hing,

  one hand was cupping her breast and the other was curled protectively over her abdomen. She exhaled and focussed on the tiny lump of tension beneath his palm, the only tension in her body was the casing around the baby.

  She loosened the muscles of her uterus with the ease of practice and worked them in a caressing motion around the baby’s shield. Despite what they thought, her body was not acting in defence of the baby. The baby was acting on his own.

  Honey had wanted to try the internal caress on Raddik, but there had been no opportunity with him holding her still for his Alpha shenanigans.

  Now she used the muscles that had made her the specialist that she was to sooth the tiny spark of life into relaxing.

  It softened and then dissipated as she focused on it. She sighed in relief. “There you go, little Miscalculation. I will call you Cal for short, I 43

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  think.” She wanted to press her fingers over Raddik’s, but that would wake him.

  “Cal is not an acceptable name for my heir. You can name the next one.” The voice of her mattress was thick with sleep.

  “You are awake.”

  He shifted and sat up, dislodging the sheet for a moment before he tucked it up around them.

  “Are you ready to come home with me?”

  She sighed. “I still owe you a night, don’t I?”

  He grumbled low in his chest. “Is that the only reason?”

  “For now. Let’s see how things go.”

  He continued grumbling, but scooted out from under her with as much delicacy as he could manage. “As soon as the doctor gives you the all clear, we will be leaving. The ship is nearby and the shuttle is waiting.”

  The physician was impressed by her healing.

  He gave her a relatively clean bill of health, provided that she kept up with her recuperative regime. Plenty of rest, no sex for seven to ten days and regular stretching. She also had to keep an eye on her cargo to make sure it stayed out in the open and not in a capsule.

  “Will do. Is that everything?”

  “Yes. You are free to go.”

  She grabbed the sheet around her and made a beeline for the door. Haunt popped up in front of 44

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  her and stopped her in her tracks.

  “Hold it, Honey. You are not going anywhere without getting dressed. I am the only one who floats around naked on Station 13.”

  “I will not allow you to sprint around naked either, Morin and Lefflik are coming with clothing for you in the Ohshlin fashion.” Raddik wrapped his arms around her and held her in place.

  The seconds to the Alpha arrived, each carrying boxes that they deposited on the bed she had recently occupied.

  “I will help you dress, Honey. The boys can stay out here.” Kaylee put an arm around her, stacked the boxes on the other and led her into a private space.

  “You are going to love this. The Ohshlin clothing is almost indestructible and fashionable at the same time.” Kaylee opened the first box and withdrew a breast band and some sort of briefs.

  “Here you go. Lean on me if you need to.”

  Honey scooted the breast band into place and then leaned on Kaylee as she balanced from foot to foot to work the briefs into place. They were silky-tough boy shorts and quite comfortable. The breast band supported and lifted while controlling the sway that her C-cups engaged in when unconfined.

  “And now some shoes. Trust me, the skirt is so flowing that you want to get your foot gear on 45

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  before we drop the gown over your head.”

  Honey took a seat and let Kaylee lace some toe-covering sandals on her legs. “Pretty.”

  “Ohshlin isn’t just the mythical land of all shifter origins. It is also quite the fashion mecca.”

  Kaylee smiled and went to the large box.

  With a laugh, she pulled out a slip and dropped it over Honey’s head. It settled into place with a whisper of heavy silk. The gown was yards of fabric that dropped over her head and laced up under one arm. It fit tightly around her torso and glowed brilliant white. A cross between Grecian and medieval, the gown flowed to the floor and in a modest train while the neck gathered in soft folds and left her arms free of fabric.

  “You look amazing.”

  The admiration in her friend’s voice warmed her more than she would ever admit. It was nice to feel pretty, it was even nicer to have those surrounding you admit that you were pretty.

  “Thank you. How is my shuttle?”

  Kaylee’s face filled with dismay. She was saved from the explanation when Raddik came around the corner.

  “I will show her, Haunt. Thank you.” Raddik’s admiration was in his eyes, but when he bowed low to her, she truly appreciated that she looked like a lady for possibly the first time in her life.

  She curtsied as she had been taught in basic 46

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  training and then took the hand he extended and let him lead her out of the private room and into the main medical bay. Objects and jaws dropped as she swayed slowly at Raddik’s side, moving carefully on legs that were far from steady.

  “So, Ohshlin?”

  He smiled. “You paid attention. Excellent. Yes, we are the first contingent to attend any Alliance events in centuries, but the lure of the Sector Guard was far too tempting.”

  “The Sector Guard?”

  “An entire branch of the Alliance designed for fast response to crisis might be able to use our skills. A few shifters have made it into the ranks and Dirven and I had interesting discussions on having some of the Oefric enter the ranks.”

  They were heading to the shuttle bay, but she still was not prepared when they entered and she saw her precious shuttle, torn open like a can of sardines. “Oh, my.” A streamer of blood decorated the floor all the way to the edge of the tear.

  Raddik’s voice was carefully controlled as he filled in the blanks for her. “The decompression blanket bought you some time, but you were mostly frozen when they started digging at you.

  They couldn’t get through your security, so they ripped open your shuttle. They tore open your shuttle in one hour. You were in their custody for an hour and then the Sector Guard ship arrived.

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  They had a healer on board that revived you, a Guardsman named Revivor. She sealed your wounds and then brought you back to temperature. By that time, you were back on the station and I was greeting those who attacked you.”

  The grim tone in his voice made her shiver.

  “All of your private possessions have been transferred to the warship that we will be joining momentarily.”

  In stunned silence, Honey walked up to the Baldur’s Heart and touched the tortured metal.

  Her ship was dead. It would never fly again in one piece. “They might be able to salvage something.”

  “If you authorize them to do so, they will.”

  With tears in her eyes, she turned to look around and saw Kaylee and her husband, Dirven, standing behind the Oefric. “If you can re-use the Heart, do so. I want it to live on in some way. It was a damned good shuttle.”

  Kaylee rushed forward and hugged her. “We will send it to Fixer and see what she can do with it.”

  “Thanks, Haunt. I guess I had best be going now.”

  “I think it would be best. You can’t do anything for the Heart. We will make sure it lives on and I swear to tell you where the parts are as soon as the dissemination finishes.” Kaylee gave her a sisterly 48

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  kiss on the forehead and turned her back to Raddik.

  He was holding his hand out and she took it once again, walking with him to the sleek, glossy shuttle that had to be an Ohshlin design. Honey had never seen anything like it before.

  With her dead shuttle in her mind, it felt like a betrayal to admire the new ship in front of her.

  The interior was high ceilinged for a shuttle, but given the height of the men with her, it made a certain sense. She strapped into one of the cushioned and comfortable passenger seats and then they were on their way.

  To say it felt odd not to be at the helm was a gross understatement. She felt helpless as they dropped away from the station and propelled themselves into the dark.

  Through the window, she watched her friend’s home and the planet Balen fade in her view. “It’s funny how quickly a new place feels like home.”

  Raddik’s deep voice rolled over her, “I hope that Ohshlin will be a new home for you as well.”

  “We will see. So far your courtship has lacked a certain subtlety.”

  Snickering erupted from the pilot and navigator seats. Raddik was seated in a passenger seat with her, so he was unable to scowl his lackeys into submission.

  They engaged in an unannounced jump that 49

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  made her tense and just like that, there was a knot in her abdomen. “Damn it.”

  Raddik was at her side in an instant. “What is it?”

  “I tense and he builds a fort. Tricky little bugger.” She rubbed at the knot and her fingers were soon joined by Raddik’s.

  “He is doing it? You are not?”

  “Nope. My talent doesn’t work that way. I would have hidden him in an ovary. Or folded him in soft tissue. He builds a little fort every time I feel I am in danger.”

  He looked around the shuttle and frowned.

  “You are not in danger.”

  “No one announced the jump. It caught me by surprise, adrenaline flowed and now I am gestating a marble.” The last was said on a grumble.

  “Will he be fine like that for now?”

  “Yes, the doctor said he was firmly attached to me, just armoured.” She patted Raddik’s hand.

  “It’s fine. As soon as I get somewhere stable, I will relax again and he will come out to play.”

  “Fine, but if you are in any kind of distress, call me immediately. I will be there as soon as I can.”

  Honey nodded. “I will be fine, just get me home with a minimum of fuss and everything will be wonderful.”

  “Another jump,” Morin warned.

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  She braced for it, coming out of it with pure calm.

  “Thank you, Morin. That is helpful.”

  She suddenly realized that their warship was two jumps away. “You are still hiding from the bulk of the Alliance.”

  “Yes. We send out colonists, but they are under orders not to reveal the location of Ohshlin.”

  The sleek silvery blue craft got larger and larger in her view screen. “Holy cow.”

  The warship was huge. “How do you hide something like that?”

  “There will be a lot more jumping involved.

  Can you handle that?”

  “As long as I get a moment to recuperate between jumps and am warned for the next one, I think I will be fine. You do have a medical facility on board, don’t you?”

  “Yes, but our healers are a little more direct than the Alliance staffers. They are contact healers and can probably speed your recovery.”

  “But they have to touch me.”

  “Yes.”

  She shrugged. “If it will speed the process, then I will let them touch me. I may stay calmer if I am one hundred percent physically sound.”

  “Then we will visit medical after you have had a chance to rest. You are looking very pale.”

  Honey felt very pale. “Excellent. Sounds 51

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  amazing. Do I get my own room?”

  “You will be residing in my quarters while I press my suit.”

  “What does your ironing have to do with this?”

  She snickered at her Terran joke while their shuttle docked.

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  Chapter Seven

  he interior walls glowed with a pinkish white light.

  T

  Honey found it very soothing. She paced along at Raddik’s side, his hand clasping hers and held at waist height. Crew members bowed and moved to the side of the hall as they passed.

  The ship’s captain greeted them when they were near an open area filled with green and growing life. “Courier Borrow. It is excellent to see you up and about. Descriptions of your injuries were horrific.”

  She inclined her head. “Thank you, Captain…”

  Raddik filled in the blank, “Captain Norfim.

  My brother Andor Norfim.”

  The family resemblance was there, but the captain’s eyes were a dark blue, not the purple she loved.

  “Pleased to meet you, Captain Norfim.”

  “And you as well, little sister.” His wink as he bowed over her hand was priceless. The growl that emanated from Raddik was a warning that his brother did not ignore. He dropped her hand 53

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  like it scalded him.

  “Are our quarters ready?”

  “They are ready and prepared for your arrival, Alpha. A light repast is waiting in your quarters.”

  “Morin, Lefflik, please brief the captain on requirements for the jumps. I will take my mate to rest. She is still recovering.”

  Raddik led her off through the brightly lit halls and eventually, they arrived at his quarters. “Press you hand to the plate, Honey. It will take in your biometrics.”

  She followed his direction and when she withdrew her hand, he placed his over her palm print. “There, you may now come and go as you please. It is a week on this ship, so you had best get used to walking the halls for exercise.”

  She yawned and wandered into the front room of the VIP quarters. Knowing ship interiors as she did, Honey found the bedroom on her first try. A table with snacks on it was sitting in one corner of the room, but she was too tired to care. The bed was calling and she wanted to answer.

  She sat on the side of the bedding and tried to pull the folds of the gown up so that she could get at the laces of her sandals. The moment she lifted her weight from the folds of the gown, they slithered down so she couldn’t see her feet. In her stunned condition, she did this three times before Raddik chuckled and knelt in front of her.

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  “You need to remove your dress to get at the sandals. It is something that our ladies learn early.

  That or bribe me to put your shoes on and take them off.” He trailed his fingers up her legs, “I am amenable to bribery.”

  “And I am recuperating for being almost disembowelled. No fun and games until I have a clean bill of health.”

  He sighed and drew her shoes off one by one.

  “You are severely lacking in romantic creativity.”

  “Nag me in the morning.” she yawned extravagantly and twisted her legs into the bed, tucking herself in.

  “There is food if you are hungry.” Raddik sat next to her and rubbed her back slowly.

  “Mmf.” She sighed into the herb-scented pillows and let his touch sooth her into sleep. She was so relaxed that the first jump didn’t even make her flinch.

  “Who are you and why are you touching me?”

  The darkly handsome man was frowning at her belly, his hands spanning from hip to hip as he concentrated. “I am the contact healer, Naro. Your previous healer did good work, but you need additional work if you are willing to allow it. I can have you back to fighting shape in a matter of days.”

  “Did you read the damage report?” She 55

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  couldn’t be delicate about it. There was never any sense in lying to your doctor. What you omitted could kill you.

  “I did, so there will have to be some invasive healing. The Alpha has agreed to be out of your eye line for that, or he will take another form if you want him nearby.”

  She sat up when he removed his hands and lowered her gown and slip. She was still fully clothed. He had simply lifted her gown and tugged down the briefs.

  “Where is he now?”

  A voice came through the open door. “I am here, Honey. Dr. Naro wanted to assess your level of comfort with only him visible. You didn’t kick him, so everything seems fine.”

  Raddik came into the room, his formal robes and bodysuit discarded in favour of a shirt, leather vest and trousers combo. His boots were the only item from his previous outfit that were visible.

  He looked relaxed, comfortable and the light wave in his dark hair made her want to run her fingers through it.

  “You look…different.”

  “I only wear the robes of state when I have to.

  When I am on my home turf, it is all casual all the time.” As he came into the room, the doctor stood and backed away from the bed.

  “Dr. Naro, are you moving a pre-measured 56

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  distance away from your Alpha?”

  He grinned at her, his dark eyes lighting. “Yes, Courier Borrow. Our ranks determine our distance from the Alpha.”

  Raddik sat next to her and took her hand. “All my people have been ordered to answer any and all questions that you put to them regarding our customs or manners. Rank and traditions keep our people from violence fairly successfully.”

  “So, because everyone knows how to behave, there is little conflict?” It made a certain sense.

  “What about blundering morons like me?”

  “You will be given a year to acclimate and after that anniversary, you will be held accountable for your insults.”

  “Accountable how?”

  There was a slight unholy gleam in Raddik’s eyes.

  “The mate of the offender is usually responsible for administering the punishment, after which an apology will be tendered to the injured party.”

 

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