Her Commanders - M.K. Eidem Page 0,114

Jamis reminded her. "It can wait. After all, we have all the time in the universe."

"We do, but this particular situation doesn't. So, if we're going to do this, it needs to be now."

"Only if you're sure." Taarig's swirling gaze glowed into hers, and Cali saw all the love he felt for her and all the concern. They'd talked, discussed, and argued for the last several months about this, but in the end, her mates left it up to her. After all, these were her parents.

"I am. I’m just not sure of my parents’ reactions, especially my father."

"We won't allow him to harm you," Jamis growled, and Cali knew it was true.

Over the last hundred years, her mates' gifts had appeared, and they'd been powerful ones. They could both shield just as Cali had done against her father, but Jamis could also create and wield energy weapons with just a thought. Something that had come in handy on several of the more primitive planets they'd visited.

Taarig's second gift was more subtle but just as powerful. He'd always been a brilliant strategist, but it was enhanced. He could analyze complex situations and find multiple solutions quickly. He was so skilled that Cali's dad even consulted with him on several Wik Corp matters. It had Cali wondering if the position of Supreme Chairman would one day be Taarig's.

"I know." Stretching up, she kissed Jamis’s lips, then sliding out of his arms, she did the same with Taarig. "I've never doubted that. So, let’s go do this."

Together they moved to the hatch of the In-D Core ship that Xanto had left behind in the landing bay when he'd piloted her dad's ship back to Wik Corp headquarters. Her dad knew how to fly and had piloted his ship to Star Base Twelve. On the other hand, her mother couldn't, so her pilot flew her ship back to Diter. After no one had demanded this one’s return, she and her mates had claimed it, much to Taarig's delight. Over the years, he and Jamis had learned to pilot the ship after Xanto explained how to initiate the ship’s shielding.

As the hatch opened, Cali caught the scent of something for the first time in over one hundred and fifty years.

Home.

Memories she hadn't been expecting assaulted her; good and not so good. But surrounding all of them, there had always been love. For her. How had she forgotten that?

Standing at the ramp's end was her mother, and with a small cry, Cali ran into her waiting arms.

"Oh, Mom," Cali whispered against her neck. "I've missed you so much."

"And I've missed you," Dakota said, and as she held her daughter, she silently vowed she'd never allow so much time to pass without physically seeing her again.

Jamis and Taarig looked from their mate to each other, then slowly followed her down the ramp, scanning the area for possible threats.

"Jamis. Taarig." Dakota hugged each one as they stepped off the ramp. "It's so wonderful to see you. Welcome to Diter."

"Thank you, Dakota. It's an honor to be allowed to visit."

"Allowed?" Dakota gave them a fierce look. "You are my daughter's mates, which makes you family and Diter your home! You never need permission to come home. Now," Dakota wrapped an arm around Cali's waist and turned, "let's go up to the house. We can have some refreshments while we wait for Paul and Caradoc."

They'd landed their ship on a platform that seemed to hang out over a cliff with only a white, stone path connecting it to the land beyond it. The path wound through a well-tended garden filled with flowers and trees from across the universe. It led up to the terrace of a palatial structure.

"Dad and Father aren't here yet?" Cali questioned carefully.

"Not yet," Dakota said as she handed each of them a glass of wine. "Paul wanted to be here to greet you, but some last-minute problems at Wik Corp have delayed him."

"The Zolia matter?" Taarig asked, which had Dakota's eyebrows rising in surprise.

"Why yes," Dakota answered. "I wasn't aware Paul had discussed the situation with you."

"He and Dad talk constantly," Cali informed her mother as she eyed her mate. "Although I didn't know it had anything to do with the uprising on Zolia."

Taarig just shrugged. "It wasn't something I thought you'd be interested in."

"Something you didn't think…" Cali began.

"Only because it involved the boring and tedious details of housing and health requirements the miners were demanding to return to work," Taarig said quickly, hoping to