Victoria's Challenge

  Securing the hatch, Lucas turns to find Victoria watching him with a strange look in her eyes. “What?” he asks.

  “Your code. It’s the day the Earth was destroyed.”

  “No. It’s the day I found you.” He corrects, watching her eyes widen. Caressing her cheek, he tips her face up. “I know you don’t like to remember that day, but it was the day I found my life mate. It’s a date I cherish.” Leaning down, he kisses her.

  Pulling him, close Victoria sinks into the kiss. She can’t believe how much she loves this man. He has given her a gift. A different way too view that terrible day, that something good had come from it. Him.

  Changing the angle of the kiss, Lucas lifts her against him. He could have lost her today. His arms tighten around her. They’d just started discovering each other and he could have lost her.

  Lowering her onto their bed, he lifts his head to see the desire in her eyes. How had he lived without her? Making short work of their clothes, they’re skin to skin.

  “Lucas…” She pleads, sinking her fingers in his hair, bringing his mouth back to hers as her legs wrap around him, pulling him home. Her tongue plunges into his mouth, as his cock plunges into her. Never has she felt like this, as if she’s finally whole. Lucas makes her feel that way he is her home.

  Neither lasts long as their passion erupts, burning away the events of the day leaving only the two of them their needs, their desires, and together, they explode.

  “I love you, Victoria.” Pulling her trembling body against his, Lucas tries to catch his breath. Who would have ever known that she contained so much passion? Passion for him. That she could accept him, all of him, when she was so tiny… He’d never thought it possible but with her anything, everything is possible.

  “I love you, Lucas.” Victoria mummers kissing his chest.

  “Sleep, Victoria. I’ve got you.” Tightening his arms, he feels her breathing settle as she lays her head over his heart, sleep taking her.

  Chapter Eleven

  Something’s burning. Entering the kitchen, Victoria freezes.

  “Grandpa?”

  “Hey squirt. Ready for breakfast?” Jacob turns from the stove, putting the burnt pancakes on a plate. “Your favorite. Grab the milk from the fridge.”

  “But grandpa…”

  “Eat first, talk later, milk.” Knowing there was no changing her grandpa’s mind once he made it, Victoria turns to get the milk. Sitting at the table, she sets it between them.

  “Grandpa, what’s going on?”

  “You need to hurry squirt.”

  “What?”

  “You need to remember.”

  “Remember what, grandpa?”

  “Eat.” He looks at her plate.

  Looking down, she sees the ‘special’ pancakes the grandpa always made for her. This time it was a snowman.

  “It’s not winter, grandpa.”

  “No it’s not.” His eyes are steady as they look into hers.

  Victoria looks back at her plate. He’d made her snowman pancakes that morning. The morning the Earth was destroyed.

  “Why?”

  “You need to remember. Time’s running out.” Standing, Jacob walks to the back door of the cabin and Victoria suddenly realizes that’s where she is, in the kitchen of the cabin. Standing, she goes after her grandfather but when she reaches the door, all she sees is devastation.

  “Grandpa! Grandpa! Where are you?”

  “Victoria,” Lucas grabs her arms, giving her a shake. She bolts out of his arms as if she’s been hit by a stunner. “Victoria, wake up!” She’s scaring him.

  “What? Lucas? Where’s Grandpa Jacob?” Her eyes frantically search his.

  “You’re dreaming.” He pulls her against his chest as she starts to tremble. “Just a nightmare.”

  “But it wasn’t…” Victoria lays her head on chest, listening to the rapid beat of his heart. She’s scared him. She hadn’t realized. “I’m sorry.”

  “You’ve nothing to be sorry for. Come on, lay back down.” Holding her close he runs a hand up and down her trembling back, trying to calm her and after several minutes, she relaxes.

  “Lucas?”

  “Yeah?” He hears the hesitation in her voice, frowning he looks down. Why would she hesitate to tell him something?

  “Do you believe in dreams?” She rises up just far enough to look into his eyes.

  “What do you mean?”

  “That sometimes they’re trying to tell you something?” She feels him stiffen.

  Sitting up to lean against the wall, he pulls her naked body across his lap. “You’re talking about having an encounter with the ancestors.”

  “Yes. Grams always said you should listen to your dreams, they’ll tell you what you need to know. I listened to them with Audric, listened to hear what he said.”

  “But that was a memory Victoria.”

  Looking into his eyes, she’s not sure what she’s seeing.

  “So, you don’t believe in them.”

  “I didn’t say that.” He sees hesitation enter her eyes. He told her he wanted no secrets between them, it works both ways. “I do believe in them. It’s just…” Lucas finds he’s uncomfortable telling her this.

  “It doesn’t matter Lucas.” It’s easy to see he doesn’t want to share this with her. It hurt but they were two separate people, he has the right to his privacy.

  “Stop, it does.” He’d seen the flicker of hurt in her eyes and could kick himself. She’s always been open with him. “I had a dream not too long ago. My granddad and I were at the lake by the cabin. It was this beautiful day and I was going to make my leap.”

  “Your what?” At her confusion, he gives her a slight smile.

  “The Zafar leap. It’s a male tradition before going off to the Academy. You stand on the edge of the bank, there’s a rope tied to a tree branch. You swing out across the rocks and jump into the lake.” He sees she’s listening. “It’s a lesson in trust, for what’s to come. Trusting the rope. To trust yourself. I had the dream when you were giving me the treatments.”

  “When I was hurting you…” Victoria’s throat tightens.

  “You were doing what needed to be done, helping me! Never think I blame you for that, Victoria.” His eyes bore into hers.

  “But you didn’t trust me.” He should have realized she’d zero in that quickly. “That’s what your dream was telling you.”

  “Victoria, that’s not you, has nothing to do with you.” Framing her face, he forces her to meet his eyes, to see the truth in them. “It has to do with my mother.”

  “Salish?”

  “Yes. She lied to my father about having conceived.”

  “I know,” she whispers.

  “What? How could you possibly… Victoria…”

  “I happened to overhear…” She puts a hand on his cheek.

  “Is there anything you don’t happen to overhear?” he asks, shaking his head.

  “It was hardly my fault,” she says a little huffily but it quickly disappears. “I didn’t think you knew. I’m sorry Lucas. That it hurts you but I can’t be sorry for what she did.”

  “How can you say that?” He grips her face tighter. “She lied! Lied about everything. Dad never trusted her again.” He can’t believe she’d think this was okay.

  “Yes, she did and it was wrong, but Lucas… if she hadn’t...we would never be.”

  “What?” He goes still.

  “If Salish hadn’t lied, if your father hadn’t made her his wife, would you have been conceived? If you hadn’t been conceived, how could you have crashed on Earth? How could you have been rescued? How could you have rescued us? We would have died on Earth, Aunt Cassie and I, if it wasn't for you. I wouldn’t have found you if she hadn’t lied.” Victoria sees the shock in Lucas’ eyes, he’d never thought of it that way before. “Forgive her, Lucas.” Victoria whispers. “She loved you.”

  Pulling her close Lucas closes his eyes. How had he not realized… All his li
fe, he’d felt responsible for his mother and father’s problems, for their unhappiness, but he wasn’t, that’s what dad had been trying to tell him. It had been necessary to get to where he is now, to get him to Victoria. Now it's his decisions that would decide their future, good or bad. Would he doubt Victoria for what his mother had done? No! A weight he hadn’t known he'd been carrying, falls away.

  The eyes that look into Victoria’s are clear and full of love. “I love you, Victoria Lynn. I trust you with everything I am. I’ve got a good grip, I’m not letting go, not of you, not of us.” Kissing her, he seals his vow.

  Victoria sinks into the kiss, letting it flow through her. Her life mate is such a strong, passionate man. He keeps so much inside, carrying it alone, but not anymore, now he shares it, with her.

  “Victoria.” He moans as she moves, straddling his lap, shifting so she’s trapped his thickening cock between their bodies. Bending her back, he captures the pouting nipple teasing his chest, pulling on it deeply with his mouth.

  “Oh...” Victoria cries out, feeling her womb spasm in response.

  Gripping her hips, Lucas pulls her up his body, feeling her coat him with her arousal then impales her on him, holding her tightly against him, he grinds against her, trying to get deeper.

  “Lucas!” She cries out.

  “Ride me Victoria!” His fingers bite into as he shows her what he wants.

  “Yes!” Victoria cries out, pleasure erupting through her body as Lucas teaches her how to pleasure both of them.

  Later, after both of them breathless and satisfied, Lucas remembers what had started the whole conversation. She’d had a dream, a dream about her grandfather.

  “Victoria.” His hand continues to caress her back.

  “Hmm.”

  “Tell me about your dream.” He feels her tense. “No secrets, not between us, I couldn’t help when you were younger, let me help now.”

  Lying across his chest, she looks into her life mate's eyes. She never realized how it had hurt him, that he couldn’t help her with her nightmares of the Glitter Man. How would she feel if he turned to someone else for comfort?

  “I don’t know if there’s anything to ‘help’ with. Lucas…”

  “Tell me anyway.”

  “I’ve had this one dream ever since we got to Carina. It started a couple moon cycles before Kayden was born. It’s always about my brother.”

  “I’m sorry baby.” He knew it hurt her, the loss of her unborn brother.

  “Lucas… I know his name…” She looks at him warily. “It’s Brett.”

  “What?”

  “I know…. but I know it. Every cycle, I dream about him, about him growing, being a cycle older. I used to think it had to do with Kayden growing up but now… now, I don’t know what to think.”

  “Why aren’t you sure anymore?”

  “Because of the dreams I’ve been having on the Retribution. It’s Grandpa Jacob. He keeps telling me I have to hurry. If I want to save him, I have to remember.” Her eyes plead with him for understanding.

  “Victoria, I believe you but nothing could have survived on the Earth’s surface. They’ve been sending a probe every cycle.”

  “They’ve been sending two… I happened to overhear….” Lucas can do nothing but shake his head, the things she hears. “Uncle William doesn’t want Aunt Cassie to know, it’s always hard on her to wait for the data.”

  “I know. We’ve talked about it. So do you know what’s been in that data?”

  “Yeah.” Tears fill her eyes. “I know, just like I know it makes no sense, but in my heart, I know he’s alive. Grandpa keeps saying I need to remember, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to remember.” As tears run down her cheeks, Lucas gently wipes them away.

  “Shh… it’s okay. We’ll figure it out.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know, but we will. We’re together in this, Victoria. We’ll figure it out but not tonight. Sleep, tomorrow we’ll try to figure it out.”

  “I love you, Lucas.”

  “I know. I love you too. Sleep.”

  “Victoria,” Lucas leans a shoulder against the doorway, watching her force her hair back from her face. “Move the rest of your things here.”

  “What?” Her hands still as she turns to look at him.

  “I want you here, all of you, with me.”

  “Lucas…”

  “I’ve had to stay away from you for nine cycles, Victoria. I want you with me now, close. I need you here.” Sliding his fingers into her hair, he tips her eyes to his. “E Deck isn’t safe, not enough, not for you. This section is built like an ammo bunker. I want you here!”

  “You’re sure? Things will be said….”

  “Trying to protect me?” He caresses her cheek.

  “It’s my right.” He sees the concern, the fire in her eyes, all for him.

  “It is, and it’s mine to protect you. I don’t care what people say, Victoria, as long as you’re okay.”

  “I’ll start packing things up today.” The smile she gives him takes his breath away. Leaning down, he captures it.

  “First meal,” he growls against her lips.

  “I know...” Hazy green eyes look into his.

  “Come on then, finish up.” Turning, he leaves the bathroom while he still can. Minutes later, they’re in the corridor, heading to eat.

  “You’re on duty all day?” Victoria asks as they eat.

  “Yeah, are you going to medical?”

  “No, there’s no reason too. Thought I’d start packing.” The look he gives her, has her blushing.

  “I think that’s a good idea, when I’m off, I’ll help.”

  “There really isn’t that much.”

  “I’ll help. Do you want to meet for second meal?”

  “You’ll have time?”

  “I’ll make time.” Seeing the happiness in her eyes, makes him realize it’s always the little things with her. “1300?”

  “Sounds good.”

  Entering her quarters on E Deck, Victoria looks around. She tried to make it her own but really, she’d only been on the Retribution six weeks before Lucas had been injured. Since then, she’s spent little time here. Going to her closet, she pulls out the remainder of her clothes. She hadn’t really known what to bring. Obviously, she’d left her formal ‘royal’ clothes back on Carina but still, she’d managed to fill the closet. How would they get them all to fit? Maybe she should leave some, it’s not as if they are going to make this an official move, put it on the rolls. Are they?

  Opening a drawer she smiles, oh she’s taking all her eadai, none of those are getting left behind. Lucas enjoys them way too much. She’d have to contact Kai and order some more. Maybe some more nightwear too. If they’re going to be sharing quarters, she’s going to want to surprise Lucas sometimes.

  With her bag full, she looks around the rest of the room. There were class supplies she’d need to move, a few visuals she had on the desk but those could wait. In the bathroom, she looks at the remaining personal items, some soaps, and shampoos. Nothing that couldn’t wait.

  Lucas seemed pretty insistent that he would be helping, so she’d leave those to him. Turning, she leaves, securing the door. Carrying her bag over one shoulder, she heads for Lucas’ quarters. Passing through a hatchway, she actually looks at the Retribution’s structure.

  Lucas is worried that E Deck isn’t safe. She knows it’s taken some hits lately but to her it seems fine. As she works her way to G Deck, she does notice a difference in the thickness of the hatchways.

  Thinking about his comment about this being as safe as a bunker, she smiles. He wants her safe, just in case.

  Just in case… paling, Victoria lets her bag drop to the floor then follows it down as she remembers...

  “Peter, I want you to take Cyndy and Tori to the shelter, just in case. I’ll wait for Cassandra then we’ll follow.”

  “Dad…”

  “Peter you’re hurt, it’s going to
take you longer. You need to protect your family. Just in case.”

  She’d snuck through the kitchen, past the table that still had grandpa’s special pancakes on it. She hadn’t finished them because Aunt Cassie brought in a large man who’d fallen from the sky, he’d fascinated her, she didn’t know why, but she wanted to see him one last time. She’d snuck out the back door of the cabin, following Aunt Cassie.

  The shelter… how could she have forgotten the shelter? They went to the shelter. Just in case the Regulians had picked up Lucas’ transmission. Oh God! Grandpa Jacob had waited. For Aunt Cassie… for her. That’s why she is dreaming about him, he is dead. He’d been on the surface. He’d waited and couldn’t get to the shelter. Oh God, oh god. They're alive! They are alive in the shelter!

  Trembling, she stands. Walking over to the comm, she presses a button.

  “Tar.”

  “Admiral. It’s Victoria.”

  “What’s wrong?” Quinn's known this girl since she was nine and never, in all that time, has he ever heard her this distraught. Not even during the Challenge.

  “I need to contact the High Admiral. I need to do it with your security, total security.”

  “Victoria? What’s wrong?”

  “I need you there, you and Lucas, please!”

  “I’ll contact Lucas, contact the High Admiral, where are you?”

  “In quarters, I can be in your ready room in five.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  “Zafar.” Lucas hits his comm, never taking his eyes from the report he is reading.

  “Lucas I need you in my ready room, immediately!”

  “Admiral? What’s wrong?”

  “You tell me, Victoria wants to talk to the High Admiral under total security.”

  “What!” He drops the report. “What the fuck! We just had first meal together, she was fine.”

  “Well, now she’s not. Get here!”

  “On my way!” Heading through the hatch, he runs into Dodge. “You’re in command, Dodge. I don’t know when I’ll be back.” Entering the Admiral’s ready room, Lucas finds Victoria, pale sitting in a chair. Squatting down in front of her, he gently touches her cheek.