Dragon Lords Of Valdier: Ambushing Ariel Part 4

Jarak looked at Carmen who was standing in the doorway trying to keep the Maratts and Grombots from escaping. Shaking his head, he replied firmly. "I will need to place them in cages first," he held up his hand when Ariel started to protest. "So they can safely be transported to you. I will have them delivered to your living quarters at the palace," Jarak said as he fought back a grin at the payback the royal family was about to face.

It would serve them right for finding the irritating but fascinating females in the first place. He would need to visit the palace to see how things worked out. He might also be interested in finding a mate for himself. He had to admit, his life had never been so interesting or exciting as it had since the females were brought aboard.

Ariel looked at Carmen who stood in the doorway to the bathroom. Carmen shrugged her shoulders letting Ariel know it was her decision. Ariel looked back at Jarak who was blocking the doorway leading into their living quarters. An occasional soft growl was still coming from the corridor behind him.

"You promise?" Ariel whispered.

Jarak took one look at the huge, dark brown eyes looking at him with her heart s.h.i.+ning in them and knew he was doomed. What was it about these d.a.m.n females that tore a hardened warrior up and made him weak? Was this what Zoran, Trelon, and Kelan felt when their mates looked at them? Jarak studied the deceptively delicate female in front of him and knew at that moment he would do everything he could to make her happy.

"I swear on my honor as a Valdier warrior, my lady," Jarak said quietly.

Jarak was stunned when Ariel flew across the room and hugged him tightly to her. "Oh, thank you," she whispered against his chest before rising up on her toes to give him a light kiss on his cheek.

Jarak touched his cheek as Ariel pulled away with a huge smile on her face. Jarak groaned inwardly. He might be the next warrior in medical because he was seriously thinking of trying to see if this little warrior was his mate. He half thought about calling to his symbiot to see if it would accept her. His dragon seemed to love her as it was pus.h.i.+ng to rub up against her. Either that or she smelled like the Maratts and Grombots.

"Turek!" Jarak growled out.

"Yes sir," Turek said pus.h.i.+ng to the front.

"Pick two other warriors to help you cage these d.a.m.n creatures. No one is to eat any of them, do you understand? Prepare them for transport to the palace," Jarak said gruffly before turning to Ariel and Carmen. "Please follow me to the transporter room. All of them will be cared for until you arrive," Jarak promised.

"Thank you," Ariel said softly moving pa.s.s the crowd of warriors who were looking longingly into the room.

Carmen came out growling at the warriors. They pushed against each other in an effort to get away from her. "I don't want my big sister upset, do you understand? I'll rip every man's d.i.c.k off and shove it down his throat if one of those creatures is missing, capisce?" Carmen said elbowing some of the men who didn't get out of the way fast enough.

Chapter 6.

Mandra bit back a snarl of frustration. Zoran contacted him two nights ago wanting him to set up a dinner for the females. He asked that Mandra also have their mother, Morian, help plan it by inviting males desiring to mate. Mandra a.s.sumed the females must be having an exceptionally difficult time with the transition from the strained look on all of his brothers' faces. He shook his head wondering how their people were ever to survive. His brothers' true mating with a species that was so fragile they were causing his brothers to worry and fret could not be good. He was thankful that Zoran suggested he invite others in a hope of helping the two remaining females find their mates. Perhaps, if his mother could find two males who could protect them it would help them with their transition on Valdier.

He did not know what his brothers would do if the females didn't survive. Just the thought of them not making it tore at Mandra. Normally, if one true mate dies, then often the other soon followed. The idea of losing three of his brothers because they true mated with a weaker species worried him greatly. He would need to speak with his mother about being there to help the females as much as possible. Perhaps he could request they keep the healers on call at all times.

In addition to this worry, the thought of him and Creon as the only males of the royal line who would more than likely be responsible for the continuation of their family felt like a heavy weight upon his shoulders. There was one other way a Valdier warrior of his lineage could produce offspring...he could mate with another royal like his parents did. Unfortunately, the one female that came to mind drew a shudder from him. Clarmisa was beautiful but about as desirable as a rock. There was no way his symbiot would ever accept her. h.e.l.l, his dragon shuddered every time she touched him. Mandra suppressed a shudder of his own wondering if he could even force his shaft to stay hard long enough to mate with her.

"Why the heavy frown, Mandra?" Creon asked coming up beside him as he walked down the corridor to the transporter room which was based inside the palace.

"I was just thinking of Clarmisa," Mandra said with a grimace.

Creon's face distorted with distaste. "Why would you be thinking of her?"

Mandra glanced at Creon with a shake of his head. "If the females are as weak as we suspect, the responsibility for breeding will fall to you and me. If we cannot find a true mate, our only option is to mate with another of the royal line like mother and father did," Mandra said calmly.

"G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses!" Creon said with a shudder. "Surely they cannot be so cruel?" Creon forced out.

"I hope not but do not have much faith. You have talked with Zoran, Trelon, and Kelan. What do you think?" Mandra asked as he focused on the path ahead of him.

"I think I am ready to go start a war with the Sarafin," Creon muttered under his breath. "It would be more enjoyable than being mated to Clarmisa."

Mandra chuckled. "I think I'll join you."

"Where are you headed?" Creon asked suddenly frowning as he followed his older brother.

"Trelon says there has been a slight problem getting a couple of the females off of the V'ager. He asked that we meet him in the transporter room. It appears the two females are very protective of the tiny one he has claimed and he is worried they might become very upset when he takes her," Mandra muttered. "I just hope they are not crying. I hate dealing with emotional females."

Creon shuddered. "I think I would much rather start a war with both the Sarafin and the Curizan than deal with that. Maybe I can talk to Ha'ven about having a mock war until the last two females are mated."

"Well, you are going to have to deal with it because they are going to be here before you can create your make-believe war. There are two of them so I need help and you are it. One is bad enough! Two is more than even I can handle," Mandra said grabbing his brother's arm when he moved to turn around. "Besides, you owe me."

"Not enough to deal with a whining female!" Creon complained remembering the last time Clarmisa had visited. She had cried every time she had a hair out of place or the food wasn't to her liking or it was too hot or too cold. "You are going to owe me for this one, brother."

Ariel watched Cara closely. She could see the shadows in her tiny friend's eyes. Something had happened that had hurt her friend deeply. Ariel's eyes narrowed on the huge male trying to catch Cara as she moved around the transporter console asking a million and one questions. She knew Cara well enough to know when she was trying to put on a good front. Ariel glanced at Carmen whose mouth was pressed together tightly. She had recognized it too and was p.i.s.sed. Not a good combination.

Ariel walked over and gently touched Cara's shoulder. "You okay?" She asked.

"What? Oh, yeah... just miles away is all," Cara responded with a sad, forced smile.

"Don't worry," Ariel said as she walked with Cara toward the platform. "We'll figure out a way to get home," Ariel whispered and glanced at Carmen as she came up silently on the other side of Cara. She smiled when Carmen nodded her head in agreement.

Cara nodded, throwing a glance at Trelon who was staring at her grimly. "Okay," she agreed with quiet determination.

Ariel wrapped her arm around Cara and hugged her before stepping back as one of the guards responded to Trelon's nod. Ariel threw the huge male a nasty glare warning him he was treading on thin ice. She was ready to kick his a.s.s for messing with Cara's emotions. Cara had been through enough without some sorry-a.s.s alien thinking he could jerk her around.

Trelon desperately hoped Mandra got his message. He hadn't been very clear, just that he needed help distracting the other two females while he spirited Cara away to his living quarters long enough to get her to listen to him and forgive him. The looks the two females were giving him right now promised he would be spending the next couple of days in medical if he didn't move fast enough.

He was still in shock after finding out about their latest escapade from Jarak. How on Valdier they could have a fortune worth of Maratts and Grombots inside their living quarters was beyond him. Jarak didn't even know how they were able to get them since it appeared they never left the tiny room a.s.signed to them. His brother Kelan suspected one of the warriors snuck them aboard during their brief stop on the Madaris s.p.a.ceport but he couldn't be sure until he or Jarak had a chance to review the acquisition forms. Right now though, that was the least of Trelon's concerns. He needed to get Cara somewhere she couldn't escape, at least for a little while.

Trelon nodded to the two guards standing beside the females. The short haired one turned and snapped her teeth at one of the guards who looked like he was half in love with her. Ariel looked at the one who moved toward her and rubbed a fist into the palm of her hand. The man's step faltered for a moment before he sighed and stepped back.

Ariel looked at her sister then at Cara letting her know as soon as they made it planet-side they were taking Cara under their wing. Carmen nodded silently in agreement. Ariel stepped up onto the transporter platform and turned to look in stony silence at the men looking at her and Carmen with a combination of l.u.s.t, admiration, and resignation. Then, everything blurred.

Ariel swayed for a moment as everything came back into focus. She found herself in a large room filled with almost a dozen men. She looked around for just a moment trying to get her bearings before she moved. Her head turned sharply when she heard Cara's startled squeal.

"Hey, let her go!" Ariel yelled when she saw the huge male called Trelon s.n.a.t.c.hing Cara up and carrying her off the platform at almost a run.

"Son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h!" Carmen cursed out behind her.

"Grab them!" Trelon shouted over his shoulder as he carried a struggling Cara out before the women could stop him.

Mandra had walked into the transporter room listening as one of the men explained Zoran and his mate had already departed for their living quarters. Mandra nodded distractedly. He wanted to meet Zoran's mate in person but could understand Zoran's concern for his mate's health so he wasn't necessarily surprised he missed them. He was delayed by some new, disturbing information he received from one of his informants about the attack on Zoran. He would have to share the information later with his other brothers. He preferred not to tell them over the V'ager's communication system for fear of it being intercepted as it appeared they had a traitor among them.

He glanced over to where Creon was talking to several other warriors. His brother was very good at getting information and was probably trying to gauge how much trouble the new females would be. He saw his brother's look of astonishment followed by a look of doubt. Whatever he was being told it must not be very good.

Mandra walked toward the transporter console. He stopped when he saw his brother Trelon and the three females he had asked him to come meet materialize. One of the females was so small she wasn't much larger than some of their youth. Mandra was shaking his head in disappointment when Trelon suddenly erupted into motion startling him. Mandra reacted without thinking when his brother yelled for him to grab the other two females.

Mandra moved to intercept the female with the long golden sheath of hair hanging down her back while his brother moved to catch the other one. The moment his dragon caught sight of her, it erupted into a wild frenzy inside of him, pus.h.i.+ng at him to get out. Mandra stumbled for a moment not expecting his dragon's sudden demand to be set free. He reached out an arm to grab the female as she came toward him but she swung around at the last moment in a sudden move that left him stunned. Mandra felt his head snap back as her booted foot connected with his chin sending him flying into several other men. He fell backwards looking up in stunned disbelief as she dashed past him and through the door after Trelon.

"My Lord, are you hurt?" One of the men asked startled.

Mandra jerked loose of the arms holding him with a dark snarl. He glanced at his brother who was circling the short haired female. His eyes widened as she suddenly attacked his younger brother using lightning fast moves he had never seen before. Mandra rubbed his aching chin and pushed off after the other female with a grunt to the men looking around him in confusion.

Mandra burst through the door looking both ways. His eyes lit up with fire as he caught sight of the female's slight figure turning a corner further down the corridor following his brother. Mandra's dragon was bouncing around inside him, pus.h.i.+ng and snarling to get out.

Mine! Go. Chase. Mine! I catch. I keep, it was panting in agitation. Mine! Go. Let me out. Hurry, my mate get away.

Mate?! Mandra replied astonished as he bolted after the delicate female. Galactic b.a.l.l.s! Maybe she isn't so delicate from the feel of my chin, he thought distractedly as he raced after her.

What in the h.e.l.l was going on? Mandra wondered. He skidded around the corner and saw the female running as fast as she could. Two guards came toward her. Mandra growled out. He did not want any other males touching her. She was his and he would tear any male who touched her apart. The males reached out for her but at the last minute, she suddenly dropped down sliding across the slippery floor between their spread legs. She flipped at the last minute and was back on her feet leaving them standing looking over their shoulders at her retreating back in shock.

Mandra rushed forward, pus.h.i.+ng through the men. He growled out as he knocked both of the men to the side as he followed after the slender figure of the female. He grinned and thought about calling for his symbiot. He wanted to know if what he and his dragon were feeling meant the elusive female was his true mate. Only if she was accepted by all three parts of him could she be. So far, he and his dragon were in complete agreement. They wanted her desperately. He would also need to speak with his brothers. If these were the delicate females they were talking about then he wanted to know what was so delicate about them! So far, she didn't seem to be the crying and whining type.

Ariel lost sight of Cara and the huge male carrying her and slid to a stop looking around. She glanced over her shoulder and let loose a long string of curses. The stupid idiot who tried to grab her in the transporter room was still following her. Ariel glanced around and spotted an alcove to the side. She bolted into it frantically looking around. There was a small ledge up above the arched doorway that she might be able to squeeze into. Her eyes lit up as she saw the small planter on a table near the window. Time for a slam dunk!

Mandra turned the corner and looked down the long empty corridor. He frowned in confusion looking around. Where in the name of all the G.o.ds did the female go? There were numerous rooms on either side of the corridor but they were at the far end and he hadn't been that far away from her. Surely, she wasn't that fast? Mandra s.h.i.+fted partially letting his dragon come to the surface enough to sniff the air.

There! The faint smell of ... Maratts and Grombots? Mandra shook his head puzzled.

Mmmm! Want to eat her up! Want to lick her, taste her, f.u.c.k her! Mandra's dragon drooled.

What is wrong with you?! We need to catch her first. See if you can sniff her out. She can't have gone too far, Mandra snapped impatiently.

This way! Go this way. Smell so good. Want to taste, his dragon groaned.

Mandra felt his own body harden at the smell of the female. d.a.m.n, but she did smell good enough to eat. Mandra sniffed as he moved slowly back and forth across the corridor trying to pinpoint where the female might have gone. The scent became stronger as he came near a small alcove on the side of the corridor. There was a long window with a seat in it. Mandra moved forward slowly until he was standing just inside of the arched opening. He stopped. Frowning, he raised his head a little to sniff the air again. He heard his dragon's warning a moment too late. His eyes widened just as the small, gla.s.s planter struck him across the side of his head. As if from a distance, he heard the soft echo of words as darkness descended on him.

"Sniff this a.s.shole," the feminine words, whispered in a husky voice, caressed his mind just before it went blank.

"Mandra, are you alright? Speak to me," the deep voice seemed to explode inside his head even though he knew the male speaking to him wasn't talking very loud.

Mandra groaned and raised one of his hands up to his head to clutch at it. He winced when he encountered a huge knot on the side of it. He slowly sat up, opening his eyes to narrow slits against the shafts of light piercing his skull. Leaning forward, he fought the nausea roiling in his stomach at the sudden movement.

"What happened?" He asked in a soft, deadly voice.

"I think it's safe to say your encounter with the 'delicate, fragile' female went about as well as mine did," Creon muttered in a dark voice. "I think Zoran, Trelon, and Kelan need their a.s.ses whipped for even thinking those creatures could be fragile."

Mandra looked up at his brother noticing his left eye was swollen and his lip was busted. He tried to look closer but there was more than one image of his brother. He focused until the images merged and only one of Creon appeared in front of him. He squinted in disbelief. If he wasn't mistaken, it looked like Creon might also have a bite mark on his ear.

"You look like h.e.l.l!" Mandra muttered.

Creon croaked out a laugh. "Yes, well...you do not look so great yourself."

"Help me up," Mandra said reaching up to grip Creon's shoulder. "Where is she?" He growled out.

Mate is fierce! I want her. I care for her. She need me to protect her, Mandra's dragon whispered in a tender snarl.

Protect, my a.s.s! She needs to have her a.s.s whipped! Do you have any idea how much my head hurts from that little savage? Mandra snapped out as another wave of pain flashed through him. And where the h.e.l.l is my symbiot? He growled out searching for it.

Chapter 7.

Ariel moved through the garden looking for a good hiding place. After she knocked the big oaf who was chasing her out, she had climbed out the window. She had to hope Carmen was able to get free of the guy trying to get her. Ariel felt confident her sister could hold her own. h.e.l.l, she made Ariel look like a kindergartener in a schoolyard brawl compared to her. Ariel knew judo and kick-boxing but Carmen had learned s.h.i.+t Ariel didn't even know existed outside the movies.

She sank down under the shade of a thick tree in a far corner of the garden. Leaning her head back, she wondered what she was going to do next. For the first time, fear really began to settle deep inside her. This was the first time she had been separated from all the other women, including her sister, without some plan of action. Ariel leaned forward and buried her face in her knees, wrapping her arms tightly around her legs in an effort to breathe through the fear growing inside her. She stayed like that for a long time before she felt like she could breathe without fear of screaming like a raving lunatic. She was just getting up the nerve, and the strength, to go look for her sister when she felt like she wasn't alone anymore.

Her head jerked to the left when she heard the sound of a twig snapping. Ariel's breath caught in her throat as the hugest gold creature she had ever seen moved toward her. She had seen other gold creatures on board the wars.h.i.+p, including the one that was always with Trisha, but this one was magnificent in a special way. She wasn't exactly sure why. There was something about it that called to her. She watched breathlessly as it crouched down like a cat stalking its prey.

The huge golden head looked like a cat too, Ariel thought watching it in fascination as it approached her.

It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Around its head were waves of flowing gold, almost like a mane. Ariel was so fixated on the beauty of it she didn't even notice its long, dagger-like teeth. Her mouth dropped open as she watched the colors changing and flowing over its body like waves of water trapped in a clear gla.s.s.

"You are so beautiful!" Ariel whispered in awe. "Oh, you are the cutest big thing I've ever seen."

Ariel turned, moving in slow motion until she was on her hands and knees facing it. The creature stopped abruptly and tilted its head looking at Ariel like it wasn't sure what she was. When Ariel made a soft purring sound in her throat the creature dropped down onto its belly, its golden ears flickering back and forth as it listened to her. Ariel continued making soft cooing and purring sounds as she crawled slowly closer on her hands and knees until she was just inches from its ma.s.sive head.

"Can I touch you?" Ariel whispered gently. "You are such a pretty baby, yes you are. You look like a big old putty-cat," she said as she ran her fingers lightly over its nose and up to what looked like sharply pointed ears.

"Can I keep you?" Ariel asked softly.

The moment Ariel said that, the huge creature pounced on her knocking her over onto her back in the soft purple gra.s.s. Ariel giggled as the soft fluid texture s.h.i.+mmered around her, over her until she was almost completely covered by it. She ran her hands up its sides amazed at how soft, yet strong it felt. As her hands moved up, thin gold threads began winding around her wrists and arms. Additional threads formed as the creature's long mane of gold brushed along her chest and neck.

"What are you doing?" Ariel breathed as she noticed the thin bands forming around her. "You shouldn't do this. You might need it," she whispered in concern.