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  Sex Me Replete

  Children of the Triad

  Book 3

  By

  Tianna Xander and

  Bonnie Rose Leigh

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Sex Me Replete - Children of the Triad - Book 3

  Copyright ã 2008 Tianna Xander & Bonnie Rose Leigh

  ISBN: 978-1-55487-004-2

  Cover art by Martine Jardin

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by eXtasy Books

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  Dedication

  This series, and this book especially, is dedicated to all our readers who can’t seem to get enough of this series. You can’t know what it means to us to get those emails telling us to write more, write faster. We love you all.

  Sex Me Replete

  Jerineau Arden switched on the communications console and began transmitting the recorded message before she strapped herself into her stasis pod. She took a long look around her emergency bridge and shook her head. There was nothing more she could do. Like the rest of the women, she could only stay in her pod and hope the ship set itself down on autopilot before something else failed.

  They’d been lucky. This planet was the only one in the system capable of supporting life. There was a small community on the surface she hoped was friendly. Otherwise, they may as well have taken their chances attempting to get to another system.

  Only a few of the crew had perished. One of the dead was her own mother who put herself in harm’s way in a last ditch effort to save them all. It hadn’t worked. Now, not only did she have to do what her mother had planned all along, but she had to do it knowing her mother wouldn’t be here when she woke. It was such a waste.

  Lying down, she stared ahead waiting to seal her tube until the message began to play in its loop. With luck the ship would land itself as programmed and their stasis pods would open after the ship vented, returning atmosphere to the empty passageways.

  “This is Jerineau Arden aboard the Amazonian research vessel, Inquisitor. We are losing life support quickly and are attempting to set down on an unknown planet. Coordinates are imbedded in a text file with this message. Any ships in the vicinity please respond.”

  She closed her pod after the message played a third time, confident that it would continue to repeat at least until the ship landed itself on the surface of the planet below. Closing herself in this pod hadn’t been her first choice. In fact, it had been one of her last, ranking right above death. Still, she thought, the damnable pods were little better than coffins in which to bury people alive. She took a deep breath of the flowery-smelling tranquilizing agent as it misted into her tube and willed herself to sleep. Perhaps she would wake in the arms of a handsome man. She snorted as the agent affected her nervous system and began to shut her body down. Yeah, like that will happen. A man of her own was nothing more than a dream. The last unmated man she’d had the pleasure to meet had been older than her grandsire. The rumors they’d heard of male dominated planets were all myths. Men were as rare as fresh air aboard the ship right now.

  * * * *

  Five Hienial starships, Salvation, Reliant, Destiny, Triumph and Seeker all moved steadily toward the planet they’d named Silian Prime. Their escorts, seven ships from the Savari, Lioni, Drakoni and Carrillian worlds. The mixed fleet, expecting nothing but prepared for anything, headed bravely into the unknown searching for Hienial-Halflings, men born of violence who, hopefully, could find a way to continue their existence in peace.

  “We’re about to arrive, sir.” Michal Dare, Prince of the Savari people, looked back from his seat as navigator aboard the Salvation and cleared his throat.

  “Have you something to say, Michal?” Ryo, the Goddess appointed leader of the Halflings asked.

  Michal nodded. “I’d like to accompany the landing party, Ryo. I have a feeling…”

  Ryo gave him a level stare. His amber eyes pinned Michal in place just as easily as his body could have done. “You know there are no Hienial females.”

  “Of course I do.” Michal frowned and rubbed a place in the center of his chest. “I just have to be there. I feel it.”

  Ryo nodded his assent. “You know you are not bound to this ship, Michal. You are not Hienial.” That none of them were, save Ryo, was left unspoken, but still hung heavily in the air. “You need not have asked.”

  Michal inclined his head in a manner of sovereign diplomacy. “Perhaps not. I merely thought to show you the respect due your station. It is no more than you deserve. Remember, I am not yet the leader of my people. I am merely their prince.”

  Ryo snorted. “And I am the ruler of but three.”

  * * * *

  Jeri woke from her stasis sleep and gazed around the silent interior of her pod. She frowned, listening for any sign of life beyond her own enclosure. How long had she been unconscious?

  Looking up, she checked the BIO readings. The countdown to seal breach and the pod’s automatic evacuation system of the unit had already begun. When the countdown reached zero, the aperture would open. Then she could finally exit this sarcophagus and ensure the rest of her people fared well.

  The women on this ship were her responsibility now that her mother was gone. Tears filled her eyes as the memory of her mother giving her life for her and the others by walking into the compromised area crept into her mind. She’d tried to seal the hull breach and failed.

  I know what I’m doing, Jeri. But, if I should fail, you will take my place as Captain. You are the only one capable of the task. She’d smoothed back her hair, taking a few precious seconds to spend a little time with her. Jeri would bet that, Arana, her mother, had known she would fail before she’d even tried. You are the only woman groomed from birth for command of this vessel, as is the Amazonian way. We are the last of our people. It is now your responsibility to find males for our females to mate with, else our civilization will perish.

  Closing her eyes, Jeri reached up and swiped the tears from her cheeks. She would not show such weakness to her crew. The fact that she’d watched her mother slowly suffocate was of no consequence when the safety of her people was concerned. She could not afford such sweet sentiment now.

  What in the world was taking the damned pod so long to unlatch the door? She opened her eyes to see the counter on zero and made a face. What a baby she’d become since her mother’s death. So wrapped up in her own grief, she didn’t even hear the thing open.

  Reaching up, she pushed on the display panel and felt the blood drain from her face. It hadn’t freed the latch! In a panic, she pulled the emergency release lever, only to hear a dull thump. The door still refused to open.

  “Dammit!” She kicked out at the panel, hoping to dislodge it. Still it wouldn’t budge. Real panic began to set in as the walls of the small enclosure seemed to close i
n on her. “Help me!” She screamed. “Oh, Goddess, I don’t want to die like this!” Visions of her mother slowly suffocating filled her mind. “Not like this,” she babbled to herself. “I can’t die like this.”

  As the oxygen in her pod ran out and the world around her grew dark, Jeri’s soul cried out one last time. Help me, please… Someone, help m--

  * * * *

  Roman and Royce Dri’Vane circled each other, each determined to strike the other first with their dulled practice swords. Though no enemy ships had landed recently on Verbana, they and the other warrior Hienial-Halflings trained constantly for just such an occurrence. If ever the enemy returned to this planet intent on recapturing their slave cargo, the Halflings would be ready for them. Never again would another enslave their people—not and live.

  As sweat began to drip down Roman’s face and into his eyes, he watched his twin brother, Royce, ruthlessly, looking for an opening so he could end this evenly matched sparring session. Already, he and Royce had spent nearly half this dawning in the practice ring as the other warriors looked on, waiting their turn. And, truth to tell, the heat of the twin suns had started to roast him hours ago. He couldn’t wait until he could quench his thirst at the fresh water spring just outside their village, and pick a Voba fruit from the tree that grew along side its banks. Even now, he could almost taste its tart nectar tingling atop his tongue.

  “Daydreaming again, Roman?” Royce mocked.

  Roman snorted, tossed his sword to his right hand and lunged for his brother. “Hmm… Just imagining you groveling at my feet, begging me to show mercy once I strip you of your blade, brother.”

  “Now I know you’re dreaming. You haven’t bested me at swordsmanship since we were both old enough to lift a blade.”

  Again, Roman tossed his sword, back to his left hand as he continued to circle his brother. It wouldn’t be long now before Royce dropped his left shoulder as he lunged across the practice circle. It helped that, as twins, they could practically read each other’s minds before a thought even formed, predict each others actions before they were taken. It made them formidable in both strategy and battle. None of the other warrior pairs had been able to match the power and prowess of him and his twin.

  When Royce made his move, Roman was ready, sidestepping Royce’s attack. Roman spun around as Royce stepped passed him and slapped the flat of his blade across his brother’s ass. Laughter from their fellow warriors echoed through the glen as Royce turned toward Roman and gave him a half-bow before pulling him into a one-armed hug. “Well done, big brother. Until next time.”

  Before he could drop his brother’s grip, the sky above grew dark. The ground shook. Fata Birds screeched from above. Hot wind seared his skin. “By the Goddess, what is happening?”

  Beside him, Royce shook his head, his gaze fixed at the sky above. “Look. A ship, and it’s coming in fast.”

  Roman shook out of his stupor, faced his fellow warriors. “You all know what to do. Royce and I will take point, the rest of you fan out to your positions. Those assigned to guard and protect the village, move out. The rest of you, await our orders. If something happens to us, you know what to do.”

  No one stopped to question Roman, instead following the protocol they’d established for just this type of emergency. “As soon as we know where it’s headed, you and I will track it, Royce.” Though he and his brother could speak mind-to-mind, none of the other warriors were aware of it, so they spoke out loud when others were present.

  “Understood.”

  Together, Roman and Royce watched a ship, the likes of which they’d never before seen ,descend from the sky much too rapidly to be a controlled landing.

  “Well, if it’s our enemies, it looks like they have trouble aboard.” Royce whispered.

  Roman nodded. “And if they aren’t our enemy, then this might turn into a rescue mission instead of a war.”

  As they tracked the incoming ship across the sky, Royce sighed. “Either way, it doesn’t look like we’ll be picking fruit this afternoon.”

  Shaking his head at his brother’s wry sense of humor, Roman turned toward the east. From the looks of things, the ship would find itself at least a two-hour hike away from the village, somewhere near The Valley of Mist. “We better head out. If there are innocents aboard that vessel, the longer it takes to get there, the heavier the death rate will be. You know as well as I that the Valley of Mist is not friendly to those that find themselves there.”

  Royce smirked then took off at a steady run. “Race you.”

  Chuckling at his brother’s antics, Roman followed behind, knowing that whatever they found, it was bound to change their lives. For good or evil, he didn’t know.

  * * * *

  Michal accompanied the landing party to the shuttlecraft and boarded the smaller vessel. As ordered, they carried food and medical supplies along with their weapons. One never knew what they would find on an uncharted planet’s surface. A few of the worlds they passed showed crashed space vessels, but were absent of life signs. It wouldn’t do to find someone alive only to lose them because they weren’t prepared.

  They cloaked the shuttlecraft after leaving the main ship, wanting to observe before making their presence known to anyone living on the surface of the planet below. Only the Lady Goddess knew what awaited them on this world. He rubbed the center of his chest again, knowing something down there would change his life.

  There were likely no women here. Even if there were, he didn’t think he would find his mate so soon. Most Savari males waited lifetimes before finding their woman and he was but a mere twenty-four summers. Why should he be any different? Still he went, hoping to assuage his curiosity and alleviate his boredom. After spending the last several weeks aboard ship, his patience and good humor had finally wore thin. This was more of a shore leave for him than anything else. At least that’s what he kept telling himself. But the sense of impending change still nipped at his awareness.

  Michal sighed and shifted in his seat, lost in his thoughts. Lying to oneself wasn’t a good habit and he knew it. Still, he didn’t dare hope to find a female amongst a mostly male Hienial-Halfling village. And that was what he expected to find, no more, no less. He sighed as they passed through the planet’s ionosphere and the craft steadied out after mild turbulence while passing though the protective layer surrounding this world. Nothing could assuage the strange heaviness within him, but his mate. He knew this. He also knew he must persevere. Many of his kind still searched for their women hundreds of years after their birth. He was but a mere twenty-five—well, in a couple weeks anyway.

  They passed the ruins of a few downed shuttles not much larger than the one he now occupied. Michal glanced at them as they flew past, noticing their style and age. The ships were old, practically relics. No one from those ships needed immediate help. Perhaps years ago they had, but not now. Every one of the ships, barely shells of what they had once been, sat nestled in the low bushes on the edge of a forest. With their casings removed, they resembled strange, rusty skeletons with their ribs poking skyward through the trees and brush. It looked as though the trees grew around them and the forest attempted to claim the alien crafts. It wasn’t until he saw the still-smoking starship at the end of a long, wide swath of scarred soil that he showed any real interest. Perhaps he’d find some adventure today after all.

  The pilot reached for his communicator. “Salvation, this is Recovery, we have discovered a newly downed starship.”

  “Define newly downed, Lieutenant.” Ryo’s voice crackled over the speaker, wary. “Do you recognize the class?”

  He shook his head. “No, sir. The class is unknown to me.”

  “And by newly downed?”

  “It’s still smoking and the dust and debris is still settling around it.”

  “Go in and search for survivors. I’m sending another shuttle with healers and more medical supplies.”

  Michal heard Ryo snapping his fingers in the background and smiled. The
man may not think himself a leader, but he was born to it and his next words proved it.

  “Land your craft and lend whatever assistance is needed until the other arrives. I doubt I need to remind you to be on guard. We neither know who is on the ship, nor how this planet’s occupants will react to the crashed vessel.”

  “Yes, sir.” The pilot flew around in a circle a few times, most likely looking for a good place to land, before finally setting the craft down relatively close to the ship.

  Michal was the first out of the shuttle. His chest hurt. Pressure-pain built higher and higher inside him. Something was wrong. He could barely breathe. He had to escape before he suffocated!

  Running from the shuttle didn’t help. His breaths still came in short panicked gasps. He needed to board the downed ship. Whatever made his heart pound and his lungs feel near to bursting was aboard that ship. He knew it deep in his soul.

  Glancing around, he raced to the entrance, uncaring of the others and the need to follow proper protocol. The access ramp hung open and several panels sucked air from the outside and into the ship. He knew he could breathe in there, if only he could find what continued to affect him so strongly.

  Several of his guards tried to stop him from rushing up the ramp. Turning, he showed them the feral eyes of their prince and snarled. “Leave me.” His voice, pitched low and filled with menace, was unlike any he’d ever heard come from himself before. He barely felt in control.

  Lifting his head, he sniffed, scented. His fangs elongated. His entire being zeroed in on something, someone… Its elusive scent tickled his nostrils from the left and he headed toward it, not knowing—not caring—what he would find. He cared only that this horrible sense of suffocation cease.