Borak responds tersely, “I’ll go out to meet whoever it is. If things go bad, send out a distress signal and lock our queens in the safe room.”
Although Molly and Penelope are clearly alarmed, this is just another day for my daughter and I. Shooting her a quick glance over my shoulder, I gesture to one of the lookout points they’ve built into either side of the front of the common room. “I’m going out with Borak. Cover our six.”
Chantel scrambles up the huge flight of steps and takes cover near the opening. Eltran sees the benefit of that vantage point and runs up the other set of steps. Molly begins pulling Penelope towards the back of the great room.
Nothing could have prepared me for what came zooming up to the front of our new home. It’s one of the shuttle platforms we used on Earth. Instead of a complement of Draconian military personnel, Amber and the shifter are at the helm. I’m guessing they made up, because she looks positively radiant at his side.
The platform is carrying a multitude of children of varying ages from the Japanese temple. I am aware that Amber was the last in a long line of caretakers who used the temple for an orphanage. Seeing all those little faces staring back at me jerks me back to reality real fast. I shove my laser pistols back into their holsters and can hear Borak telling his boys to stand down over the com.
When the transport finally comes to a complete stop, we approach.
“Greetings, you are all welcomed to our keep. Allow us to show our hospitality by staying the night.”
Amber finally smiles slightly. “I’m sorry, Juliet. We must decline.”
The shifter steps off the transport and approaches me. I expected him to talk to Borak, so I’m a little alarmed.
“I wish to speak to General Watson.”
“Well, I’m not an Earth Gov general anymore, but if you need something I’ll try to act as an intermediary with Earth on your behalf.”
“I have no care about Earth or the people there, for all the ones I care for are now safely on Onello.”
Shooting Borak a quick glance, I remember that as their clan mother, I’m responsible for speaking for their clade. “Are you looking for sanctuary?”
His voice becomes harsh. “You dare to ask me if I need sanctuary on my own planet? Never forget for a moment that my people have made this planet our home for a millennia and allowed the Draconians to colonize this world out of sympathy for their plight.”
“Sorry. I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. I just thought you might need a place for the children to stay until you could get your own housing sorted for them.”
He relaxes and gestures to the back of the platform. “I have come to render back that which you have given to me.”
I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I follow him to the rear of the vehicle. Bodies move around and three human women separate from the group. They look healthy and well. It takes me a moment to recognize them, and then my heart sinks. It seems like all my worst decisions are coming back to haunt me.
I’m sickened because I don’t even remember their names. I did know over a year ago when I selected them from a group of indigents to be traded away to this creature in exchange for his part in helping rid Earth of the Vithacan parasites. This is karma slapping me right in the face.
“You were adamant about wanting three females. Why are you giving them back?”
He gently helps them down one by one. They don’t seem particularly scared of him, but neither do they pay him any mind. They’re too busy looking over our keep.
Finally, when the last woman is safely on the ground, he turns back to me. “When I demanded the females, I was newly formed. The above world was confusing, for I lived my entire long life underground mingling with my people. We no longer mate or create more of our kind. When I visited the up-world and saw a Draconian mate with a human female, it triggered something in my soul. I wished to steal the love from him because I thought it was something you could take by force.”
I’ve already read in the top secret part of the Draconian database that he killed several healers and tried to steal some Draconian’s human mate. Therefore what he’s saying