Chapter 4

APO PRIME
UNITED LYCAVORIAN UNION
FOLCANI DELEGATION PETITION ACCEPTANCE DINNER

"Man I've always hated uniforms!" Martin spoke as he stood in the receiving line outside the main Senate Dining Hall, greeting visitors. He ran his finger along the inside of the collar of his crimson jacket.

Aricia, Anja and Gorgo all stood between him and Riall, who also wore the standard Lycavorian Union Fleet Forces formal dress uniform, or LUFF for short. The black pants were trimmed in crimson, the crimson jacket outlined in black. While Riall's shoulder boards were silver, Martin's were gold and topped with five silver colored star clusters on each shoulder board. The buttons were black, and the cuffs of the arms were wrapped in five thick gold stripes. The left side of his chest was dotted with nine rows of vertical colored ribbons, while Riall's bore fourteen rows. Martin had refused to wear anything that he had not earned by action, and it was only Deia's and Gorgo's prompting and finally Aricia who got him to wear the nine rows of ribbons which were equivalent to what he had worn as a Navy SEAL on Earth.

Aricia looked up at him now with a dazzling smile and hunger in her eyes. "You look very handsome Beloved." She said.

Martin looked at her with that same hunger and desire in his eyes that he had whenever he gazed at her or any of the women in his life.

Aricia, Anja and For'mya wore matching colored dresses, or what "passed for clothing" according to Anja. They were the only three women with dresses like they were wearing in the entire building. Each dress was a deep Crimson red in color, which actually highlighted Aricia's and For'mya's hair color enormously. Anja's Persian red hair was tied back into a long, braided and pinned pony tail, the act of putting in the stunning white and pink orchids in her hair done by Seanna. Aricia's raven colored hair she wore down, as she almost always did now, cascading elegantly around her face and past her shoulders, ending just above her buttocks. For'mya had also opted to keep her hair down and the golden blond color of her hair caressed her face and fell just past her shoulders. The bronzed tans on all of them made their skin almost glisten in the light of the hall. The dress's v-neck plunged widely down the front of their chests, exposing more deep cleavage than they would normally have shown; the neckline fastening just underneath their breasts on their upper abdomens with a glittering gold leaf cluster. The dress was bare in the back, dropping all the way to their lower backs and only half wrapping around the front, exposing one side of their abdomens, including their belly buttons, and then becoming tube like as it drifted down over their hips and legs until the slit on their left legs began at their upper thigh and went to the bottom of the frilly dress.

The three of you look positively delicious. Martin Mindvoiced to Aricia and Anja next to him and reaching out to For'mya, who stood at the second entrance with Deia and her father.

Down big boy. Anja spoke looking at him with a seductive smile and a hunger similar to Aricia's in her jade green eyes. It will take a lot more than sweet words and a nice smile to get us out of these dresses tonight. It took too long to get into them.

I was thinking perhaps a hot, luxuriating bath and a massage with scented oils given by the man we all so adore. For'mya spoke from across the room.

Damn ... now that's a woman who knows what she wants! Anja exclaimed. We want to be pampered and taken care of tonight Martin. Especially after having to wear our underwear in front of all these people!

They heard For'mya burst out with a short laugh at Anja's words and they turned to see L'tian and Deia look at her oddly. For'mya lowered her eyes quickly, attempting to hide the smile on her face.

Martin smiled as well. I think I can handle that. He spoke confidently.

Anja looked at him. Ok ... sure. Do you even know what scented oils we like? And no asking Isheeni either! She and Aricia are bonded and she would know by virtue of that alone. You want us tonight oh mighty King ... you figure it out for yourself. Now is that a challenge you are up for?

I'm game. Martin said confidently.

Aricia leaned closer to Anja. [Mindvoice Shielded] I don't want to make it too hard for him Anja.

Nor do I. For'mya spoke from across the room. He was very good to us this morning.

Anja smiled. Trust me ladies ... if he wants us tonight, Martin will find a way.

I don't think wanting us is a problem. Aricia said with a grin. His aura has been leaking ever since he saw us in these dresses.

Anja grinned. I know ... and I'm so hot for him right now I'd jump him in the closest if there were any around to use.

Aricia laughed again within their private connection with For'mya and squeezed her hand tightly. I think we all would.

Oh yes ... there is no doubt about that. For'mya chimed in.

Both their heads turned when they heard the female voice gushing with seductive tones. "King Leonidas ... it is a distinct honor and a wonderful privilege to meet you sire."

Aricia and Anja looked at the young, blond Lycavorian woman who stood beside the older distinguished looking man. She wore a pink gown that plunged to the bottom of her abdomen in the front and to the top of her buttocks in the back, leaving two very thin strips of cloth to cover the nipples of her large and very firm breasts. Breasts which she was purposely jutting out at Martin. Her strawberry blond hair fell elegantly past her shoulders to the middle of her back, her jungle green eyes focused on his face, her soft full lips coated with crimson lipstick and slightly parted.

"Sire..." The man spoke. "Allow me to introduce my daughter Sadi. Forgive her obvious exuberance, but she has wanted to meet you since you first arrived on Apo Prime last year."

Martin smiled and nodded looking into the pale blue eyes of the woman. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He spoke evenly, shaking the man's hand and then looking at him, taking his eyes from the young woman. "I'm still not good with names and faces yet, I'm sorry. You are... ?"

"Governor Vorilas of the Menkla District." The man replied.

Martin's eyes went wider. "Ah ... Governor Vorilas ... you just opened that new factory in your province that makes our TEMPEST Interceptor."

Vorilas smiled and nodded, pleased that his King recalled him now out of the hundreds he had seen already this night. He had worked hard to get that contract brought into his province, as it meant an influx of Riyal into the area of Apo Prime that was still growing and developing. "Yes Milord."

Martin shook the man's hand. "That was an impressive bid you presented Governor, very impressive. How is the construction coming?"

Vorilas nodded. "We are ahead of schedule Milord. The factory is almost complete and we should be bale to start turning out fighters in three months."

Martin smiled genuinely happy with that news. "You impress me again." He said with a smile. "Governor, perhaps you would like to join us at our table? We have the room don't we Aricia?"

Aricia nodded quickly with a small smile. "Yes we do."

"Milord ... we would be most honored." Vorilas said.

Martin smiled. "Good. We can talk more once this party gets rolling. Admiral Riall and I would like to hear about your ideas and how you got the factory up so quickly."

The older man nodded. "It would be my honor to tell you sire."

"Good ... well ... it's a pleasure to meet you and your daughter Governor. You and ... I'm sorry ... Sadi is it?"

The blond woman bowed her head slightly. "It is Milord ... and I am overwhelmed at your invitation." She said submissively as she hit Martin with her female aura, letting him know she was available and willing.

[Mindvoice Shielded] Little Wolf... Anja said her eyes wide. Tell me she isn't actually hitting our man with her aura right in front of us.

Aricia's eye remained fixed on the young woman. That is exactly what she is doing Anja. She is an Alpha female after all.

With us standing here?

Apparently she believes her aura is superior to ours, regardless of our station. She is a strong Alpha female but you and I are shielding most of our auras Anja, and it is something we do without thinking, so she does not know she is making a fool of herself.

Would it be appropriate to rip her face off right now? Anja asked with a hint of savage anger in her tone.

Look at Martin's face Anja.

Anja did and saw that Martin was doing a very good impression of impersonating a large tree stump as the young woman amped up the strength of her aura, obviously not believing that Anja or Aricia were strong enough to detect it, given that her Alpha female aura was stronger than theirs from what she could tell. It was having absolutely no affect on Martin in the least as he continued to talk with the woman's father. Anja couldn't help but smile and she gripped Aricia's hand by their legs.

Ok ... for that display, I'll forgo the scented oils. But I still want the massage.

Aricia also smiled as she looked at her. It was true that she and Anja were shielding much of their auras' strength. Gorgo had told them they and Dysea were the three strongest Alpha females she had ever felt, and given Gorgo's experience and age, this young woman flaunting herself in Martin's face did not even compare. It was something she and Anja did out of habit after being on Earth for so long, and there were times when they forgot they were Queens and did not have to shield the power of their auras. If there was any display of total and complete commitment and love a male wolf could make to the females who were his mates, it was to completely ignore the advances of a female that was not his mate. Martin had not only ignored this Sadi hitting him with her aura, he had basically thrown her to the floor and stomped her by not even batting an eye at the advances she was making, advances so obvious that even Martin's mother had turned to look at her. Aricia and Anja were all smiles as Vorilas bowed and shook their hands, and Sadi merely glared at them with those blue eyes while having a false smile plastered onto her face the whole time until she was drawn away by her father.

[Mindvoice Shielded] I agree. Aricia said. She will try again however. Now that Martin has invited them to our table, she will take it as a sign he is interested in her.

You're kidding right? Anja said. After he just shot her down so badly.

I saw this when I was growing up in Sparta. Aricia told her. There was a female who wanted Andreus badly, but he was only interested in Kmyla. She blasted him with her aura the entire night at a gathering until finally he had to verbally tell her he was not interested in the least. She just didn't get it. It was a very humorous show really.

On second thought ... I need a good laugh. Let her keep doing what she is doing. For'mya do you agree? Anja spoke.

I do not possess the ability to detect this aura you speak of ... but it was quite obvious from here what she was trying to do. For'mya spoke. Yes ... I say let her make a fool of herself. I may be an elf ... and only the King's concubine...

For'mya ... you are far more than a concubine to Martin and I. To all of us. You know that. Aricia told her immediately. Do not speak of yourself in such a way. Martin won't allow it and neither will we.

For'mya smiled brilliantly at them from across the room. He belongs to us and I will fight for what belongs to us. For'mya spoke firmly.

If we get a good show I'll forgo everything and he can have me before I even take the dress off. Anja spoke with a chuckle.

Aricia laughed. Then be prepared Anja ... I think we will have a good show.

GELLEN STATION

Sivana looked around the small she occupied with the others. Yuriko sat in the room's only chair her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes closed in a restive pose. Daniel sat on the floor with Anuk between his legs, and leaning back against him as she manipulated the spoon and ration can of fruit she was both eating herself and feeding to Danny. She sat on the only bed in the run down room, wearing a standard LU dark gray fleet jumpsuit and jacket. She had awoken only two hours before on the small Coven Runner to find them docking at the largest smuggler and pirate haven on this side of The Wilds.

Sivana knew right away the Hadarian had given her a sedative for she woke feeling refreshed and rested; something she hadn't felt in the last ten months. The bruises and bite marks from her tryst with the Kochab Bounty Hunter were long healed now, though she was still somewhat sore from his battering of her pussy. Though humanoid in form and shape, Kochab were still a lizard like species with rough scaly skin, and unless she was extremely wet, the friction rapidly turned to pain as they were humping into her frantically. It was a pain she welcomed in her life, since all she had ever known was pain. Pain told her she was still alive, still able to feel. She still did not completely know why these men and women had kidnapped her, why they had chased her across half the known Wilds, but for the moment they were the least of her concerns.

Cyngi had betrayed her.

Her mentor had tossed her to the wolves so to speak. He had taken out a contract on her, and that all by itself told Sivana that he was far more than he had led her to believe all these years. He had given her the flight suit that had been tampered with. He had given her the majority of her equipment, and now she knew why. It gave him access to all that she had ever done for the most part. Where she had been, who she had seen. The criminal element within The Wilds was broken down by Overseers, and there were thought to be only five, however Cyngi's actions now made it clear he was a sixth Overseer, or at the very least one of the five. No one who had ever had a contract taken out on them by the Overseers still lived. They were hunted until they were dead. Without remorse, without question.

Then again ... none of them had ever had Spartan and Vampire protection.

Sivana looked at Danny sitting with his back against the wall facing the only door. At over two meters tall, he was one of the largest men Sivana had ever seen, the Unsaur species not withstanding of course. From what she could tell by just a casual glance she knew he was thickly muscled, and if the Spartans she had seen over the years were any indication, he must have been very well defined. His bald head was shiny in the dim light of the room, but his dark eyes were always alert and held an intelligence she had not seen often in the killers here in The Wilds. The female elf with the rust colored hair was obviously his mate from the way they acted together, and not his only one so it seemed. Anuk was her name Sivana had learned, and she was also now a wolf with a Shi Viska to boot. Her five foot eight frame was packed with muscle of its own, with long lean legs and an ass that her dark gray fatigues hugged tightly. She had an ample chest Sivana noticed, her rust colored hair falling well past her shoulders and her blue eyes bright and alert. Sivana was no stranger to Lycavorian men from the Union, as she had seen and met many of the smugglers and mercenaries that had been thrown out of the Spartan ranks for some reason. None of them treated any female as she saw this hulking black skinned Spartan treat the diminutive elf female. It was easy enough for Sivana to determine that they were speaking within Mindvoice, as they would look at one another and share warm smiles, but no words would escape their lips. The dark skinned elf female with the unique eyes was not in the room with them, but he acted the same with her as well, and the two elf females acted as if they too had a relationship going.

The vampire female Sivana had no desire to speak with or get to know. She hated vampires, even those who traveled The Wilds and were not part of the Coven. All of them were mindless killers of innocents, and Sivana had seen far too many victims of vampire feedings than she cared to recall.

She turned her eyes back to Daniel. "I can't believe you brought me here!" Sivana spoke shaking her head as she sat on the bed. "Whose bright idea was it to come to one of the largest gathering points of pirates and Bounty Hunters in the entire universe? All looking for me."

Yuriko's eyes opened slowly and she gazed at Sivana. "It was my idea." She said softly. "You don't approve I take it?"

"Did it occur to you that half the people on this station know who I am?" Sivana snapped.

"Yes the thought did cross my mind." Yuriko spoke.

"And it didn't occur to you that bringing me here would be a singularly stupid thing to do?" Sivana spoke.

"It is a tactically sound decision." Yuriko replied calmly. "It is only a quarter of a parsec from the actual LU border, which the belt itself extends into. Half a parsec beyond that begins the LU Minefield and Platform Strip. The nearby nebula renders all shroud capable vessels visible, and basically puts us all on even footing."

"Even footing?" Sivana exclaimed. "There are probably hundreds of Bounty Hunters out there right now waiting to take a shot at me!"

"You and I both know that no Bounty Hunter, pirate or mercenary will violate the neutrality of this station." Yuriko spoke. "I am not a fool Hadarian. We did not chase you for ten months just to bring you here and have you killed by some scum of a Bounty Hunter. I imagine there is already a ship on its way here now that will escort us into Lycavorian Union space and then on to Apo Prime."

"Wait a minute! Apo Prime! I have no desire to go anywhere near Apo Prime!" Sivana snapped. "You said I was going to help you find some girl!"

Yuriko nodded. "And you will. We must stop on Apo Prime first."

"Why?"

"You will discover that in due time." Yuriko spoke. "No one saw us bring you in here. No one knows you are here."

"It's bound to have gotten out that a vampire female and a big Lycavorian lug like him took me off of Nonus IV!" Sivana said. "And the Overseers know what all of you look like! They may be pirates and mercenaries, but some of them do have brains."

"Tell me..." Anuk spoke now as she leaned against Danny's chest and looked at her. "Do you like being alive?"

Sivana looked at her. "What kind of question is that?"

Anuk shrugged. "Do you like the life you lead as a smuggler and transporter of slaves and other items?"

"I only did that once and I didn't know what the cargo really was until after it was done!" Sivana snapped.

"So you enjoy the life you lead?" Anuk asked again.

"It has its moments!" Sivana answered. "It's exciting and makes my blood begin to pump, especially if there is a good looking man involved! I like..." She stopped and looked at Anuk. "Why are you asking me this?"

Anuk shrugged her shoulders. "It's simple really. Without us you would be dead and you would no longer be able to enjoy these things you claim to enjoy." She said evenly. "If you like ... we can have Filrian give you some drugs, we will discover the information we want, and then we can turn you loose in the corridor outside. You will have plenty of reason for your blood to pump then, and then you can watch as it pumps out of your body onto the deck beneath you. I grow tired of listening to you rant ... so please ... keep your disparaging remarks about me and my comrades to yourself. We have a great deal of patience, however it is not unlimited."

"I'm not afraid of you elf bitch! Any of you!" Sivana snapped.

"We have given you no reason to be afraid of us." Anuk continued. "Would you like one?"

"You ... you people ruined my life when you came into the Star's Ghost!" Sivana barked. "I had it good! I was the best at what I do!"

"So you hate us for taking you away from a life that would eventually lead you to what undoubtedly, would be a painful and lonely death?" Anuk asked. "What we offer you in return you could not..."

"Anuk..." Yuriko spoke softly, quickly shaking her head when Anuk looked at her.

Anuk sighed and shook her head, snuggling back tighter against Daniel and feeling his arms encircle her waist. "It is a shame really." She spoke. "My Mistress said this as well."

"You condemn me for transporting slaves, but you yourself speak like a slave!" Sivana spoke.

Anuk's cerulean blue eyes looked at her and she shook her head slowly. "You are wrong Sivana." She spoke. "I am Daniel's mate, his wife. And a Spartan. Nayeca is a female Drow elf, also Daniel's mate, and I will not bore you with the traditions and culture of the Drow since it appears you would not care. I call Nayeca my Mistress because I choose to. In our bed, in Daniel's bed, I willingly do whatever she desires of me, as does Daniel, because it is what we choose. And she does whatever we desire of her because it is what she chooses. I have been a slave ... just like you Sivana. And while it was not for as long as you, slavery is the same no matter what form it takes." Anuk took a breath. "We search for the King's daughter. Our friend's daughter. You have information we require. We have helped you stay alive these last months, rescued you from a High Coven killing squad, and now you have the nerve to tell us we have ruined your life?"

"This would not have happened if you hadn't started looking for me!" Sivana said.

"You are a bigger fool than you appear to be if you believe that." Anuk spoke. "If we had not started looking for you, the Coven would have already found you Sivana. And right now you would be either dead; or the plaything for dozens of Immortals as they raped you endlessly in some prison." Anuk turned within Daniel's arms, positioning her body so that she could rest her cheek against his chest. "If you are so eager for death ... then go. We will find Lisisa without you, but I have no desire to listen to your moans of complaint any longer."

Danny smiled and pulled her tighter, closing his eyes and putting his cheek against her hair. Sivana looked at Yuriko, who merely crossed her arms over her chest again and closed her eyes once more.

Sivana leaned back against the wall of the bed in a huff, knowing she had no where to go if she wanted to live. She vowed that once she was out of immediate danger she would find a good ship and just disappear. No matter what that took.

EARTH
NEW MIAMI

Lynwe squatted in the moist sand as the waves from the Atlantic Ocean splashed lazily onto the beach. Lynwe was a beautiful woman by any standard, her shimmering white hair falling well past her shoulders, though it was now pulled into a long pony tail and braided as Selene liked to do with her hair. She was very tall, almost two meters in height, and a hundred and forty pounds of lean, muscled ebony body. She had very large breasts, though they were unbelievably firm and topped with small pert nipples, her waist was thin and her legs taut and powerful. Selene had always complimented Lynwe on her legs and the sleek powerful curves of her ass. There had been countless times when Selene and been squirming beneath her, clutching those powerful ass cheeks as her Mistress drove that thirteen inch Drow cock into her belly, urging her on. Her ebony skin shone in the bright sunlight with healthy tones, her soft pink lips full and moist. Lynwe's amber eyes gazed across the ocean's surface and she thought briefly of the weeks she had spent here in New Miami, before Tari had led them to freedom from the Coven, when she still clutched her intense hatred close to her heart at what they had made her.

It had been one of hundreds of sexually deviant experiments the Coven scientists had conducted, not for research, but for fun. Upon awaking from the surgery and seeing the log that now sprouted from between her thighs, Lynwe had gone a little insane right there. It had taken the defeat of the Coven, the deaths of friends and those she consider family, the kind and sensual touch of two woman, it had taken all this to finally show Lynwe that she was still a beautiful woman inside as well as out. They told her to think of herself as gifted not cursed, and when Selene had come into her life, all the pieces had come together.

Lynwe was a Drow yes, and their history of dominance and subjugation was well known and documented. Yet it was Aihola and Lynwe who had begun to pull their people from that ancient custom, bringing them forward into a new world of freedom, choice and love. Selene was the very center of Lynwe's universe, the most important and precious item in her life. The love they shared was almost fated to have been, considering the way they had come together. They were both now fully vampires, but due to the pureness of the blood of the vampire who had turned Selene, and by virtue Lynwe, both of them were able to tolerate long hours in the sunlight, attributing to Selene's luscious tan. There were very few who knew of Lynwe's gift, Tarifa and Aihola because they had often shared that gift, and only three others outside of them to include the King and Queen Anja. Lynwe had shared many passionate nights with Tarifa and Aihola, but Selene was truly the only woman who she desired, and Lynwe was all Selene desired, as she so often showed Lynwe in her actions out of their bed as well as in it.

What lay before her now however, in Lynwe's opinion, was just as much a threat to her Selene as it was to Tarifa and Aihola.

The female's body was that of an elf, the three inch pointed ears the most recognizable feature she had left really. Her face, at one time most likely quite beautiful, had been ripped away. Her body was swollen by time in the ocean water, but the large piercing wound above her left breast was obvious, as were the words carved into her chest and abdomen.

Tarifa must die!

Death to the Drow whore!

The letters were similar in size to the previous body, and what they originally thought may have been an isolated incident had now become so much more.

Lynwe's amber eyes cut to the left as the lithe figure of the Spartan Layna came into view and squatted next to the body's feet. Lynwe took stock of the Spartan female that had caught Selene's eye.

Layna was not tall, only a tad over a meter and a half in height, but she had long legs for her height, and they ended in a firm and delightfully tantalizing ass that was second only to Selene's as far as Lynwe was concerned. Her breasts were not overly large, the same size as her Selene's wonderful globes, but they were firm and pushed against her dark gray fatigues and the body armor she wore. Her golden blond hair, the color of fresh wheat in the fields, glistened in the sunlight, highlighting her deep tan. What set her apart as far as Lynwe was concerned, and what probably caught her slave's eye first were Layna's eyes. What Lynwe thought were blue in the dim light of the command center turned out to be a dazzling shade of light green flecked with gold, and that made her eyes cast a brilliance all their own. Layna wore her long blond hair similar to Lynwe's in a long pony tail, but she moved with the confident grace of a skilled warrior. Lynwe had read the bio provided by Admiral Jamerl and it was impressive. Layna was actually eight hundred and twenty-four years old, and the single mother of a four year old daughter. Her Lycavorian mate had been killed in a transport accident on Apo Prime three months after their child had been born, and Layna had never shown interest in taking another mate. They had apparently had problems when they were together, her mate cheating on her among them, which was very uncommon among Lycavorians once they took a mate. When she wasn't at home, Layna's mother stayed with her daughter, and they had both moved into a modest three bedroom home within Eden City when she had been assigned here. Her parents had accompanied her to Earth and now had a house not far from her.

Surprisingly almost the same thoughts were going through Layna's mind as she inspected the body of the dead and mutilated elf female in front of her.

She had been born and raised on Apo Prime, the only daughter to parents with five sons already. Between her father and her brothers she had led a sheltered and protected life, so much so, that it forced her to become rebellious and go against her parent's wishes and become a Spartan Centurion. She discovered she excelled at it, and was now considered an exceptionally skilled Spartan with both her Nehtes and her Shi Viska. She had chosen not to advance her Mindvoice abilities much past the third tier because she did not feel the need for them. She had met a handsome Lycavorian man, fallen in love and become his mate. Unfortunately for her, it turned out to be the worse thing she had ever done. Even the child she bore him was not enough to keep him home and keep him from cheating on her. They were not living together when he had been killed, and no matter how hard she tried, Layna could not bring herself to feel sorry for him or miss him in any way. After his death she shied away from men, many of whom had no desire to take on the child of another wolf, and had then turned to women. She had two relationships with female Spartans, both of them intense and passionate, but not relationships that had lasted. Layna had requested a transfer for herself and her daughter Teala, and Earth had been the logical choice. It was far enough away for her to make a new start, and when her parents jumped at the chance to come with her, the decision was made. They secured homes within the city limits, her parent's home only three houses away from where she and Teala lived, and Layna had thrown herself into her new position as advisor and protector of one of Earth's Chief Administrators, the vampire half elf female Selene.