A low whisper stirred in his mind and Zeus’s gaze dropped to Alpha. He waited patiently as Alpha slowly roused to wakefulness, Zeus gently stroking Alpha's skin. He heard Alpha moan softly. Zeus must have heard it as well, because he frowned.
"Dargon, I think it is time."
"Time for what?" Even as he said the words, he knew, and so did Zeus, who turned a strange shade of gray. Dargon's skin began to prickle and crawl.
Zeus rolled over onto his hands and knees, ready to sprint off at a moment's notice. "What do I need to do?" The panic in his voice was adorable.
Before he could answer, Alpha's soft moan turned into a howl, the sound echoing through Dargon's mind until he heard nothing else. He clapped a hand over his eyes to block out the light as his temples began to pound.
Alpha's cries eventually gave away to low, animalistic sounds. When Dargon opened his eyes, Zeus was standing in the cabin doorway speaking to his guards. Alpha moved spasmodically against his skin. Instead of being spread out across Dargon's neck and shoulders, Alpha pulled together along the column of his throat. Two slender bands circled his neck to connect around the base of his neck.
Dar Massagas shared in the birthing experience with their symbiotes. He knew Alpha would pierce the veins in his neck to better draw extra sustenance through the long birthing process. He would also tap into the spinal column so Dargon could better help him bear the pain by sharing it. When Zeus returned, Dargon's hand was cupped around Alpha where he had rolled up into a ball at the base of his throat.
Zeus sat on the edge of the sleeping platform and gently took Dargon's free hand. "Mayra is on her way. What can I do?"
Dargon tried to give an encouraging smile, but at that moment, Alpha pierced his neck at all four points. He grunted from the pain, and Zeus’s expression turned to alarm.
"Please do not worry, Zeus. We are merely preparing for labor."
Alpha sounded wearier than Dargon thought he should. Judging by Zeus’s expression, he seemed to agree. Alpha was the only one of the three of them who had experience with giving birth, and that was under completely different circumstances.
"I am fine. I am feeling much better now that I have tapped into Dargon's system. Normally, the sustenance I glean from skin contact is more than enough to nourish me. This late in the pregnancy, I need more: the burden of carrying two kits instead of one took a larger toll than I anticipated. Now I am able to take nutrients directly from Dargon's blood. This is not to say the next several hours won’t be difficult."
Dargon met Zeus’s gaze. "It was just a pinch."
He grinned at Zeus, as his eyes narrowed in an expression of disbelief.
Zeus answered the hail at the door. Mayra, Prince Mestor, and what seemed to be half the Monticore were stuffed into the hallway outside of his cabin. Two of the royal guards followed Mestor past Zeus, as if Dargon was in any condition to present a danger!
Mayra moved to the sleeping platform, her arms almost overflowing with bottles and containers. "I brought everything I thought we would need. I’ll mix the ingredients for your malts myself."
She arranged everything on the side table before scanning Dargon and Alpha. Zeus watched her like a hawk. Prince Mestor gripped Zeus’s shoulder. He was not sure if the prince held Zeus in place, or was giving a comforting hand.
"Everything is as it should be. Nothing out of the ordinary, Prince Zeus." Mayra said calmly.
Dargon chuckled when Zeus tried to cover his glower. His grin turned into a hiss as an ache began to rise in his body.
Zeus’s frenetic waving caught Dargon's attention. "What? What is it? Mayra, do something!" He would have reassured Zeus, but he was occupied trying to breathe through the pain. Zeus struggled against Prince Mestor's grip.
"Be calm, brother, for your mate. She will care well for Dargon and Alpha. That is what happens when young are born: our hot tempers are the very reason why we bulls are barred from the birthing chambers." Prince Mestor's voice did not hold censure, but understanding, and was accompanied by a fierce embrace.
Dargon could see Zeus struggling to moderate his ire. As soon as he was able to breathe again, he stretched out a hand to Zeus. Moving quickly to Dargon's side, Zeus entwined his fingers with Dargon's.
"Truly, Zeus, we are fine."
Alpha's voice sounded stronger than before.
"I do not want to leave you."
He squeezed Zeus’s hand. "We leave hyperspace soon, do we not?" Dargon glanced to Prince Mestor, who gave a slight nod. "Our earlier argument is now moot. You need to be on the bridge. You have to finish the mission I started and see the Fal'Amoric to the safety of Haven."
He could see Zeus’s neck bulge as he ground his teeth.
Mayra sat on the sleeping platform facing Zeus. "I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure they have a safe delivery. Madux is on his way to assist. Prince Azaes also ordered an honor guard to stand watch outside the cabin."
Zeus huffed. "I am in your debt. May we have a minute alone?"
"We will wait in the corridor for you." Mestor ushered everyone out of the cabin.
Zeus had not expected to be overwhelmed by a host of emotions when Alpha went into labor. The sound of Alpha's agony made his heart ache. He thought he was mentally prepared, only to discover he had fooled himself.
Sitting next to Dargon, he fussed with the bedding. Zeus knew he delayed the inevitable. The thought of leaving Dargon and Alpha to go through labor alone crushed him. Once he said his farewells, he would report to the bridge. He had an obligation to Dargon's crew and the Fal'Amoric to fulfill his duties.
"We are not alone."
"I do not know if I can ..."
"You must," Dargon’s subdued whisper only emphasized the importance of the situation.
"If I leave this room and something were to happen to you or Alpha—if I were not here to ... to ..."
Zeus’s smoothed the material of the bedding across Dargon's chest, stopping when Dargon stilled him with a gentle touch.
"Look at me." Dargon's tone was hard and demanding: it was the voice of the captain, not his lover.
Zeus’s gaze traveled from Dargon's chest to the base of his throat, where Alpha sat in a ball. His pale, white body had already started to change as he entered the final stage of the pregnancy. What were the complications of an Alpha or Zeta giving birth? Was the ship equipped with all that they needed to see to Alpha and the kits' health? What if something went wrong on the bridge? What if he made a mistake that would—
"I said, look at me." His lover's snapped demand caused Zeus to start and glance up. Dargon's brilliant green eyes held him in place. "I understand. If I were in your place I would be struggling as well. But we all know what you need to do. We will be here waiting for you when you come back."
Zeus swallowed thickly as he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Dargon's. His hiss-click tangled upon his tongue. Dargon grasped the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss that spoke of vows and promises, of a tenderness of heart. The touch of their lips shored up Zeus’s will, giving him strength where mere words had not. If he could not be here to safeguard his family, then he would protect them in other ways, by ensuring the safety of the ship they travelled upon as they gave birth.
When they parted, pride glinted in Dargon's eyes. Zeus moved down and gently cupped Alpha, who felt incredibly warm to the touch.
"My love,"
Alpha whispered in his mind. He lightly pressed his lips to Alpha's skin, sending all his reassurance and love along the link between them.
"I will return soon." His voice cracked, but he gave them a strong smile.
Rising from the sleeping platform, he lifted his uniform jacket from the foot of the bed and slid his arms into the sleeves. With each buckle, every button, Zeus worked to clear his mind and pack away all of his worries. Dargon and Alpha were not the only ones who counted on him.
Suited up, he turned back to Dargon. He could not leave without one more kiss. Leaning down and placing a hand on each side of Dargon's head, he took his lover's mouth gently. He kept his eyes open, watching as Dargon's lids fluttered closed as Zeus tasted him. He stored away the vision of long, golden lashes brushing Dargon's cheeks, burning into his memory Dargon's expression of complete adoration.
When he kissed Alpha again, he felt his bondmate's feathery touch in his mind.
"We will be waiting for you."
Zeus straightened, breathing past the tightness in his chest. With each backward step toward the door, his gaze took them in, wanting to remember it all down to the minutest detail. Every dip and curve, the precise color of Dargon's eyes, the shape of his lips, the exact pink of Alpha's veins. Every piece, every feature he filed away. He was not naïve. They were more than likely walking into an ambush. He anticipated that the hours ahead would turn violent and bloody. What he memorized now would help to remind him of the reasons he needed to be triumphant during the probable upcoming battle.
Without another word, he spun on his heel and exited the cabin. Madux had joined Mayra in the corridor and they slipped past him into the room. Madux squeezed his arm reassuringly as he walked by. "Someone else has come."
Zeus followed Madux's gaze to see Amlyn standing with the milling Monticore. Something in him eased at the sight of the assassin. Upon his nod of thanks, she wove her way through the guards to enter the cabin. She did not glance back.
After the door closed behind the group, he turned to his brother. "How soon before we drop out of hyperspace?"
"Half an hour. There have been a few changes to our plans." They strode down the corridor toward the lift. Zeus noticed eight of the Monticore stayed positioned in front of Dargon's quarters. He had not asked for additional security for his family; that they had arranged for it anyway filled him with gratitude. Their presence near his family would enable him to concentrate far better while he was away from them. Zeus and Mestor, along with their guards, stepped onto the lift.
"Only one of the Feteine will stay with us. Europa has decided to travel with your crew aboard the Oethra 7. Warlord Sohm'lan petitioned me to allow half the Monticore and a team of chimera to accompany you as well. I have already given my approval."
"What? Why? You and Azaes need the Monticore more than I." Zeus could not understand why Mestor would agree to such a request. Azaes was more important than he. His brothers were the ones who would face conflict. Zeus looked up into Mestor's dark face, his black scales glistening as if polished. Sunrise-yellow eyes gazed back at him, the determination in them clear to see.
"We have The Gorgon if we encounter a problem. You designed our energy countermeasures before you left Atlainticia to be the master mechanic. With the entire fleet retrofitted, we will not be stopped by any electromagnetic weapons. The authorization codes for the docking bays are on rotation now, instead of fixed as they were before the hijacking, strengthening security there. Meme will arrive maybe half an hour after we do with the rest of the fleet in tow. And we have the Feteine to disable the jamming devices and one to jump for reinforcements.
"You, on the other hand, will be planet-side. So far, we have assumed the planet's shields are not compromised. If this is not the case, you could be flying into a more dangerous battle than we will be facing."
Mestor paused as the lift slowed, signaling the approach to their stop. The doors slid open, revealing almost one hundred Monticore already in the cargo bay, with more still filing onto the ship through the lowered bay door. Warlord Sohm'lan directed those who carried additional supplies aboard. On close inspection, the connecting bay was packed with Monticore as well.
"You must also remember your mates carry the heirs to Atlainticia’s throne."
His gaze snapped to Mestor's in alarm. "What?"
Mestor smiled softly. "Azaes signed the documents before I came over. If something were to happen to him and me, your younglings would be the heirs to the throne."
Zeus was speechless and slightly overwhelmed by this unexpected turn of events. Would his young even be accepted by the Mar'Sani? Mestor seemed to read his thoughts. "You are the son of Emperor Valdor Vondorian. Your children are his grandchildren and heirs should Azaes or I neglect to provide any." His grinned widened, showing his needle-sharp teeth. "Not for lack of trying, of course."
He followed Mestor to the bay's ramp. It seemed as if the loading of supplies was just finishing up. Mestor turned, and for a moment, they simply stared at each other. They had everything to say and nothing at all. Mestor leaned down and touched his forehead to Zeus’s.
"Strength to your sword arm," Zeus whispered.
"May the salt of tears be that of your enemies," Mestor replied, concluding the end of the warrior's prayer in the old tongue.
He watched Mestor stride away until the closing of the ramp door blocked his brother from view. When he turned away, he faced the Monticore. Warlord Sohm'lan, along with two other officers, stood in front of the impressive formation waiting for his command.
"Prince Zeus, we are yours to command." Warlord Sohm'lan bowed deeply, his action copied by the other officers and the Monticore.
Technically, Zeus was not one a member to the military. His entry into the academy had been blocked, ensuring he would never be a warlord for Azaes. His status of prince only superseded theirs in a non-hostile environment. Yet here they stood, placing themselves under his command.
Moving forward until he was only a couple of meters away, he gave them a deep bow, conveying all of his gratitude, respect, and deep, abiding love for his people.
"Prepare for takeoff. Warlord Sohm'lan, would you please accompany me to the bridge."
The Monticore stood and saluted, fist to the chest, as if Zeus held the rank denied to him. The honor caused his chest to tighten with unbidden emotion. What he had done to be raised to such a level of respect?