Chevon's Mate Read online

  Once she was sitting, he reclaimed his own seat. “Have you remembered anything more?” he asked. When she shook her head in frustration, Chevon rubbed a hand over her arm. “We’ll keep a watch over communications to see if there is anything reported.”

  “Thank you for everything you are doing for me. I know I keep saying that but I can’t seem to help myself. You’ve been so good to me, but it goes beyond being my mate. Chevon, you are an excellent man. I’m happy that I’m yours but more than that because you are mine.” Insanely happy he was hers, actually.

  “There is no reason to continue thanking me, little one. Most Imarians, like most Craegins, are good people. There are definitely a few who give us a reputation that the majority does not even realize is out there. Sadly, propaganda has a way of making many wary, and in some cases rightfully so. Now, there is something I should talk to you about,” he said, turning serious. “Because we are keeping you under wraps, in a manner of speaking, you won’t be able to meander around the ship. For now. I am hopeful this will not be a problem for long. This doesn’t mean I plan to keep you chained up to my bed, no matter how lovely that thought may be. It only means we will have to plan excursions to the recreational areas a little more carefully than normal.”

  She felt her pussy clench with the idea of being chained to his bed, but she shrugged and said, “Well, to be honest, I don’t feel like being out and about right now anyway.”

  “Once the doctor gives us the okay for you to be up and moving, we’ll see what can be done to keep you from feeling caged. For now, lots of rest and plenty of quiet. He did mention to me you may have head pains off and on for the next few days. As long as they aren’t causing what he called a stabbing pain, he recommended a mild pain reliever.”

  “I’d rather not take any drugs that I don’t have to.” She had always hated taking medication. “I don’t mind a little bit of pain as long as it’s not blinding. If that happens, I’ll tell you, I promise,” she assured him before he could even voice his concern.

  Sitting back in his chair, he picked up his mug and watched her over the rim until she took her first bite. Once he apparently was satisfied she was eating, he turned his attention to the data pad he had rested on one side.

  She wondered what he would have done had she not done what he wanted her to. Laura continued to eat and watched him as he scanned through the data pad. She could tell when he was reading something that was bothering him, because his hand tightened just a bit on whatever he was holding, his mug or the pad. “Is everything okay?”

  “No, but it is nothing new either. More idiocy from the ruling body. They seem to believe they can change rules that govern the military whenever they have the whim.” He set the pad down, then got up to refill his mug from a canister on the dresser near the door. “They are a civilian division only, which they do not like, so every now and again they like to flex their muscles to see how far they can push the military leaders. Right now they are attempting to put into place a mandatory rule to rotate out command structure of cruisers on a regular basis. Which no commanding officer in the armada would ever stand for. But we also know not to say anything to them, merely put in a notification to our commanding officer about their idiocy because this sort of thing is a distraction technique. They throw out something that will raise our ire while they are working to implement something even more devious.”

  “That would break the ease that one would have in a vessel this size. You have to have a strong commander in charge of the military.” She was no strategist but she was sure that a rotating command system would be awful for everyone on the ship. The commander needed to know his people, needed to know every nut and bolt of the vessel to be any good at all in his position.

  “A commanding officer of any cruiser, even one like mine that is primarily for training the new recruits, has to have people in place he or she trusts. We are a training vessel, but we have run into situations where having a stable command structure was the only reason we were able to come out of it intact. Banged up, yes, but with no lives lost. The command crew has to be able to practically read one another’s minds, anticipate what is needed, and act without waiting for an order.”

  “Why is it that you are the one who is running the training vessel? You don’t seem to be aged enough to have been removed from the fighting lines and placed on as an instructor.” It was odd. He seemed as if he was very fit and capable and more than willing to be in command of a fighting vessel if he had wanted to. “If only we no longer had this stupid war. It’s senseless.” She then frowned and something drifted in her mind, something she had read somewhere. “There’s something…” She rubbed her temples as pain throbbed at the base of her skull, and the elusive memory was gone again. “It will come later, right?”

  “Don’t push,” he said quietly. Sitting forward in his seat, he touched her cheek with his fingertips. “It will come when it is time. As to why I am a training officer. I am one of the few Imarians who has no real temper. There are only a rare few who are calm enough to handle both training and combat. Even as a training vessel, we do not shy from any confrontations or disputes that require assistance. If we are the closest vessel…” He shrugged. “It’s a good chance for the crew to learn what is expected, needed, and how to handle a situation by being there for themselves instead of reading about it in the data packets.”

  “Well, whatever it is, I’m thankful it was your craft that found me.” Because she could have possibly continued to tumble, maybe even into the asteroid belt and possibly into one of the asteroids—or she could have bled to death.

  “Well, we do tend to utilize this section of space for the training, at least in the early days of a new crew, because it is usually quiet. Though if women in tiny spacecrafts continue to come tumbling through I may need to rethink the decision and possibly relocate.” Chevon winked at her, then returned his attention to the data pad when it flashed. He read whatever had come up, then returned his full attention to her. “We have been getting an inordinate amount of traffic through here in recent cycles. Not that I’m complaining, but this is not what we consider normal by any means.”

  “The cruise I was on selected this as their normal route and it’s on its fourth cruise,” she told him. “On this route, that is.” She frowned as she thought about it and shook her head. “Wait, no. That’s not right.” She looked at Chevon and simply focused on him. “Wait, the cruise that I was on normally doesn’t come as close to the asteroid belt as I had to have been. It typically stays a parsec from that belt because of the possible shift of gravity on the smaller rocks that might pull them out of that belt and onto a collision course with one of the planets.”

  “Or the ship itself,” he told her. “All larger craft stay well clear of the belt for that reason. The bigger the vessel the further from the asteroid belt it must remain. Smaller vessels like the crawlers, or our specters, can fly through without much concern because of their size and maneuverability. Unlike a cruiser or the pleasure vessel. I have my first officer looking at the automated recordings of the escape pod to give us an idea of how long it was in flight. It should, if it was maintained properly, also show us where you were dumped and your path. Hopefully, this will tell us exactly how long you were in there so we have a better idea of what to watch for in the Craegin communique.”

  She reached out again, needing to touch Chevon. “My parents were both members of the Craegin Council. When they were killed my twin took one of the positions but I didn’t because I’m not politically savvy and never have been and I’m okay with that. I’m a linguist and code breaker.” Pain pulsed in her head again, then stopped. With a sigh, she pushed her empty plate away.

  Chevon stood, then came around the table and tugged her to her feet. “We should move to the sofa so you can be more comfortable,” he said. “Bring your glass. We’ll refill it before we settle in.” He tucked the data pad under his arm and grabbed his mug before offering his free hand to her.

  She
grabbed her glass with one hand, then placed her other hand on his. “We are good, right?” She didn’t know how this would work for them but she was looking forward to it.

  “Whatever comes next we will work on it together.” Chevon let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders and draw her in close. “I don’t know how this will yet work out, but I intend to find a way that allows us to have a life we can enjoy and look back on with amusement when we are retired. But it will be a step at a time, and occasionally we may need to take a small tactical retreat before surging forward once more.”

  “I like how you think,” she told him with a smile. She was determined to have a life with Chevon and be the best mate that anyone could possibly want. She was quite a bit younger than he was but she was determined and that made up for her lack of life knowledge.

  He pressed a kiss to her forehead before urging her toward the kitchenette. Chevon gave her a quick tour of where everything was kept should she need to look for something while he wasn’t there. Because Laura knew if she needed something he’d likely be up and moving before she completed the thought. After refilling her glass, they settled down on the sofa with Chevon draping her with a throw that was soft, fuzzy, and so hot.

  She was snuggled close to his side. She couldn’t help but grin at the way he’d made sure that she was covered, warm, and had her drink. He was a nurturer and would have been very well suited for a position as a physician instead of a commander of a battle cruiser. She was, however, thankful that he was in the position that he was in because it had led them to find one another.

  “You have one of those looks that women often wear that make men extremely nervous. Are you planning to share or should I live in terror while my mind scrambles around looking for clues?”

  “I’m just thinking that you are taking such good care of me. You are a nurturer and it’s rare that someone takes such incredible care of a person he doesn’t really know.”

  “It’s part of my job description,” he told her. At her look, he bundled her closer and rested his cheek on her hair. “I have one thousand six hundred and forty-three souls on board this cruiser who I am responsible for. I am an instructor, disciplinarian, confessional, and occasionally a shoulder to lean on. All part and parcel of being a commanding officer on a craft big or small. Those under your command are your responsibility. So is the craft, but the most important part of any cruiser is the crew. Without them, it is nothing but a large hunk of metal floating aimlessly until something breaks down.”

  “You forgot one job description.” She pulled back to look at him and grinned. “Mate to Laura. Or rescuer of women in small vessels tumbling through space,” she teased.

  One hand moved up to cup her cheek as he lifted her into his lap to cuddle her close. “I would have preferred you not being beaten before your arrival here. Unfortunately, we cannot always have what we want in life and must accept bumps along the way. You’re here now, and maybe one day soon we will be able to thank the one responsible before I find a quiet corner of space to dispose of his or her body.”

  That was a surprise. Before that moment, he hadn’t given her a glimpse of the knowledge that he truly was a warrior. She leaned into him and brushed her nose against his. “I would have preferred that, too, but such is life. I’m here now.”

  He teased her mouth before nipping at her full lower lip. When she wiggled closer, he tightened his hold, not enough to cause discomfort but more than enough to let her know who was in control. He kissed each corner of her mouth.

  Laura readily opened for him. She had only known him for a handful of hours, but she already knew she could never deny him. She nipped his lip with her teeth, teasing him and wanting more.

  Gently squeezing the back of her neck, Chevon broke the kiss. He pressed another light kiss to her lips, then tucked her head to his shoulder when he changed position to lean back on the sofa. His free hand moved to stroke up and down her thigh.

  She shuddered at his touch, turning her head so that her lips brushed against his neck.

  “Laura, until you’re healed, we should take care.”

  “Oh, fine,” she teased with a pout. She loved when he cuddled with her. It was only the second time but he was infectious. “I love having your hands on me and having you hugging me. Would it be taboo if, when I’m able to walk around your ship freely, I were to hug you randomly?”

  “It’s not a common thing, but I wouldn’t mind. I would welcome it,” he said, squeezing her thigh gently. “You are mine, and I am yours. Whatever we do on the ship together is our business. On Imara is another thing. Certain societal standards would need to be followed that are not as open.”

  She sighed. “I have some things to learn about your social structure. I feel like a child in a strange world,” she confessed. “How old are you, by the way? I’m twenty-eight.”

  “Forty-four,” he said, making a face. “And there are vids you can watch while you are recovering to learn our laws, our customs, and to also keep yourself from utter boredom. The system has everything from what a young child would watch, to ones that recently came out to assist with integrating adults of different cultures into ours. This was mainly because of Samantha and the fact she is Petr’s soul-bond mate.”

  “You aren’t that old at all.” She looked up at him and tilted her head slightly. “Why do you have that look on your face? In our culture, you are barely getting started by then. If not for the death of our parents, Laurence wouldn’t have taken over their stations as advisers for the council.” She paused. “Wait.” She chewed her lower lip and began to think. “There was a document that I was translating. It was something I never should have seen. A military communique. It was one that I didn’t think made much sense at the time.” She paused long enough to anchor herself against him by stroking her fingers over his neck. “It was a document that should have been shredded, if the wording was correct on it. They were talking about altering ship insignia. I don’t know what that would gain them, though. It was a document between my twin, Laurence, and several of the higher members of the council.” Pain surged at the back of her head again and she pressed her forehead against his shoulder, accepting the touches from him as he stroked the back of her neck for comfort.

  Chevon whispered nonsense words to her, calming her. When she shuddered and collapsed into his heat again, he pressed a kiss to her temple. “Changing the insignia and code related to a craft could potentially show a foe as a friend. If a Craegin destroyer had the markings and gave off the radar signature of an Imarian cruiser, that vessel could come through our sensor field, unquestioned, and go straight for the home world. It could get right next to an actual Imarian cruiser and destroy it because unless you look out a port to see the many differences between the vessels, you would assume it was a friend. Imagine doing that with a fleet. Of course, the same applies the other way around. It would be a great way to restart the war, taking it to bloody and destructive levels. And the other side would be blamed in the media, getting the people behind the war efforts. There would be no stopping it until both sides were decimated.”

  She felt sick at just the thought of what could happen. “Tensions between our people are already at a point where I’m not certain we could come back from. I can’t imagine if they were to do that somehow.” She couldn’t believe that she had just thought about that. “I caught them, the man that I was to be married to and my twin. They were on Mikel’s desk doing things that, well, things that I could only possibly hope for with you.” Now she was thankful that Mikel had demanded they didn’t have sex before the wedding. She was thankful that was all for the man who actually mattered to her, Chevon. “So I dropped the paperwork that I was taking in there and ended my relationships with both men and walked away without looking back.”

  “How is it that you then ended up on the cruise?” he asked.

  “It was supposed to be the vacation that Mikel and I took together after our ceremony. I upgraded my suite because he wasn’t
going to be there. I also kept the gifts we had been given and donated them to the shelters on the outer colonies for women whose mates have abandoned or abused them. I gave the money to the same foundation but the cruise I kept because, let’s face it, I deserved it.”

  “You did at that, although it was rudely cut short. Hopefully, we can find some way to make up for that when you are feeling better.”

  “It was made up for the moment that you touched me. The second I woke and was able to feel your hand on mine and you talking to me. Did you know?” she asked. “Before I woke, did you know I was yours?”

  “I thought it was possible, but I was not entirely sure,” he told her. “There was something there from the start. Nothing I could put my finger on. Then you woke up, and that previously indecisive sensation solidified into knowing you were mine. You were hurt, so I felt it best to wait until you were slightly more coherent before bringing it up, and then you mentioned it first.”

  “I’ve never been very good at holding back any and all thoughts that have popped into my mind. This is why I was a translator and didn’t train under my parents to take over as an adviser as well. My mother told me that I was always far too much like her mother, an outspoken woman who blurted out the most random things at the oddest times. I just hope to rein that in so that I don’t embarrass you.”

  “It doesn’t bother me, Laura. You’ll need to be more careful about your word choice when we are on the home world, at least in the city. When we are staying out in the country at our home, you can be yourself once more. Unfortunately, within the capital every word you say is judged and will be held against us both.”

  “It sounds very much like my home world. Thus, why I didn’t mingle in society at all. And I think my parents had despaired of me ever finding love. I wish they were here now so they would know I had found that, with you.”