar bristle. “I wondered at it, but I process that you have completed your mission.” His eyes narrowed. “A peculiar method to keep your captive. Did I interrupt an altercation?”

The male nearly sounded hopeful, and Kaylar did not know whether to chuff in amusement or not. If only Veral knew how much he enjoyed each and every “altercation” with his mate.

“Wait, what altercation? And what captive? Did he manage to steal a fucking human? Let me see.” A familiar female voice cut in. zecs later as Veral’s yellow-furred mate moved into view and her eyes widened. “Meg!” A confused look passed over her face that was highly entertaining as her eyes moved back and forth between them before understanding lit her face. “Ah, Veral, I do not think she’s his captive.”

“His captive?” Meg snorted in amusement. “He wishes. He’s mine!” she declared as grabbed ahold of a cluster of his vibrissae possessively, dragging a sharp pleasure through him that forced him to bite back a moan in front of his cousin.

“I process this,” Veral replied smugly as he settled back into his seat. “It appears that you have acquired a mate, Kaylar.”

“I have,” Kaylar agreed and chuffed. “I acquired a captive first and ended up with a mate. But my mate is right. If anyone is the captive, it is I—to my pleasure. Unfortunately, mating made it necessary to terminate my links so that a trace would not be made when I mated with my female but I was not aware that the virus I created would terminate all of my private comm links, so I offer my apology for that. But I assure you that I did not give the council my coordinates. I had no intention of making Earth available to Argurumal when I went to retrieve a human, and when I left I had no intention of providing them even that.”

Veral nodded thoughtfully. “Your handler must have been locked on you. There are rumors about the links that are established with the elite warriors and assassins so that they are capable of locating you.” A cautious look crossed his face. “You are certain that the link has been terminated?”

Kaylar’s chin dipped. “That entire programming is fried. I will have to establish private comms one by one again.”

His cousin rumbled, his hand tracing along his command station. “I am sending your AI the link to mine so that we can re-establish our private comms through their intermediary connection.”

“Acknowledged,” Kaylar responded as he gave Degarath the command to accept the transmission.

The moment the connection was made, Kaylar dived into the joined systems, seeking out his cousin’s familiar presence. In that data-space, they reached out for each other and connected, establishing the link of their private comm line. One link was rapidly built upon until it was a solid presence in Kaylar’s mind as he withdrew from Degarath’s systems. Only then did he close the link with his cousin, though its presence was a comfortable, familiar presence within his systems once more waiting to be accessed again when it was needed.

Their link established, the tension left him, and his cousin actually smiled with relief. In the next moment, his view of the male expanded to fully include Terri and the mixed species offspring she held in her arms. It was no wonder that his cousin waited until he was certain of Kaylar’s loyalties. The council would wish to acquire the offspring. They would kill for it. It was the ultimate proof of compatibility between species, and being a female, she would be all the more valuable for their inquiries. Even from his standpoint, she was a strange little thing in ways that he found quite pleasing. Possessing rounder, softer features than Argurma offspring and indiscernible scales, she embodied the best qualities in both species to his calculations. He was still uncertain how to convey his appreciation. Thankfully, his mate seemed to process the correct reaction because she made a sound of pure pleasure and wiggled her hips just enough at the same time to make his civix surge and burrow against her bottom with a relentlessness that he found overly distracting.

Perhaps seating her in his lap had been a poor decision.

“Terri, she’s beautiful!”

He frowned, unable to process how his mate determined that. He knew since Veral had revealed as much previously, but he could not account for the source of her knowledge. “How do you determine its gender just from looking upon it. Argurma offspring look very much alike in this stage of development.”

Meg chuckled. “Because she wrapped her in pink. It’s a silly earth tradition but one I guess that’s pretty hard to give up. Little girls get all the pink. And honestly it looks perfect on her, so good choice.”

“I thought so,” Terri agreed as she leaned forward slightly, bouncing the offspring lightly in her arms. “When I saw the blankets, I just couldn’t resist the little nod to home. Even if I don’t recall the last time that I owned anything pink, myself,” she added with laugh.

The pale, muted red did not appear as a hue to that would presume anything regarding the offspring but Kaylar decided to wisely yield to customs of their mates as Veral clearly had chosen to do as the besotted male glanced over fondly at his mate. Not that Kaylar was able to deride that softness when he was certain that he often wore a similar expression around Meg.

Veral chuffed and glanced down briefly at his tiny female before returning his attention to Kaylar

“Congratulations on your offspring. A female is a joy to the mother-line,” Kaylar said, dipping his head in recognition and respect.

Veral’s vibrissae puffed out proudly and lowered his chin in acknowledgement. “I thank you cousin, but I confess showing off my offspring is not my reason for tracking you down. When your coordinates were picked up with orders to secure you, we had to act quickly with the hope of intercepting anyone going to Earth to acquire you and your captive."

Kaylar froze, dread settling deep within his systems. “What are you implying.”

Veral’s vibrissae writhed around him restlessly. “We were concerned as to your wellbeing. Regardless of your possible betrayal, we did not wish to abandon you or leave your fate to the council in consideration of our clan’s current standing with the council.” He grimaced. “Much has happened since we last spoke but know this that it pleases me to hear that you have severed links with Argurumal as our entire clan escaped into exile.”

“Exile,” Kaylar rasped in shock. “Even my mother?” Of all beings, he never imagined his mother leaving the planet or the clan compound she so loved.

Veral inclined his head. “All. We have ventured out into freedom.” His head cocked. “You and your mate are welcome to join our clan fleet of ships.”

Kaylar gave his mate a questioning look, unwilling to make any decision without her input. To his surprise, she nodded eagerly. “I would like that. I miss having a family and as awesome as it is having this ship to ourselves, I want a bit of that back again.”

“Family it is then,” he rumbled, his eyes lifting once more to meet his cousin’s gaze. “We will join you, but I process that there is something you have not yet spoken of.”

Veral sighed. “Zoreth volunteered to retrieve you and had already arrived before we lost contact with him entirely. He said he was on an island.”

A soft rumble of understanding stirred in Kaylar. “There is no longer any threat on the island. Zoreth possibly misstepped and damaged himself temporarily. Once he re-establishes comms, direct him to return. If the council has ships heading toward Earth, there is nothing more we can do for them. For his own safety, it is best he departs immediately before they note his presence there.”

“Indeed,” Veral agreed, exchanging an unhappy look with his mate. “Very well. Come, Kaylar and Meg. Let us return to the fleet. There are many anxious to assure themselves of your wellbeing. And to meet your mate.”

“You told my mother already,” he surmised with a suspicious glare.

His cousin smirked, “It only seemed fair that she be aware of another human mate to give her attention to and her own son to beleaguer after we have enjoyed those pleasures. No doubt word has spread.”

“Naturally,” Kaylar replied drily. “Very well, coordinates have been received. Lead the way.” His cousin gave him one last smile and Terri waves before the screen flicked off and Kaylar turned to his mate. “Are you ready?”

Meg grinned at him widely, grinding her ass down against him, making him groan. “Never been readier.”

“Degarath, autopilot,” he growled as he lifted his mate enough to release his suit and then quickly went to work on hers.

The ship sped forward as he drew his mate down once more into his lap, his civix writhing as it speared up into her. Their mutual groans of pleasure filled the command and was quickly followed by the slap of their bodies as she bounced up on his lap, his civix dragging in and out of her and he rammed its length eagerly back into her with every pump of his hips. Her cries were the sweetest sounds that filled his ears in accompaniment to the subtle roar of the engines in the background. In this, they rediscovered each other again as they did every time, succumbing to the wonder in pleasure that they found within each other, reaffirming that neither of them would ever be alone again.