Triad 5 - Sex Me All Around Read online

  earnestly. Growing braver, he moved to his

  mother's side. His small hand still held onto her

  skirts. His bravery did not extend to completely

  leaving his mother. "Mama says she will not allow

  me to become like--" Tears filled his eyes and he

  started to tremble. "She says I will never be so

  bad."

  "Of course you will not," Fury agreed with a

  curt nod before he turned his attention back to his

  mate. "I am called Fury."

  She rolled her eyes. "As you said to the boy."

  "I said it as a courtesy to you. I had hoped you

  would take the hint and offer your own name to

  me."

  She snorted, showing her derision. "Why

  would I do such a thing when I know that names

  have power? It would be careless and stupid. Even

  Ryo knows enough to not give his full name."

  "Be that as it may, I would still like to know

  what to call my mate." Fury watched as her eyes

  widened in fear before she dropped her gaze to

  the top of the boy's head. Her hands trembled

  within the small child's grasp.

  "My name is Kiri," she whispered, her soft

  voice trembling.

  Fury would have preferred to have her look

  him in the eye as she gave her name, but after all

  she'd suffered, he'd take whatever he could get.

  "Thank you, sweetness, for gifting me with

  your name. It is almost as beautiful as you."

  Beside him, Drace shifted, obviously impatient to

  have her acknowledge him as well. He could

  actually feel Drace's urgency, his desire through

  the bond they'd long ago established between

  them.

  "Now, I'm sure you want to do what is best for

  your son. What harm will it do if our medical

  personnel look at the young one? You can stay

  with him the entire time. No one," he said, with a

  quick glance at Drace, "especially the two of us,

  would ever wish harm upon you or yours. You are

  our mate, Ryo our son. We would defend you

  both with our lives if need be."

  Fury watched with one eyebrow raised as

  Drace scooted closer to the boy, and ran his hand

  through the cub's already tousled hair, quickly

  skimming his fingers across the back of Kiri's

  hand. "Kiri, please allow us to escort you and Ryo

  to the infirmary. I would very much like to make

  sure you are both healthy and will live long lives

  with Fury and me. Is that so much to ask?"

  Fury almost snickered but managed to control

  himself. Barely. He'd never thought to hear the

  mighty lion practically beg a female for anything.

  This is definitely one memory he'd keep tucked

  safe in his mind. One never knew when it might

  be useful for blackmail in the future.

  After the longest minute of his life, his mate

  nodded warily. He couldn't blame her. She didn't

  know them, didn't know if they were honorable or

  not and after what she must have suffered at the

  hands of the enemy he couldn't imagine how

  terrified she must be to put her trust into a

  stranger. The courage and bravery she showed by

  doing so was truly awe-inspiring.

  "I will do this. For Ryo." She gave them both a

  look that would have unmanned lesser men. "I do

  this for the boy. Not for you."

  Drace stood and offered his hand to the young

  boy. Ryo looked at his hand with longing. His face

  showed the craving a boy felt to have a father, a

  man he could trust to look up to and emulate. He

  bit his lip, looked between the two of them with

  wide eyes before he offered his hands to each of

  them.

  Kiri gasped and scowled at them both as if, by

  their mere presence, they took her son away.

  Crossing her arms over her chest, she strode to the

  door, waiting for each of them to take one of the

  boy's hands. Fury swallowed thickly, knowing

  what courage, what heart, it took for the young

  one to embrace them both into his life.

  "I will follow behind you to witness all that

  transpires between you as you lead us to this

  infirmary."

  They stopped in front of her and Drace reached

  out to chuck her under the chin. "There will be

  naught but our journey to the infirmary where we

  shall see to your health and...other needs."

  * * * *

  glanced from the dark-skinned man named Fury,

  to Drace, the huge blonde Lioni male. Certain they

  meant she should see if she was capable of bearing

  their children, she trembled as she followed them.

  Part of her feared the outcome of her examination,

  another part dreaded it. She wanted to bear

  children again someday. She just wasn't sure she

  wanted it now, with these men.

  "We thought you may need to talk about what

  happened."

  "Talk about it? What good would that do?" She

  didn't want to remember it, let alone talk about it.

  "We have found that it heals the mind to talk

  about that which has harmed you."

  Her mouth dropped open. "And you have

  special healers for this type of thing?"

  Drace nodded. "My father found such healers

  on a distant planet. He brought a few willing to

  leave their world with him to help our people--

  women who needed their minds repaired by such

  a healer. Women like you."

  She looked down at her feet, blinking back the

  tears that threatened. How did they always seem

  to say the right thing? Whenever she thought the

  worst of them, they surprised her by doing

  something selfless. "I don't know how talking

  about it can help. But if you think I should talk to

  one of these healers, I will try."

  Within minutes, they stopped in front of a solid

  Illuma-glass door. As soon as they entered the large

  room filled with strange looking equipment, she

  reached for Ryo. He took her hand and smiled up

  at her. His fingers curled around hers with

  familiar warmth. She blinked slowly when she

  realized that in her attempt to comfort him, he had

  reached out and done the same for her. They truly

  were a pair.

  The healer approached them with a smile.

  Kneeling down in front of Ryo, she smoothed his

  hair back from his face, her hands checking his

  head. "How old is he?"

  "He is nearly five summers."

  "Five?" The healer frowned. "I didn't realize he

  was that old. He looks no more than three."

  "He was born three moon cycles early." She

  looked back at the men who claimed to be her

  mates and swallowed. She hoped they didn't try

  to take him from her after her admission. "The

  woman who birthed him was dying. She made me

  promise to do everything I could to save him and

  keep him from the man who fathered him." Her

  heart clenched at the memory. Ryo was the only

  thing left to remind her of her lifelong friendship

  with Ryanza. "I cut him from her womb th
e

  moment she took her final breath."

  The memories haunted her. She closed her eyes

  as if the action would keep the vision of the last

  time she'd seen her friend alive at bay. The sight

  of taking a knife to her friend's rounded belly as

  Ryo kicked frantically inside her. It as almost as if

  he'd known his mother was gone and he had been

  trying to kick his way from her womb.

  "He...he was so small. So Tiny. Barely old

  enough to survive outside his mother's womb,

  still, he thrived when I took him. I fed him the

  milk from my own breast." Tears slid down her

  face as she continued her story, determined that

  they know all of it. "My own son had just been

  seized. He was only nine dawnings. They took

  him. When they found that he had been born

  without one of his fingers, they killed him." She

  gagged. "Then they ate him in front of me."

  Kiri shook the memory off. It was in the past. A

  past she wished she could change. That was why

  she'd taken Ryo and run. That is why when any

  Hienial asked, the beasts were told he was a new

  child. Until he reached two he was safe. When

  he'd reached two summers, he looked old enough

  to take. But she knew. She knew deep in her

  stomach, where all of her premonitions came

  from, that they would kill him when they realized

  he wasn't growing as quickly as he should. That

  was when she ran.

  "No sentient being should be so ghastly as to

  eat their own young." Her body began to tremble.

  "How can they be so disgusting?" She barely

  noticed when the one called Fury pulled her to her

  feet and wrapped his arms around her. Sometime

  during the retelling, the healer had taken Ryo

  across the room. How much had he heard?

  Goddess, she hoped he hadn't heard all of it. She'd

  been so careful to keep most of the horror of his

  parentage from him.

  "It's all right, baby. I've got you now. No one

  will ever hurt you again." He smoothed his large

  hands over her back. She should have felt

  threatened, afraid, but she only felt...safe.

  Kiri stood within his embrace, allowing Fury to

  hold her. She absorbed his warmth, feeling safe for

  the first time in years. She couldn't explain it, if

  she lived to be a hundred. She could feel his

  emotions. She felt his need to keep her safe, even

  from him. And that comforted her more than

  she'd ever thought possible.

  She watched Drace as he stood with Ryo as the

  healer examined the boy. Drace glanced over at

  her and smiled. Kiri attempted to return his smile

  as she stood within Fury's tight embrace. When

  Drace turned to hear something the healer said,

  she closed her eyes and leaned into Fury's

  strength. Just for a moment. Then she would pull

  free and be strong again. Just this once, she

  needed to lean on someone.

  * * * *

  "He's awfully small for his age," the healer

  whispered to Drace. "To save a child born three

  months early is a feat without specialized medical

  equipment." She smiled at the boy and gave him a

  few sweets. "There you go, sir. You were so brave,

  letting me test your blood. You and your mother

  will be happy to know you're very healthy. She

  will be so proud. Shall I tell her, or will you?"

  Ryo inhaled deeply, his little chest puffing out.

  "I want to tell her. She's always so worried about

  me." He sighed and looked down at his feet. "I'm

  too small. She always says that."

  The healer ruffled his hair. "You are small, but

  we have special food here that will make you

  grow quickly. I'll see that it is sent to you. Will you

  eat it?"

  He nodded quickly, his face alight with the

  possibility that he would soon begin to grow.

  "Yes. Yes, I'll eat it. Please." He glanced back at

  Kiri. "I want to grow big and strong so that I can

  protect Mama."

  Drace smiled and offered his hand. "Fury and I

  will protect your mother from now on, son. It is

  your job to grow strong to protect your own

  mate." He helped the boy hop down from the

  examining table and glanced back to the healer.

  "You may want to speak to his mother. You have

  much to talk about."

  "Yes." She sighed. "I heard." The healer

  glanced back at Kiri. "I don't know how she

  survived. Seeing my child..." She shook her head.

  "Watching those animals do something like that

  would have driven me mad. She needs to talk to

  me alone. She will never say more in front of the

  boy. Tell her to join me in the other room." She

  indicated a small glass enclosure. "Where she can

  talk and still remain in sight of the child."

  "I'm glad you have that small room. She never

  would have agreed to leave the boy out of her

  sight. I don't think he's been away from her once

  since he was born."

  "It wouldn't surprise me." Glancing back to the

  boy, she lowered her voice to a whisper. "I can't

  tell you how I'd feel if some hideous creature

  killed my child then ate him in front of me."

  Drace strode to the examining table, picked Ryo

  up and set him on his shoulder. "I know how I

  would feel and I think she feels the same, if her

  behavior earlier is any indication. Heal her mind,

  doctor. I can't bear to see the fear in her eyes."

  Handing Ryo to Fury, Drace pulled Kiri into his

  arms. He needed to feel her in his embrace, just

  once. To feel the soft curves of his mate pressed

  against him was a luxury. No. It was a miracle.

  She was his miracle. He looked over her head to

  Fury. She was their miracle--their life. And her

  son was as their own.

  "Your turn, mi ama. It is time you were healed,

  as well." He gestured toward the glass room. "We

  will stay here with your son." He smiled at her

  sharp look. "Yes. He is still your son. The boy is as

  much your child as if you'd given birth to him."

  He nodded his head toward Fury. "And though

  you don't believe we think of him as our own son,

  you soon will. But for now, you can watch us

  through the glass as you talk through your pain."

  She pulled from his arms. A sharp pain stabbed

  him in the heart at her rejection and he raised his

  hand to the center of his chest. He rubbed the spot

  absently. She looked up at him through sorrow-

  filled eyes. Her lips trembled as she tried to smile.

  "Someday I may look upon you with love. I

  truly hope this comes to pass if you are my

  mates." She shook her head slowly and cast her

  gaze downward. "But for now, I can only tell you I

  will try. For now, my heart breaks for my dead

  son, my departed friends and all of the women left

  on the surface--those who have no one to turn

  to." She placed her hand on his arm. "If you care

  for me a
s you say, find them. Find them all and

  help them as you would help me."

  Drace nodded, swallowing thickly as her

  fingers squeezed tight, her nails biting into the

  thick muscles of his forearm. "It will be as you say.

  I will send a transmission to the other ships. They

  will help. Our healers will treat their many

  wounds--even the invisible ones."

  Tears filled her eyes, trembling on her thick, red

  lashes, glittering like moina stones and her grip

  gentled. "Thank you, sir."

  "Drace. My name is Drace. Please call me by

  my name."

  "Thank you for your understanding...Drace."

  He grinned at her. "There, that wasn't so hard,

  was it?"

  She blushed prettily. His cock twitched at her

  nearness and he thought of his mother's friends,

  knowing only the memory of those old biddies

  would make it behave. He glanced over at Fury

  and almost scowled at the stupid grin on his

  friend's face. But he checked that too. He didn't

  want to frighten his apprehensive mate any more

  than she already was. She didn't need to witness

  his temper when she was not the object of his ire.

  * * * *

  Kiri eyed the medical doctor warily. Though the

  blonde woman looked friendly and appeared to

  truly want to heal not only her body, but also her

  mind, Kiri just didn't know what to think, what to

  do. She couldn't deny that getting the memories of

  her time with the Hienials out of her mind would

  be a blessed thing. How could just talking about

  what happened, reliving it again to another

  person, help her? It just didn't make sense.

  "Kiri, there is nothing to fear from me. My

  name is Brandy Vanier. I'm Drace's adopted sister.

  I'd do nothing to harm my brother's mate, my

  new sister." When the doctor reached out and

  took her hand, a soothing balm of warmth spread

  throughout her body. Kiri shuddered as the

  heaviness that she'd lived with these past five

  years lightened, just a bit.

  "How? How are you doing what you're

  doing?"

  "It is my gift. A gift my family has encouraged

  me to use to help others. I'm an orphan really,

  brought as a child from a planet many, many light

  years away. When the Vanier Alpha found me

  homeless and starving, he took me in. His people

  have given me the world. Helping others is the

  least I can do."

  "So, what do I need to do? Do I tell you all