Chapter Six
On the trip to Gothe’mar, Taber felt the nervousness he always associated with a coming battle. He paced the small cabin he and Akahana shared and finally left her to jog around the deck when the pent-up energy became too much. She had been a constant presence in his mind. Though she didn’t say anything, sensing he needed quiet, her presence, both physical and mental, comforted him as much as anything could.
When they reached the spaceport orbiting the planet, Taber was a bundle of energy. The thought of the two-hour ride planetside in one of those ridiculously small shuttles was intolerable.
“Can’t we use a transporter?” He sounded whiny. He was not whiny.
“I’m sorry, my friend.” Taber could tell Khan was trying valiantly not to laugh at him. “Space around Gothe’mar is too crowded to risk it. You could end up in a different location altogether, or with another man’s legs.”
“Or as a woman.” Mikkarn’s attempt at a joke was not amusing, and Taber gave him a scathing look. It didn’t faze the other man in the least.
“If I didn’t need you on the planet, I’d have to kill you just for the tension release.”
Mikkarn shrugged. “Mara might have something to say about that.”
Kiril snorted. “Yeah, like ‘don’t look at me, you deserved it.’”
Taber barked a laugh before he could stop himself. These three men, and their women, had come to mean a great deal to him. They had proven themselves invaluable in protecting Akahana, and in making things easier for him to handle in a culture and society he was unfamiliar with. He felt like he needed to say something, but he didn’t know what words to use.
Khan simply grasped his shoulder and looked at him as if he were a commanding officer sending a soldier into battle. “All will be well. See to your mate. The priest and I will deal with Davin.” His softly spoken words gave Taber encouragement. Taking care of Akahana was his job, his part in the mission. Others would take care of the rest. As when he was in the field, he had to place his trust in the ability of other soldiers, and he could not think of a better soldier than Kahn the Merciless. It made the wait getting to the planet tolerable.
Akahana remained silent, and, though for the most part her mind was closed to him, she was never far from his side. Always close enough to touch if he wished. He could feel her fear of what was to come, but it was him she was worried about.
When they disembarked, Kahn led them toward the Temple Beyond -- a great housing complex where the Chamber of Souls was located. Taber reached to his left, and he took Akahana’s hand without looking in her direction. Her grip was cool and firm. He knew there would be no emotion showing in her face, no hint of what she was really feeling.
She was Gothe’maran. Part of a warrior race. The ideal companion in battle.
As he looked at her then, she looked back. No fear, my love. Only desire. And love .
Her words were a mere shadow in his mind, and he wasn’t sure he’d actually heard them, but she was right. If Khan was right, and there was no reason to believe he was wrong, there could be no room for fear or doubt.
“Davin should already be inside the temple,” Khan said softly. “Should he challenge, as is expected, the arrangement is for an invisi-cell to confine him while inside the Chamber. The priest will set the timer as you enter so you and Akahana will have a chance to get deep inside the Chamber. Davin will only have a few seconds before the cell activates and stops him immediately. He will only be able to go a few steps before that happens. That should give you time to prepare.”
“Prepare.” Taber grunted. “How does one prepare for this?”
Khan smiled. “You don’t. Just do what the souls tell you. They will not harm you if you are true mates. It is Davin who should be worried.”
The structure was the most imposing Taber had ever seen. Great pillars dominated the entrance, and there was a reverence about the place Taber had never before witnessed. This place was at the heart of this people’s most sacred beliefs. The imposing superstructure looked like it was encased in gold and diamonds as the sun’s light reflected from it, creating elegant shadows and sparkling reflections on the pool in front of it. Above all, there was an air of anticipation. If Taber didn’t know better, he’d swear the temple itself expected him.
Inside, a thin, aging priest dressed from head to toe in shimmering gold robes met them in front of an ornate silver door that should have been gaudy. Instead it was the most beautiful piece of craftsmanship Taber had ever seen. It opened to reveal an immense Chamber surrounded by windows and shrouded in mists.
Khan frowned. “The Chamber within has always been dark. Has something changed?”
“The souls are showing their disgust for the human bastard.” Davin’s voice dripped contempt as he turned to address Akahana. “Gamin had plans for you. As his mate, it is your duty to honor him in death as he wished.”
“Gamin was not my mate, Davin. I’m not sure how he managed to get inside my head, but having found my true soul’s mate, and feeling what a true mate’s link is like, it is simply not possible that the links could be that different.”
“You lie !” Davin all but exploded, and Taber stepped between the warrior and Akahana. “Gamin cared for you, instructed you how the wife of a Gothe’maran warrior should be, and gave you a life of luxury, and you dare repay his kindness with lies against him?”
“I only tell you the truth as I perceive it. Taber is my mate. There is no question.”
“But there is.” Davin sneered. “I challenge your Claim of Mates, and further, I challenge your claim that Gamin was not your mate.” He turned to the priest. “Once she is proven to be dishonorable, I demand you turn her care over to me so that she can live as her mate intended and set forth in a private Document of Command.”
“Gamin put in his will how he wanted Akahana cared for?” Taber was so shocked at Gamin’s attempt to control Akahana -- even from the grave -- that he spoke before he could stop himself.
The priest frowned at him before he turned to Khan, clearly not knowing what to do. When the other man didn’t offer any guidance, the priest faced Akahana.
“What is your wish, Ma’am?”
“Her wishes are not the issue!” Davin was clearly about to lose control of his anger. Taber wasn’t at all sure this was going to work without a fight. Looking at Khan, Mikkarn, and Kiril, he could tell they had drawn the same conclusion. “She is to return to her home, here on Gothe’mar. It was the wish of her mate!”
“She is a free person, my son,” the priest said reasonably. “She can make her life choices regardless of what her mate wants or wanted.”
“It’s okay.” Akahana’s softly spoken words cut through the tension easily. “If he’s right, and I’m lying about Taber or Gamin, then I’ll go wherever he wishes.” She looked at Davin, squarely in the eye, crossing her arms under her breasts. “But if I’m right, and he manages to leave the Chamber of Souls alive, he and the rest of Gamin’s men must leave me, Taber, and our children alone as long as our souls exist.”
Davin smiled viciously. “You will have no children.”
She uncrossed her arms and took a swift, sure step forward, her head held high, a look of determination on her face. “Then we have something in common.”
Taber felt a swelling of pride. When he’d found this woman, there was no way she would have stood her ground with Davin. The impression he’d gotten from her then had been that of a whipped dog. She had resigned herself to a life of no choices and constant pain.
Now she was taking back control of her life.
The priest stepped to Davin and readied a small device that would set the invisi-cell once he was inside the Chamber. Davin frowned at the priest. “I must protest again. This is an unnecessary waste of time and a slight to my honor.”
“Not from what I’ve seen. General Khan has insisted on this security measure and I agree with him. There will be no violence in this temple I can prevent.” Davin merely grunted and allowed the device to be set.
“The two of you should disrobe and enter the Chamber of Souls while I finish this. Once it is set, Davin will have thirty seconds before the timer activates, and he will not be able to move beyond a two-foot diameter until it’s powered down.”
Taber and Akahana did as requested and stepped to the Chamber entrance. Before they entered, Taber looked at Akahana. She was beautiful. Confident, just shy of stubborn in her stance. When she looked at him, his breath caught. He had been worried about being too keyed up to “perform,” but it didn’t look like that was going to be a problem, either. One glance from her, and he was randy as a goat.
Together, the couple stepped inside.
The mist was like a murky, amber fog. Taber could feel the mist clinging to his skin and the air was damp when he inhaled. After a second or two, his skin started to tingle, and he grasped Akahana’s hand more firmly.
“It’s starting,” she whispered.
They both turned toward the Chamber door. Davin made it four steps inside before the invisi-cell activated. The rolling autobot generating the cell shadowed Davin’s movements from a foot away. Once the cell was activated, his movement around the room was severely limited. With his presence inside the Chamber, the power struggle began.
The tingling on Taber’s skin soon became an itching-burning sensation, and he realized he’d better get to “joining” with Akahana as soon as possible. But Akahana had frozen where she was, listening to something only she could hear.
Then they were alone. The mists closed in on them, blocking out everything around them until all they could see was each other.
“What’s happening? What do you hear?” Taber’s battle senses were screaming at him.
“They’re trying to protect us.” Her whisper was a mere breath, as if any sudden noise might break whatever spell was being woven.
“Protect us from what?” Taber backed them across the room in what he thought was the direction of the entrance. When his back hit something solid, he used his hands to feel on either side of him until he found the cool silver of the door.
“Get us away from the door, Taber,” she whispered. “Davin was just inside the entrance.”
“We need to get out of here.”
“Not with Davin so close. Now get us away from the door !” Even as she whispered, she sounded -- and felt -- almost frantic. A moment later, all hell broke loose.
A flash of white-hot light knocked Taber to the floor, followed by a deafening explosion. Somehow, he managed to wrap his arm around Akahana and pull her underneath him, but he knew she’d taken as much of the blast as he had. His skin burned -- was still burning -- and he crawled away from the heat source with Akahana beneath him, forcing her along with his body between her and the immediate danger.
A second explosion rocked the temple, then a third and a fourth.
“We’ve got to get out of here!” Taber shouted to be heard over the roaring, the wind from the blast blistering his bare skin. Damn everyone for making both of them go in unprotected!
“We can’t.” Akahana had turned to her back and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It’s in the hands of our ancestors now.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.” Placing his life in the hands of fellow soldiers as he did his part in the mission was one thing -- to cower in the corner while they bailed his ass out of trouble was something else.
“There’s nothing else we can do. I don’t know how, but Davin managed to circumvent not only the security of the priesthood, but that of the souls in the Temple, as well.”
“Khan said the souls within this place feed off of sexual energy,” Taber said, “that they normally demand sexual energy from mates or take it from any life force that enters.”
“Yes. That’s correct,” Akahana confirmed.
“So why haven’t they sucked all our energy away?”
At one end of the Chamber, where smaller explosions still rocked the temple, an eerie green light started to grow and burn, and the waves of tremendous heat coming out of the light warped the wall behind it.
“Move deeper into the Chamber, Akahana!” Taber stood and dragged Akahana to her feet, running into the mist as hard as he could.
Help us !
The voices speaking as one in Taber’s head broke his concentration, and he almost tripped as he ran.
We cannot deflect the energy…
The voices faded in his mind, and the mist lessened slightly. An almost overwhelming sadness filled Taber, and he instinctively reached out mentally to Akahana. The sadness was not hers, but she felt it, as well. Absorbing the emotion rather than fighting against it, she seemed to better understand its cause.
“What is it? What do I need to do?” Taber knew Akahana had the answers, but his link to her was too new for him to pick it out of her mind. In his indecision, she became the aggressor, the leader. She pulled him deeper into the Chamber, and he followed her willingly, eagerly. He knew his life couldn’t be in any better hands.
When she stopped, she pulled him to her, pressing her body against his. A jolt of lust surged through him as his adrenaline found an outlet, but he gave it no more than a passing thought.
“We’re probably going to die, Taber.” Well, she didn’t believe in pulling any punches. “Whatever Davin used to set off those explosions was designed to produce Pedderon radiation.”
“What does that mean?”
“Simply being in possession of elements used in the production of such radiation is the only crime which requires death.”
“Sounds extreme.”
“Because it is the only thing a living being can do to destroy a soul. That is the only purpose of Pedderon radiation.” As she explained, Akahana wrapped the fingers of one hand around Taber’s semi-erect cock and squeezed gently. “Our only hope is to feed as much energy as we can to the souls within this Chamber to sustain them until the priests outside can rid themselves of the blaze.”
Taber’s cock jumped at her attention, rapidly hardening as she stroked him with firm, aggressive touches. “Sexual energy.” His murmur was lost as he buried his face in her neck. “This is insane.”
“Open your mind, Taber.” Akahana’s mouth was millimeters from his ear, her breath warm and enticing. Shivers slid down his body from his ear straight to his dick, and it was only a matter of seconds before he had the best hard-on in the history of the world. “Our lust feeds their lust and vice versa. Let them lead us, because they know what they need to overcome such a catastrophe.”
His mind was beginning to cloud with his own lust, but he managed to process what she said. And that was hard when she took his earlobe between her lips and sucked, none too gently. He could feel what she was talking about. Not only her sexual need combined with his own, but the needs of the whole collective of souls, as well. They reached out for Akahana and him, a few of them expressing love for their mates in a void filled with endless sexual frustration.
Taber’s arms tightened around Akahana against his will. He needed to pull her lush body more firmly against his. Her hand, trapped between them, gripped his cock, and he growled his appreciation. When she stuck her tongue in his ear, he was ready for a more active participation.
With a roar, Taber pushed Akahana away from him and gripped her waist. Lifting her in the air, he dove for her pussy with his face. She must have caught the image in his mind, because she gripped his wrists and swung her legs over his shoulders. Within a couple of steps, he had her braced against the wall of the Chamber, and he went to work.
Darting his tongue to her pussy, he licked her folds apart and found her clit. Turning his head from side to side, he wedged his head between her legs, allowing for a firmer hold on her cunt.
Her sighs turned to whimpers, then to groans and finally screams when his tongue parted her folds again and found her drenched opening. Akahana ground her pelvis into his face, bringing his mouth into impossibly tighter contact. Breathing was difficult, but at this point, Taber really didn’t care.
Her smell was intoxicating, her screams of pleasure more fulfilling than he had ever thought possible. Loving a woman had never given him such pleasure or satisfaction. She was all that mattered in his world.
And the souls came to life. Now you understand the meaning of soul’s mate, my brother and sister .
Power surged around them as they loved. In one gust of wind with the force of a thousand hurricanes, the green glow was forced back and contained. In the sudden quiet within the Chamber, Taber heard the distinct hum of an autobot being activated. One glance to his left, and he saw Davin within the invisi-cell, pounding his fists against the barrier.
Knowing the danger was contained, Taber didn’t worry about Davin another second. In one swift move, he lifted Akahana once again and lowered her down his body until his cock was positioned at her slick entrance.
“I don’t know the words, but I’m telling you now. I’m claiming you as my mate in the eyes of your people.”
“Those are the only words you need.” Her smile was nothing short of satisfied. Given her protests before, Taber was a little surprised.
“You don’t mind then?”
“No.” She caressed his cheek as she wiggled closer to him, impaling herself on the head of his cock. “They’re right. I know now what it truly means to have a soul’s mate. How Gamin managed to deceive me, I don’t know. But he was never my mate.”
Taber thrust upward, the rest of his cock filling her. She was so tight ! He wanted to thrust inside her so wildly that they both went up in flames as quickly as possible, but making this last seemed more important.
She pushed herself upright, her back and shoulders fully against the slick glasslike substance of the wall. Gripping him with her legs, she used her hands to push her breasts together and squeeze. That about did it for Taber. Coming had never seemed more important to him than it did at that moment. Against his will, she pushed his pace and quickened their tempo.
Sweat began to form on both their bodies and Akahana slid easily up and down the wall as Taber fucked her. Although the only voices he heard seemed to be coming either from Akahana or the voices inside his head, he felt as if people surrounded them.
Watching them.
Mimicking their actions.
The emotion was almost overwhelming. All around him, there were souls who wanted desperately to make love to each other, but had no physical bodies. He could feel the satisfaction they gained from being allowed to share in this moment.
Dipping his head to Akahana’s chest, Taber sucked a nipple into his mouth as she kneaded her breasts and offered them to him for his pleasure. She gasped and pulled him to her with one hand. “By the Universe! Taber, I need to come.”
He grunted and released her breast with a pop. Gripping her hips more firmly, he thrust in earnest. Their rhythm increased, as did the force with which Taber fucked Akahana. She gripped his shoulders and looked into his eyes, the lust in her matching his own.
“That’s it, Taber. Fuck me harder. Make me come.” She snarled at him, her face almost savage in its intensity. Sweat made her skin shine, and tiny droplets clung to the tips of her eyelashes, scattering with each of his upward thrusts. Her hair clung to her face and shoulders, and her cheeks were red with heat and passion.
Finally, when he sensed she wanted control, he shifted the slightest bit closer to her. She braced her hands on his shoulders as she shifted higher up on his hips, riding him at her own pace.
She bounced and ground her pussy onto his cock so he penetrated her as deeply as possible. She let out a bloodcurdling scream as Taber felt her cunt spasm around his cock and gave himself over to her passion. His own yell of satisfaction came mere moments later when he emptied himself into her. His juices, combined with her own, overflowed and trickled down his balls to either drip to the floor or down his leg, mixing with the sweat from both their bodies.
The energy surrounding them was like nothing Taber had ever felt. The mist and fog had long since disappeared, and the center of the Chamber radiated with a glowing amber light, almost white in its intensity.
Taber knew he’d been injured in the initial blast, but any pain he felt was rapidly fading as the light from the Chamber bathed their naked bodies in a cool, cleansing breeze.
Akahana’s breathing was as rapid as his own. Her eyes were closed, but a smile lingered on her lips. When she opened her eyes, all he saw was her love shining back at him. Neither said anything as the light around them faded to a soft amber glow.
It wasn’t long before the Chamber door burst open and Khan, Mikkarn, and Kiril entered, the priest close after them yelling, “Don’t enter the Chamber while you have no mate at your side!”
“What the fuck happened?” Kiril swept the area with his eyes before moving toward them. “There were horrible explosions, and it felt like the whole place was coming down.”
“Davin set off some kind of device containing a banned radiation,” Taber said. “I thought we were goners.”
“By the Universe,” the priest murmured from across the room. The invisi-cell was intact, but nothing remained of Davin. The priest, however, wasn’t looking at the cell. He was looking toward the center of the Chamber at the amber light.
The image of Gamin, sad and regretful, faced them.
You are allowed to enter this Chamber because the Others have allowed it for one purpose. I am being expelled from them, never to be born again .
Taber glanced at Akahana. She stood tall and proud as she faced the image of the one who had caused her so much pain and had almost taken away any chance she had of happiness.
Akahana, I deceived you and all our people when I claimed you as mate. I am one of only a handful of true telepaths among our people, and I used this power so I might gain status by claiming a mate .
She interrupted him at this point. “But why me? Why did it have to be me?”
Gamin looked at his feet. Because I’m not a particularly strong telepath, and for some reason, lifetime after lifetime, I seek you out. We are not mates, but you always want a mate so badly you are receptive to my thought patterns. This is why I am being expelled. I don’t have the morals to keep my gift, and since it cannot be passed to another, nor taken from me, it has been decided that you should never have to live a life like the one I held you in this time ever again .
“Which brings me to my other question.” The confidence this woman held warmed Taber’s heart. “Why did you treat me like this? What was it inside you that made you hold me prisoner and torture me every single day of my life?”
Because you were everything good and decent that I could never be. I thought if I hurt you badly enough, you’d become as evil as I had. But you didn’t. You never let yourself hate the way I did. I doubt it is in you to hate someone that much . He paused a moment. I won’t ask for your forgiveness because I don’t deserve it. Just know that you’re loved by this man whose heart you’ve claimed, and that he is your true soul’s mate .
Surprisingly, she smiled and looked at Taber. “I already knew that.” Turning back to Gamin, she said, “May the Universe grant you the peace the Chamber of Souls in the Temple Beyond could not.”
Closing his eyes, Gamin’s image flickered, then vanished.
You have learned your lessons well, brother and sister , the voice that was many voices praised them. We thank you for sharing your passion with us. Go in peace and love .
“We must go now.” The priest was already urging them toward the door.
Once outside, Akahana wrapped her arms around Taber’s chest and snuggled against him. “I love you, Taber. Take me home.”
“Gladly, Dearheart. Does it matter to you if we live here or on Earth?”
“You will always have a place among us, Taber.” Khan extended an arm toward him, which Taber gladly took.
Kissing the top of Akahana’s head, he looked to her. “Your life here has been nothing but grief. If the memories are too much, we can get a fresh start on Earth.”
“As long as you’re with me, no memory can haunt my days or nights. If you want a life here among our new friends, I have no objections.”
“Then, I’d love to leave Earth for a while. All the blood I’ve spilt there is something I’d like to forget.”
“You’d be a good representative for Gothe’mar to Earth, if you want to leave behind military life. If not, I have a place for you in Military Command,” Khan offered.
“No military life for me, thanks. I’ve had my fill. Representing Gothe’mar sounds like a challenge I’d love to undertake.”
“Well then.” Mikkarn stepped forward with a stack of clothes and a wicked smirk on his face. “You might better serve your cause if you were dressed.”
Taber looked at Akahana, who was giggling into his chest. “I don’t know. Being naked in the arms of a beautiful woman has its advantages.”
“So does walking out into public dressed,” the priest urged.
Akahana kissed the center of his chest and turned to Mikkarn, taking their clothes. “Come on,” she said, “let’s get dressed and go show the Universe how happy two enemies can be together when all that matters is their love.”