Wrath of the Stars Read online

  His eyes were narrowed, but they were solid black. This was just between Venya and Morrer. She wrapped a hand around his rapidly stiffening shaft and stroked him slowly. Her tongue found the small hole in the tip and he groaned. His back arched when she flicked the place where his hood met the shaft and she stroked it. The harsh intake of breath made her smile and she concentrated on drawing him deeply into her mouth and then keeping suction as she backed away. As his moans and groans increased in pitch, she sped up, she used her talent to gently fondle his balls and in that instant, he arched and her mouth filled with come. Unsure of what to do, she swallowed and made a face.

  She used the now-cold washcloth to tidy him up and then crawled up to curl against him.

  Morrer whispered in her ear, "You didn't have to do that."

  She yawned and snuggled into him. "I know, but I was curious and I never could resist exploring foreign territory." His chuckle was the tune that rocked her into a restful slumber.

  The clatter of a tray along with a growling belly right behind her woke her. Lorlie came down the stairs and stopped at the sight of them curled together. She paused for a moment and then put the tray on the table.

  Venya spoke quietly. "Thank you, Lorlie."

  The woman jumped at the words and then smiled. "I wasn't expecting the markings. Why did they do it?"

  "So that they wouldn't mix up their avatars. Morrer has a twin who is the emissary on Emicar IV." Her voice was low, but she could feel her mate stirring behind her.

  "It is lovely. Strange but lovely." Lorlie came closer to examine the marks.

  "I am marked on the right, Morrer on the left. I guess that way we look like bookends or something." She chuckled and let her mind wander. The priests on the floor above her came as a surprise, but she didn't let her emotions show on her face.

  Searaline, can you pass a message to Lassing? There are priests on the floor above. Lorlie has betrayed us.

  Venya felt Morrer stiffen and knew he had gotten the message. "That food smells good. Let me get dressed and I will be face first in the soup."

  She left the bed and kept a shield around Lorlie in case she tried to move.

  The old woman nodded, "You can eat naked, I don't mind."

  "I do. I never could eat food while unclothed. Something so barbaric about it." She smiled and pulled her dress over her head. The boots were trickier. She had to get very close to Lorlie to retrieve them from where Morrer had thrown them.

  She quickly tightened the laces and stood. Morrer was dressed and ready behind her. "Why don't we eat in your kitchen? I am sure that no one will think to come here."

  Lorlie shook her head. "No. Just have dinner and take a nap. It is almost dawn and there is plenty of time for you to rest."

  Searaline took over and touched Lorlie's mind. "You have betrayed them. You would drug them and have the priests fall on them while they sleep."

  Lorlie fell to her knees. "I beg forgiveness, lady, but they have taken my granddaughter and are promising to sacrifice her as soon as her first heat begins."

  Lassing crossed his arms. "We will take care of it. Now go and tell the priests that they took the bait."

  The old woman nodded and walked up the stairs, calm and relief shining in her mind.

  Venya was amazed that she could read details in the woman's mind. The power that Searaline had poured into her during that first joining had opened parts of her talent that Venya had never dreamed of.

  She searched a little more and found three of the priests were unsure, only one was completely convinced of his purpose. He wanted to see women die and he was not particular about whether they were psychics or not.

  Through the floor, Venya grabbed his groin and crushed his cock and testicles. The scream that ripped through the house was a dim echo of the actual sound thanks to the soundproofing.

  Morrer looked at her suspiciously. "What did you just do?"

  "He likes to cause women pain, so now he will feel it." She smiled and it was not a pleasant smile.

  "You can do that, sight unseen and through a floor?" He had a certain satisfaction in his attitude.

  "I can now. A benefit of the joining. Shall we greet our guests?" Her savagery was unmistakable.

  "After you, goddess of vengeance and harvests. Morvigeth shall remember this day."

  "I certainly hope so. I don't enjoy men who hurt women as a form of entertainment." She put her feet on the steps and pushed the trap door aside with her talent as she climbed. She felt Morrer behind her and his power and amusement followed her to face the man she had crippled.

  The priests scrambled in surprise at her calm demeanour as she approached.

  The man with the crushed testicles was on the floor in front of her. "You enjoy watching women in pain. You have selected women who were not talents for sacrifice. I believe your sacrifice will be an excellent start to repairing the rift between the priesthood and people."

  "I will see a knife in your chest for this, bitch." The words were hissed between his teeth.

  She smiled and lifted him from the floor with the flick of her fingers. "I don't like that name, please repeat it often as I consider your sentence."

  He was held in the air, his head lower than his waist as she held him with her talent. The other priests were looking at her wide-eyed as she walked her prisoner out of the farmhouse with Morrer at her back. The conglomeration of priests glowed as she sought out the underground temple.

  "Sir, I beg forgiveness, but when did you get those markings?"

  Morrer answered the timid priest who was following nervously. "When my lady and I joined so that Lassing and Searaline could have two more bodies to occupy. They marked us as a mated set with the runes of Lassing."

  "How is she doing that?"

  "She is the emissary of Searaline and has access to her power. Her own talent is of a telekinetic nature and the goddess of vengeance and harvests enhances it."

  The priests swallowed. The timid spokesperson spoke again. "So, the sacrifices were not needed?"

  "The sacrifice of a female psychic was so that her mind would have enough power to reach the stars when joined by choice by a male who represented Lassing. Pleasure was the key, not pain."

  One of the priests vomited on the side of the road, his companions helped him up.

  As the dawn brightened, Venya saw what the star had mentioned. She laughed. "Morrer, this is what Searaline was talking about. Everything is in bloom."

  It was true. The plants were alive and animals in the area were copulating in every field. Life was returning to this village beyond subsistence. It was an amusing sight.

  Chapter Eight

  The underground caverns that were to have been her doom amused her. Venya carried the hostile priest right to the sacrificial altar and pinned him into the position he had enjoyed seeing so many psychics and other women in.

  "Gather all your brothers. I want them all to see this. And free all the women. I will know if even one is still confined."

  Morrer wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered in her ear. "How long can you hold him there?"

  She whispered back, "Until the stars burn out. Searaline is getting closer by the day and right now, she is shining upon me, figuratively speaking."

  "Good. Are you planning what I think you are?"

  She nodded. "This is going to get bloody. If I have to kill them all, I will. But I would prefer to strike at this particular one. He enjoyed the killing beyond what is acceptable. If he wasn't a priest, he would be considered a serial killer."

  "Understood. Do what you will. I am here if you need me."

  His arm squeezed her waist and she welcomed the support.

  The priests gathered and looked at her with a combination of contempt and fear.

  She took in a deep breath and began to speak. "Priests of Lassing. I stand before you as the emissary of Searaline, lost wife of Lassing. Beside me stands the emissary of your star, my mate.

  "The gods marked us wit
h matching glyphs to prove to any and all that we do represent them and so they can identify our bodies when they wish to use them. You are gathered here today to witness the last sacrifice to Lassing that will be conducted on this world in this manner."

  There were three women, clinging to each other and they were radiating fear and anger as well as intense curiosity.

  "In keeping with your practices, this sacrifice will be done by the rules." She lifted her hands and stepped back so that everyone could see the furious priest on the altar.

  "Priest Leenos here has been gathering women for sacrifice, regardless of their true status as psychics."

  A few of the priests muttered to themselves and a ripple of anger started.

  "He loved to watch women sacrificed and enjoyed it even more when he was allowed to do it himself. He is a killer by nature and a shame to the Hashka race.

  "And so, in keeping with your traditions, I will now fasten his hands and feet and thighs to the altar." The spikes were next to the altar and she winced as he screamed when they penetrated his skin.

  She waited until the screaming stopped and picked up one of the sacrificial blades. "Now, he must be penetrated by one dagger." She jabbed it up between his thighs and blinked at the high-pitched tone.

  "Now, the final one will touch his heart." The last knife speared him to the altar and he was silenced.

  She faced her audience. "The ritual was supposed to be for pleasure, not pain. She was supposed to be bound to the altar so that the priest acting for Lassing would bring her pleasure and as the psychic had her first climax, her mind would soar to the stars, letting Lassing find his long-lost mate.

  "With the death of the psychic, all chance of finding Lassing's wife died with her. With each repetition, Lassing turned from Morvigeth, but he held out hope that one priest would figure it out and he would find Searaline. He refused to let the people of Morvigeth die, but neither would they prosper. Subsistence living was all he would allow while the cycle continued."

  The priests were looking nauseous and a few lost their breakfasts.

  "Morrer is the emissary of Lassing. He is here to help the priesthood get back on track. Lassing and Searaline will bless Morvigeth once again and the village that I sheltered in is already reaping the benefits. Flowers are blooming and the animals are mating up a storm. I have been told that Searaline is the goddess of vengeance and harvests, the vengeance has been demonstrated. I will not hesitate to do the same again. Help me get to the harvests."

  The priests fell to their knees and bowed low. The women had tears of relief running down their faces.

  Morrer smiled at her, but gold filled his eyes. "Well done, Venya. Priests, I am Lassing and no human sacrifice of any nature will be accepted here on Morvigeth. I have regained my wife and she is making her way to me as I speak. I want these women escorted safely back to their homes and families.

  "Morrer will restructure a joint temple and the worship of Searaline will begin alongside the new traditions. I want all of you who have witnessed these events today to become pilgrims to all of the temples. If I hear of one more woman being murdered, I will unleash Searaline upon you and she will spend her wrath on any worthy man she finds."

  Venya could feel him touch the priests and bring the seriousness of their pilgrimages to their minds.

  She left the corpse pinned to the altar and went to speak to the women. "Are you all right?"

  One woman with violet eyes threw herself into Venya's arms and sobbed.

  "You are Lorlie's granddaughter." It wasn't a question.

  "You know my grandmother?" The woman sniffled into Venya's dress.

  "I do. She is a strong woman and she would have done anything to save you."

  "Is she all right?"

  "She is fine. Now, let's get all of you home." Venya started toward daylight and only then realized that the women were naked. "Morrer, can you have the priests find some clothing?"

  One of the younger members who had completely converted ran down a hall, returning in under a minute with armloads of fabric.

  The women picked out their clothing and the youth ran to get shoes for them. When they were dressed and shod, Venya led them into the fresh air and out of the underground temple and waited for Morrer.

  He came out with two priests who looked up at him with worshipful awe.

  Morrer gave her a kiss that scorched her toes. She drew back with a gasp and her lips were not the only thing throbbing. "What are the others doing?"

  "Preparing packs. They are going to spread the word."

  She chuckled. "Excellent. Now, let's get these ladies back to their families and get me back to mine before they raze this planet in revenge."

  "Good point. Let's go."

  Lorlie was incoherent in her gratitude. She clung to Venya and sobbed into her dress.

  She laughed and hugged the older woman. "You remind me of your granddaughter. She did the same thing."

  "I am so sorry, I never would have done that if I had any idea you would be able to bring her home."

  "You did nothing that my mother or grandmother wouldn't have done in the same situation. Simply enjoy your granddaughter and the fruits of having the first joining in this village. There will be plenty to do. Everything is going to bloom in a very short season."

  "I will warn the others."

  "Including the seamstress. There is going to be a sudden upsurge in pregnancies." Searaline, who was now content to remain in the back of her mind, provided the information.

  A bright smile spread across Lorlie's features. "I may get that great grandbaby I have been longing for."

  "Yes, you just might. Most of the eligible women in the area will be in heat soon, so tell Sorrel and Roroth to keep their senses on alert."

  "I will." The proud grandmother was almost rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

  Venya said her goodbyes and they walked to the next village.

  The tearful family was so relieved that their daughter was home, they offered a meal and change of clothing. Morrer laughed and accepted. Venya had been subjected to a sobbing sister, mother and grandmother. The dress that they provided was a welcome change, but after the meal, they had to refuse the offer of a bed for the night. The last woman had been taken from the spaceport area and Venya was eager to see her family.

  The two priests ran in front of them and obtained a skimmer that would accommodate the five of them. It saved them four hours of walking and they were in the spaceport before sunset.

  The last woman returned to her family and once they had been assured that the priests would not seek her again, they were relieved and overjoyed to have her back. Fear of the priests of Lassing ran high and it was yet another thing that was on the list to change.

  With a heightened feeling of anticipation, Venya turned to the spaceport and made her way to her family's shuttle. When the door opened, tears flowed on both sides as Jorila embraced her daughter.

  It was two minutes of happy sobbing when Jorila straightened and asked her, "Honey, what happened to your face?"

  Chapter Nine

  Venya leaned back and laughed in relief. "It's a long story. May we come inside to explain it?"

  Her mother lifted an eyebrow. "We?"

  "I will explain when father and the others are gathered. If there is one thing I know, it is that the family will have something to say."

  Her mother's eyes went blank as she summoned her clan to the ship. "They will be here within minutes. I cannot tell you how happy I am to see you in one piece."

  Venya squeezed her mother's shoulders and reached back to take Morrer's hand. Together, they walked into the belly of the large shuttle and took a seat in the main chamber.

  She smiled as her father rushed to her for a hug and squeezed her tight.

  His voice caught as he spoke. "Oh, mite. You scared us all."

  "I am fine, Papa. No lasting damage and I am feeling stronger than ever."

  Jorila nodded when all of the ground
-based family members were in the room and looked to Morrer. He came up beside her with one arm around her waist, an action that got several of her family members muttering.

  "I wanted you all together to see that, yes, I am alive, intact and whole. I also wanted to tell you that I will be staying on Morvigeth for the foreseeable future."

  The room erupted into denials, but Jorila stilled them. "I felt something different in you, what happened?"

  Venya turned her head so they could all see her marks clearly. "I was chosen and marked by the gods. Morrer is the emissary of Lassing and I am now the emissary of Lassing's wife, Searaline. The star resides within me."

  "I don't believe it." Her father was shaking his head. "You are not even from Morvigeth. Why would you be chosen?"

  Searaline took over for a moment. "Your daughter is one of the most powerful psychics I have ever heard of. Lassing knew she could reach me during the joining. There was no doubt. She also has enough power to defend herself from those who would fight the changes that are coming."

  Morrer wrapped his arms around her, but she heard Lassing's voice. "The priests here deliberately misinterpreted my words. As punishment, Morvigeth was unable to prosper. Now that the temples have been properly instructed and those who enjoyed the killing have been eradicated, progress can be made with these two emissaries leading the way."

  Jorila's eyes had widened and inside her own mind, behind Searaline, Venya felt her mother's mental touch on her thoughts.

  "Why is Venya behind you?" The suspicion was palpable in her mother's voice.

  "Because she knew you would not believe her without speaking to me first. I will leave her now to answer any questions that you have. You raised a strong daughter, you should be very proud."

  Jorila blushed and clutched her husband's hand. "It was a joint effort."

  Venya felt her eyes return to normal. "Do you understand why I can't leave?"

  Markos nodded. "It seems you have stumbled into your destiny. I can't say that I am pleased to have you mated without my approval, but I understand why."

  Venya blushed. "I don't really think you do and that is a good thing."