Collateral Trade (17 page)

“Will they do that for us? I mean, even with the Casiquas, there are only two hundred.”

“Mmm… but the other two ships found no mates.” Farisa was silent for a moment and turned to Sharell. “I don’t want to get your hopes up, but your Commander… um, Chairman… suggested there were more young women. There is talk of collecting more of your species.”

“Janella.” Sharell’s excitement dwindled. “Janella was not in the original group selected. They want to keep her with the Manerea.”

This time, it was Sharell’s hair being swept back by Farisa’s hand. “Things have a way of working out, Sharell. Be patient.”

They brought the bowls of fruit and meat into the main room while the screen displayed Laiya’s memory of Sharell bounding in through the door. She almost dropped her bowl with the wave of confused surprised she felt, and then nervous happiness. Laiya smiled up at her. “I would love to have seen my brother’s face when you hit the booster on the shuttle.”

“I warned him to teach me, but I figure things out quickly.” Sharell sat down between Tian and Chaya and plucked up a piece of vistanza. “Is this not the best?”

Danilo leaned back. “This will not work, Laiya. When is Milana’s time up?”

“Next month. It would take that long for a petition to be presented with all these other problems.”

“If the two of you agree, we can lift some rules within quarters,” Danilo decided. “I will take blame if it is discovered, but it will be impossible and will distress your mate with Sharell here.” Sharell glared at him and he lifted a warning eyebrow again. “Unless you want to be silent for the rest of her term? I would find that most agreeable.”

“I just bet you would.” Sharell smiled and popped another piece of fruit into her mouth.

She is rather disrespectful, Sian.

Chaya caught the look of the silent message Laiya threw to his brother. “I know. She needs to be trained.”

The group finished eating and the women gathered the bowls to return to the other room. When they returned, the men were standing. Milana walked to her twins, and Farisa, smiling at Danilo, walked to her mates. Tian and Chaya stared at Sharell.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She walked over and shuffled her position until it matched the other women. “What now?”

Danilo lifted Farisa’s hand and kissed it. Five years of an empty sleeping pallet crowded his emotions. “Sleep well, family. We have much to be thankful for.”

With Tian pressed against her back and her fists gripped onto Chaya’s tunic, Sharell was led across the short pathway to their pod. It was a colorful, saucer shaped chamber resting on a sturdy branch. Tian once more calmed her, and he smiled when she peeked around Chaya.

“Wow.” The saucer glowed softly in muted colors of yellow and green, matching the finion leaves and blossoms. “Is it lit all the time?” Sharell looked through the trees beside her and saw hundreds of softly glowing pods among the branches.

“Yes, on the outside. It soaks up the sunlight during the day and makes crossing the paths easier at night. Inside, we have lamps, but there is always light from the moons and other pods shining through the windows,” Tian answered.

The room was round and furnished with a wardrobe, a large bed, and a pillowed chaise sitting under a low opened window. Sharell walked over to the small sofa and sat down, folding her arms over the sill and staring out across the branches. The dimly glowing pods seemed to be floating in the darkness. “This is so beautiful,” she sighed.

“You are pleased?” Chaya confirmed.

Sharell turned to him. “It will take a bit of getting used to, I mean, being up in the trees like this. Knowing I can plant my feet on the ground makes it easier.” She turned back to gaze across the branches. “But yes, Chaya. It really is beautiful.”

Tian sat down beside her. “They may be bringing more of your friends here.”

“Your mother told me.” Sharell studied her hands. “Do you think Janella might be one of them? She was not on the original list offered for transfer.”

Tian brushed her shoulder with comfort. “We will ask our fathers and Laiya if this can be brought up at council. Several of the mates have friends left behind.”

Sharell nuzzled her chin against his hand and kissed his knuckles. “Thank you, Tian.”

Behind her, the wardrobe doors opened. Chaya undressed and Sharell turned to lay her head against Tian’s chest, watching him remove his clothes. His magnificent body was highlighted by the moonlight, reflecting off his black hair. She felt a rush of comfort that had nothing to do with Tian’s influence. There was no doubt in her mind these men would protect her and try to make her happy.

She thought of the years they spent sharing the pod, looking out at the other chambers filled with first twins and mates. “How did you bear the loneliness?” she whispered.

“We have always had each other and our family.” Tian replied. His fingers combed through her hair. “How did you bear yours?”

“Janella.” Sharell laughed softly, the sound floating over to Chaya, and his dark eyes softened. “And my books, of course.” It occurred to her they had left her tablet on board the Cathisis. She would ask one of them to bring it to her.

The wardrobe had large sections on either side for Tian and Chaya, and a smaller area in the center. She could see the shadows of a few shifts hanging over low shelves, wedged between Chaya and Tian’s sides of the closet. It was too dark to explore the rest of the mysteries contained in the center section. This was her place, between them, even in the wardrobe.

Tian stood and held his hand down to her, while Chaya stretched on the bed. They walked to the closet and he slowly removed her shift. Chaya watched her walk towards him, lie down, and curl into his warmth with her head resting under his chin.
She is happy, Tian?

Very happy, Chaya. She feels secure with us.

Chaya smiled. He felt his family beginning to strengthen and grow. Tian lay down behind her, trailing his fingers down her ribcage. After the frightening experience on the Cathisis, he finally felt secure with his psychic bonding. The scrolls alluded to the challenges of bonding with a primitive, but Tian could not conceive of the difficulties. Naturally, he anticipated either his brother’s dominance or his own abilities could curtail any problems. His mind was already constructing the sentences that he would be adding to the scroll before it was locked away, awaiting the next eclipse.

Sharell’s head rested on Chaya’s chest and she wound a lock of his dark hair around her finger. “Where are you, Tian? I don’t feel you at all.” He shook out of his musings and pushed a firm erection into her spine. “That’s not what I meant,” she laughed softly. “Your voodoo stuff. Since the bad time on the ship, I’ve felt you waiting in a corner of my mind.”

Sharell was exhausted from the long day, or perhaps the combination of stressful situations since she landed on the Cathisis. She yawned and snuggled close between them.

Tian kissed through her hair at the back of her neck. “I’m here. You said you did not like me to connect with you like that, so I’m letting you be until you need me again.”

She remembered his offer of protection when he pulled her from the dark tunnel of pain. He would always be with her to soothe her fears and Chaya would not let anyone hurt her. It did not even bother her to give them this control. For the first time, Sharell felt at peace.

“Stop thinking so hard,” Tian whispered. He wrapped his arm tighter around her and slid his foot down her calve.

Chaya’s hand rested under her breast and his fingers ran absently across a tightened nipple. Sharell realized she would have both of them caressing her at night forever. The thought was a bit overwhelming after doing without for so long, but damn, it sure beat sharing the closet with Janella.

Tian felt her stomach tighten under his hand, but it quickly loosened. A scan of her emotions let him know it was a fleeting memory. It lingered, but for the most part she was quite content.

We should let her sleep, Tian.
Chaya was surprised the thought did not bother him more. It was the first time his mate shared his bed, and he expected the arousal to be maddening. Instead, it was the need to protect her and let her recuperate from her ordeal fighting back through the darkness.

That is best,
Tian agreed. He drifted calmness through her until her breathing slowed.

Chaya stared at the triple moons.
It is best we all rest. I want to be prepared to watch over her at the baths in the morning.
Just the thought of presenting his beautiful mate at the communal baths kept Tian awake for a long time.

In the morning, Sharell stood at one window with Chaya behind her, embracing her while they watched the Cathisis landing in the distance. Tian stared through another window, gaining balance and psychic power for the day.

They crossed the bridge to the gathering room, and then out on the center landing to watch the twins making their way from the spacecraft to the finions in a staggering line. Some protected frightened Earth women, confused and already learning to calm themselves with their light twin’s reassurances. Sharell recognized Judy, gripping her dark twin’s hand while her light twin hovered close behind her.

A few turquoise Casiquas remained visible, their eyes darting around with a look of anticipation at what mischief they could cause. Other twins led shimmering transparent forms behind them. Several of the Casiquas either continued to remain in fade or were forced into it by their nervous excitement of being on planet.

Ayana seemed to wander back and forth at will, still playing a game until her eyes rose to the tree pods. She was delighted to live in a tree house and smiled when Sharell greeted her on the platform at the top of the lift. It was good to see her sister so near, and even better to find Chaya standing beside her. Ayana was already planning the competition to win her mate back from Sharell.

“Pretty, pretty.”

Sharell smiled. “It will be fun having you living so close by.”

Jifa knew there was no sense pushing regulations with the Casiqua. He looked at Danilo. “Are the others not going to be required to follow our rules and training?”

“They appear to have certain limitations, as well. They are not used to such a rigid structure,” Danilo replied. Sharell scowled up at him, and his dark eyes blazed in challenge. “It will be brought up at council.”

“The Naresis and Fontisa will be orbiting by nightfall. They have no other sightings and are anxious to see the mates we have found,” Jifa informed him.

It was unnecessary to mention the primary focus was on the primitives from Earth. Jifa had already discussed trading Ayana with his sons. They were in complete agreement, as they had had no success with her training. She continued her elusive games to escape them.

Ayana was led into her twins’ gathering room. Danilo, Enilian and Farisa left to council to inform the elders of the Cathisis’ journey. Sian walked up to Tian. “Will you join us at the baths?”

A wave of emotion hit Tian, and he felt his brother’s happiness. Sian was truly pleased his brothers would finally be able to come out from their shadows. “Thank you, Sian. I think it would make our mate much more comfortable to share her first time next to Milana.”

Sharell watched the young woman lower her eyes and raise her joined wrists to Laiya. Her mouth dropped open when he clipped a leash to the small golden rings. The protest died on her lips when she saw Milana’s smile, and she realized Milana felt the tether was a sign of her mate’s protection.

“You gonna’ lock a leash onto me?” she whispered to Chaya.

“We can’t until after our ritual.”

You should tell her, Chaya.

What if she…

It is a chance we must take. You know this is a part of our bonding time she is unaware of.

Chaya took Sharell’s hands and she looked up at him. There was an unfamiliar unease in his intense gaze. “Until ritual, you are permitted to choose other mates.”

His eyes turned to black fury, and Sharell could see he was already prepared to fight for her. She raised a hand to his face and let her fingers caress his tightened jawline. “You chose me. Tian told me this. He said you chose me on the Cathisis and you have given me your commitment and devotion. Why would I want any others?”

His dark eyes searched hers, the color of the sea today. Slowly, the darkness in his gaze softened.

The Naresis and Fontisa would be in orbit by evening. It was decided to leave the twins on board while the council ruled. There was the true worry that the despondent twins returning empty handed would sink to an even deeper despair or fury once they learned of the Cathisis’ success.

Chaya and Tian led Sharell to the baths following behind their older brothers and Milana. The others who had just landed on the surface would spend the day in gathering rooms and pods, adjusting to their new families.

The further down the path they walked, the more twins and mates joined them. Chaya growled, and Sharell tugged at the back of his tunic. “Knock it off,” she whispered. Tian, as usual, followed behind her with his hands resting on her shoulders. Sharell tensed up at the number of couples walking to the baths, and he waved a light touch to calm her anxiety. She turned her head, and her soft green eyes weakened his knees. “Thanks.”

“You’re okay?”

Sharell realized she was actually looking forward to the ritual. “Yes, Tian. I’m fine.”

He watched her long hair swaying, and caught Sian’s brief, jealous stare. His brother’s cheeks tightened. “I apologize. It’s just that…”

“I know, Sian.” Tian noticed several first-set twins glance at the beautiful black sheet cascading down her back or trying to catch a glimpse of her eyes. She had given up chiding Chaya to contain his threatening rumbles.

Rounding a stand of finion trees close to the gem field outlands, Sharell pulled Chaya to a stop. Rainbow mist particles sprayed through waterfalls across from low shelves of rifilla. The spongy plant surrounded the waters providing natural cushioned seating. “This isn’t what I thought it would be like.”