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  “It’s up to you,” Benz added and Caris heard the warning in his tone for the others not to argue.

  “If I do this can we go home?”

  “Yes,” Cobra said. “I think it’s time we all go home. The Annihilators suffered a huge blow by losing two warships. The Zargonnii and the Angano are going after them for now to keep them running. But first we need you to help us help you. Their planets will be left, not completely defenseless, but with a warship away they can be susceptible.”

  “What do I need to do?” Caris asked.

  “Nothing except open your mind to me,” Dranos said.

  When the huge warrior stood before her, Caris couldn’t help the tremble of fear. When he smiled the action transformed his features. It had been a long time since Caris had picked up a book but the saying still stood: don’t judge a book by its cover. The gentle giant was a warrior, and she had seen him kill.

  Dranos cupped the back of her neck drawing her closer. “I’m sorry, Benz, but you have to let go of her hand. The second she and I mind connect your shield is going to go bat-shit crazy if you’re joined in any way. I kinda like my organs on the inside of my body.”

  “My shield is already going bat-shit crazy. It’s connected to Caris in some strange way. I’m afraid if I let go of her there will be an issue.”

  Cobra motioned five warriors close, then looked at Dranos. “Be quick.”

  Another huge Zargonnii warrior stood close and Caris could see the resemblance. Dranos’s father perhaps? When Benz let go of her hand all hell broke loose. Benz’s shield slammed over him and her mate was a whirlwind of emotion—and claws. The other warriors did their best to restrict him.

  “Fight it, Benz,” Cobra shouted.

  “It’s my fucking shield. Holy hell, holy hell. Dranos hurry up.”

  “You know Dranos won’t hurt her,” Cobra yelled.

  “Tell my shield. I told you it connected with her. For the love of fuck I’m surprised it lets me get close to her. It’s gone crazy.”

  Caris had never seen Benz go insane with warring—and she had just witnessed him battle. He was ripping through the warriors to get to her. Even Cobra took a turn on his ass. But then there was nothing but Dranos inside her mind and in her thoughts. It was similar to sharing an elevator with a stranger—a really small elevator and extra-large stranger.

  “It’s all right, Caris,” Dranos said in a soothing—voice. She heard him; he was all around her.

  How is that possible?

  “I can connect with your thoughts,” was Dranos’s reply. “It’s like constructing a wall. Do you see?”

  Caris did see. A huge wall was up, a massive construction that went higher than she could see.

  “Nothing can get through that wall except your mate. Benz will always find you. Always, you have my word.”

  Caris was confused. It almost sounded like a warning and a reassurance.

  “I’m done, Caris, but now the hard part begins.”

  “I feel the same. The wall is up inside my mind. I can sense I’m keeping Ankou out. What is so hard?”

  “Your mate is almost on us.” She heard Dranos chuckle. “Holy hell is right, he’s a fighting machine. Calm him down.”

  The second Dranos released her, she gazed around. Ten warriors were pinning Benz. For an instant. He smashed his way straight up and the pile went sailing. He stood gasping for a single second then spotted her. She ran to him and he had her in his arms and pressed to his chest. The shield slammed over her and she knew it was sensing for any damage. Finally satisfied, Benz’s breath began to calm.

  “Cobra, I think I better take Caris to the healing pool. She isn’t injured; I think I need to hold her for a while. And dammed if I can’t stop my shield from growling.”

  Caris heard Cobra chuckle. All of the warriors were still giving Benz a wide berth.

  “It’s time to go home, warriors,” Cobra shouted. There was a cheer as Benz strode from the main deck.

  Chapter Eight

  Caris stepped into the black circle with Benz. Her feet touched onto soft grass. Everywhere she looked was brilliant color. Tall flowers of purple were at shoulder height. Red rose bushes flourished. Every color imaginable swam before her dazzled eyes.

  “You must have some kick ass bees,” she declared.

  “There are no bugs,” Benz said. “We are capable of pollinating our planet, we control the weather, the ecosystem, everything.”

  Horses were in the distance with a big black stallion who reared as though in welcome. He was magnificent. The sight brought tears to her eyes. It had been forever since she’d seen a horse. Trees taller than she had ever seen were numerous, the trunks enormous. She imagined twenty people could hold hands around a solid trunk, or more. The sky overhead was blue and yet in the distance a gentle rain fell over a few bushes then suddenly drenched a few children who ran squealing while Benz laughed. Indy was curled in her arms and yawned.

  “Where are we?” she asked.

  “Our home. Bagron,” Benz replied.

  “Home. I never thought I’d hear that word again.” She hugged herself and spun in a circle wanting to dance. Benz caught her hand and pulled her close.

  His gaze was of utter adoration and her heart filled with love. A beautiful huge butterfly flew by and she was mesmerized. The butterfly landed on Benz’s head and his expression was so comical she laughed. When she reached to touch a wing her hand went through the hologram. For a second the panic rose in her breast.

  “It’s all right,” Benz was quick to soothe. “We have holograms for the children. Remember everything female died on this planet. We gathered what life forces we could from Earth but so much was diseased or gone. You see the horses? They’re real, sweetheart. Real. The stallion is Caveat. I’ll introduce you to his owner later. This planet is real. I swear it on my life. Don’t be afraid. Soon you’ll meet Colm and his mate and their child.”

  His gentle hands were trailing up and down her back. She was shivering. Caris was so grateful he understood her immediately. His sweet secretions slipped into her flesh and she took a deep breath. Then another. She rested her cheek against his broad bare chest and calmed.

  “You have a choice. We can live in the main hive or we can have a place all our own. Either way, we will have privacy.” He was gazing at her, his expression filled with love.

  “I think I’d like the main hive. I was so alone for so long, and the ship was full of warriors it will be nice to have women to talk to again.”

  “I thought you might say that.”

  Benz took her hand and they strolled toward a huge roundish building. Inside was a buzz of activity. Caris couldn’t look everywhere at once but she tried. There were different levels higher than the eye could see. Lights disappeared way into the sky it seemed. There were so many people she was hard-pressed to even guess at the number. There were halls that led to large rooms where people were gathered laughing and talking. Children were everywhere. Her hand flew to her mouth when a tiny boy was suddenly covered in a black shield and another equally as small was in a gray shield.

  A massive man stepped forward and picked up the gray shielded child. Caris had never seen such a man. Benz was huge but this man was beyond massive.

  “That’s Huck,” Benz explained knowing what she was thinking. He seemed to always know what she was thinking. “He’s a Tonan warrior. Over there is Becky, his mate and the boy he’s holding is his youngest, Mark. Mark has an older brother and sister. The little guy has quite the temper but with his father’s help he’s getting there.”

  “Isn’t it dangerous for such a small child with a temper to have talons and claws? What about defenseless girls?”

  The boy struggled from his father, dropped his shield and raced over to Caris. He was red faced and obviously angry.

  “Only evil filth would be cruel to a female,” he shouted. Some people who were close rolled their eyes and smiled at Caris.

  He stood before her with his fists ball
ed, feet spread, and fuming. Benz crouched down to his level as Huck strolled over.

  “Mark, this is Caris. She is new. She’s never in her life seen a Tonan boy. And before me, she has never seen a shielded warrior.”

  “Never? Well what planet were you dropped on?” Mark asked.

  Caris was enchanted. He was a beautiful child. His eyes were stunning emeralds and his dark hair was short and spiked.

  “I was on a very lonely planet with holograms as friends. The Annihilators destroyed the planet. Everything is gone. I’m very happy to meet you and to be here.” She didn’t know why but she became choked up and felt moisture form in her eyes.

  Mark took her hand. “You will never be alone here. Neither will that fuzzy fur thing.” He was earnest, and Caris blinked as her thundering heart calmed. She gazed at Benz with amazement and Huck laughed. Mark took off.

  “He’s a powerful one,” Huck said. “Usually it takes some time for a shield to form secretions from a lingering touch but as soon as he got his shield, he became aware of the healing power of touch. He adores females. It’s why he was so angry. He has acute hearing, especially when shielded.”

  “I think he’s grown since I saw him last,” Benz said.

  “He has. I’m pretty sure one day he’ll match me in height. Twain did. My daughter takes after her mother.” Huck gazed at Caris. “Twain is my oldest. My daughter is somewhere around here. She’s mated with a daughter of her own and another on the way. Welcome to Bagron. I’m sure Becky will love meeting you.”

  Huck smiled and walked away after Mark. Benz gathered Caris into his arms and his shield closed over them. He raced to the back of the hive and scaled three stories. At a platform, a door slid open to reveal a beautiful sitting room that was wide and spacious. The apartment was furnished with a replicator. Another room was the bedroom and yet another room was empty. Benz told her it was for their first child. If the child was a boy they would remain in the same place until they had a girl. Caris laughed.

  “How many children are we planning to have?”

  “Maybe six or seven. We’ll see.”

  “How am I supposed to get down when you’re not here?”

  She went to the door that slid open and peered down. Their home was surprisingly quiet when the door closed again as she stepped back. The silence was stunning. So many people and not one single word penetrated their home. She went and picked up Indy who began his musical type purr. The mighty minuscule phenomenon was calm.

  “Cobra has devised lifts for the humans and young children. I guess we had them when we had females living here long ago, but they were dismantled. You see, Cobra never brought the idea of females up. Once they were gone, he tried to make the existence of them secret. After four hundred years, a child’s memory fades. I barely remember my parents. Sad as that is, I survived and learned under Cobra’s command. The Tonans were brutal. The war was awful. Cobra and his son were banished to two separate planets. Neither the Tonans nor Castians gave way.

  “Then something happened. His son discovered the first human after a Tonan ship carrying captives crashed. I’m so sorry the Tonans killed Earth. The little human female he found was Grace. She was quite the find. After seeing her, Cobra remembered visiting Earth a couple thousand years ago with his father. Earth was incredibly primitive and violent. The world didn’t really make an impression on him, so they left. This was thousands of years before the Tonans invaded.”

  “Is Cobra really that old?” she asked in awe.

  “Yes he is incredibly ancient. Once Cobra learned the Tonans planned on using human females against Castians, the war between us ramped up. The Tonans picked a time when Castians came into must, a volatile state. We won our battle against the Tonans and have added a few mated Tonans who conformed. There are two types of Tonans. The first is like Huck, he can love. The other ones we weeded out, they love only themselves. Those Tonans couldn’t be brought to give away a piece of shield for their offspring. They didn’t mate, and they would let a female die. Those kinds are not welcome here. Few may still be scattered across the galaxy but who’s to say?”

  Caris went to sit on the bed. “How old does a Castian need to be before he mates?

  “We normally come into must at four hundred. But our female children usually mate by the time they are twenty-one. At that time, a warrior father cannot heal her as she is an adult. A mate gives her the protection she needs. By twenty, her father is ready to allow a male to court her and many will. We have been lucky to have females born to us during the last sixty-five years. You can’t begin to realize what a treasure you are. All females are so important. You are beneficial to our society.”

  “Ankou said their females are superior and they have no need of other females.”

  Benz gazed at her. “We know little of the Annihilators. What we do know is their females are pampered. Spoiled. They raise their children and nothing else. They teach their sons they will be warriors and their daughters are more important because they bear offspring. They love both sexes the same in separate ways. Mothers are very protective of their young and because of that will only mate with the strongest of warriors. There is word from the few captives we have that mothers are more important to the young’s survival. They will kill anything they think might cause even the slightest problem to their young, including their own mates.”

  “Gee, talk about your black widow. It’s sad to imagine a little boy who grows up thinking he is less important. A long time ago on Earth there were many cultures who claimed males were superior. It’s not true. Both sexes should have seen the value in the other sex. Male and female were born to be different, not devalued. I understand if we have offspring my son will become a warrior. I’ll worry over him my entire life no matter how strong and skilled he is.”

  “Just one?”

  “You really aren’t kidding are you? You want your own baseball team.”

  “You went from an over-populated world to a dead planet. There is life after Earth out here. So many uninhabited planets await.”

  He went to sit with her. Benz took both of her hands in his and gazed into her eyes. When she released one of his hands to run the backs of her fingers over his cheek he smiled. The kiss, when he leaned forward, was sensual and pleasing. He took strands of her hair into his hand and fondled them, rolling the soft texture across his knuckles.

  “Am I going gray again?” she asked worriedly.

  “No, my love. I think it would be a long absence for us from one another for you to begin aging again. Cobra understands and has promised we will never be apart. I can remain here on Bagron, and if I’m needed you will be allowed to join me.”

  “I’m sorry. You have given up so much while I have gained everything.”

  “I’ve given over, not up, only the things that matter the most. I have given my heart to you, my life, and my love. In doing so I’ve gained everything.”

  Benz tugged her shirt over her head and pressed her back onto the bed. He suckled first one breast then another. Caris gave in to her needs while he satisfied his own. She loved to stroke his broad bare back. Warm satin over steel was under her hands. When he lifted higher after releasing her, she reached down to grip his cock. He was long and thick and she wanted him inside of her.

  “Benz,” she whispered.

  Benz pulled her up to straddle his waist and slipped inside her welcoming heat. He helped her ride him, easy strokes at first until they were in a frenzy of gasps and moans. She never wanted him to leave her side.

  “When you are working for Cobra as a warrior, what will I do?” she asked as she traced his sweaty brow. He flipped her under him and smiled in his big beautiful way.

  “You will wander the grounds. See all the holograms and drink from small waterfalls that delight even the most skeptical—not that you are.”

  She shoved him but grinned. “All right all right. Enough. I’ll learn soon enough what’s real.”

  “All the people here are real. Some of the
scarier holograms are harmless. But they can be such fun. And when I’m on break we can scale the tree tops and picnic.”

  “Sounds like heaven.”

  “You are my world.”

  They snuggled together as her eyes became sleepy. Benz kept his weight from her but close enough to keep her warm. A strange sound came to life and startled her. Benz shushed her. The trickling of a waterfall and a fan were heard and she smiled. He must have programmed the sounds into the room to turn on at a certain time. He remembered.

  “Everything about you is worth remembering,” he whispered.

  Caris snuggled deeper into his embrace. My God how she loved this man.

  * * * *

  When Benz left the next morning, Caris wandered her new planet. She met Colm and his mate Lia briefly. They promised to stop by for dinner that night so they could get acquainted better. Lia apologized for not staying with her but her toddler was half slumped in her arms needing a nap. Benz mentioned to Caris he was positive once she became pregnant she wouldn’t have to worry about aging for at least five years, it was how long the baby shield would last.

  He explained the baby shield might even be stronger than his own. He’d then guffawed and made fun that his shield loved her so much it might just transfer to her during those years and she’d need to shield him. Caris knew it wouldn’t happen, but she did think that shield of Benz’s would only give over the best to offspring. It was amusing to wonder if the shield considered a new shield to be its offspring.

  As she continued to stroll she moved deeper into the thick forest knowing nothing on the planet could harm her. Everywhere she looked were vibrant colors. At the sight of a beautiful yellow flower she stopped to admire it. Suddenly she was in the arms of a massively built Zargonnii who pressed his hand to her mouth in a gentle way. She wasn’t afraid, she knew the Zargonnii would never harm a female, and if this alien was allowed on the planet he must be considered a friend. She naturally assumed his action was because he didn’t want to alarm anyone if she gave out an involuntary squeal at her surprise. But this Zargonnii was different. His eyes were green. His gaze was intense: and he didn’t release her. She tried to pull away but his arms tightened around her, not in a painful way.