Marcael: A Terraneu Novel, Book Five Page 3

  Watching intently from his place among the trees he wondered what kind of covering she would be wearing today. To his shocked amazement the damn female took off her dress and there was nothing on underneath. Well unless you counted that scrap of material between her legs, which he did not. That was not covering enough to leave anything to the imagination. Then she bent over and his brain screamed again at him to look away. What was the point of torturing himself like this? No matter how many times he asked himself why he kept coming back, he did not have an answer or explanation that made sense. When he opened his eyes again, the female was in the water. He knew she liked to swim for a long distance so he looked for her at the surface closer to the waterfall. He groaned loudly when he spotted her golden breasts topped with their coral nipples bobbing in the water. He licked his suddenly dry lips, he had fantasized about what color her nipples would be and he was not disappointed at the real thing.

  Sensing something, he tore his eyes off the water imp and fixed them on the male suddenly in the clearing. The female’s pets let out a warning growl and the male stopped. Coward, he thought to himself. Those animals would not hurt you unless the female called for them to. Was this male here at the request of the female? Was he her protector? Her lover? His mind and body raged at the idea that this male would put his hands on the little female. Returning his gaze to her, he saw that she was moving to shallow water but kept her body submerged to the chin. Therefore, he assumed she did not want this male to see her naked body. Was he a threat? Moving slowly he shifted his position closer to the clearing. He could just make out the words between the two. The male was whining about being a fit partner to the female. Brennae was her name. Marcael tasted the word on his tongue almost like a fine wine of Hedal...Brennae. He almost laughed aloud when the female said she was not the mate for him. That was right little female he is not man enough for you! When the male had reached for the covering at his lower body Marcael had stepped into the clearing. His fist clenched at his sides. He stopped short when the female had warned the other male that she would feed his manhood to her pets if he took off his covering. He could not stop the laugh that escaped him at the look on the poor male’s face. It was clear at this point that despite his size he was immature and still just a boy. Then she was coming out of the water and his blood began to boil again. She was hairless between her legs, and he would kiss his mad kings ass if her nether lips were not the same sweet coral color as her nipples.

  He could have kept control if the boy had not put his hands on Brennae. He could have let them both leave the clearing, but the male had made the mistake of touching her. Some unknown madness gripped him and turning off his cloaking device, he stormed toward the pair. He wanted the boy to see him coming. There was a slight fluttering in his mind and he slowed.

  “Brennae! RUN!” He heard from ahead of him and two more figures came toward the pair.

  “Why would I need to...run?” The tiny female had turned toward him. He had to give her credit. She did not scream or faint, she just stood there with her dress pressed against her chest.

  Chapter Four

  Brennae stood frozen in horror staring at the figure striding toward her and Barrett. Her brothers’ warnings were too late, even if she ran now she knew it would be pointless. They all had personal cloaking devices but they had nowhere to run, they would surely be followed. Even if they managed to evade capture this time, the supporters of her mad uncle would know they lived close to this oasis and put all of their efforts into searching until they found Terraneu. Their only chance was if they could kill this scout and hope the others didn’t know where he had been searching.

  “Brennae!” Barrett had come out of whatever held him fixated, her brothers mind freeze she was guessing and reached to put her behind him. She could have sworn she heard the figure growl, “Do not touch her.” Then the next thing she knew Barrett was flying away from her to land with a splash in the pool. All she could do was stand there in terror as the figure reached for her. With surprising gentleness, he put one arm around her pulling her up and into a massively muscled chest, that she was entirely certain wasn’t all armor. The other hand held some type of bladed weapon. All she could do was stare at the blade in shock, her mind refusing to accept that this was happening.

  Her brothers had almost reached them. Both had their blades out and were ready to fight. Instead of attacking, they suddenly went still along with Barrett who had gained the grassy bank. The three of them just stared at her and the armored figure with wide-eyed horror. The sacath were circling them now snarling and snapping waiting for a command.

  “Tell your pets to stop or I will be forced to kill them.” The figure warned. His voice was deep and husky.

  She felt him tense and she closed her eyes and whispered, “Please don’t.” Against all of the survival training she had from the time she could hold a dagger, she just dangled there against the male’s chest, naked and terrified. When he went to take a step, she hurried to shout, “Cebat...Tabec...cease.” The sacath instantly stopped, their ears perking up, “Go home!” She yelled hoping to get the beloved pets out of the way if it came to fighting.

  “Do you care for one of the males?” The figure holding her asked shifting her in his arms. She ended up turned away from the eyes of her brothers and Barrett.

  “I care for both of them.” She thought about poor Barrett on the grass and added, “Okay, all three of them.”

  “I know you do not care for the one on the grass that I am going to kill. I saw the way you interacted with him.” He adjusted her higher on his chest and she was suddenly looking into the black faceplate of his armor. “I am asking how you care for the other two. Are they both your lovers?” His voice hit a gravely note when he said the word ‘lovers’.

  Brennae had been stunned when he stated he was going to kill Barrett as if they were talking about the weather. Then the shocks just kept coming when he asked if her brothers were her lovers. “What? No they are not my lovers.” Before she could think twice she asked him, “Please take down your armor so I can talk to you face to face.” Now that the shock of his arrival and subsequent grabbing her was wearing off, she was coming up with a plan to incapacitate him. If he would take down his faceplate, she could go for his eyes or neck and hurt him enough to get her brothers out of his mind control.

  Hesitating for a moment he shrugged then put his blade in a sheath at his thigh and reached for a spot on his neck. Brennae held her breath waiting, and then released it on a breathy sigh. Her mind went blank as she stared into the darkest blue eyes she had ever seen, framed by the longest, thick black eyelashes. His face was a pale white color that contrasted sharply to the dark black hair framing it. To her astonishment, this male had hair on his face. The males of her community did not have this anomaly and she was fascinated. Against her better judgment, her fingers brushed hesitantly against his cheek. It was soft! She had been expecting it to be bristly or hard, but it wasn’t coarse at all. “It’s so soft.” Had she said that aloud? When her eyes flew to his she saw something in their depths she couldn’t identify and then she felt the rumbling in his chest. He was laughing at her.

  “If they are not your lovers then what are they to you?” The male holding her asked causing her eyes to move to his mouth to stare. His lips were full and looked kissable soft. When she just kept gawking at his mouth he smiled and she saw straight, white teeth flash at her. “Tiny female...we do not have much time. I need to know what the two males are to you.”

  Brennae wasn’t sure if she should answer. Was he going to kill them all and then find Terraneu? Would he take them to the Elyon and torture them there? She felt a tremor go through her at the idea of having to board that ship. She had heard all about her mad uncle and his search for them. When her Aunt Catherine and Uncle Knaleg and others had escaped a scouting party on Antilles all those years ago, they were warned that to be on the Elyon was “hell”. This male radiated both power and danger. She had no trouble believing tha
t life on the Elyon would be unbearable if it forged males like this.

  When he squeezed her gently, she hurried to say, “They are my brothers, we are triplets.” She whispered her eyes leaving his face to look down his body. She covertly tried to gauge if she could reach his weapon. After a quick peek, she hurriedly moved her eyes back to his face. When she saw his questioning look she added, “We were all three carried in the same pregnancy and born at the same time.”

  “Such a thing is possible?” His face showed confusion.

  “Yes. Many pregnancies on Terraneu are multiples. That just means more than one baby.” While he was distracted by the facts of her birth, she slowly moved her hand from between her chest and his. Trying to act as naturally as possible so he wouldn’t be suspicious, she moved her hand toward his weapon.

  “Little female.” He actually started laughing a rich, booming sound. The vibrations from his chest to hers caused her nipples to tighten. What was her traitorous body thinking? This man was the enemy and she had to find a way to incapacitate him! “You are as easy to read as any person I have ever faced. I know you are not trying to initiate a physical relationship by moving your hand along my body. I have had a sexual block done on me as punishment and could not service you right now even if I wanted to.” Brennae stopped moving her hand and locked her gaze to his. Her mouth had gone dry at the thought of this giant of a man trying to seduce her...or as he had so eloquently put it “service” her. Thinking about what exactly that might entail made her thoughts scatter and her eyes move to his mouth again.

  Pursing his lips, he said with deadly intensity, “If you try for my blade, you had better make it a killing blow. You will not get a second chance.”

  Brennae stared into his turbulent blue eyes and knew hers were filling with tears of frustration. She slowly moved her hand back up his body to rest on his shoulder near his thick hair. “I’ve failed everyone I care about then. Can you please kill me first, I couldn’t bear to see my brothers come to harm...and I refuse to go to that hellhole you come from.” She proclaimed vehemently.

  To her surprise, he burst into laughter. With his eyes burning into hers he softly whispered, “Brennae.” He said her name as if he was savoring a long drink of cold water. “I am not going to kill you. I have spent thousands of years trying to protect your family.”

  His declarations made her raise her eyebrow. “What do you mean?” She asked warily, not sure she could trust him

  “I have had time to study your brothers and they are their father’s sons. I recognize your family line in them.” He turned to look from her to her brothers and back. “You must be a lot like your mother. I do not see much of Kniam in you.”

  Shocked and terrified that he knew her father’s name she choked out, “Who are you?”

  Chapter Five

  “My name is Marcael.” He stated when Brennae asked who he was. He was so captivated by her that he was surprised he had even noticed her attempts at getting to his weapon. If she had managed to get his Un’bah and stabbed him with it, he would have deserved it. The dagger of the Kings Knight was something he had managed to keep all these years. It would have been ironic if she had managed to kill him with it.

  Dragging his attention to Brennae he was taken by surprise when she threw both arms around his neck and squealed, “Marcael? Not the Marcael?” She was squeezing his neck so hard that he wondered that this might be a trick to strangle him to death.

  “I am not sure if I am the anything. I am just Marcael.” He was hesitant to try to pry the female from around his neck, she felt rather good hugged against him.

  “Baylech has told us so much about you!” She was talking quickly in her excitement, “You are all he talked about for years and years. I was too young to remember it, but my family and the councils always bring you up.” Wiggling in his grip he was not sure what she wanted until she said, “Can you please put me down.”

  When he complied, she made sure to cover her chest, looking shyly at him under her lashes. Hiding behind his back, she hurriedly put on her dress and then moved back to face him. “You are a whispered legend around the swimming pond.” Trying to move around him to the other males, Marcael put his hand on her arm to stop her. Looking at him she said, “You can let my brothers and Barrett free now. I know you have a mind freeze on them. I have seen my father and brothers do it before too. Doesn’t it take a lot of focus to keep them still like that? They usually never shut up.” She laughed a husky sound that filled the oasis.

  Marcael was stunned that one female could say so much in such a short time. He tried to regain control of the conversation. “Hold on please. Did you say Baylech told you about me?”

  “Yes. The entire community of Terraneu has heard about you. Baylech was one of the men that came through the port pad during the Antilles attack.” He barely held back a snort of laughter, was she going to tell him about the mission when he had been there and given the assignments?

  “I know about his mission. I am just surprised he survived.” Marcael stated.

  “He was saved by our medical unit. He has been living in Terraneu all these years.” Brennae grabbed his hand and he looked at her golden skin, frail and tiny against his much larger pale one “We need to take you to my father—”

  “I am not going to Terraneu.” He stopped short, “but I will release the hold I have on the males.”

  Speaking to the males in the clearing with him he said, “I am going to let you free from the mind freeze I have you under.” Leveling his gaze on Barrett, “You will not move from the grassy bank or speak at all. I have not forgotten what I saw—”

  “What exactly did you see?” One of the brothers raged at him in mind.

  “How long exactly were you on the other side of the swimming pond?” He was not sure if it was the same brother or the other that asked that.

  “Who are you anyway?” He was not going to bother to answer the questions the three were shouting at him.

  “Is this how the families of Terraneu have raised their sons to act? To molest a female when she says she is not interested?” He yelled back at them.

  “It was our mind freeze that stopped Barrett when you barged into the oasis.”

  “We value honor and our females. We would never condone harassing one. It is against all of our laws to hurt one.”

  “I was not mol—” Barrett went to defend himself but immediately stopped when Marcael’s icy glare landed on him.

  “You will be silent.” Marcael roared. His temper was at the limit of its endurance.

  “Stop doing that!” Brennae yelled at the three men. “You are talking in mind and it’s incredibly rude! Knadyn...Knacayn...! I won’t be left out of the conversation.”

  He turned his gaze to the tiny female and was astonished at the violet sparks her eyes were shooting at the males. She had her hands on her hips, her lips pursed and he found her entirely enchanting.

  “Brennae—” one of the brothers groaned, he would have said more but Marcael stopped him.

  “She is correct. We are being inconsiderate.” With a formal bow to the little female, he turned to her brothers. “I apologize for locking you in mind for so long. I needed to know whom I was dealing with. I am not sure if you heard us talking therefore I will introduce myself, I am Marcael.” He did a formal bow to the brothers, not surprised this time when they smiled widely at him.

  “The Marcael?” One of the brothers returned the bow, “I am Knadyn.”

  “I am Knacayn.” The other brother moved with his identical twin closer to him.

  “There is not much time to prepare.” Marcael stated.

  “We should get father—” Brennae started to say.

  “He is already here.” Marcael said just as another voice rang out.

  “I am already here.”

  The little females eyes swung from the male coming out of the jungle back to him, “How did you know?”

  “My armor is equipped with EMP technology. No cloaking d
evice works for a hundred yards around it. Also he has been trying to get into my mind.” Marcael turned to face the man who would have been King of Hedal. “It will do you no good to try to hold me with your mind. You would not be successful.” He hit his closed fist across his chest and bowed low in the salute a guard gives his King.

  Kniam spoke aloud as he walked closer. “We have taken on an Earth custom of shaking hands in greeting.” He held his hand out and with a questioning look Marcael took it. In his mind Marcael heard, “I will not try to control you again.” Before he could bring his hand back, Kniam held it in a firm grip then moved it up and down. “It is nice to finally meet you Marcael, I am Kniam.”

  “As I am happy to be able to serve you again —” Marcael began but stopped when Kniam raised his eyebrow.

  “We gave all that up when we left Terra all those years ago. Our lives have been different here on Terraneu. You do not have to salute me or call me your King.”

  “How would you like me to address you?” Marcael’s head was spinning. They did not consider themselves Kings or Princes. It seemed that the he would have a lot to adjust to when this was over, if he managed to survive that is.

  “You may call me by my given name.” Kniam smiled at him.

  “And the others that are still in the trees?” Marcael asked. “How should I address them?”

  Kniam choked back a burst of laughter and called out, “You can all come forward. We have much to discuss and I’m sure Marcael will agree not much time.”

  Marcael watched as the Princes he was to have served and two others came out of the trees. When he saw Baylech, he suddenly smiled.

  “Baylech?” Striding forward he grabbed the man into a bear hug, and then smacking his back he looked at the changes time had wrought on his friend. “Brennae said you had survived.”