Chapter 13
13
" E ira."
The deep rumble of Maax's voice pulled her from sleep. A large hand stroked down her bare arm. She murmured in pleasure as the soft touch left trails of warmth in its wake. It was still semi-dark in his room, the lights filtering through from the main living area, but she could still make out the gleam in his golden eyes as he looked down at her.
"We need to get you dressed and back to your quarters." Reaching out, he smoothed her tangled hair back from her face. "Before the children wake."
Her contentment shattered. Of course. He wouldn't want anyone to know about this. About them. Colony trash. Aisha's words from dinner rang in her ears, and the warmth of moments before turned to ice in her veins.
"Right." How she kept her voice steady, she had no idea, but she did. "Can't have anyone knowing about this."
She tried to slide from the bed, but his hand shot out and caught her wrist. In one fluid movement, he rolled her beneath him, caging her beneath his massive frame. The braids in his hair fell forward around them like a curtain, beads clicking together.
"What was that?" His growl vibrated through her chest where they were pressed together. "What do you think this is?"
Unable to meet his gaze, she turned her face away. "Don't worry about it. I get it. You have a reputation to maintain. The children?—”
"Look at me." When she didn't move, he hooked strong fingers under her chin, turning her face back toward his gently but firmly. "Eira. Look at me. Please."
Forcing herself to meet his eyes, she found them blazing with an intensity that stole her breath. He caged her throat with a big hand while his thumb stroked along her jaw, the casual display of dominance sending shivers down her spine despite the hurt lodged in her heart.
"You think I want to hide you?" The words rumbled through his chest into hers. "You think I'm ashamed of claiming you?"
A huff escaped her. For all he was the most intelligent man she’d ever met, he could be as dumb as a rock as well. “Why else would you want me gone before anyone wakes up?"
Understanding dawned in his eyes, followed by something darker. His grip on her chin tightened fractionally. “I don’t want you gone,” he growled in a warning rumble. “I’d quite happily keep you in my bed all day until you can’t walk straight or remember your own name with the amount of times I make you come.”
Her lips parted in a small ‘oh’ of surprise, and her gaze latched onto his. But he wasn’t done, his voice softening to a whiskey-rough burr.
“But the children have been through enough lately.” He relaxed his grip, the gentle stroke of his callused thumb making her heart ache. As did the look on his face. “They deserve to hear about us from us, not from station gossip when they see you leaving my quarters in yesterday's clothes."
Oh.
The ice in her veins melted, replaced by spreading warmth. He wasn't trying to hide their relationship… he was trying to protect the kids’ feelings. To give her and them space to handle this new development in a way that wouldn't upset them.
"I'm an idiot," she whispered.
His lips quirked at the corners. "No. You're someone who has learned to expect the worst. To protect yourself." He traced her lower lip with his thumb, making her breath catch again. "But you don't need to protect yourself from me. Not ever. I claimed you last night, Eira. In ways that left no doubt who you belong to now."
Heat bloomed in her cheeks at the memory. Her body still ached pleasantly from his claiming of her. She knew she had small bruises from his hands and tender spots from his stubble or soft nips.
"The children need time to adjust," he continued, turning them with idle strength until she lay over his broad chest, nestled protectively against him. "They've had their whole world turned upside down. Finding out about us... it needs to be handled with care. Especially Leo."
She bit her lip, melting at his thoughtfulness.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "For doubting you."
“No. I get why." His expression had softened, but something possessive still burned in his golden eyes. "But I think I need to make certain you know exactly how I feel about you."
His mouth descended on hers with devastating intensity, claiming and consuming until she whimpered against his lips. When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard.
“Now, let’s get you back before I break my own promise and teach you who you belong to all over again.”
The ribbons of light dancing across Earth's atmosphere painted Eira's face in shifting colors. Maax's chest tightened as he watched her. The observation deck's massive viewport framed the display perfectly, but he found himself watching his family's reactions more than the celestial show in front of him.
"Papa, look!" Emily tugged at his free hand, pointing as a vibrant strand of green light traced across the upper atmosphere. "It's like Red Dragon's new ribbon!"
"This is way better than ribbons," Kyle declared, his face pressed so close to the viewport that his breath fogged the reinforced material. "The patterns... they're like the power distribution readouts you showed me, but bigger!"
Grace bounced between her brother and Emily. "Mama! The colors are dancing!"
"They are, sweetheart," Eira whispered with a note of wonder that made his chest feel too tight. It was just a daytime date to the observatory aboard the station, but he loved being able to give her new experiences. Like last night...
He put that thought quickly out of his mind. He had to. The reaction just the memory of last night would cause in his body was definitely not appropriate in public.
She glanced at the empty space where Leo would be if he'd been with them.
He squeezed her hand. "He's fine," he murmured softly. "First dates are important. It's good that he's making friends here."
"I know." She leaned into him, her smaller frame fitting against his side like she'd been made to be there. "It's just... his first real date. And she's so..."
"Tall?" Maax's lips twitched. "Grey? Horned?"
That earned him a soft laugh. "All of the above. Though I was going to say 'intelligent.' Leo said she's taken advanced courses already and she's helping him catch up."
"The station academy has excellent programs," he said, thinking of Vaarn's engineering lectures. "And Leo has the aptitude. Vaarn mentioned they're always looking for promising students... perhaps Leo would be interested in sitting in on some classes?"
"You think they'd let him? What about the gaps in his education?"
"The academy programs are open to all residents." He caught a stray lock of her hair, tucking it behind her ear. The simple contact sent electricity sparking under his skin. "And Leo is clearly brilliant. Like his mother."
"Papa!" Emily's demand snapped him back to the present. "Kyle says the lights are made by the sun! But how?"
"Solar wind," Kyle said. "Right? The particles hit Earth's magnetic field?"
"Yes, that's right." Maax forced his mind away from more intimate thoughts, focusing on Kyle's curiosity. "Charged particles from the solar wind collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere, and cause those gases to glow. Different gases create different colors."
"Like when different materials react in the power systems!" Kyle turned to grin at them. "Each one has its own energy signature!"
"Similar principle, yes." Pride colored Maax's voice. The boy's grasp of technical concepts was amazing for his age.
A slight shiver ran through Eira, and he immediately picked up on the chill in the observation deck's climate-controlled air. He'd chosen this spot for its clear view of Earth, but the environmental systems maintained cooler temperatures to prevent viewport fogging. Without a word, he shrugged out of his jacket and draped it around her shoulders.
The sight of her wrapped in his clothing stirred something primal in his chest. The leather swamped her small frame, but the way she snuggled into its warmth made his warrior's heart expand. She belonged with him, wearing his clothes so that all other males knew who she belonged to, and surrounded by their children's laughter.
"Leo could start with basic engineering principles," he said, returning to their earlier conversation. "Build a foundation before moving into the advanced coursework. He wouldn't tell you, but Vaarn is an excellent teacher. He helped design half the systems on places like this station."
"You really think Leo could study here?" She looked up at him, such hope in her expression that it made his chest ache. "Have a real future in engineering?"
"He can have any future he wants." Maax pressed his lips to her temple, breathing in her unique scent. "They all can. I swear it."
The journey back to their quarters was slow, but he didn't care. Contentment washed through him as he walked, holding Eira's hand. Emily and Grace skipped ahead, still chattering about the lights they'd seen, while Kyle trailed after them. The station's evening cycle had dimmed the corridor lighting, creating pools of intimate shadow between the standard illumination panels.
He pulled Eira closer against his side as they walked.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked, her hand pressed against his bare chest. The simple contact sent electricity arcing under his skin.
"How right this feels," he murmured, though the children were far enough ahead not to hear. "You. The children. All of us together."
She tilted her face up to look at him, and the trust in her eyes made his breath catch. He bent to brush his lips against hers. The kiss was meant to be gentle, chaste, but her soft sigh of contentment ignited something deeper. His hand tangled in her hair as he deepened the contact, tasting her properly.
"Ewww!" Grace's voice shattered the moment. "They're being gross again!"
"Papa's kissing!" Emily announced in gleeful horror. "Kyle, look!"
Maax broke away with a growl that was equal parts frustration and amusement. "You know what happens to little warriors who interrupt their elders?"
The children's eyes widened as he took a menacing step forward. Kyle caught on first, grabbing his sisters' hands. "Run! The monster's going to get us!"
Shrieks of laughter echoed off the corridor walls as they fled, Maax pursuing at a deliberately slow pace. His warrior's grace made it easy to appear clumsy and threatening at the same time. When he caught up, he swept all three children into his arms.
"Now I have you!" He spun them around, their giggles filling the air. "Little warriors get tickled!"
"Mama!" Grace called between laughs. "Save us!"
"Oh no." Mischief danced in Eira's eyes as she walked up to them. "I think the monster's got you this time."
Kyle squirmed free first, darting to hide behind his mother. Emily and Grace followed, using Eira as a shield while they caught their breath. The sight of all of them together, flushed and happy, made Maax's chest tighten. This was happiness. It had to be.
"Hmmm... The monster appears to be at a disadvantage," he rumbled, playing along. "Perhaps he needs to capture the queen instead."
Before Eira could react, he lunged forward and swept her into his arms. Her startled laugh turned into a soft gasp as he bent to claim her mouth again, this time with deliberate thoroughness. The children's renewed protests of 'gross!' and 'eww!' only made him smile against her lips.
When he finally set Eira back on her feet, her cheeks were flushed and her expression bright and happy. His jacket had slipped off one shoulder, and he couldn't resist pressing his lips to the exposed skin. The contact made her shiver.
"Papa's being mushy again, so Red Dragon says it's time for bed," Emily announced.
Gods, yes. He couldn't agree with her more. He caught Eira's gaze and grinned, the expression widening as she blushed.
"Red Dragon is very wise," his little mate managed. She straightened his jacket, her fingers lingering on the leather. "And it is getting late."
He caught her hand, bringing it to his lips. "Then we should get these little warriors home before they turn into monsters themselves."
The children's matching expressions of outrage at this suggestion set them all laughing again. As they resumed their walk toward the residential section, Maax kept Eira tucked against his side.
They reached the residential section too soon, the familiar corridor stretching ahead to their quarters. The children's steps had started to drag, exhaustion catching up with them after the long day.
Maax's heart swelled at the sight of them all together. The words he'd been holding back all evening pressed against his chest, demanding release. He caught Eira's hand, drawing her to a stop just outside their quarters.
"I need to ask you something." His voice came out rougher than intended, thick with emotion. "About tomorrow."
She turned to face him, something softening in her expression. "What is it?"
"It's the final day of courtship." He struggled to find the right words, to express everything in his heart. "I want... that is, would you..."
"Yes." The simple word carried such certainty it stole his breath. "Whatever you're trying to ask, yes."
Relief and joy crashed through him. His hands cupped her face as he bent to press his forehead to hers. "Tomorrow then. I'll speak to the program first thing and formalize my claim."
Movement at the end of the corridor caught his attention, and the corridor lighting shifted to alert status, bathing everything in harsh red. Security appeared at both ends of the corridor, weapons raised.
"Lead Engineer Maax." The security lead's voice was cold with authority. "You are under arrest. Step away from the civilians."
"Papa!" Emily launched herself at his legs, clinging with desperate strength.
Kyle and Grace clustered together as Eira stepped between Maax and the security forces.
"There must be some mistake," she said. "You can't?—"
"Step aside, Lady Coleman." The security warrior's tone left no room for argument. "You don't understand the situation."
"Papa, please!" Emily sobbed, clinging to his leg. "Don't let them take you!"
Maax froze, all his attention on the warriors around them. He wanted to fight, to protect them, but the weapons trained on his family left him no choice. He couldn't risk their safety.
"Be brave for me, poppet." He pressed a kiss to Emily's head as the security forces moved forward. "I love you."
Grace's sobs mixed with Emily's screams as they pulled him away. The last thing he saw was Eira gathering both girls close, tears streaking down her cheeks as Kyle pressed against her side.
The corridors blurred as they marched him toward detention. All he could hear was Emily's desperate cry and the tears on his mate's face. His family was devastated and broken because he had failed to protect them somehow.
He had failed them all, and he didn't know how.
The security officer's back was as rigid as the corridor walls surrounding them. "I repeat, you do not have clearance for that information." His words sliced through Eira's rising panic, sharp and dismissive.
"But they just took him!" Her voice cracked as she gestured along the corridor they’d taken Maax down. The image of him being dragged away replayed in her mind, his expression haunting her. He hadn't fought back. Why hadn't he fought back? "You can't just disappear someone without explanation. There are laws?—"
"Laws that require proper security clearance to discuss. Clearance you don’t have, Lady Coleman,” Another officer stepped forward, his uniform pristine, his expression carved from stone. "Please return to your quarters."
Eira's hands trembled. The overhead lights cast harsh shadows, making everything feel surreal, like a nightmare she couldn't wake from. But the racing of her heart, the cold sweat trickling down her spine—those sensations were real enough.
"At least tell me where you're taking him." She planted her feet wider, refusing to be dismissed. "Is he being charged? Does he have representation?"
The first officer's hand twitched toward his weapon. He didn’t draw it, but the threat was there. "Ma'am, if you continue to interfere with security operations?—"
"Interfere?" Heat flooded her face. "You ambushed us without warning, or explanation, and just took him. How is asking what's happening interference?"
A third officer approached, datapad in hand.
"Your concerns have been noted." His tone suggested they'd been noted and just as quickly discarded. "But this is a classified matter. Return to your quarters or we'll be forced to escort you."
Her throat closed around a scream of frustration. They were like automated response units, programmed to repeat the same useless phrases. Her fingers curled into fists, nails biting into her palms. The pain helped ground her, kept her from doing something stupid like trying to force her way past them.
“Mom?” She looked up to see Leo and Sheena in the corridor behind the security officers. Leo’s eyes were wide and concerned. "What's going on?"
"They took Maax!"
"Did they really?" Sheena's expression hardened as she stepped forward. In a heartbeat, she became someone else.
"Officer." Sheena stopped the third officer before he could retreat down the corridor. "I believe you were about to explain the grounds for this detention?"
The change in her bearing was so dramatic that Eira almost didn't recognize her. Gone was the shy teen girl she’d met this morning. This Sheena moved with precise, measured steps, her chin lifted with authority.
The officer's expression didn't change, but something in his posture shifted. "As we've explained to Lady Coleman, the matter is classified?—"
"That's interesting." Sheena moved to block his path, her tall, slender frame filling the space. "Because according to Section 47-B of the Intergalactic Security Protocols, immediate family members and legal representation must be informed of any detention's basic parameters within one standard hour of incarceration.”
Eira's breath caught. She'd known Sheena was studying law, but this... this was something else. Hope flickered in her chest.
Leo moved to stand beside Eira, his shoulder brushing hers.
"Furthermore," Sheena continued, her voice sharp, "failure to provide such information constitutes a violation of no less than three separate statutes regarding civilian rights during security operations. Would you like me to cite them?"
The officer's face had taken on an uncomfortable cast. He glanced at his colleagues, who suddenly seemed very interested in their datapads.
The security officer's jaw worked, tension visible in the cords of his neck. "The detainee is suspected of purist activities and associations."
Her knees weakened, and Leo's steady presence beside her was all that kept her upright. She’d read about purists in the mate program documentation. They were a nasty bunch of terrorists who hated the Lathar mating with human women. Something about keeping their bloodlines pure. But… Maax? A purist? The accusation was so absurd she almost laughed, but the sound caught in her throat, emerging as a strangled gasp.
"That's impossible," she managed. "Maax isn't—he would never?—"
"I will require that in writing," Sheena demanded. "Along with the specific allegations and evidence categories, as required by statute 359-C of the Intergalactic Personal Rights Act."
The officer's expression darkened. "You don't have the authority to?—"
Sheena pulled herself up to her full height. Even her horns seemed to straighten themselves out.
"I am Sheenara Elanis Taci of the Taci Family Legal Corporation." The words rang in the corridor like a declaration of war. "And I am officially informing you that Maax A’Taav is my client. Which means any further questioning or processing of my client must be conducted in my presence."
The effect of the name on the security officers was immediate. The first officer actually took a step back. The one Sheena had cornered looked like he'd swallowed something sour.
"Additionally," Sheena—no, Sheenara—continued, "under the Suspected Ideological Crimes Protocols, my client is entitled to an immediate medical evaluation by an independent physician, unrestricted access to legal counsel, and accommodation in a holding facility rated for political detainees—rather than in standard security cells."
She produced a datapad from somewhere, her taloned fingers flying across its surface. "I'm logging these requirements with the Intergalactic Courts of Justice now. Failure to comply will result in an automatic review by the Intergalactic Justice Board. Would you like me to add anything to the record before I submit it?"
The officer's face had gone from sour to ashen. "That won't be necessary. I'll... inform my superiors of the change in status."
"Excellent." Sheena's smile was all teeth. "You may go."
They watched as the security team retreated, their previously measured steps now hurried. As soon as the corridor was clear, Sheena's professional demeanor cracked. She fumbled for her comm unit.
"Mom? I need some help. Yeah, now. I'm in the Mate Program section of the base." She looked around at the door to Eira's apartment. "Yeah, apartment 6147."
The transformation was so abrupt that Eira could only stare. This was still the same Sheena who had stumbled over her own name when Leo had finally introduced her this morning as his girlfriend, but she'd just faced down station security without flinching and quoted laws Eira hadn't even known existed.
"How did you—" Eira started, but Sheena held up a hand, listening to whatever response was coming through her comm.
"Yes, Mom. No, I'm sure. It's bad." Her eyes met Eira's, filled with determination and worry in equal measure. "They have Maax A'Taav. They're calling him a purist. We need everything. And Mom? Hurry ."