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  “As we love our lives, so we embrace our deaths. Free of our bodies, our souls can soar.” Orvar was speaking by rote.

  As Alvar settled six feet deep, the men resumed their places next to the edge of the grave.

  “And so the spark of new life destroys the traces of the old.”

  Orriko took her hand, pulling her forward to extend her arm out over his father’s body. He placed his hand on hers and a warmth ran through her arm.

  Her skin got hot and her palm itched. She clenched and released her fist, jumping as a spark flew from her hand to land on Alvar’s chest.

  Orriko quickly pulled her back, tucking her against him as a wall of flame shot upward.

  Lilli knew her eyes were as wide as they could be, but everyone else was solemn and treated the flame as expected. The grave was filled with glass, the rubble set to one side had found its way into the grave and was sealed with a completely seamless polish to the floor.

  Orvar inclined his head. “We will leave you with your grief, but know that we are a community and you may call on us when you need us.”

  Orvar stepped around the newly sealed grave and embraced Orriko. “Be strong and wise, Bael Lerock. Your people need you.”

  To her surprise, Lilli was the next in the embrace. Orvar whispered, “Whatever you think, I loved him. Carry him carefully, our world can use more men like him.”

  Orvar walked out, speaking with the waiting clan members as he walked through the hall.

  Orriko whispered, “We will speak with all who wish it.”

  She nodded. “Of course. I am at your side until you say otherwise.”

  He smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek, on top of the track of tears. “You have said enough for both of us.”

  She gripped his arm and walked with him through the grieving population. It might be minutes or hours, but she was going to be at his side.

  Chapter Ten

  “What do you mean they are coming do declare war?” Lilli was braiding a halo to confine her hair, and she turned to stare at Orriko.

  “It is tradition. There are nine clans here on Ikanni, and in order to exchange bloodlines, we must declare war or raid the others. Raiding leads to bad matches, so we engage in negotiations and call it war.” He slid two silver arm cuffs over his biceps and two thick bracelets on his wrists.

  “Fascinating. What do I need to do?” He had asked her to come with him and that alone made her suspicious. He tended to simply grab her and transport her where he wanted her to go.

  He grinned. In the last two hours, a large wardrobe had been moved into her quarters, and it had contained quite a few goodies. He opened it and withdrew a delicate piece of silk. “Wear this.”

  He held up some silvery chains. “And this.”

  The silk was a tabard. It hung to the floor in front and back. When she had it in place, he started to attach the chains. A short link on either side held the fabric together. He attached a chain so that it looped down across each shoulder, and he finished with three rows of chain over each thigh slit to keep the skirt from kicking open.

  The weight of the thigh chains kept the silk in line, but the back was just on the line of decent.

  He lifted a box out of the wardrobe and placed it on the bed. In just a few days, her Base Command quarters had gone from being hers to theirs. His clothing was sharing space in her closet, his spare boots were at the edge of the bed and his documents were on her desk.

  He opened the box and held out a set of bands that matched his. “Wear these. They will mark you as Bael.”

  “Why not? Whatever will cover more skin.” She wrinkled her nose as he slid the armbands into place and then snapped the bracelets on her wrists.

  He also reached in and lifted a headband from the box. It was wrought silver with a rainbow of gemstones embedded in the design. “This was my mother’s.”

  He set it on her head and held her face in his hands as he gave her a deep kiss. “You look wonderful.”

  “I feel naked.”

  “That too. They won’t be able to keep their concentration.” He laughed and wrapped his arms around her, telling her with his body that he was very pleased with her appearance. Her channel slicked and her clit throbbed and she shivered in his arms.

  “I don’t think I will be able to keep my concentration.” Her words were muttered as they transported out of the base and onto the mud flats where the meeting was going to be held.

  A white silk pavilion was already in place. Carpets and cushions were laid out in an arrangement designed to make all equal.

  Ythrin appeared next to them, his data pad ready to record the details of the meeting.

  “Hello, Ythrin.”

  “Bael Hislar, you look…” His gaze was running over her from head to toe and back again.

  She snickered. “Stop that, Ythrin. You will burn your retinas out.”

  He blinked and straightened. “I apologise, Bael Hislar. I didn’t realize you could look so elegant with so little fabric…I mean effort.”

  Orriko was shaking slightly with amusement, and Lilli wanted to smack him.

  At the appointed time, eight other groups of dark elves surrounded the pavilion, and on some unspoken trigger, they all walked forward to take a seat.

  Orriko sat down and settled against one of the nine seats with a backing, leaving her to figure out a decorous way of sitting next to him. She ended up using his chest and arm as a backrest while she folded her legs to one side. The pose exposed her leg, hip, ankle and the curve of her waist, but she had the idea that it was what Orriko had intended.

  A male across the gathering smirked, “If I knew that we could bring a pet, I would have.”

  “Be quiet.” Her words were calm, but when the man tried to speak, nothing came out.

  Orriko caressed her waist. “Gentlemen, I would like to introduce my mate, Bael Hislar. Her Heshi has extended her power of command to any within the reach of her voice.”

  The man next to the stifled one asked, “She has a Heshi?”

  “The Heshi demanded her, and they would not brook any argument.” Orriko’s fingers moved slowly against her skin.

  The man who couldn’t talk raised his hand, pressed it to his chest and bowed low.

  “You are excused. You may speak.” Lilli felt the ripple of power in her words.

  “Thank you, Bael Hislar. I apologise for my flippant tone. May I congratulate you on your recent bonding?”

  Orriko scowled. “We are not yet bonded mates, Bael Horsar.”

  “Then, she is available?” Bael Horsar was curious.

  To Lilli’s surprise, six of the men were staring at her with curious and admiring glances.

  Orriko must have noticed too, because the next thing she knew, she was being hauled into his lap. “She is carrying my child. Keep your gazes to yourself.”

  She settled on his lap and arranged her skirt to cover more of her. “I guess this is backfiring, isn’t it?”

  He gave her a squeeze and looked out at the other Baels. “I believe that war was declared against my people.”

  The other males shifted.

  A young man spoke. “I believe that we are due to receive three females from your folk in this season. Can you still provide them?”

  Orriko nodded. “Yes. We have three women of good family willing to go to your clan, Bael Russko.”

  “When will they be arriving? Our males will either fight for the clan or fight for a female against their brethren, they are getting anxious.”

  Orriko nodded. “They are simply waiting until the mourning period for my father is over.”

  “So, the end of the week?”

  “Yes. Now, Bael Horsar, what are you here to demand?”

  Lilli rested her head against Orriko’s chest and listened to the demands for grain, tech and personnel. Some he agreed to, some he rejected outright and invited the Bael in question to attack at their leisure.

  She remained quiet and idly stroked Orriko’s chest
until she heard the demand. “I want your mate, Bael Lerock.”

  She jerked out of her stupor and stared at the male who had spoken. He was leaning forward and staring at the expanse of her thigh.

  She scowled and yanked the fabric over to cover more skin. “I am pregnant, moron.”

  He grinned. “I do not care. Bael Lerock can have his child, and I can have you.”

  Orriko gently lifted her in his arms and stood. “You cannot have her, Bael Polgeal.”

  “I think I can.”

  The other men got to their feet and everyone backed away from the centre of the pavilion.

  Lilli felt the tugging of the wind on her skirt and she was trying desperately to not give them the order to stop being morons.

  Polgeal was taller than Orriko by a few inches, but Orriko was wider at the shoulder. The two Baels collided with a thud in the centre of the pavilion, and they locked in place as they fought for supremacy.

  Polgeal looked like he was getting the upper hand, but Orriko shifted and the taller male struck the floor with a thud. He got up, and they locked again.

  Ythrin was standing next to her, so she whispered, “Why are they doing this?”

  He grinned. “They are proving to you that they are the best warrior and therefore the best mate for you. With a limited number of women, we tend to do this a lot.”

  She chuckled at the insight into Ikanni life. It distracted her from the fight in the centre of the floor.

  The men were on top of each other now, rolling and punching, their dark skin shining with sweat.

  Orriko finally knelt across Polgeal’s body and punched him in the jaw, leaving him unconscious.

  Lilli walked over to him and helped him stand. “That was impressive, Orriko.”

  The moment he was upright, he lifted her and took her lips in a possessive kiss that involved cupping her ass with one hand and winding the other in her hair. She closed her eyes and kissed him back, wrapping her fingers in his hair to hold him tight as the embrace sent ripples of lust through her system.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist and rocked on him, rubbing against the ridge of his erection through his leathers. Lilli let out a low moan, and he bit her lip gently before kissing his way down her neck.

  Holding her with his grip under her ass, he reached between them and freed his cock, its wide, flared head was slick with precum and with a few jerks, he moved her skirt out of the way and spread the lips of her sex, lifting her to take the wide head of his erection inside her.

  He lifted and dropped her, widening his stance for balance, his lips on her neck, gnawing gently before biting deep as he pumped into her with ferocity.

  She creamed on his cock and screamed as her first orgasm ripped through her, whimpering as he continued until the heat and tension caught her again and her body clasped him tightly.

  He groaned and held her as his cock pulsed and twitched inside her. When his body had subsided and their breathing had returned to normal, he slowly lifted her off him and set her on her feet.

  The fabric swung back into place, covering her once again. Lilli leaned her forehead against Orriko’s chest and tried to get the blush on her cheeks under control. Her senses told her that she was not alone and that her mate was not the only male in the vicinity.

  Orriko tucked his cock back into his leathers and pressed a kiss on her forehead. She looked up to see him glowering at the other males still gathered around. “Mine.”

  The other males were busy staring at her, but they nodded in agreement.

  He chuckled and ran a hand through her hair. “Now, if we could get back to business?”

  Ythrin grinned. “The Baels have agreed that the negotiations are concluded. With that display in front of them, they can no longer concentrate.”

  Orriko chuckled. “Fine. Summit dismissed. We will be in contact regarding negotiated terms and preparing for war.”

  Lilli looked up at him and fought the urge to punch him. Instead, she held him close as he transported them back to their quarters.

  “Was that what you had in mind when you dressed me in this outfit?” She popped her fist against his chest.

  “Not directly. I was planning on them being so busy staring at you that they would forget what they were there to demand. Instead, they are now so busy with their own females, it will give us a day or so to prepare the walls of the base for invasion.”

  Lilli sighed and gestured to her gown. “You got me into this, you are going to have to get me out of it.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Lilli woke in Orriko’s arms, her eyes were wide and her pulse was pounding. A signal was coming in.

  She sat up and checked the receiver. The intercept was still in place, and it was recording another signal on the Raider’s frequency. She got up and slipped into her robe, tiptoeing to the edge of the room before she transported to the communication array.

  With determination and calm, she rerouted the relays, plugged in the signal beam and prepared to upload the data on the secure signal.

  “What are you doing, Lilli?” His voice was calm, but she could tell he was less than impressed at waking up alone.

  “The intercept got a signal, and I need to forward it to the Alliance. It’s my job.”

  He walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Your job is over. The base was abandoned. You are free.”

  She turned in his arms and backed up, flipping the signal on the priority channel and running the message to the relay station.

  He narrowed his eyes. “Did you just do what I think you did?”

  “I am Base Command. I am not free, I am here to help the Alliance keep the helpless safe. It is more than a duty, it is a calling.”

  Orriko nodded. “I understand. We are driven to do things that others might question, but it is our sense of right and wrong that eventually makes us who we are.”

  “Can we go to the greenhouse? There is something there I want to show you.” She reached out and put her hands on his naked chest.

  “Of course.” He put his hands on her waist, and they were in the hall outside the greenhouse.

  She opened the door with her link to the base, and they stepped inside. She had kept the automatic systems running, and her personal project was almost ready.

  “I don’t think I have been in here before.”

  “It has only been ten days, Orriko. Most of those in the base are not interested in plants.”

  There was low lighting in the greenhouse, and the Christmas tree was growing with its silvery tips glowing in the low light.

  “What is it?” Orriko walked with her, and he obviously caught her mood.

  “It is a tree. Just a simple tree. What it means to me is that somewhere in the universe, my family and friends are gathering around a tree similar to this and thinking of me. Every year, we put up a tree and decorated it, used it as a centrepiece for celebrations. For a few days every year, we thought about others before ourselves and basked in the warmth of our friends and family.”

  “Why?”

  “The holidays on Earth sprang up from every religion and culture. They take place at slightly different times and have different traditions, but where I was born, we put up the tree, decorated the house, celebrated the darkest days of winter and enjoyed presents and each other’s company. It was not always calm and not always cheerful, but we knew that despite any differences, we were loved, and if we couldn’t gather, we were missed.”

  “What does this have to do with the signal?”

  “I like to think that somewhere out there on a world that the Raiders are about to attack, there might just be a family who is doing the same thing we were, if not for the same reason, then for the same feeling. To let someone die when I can act in some minor way to prevent it is not at all in the spirit of the season.” She reached out and touched the tree.

  He paused, naked in the dim light. “You feel that strongly about this?”

  “I do.”

&nbs
p; Orriko sighed. “Then, I suppose that I will have to answer the Alliance request to renew operations on this listening post. Can you train my people to run the relay?”

  “Our people? Yes, I can. I might need a tech down here once every year or two but that should be easy. Are you serious?”

  He sighed. “How can I deny you something that will satisfy your soul?”

  “Pretty easily. The same way you denied me underwear.” She crossed her arms over her chest suspiciously.

  He grinned. “That was for my satisfaction.”

  Lilli laughed. “That’s it? You will just let me resume use of the base?”

  “Sure. It doesn’t affect our people. They have plenty of space and the base has quite a few resources that can be useful or tailored to fit us.”

  “You found the skimmer husks?”

  He grinned.

  “I can help with those.”

  “I knew you would say that.” He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I know what it is to miss family. My mother has been gone for fifty years, and I still miss her every day. Now, my father is gone, so you are the only family I have.”

  “I miss my family every day as well, but the holidays focus a magnifying glass on what I am missing. Don’t get me wrong, I love being out here and on Ikanni, but home is home.” She pressed a kiss to his lips in return.

  He nodded and turned to look at the tree. “It is very pretty. What is the significance?”

  “It is a pagan reference. The tradition involves bringing something alive into the house to ward off the death of winter. In some places where you still have a fireplace, you drag in a huge log on the longest night of the year and burn it from sundown to sunup. The primitive logic is that it keeps the sun alive or relights it in the morning or something.”

  “Only one sun?”

  Lilli smiled. “Yes, only one sun. One moon. No other inhabitable planets in the system.”

  He walked onto the soft moss and took a seat. “Come here.”

  She paused. “What?”

  “Come here and sit down. I want you to tell me about your home, your family.” He patted his thighs, seemingly ignoring his erect cock.