Chapter 31

CITY SHIP 41

TEN HOURS TWENTY-TWO MINUTES FROM EARTH

"NO!"

Martin stepped into the corridor of the City ship as the door slid shut behind him, leaving Riall and his mother alone, the echo of Riall's wail careening through Martin's soul. He had truly only gotten to really know his mother's mate in the last year, and was always amazed at the devotion he showed for her without question, even after nearly twenty-five hundred years together. Martin could feel the same feelings in his mother and he could feel her pain now as the man she loved just as intensely wept in her arms. He felt no anger from his mother at Riall for what had happened, only a powerful joy at being in his presence again. Riall was on his knees in front of her openly weeping and clutching her to him, his face buried in her abdomen, even while Gorgo tried to pull him closer to her than he already was and shaking her head. Her arms were wrapped around his head and she could barely see through her own tears as she lowered her face to his dark hair and Martin knew then it was time to leave them alone.

He turned part way, his own heart heavy for what the High Coven had done to his family through the years, as For'mya and Anja came up to him in the corridor holding hands. The smiles on their faces slowly went away when they saw the serious expression on his face.

"She has told him Martin Leonidas?" For'mya asked softly.

Martin nodded slowly looking at them. "He didn't take it well."

"Martin ... it isn't his fault." Anja spoke as they moved closer. "The Coven can..."

Anja gasped in surprise as suddenly Martin swept both her and For'mya into his embrace and crushed them to his body. They both panted in delight when he hit them with a large dose of his aura and bent his head between theirs to firmly nuzzle For'mya's elven ears and Anja's neck. They heard him inhaling deeply, more deeply than either of them could remember him acting before and they knew what he was doing. Their eyes closed in bliss as they reveled in the sensations flowing through them and they knew then the horror of what Riall and Gorgo had experienced would never touch their lives in the same way. Anja and For'mya grasped him tightly; both of them filling their lungs with his powerful mint scent until it touched every portion of their minds.

Martin loosened his grip on them after a long moment and pulled his head back slowly but didn't release them. "They are strong and they are meant to be together. They'll get through this as they have everything else in their lives." He spoke softly. He looked at them fully and smiled. "Where are Bella and Dysea?"

Anja smiled warmly still feeling his aura pulsing through her. "They are with Lisisa and Jeth. Isabella hasn't left her side since she came on board and met her." She told him. "We need ... we need to show you something."

Martin looked at her and shook his head. "No more problems until we get to Earth. I'm tired of dealing with problems."

For'mya grinned as she too could still feel his aura flowing all around her. It would take her some time to get used to him being able to do this to her. He had always been able to incite deep desire within her just by nuzzling her elven ears, but now that she was wolf as well and she could feel the aura he radiated it was almost overwhelming.

For'mya took hold of one of his arms tightly while Anja grasped the other and they began leading him down the corridor. "This is not a problem. It is information. This ship is wondrous Martin!" She spoke.

"Is this going to hurt?" He asked them with a grin as he leaned over and nuzzled both For'mya's elven ear and Anja's neck again.

For'mya shivered just as much as Anja did as the rush of love and desire coursed through them and she shook her head as she squeezed his arm tighter. "No ... it will not hurt." She spoke with a gasp.

They led him into the smaller room on the same deck after walking for a hundred meters and he looked around at what appeared to be some sort of advanced library of sorts. He could see computer data cores lining the walls as well as some of the information pads that he had seen Endith and Komirri using recently while on this ship. Martin moved to the odd oval shaped chair and settled onto it. "Ok ... what you got?" He asked even as his head turned when he caught the familiar scent. "Helen?"

"I am right here." Helen's voice carried as she appeared from between the two floors to ceiling racks. She looked at him as she carried three of the information pads in her hands and smiled at his astonished expression. She could see his face as he tried to find her within Mindvoice, and then he realized he could no longer sense his two mates and he looked at them. "These library rooms dampen our Mindvoice abilities so that they are almost undetectable." Helen spoke quickly. "It has something to do with the small globes in the corners of the ceiling. They act as dampeners ... but they are more powerful than anything we are able to build right now. It is amazing."

Anja looked at him as she waved her hand in the air. "This is a data library." She spoke. "Avi told me about it. Marty ... you aren't going to believe what we have found in just a few minutes of research. And Helen has been in here for hours."

"Hey ... if it tells me how to get rid of the High Coven once and for all I'm all ears." Martin answered relaxing once more. "Otherwise ... I might become distracted." He said waggling his eyebrows at For'mya and Anja.

Helen slapped him in his shoulder. "Stop that and listen to me." She snapped.

Anja leaned up against For'mya and smiled at the look on Martin's face. "Pervert." She said lovingly.

"Only for my ladies." Martin spoke with a grin. He turned and saw Helen glaring at him and he held up his hands in surrender as his mood began to lighten even more. "Ok! Ok! Hit me with it."

"The avatar of this ship pointed me to the correct entries." Helen began. "Each of these ships was a self contained entity. These Pralors were chosen from the most powerful of their people and if they made it onto these ships it was considered an honor. Each Pralor had a unique personality as well."

"Ok." Martin said. "So?"

"Martin they knew we existed." Helen spoke to him. "And the avatar says there are more of us out there among the stars. Our species is listed in these data banks ... as well as the High Coven ... the Immortals ... the Hadarians ... all of them. They are a benevolent species and their only goal is to insure life does not die. That's what these ships are for. They were on their way to a system that was destroyed by its sun going supernova. The five ships that crashed, the many survivors on Lycavore who merged with our people, they only improved our Mindvoice abilities. Your grandfather was a direct descendant of the Chief Pralor for this ship ... that is why his Mindvoice abilities were so much more advanced than the rest of us. Canth was a direct descendant of their Chief Religious Pralor ... hence why he is considered the First Oracle of our people."

"Ok ... so let's ask Avi to contact them." Martin spoke. "Get them on our side. I like these ships. They grow on you after a while and they're faster than anything we've got hands down."

Anja shook her head quickly at his statement. "We can't Marty. Apparently something happened that ... it caused their species to become extinct. And it would take us a thousand years to get to just the edge of their space. That's Endith and Komirri's best guess anyway. And Avi doesn't know the way back."

Martin looked at her oddly. "What do you mean he doesn't know the way back? He's a machine. How could he not know the way back?"

"He wasn't programmed with that information." She spoke.

"Why would you send someone on a mission and not tell them the way back? Especially a robot that is supposed to be able to run this ship by himself." Martin asked turning back to Helen. He shook his head finally. "This is all very interesting stuff ... really ... but what does it have to do with anything now."

"One of these ships crashed on Nuwaroa Martin." Helen spoke softly. "Nuwaroa is the birthplace of the High Coven ... not Usu Ozeib 7 as we have always thought ... at least if what I have been reading is accurate. This woman who has taken over for Veldruk as the High Coven leader. She is the descendant of the Chief Pralor for that ship ... not Veldruk."

Martin looked at her now as his interest piqued. "Now you got my attention fully. How do you know that?"

Helen gave him the odd looking data pad. "Avi was able to access that ship's data core before we left Lycavore's system. It was at the very edge and limit of his connection range." She spoke. "He was not able to download a whole lot of information because of the damage to its core but one thing he did discover was this." She tapped the pad that Martin held. "It is a journal entry made some sixteen thousand four hundred and ninety years ago by a vampire named Haleos. Avi says the time stamp may be somewhat off given the time that has passed and the damage to the ship but it is within range of what we have always only assumed to be true. This Haleos was the leader of the vampire Coven that found the remains of the Mindvoice ship on Nuwaroa. In this journal he speaks of a daughter. A daughter that he named Aikiro. A daughter that had been studying the remains of the ship on Nuwaroa for five hundred years."

"Whoa!" Martin spoke as he looked at the small screen and began to read.

"Yes indeed." Helen said. "She would now be as old as your grandfather would be if he still lived, or within a few hundred years at the very least."

"Wait ... if she is the descendant of this Chief Pralor for that ship ... how did Veldruk's skinny ass become so powerful?" Martin asked looking up.

"I can only surmise that somehow she transferred a small portion of her power to him." Helen spoke. "If this is the Aikiro who has now assumed leadership of the High Coven ... she would be infinitely more powerful than Veldruk ever was."

"That really doesn't give me warm fuzzy feelings Helen." Martin said.

Helen smiled as she looked at him. "Nor should it." She spoke. "However I will now tell you something that I have kept from you for quite a few months. And it is something I believe Veldruk knew in some manner based on what has happened these last months."

"I'm listening." Martin spoke.

"Canth did not want to tell you this when you spent those three days with his spirit form on Ukwav learning from him. He could feel it within you even then." Helen spoke softly.

"He could feel what?" Martin asked.

"The power to destroy Veldruk." Helen answered. "Your Mindvoice abilities and that of Aricia are untapped still Martin. There is so much more the two of you can learn. And by virtue of that, your other Queens as well. You have seen a glimpse of it with Dysea and her ability to see things that others cannot in her visions. And with Anja in the strength of her healing ability when combined with the fact she can pull from the very life all around her."

"Me?" Anja gasped.

Helen smiled and looked at her. "Did you think that having Martin's blood flowing in your veins would not affect you Anja? It will affect For'mya as well, though it will take time for it to manifest itself within her for she is newly turned. It has already affected Androcles. Eight months old Martin and he is fully aware of all around him and his bond with Elynth surpasses that of many of Mjolnir's Hand. I feel ... I feel there is more to your son and Elynth than what we now know and I believe you and Aricia must have sensed this?"

Martin nodded his head slowly. "Yes." He answered almost meekly.

"Canth feared if he told you of the power within yourself ... he feared that you would run off and attempt to destroy the man who ordered the death of your father and grandfather. That power only increased when you bonded with Torma." Helen spoke softly. "I believe Veldruk could sense that you had surpassed him with your abilities. I believe he knew that the day you struck him with a psychic bolt from hundreds of light years away. You are without question the most powerful Mindvoicer within the Lycavorian Union. Far stronger than I will ever be even as the First Oracle. By virtue of that alone ... you queens will be as well. Aricia more so due to the pureness of her blood ... but as I said ... we have already seen it with Dysea and Anja. It augments their natural abilities to incredible levels."

"We knew this already." Martin spoke. "Why is that so important now?"

"This Aikiro woman Martin ... she is a different story. If this is the same woman who this vampire Haleos speaks of then she has had sixteen thousand years to refine and hone her power. And if she has now assumed power within the High Coven..."

Martin nodded as realization hit him and he got to his feet slowly deep in thought. "They just became infinitely more dangerous."

"Yes ... but to what extent they pose a threat to the Union is not something we can define now Martin Leonidas." For'mya spoke evenly as she looked at him. "The reports we are getting from our drones and agents in The Wilds indicate an impossibly massive invasion force of ships and Kavalian troops pouring across their borders in two locations. Unlike anything we have ever seen in all our years at war with the Coven. Thousands of warships and troop ships alike. They have caught the Coven flat footed and unprepared."

Helen nodded her head in agreement. "I believe that is because Veldruk has become so worried about you Martin, that he neglected his duties as High Lord and allowed things to balloon out of his control." She said. "Issuing a Kill Order on his own son for instance. And the High Coven agent who was working with the Kavalians and his plan to eliminate him and Bella. These are not the signs of a man working from rational thought. He was losing control and this Aikiro must have recognized that and acted."

"Why now though?" Anja asked. "If she is who we think she is ... why has she waited until it was almost too late?"

Helen shook her head. "I don't know. Perhaps she allowed Veldruk to rule ... perhaps she wanted no part of ruling and only acted when she realized the High Coven was in peril. We will probably never know."

"What can we do?" For'mya asked quickly. "As much as we hate the High Coven ... the Kavalians are no better. They are worse in some respects. More violent and vicious."

Helen looked at Martin. "I will learn all I am able from these records here ... but ... but for now all we can do is wait and watch."

"Man ... I hate to wait and watch." Martin said meeting her gaze. "With my luck it always seems to come around and bites me in my fat ass."

"Your ass is not fat Lover." Anja spoke with a brilliant smile.

"We have no other choice right now." Helen spoke softly even as she shook her head with a smile at Anja's comment. "We certainly do not want to get caught up in this venture by the Kavalians. I have heard others speaking of them and I have read what little information we have. They are not nice individuals as For'mya has said. And you must be prepared to receive some sort of contact from them in regards to the ships and men Aricia has captured on Earth. Perhaps through an intermediary of some sort. They wanted those dragon eggs for a reason and even as vicious and unforgiving as they are said to be, I don't see them just throwing away those men and ships because they failed to accomplish that goal, especially if there is a Lycavorian commanding them in some fashion."

"Why would a Lycavorian help them?" Martin asked her. "They certainly are no friend to the Union. They initiated the hostilities between our people all those years ago."

Helen shook her head. "I don't know. I do suggest you gather as many officers as you possibly can who fought them and get as much information as you can. Something tells me these are not the same Kavalians that invaded the Union centuries ago. To have kept their plans and their forces secret for as long as they have implies they are much more organized than we have given them credit for."

Martin nodded. "That's what Armetus told me as well." He said shaking his head. "You know ... this King sibfla isn't all it's cracked up to be. Makes me want to just take my ladies and go hide in a hole somewhere and make babies."

Helen smiled gently and reached out to his take his arm. "That is something your innate sense of honor will not allow you to do young Martin Leonidas." She spoke.

Martin met her eyes. "Don't remind me." He said. "I can hope though."

Helen tilted her head slightly. "Go find Dysea..." She spoke. "You have ten hours before we arrive on Earth. I could feel her blood burning for you the moment she came aboard. Leave Anja and For'mya with me ... and we will try and discover as much as we can."

Martin turned his head to look at Anja and For'mya. Anja grinned at him and held her hands up. "Don't look at me big boy." She stated. She dropped her hand to her abdomen and her jade green eyes shone brilliantly with love. "You already put me in a situation." For'mya chuckled and placed her hand over Anja's on her stomach.

"She speaks the truth Martin Leonidas." For'mya said.

"I didn't exactly do that alone you know." Martin spoke sheepishly.

"It's still your fault!" Anja declared. "I was helpless!"

Martin opened his mouth to reply but Helen shoved him towards the door gently. "Go!" She stated. "She's right. It's the man's fault. It's always the man's fault."

Martin Leonidas was many things ... but he was no fool. He was outnumbered three to one and he beat a hasty retreat out of the small room before he got his butt handed to him.

It must have been a small lounge of some sort for the officers of this ship Dysea thought to herself as she stood in front of the large view window as the stars were streaking by. She had discovered it as she explored the upper deck, far from where anyone was. There were small couches of some design and a few tables with similarly designed chairs. She had left Bella with Lisisa and Jeth, enraptured as Isabella was with Lisisa. The exercises Gorgo had showed her on Apo Prime were working enough to dampen the most powerful of her urges and desires for Martin, at least to the point where she could use her considerable will power to control them. Her body still called for him though, in a way more powerful than Dysea had ever felt. She knew a large part of it was because she was now fully wolf and had come into her first phase. The time when she would be most fertile.

Dysea thought back to their first time together in that underground cavern on Earth with Tarifa. The way his eyes had looked at her ... devoured her ... and consumed her very soul. Nothing had ever affected her in such a way and Dysea could not imagine life without the man who had so completely stolen her being. That day had opened so many wonderful doors for her to pass through. One of those doors had brought her Bella ... and Dysea knew her love for Isabella burned almost as brightly as her love for Martin. The day she had asked him to turn her was the day Dysea's life began again and it had bound her to him in a way nothing would ever sever.

Dysea felt him enter the room and smiled to herself. She knew he would find her ... if not through Mindvoice then with his uniquely powerful sense of smell. She didn't turn as he moved soundlessly across the room to stand behind her. She could feel his aura trembling behind his Mindvoice shields. He was holding himself tightly in check not wanting to overwhelm her and this only made Dysea love and want him more. She felt his body press against her from behind and she groaned softly as he lowered his head and ever so gently nuzzled the back of her elven ear sending delicious surges of pleasure shooting through her.

Carians she wanted him Dysea thought to herself. (Gods)

"Melda Min." He spoke in a soft whisper like the fingers of a breeze across her skin in the summer.

"Nauta... Nauta Melme." She answered as she leaned back against him, the warmth of his body burning her own flesh even through their uniforms where they pressed together. She shivered in delight as his powerful arms snaked around her small waist and pulled her gently back against him.

"Where ... where is Bella?" He asked in that husky whisper, his lips so close to her sensitive ear.

"She ... she is with Lisisa." Dysea answered. "They have ... they have much to talk about. Lisisa is ... she is fascinated with her."

"Then I have you all to myself?" Martin spoke as his hands slid upwards to cover her full, firm breasts.

"Oh ... oh yes." She gasped out.

Dysea's nipple became instantly hard at his touch and she felt moisture seep into her loins just from his grip. He had not yet hit her with his aura and this confused her to some degree. "Nauta... Nauta Melme ... Bella ... she..."

"No!" Martin's voice rasped.

Dysea gasped loudly as he spun her around in his embrace, lifting her into his arms and pinning her against the large view window. Her long muscular legs wrapped around his waist almost instinctively and her arms went around his broad shoulders. His lips came down on hers with an intensity he had never shown with her before and her emerald green eyes closed blissfully as she met his urgent kiss. Their tongues danced a duet even as his arms crushed her to him until finally they had to pull apart or stop breathing. Dysea's heart was pounding madly as she stared at him, her lips moist and tingling from the kiss. She could feel his desire for her ... his want and passion, yet he was holding back. She brought her hand to his face and felt the soft hair from his mustache and goatee flitter across the palm of her hand. His eyes had changed and he gazed at her with those yellow/gold orbs. Eyes that had caused her to shiver in passion from the first moment he had gazed upon her with them.

"Nauta Melme ... what... ?"

Martin smiled gently as he gazed at her breathtaking beauty. Her long platinum blond hair and her dazzling emerald green eyes, now wide with excitement and lust. He could feel her breasts crushed against his chest, the warmth of her long legs wrapped around his hips and he lowered his hands to cup her wonderfully firm and perfectly sculpted ass.

Martin leaned forward and nuzzled her chin with his nose and then lowered to her exposed throat and he nuzzled the satiny skin there. He heard her gasp in delight and her hands came to his head and pulled his lips from her skin.

"Tonight Melda Min ... right now ... it is only you." Martin spoke as he gazed at her. "As Aricia is my soul Dysea of the Elves ... you ... you rule a part of me that no one else will ever have. I will never hurt you ... never betray you ... never forsake you and I will never stop loving you as I do this moment right now."

Dysea felt powerful waves of unrequited love flowing from him to her and the intensity took her breath away. "Nauta... Nauta Melme ... you have never said these things to me." She gasped softly as small tears sparkled in her beautiful eyes.

Martin nodded slowly. "As of today ... as of today that will change Melda Min. I have seen with my own eyes ... Riall ... he had no idea of what he was doing Melda Min ... and to discover it as he has ... it nearly destroyed him. I could see it in his eyes ... the shame of what he considers the ultimate betrayal of my mother."

"Martin..."

He shook his head quickly and kissed her softly silencing her words. "No." He said. "I am going to make you mine Melda Min, utterly, completely."

Dysea smiled as the tears fell. "I am already yours Nauta Melme." She spoke. "I have been since that first day. We all have been yours from the moment you came into each of our lives."

"You are strong Melda Min. Stronger than you let others see or know." Martin spoke. "Strong enough I think."

"Strong enough for what Nauta Melme?" Dysea asked with a puzzled smile of love. "You are speaking in riddles now and I burn for you as you burn for me. Why are you playing games with me?"

"Strong enough for this." Martin spoke and closed his eyes.

Martin dropped the shields around his aura completely and the result was instantaneous.

Dysea's emerald eyes flew open wide as every nerve in her body reacted. She groaned loudly as Martin's fingers caressed the lips of her already exceptionally aroused pussy through her pants. The orgasm flooded through her immediately because she had already been so aroused, emptying her lungs from the intensity of it, her juices soaking her pants even as her hips humped against his groin. Dysea had known from speaking to Aricia that Martin's aura when completely unshielded was unlike anything she had ever tasted or experienced. The power of it could set her blood on fire and cause her to explode in a breath stealing orgasm just with a simple caress of his hand. Dysea now knew what she meant as her body quivered in his arms and the orgasm rippled through her almost savagely. His unshielded aura should have turned her to warm butter in his arms, it should have made her totally unable to resist anything he did or suggested. She was not pure Lycavorian and she should not have been able to stand the full radiating power of his male aura. Yet even as her body reacted more powerfully than it ever had before, Dysea snapped her head back to glare at him with changed emerald wolf eyes that held nothing but the promise of pleasures to come.

Martin's smile was part happiness and part arrogance really. "Now Melda Min! Now I will make you completely mine." Martin began pulling at her uniform as he covered her lips with his own and Dysea's hands began practically tearing his own uniform.

Dysea was on fire ... her whole body alive with sensations she never dreamed she could feel. This is what only Aricia had ever felt. This was the ravenous part of her Nauta Melme's aura ... the animal within him that only Aricia could tolerate because of her pure blood. Yet Dysea was now feeling it fully and like Aricia, the only thing she wanted right now was to quench that fire within her and the only man who could do it was kissing her like he had never kissed her before.

It was glorious.

Isabella glanced out the small view port as she crossed through the small docking tunnel and into the STRIKER DT. It was empty of dragons since Miath, Iriral and Torma were all on the lower deck of the City Ship within the cavernous landing bay schooling Jeth and Lisisa as hundreds of newly liberated Lycavorians looked on. Helen had told her this is where Anja had come to study some of the new data logs they had downloaded on medical treatments. Isabella knew she preferred to study in a quiet atmosphere with a large mug of coffee. She bypassed the main dragon pen and moved into the center of the DT which apparently had been made into a makeshift clinic back on Lycavore. Anja sat on the single couch that was pushed back against the bulkhead away from the star chart table.

Isabella was surprised when Anja looked up and a bright smile crossed her face as she saw her. Dysea had tried to tell her many times that she had her own distinct scent, and though Isabella had been raised believing vampires had no scent; she was beginning to believe that maybe her ussta-she elf was right. Anja had smelled her coming.

"Bella!" Anja spoke setting aside the data pad and getting to her feet.

Isabella smiled warmly as they came together and shared a sizzling kiss of feeling and love. Isabella may have been totally in love with Dysea and Martin but she could not deny her growing feelings for Anja, For'mya and Aricia. Just being around them when they were all together wrapped her within a blanket of passion and love Isabella had never felt. She also had to admit she simply adored Anja's four inch long tongue and what it could do to her as Anja had showed her their last night together at the Island Palace.

Isabella suckled the tip of that wonderful tongue gently as they parted from their kiss and Anja held her hands tightly. "Where is Seanna?" Bella asked.

"She is on the second level conducting exams of the Lycavorians we rescued from the planet." Anja replied pulling her towards the couch where she had a large thermos like container of coffee. Isabella detected something in Anja's voice when she spoke of Seanna but she dismissed it.

"I understand you had quite the adventure on Lycavore." Bella spoke as she settled next to Anja on the couch.

Anja chuckled and poured another mug of the coffee handing it to her as she pulled her legs back up under her. "No more than the adventure you and Dysea have had." She spoke.

"I would think finding Gorgo there and discovering we have been treating a clone as her is just a tad bit more important. As well as finding Lisisa. She's beautiful and stronger than I would have thought considering what she has been through. Her wolf genes are the more dominant within her I noticed."