"Thank you, Ashe Jennifer," Onp said as he finished his bar. He then placed a fisted hand across his chest and gave her a slight bow before turning and exiting the room. One by one every Warrior stepped up and repeated Onp's actions before leaving. Including Gulzar, but instead of leaving, he told her not to worry about the kitchen, that he would remain and clean it. Thanking him, she quickly left with the hover cart full of dinner and dessert.
• • • • • •
"Treyvon?" Jen murmured as she kissed the chest she rested on.
"Yes, my Jennifer?"
"What does it mean when you put your hand across your chest and bow to someone?"
"It is called a saliwt."
"Saliwt?"
"Yes, it is the greatest sign of respect one Warrior can give another."
"So it is only exchanged between warriors."
"It can be given to others, but is reserved only for someone the Warrior holds the greatest respect for."
"Oh."
Treyvon looked down to where she lay on him. "Why do you ask?"
Shifting, Jen crossed her arms over his chest and rested her chin on her hands to look down at him. "Because Onp gave me this saliwt."
"Onp did?" Treyvon's eyes widened. "When?"
"Tonight after Last Meal. Then every other Warrior followed suit."
"Every Warrior gave you the saliwt?" he asked quietly.
"Yes."
Treyvon felt his throat tighten at the thought of every one of his warriors giving his True Mate their ultimate sign of respect. They were nothing like Spada.
"Treyvon? Was that okay? Should they not have done it?"
"No. I mean yes, of course it was okay. It is always a Warrior's choice who he honors with his saliwt. They gave you a great honor, Jennifer. Because of all you have done for them, for what you have brought to their lives. And I should have been the first to give it to you." Shifting, he reversed their positions and suddenly she was underneath him and he was straddling her thighs. Looking down at her, he slowly and reverently crossed his arm over his chest, his hand fisted over his heart as he bent at his waist, giving her a bow, a bow that didn't end until his lips met hers.
"I will honor you forever, my Jennifer, for you are my life," he murmured against her lips.
"Treyvon," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't you know that the honor is all mine? You are the Supreme Commander of Kaliszian Defenses, the most honorable, worthiest male I have ever met. You descend from the most important Emperor the universes have ever seen. That his name has been forgotten doesn't matter. He lives on in your heart and soul and the stories and myths you tell. But truth is, none of that matters to me, because when I look at you all I see is you. Treyvon. My Treyvon. My True Mate."
"Goddess, Jennifer." Capturing her lips, his hips slipped between her legs, the engorged tip of his shaft pressing against her slick entrance. It was then that he remembered that they'd been recovering from an intense Joining when she asked about the saliwt. And while his rock hard shaft had recovered, he wasn't sure Jennifer had, and he would never do anything that harmed her.
Jen wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips, encouraging him inside.
"You are sure?" he asked, pulling back just enough so he could look down at her.
"Goddess, yes. I need you, Treyvon."
Hearing the want and need in her voice made him want to plunge into her slick welcoming channel. Made him want to pound into her again and again and again until she was screaming out his name as they exploded together and he filled her with his seed. But he wouldn't do that. She was too precious to him for him not to take care of her even in this.
Slowly he began to press into her, moving forward and back until he was as deep in her as he could go.
"Goddess, Treyvon, you feel so good," Jen groaned, arching her back trying to get closer to him. "You make me feel so good."
"I always will, my Jennifer. My vow."
"Then make good on that vow and love me the way you want and the way I need." She looked up into his glowing gaze. "I need to feel your power, Treyvon, and your strength. When I'm in your arms and you are deep inside me I feel protected and loved."
Her words had him shifting his grip so one powerful arm slid under her back gripping a shoulder while the other slid under her hips, anchoring her against him. The move separated their bodies slightly and as his knees dug into the bed for leverage, he murmured, his lips a breath away from hers.
"Then hang on, for you are about to feel all my love and protection."
With that promise, he captured her lips in a deep, hard kiss that mimicked how his shaft began working its way in and out of her. The way they both wanted and needed it. He was ruthless in giving her pleasure and in taking it in return.
This was his female.
His love.
His True Mate.
His Jennifer.
She was the most important thing in all the Known Universes to him.
All too soon, the pleasure became too much for even the Empire’s most powerful General and together they reached the stars.
• • • • • •
Jen went up on her toes, kissing one of Treyvon's bare shoulder blades before turning and leaving the cleansing room. Pontus's sun had risen too soon, to her way of thinking. Especially when all she wanted to do was linger in bed with her True Mate.
But Liron would be arriving.
She needed to figure out what to make for Last Meal.
She needed to make a massive amount of cookies.
She also wanted to check on Mac, the Crann, and the gairdín.
And that was just what she needed to do. She was sure Treyvon's list was much, much longer.
A surprised squeal escaped her when she was suddenly lifted off her feet and found her back pressed against Treyvon's front.
"You think you can tease me like that and just walk away?" Treyvon growled, his mouth zeroing in on the sensitive juncture where her neck and shoulder met. Her body immediately softened against his.
"I wasn't teasing you," she gasped, tilting her head to give him better access. "I was just touching what was mine."
"I am yours," he agreed, taking advantage of what she was offering, "and you are mine."
"Truth," she acknowledged, as her hands reached back gripping the fabric that encased his lean hips. She meant for her fingers to find their way under that fabric, but the ringing of Treyvon's comm had them stilling.
Taking a deep, regretful breath, he kissed her neck one last time, then set her back on her feet and went to get his comm on the table next to their bed.
"Rayner," he bit out.
"General," Nikhil's deep voice filled the room. "I have some data I believe you are going to want to see."
"I'll be in the Command Center shortly." With that Treyvon disconnected the comm. Turning back to his Jennifer, he found her slipping on her shoes.
"Do you know what time Liron will be arriving?" she asked, standing.
"It will be after Midday meal. Why?"
"I was going to make cookies today and wanted to have at least some done by the time he arrived."
"Hmm, Jennifer…"
Jen frowned at how hesitant he sounded. Her Treyvon was never hesitant. "Yes?"
"I'm sure these... cookies of yours will be as amazing as everything else you've made."
Her eyes narrowed as he spoke. "Stop trying to butter me up. I hear a 'but' in there."
He gave her a confused look. "I don't understand what you just said. What is 'butter me up' mean?"
"You are trying to sweet talk me, telling me how amazing you find what I've made because..?"
"I told Liron he would be getting to try your brownies today."
"Oh you did, did you? Don't you think you should have consulted with me first?"
"Yes." He had the decency to look contrite. "But in my defense, when I spoke with him, I wasn't aware you could make other things with this chocolate."
>
"Oh there are so many things I can make," she told him then smiling let him off the hook. "It's alright. I'll make brownies and save the cookies for another day. But it will cost you."
"Cost me?" He frowned wondering what she needed credits for.
"Yes. It will cost you one kiss."
"A kiss? That's it?"
"Well," she gave him a teasing smile and let her fingers walk up the exposed skin the vest he pulled on couldn't cover. "If we had the time, I'd make you take me back to bed, but since we don't, a kiss will have to do until you can."
"You, Jennifer, are truly a gift." With that he pulled her into his arms and gave her a long, deep kiss. When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard.
Together they walked out of their quarters and into his office. When she would have headed for the exterior door, he led her to his desk. Reaching inside a drawer, he pulled something out and placed it in her hand.
"It's a comm unit," she said, giving him a surprised look.
"Yes, and I want you to keep it with you at all times. If you'd had it when Spada attacked..."
"Stop!" she ordered, pressing gentle fingers against his lips. "It wasn't your fault. No one could have known Spada was capable of that, and you got there in time. Now show me how to use this thing."
Treyvon gave her a stiff nod and showed her how to use the comm, but he knew he would never forgive himself for what happened to her.
• • • • • •
Once they parted ways, Treyvon headed in to his Command Center and Jen out the exterior door. Her first stop was to the storage area to get what she would need to make more brownies. A lot more brownies.
Her next stop was the kitchen where she dropped off the supplies and went to check on the meat thawing in the cool room. She hadn't known until after Last Meal that Liron would be coming, but felt roast beast with an assortment of Earth and Kaliszian root vegetables and biscuits would be a good meal for him to try. And then there were the brownies.
"Jen!"
Mac came rushing into the kitchen, her face was flushed, and grabbing Jen's arm she pulled her out of the kitchen.
"You have to come see this!"
"See what?"
"The Crann!" Mac exclaimed pulling her outside.
"The Crann? Why?" Jen felt her heart start to pound. "What happened to it?"
"You have to see it to believe it." Rounding the corner of the building, she skidded to a halt and waved her arm out as if she were introducing something. "Look!"
Jen's eyes went to the Crann and her heart, that had been rapidly pounding, suddenly missed a beat. There before her stood a larger, taller Crann that was giving off a white glow that while soft and reassuring, was undeniably powerful.
If that weren't shocking enough, where yesterday there was one small bud on a single branch, now every branch was covered with thousands and thousands of small buds, with some obviously larger than others. They were growing.
"Oh my God, Mac!" she whispered.
"I know, isn't it amazing. I've never seen a tree bud this quickly, especially overnight. It's like something besides the sun is powering it."
"Maybe there is. I mean look at the way the Crann is glowing. You can feel its power."
"That's true, but what about this?" Mac led her to one of the planting beds. In it, small shoots of growth were pushing up through the soil. "I have no idea what any of these are, but I can't wait to study them."
"It's this way in all the beds? Down all the paths?"
"Yes."
Jen looked from the soil, where life was returning, to Mac who was carrying new life. She knew she wasn't wrong in the two being connected or in the fact that Mac was the perfect person to care not only for the Crann and the new growth here, but also for whatever else would be growing on Pontus. Because Jen was certain this was just the beginning of Pontus's rebirth.
"It looks like you won't be helping me in the kitchen much longer."
"What do you mean?" Mac asked, frowning at her.
"I mean I think you are going to be busy documenting and teaching the Kaliszians how to properly tend growing things. Especially if this spreads beyond Pontus."
"You think it might?"
"I honestly do. The Great Infection is ending for the Kaliszians. Your skills are going to be in great demand here. It's lucky for them that you are here."
They looked at each other and began to realize that luck probably had nothing to do with it.
• • • • • •
Jen turned a concerned eye to the three large pans of frosted brownies. Treyvon had contacted her, telling her Liron would be landing shortly, and he wanted her at his side to greet him. That didn't bother her. What bothered her was leaving those pans unprotected. Would there be any left when she got back?
The ringing of her comm had her jumping slightly. She still wasn't used to it, which was kind of funny when she thought about how attached she had been to her cell phone back on Earth, and this comm was very similar to cell phones. Pushing the answer button she answered.
"Hello?"
"Jennifer, are you on your way?"
"Not yet."
"Why not?"
"I'm trying to decide what to do with the brownies."
"What do you mean? What's wrong with them?"
"Nothing, I'm just not sure I should leave them unattended. Not with the way your warriors enjoy them." She expected him to laugh at her, but instead silence greeted her statement.
"My warriors are worthy males, Jennifer."
"I know that, but this is chocolate, and right now I wouldn't even trust Mac to guard them, not with her being with offspring. Look, I'll just move the pans into the dry storage room and be right there."
It took her a few moments to clear enough shelf space in the dry room, but finally they were inside, and giving the brownies one last concerned look, she closed the door and went to join Treyvon.
• • • • • •
Jen raised a hand above her eyes as a visor to shield them from the sun as she watched Liron's transport hovering above them, preparing to land. She was surprised by the condition of the landing area. She seemed to recall there being a great deal more sand in it and that it got all stirred up when a ship landed. But now, while there was some dust being stirred up by the power of the landing ship, it was very little.
As she watched, the ramp lowered and a group of warriors descended. One she recognized as Captain Troy. When a single figure appeared at the top of the ramp, every Warrior on the ground snapped to attention and the Emperor began to descend the ramp.
Jen found she was moving forward as Treyvon put a gentle hand on her elbow guiding her. She had known he wanted her at his side when Liron arrived, but she hadn't realized he meant that literally. Her covering was streaked with flour and she knew strands of her hair were falling out of the bun she'd pulled it all back in. Well, all but the braid with Treyvon's True Mate and Ashe bead. That she always kept loose because she knew Treyvon liked it that way and she could admit she did too.
"General," Liron spoke first. "I am extremely displeased at the moment."
Jen could tell that Liron's words had surprised Treyvon, because of their True Mate connection, but none of it showed on his face or in his voice.
"I will do everything I can to dispel that displeasure, Majesty, but first," Treyvon continued when Liron opened his mouth, bringing Jen further forward. "I would like the honor of introducing you to my Ashe and True Mate, Jennifer Rayner."
Liron's eyes widened in shock, his glowing gaze immediately going to Jen and the braid that held both of Treyvon's beads. "True Mate... But... you never informed me of this!"
"No, I wanted to inform you directly. There has been a great deal of curiosity and speculation regarding Nikhil's True Mate. I did not want it to become even greater when it becomes known that my True Mate bead has also transferred."
"Not just yours, Treyvon," Jen told him quietly.
"No, not just mine." Tr
eyvon held up his braid so Liron could see that he wore Jennifer's True Mate bead.
'How was this possible?' Liron thought, his eyes widened even farther. "How were these human females being gifted beads. Only the Goddess...'
"That wasn't the bead I was talking about," Jen told him. "I was talking about Maysa and Luol's beads."
"What?" This time it was Treyvon's eyes that widened and he turned to where Luol and Maysa were standing. "Luol, is this truth?!!"
Slowly, Luol and Maysa approached but the happiness beaming from their glowing eyes answered Treyvon's question before Luol did.
"Yes, General, Majesty," Luol said and gave Liron a slight bow. "Yesterday morning we woke and discovered they had migrated. It is truly and amazing gift."
"It is. The Goddess has blessed you," Liron said, and then he did the most extraordinary thing, he bowed to Luol and Maysa and then Treyvon and Jennifer. "It seems there are a great many things we need to discuss directly, General."
"Yes, Majesty, there are. Shall we proceed to my office and discuss it there?"
• • • • • •
Liron sat behind Treyvon's desk, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly as he knew he was the only one Treyvon would allow there when he was also in the room. He'd found himself envious as he watched Treyvon and Nikhil tell their True Mates goodbye. There had been quiet words and soft touches, on both sides, followed by a gentle kiss before two of his strongest and most loyal warriors turned to him and followed him here.
Now Nikhil was in the Command Center compiling some information Treyvon wanted Liron to see and Treyvon sat on the wrong side of his own desk. There were a great many important things they needed to discuss, but there was something else he needed to know first.
"A True Mate... Is it as amazing as the old stories say?" Liron asked.
"No. It is more. So much more. I can't explain the sense of peace, joy, and hope she brings me, Liron. No matter what has happened, no matter how bad the day, all she has to do is give me the smallest of smiles, the gentlest of touches, and it all fades away."
"Is that what stopped you from ending Spada when he attacked her?" He watched as his question had Treyvon's entire demeanor changing from relaxed male to deadly Warrior. "You should have told me then that she was your True Mate."