Page 11 of Ruarc
“Yes, he was a sick fracker, and in his mind he was convinced your mam was meant to be his. The one blessing I had earned was the right to move around the lower chambers without a constant guard. I cannot tell you how many times I stopped him from forcing himself on her; coming up with any excuse I could to get him to leave her alone. We all knew that your lifegivers were true mates and that they were finding ways to be together still. Several times I personally stepped into the path of one of the guards so your mam could slip by. But when Elwas found out she was pregnant again by your sire, he went berserk.
When I realized what he was doing to her, I made a quick decision. Pretending to be the head scientist, I sent a fake holomessage, which distracted him long enough for me to walk into the room. He had beaten her so severely that I was convinced she was going to die or lose the youngling, but I have never seen a stronger female. It took a little sweet persuasion, but I was able to talk him into letting me take her to the medical center.
I had no real skills in that area, but I did know how to operate the machines. She lay in that bed for three risings, fighting for her life. When she finally awoke, she seemed anxious and worried. I initially thought she was just feeling uncomfortable, but she was actually anticipating what was coming next and hoping to escape with your sire. The last rising we were on the planet, I caught her watching the time system closely. Even though I knew she did not trust me fully at that time, she realized she was going to need my help to escape once the miners started rioting. So, she confided in me about the plan your sire had made to free all of you males. The lights went off just like she said they would, and between the two of us, we were able to free everyone in the lower level of the castle.
That is when I lost sight of her. I was trying to help several who were severely wounded to the rendezvous point. When I asked if anyone had seen her, one of the males said they had seen her slip through the side door. I knew she was headed to meet up with your sire.
The last of us were entering the hangar when your ship took off. While the Aynar were distracted by miners rioting, I was able to get all of the ones with me on board the cargo ship. I just happened to look down at the ramp and saw her lying there on the ground, surrounded by blood. Even though the engines were firing up to launch, I raced back down the ramp and grabbed her up in my arms. There was blood everywhere, but I could still feel her hearts beating wildly in her chest. It was all a blurafter that. I rushed her into the medical bay, hooking her up to the machines as quickly as I could. I recall feeling the ship accelerating and hearing the cheers of the others on board as we broke through the atmosphere.
It was unpredictable and touchy there for a few tics, but I remember sinking to the floor and crying in relief when the machine verified that not only would she survive, but also the youngling. I did not know until she awakened after we crashed here that your sire had been killed. I thought he had escaped with all of you. Luckily, her bond collar never faded, and I believe that was because the youngling’s essence still lingered within her. The Gods of Ruk knew we were going to need her, and they protected her when she would have usually perished.
I only left the med center long enough to help some of the others who were wounded. We had been on the ship for a few rotations when the crash warning went off. No one knew what to do, and I think most of us were just happy that we were going to perish on our own terms, not the Aynar’s. I can remember holding your mam’s hand when the ship started to tumble. What I did not realize was that the medical ward had a protective bubble encasing it, making us safer than the others or anything that was not tied down.
The initial crash knocked all of us unconscious. We were lucky as frack that the planet’s air was breathable, or none of us would have made it since the hull cracked in half upon impact. I can remember awakening to your mam’s screams and the horror of finding out that the medical machines had shut off when we crashed, and she was in labor.
I had been in the room during several births, but none of the females were in such terrible shape, and the youngling had decided she was not going to wait. Half a rising later, shewas born with a healthy set of lungs surrounded by tears and laughter from the other females who came to my aid when I ran to the cargo hold, begging for help as I had no idea what to do. That youngling gave us hope when we had lost everything. She also provided your mam with a reason to carry on. The loss of all of you and your sire weighed heavily on her. Mam healed slowly but never regained her voice. She talks, but it is more of a whisper. Somehow, her mating collar has never faded, and eventually she regained most of her strength. I just wish I knew where they were now. My heart tells me they are here somewhere. We did not make it through all of this … that, just to simply perish now.”
“Kallen, we will find them if they are still on this planet. I refuse to consider that they came to any harm. If they survived all that you have said … they are here somewhere, and we will search every inch of this planet until they are found. You have my word. We will not leave until we either find them or confirm they are not here.”
CHAPTER 7
RUARC
I could not escape that cave quickly enough. Even now, I can feel the imprint of her body against mine and hear the soft tone of her voice in my head. Roaming the hills around the cave, I look for signs that anyone has been here, only to find nothing.
Darkness is settling, and I do not want to end up hauling this disk back to the cave if the charge runs out, so I make my way back, only to stand outside while they all talk. I almost barge in when Kallen admits to being a spy, only to stop myself when her story continues, and it appears that Slavic is not upset. My stomach growls, and I shake my head at my thoughtlessness, swearing to myself that I will be the next one to provide her meal.
It has been dark for quite some time now, and the cave has become quiet. The cool air running across my skin has become noticeable, so I reluctantly step inside only to see Kallen curled up in front of the small fire without any coverings. She must not have been asleep because she sits up, motioning toward the pan resting off to the side. “Slavic left some food for you.”
Grunting, I pick up the pot, lifting it straight up to my lips, eating the meal quickly. I can see Slavic looking at me from the other side of the fire, where he has wrapped a covering he brought with him around both of them as Ruby sleeps on top of his stomach.
When I removed the pot, Kallen scooted closer to the fire, seeking out its warmth in the dampness surrounding us. Grabbing my pack from where I threw it against the wall earlier, I pull out my own coverlet, planning on throwing it over her, only to hesitate.
Spreading it on the ground behind her, I slide my arms under her frame, pulling her back against me before wrapping both of us up. The skin on the backs of her legs and her ears is so cold that I shiver. Instantly, this makes me angry. “Why did you not pack better provisions for yourself? You knew you were going to need coverings and sustenance once planetside!”
“No, I did not. Actually, I was heading back to the place where I had a home, expecting at least my personal belongings to still be there. There is no need for you to go out of your way, Ruarc. I was perfectly fine lying by the fire. I promise you, I have slept in much worse places with fewer comforts.”
“Stop fighting me and go to sleep. The rising will come early and you will need your rest.”
It shocks me when she lets out a weary sigh and relaxes against me instead of continuing to argue about it. I can still see Slavic’s bright yellow eyes gazing at us, but I close my own and without realizing it, I tuck my head into the back of Kallen’s neck. Under these blankets, I feel a certain amount of comfort as well, just holding her body and enjoying the feeling of her hearts beating, even though our bond is not solidified. She still trusts me withher safety and her life, though I am not sure why. Her scent invades my nostrils, and sleep claims me within a few breaths, but it is not long before the dreams take over.
In this world, I am not a miner, and Kallen is not a princess. She is just mine, and her smiles and laughter are freely given. Her body is firm and thick as we work together building our future home. Kisses come easily as she enjoys teasing me, and I feel my shaft harden when she winks at me before smacking me on the ass as she maneuvers another log into place. Both of our hearts are free to explore the bond that clearly marks us for all to see.
In my dreams, her mating collar swirls down her arms, with the symbols ending at her fingertips. There is a wide and bold center line that slides between her lovely breasts and flares around her hips. When she tries to slide past me again, I grab her around her thick but firm waist, crashing my lips onto hers as my hands seek out the feel of her large breasts.
The sound of someone throwing wood onto a fire awakens me instantly and I tense up when I see a large shadow moving in front of me, only to realize it is Slavic. My arm is sore where I have slept on my side all darkness, and when I go to move, I stop when I realize I am grasping Kallen’s breast with one hand while holding her close with the other. My cock is so hard that the slightest move from her is going to have me embarrassing myself.
Slavic smirks as he can see the dilemma I have tangled myself up in. Slowly, I slide away from Kallen, tucking the blankets back around her when I feel the coolness of the early rising seeping into the cave entrance.
“Sleep well, Brother?”
“Do not start, Slavic.”
He holds his hands up in surrender. “What? I just inquired after your health, Ruarc. If you do not plan on embarrassing yourself further, you might want to step out and take care of that.”
Gripping my shaft, I grunt at how sensitive it is. Slavic holds the pot out to me that I had eaten straight from last rising. “Go clean this up and dunk yourself in some cold water, but do not take long. My Starshine likes her hot drink in the early risings.”
“I have extra in my bag and plenty of sustenance. Go ahead and use it. This darkness, I will hunt for something more filling.”
