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  She gasped from the pain when he tried to pull the blade out. “CristOF…”

  “Don’t talk, the medic is coming. I can’t pull the blade out until he’s here with the nanos and a skin sealant. Stay with me, don’t fall asleep honey. Stay with me.”

  Tera reached up to touch his cheek and found that it was wet. “Are you crying?”

  “I can’t lose you, not now that I have found you.”

  She smiled at him trying to hide her pain. She might have complained about the pain but she was feeling weak, so weak. The importance struck her that she may never get another chance to tell him how she felt about him.

  “You’re so handsome. I love you. I didn’t get to tell you. I should have told you that I was falling...love...you.” Everything went dark.

  Chapter 18

  CristOF wanted to murder the male that had hurt his Tera. Giving the male on the ground a glare, he knew he couldn’t do that, not yet. He didn’t want to let go of her, afraid that if he left her for even a moment she would leave him. He could never let her go. So, he held her to him and crooned soothing words to her. He felt relief when he heard others coming their way.

  “We're here! I need a medic!”

  Commander TylOR and a few of his warriors approached. The rebel leader was taken into custody for questioning. He would face charges of treason, abducting a female and causing injury to her. The male would lose his life for his actions, CristOF would see to it.

  He kept hearing her sweet words to him, proclaiming her love. He only wished it could have been under better circumstances.

  “I love you too, Tera,” he whispered against her temple.

  CristOF wasn’t sure she had heard him before she passed out. CristOF checked her pulse and was relieved that she was still breathing. Where in Kitana was the medic?

  A male approached him with a medic kit and knelt next to him. “Sir, lay her on her stomach so that I can take care of the knife wound.”

  “I was too afraid to remove the blade in case it caused her to bleed too much.”

  “That was a wise decision. I can remove it and apply the skin sealant to prevent the bleeding.”

  Reluctantly he laid her down gently, facedown. He watched and questioned everything the medic was doing, growling upset whenever Tera made an expression of pain even while she was unconscious.

  “Do something about the pain,” he ordered.

  “I will give her a sedative,” the medic told him.

  “Warrior CristOF, I need to speak with you,” Commander TylOR said from behind him.

  “I don’t want to leave her.” He had this unreasonable feeling inside that if he took his eyes off of her for one moment he would lose her.

  “The medic is taking care of her. There is nothing else you can do. We have things we must discuss.”

  CristOF glared at his commander, but stood up and walked over to him. He turned so that he could keep Tera in his sight. He had to.

  “Did you get anything out of the rebel leader?” TylOR asked.

  “No. I tried to provoke him but he held his tongue. He might have said something to Tera but…”

  “We’ll ask when she is recovered.”

  CristOF nodded, “He was going to stab me but Tera jumped in front and took the blade for me. She risked her life to save mine.”

  “The female clearly loves you. She is brave, and is strong. She will recover quickly. We need to get everything from the rebel leader that we can. I thought you would want to be there when he is interrogated.”

  “Who are you going to get to interrogate him?”

  “Warrior StrykER.”

  CristOF nodded his approval. StrykER was a well-known interrogator and no one was better. He also had abilities that helped him draw out vital information from those he questioned. CristOF had once watched him interrogate a Morin; he had the vital information within minutes.

  “I do want to be there for the interrogation but not until I am sure that Tera will be okay I want to remain with her until I know that she is recovering.”

  “Of course, she is your priority.”

  “We’re ready to move her to the shuttle,” the medic said.

  He looked over in surprise to find that a portable table had been brought to carry Tera out of the jungle. She was already on it, strapped down, and looked peaceful.

  “Is she in pain?”

  “No, we gave her a sedative and the nanos are already healing her from the inside. The skin sealant is keeping her from losing any more blood. She will not wake for at least twelve hours, but she will be almost completely healed by that time.”

  It was a relief to CristOF to know she wouldn’t suffer any more pain. It tore at him that she’d been injured. Someone as kind and gentle as Tera should never have been placed in this situation. Goddess, he’d almost lost her. He followed the medics as they carried her to the shuttle his mind raced with all the things he wanted to say to her.

  Tera had told him she loved him. He’d also told her, but he wasn’t sure she had heard him. This was not where he had wanted to say the words. CristOF had wanted to woo her with many picnics and evening meals together. He would take her dancing and make love to her. He would tell her how much she meant to him. Once she awakens, he planned to say the words of love to her again and again. He would convince her to mate him officially and he would spend the rest of their lives showing her just how much he loved her.

  “The medics are going to take good care of her. She will recover and will be by your side in no time,” TylOR reassured him.

  “She’s been exposed to the ugliness of hatred, and suffered being injured. How can I expect that she would want to have anything else to do with me?”

  “She told you she loved you. Strong women who love don’t give up so easily. Let her decide what she wants.”

  “All I want is to protect her, keep her safe. I feel that I have failed her.”

  “Her abduction was not your fault. Place the blame where it should be, on the rebels. They have gone too far, abandoning their honor, forsaking our laws. We will need to meet with Prime Leader KadEN and the other leaders. Something more drastic must be done.”

  “Do you think our people are on the verge of a civil war?” he asked TylOR.

  “This might be what pushes us into one, we’ll do everything we can to prevent it.”

  “How? What can we do to stop these rebels?”

  “We have the best warriors in the galaxy. If the rebels on that island were an example to the quality of fighting they can do, they’ll be wiped out with the next confrontation. Our leaders and commanders will discuss paths to take to keep us from war.”

  Once they reached the beach, several shuttles awaited them. He and TylOR would travel in the shuttle with Tera and the medics. They placed the platform she was laying on across the back row of seats and secured it. He wanted to be next to her but the medics needed to be there to monitor her the on the trip back to the prime city.

  He fought his instinct to shove the males away and keep her to himself. That wasn’t a rational thought and he didn’t know where it was coming from. He gripped the arms to his seat trying to keep himself in place.

  “Are you okay?” TylOR asked him with concern.

  “I feel...protective. There’s this aggression like I’ve never experienced before completely took me over when I was fighting to keep her safe. Now I feel helpless and I hate that feeling. Other males are near her, touching her and I feel like I’m going to lose it.”

  “I too have experienced those feelings for my own mate. Take deep breaths and remind yourself that she is safe, she is healing, and soon you will be able to take her to your home. She will be in your arms. I know you’ll want to take you to your home in the jungles, but my mate and Prima Lindsey would be appreciative if you delayed taking her away for a few months. Miss Kincaid is helping with the foster children and they would like her to be there when the children arrive to Kiljor.”

  “I hope that I can convi
nce her to stay here with me.”

  CristOF had to face facts. What had happened to Tera was horrific. She might not want to remain on Kiljor. She could be so terrified that she might request to return to Earth to be with her family. So far none of the humans have asked to go back to Earth but Tera could after all this.

  Looking back at her again CristOF knew he wouldn’t be able to let her go. If she left Kiljor, he would go with her wherever she decided to go, if she allowed it. If she didn’t want to have anything to do with him, he would not know what he would do. Maybe follow and watch over her. That would be difficult. He had to convince her to accept him.

  Gratefully the trip back to the Kiljorn prime city went by quickly. When they landed on the rooftop more medics were on standby waiting to assist with Tera. He made to follow after her but TylOR stopped him.

  “We have an emergency meeting with Prime Leader KadEN. He needs you there, now.”

  Frowning CristOF growled low with frustration. “I don’t want to leave her.”

  “I understand CristOF, really I do. What happened to Tera could happen to other females, or worse, it could happen to the human young. We have young coming here to live, innocent defenseless young. If we can’t do anything stop the rebels now, those young will be threatened as well. They would live their lives in fear.”

  CristOF knew he spoke the truth. Tera had worked hard to build the school for these human young. She would want him to ensure their safety. An hour or two was nothing if it could help protect Tera and the young.

  He nodded and followed TylOR to the lift. His mind was racing with so many thoughts, mostly circling around his female, what could have happened if he had not seen her. Taking a deep breath he focused his concentration on everything he could remember about his encounter with the rebels. It was important to report every detail he could remember.

  “When will StrykER begin the interrogations?” he asked TylOR.

  “Tonight. He wants the prisoners tired, and he also requested that we withhold medical treatment if possible. It will give the males more incentive to be cooperative.”

  “That makes sense. Though, I don’t know how much the majority of the males will be able to share. Half of the males were not warriors, they were taken from their homes.”

  “The rebel leader…he’s not the same as the one that StrykER encountered before on his last mission,” TylOR said as they got out of the lift and headed toward the Prime Leader’s office.

  “I think the rebels have many small bands of followers and leaders for each faction. It’s going to be hard to track them down. We don't even have any idea how many followers they have. He slipped up telling me that there were more warriors training in more locations. How are we going to find all the rebel followers?”

  “That is a real problem,” TylOR admitted.

  Prime Leader KadEN was standing just outside the door of his office and waited for them to enter it before shutting the door. A warrior stood outside to keep guard but CristOF knew there were probably more guards close by.

  “Tell me everything that happened. How did the rebels get their hands on Miss Kincaid? I am furious with our security not only in the prime city but the security for all of Kiljor.”

  “The rebels must have had spies here at the prime city keeping their eyes on what was going on here. I suppose they were suspicious of my arrival and had been watching my every move. They saw me spending time with Tera. When I left for my mission, they took her thinking that Tera might know the details of my mission and planned on torturing that information from her.”

  TylOR looked at him carefully, “Did you tell her about your mission?”

  CristOF was offended. “Of course not! I would never betray my mission, and I know better than to give that kind of information to a civilian.”

  KadEN leaned forward and gave him a reassuring look. “Of course you wouldn’t talk about your mission. Commander TylOR had to ask that of you. We both know you well enough to know that you’re an honorable male and take your job seriously. I just can’t believe we have spies in the city, on Kiljor. I am horrified that they’re training soldiers to fight for their sick cause. I fear for all humans and for our young.”

  “What can be done about it?” CristOF asked. He knew TylOR had ideas but he couldn’t imagine what they could do that they haven’t already tried. How were they to fight such hatred and violence?

  “I can’t speak for the leader of Katiera or the Colony, but I plan to declare the rebel faction traitors. Those who join their ranks are committing high treason against the Kiljorn Nation and will not be tolerated. All humans who come to live on Kiljor will be granted Kiljorn citizenship so any attack on them will be considered treasonous. The punishment for treason is death. It’s already against our laws to injure females or young. It saddens me but I’m going to make an example out of those that StrykER can prove to be rebels, and execute all traitors.”

  Kitana! It wasn’t that he didn’t think they deserved it, but still...execution of the rebels was an extreme action. After thinking about what these rebels did to Tera, and what they would have done had he not helped free her, he decided that the most extreme action was the least that these rebels deserved. The rebels wanted chaos, war and destruction of all that the Kiljorn and their fellow nations believed. He could understand their desperate need to keep the peace.

  Chapter 19

  Tera woke in her own bed in the suite back at the Kilorn Prime Building. “What’s happening?” She sat up tenderly, feeling a bit achy but otherwise in no real pain.

  “What’s happening?”

  “Tera?” CristOF came rushing in from her bathroom. He wore nothing but a towel around his waist and water dripped from his wet hair down his slick muscled body. My God he was beautiful. She wanted to touch him, taste him while she licked the dripping water from him

  He sat on the edge of the bed next to her and the towel parted a little. It was a small towel and he was a big man. She licked her lips but her mouth felt dry. Clearing her throat she managed to tear her eyes from his perfect body.

  “I need some water.”

  CristOF was up immediately and walking into the other room. She could hear sounds of a cabinet in the small kitchenette opening, and then he reappeared with a glass of water.

  “Thank you.” She took the glass and gulped it down. Tera felt his eyes on her and her body was reacting to being this close to him. She needed answers first.

  “CristOF, what happened? The last thing I remember was you were fighting with the rebel leader. He pulled a blade on you and…”

  “You stepped in front of me and took the blade in your back. Do not ever do something like that again,” he narrowed his eyes at her sternly.

  “I couldn’t let him hurt you,” she said.

  She reached behind her to feel for the wound but her back was smooth. “I don’t feel a wound.”

  He smiled as he reached back to touch where the blade had sunk in. “The nanos and a few days of rest have you healed up.”

  “Days? How long was I out?”

  “Two very long days. The medics sedated you for the pain before we left the island but before we reached the city, you woke up crying out in pain again. They gave you a stronger dose of sedation. I’ve remained with you at the medic facility but I was finally able to bring you to your home this morning. I thought you would feel more comfortable waking up in your own bed with familiar surroundings.”

  “I do feel more comfortable, thank you for thinking of that. However, I do need to use the restroom and would like to take a shower.”

  “Of course. I’ll fix you something to eat while you shower.”

  Her stomach growled at the mention of food making them both laugh. She was glad that she had a nightgown on when she got out of the bed but flushed a little wondering who had put her in it. She knew it had been CristOF; he would not leave others to tend to her and the thought that he had seen her naked made her nipples harden with need. Her stomach growled again
breaking the moment they were sharing.

  “I’ll get your food ready,” he stood up and left the room.

  Once he out of the bedroom she stood up and walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She removed her nightgown and looked at herself in the mirror, turning around to look over her shoulder at her back. There was smooth unmarked skin.

  “Amazing.”

  She walked over to the shower stall, opened the door and the water started automatically. Waving her hand over the controls she got it to the right temperature, not too cool wanting it to be a little on the warm side. The heat should help loosen her stiff muscles.

  Stepping inside the stall, she walked until she was directly under the spray. She groaned in pleasure as the water cascaded down her face and neck, then down her shoulders, chest and back.

  “So good.”

  “Tera did you need...?” CristOF asked, but stopped talking when he swung the door open and caught sight of her. His eyes traveled over every inch of her and she felt heat travel every place that his eyes touched.

  She should tell him to leave, but she really didn’t want him to. Tera loved how he looked at her like she was the most desirable woman in the world. No one ever made her feel that way. Even when they had just talked to each other, he made her feel comfortable. He knew her better than anyone except in one area.

  “CristOF,” she could hear the desire in her voice.

  Making a growling sound, he moved forward never taking his eyes off of her. The pants he had put on while in the other room was loose at the waist, he pulled the pants down and stepped out of them.

  Tera couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. He was big and muscled, with a golden tan all over. Even his cock was large, and the head was a little darker than his nipples. She longed to touch every bit of his skin exposed.

  She didn’t protest when he stepped into the shower stall with her. He waved his hand in front of the auto dispenser and filled his hands with the hair and body wash. He raised his hands and began to massage her hair with the sudsy bath solution.