earnestly. Growing braver, he moved to his
mother's side. His small hand still held onto her
skirts. His bravery did not extend to completely
leaving his mother. "Mama says she will not allow
me to become like--" Tears filled his eyes and he
started to tremble. "She says I will never be so
bad."
"Of course you will not," Fury agreed with a
curt nod before he turned his attention back to his
mate. "I am called Fury."
She rolled her eyes. "As you said to the boy."
"I said it as a courtesy to you. I had hoped you
would take the hint and offer your own name to
me."
She snorted, showing her derision. "Why
would I do such a thing when I know that names
have power? It would be careless and stupid. Even
Ryo knows enough to not give his full name."
"Be that as it may, I would still like to know
what to call my mate." Fury watched as her eyes
widened in fear before she dropped her gaze to
the top of the boy's head. Her hands trembled
within the small child's grasp.
"My name is Kiri," she whispered, her soft
voice trembling.
Fury would have preferred to have her look
him in the eye as she gave her name, but after all
she'd suffered, he'd take whatever he could get.
"Thank you, sweetness, for gifting me with
your name. It is almost as beautiful as you."
Beside him, Drace shifted, obviously impatient to
have her acknowledge him as well. He could
actually feel Drace's urgency, his desire through
the bond they'd long ago established between
them.
"Now, I'm sure you want to do what is best for
your son. What harm will it do if our medical
personnel look at the young one? You can stay
with him the entire time. No one," he said, with a
quick glance at Drace, "especially the two of us,
would ever wish harm upon you or yours. You are
our mate, Ryo our son. We would defend you
both with our lives if need be."
Fury watched with one eyebrow raised as
Drace scooted closer to the boy, and ran his hand
through the cub's already tousled hair, quickly
skimming his fingers across the back of Kiri's
hand. "Kiri, please allow us to escort you and Ryo
to the infirmary. I would very much like to make
sure you are both healthy and will live long lives
with Fury and me. Is that so much to ask?"
Fury almost snickered but managed to control
himself. Barely. He'd never thought to hear the
mighty lion practically beg a female for anything.
This is definitely one memory he'd keep tucked
safe in his mind. One never knew when it might
be useful for blackmail in the future.
After the longest minute of his life, his mate
nodded warily. He couldn't blame her. She didn't
know them, didn't know if they were honorable or
not and after what she must have suffered at the
hands of the enemy he couldn't imagine how
terrified she must be to put her trust into a
stranger. The courage and bravery she showed by
doing so was truly awe-inspiring.
"I will do this. For Ryo." She gave them both a
look that would have unmanned lesser men. "I do
this for the boy. Not for you."
Drace stood and offered his hand to the young
boy. Ryo looked at his hand with longing. His face
showed the craving a boy felt to have a father, a
man he could trust to look up to and emulate. He
bit his lip, looked between the two of them with
wide eyes before he offered his hands to each of
them.
Kiri gasped and scowled at them both as if, by
their mere presence, they took her son away.
Crossing her arms over her chest, she strode to the
door, waiting for each of them to take one of the
boy's hands. Fury swallowed thickly, knowing
what courage, what heart, it took for the young
one to embrace them both into his life.
"I will follow behind you to witness all that
transpires between you as you lead us to this
infirmary."
They stopped in front of her and Drace reached
out to chuck her under the chin. "There will be
naught but our journey to the infirmary where we
shall see to your health and...other needs."
* * * *
glanced from the dark-skinned man named Fury,
to Drace, the huge blonde Lioni male. Certain they
meant she should see if she was capable of bearing
their children, she trembled as she followed them.
Part of her feared the outcome of her examination,
another part dreaded it. She wanted to bear
children again someday. She just wasn't sure she
wanted it now, with these men.
"We thought you may need to talk about what
happened."
"Talk about it? What good would that do?" She
didn't want to remember it, let alone talk about it.
"We have found that it heals the mind to talk
about that which has harmed you."
Her mouth dropped open. "And you have
special healers for this type of thing?"
Drace nodded. "My father found such healers
on a distant planet. He brought a few willing to
leave their world with him to help our people--
women who needed their minds repaired by such
a healer. Women like you."
She looked down at her feet, blinking back the
tears that threatened. How did they always seem
to say the right thing? Whenever she thought the
worst of them, they surprised her by doing
something selfless. "I don't know how talking
about it can help. But if you think I should talk to
one of these healers, I will try."
Within minutes, they stopped in front of a solid
Illuma-glass door. As soon as they entered the large
room filled with strange looking equipment, she
reached for Ryo. He took her hand and smiled up
at her. His fingers curled around hers with
familiar warmth. She blinked slowly when she
realized that in her attempt to comfort him, he had
reached out and done the same for her. They truly
were a pair.
The healer approached them with a smile.
Kneeling down in front of Ryo, she smoothed his
hair back from his face, her hands checking his
head. "How old is he?"
"He is nearly five summers."
"Five?" The healer frowned. "I didn't realize he
was that old. He looks no more than three."
"He was born three moon cycles early." She
looked back at the men who claimed to be her
mates and swallowed. She hoped they didn't try
to take him from her after her admission. "The
woman who birthed him was dying. She made me
promise to do everything I could to save him and
keep him from the man who fathered him." Her
heart clenched at the memory. Ryo was the only
thing left to remind her of her lifelong friendship
with Ryanza. "I cut him from her womb th
e
moment she took her final breath."
The memories haunted her. She closed her eyes
as if the action would keep the vision of the last
time she'd seen her friend alive at bay. The sight
of taking a knife to her friend's rounded belly as
Ryo kicked frantically inside her. It as almost as if
he'd known his mother was gone and he had been
trying to kick his way from her womb.
"He...he was so small. So Tiny. Barely old
enough to survive outside his mother's womb,
still, he thrived when I took him. I fed him the
milk from my own breast." Tears slid down her
face as she continued her story, determined that
they know all of it. "My own son had just been
seized. He was only nine dawnings. They took
him. When they found that he had been born
without one of his fingers, they killed him." She
gagged. "Then they ate him in front of me."
Kiri shook the memory off. It was in the past. A
past she wished she could change. That was why
she'd taken Ryo and run. That is why when any
Hienial asked, the beasts were told he was a new
child. Until he reached two he was safe. When
he'd reached two summers, he looked old enough
to take. But she knew. She knew deep in her
stomach, where all of her premonitions came
from, that they would kill him when they realized
he wasn't growing as quickly as he should. That
was when she ran.
"No sentient being should be so ghastly as to
eat their own young." Her body began to tremble.
"How can they be so disgusting?" She barely
noticed when the one called Fury pulled her to her
feet and wrapped his arms around her. Sometime
during the retelling, the healer had taken Ryo
across the room. How much had he heard?
Goddess, she hoped he hadn't heard all of it. She'd
been so careful to keep most of the horror of his
parentage from him.
"It's all right, baby. I've got you now. No one
will ever hurt you again." He smoothed his large
hands over her back. She should have felt
threatened, afraid, but she only felt...safe.
Kiri stood within his embrace, allowing Fury to
hold her. She absorbed his warmth, feeling safe for
the first time in years. She couldn't explain it, if
she lived to be a hundred. She could feel his
emotions. She felt his need to keep her safe, even
from him. And that comforted her more than
she'd ever thought possible.
She watched Drace as he stood with Ryo as the
healer examined the boy. Drace glanced over at
her and smiled. Kiri attempted to return his smile
as she stood within Fury's tight embrace. When
Drace turned to hear something the healer said,
she closed her eyes and leaned into Fury's
strength. Just for a moment. Then she would pull
free and be strong again. Just this once, she
needed to lean on someone.
* * * *
"He's awfully small for his age," the healer
whispered to Drace. "To save a child born three
months early is a feat without specialized medical
equipment." She smiled at the boy and gave him a
few sweets. "There you go, sir. You were so brave,
letting me test your blood. You and your mother
will be happy to know you're very healthy. She
will be so proud. Shall I tell her, or will you?"
Ryo inhaled deeply, his little chest puffing out.
"I want to tell her. She's always so worried about
me." He sighed and looked down at his feet. "I'm
too small. She always says that."
The healer ruffled his hair. "You are small, but
we have special food here that will make you
grow quickly. I'll see that it is sent to you. Will you
eat it?"
He nodded quickly, his face alight with the
possibility that he would soon begin to grow.
"Yes. Yes, I'll eat it. Please." He glanced back at
Kiri. "I want to grow big and strong so that I can
protect Mama."
Drace smiled and offered his hand. "Fury and I
will protect your mother from now on, son. It is
your job to grow strong to protect your own
mate." He helped the boy hop down from the
examining table and glanced back to the healer.
"You may want to speak to his mother. You have
much to talk about."
"Yes." She sighed. "I heard." The healer
glanced back at Kiri. "I don't know how she
survived. Seeing my child..." She shook her head.
"Watching those animals do something like that
would have driven me mad. She needs to talk to
me alone. She will never say more in front of the
boy. Tell her to join me in the other room." She
indicated a small glass enclosure. "Where she can
talk and still remain in sight of the child."
"I'm glad you have that small room. She never
would have agreed to leave the boy out of her
sight. I don't think he's been away from her once
since he was born."
"It wouldn't surprise me." Glancing back to the
boy, she lowered her voice to a whisper. "I can't
tell you how I'd feel if some hideous creature
killed my child then ate him in front of me."
Drace strode to the examining table, picked Ryo
up and set him on his shoulder. "I know how I
would feel and I think she feels the same, if her
behavior earlier is any indication. Heal her mind,
Handing Ryo to Fury, Drace pulled Kiri into his
arms. He needed to feel her in his embrace, just
once. To feel the soft curves of his mate pressed
against him was a luxury. No. It was a miracle.
She was his miracle. He looked over her head to
Fury. She was their miracle--their life. And her
son was as their own.
"Your turn, mi ama. It is time you were healed,
as well." He gestured toward the glass room. "We
will stay here with your son." He smiled at her
sharp look. "Yes. He is still your son. The boy is as
much your child as if you'd given birth to him."
He nodded his head toward Fury. "And though
you don't believe we think of him as our own son,
you soon will. But for now, you can watch us
through the glass as you talk through your pain."
She pulled from his arms. A sharp pain stabbed
him in the heart at her rejection and he raised his
hand to the center of his chest. He rubbed the spot
absently. She looked up at him through sorrow-
filled eyes. Her lips trembled as she tried to smile.
"Someday I may look upon you with love. I
truly hope this comes to pass if you are my
mates." She shook her head slowly and cast her
gaze downward. "But for now, I can only tell you I
will try. For now, my heart breaks for my dead
son, my departed friends and all of the women left
on the surface--those who have no one to turn
to." She placed her hand on his arm. "If you care
for me a
s you say, find them. Find them all and
help them as you would help me."
Drace nodded, swallowing thickly as her
fingers squeezed tight, her nails biting into the
thick muscles of his forearm. "It will be as you say.
I will send a transmission to the other ships. They
will help. Our healers will treat their many
wounds--even the invisible ones."
Tears filled her eyes, trembling on her thick, red
lashes, glittering like moina stones and her grip
gentled. "Thank you, sir."
"Drace. My name is Drace. Please call me by
my name."
"Thank you for your understanding...Drace."
He grinned at her. "There, that wasn't so hard,
was it?"
She blushed prettily. His cock twitched at her
nearness and he thought of his mother's friends,
knowing only the memory of those old biddies
would make it behave. He glanced over at Fury
and almost scowled at the stupid grin on his
friend's face. But he checked that too. He didn't
want to frighten his apprehensive mate any more
than she already was. She didn't need to witness
his temper when she was not the object of his ire.
* * * *
Kiri eyed the medical doctor warily. Though the
blonde woman looked friendly and appeared to
truly want to heal not only her body, but also her
mind, Kiri just didn't know what to think, what to
do. She couldn't deny that getting the memories of
her time with the Hienials out of her mind would
be a blessed thing. How could just talking about
what happened, reliving it again to another
person, help her? It just didn't make sense.
"Kiri, there is nothing to fear from me. My
name is Brandy Vanier. I'm Drace's adopted sister.
I'd do nothing to harm my brother's mate, my
new sister." When the doctor reached out and
took her hand, a soothing balm of warmth spread
throughout her body. Kiri shuddered as the
heaviness that she'd lived with these past five
years lightened, just a bit.
"How? How are you doing what you're
doing?"
"It is my gift. A gift my family has encouraged
me to use to help others. I'm an orphan really,
brought as a child from a planet many, many light
years away. When the Vanier Alpha found me
homeless and starving, he took me in. His people
have given me the world. Helping others is the
least I can do."
"So, what do I need to do? Do I tell you all