Who was this male?
Where the hell was she?
But more importantly... where was Treyvon?
"While your initial questions are in the wrong order, you at least know which one matters most."
"What?" Jen gave him a confused look. She knew she hadn't spoken out loud.
"Because of this," the male continued as if she hadn't interrupted, "I will answer them. You are among the stars." Her eyes followed the arm he raised to see they were surrounded by stars almost like they were inside a snow globe. "And your True Mate is below." The arm swept down and the white flooring she hadn't realized she was standing on separated to reveal Treyvon far, far below.
His forearms were braced on the curved dome of a closed deep repair unit. His back hunched and his head rested on his splayed hands. The unit was filled with so much white and blue vapor that she couldn't see who was inside, but she could tell it was someone Treyvon cared a great deal about.
"Who's hurt?"
"You are."
"Me?" Jen gave him a shocked looked.
"Of course. Who but his True Mate could bring as strong and powerful Warrior such as Treyvon Rayner to his knees."
"But..." her gaze returned to Treyvon and saw his hands clench.
"This will be the third time you have been injured while under his protection, Jennifer. That would be intolerable to any Kaliszian male, but this last attack... with you wearing his True Mate bead and by one of his Elite Warriors..."
"But that wasn't his fault. He didn't know I was having problems with Spada."
"No, he didn't, but that won't matter to him. You are his. His True Mate. His to protect. And to answer your last question, I am Raiden Nacy the Great, Emperor of all the Known Universes, the Bringer of Peace and," he grimaced slightly then finished, "God.”
"You forgot the most important thing." The voice had Jen turning to find the Goddess walking toward them. "True Mate to me."
"What? But..."
"But what? Do you not believe a Goddess can be worthy of having a True Mate?" The globe they were suspended in trembled slightly.
"Calm, my love, I'm sure that's not what she is saying." He turned, his glowing eyes burning into hers. "Was it?"
"No, of course not. I was just surprised, that's all."
"Why?" The Goddess seemed truly curious now that she had calmed.
"Because neither of you wear the bead that the Kaliszians hold in such reverence." She gestured to Treyvon's True Mate bead that now hung from a fully braided strand of hair.
"That's because when the Goddess and I became True Mates, there was no such bead. We just had to believe and trust our feelings."
"But I was under the impression that the Kaliszians have always worn the beads."
"Not until after they became the Kaliszians."
"What..."
"Tell her, my love," the Goddess encouraged, laying back on a chaise that had suddenly appeared, a goblet of something in her hand. "Tell her how the universe was before I made you a God."
"You weren't always a God?" Jen couldn't believe it. For her, he was the epitome of what a God should be.
"I thank you for thinking that," he told her, and the devastatingly handsome smile that broke across his face had her unknowingly leaning closer.
"Mine!" The Goddess growled, sitting up straight.
"What?" Jen blinked, and whatever power his smile had over her was gone. "Oh, yes, of course he is. I didn't mean to imply... Wait! I didn't say anything!"
"No, but you thought it," Raiden told her.
"You can read minds?"
Raiden just shrugged his massive shoulders and moved to the second chaise that had appeared then demanded. "Do you wish to hear this or not?"
"Of course I do."
"Then sit." He gestured to a chair that was suddenly next to her and once she was seated began.
“Many… many… many millennia ago there was one race… a race that had no name because none was needed. But while we were one race, it didn't mean we always agreed on how things should be done. Many died in petty squabbles and unnecessary battles, including my manno." The glow in his eyes dimmed for a moment as he remembered. "Because of that, it became my all-consuming goal to unite my people and bring them peace."
"And he did," the Goddess said, the pride easily heard in her voice.
"Not alone, but yes, after many years of struggle and strife, the Known Universes united, ruled by one Emperor, and there was peace."
"Ruled by you, Raiden Nacy the Great, Emperor of all the Known Universes, the Bringer of Peace."
"Yes," Raiden acknowledged that she had remembered his title correctly by nodding his head slightly.
"So what happened?" Jen asked. "What caused all you built to collapse?"
"I did," the Goddess whispered.
"No!" Raiden roared, immediately beside his Goddess, the gentle way he cupped her face at odds with his roar that was still reverberating throughout the room. "It was not your fault! And if I had it to do all over again, I would still choose you!"
"As would I, my love." Leaning forward, the Goddess rested her forehead against her True Mate’s. "I would go through all of it again if it meant I had you."
Jen didn't understand the deadly growl that escaped Raiden's lips or his next words. "Don't say that! Never say that! If I had protected you better..."
"Stop," the Goddess's fingers gently pressed against her True Mate's lips silencing him. "You couldn't have known and you came as soon as you could."
"I don't understand," Jen said quietly, hating to interrupt.
With a heavy sigh, the Goddess pulled away from her mate, her glowing gaze filled with sadness. "You must understand, Jennifer, that at the time I was a very young Goddess, at least by our standards, and a very spoiled one at that. The stars and the universes were my playground. I was denied nothing. So when the stars began whispering about a male who was not a God, who had accomplished great feats of bravery that were rivaled only by his acts of kindness, it piqued my interest. It also didn't hurt that they whispered that he was the most handsome of males." Jen couldn't help but smile slightly as the Goddess's teasing words had the skin over Raiden's cheeks darkening.
"He was all those things and so much more," the Goddess whispered, "and when it came time for me to go... I found I couldn't. I couldn't leave him behind, so..."
"So you made him a God," Jen finished for her.
"Yes, and never once did I consider there might be consequences."
"You know that is not truth, my Goddess," Raiden told her gently. "We both knew there would be Gods that would be upset." He ran the back of his massive hand gently along her cheek. "How could they not be when I, a lesser being, was able to capture your heart."
"You have never been a lesser being, Raiden! I will not tolerate you talking about yourself that way! You accomplished what no other ever could, God or not! Had I not made you a God, you would still be remembered. Your people would speak your name with reverence."
"Do you think I would choose being remembered over being with you? It was my choice, Goddess. One you gave me and I have never regretted my decision. No one, not even a God, could have predicted the lengths Daco would go to."
Jen's gaze moved back and forth between the two as they spoke, realizing this wasn't the first time they'd had this argument. She just didn't understand what had happened, especially when they mentioned the name Daco. She’d heard it said before, but it had always seemed like a curse to her, not a person.
"Daco is a curse," Raiden told her and she realized he had read her mind again. "But he is also a God, a lower God that attacked my people when he couldn't have my True Mate. He spread his hatred for me like a malignant disease over my people. Causing them to attack and destroy one another to the point of near annihilation. Because of that, my people, lost all knowledge of what had come before. They lost their ability to travel to other planets, and because of this, began evolving differently even though at their core they were t
he same."
"Which is why Kaliszians, Tornians, and Ganglians were once able to create fit offspring together," she said quietly.
"Them and many others. It has only been in the last five-hundred years that has changed."
"Since the onset of the Great Infection."
"Yes," the Goddess whispered.
"If that’s true, why did you make the Kaliszians so dependent on their True Mate bead?"
"That was never our intention," Raiden told her. "The Kaliszians are the only ones that had the slightest memory of me and what happened."
"But... how?"
"Because they are descendants of my brother Jadi's blood line. Jadi was a fit and worthy male and the only one I would entrust my people to. He did all he could to defeat Daco, but he was no match for a God. When Jadi realized all was lost, he wrote down everything that had happened and placed it in the one place he knew it would be safe, hoping that someday one of our people would find it and know the truth. That wasn't what happened."
"What did?"
"It took several millennia for my brother's descendants to recover from what Daco had inflicted on them and be able to achieve space flight again. Pontus was one of the first planets they explored and when they did, they discovered what my brother had left behind."
"The texts in the Kevtoof box hidden in the Crann," Jen murmured.
"Yes," Raiden agreed.
"I can't believe it survived that long."
"Pontus has always been a powerful place," he informed her. "It was blessed by the Goddess herself."
"My mother blessed this place, not me," the Goddess informed Jen. "When there was still only one universe."
"Oh." Jen's eyes widened at the thought.
"While the Kevtoof and the Crann protected what my brother had written, so much time had passed that very little of it could be translated correctly. What was translated led the Kaliszians to believe that only by being willing to make the ultimate sacrifice would they be blessed with a True Mate."
"Ultimate sacrifice?" Jen looked at him in confusion.
"Yes. They believed they must fight to the death over a female for her to be their True Mate. Many fit and worthy males were lost because of it. Once we realized what was happening, we used a portion of our love for one another and created the True Mate beads so there would be no doubt who one's True Mate was."
"So is the myth true?" Jen asked.
"Myth? What myth?"
"That if a True Mate dies the other will soon follow."
Raiden and the Goddess exchanged a look before the Goddess spoke. "That is often the case, but not because one can't survive without the other, but because the one left behind chooses to follow. The loss of the True Mate connection is so devastating, so traumatic, that few are strong enough to go on alone, even for their offspring."
Jen could understand that because it was how she'd felt after losing Todd. She'd wanted to give up, wanted to die but Mac hadn't let her. And then there'd been the guys. They'd needed her.
"Treyvon will need you too," Raiden told her quietly and she realized he had been in her head again, and while that upset her, she found herself asking.
"What do you mean?"
"Treyvon is a great deal like his ancestor. He is at a crossroad and the decisions he makes will determine the path his race takes."
"How dare you!!" Jen was on her feet and livid. She didn't care that she was yelling into the face of a God. No one said things like that about her True Mate. "Treyvon is nothing like Aadi!"
Raiden held up a hand, stilling what he knew his Goddess wanted to do. He could feel her fury that someone dared talk to her True Mate like this. Yet the fault was his. He hadn't made himself clear.
"I wasn't referring to Aadi, little one," Raiden told her quietly. "I was referring to me."
"What? You?" Jen’s anger faded as quickly as it had risen. "But you said he was like his ancestor..."
"And he is. Treyvon is of my brother's bloodline, which makes him from my bloodline."
"Treyvon is related to a God?"
The incredulity in her voice had Raiden smiling slightly. "He is."
"That means Aadi..."
"Is one of mine too," he acknowledged, sadness dimming his eyes. "What he did weighs just as heavily on me as it does on Treyvon... but Treyvon has to stop letting it color every decision he makes and follow his heart, or what is just now starting to be reborn will die."
"What are you talking about?"
"Raiden," the Goddess cautioned.
"I know but he is mine, Goddess. I will do what I can." Raiden turned his attention back to Jen. "There are things Treyvon must face and accept, about himself and about his people. He can't do that without your help, support, and understanding."
"What do I need to do?" She didn't hesitate to ask, looking up at him because she knew whatever it took she would do it, give it, because for her Treyvon was all that mattered.
"Love him..." Raiden reached out to touch the bead she wore then with the slightest of shoves, he sent her back to her True Mate.
Chapter Thirty
Treyvon laid his forehead against the dome of the deep repair unit and prayed to the Goddess like he had never prayed before. He would sacrifice everything, his life, his honor, his people, if only the Goddess would let his Jennifer live.
'I can make that happen for you.'
A deep, dark, insidious voice whispered in his ear.
'That she doesn't die. That she is never harmed again. That is something that you obviously can't do.'
"Who are you?" Treyvon demanded.
'Does it matter if I can give you what your heart desires?'
"How can you do that?"
'Again, does it matter? You need only to pledge yourself to me and I will grant you your deepest desire.'
Treyvon's fists clenched, his gaze trying to penetrate the thick white vapor that still filled the deep repair unit. His Jennifer had been in there for hours and he'd been able to do nothing to help her.
'I can,' the voice said again. 'Pledge yourself to me and I will take care of her every need. Plenty of food so she is never hungry again. Coverings that will rival her beauty. Protection so she is never harmed again. You have proven again and again that you can't provide her with those things. She is sure to leave you and find a male that can unless you allow me to assist you. Is she not worth something as simple as your pledge?'
"She is worth that and so much more," Treyvon murmured, closing his eyes in defeat, his failure as a True Mate weighing heavily on him. Everything the voice said made sense, his Jennifer deserved those things and he needed to provide them for her, no matter what it cost him.
'Pledge yourself to me!' the voice shouted.
"No!!!" The muffled exclamation followed by a thump had Treyvon's eyes flying open to see one of Jennifer's hands pressed against his inside the deep repair unit. The white vapor was thinning, but he was still unable to see her face.
"Jennifer..." he whispered, then bellowed, "Luol!"
Luol rushed into the room, shocked to see Jen was awake with the vapor still so thick. That shouldn't happen.
"Open it, Luol!" Treyvon ordered and rushing to the control panel Luol obeyed. The cover began to retreat, the vapor immediately dissipating to reveal a very awake, very agitated Jen, who launched herself into Treyvon's arms.
Treyvon immediately wrapped her up in his protective arms. Arms that trembled with relief. "It's alright, Jennifer. You are safe. Everything will be fine now."
"Don't," she whispered, her fingers digging into his chest as she pushed back just far enough for her eyes to frantically search his. "Don't you dare!"
"Dare what?" Treyvon asked, frowning down at her. She wasn't making any sense.
"Give him your pledge!"
"Jennifer..." He couldn’t believe she had heard it too... but how could she? It had only been in his head, right? But if she had heard it, that meant someone really had been trying to get his pledge from him. Knew that he honor
ed every pledge he made. The one to his Emperor and the one to his people. But who?
"I would never leave you, Treyvon. Not because of this and certainly not over things. Don't let Daco make you believe what you know in your heart isn't truth."
"Daco..." Treyvon trailed off realizing that was exactly who it had to be. Daco, the evil one, who had convinced more than one good male to follow him. Treyvon had never believed it possible that a worthy male would give up his honor for false promises.
But he had been so close to doing that exact thing. Giving up all he was... to have Jennifer.
"You do have me," she told him. "Always. Believe that. Believe in me. In my love for you."
"Goddess, Jennifer." He pulled her back to his chest, holding her as tightly as he dared without harming her. "I don't deserve you." Before she could protest, he continued, "but I won't give you up."
"Good," she said. Laying her head on his chest, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Because I won't give you up either."
• • • • • •
Luol watched the couple and silently thanked the Goddess, for he knew that while he had done everything medically for Jennifer, it was she that truly saved Jen... and in doing so had saved Treyvon.
Looking to the doorway, he saw Maysa and Mac standing there hesitantly, and he motioned them forward.
"Luol?" Maysa asked quietly.
"She is going to be fine."
"Oh thank the Goddess," Maysa whispered and rushed into the arms he'd opened. She'd been with Luol when Gulzar's frantic call had come in and while he had rushed to Jen, she had contacted Mac and told her what had happened.
They'd been together when a short time later Luol had rushed back into Medical, Jen between him and Treyvon on the portable bed, looking near death. A trickle of blood had been running from the corner of her mouth, her neck was one massive bruise, and her covering was ripped open exposing even more bruising along her side.
She and Mac had watched in silence as the deep repair unit had closed and a thick vapor blocked Jen from their view. That had been hours ago and Treyvon never moved from Jen's side.
Now Jen was where she belonged, in her True Mate's arms, for Maysa hadn't missed Treyvon's bead in Jen's hair, and finally Maysa felt like she could breathe again. At least until Nikhil walked into the room, his face unreadable.