Void's Psionics (23 page)

“
Don’t ye worry none.” Jake
laid a hand on Steven’s shoulder. “We’ll get to the bottom and
figure it out. Get the vault in me ship. I need to see to the
injured.”

Chapter 6

“
Aye, and be sure to take
the fleet and cripple their engines before they have time to
calculate FTL. Me son-in-law destroyed them before they got a
chance to send the subspace emergency signal. More mercs will be
coming, ye can be assured. It’s their home for most. Just keep the
fleet ready till the Marines arrive to put their men in place to
trap any more brigands.” Jake commanded from his lavish throne as
he looked out the bridge window at fifty seven glorious battle
cruisers under his command half the size of the Dorgenox yet just
as deadly. They didn’t have the glorious sailboat style he
preferred, most opting for function and sleekness over old world
aesthetics. Nevertheless, each ship had the proud green anchor put
in the middle of a skull signifying they all flew under Pirate King
Dorgen’s banner.

Leader of the fleet was
captained by a sexy brunette woman in a scandalous dress that left
little to the imagination, but a glance told she was tough as nails
and not to be underestimated. Her voice was raspy and soft rolled
into one as she practically purred “I’ll take care of any more of
the lawless pirates that stain our reputation, My King. If they
don’t surrender even after I blow their thrusters I’ll simply
annihilate them. You just get back to work, Old Man.” Her gaze
shifted on the monitor display. “Spread out to form a net around
the planet and hide. Leave no blind spots and set subspace radar to
broad spectrum. Any ships not belonging to the Marines are to be
crippled by targeting their engines the moment you get a lock. No
lad to issue a warning. Spread out and be ready. If you get the
lock first, just shoot and
then
send word. Move out!”

Streams of energy propelled the pirate king’s
fleet all around the system, some hiding in the orbital debris as
others found strategic positions to sit and wait.

Jake sighed and relaxed in his throne.
“Abdul, make way for Verard so we can drop off our passengers as
well as some of the stolen credits aboard.” He took a breath to
stand up. “I’m going down.”

“
Aye aye.” A course was
plotted and then they were off.

Warm, soothing heat seeped into Renee’s
languid body. The shower was great to remove the grime, but the
bubble bath was the real miracle. She sighed not for the first time
as she leaned her head back and let the hot water seep down into
her very soul. Soft music eased the mind as the scent of
strawberries and apples permeated the air making it a wonderful and
relaxing experience.

And she wasn’t alone as her near and dear
best friend Sparky laid curled up on the warm tile floor. She
didn’t want him to go anywhere and knew without a doubt he was
enjoying the bubbly experience through their connection. He didn’t
speak, not that there hadn’t been enough of that. Still, it was
great to be clean and refreshed after months of misery.

“
Doing any
better?”

Renee opened her eyes to find the love of her
entire existence leaning up against the bathroom sink in a pair of
jeans and a shirt that did nothing to hide his godly physique that
made her always feel very feminine since she was taller and more
thick than normal women. She offered a soft smile before throwing
her arms back and stretching, liking how his eyes shifted to her
soapy breasts and perky pink nipples. A flush crept into her cheeks
more than the water had done, seeing the shaft between his legs
jump just enough to show his desire for her hadn’t altered. She
sighed as the stretch relaxed. “Much better actually. A long hot
bath in a dimmed room is just what I needed. I feel like a whole
new woman. And with Sparky back with me again, the emotional scars
are being smoothed over.”

“
I’m just being selfish.
They are just as much my scars and I don’t want them to last. I’m
removing the emotional trauma only.”
Sparky
admitted, lifting his head.

“
We just don’t want Renee to
change. We love her just the way she is.” Oliver smiled and
scratched Sparky under the chin. The emerald Drake made a pleasant
rumble in his chest. “I can read minds, but soothing emotions are
still beyond my grasp.”

“
I will instruct you later.
Can you please go fish out a Piranha. Renee is starving. They fed
her normal human food. It makes even my own mouth taste
foul.”

“
It is why I just got back,
I already caught one and filleted it for her.”

“
Ugh, you just
had
to mention food when
I
just
got
comfortable.” She groaned.

“
Red, you’ve been bathing
for at least three hours. It’s why I let you and Sparky be
alone.”

“
I’ve been in for three
hours?” Her gaze unfocused to look at the time through the chip and
blinked. “Well damn. So it has.” She grimaced and took a deep
breath to stand up. Soap and water cascading down her pale, naked
body. She took a good look over herself to grimace again. “I
definitely need to eat. I can see my ribs and my tits are a little
bit smaller. I didn’t realize how much weight I’ve
lost.”

A muscle in Oliver’s jaw jumped from the
comment, but said nothing. Her normally short red hair had grown
out and lay flat with the water. The curves were less than normal,
but still flattering. Her firm peach-shaped ass remained enticing
though. The tattoo sprawled all across her back was of a
intertwining thorny vine accompanied with vibrant flowers. An ideal
symbol for a confrontational and beautiful woman. Natural freckles
cutely covered her face, neck and shoulders, sprinkling down to her
cleavage, but leaving her breasts creamy white. Long and firm legs
never stopped rising till the glorious vee between her legs. He
watched, still mesmerized as she stepped from the emptying tub to
rinse and smacked the wall to dry near completely in a few
seconds.

From there she looked at her reformed
bracelet and out from it flowed a comfortable long sleeved shirt
and short shorts to emphasize those pale luscious legs. She stopped
in front of the mirror as the males moved aside and she smiled.
“Seems like my makeup lasted this whole time, but I’ll need to trim
my hair back… speaking of…” Renee turned and he held still as her
hands let her fingers run through his soft mane. “I love how you
let your hair grow out. A good place to get a fistful to hold
onto.” Her deep red lips were less cracked and quirked. “I like it,
but why doesn’t it stick out all over the place like mine does when
they glow?”

“
Because as I said earlier,
the excess is flowing out of me. I’m not doing any form of
conscious Gathering. If I do even the slightest.” His hair began to
gently lift straight up. “It will.”

“
I got a boyfriend who’s
eyes glow always. At least I won’t need to worry about stubbing my
toe in our bedroom… now that you cleaned up my sty at least.” She
turned and headed that way. Sitting on a large platter in bed was
thick steaks of fish with a side of goopy brain for dessert. Her
mouth filled near instantly as the digestion process initiated.
Fresh food sitting right there was too much. She moved right in for
the kill and began devouring like there was no tomorrow. Between
mouthfuls she asked “So what other changes happen?”

“
Well if I gather half my
total strength thereabouts my hair turns from brown to a luminous
gold like my eyes. I barely used ten percent to come for the
rescue.”

“
Show me.” She was intrigued
and wanted to see it with her eyes rather than by his earlier
memory.

Unable to deny her anything, Oliver’s eyes
increased in intensity while he also made sure that his power
didn’t leak to cause the itch. His hair shot straight up in a
windless whipping updraft. Renee was spellbound, food momentarily
forgotten. Before her eyes she watched the standing hair of dark
brown started to lighten several shades, an inner glow coming out
from within each individual strand of hair. His eyes grew so bright
she could barely make out any of his rugged features. Then his hair
became burnished gold, like stalks of wheat swaying in a breezy
field. “This is enough to completely shred a gas giant into a new
asteroid field.”

“
That is
sooo
sexy.” She blurted.

Taking all that had been gathered, Oliver
funneled it into the vambrace where the orange meter filled in a
little bit more. Not enough for the eye to tell a difference
though. Storing it for later rather than let it dissipate away.
Renee looked at it to find the oval was roughly five to ten percent
thicker, the black inside had shrunk some. She looked to her
bracelet’s pattern and she had been storing all she could during
captivity and had amounted to barely two hairs thicker than
original. His luminous hair then lowered and returned to
normal.

“
I’m so glad you don’t find
me repulsive or frightening.”

“
The only fear she has is
one day your phallus will kill her.”

“
SPARKY!!!” Her face went an
embarrassing shade of red as the Drake rumbled, his way of a
laugh.

The door opened and Rose
came on in.
“Fear not Renee. I still fear
my own mate’s enormous phallus. It ensures they were naturally
blessed to service our beauty and our great sexual needs. Speaking
of, I’m going to steal him for a time. He’s been in a coma for
months and my nether-scales need to be scratched… as I assume yours
does for your mate.”
The last part was only
heard by Renee.

“
Maybe. I’ll see how things
progress. You just be sure to punish Sparky for his naughty
thoughts to try and embarrass me.”

“
I didn’t try. I
succeeded.”
He thought smugly and moved
over to run his hard snout along Rose’s face and down her neck
which made her purr. They turned and left, not letting Renee get in
the last word.

The savory meal was packed away and not
seconds later after swallowing, the intercom to their room came on
and a deep voice said “Lass, are ye busy?”

“
No, Papa… Just finished
eating.” She said as she made the door open and wrapped her arms
around his waist to lay her head against his solid abdomen. Renee
pulled back. “What do you need?”

“
To sit down and tell ye
something important.”

“
Okay.” Jake stepped back
and the med bay was quiet. The patients were all settled into
nearby rooms to rest and heal under observation. Only one medic was
sitting at the desk, but one look from the giant Scotsman and the
smaller man left. Then Renee noticed Jessica, Stephanie and Andrea
nearby all smiling in relief. Renee dropped down five seats from
the roof, taking the one the medic from before vacated. Oliver sat
at her side as the others took theirs, all facing each other in a
circle. “So what is it, Papa?”

For one of the rarest moments, Renee saw her
father uncomfortable. Being the largest in the room made it more
obvious as he fidgeted. “Eh, er… how do I say this without ye
getting upset…”

“
Come on, Brother. Be as
blunt as she is.” Jessica rolled her eyes when he cut her a
scathing look. “Renee, he and Andrea are back together as mates and
he wants you to know he’s planning on marrying her.”

“
Huh?” She didn’t
understand. It was as if they all began speaking a foreign
language.

Andrea leaned forward, the soft lights
playing off her caramel skin and shiny black hair. “Renee, I know
you had it bad these past months, but Jake and I wanted to tell you
about it before someone told you about me and your father.”

“
Well how does it work? You
are so small. He’d gut you like a fish.” Renee’s filter was
switched off.

Andrea smiled at the
imagery. “I’m a rather
limber
woman. Besides being a renowned scientist, I’m a
fifty nine time Olympic gold gymnast. I also hold twelve silver and
forty three bronze medals. So being with a man of Jake’s size is no
issue for me.”

“
How did it
happen?”

“
Yer taking this better than
I expected ye to be.” Jake mumbled.

Renee looked up after she
watched her father hold Andrea’s hand, well consume it between his
fingers more accurately. “Papa, you’ve been alone ever since I was
born. I’ve only
ever
wanted you to be happy. Just because I’m confused by how all
this played out doesn’t mean I’m not happy you found someone you
like that isn’t out for your money. I know Andrea Loke’s reputation
so she isn’t a gold digger like those other propositioning women
who contact you for mating privileges.”

“
Ye are not mad at
me?”

“
For falling in love? Never,
Papa. Since Ma passed away you’ve either doted on me or been shut
in your room when your interests didn’t need our presence. Tell me
what happened. Last I remember” Renee turned to Andrea. “you were
shooting down Steven’s advances saying you had two mates
already.”

“
Very true and I did.”
Andrea smiled, happy Renee didn’t lose her renowned temper at the
news. She was beginning to like the young redhead. “You see, when I
was mated to your mother and father, long before you were born, I
was a bit more lively and easily excitable. One day your parents
proposed we seal our trio in marriage. I tell you now in full
disclosure I truly loved Isabelle and Jake more than any mate I had
before… or since… but the idea of the old Earth tradition of
marriage scared the shit out of me back then. They were both of an
era before mine. I didn’t want anything to do with it so I thanked
them for sharing their bed with me for the past ten years and we
parted ways as is proper. I spent the following two years alone
before finding the courage to take a new mate.