“Hello?” She looked around the dimly lit bedroom uneasily. “Who are you and why can’t I see you?”
“It’s the Goddess,” Stav whispered hoarsely. “Can’t you feel her presence?”
What Charlie mostly felt was that Stav was still hard inside her and now they were apparently being paid a visit from the Kindred deity. Awkward!
“Oh, um…” She started to get up or try to find something to cover herself but the voice of the Goddess stopped her.
“Do not feel shame for being joined to the male I chose for you,” the powerful, feminine voice murmured. “There is no wrong in it. This is the truth that Trin does not understand—I put her and Thrace together and it is right and proper that they should find pleasure in each other. It is what I wish for all those I draw together.”
“Forgive me, Mother of all Life, but neither Trin nor Thrace are of Kindred or Earth blood,” Stavros said. “How is it you claim them?”
“Half of Trin’s blood does come from Earth—her mother chose an Earth male’s seed to impregnate her when she wished to have a child. And though the Havoc have tried to separate from me and deny me, I still love and claim them as my children. They are but a little removed from the Kindred—another branch of your lineage, as you know.”
“All right,” Charlie said, nodding. She wasn’t as startled as she had been but it was still an intensely uncomfortable sensation to know that the Goddess could see them locked together like this. “Uh…but what about the goddess that Trin’s people worship?” she asked aloud. “The Goddess of Judgment. Is she, um, related to you?”
“She is no true deity at all but a false idol made up by the Daughters of Zetta to promote their own beliefs,” the Goddess assured them. “They have formed an idea of what is right but truly it is their own darkness and ignorance they are worshiping.”
“We see,” Stavros said, speaking for both of them. “And was it you who sent us the visions then? I thought I had gained some kind of connection when Two and the demon he once hosted, Ur, touched me on the home world of the Dark Kindred.”
“Two is yet a very dangerous male. He has gained powers through his misadventures and in the process he has become even more warped and twisted.”
“Well, from what I just saw of his dealings with Thrace, it seems he will no longer be troubling us,” Stav said.
“Do not become complacent in the matter of that male, no matter what you think you have seen,” the Goddess said sternly. “But I am not here to speak to you of the Dark Kindred. I have come to tell you that your time of watching is over. It is time for the both of you to act.”
“Act in what way, oh Mother of Life?” Stavros asked respectfully.
“You must go to Thrace—the vessel he is in cannot get to Zetta Prime in time and only he can save Trin. He must be brought to her before it is too late.”
“But Goddess, uh, Mother of All Life…” Charlie wasn’t quite sure how to address a deity. “He already begged and pleaded with her and told her he loved her. What else can he do?”
“Only he can save her,” the Goddess repeated. “Trin will be given a choice and she must choose correctly. The future of the Kindred race depends on it.”
“You say the future of the race, but wasn’t that what Two was talking about?” Stavros asked. “I saw him—saw him give Thrace some kind of a vision though I couldn’t witness it myself. What about the other girl he was talking about? The one with two faces?”
“Her time is coming but it is not yet here.” The Goddess’s voice was growing fainter. “My time grows short. Go to Thrace, bring him to Zetta Prime. But he is not to go to Trin at once. Charlotte, you must prepare the way.”
“Me? Prepare the way? How?” Charlie asked, so startled she forgot to be respectful.
“Males are not welcome on the surface of Zetta Prime. But you and one or two of your choosing may go there in disguise. Wear the robes of a priestess and speak to Trin—prepare the way so that when she sees Thrace again her heart is open and ready for him.” The voice was fainter still. “She must come with you of her own accord—do not take her before she is ready. To go with you, choose only those who have no children and are not with child. Your task may be dangerous if you are recognized as imposters.”
“I…but I…” Charlie started to protest.
“Farewell…” the Goddess whispered. “Go my children. And do not fail me…”
* * * * *
“…So that’s what she said,” Charlie finished, staring around the small, crowded living area. They were meeting in Commander Sylvan’s quarters since it was slightly larger and could fit the most people. It was still early—well before first meal—and most of those gathered were yawning. A few were still in their nightclothes.
Charlie looked around at the faces of the Kindred wives—the women who had become her friends after she came to live on the Mother Ship. Liv and Sophie were there, holding their sleeping babies, as well as Kat who was holding little baby Shad. He stared up at his mother silently with wide silver eyes. Charlie tried not to look at Kat’s mates, Deep and Lock. Though she liked Kat, Charlie still harbored some hard feelings against her Kindred mates for what had happened to her older sister.
Aside from Liv, Kat and Sophie and their Kindred husbands, Becca and her two Twin Kindred mates, Truth and Far, were there. Mei-li was also sitting with her mate, the former Dark Kindred, Six. Becca and Mei-li were both holding Kat’s other babies, Seeks War and Makes Peace. The two twins were sleeping peacefully unlike their brother Shad who was quiet but wakeful.
“Okay, what did I miss?” Just then the door opened and Lauren bustled in with a baby on her hip and a platter of donuts and breakfast pastries in one hand. She put them down on the coffee table in the center of the room and looked around expectantly. Her baby, Aziza, looked around alertly as well. She had lovely skin—a warm, clear tone somewhere between the creamy brown of her mother and the pearlescent gray of her father, Xairn. Her eyes were the same amber as Lauren’s but when she was upset they shimmered with a reddish light that could look downright scary at times.
“Hi doll,” Kat said. “Charlie here is asking for volunteers to go on a top secret mission given to her by the Goddess.”
“She what?” Lauren looked confused.
“Just hush and you’ll find out. Thanks for the goodies.” Kat snagged a donut.
“And you’ve been having these visions for how long?” Sylvan asked sternly, frowning at Charlie and Stav.
Stavros cleared his throat uncomfortably.
“For some time now, Commander Sylvan. But it was my distinct impression that there was nothing we could do for either Thrace or Trin.”
“Thrace and Trin? Who are they?” Charlie heard Lauren ask Kat.
“The people Charlie and Stavros have been keeping tabs on. Apparently they’ve been seeing them off and on in these trances. Mostly while they, uh…you know.”
“No, I don’t know. What are you talking about?”
“Never mind,” Charlie said quickly. “The point is, they’re people the Goddess has claimed as her own and they’re destiny is tied to the future of the Kindred race. Also, they need our help.”
Rapidly she outlined the situation, catching the assembled group up on the salient points of the relationship she and Stavros had seen.
“And now she’s going back to Zetta Prime to undergo some kind of punishment—a purification ritual—just because she had sex with the man she loves,” she ended. “It’s so sad because Trin loves him desperately—she’s just freaked out about the idea of being with a man, er, a male since her people don’t do that.”
“They certainly don’t,” Far, Becca’s Light Twin mate murmured.
“Explain,” Sylvan said to him. “I know you’ve made an in depth study of the other sentient races our people have encountered, Far—what do you know about the inhabitants of Zetta Prime?”
“Are they man haters like the women on Yonnie Six?” Kat asked, looking interested.
“It’s more like they have no use for males at all. They see them as a kind of domesticated animal which they don’t care to keep,” Far explained.
“Huh. Like why would you keep a cow if you’re lactose intolerant,” Liv remarked.
Far nodded. “Exactly. The females of the planet form life commitments to each other only. When they wish to have children, they go to a Conception Center where they can choose from the seed of almost any race of compatible male in the universe. They have far ranging scout ships notorious for abducting lone males and extracting their seed before releasing them again.”
“Wow,” Lauren murmured. “So all those ‘I was probed by an alien stories’…”
“Are likely true,” Far said. “At least in some cases. But their seed is the only part of a male they consider in any way necessary or useful. For a Daughter of Zetta Prime to allow herself to love a male is barely a step above bestiality in their estimation.”
Liv gave a long, low whistle.
“Whew—not so good. No wonder this Trin girl’s mother was so upset!”
“She wasn’t just upset—she told Trin it would’ve been better if she died rather than letting herself be with Thrace,” Charlie said.
“Wow, doll.” Kat shook her head. “That’s some private soap opera you and Stavros have going on in your heads. I’m kind of jealous.”
“Do not be,” Stavros said heavily. “Parts of it have been very difficult to watch.”
“But that’s the point—we’re done watching now,” Charlie stood up from the low stool where she’d been seated and looked around. “The Goddess has asked for volunteers to go with us. I’m going, obviously—I’ve been watching Trin so long I feel like I know her. But we need some other girls too, to pretend to be priestesses so we can get to her.”
Becca was talking softly to her two mates and now she looked up.
“I’ll go,” she said, nodding at Charlie. “It sounds like the poor girl is dealing with a boatload of guilt. Being a former almost-nun, I know a little about that.”
Truth, her Dark Twin mate snorted. “Just a little?”
“Okay, a lot,” Becca admitted with a wry laugh. “Anyway, it sounds like my input might be useful.”
“Perfect.” Charlie nodded. “Welcome aboard. Anyone else?”
“I would…” Mei-Li hesitated. “But, well…I don’t know if I should risk folding space right now.” She blushed bright pink and Six, her mate, looked at her with surprise.
“Mei-Li?” he rumbled, sounding shocked. “Are you…?”
“I don’t know yet.” Mei-Li blushed even harder. “But, well, I might be and I’m just not sure—”
“It’s all right,” Charlie said quickly. “The Goddess said we should only take women who have no children and who definitely aren’t expecting.”
“Well, I guess that rules us out,” Kat remarked, looked at Liv and Sophie and Lauren.
Liv sighed. “Too bad—I wouldn’t mind a little adventure right about now.”
“Going to Zetta Prime is no lighthearted adventure,” Far said grimly. “The Zettites are deadly serious about their religion. If they thought anyone was profaning their rituals or disrespecting their deity in any way…it could be bad. Very bad.”
Charlie looked at Becca.
“Still want to come?”
“Absolutely,” Becca said firmly. “Let’s do it.”
“And Truth and I will come with Charlotte and Stavros to offer support in any way we can,” Far said.
“And also because we’re not letting our female go into danger alone,” Truth growled.
“Then it’s settled.” Sylvan clapped his hands together. “We’ll outfit a large shuttle for you and prepare to fold space. And, as the Goddess has commanded you to do this, I will commend you into her care. Go but be careful. We hope to see you back here with both Trin and Thrace safely in hand before too long.”
Charlie nodded her agreement and murmured thanks but she couldn’t help wondering exactly what they were getting themselves into. And even after risking everything to sneak down onto Zetta Prime, would they be able to convince Trin to leave her guilt behind and come with them?
I hope so, she thought grimly. Or we’re going to be going a hell of a long way for nothing.
* * * * *
Thrace stared in frustration at the star charts displayed on the viewscreen of his little life pod. The nearest stable wormhole was almost a light year away—not far with a hydrogen scoop propulsion system like the one on The Alacrity or on his own ship, The Empress—but over a standard cycle’s travel in the short range pod. And a cycle was too damn long to wait to get back to Trin. He kept seeing the cold anger in her mother’s eyes and thinking about the purification ritual she was so determined to undergo.
Painful and disfiguring…what the hell does that mean? What are they going to do to her? Damn it, Trin—why did you have to go and leave me here where I can’t protect you?
His heart ached with the thought of her being abused or hurt in any way. He wished he could reach out to her and he had tried to—tried reaching her numerous times through their bond. But Trin had put up some kind of block against him—one he couldn’t get through. Or at least, that was what it felt like before she left. Now he was pretty sure she was out of range. Or maybe she had just found a better way to block him?
“Who the hell knows?” Thrace sighed and ran a hand through his hair. And who could blame her if she was blocking him? Now that she knew what had happened—what his old Master had done—she might not want anything to do with him. Maybe that was the real reason she had chosen to leave him behind.
If that was true, Thrace told himself, he would set her free and not bother her any more. After all, he couldn’t blame her if she felt disgusted now that she knew his past. But before he could do that—before he could cut ties with her completely—he had to be certain she was safe.
Which brought him back to his original problem. In order to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that Trin was secure and unharmed, he had to get to her—but how?
He supposed he could go back down to Yonnie Six and steal a ship—maybe even take the one that belonged to Lord X while he was busy dealing with Two. But he might get caught. It would also take time and it had already been a day and a night since he cleared orbit around Yonnie Six. Since then he’d been studying the charts ceaselessly, looking for the fastest way to get to her—and not finding anything.
“There has to be a way,” he muttered, scrolling through the star charts again. “There has to be!”
“There is a way,” a warm, feminine voice said behind him.
“What? What the hell?” Thrace jumped and looked all around the confines of the small life pod. “Who said that? Or am I just hearing things?” He saw no one but he felt something…a presence that seemed to fill the ship. Or maybe he was just imagining it. Maybe his stress over Trin was driving him crazy…
“Your sanity is unimpaired,” the voice said. “I am the Goddess you choose not to believe in.”
“The Goddess? You mean the Mother of all Life—the one the Kindred worship?”
“The same.”
“Now I know I’m going crazy!” Thrace looked around wildly. “Why can’t I see you?”
“A mortal cannot withstand exposure to my glory,” the voice explained. “Only once was a male strong enough to do so and even then I had to veil myself so as not to destroy him.”
“All right, well…what do you want?” Thrace looked around at the seemingly empty air.
“You have left something unfinished on the planet below you. A dangerous foe to my children, of which I count you as one, still lives because you did not finish him.”
“You mean Two? I left him poisoned and in mortal agony—which was what he deserved. A quick, clean death is too good for a bastard like him,” Thrace snarled.
“Nonetheless, you have left a danger untended and I fear there will be much to pay in the future for what you have left undone.”
“Is that what you came to tell me?” Thrace demanded. “After everything that’s happened in my life, you show up now just to let me know I should have killed that bastard, Two after all?”
“No, that is not the only reason. I know you have not had the easiest life, my son.” The voice was soft and compassionate. “You have been tried in the fire but you have not been found wanting. Despite your past you were willing and able to give yourself to Trin and to love her.”
“Of course I love her,” he said roughly. “And I’m bonded to her but she’s blocking me. I can’t feel her anywhere. All I know is she’s gone home to undergo some kind of barbaric cleansing ritual.”
“It is a trial that will test Trin’s soul in the same way your first time as a slave tested yours,” the Goddess assured him.
Thrace felt a surge of panic.
“What are you saying? What are they doing to her? I have to get to her!”
“And you shall. But when you see Trin again, she will not be the same female who left you.”
“What does that mean? Please, Goddess…” Thrace looked around. “I…I can’t stand the idea of her being hurt.”
“Some pain is necessary to help her see the way,” the voice said softly. “But you will be able to heal her—providing she comes to you.”
“What do you mean, providing she comes?” Thrace demanded. “You’re the Goddess—can’t you tell if she’ll be willing to come to me or not?”
“There are many different futures, my son. I can only point my children in the right path and hope that they take it.”
“Well, I’m willing to try—willing to do anything to get her back,” Thrace said, exasperated. “But how in the Seven Hells am I going to get to her?”
“A way will be provided. You need only take it.”
“A way? What way?” He looked around but the voice and the presence which had filled the air around him was suddenly gone. What the hell? Thrace rubbed his forehead. Had he imagined the whole thing? Was his stress over Trin getting the better of him—giving him hallucinations? But no, the presence of the Goddess had been so real…