Bethany's Heart (Unearthly World Book 3) (17 page)

“You seem to know a lot about the Castians,” Kier said.

“They are friends. Roam is a friend, he’ll help my mate.”

“What if the healing water doesn’t work?” Thane asked.

Finn knew this might be the case. “Then I will give her to a Castian to mate. If a Castian mates her, she will live.”

“Poisoned water killed many Castian warriors when their mates died. Cobra may not risk a warrior. He’s building his armies,” Thane said.

“Their Castian females drank the poisoned water over a long period of time. The female’s baby shield kept them safe, the poison undetected, until the shields dropped when a new must cycle began. By then the older females were carrying as their daughters fell. It was too late by then. All knew when the male baby shield fell the mothers would die.” Finn was feeling desperate but he was certain his logic to be true. “My mate has only had a tiny taste. She can be cured.”

“I hope for both your sakes you are correct,” Thane said. “You can’t wait for a Zargonnii ship. You’ll need a portal to travel worlds within worlds.”

“My mate has no way to breathe underwater,” Finn said.

“Not water,” Thane said. “Air.”

“Air?”

“The capsules our wings form fly faster than the speed of light. Bethany mentioned a string theory humans have. Our female planet is tethered to our planet but it is another universe away. We can ride the tether to the planet. A tube in space, or one giant worm hole. Our females refer to it as an umbilical cord,” Thane said.

“You aren’t tethered to my planet,” Finn argued.

Thane looked uncomfortable. “Anywhere there is oxygen our planet has a tether. We need its signature to find it. Finn, you are the signature to your planet. Our planet or any planet can be reached by space travel, but the fastest way between two points is a straight line. The line is a signature a world within a world can travel. Everything everywhere is somehow connected. Every universe is one or can merge. If we get you to your planet in your universe, can you get Bethany to the Castians in time?”

“Yes.” Finn was nodding. “Castians are able to open black holes on their ships to transport from ship to ship or ship to planet. If you can get me home now, she may have a chance. Can you contact the Castians and inform them of the situation?”

“I’ll do it now.” Thane looked at Kier. “Move swiftly my friend.”

It took only seconds for Bethany to be scooped into Kier’s arms. His giant wings engulfed Finn. Finn glanced around noting the wing structure reminded him somewhat of the blue pod his mother had used to care for him during his first month of life. There was light, fresh air, softness.

“We need to go now,” Finn said.

“We’re already on our way,” Kier said.

“We’re moving?”

“Your imprint is strong. The signature wasn’t hard to find. The small beacon of a home light shining was all I needed. When I explained the way we traveled to a human male, he smiled and said it reminded him his mother always kept a ‘porch light’ on when he was gone. The idea gave him comfort. You should know my people will always be able to find your planet now. The light has been turned on.”

“Is that a threat?”

“No. What happened to Bethany was an accident. I’ll never forgive myself if she dies. Thane was right, I’m too headstrong. She wanted to see more of our planet and Thane charged me with her safety. I only wanted to help her with those damned rocks. She bats those beautiful dark eyes of hers and for some reason I feel all…mushy. I can’t believe I just used that word.”

Finn would have laughed if he hadn’t been so concerned for Bethany. “Yeah, mushy is definitely the word.”

“Take my hand,” Kier demanded.

Kier grasped ahold of Finn, his capsule opened and Finn gaped at his homeland. Kier landed and settled Bethany into Finn’s arms.

“If we had the Castian imprint I would have taken you straight there. Good luck, Finn.”

Kier took off into the sky. His capsule closed around him, there was a brilliant flash of white light as a black hole opened and Kier vanished. He moved faster than the blink of an eye. It was Finn’s turn to move. He set off at a dead run heading for Titus’s headquarters. He was surprised when Titus met him halfway.

“It’s good to see you, my friend,” Finn said.

“You too, only I wish it was on better circumstances. Cobra is overhead waiting.” Titus spoke into a small console on his wrist as they ran. A large gaping black hole opened and Finn ran into it. He stopped when the hole closed and he was on the helm.

“How fast can this bucket of bolts move?” Finn asked Cobra.

“Pretty damn fast.”

Finn collapsed onto a chair with Bethany tucked against his chest. She was whimpering in pain. Finn curled his body around her, wishing with his entire being it was him who was in pain, not his little Bethany. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized he was in agony.

* * * *

Finn thought he would die as he handed Bethany over into Roam’s waiting arms. Roam was a friend and a powerful Castian warrior who Finn admired. Roam was humanoid to look at, a very large warrior. His shield was down. When Roam was shielded he became covered in ebony with talons for fingers, claws for feet and a green tattoo would shine on his cheeks. Nothing could kill a Castian warrior, except the death of his mate. Finn thought he might just die if Bethany did. Finn looked at Roam sorrowfully.

“Did you find someone who would be kind to her?” Finn asked, though the question broke his heart.

Roam was nodding. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to that. We can hope the healing waters work.”

“If it doesn’t, she needs to mate a Castian warrior immediately. She doesn’t have much time left,” Finn said.

“What if the waters don’t work and she wakes to find herself immortally mated to a warrior she’s never met?”

Finn cast his woeful glance to Roam’s mate Jinx. She was carrying Roam’s baby and kept a safe distance away, a Castian baby shield was a brutal protector of mother and child. “I would rather give her to another than let her die. A Castian can ease his mate’s fear through his secretions. She wouldn’t stay angry for long. Bethany is strong, a fighter, she wouldn’t want to die regardless.”

“You must love her very much,” Jinx said, her hand settled onto Finn’s arm and he blinked in astonishment.

“How is it possible you can come near me?” Finn asked.

Jinx smiled at him. “Our little warrior knows you mean no harm. This baby is a thinker, and right now he’s thinking your situation over. Yes, I know that sounds odd, and I really can’t explain except to say the Gorgano really did a number on me—in a good way.”

They watched as Roam lowered Bethany into the water, sinking to his chest. The water swirled around her crazily. Her clothes, foreign entities to the water were destroyed, disappearing completely. Any body hair she once had was gone except for her lashes, eyebrows and the hair on her head. It was one of the reasons Finn stayed out of the water, if he were rendered bald, some of his warrior skills would be compromised. He had to content himself by sitting by the pool.

Roam cupped water onto her head and over her throat and spoke soothingly. Bethany began to stir, her eyes fluttered. When her gaze settled onto Roam she struggled weakly.

“He won’t hurt you, Bethany,” Finn called to her and was pleased he was finally saying her name right. “He is my friend, a Castian warrior named Roam. Remember, I spoke of him. You became ill drinking the poison water. This healing pool is trying to fix you.”

Bethany looked over at him. Roam brought her closer to the edge of the pool where Finn could reach to take her hand. She then gazed at Jinx. A strange moment passed between the women and Jinx lowered herself into the water beside Roam.

“Jinx?” Finn asked uneasily.

“It’s the baby,” Jinx said. “Our baby is somewhat of a progeny. He wants something. I told you he was a thinker.”

“The water can’t fix me,” Bethany said loud enough for Finn to hear. Her voice was raw and he could tell she was still in pain. But at least she was awake; he could explain there was another way to save her life. He would have to let her go. Finn slumped, fearful she was lost to him forever.

“I can hear the baby in my thoughts,” Jinx said.

“So can I, he’s gathering information on the whereabouts of the Angano. A new creature we encountered on the planet of the Dalanee,” Bethany said, her voice hardly above a whisper. “He’s a strong little guy, it’s like he’s surrounding me in thought; the pain is lessening.”

“You know the creatures’ position?” Roam asked.

“Yes, I showed the Dalanee and now your son is taking the information. He’s not hurting me, but he’s doing something else.”

“What, Bethany, what’s he doing?” Finn shouted, up on his feet.

“He’s healing me. He’s taking over where the water cannot.”

“My God, Roam,” Jinx said and gasped. “He’s manipulating the chemicals in the water faster than I can calculate. Where did he get this information?”

“The creatures that attacked me,” Bethany said. “They must know what needs to be done. He’s using their skill to aid a human. I can feel the connection; it’s stronger with your unborn baby here. They’re furious. But now they know of him. I’m so sorry they know of him but there’s something more.”

“He doesn’t appear to be worried,” Jinx said. “If I didn’t know better I’d swear he’s taunting the creatures. He’s a little monkey, this one.”

Bethany struggled from Roam’s grasp. She waded over to Finn. “While the baby healed me, he checked out how to destroy the Angano. If he ever encounters them, he will annihilate them.”

Finn gripped her hands and tugged her into his arms. Bethany squealed. “Finn, I’m naked.”

“You sure are.” Finn looked at Roam who held Jinx tightly to his chest; they were also both void of clothing. “Thank you, my friend.”

“It wasn’t me, it was my son,” Roam said, pride shone from his eyes.

“Your people will make an even greater ally to the Zargonnii and any other who is smart enough to join you.”

“What of the Dalanee?” Roam asked.

“Stupid as to the ways of humans, not that I’m an expert, but I know better than to let humans near scum-covered water. They could be a powerful ally against the Angano, time will tell.”

“Can you stay for a while?” Jinx asked.

Finn hesitated. He knew Titus was coming for him; it would take a few days. Castian vessels were decidedly faster than the Zargonnii’s.

“A few days, until Titus comes for us,” Finn said.

“I’m exhausted.” Bethany looked up at him. Dark smudges were under her weary eyes.

“Do you have a place we can rest undisturbed while she recovers?” Finn asked.

Roam grinned and nodded.

“Give us a second to dry off, alone,” Jinx said and climbed from the pool. She grabbed two towels and after wrapping one around her she handed one to Bethany. Jinx took Bethany by the hand and both left the males to talk while they dressed.

* * * *

“The Castians have a beautiful planet,” Bethany said.

“This is a bird’s eye view. Roam set up this hologram room for you to see what you want without the risk of anything bothering us. I promise you are perfectly safe.”

Bethany lay on her back, Finn was at her side. A soft fur rug was beneath them. The rug was massive and dark black. Bethany clutched the fibers through her fingers.

“Is this real fur?” she asked.

“No, it’s a replica of a cyron pelt. These creatures don’t wander Bagron, they’re too dangerous for females. Cobra is very strict when it comes to the females on his planet; he is a viper when watching over everyone. Castians are highly connected emotionally; when one grieves, all grieve.”

“Roam and Jinx have a beautiful daughter.”

“The female child belonged to his warrior mate. When Roam’s warrior mate died, the child became his. The tie that binds warrior mates is so strong, Roam is almost the same as her father, their blood mixed. The child can feel the connection to her father through Roam.”

“That is a strong connection.”

“My people can scent connection. We have mated and when we return to my home my family will know you as one of them immediately. You don’t have to worry about fitting in and finding your place. You don’t have to worry about jealousy or animosity. You will be loved and in time they will simply love you because of who you are.”

“Sounds nice.”

Bethany cuddled up closer to his side and laid her head on his shoulder. The room was dark except for the multitude of brilliant lights in different areas. Beneath them the rotating brilliance of stars danced across their bodies and the fur. Overhead a huge image of a planet slowly rotated to give them glimpses at all angles. Shooting stars raced across the hemisphere in intervals. Breathtaking shimmering lights shone green, purple and golden. Their flickering images flared, settled and shimmered.

“I feel like all eyes in Heaven are on me,” Bethany whispered.

“The only eyes on you are mine.”

Bethany gazed up at him. “I knew you would come for me. I knew you would save me. But would you really have given me up?”

“I would never give you up; I would have let you go to save your life.”

“I don’t want a life if you’re not in it.”

Finn rolled on top of her, keeping his weight from her. They were both naked, the room was warm. Bethany had been so cold when she was ill she needed the warmth, but she needed Finn more. She thought she would die in his arms; when she woke in a stranger’s arms she was terrified. If she were to die, there could be no place but with Finn, in his loving embrace.

Bethany trailed the outline of his face with the tips of her fingers. His breath warmed her cheeks. He was so different in appearance to a human man but one of the most humane males she had ever had the privilege of knowing. She liked the way her breasts were warmed by his chest fur; she loved the way his hot cock pressed onto her, announcing its presence. His hard long legs could carry her at a dead run when she was in his arms. Power, sweet dominance, fun and most importantly, he was hers.

Finn nuzzled her throat with his nose, making her smile. His finger trailed her lips, then his own. Yes, they were the same except for color. He had two eyes, two ears, two of everything Bethany had, except he was all male and if Bethany wanted a hard, hot manhood, she would settle for his any day. Reaching lower her hand closed over her desire. She rubbed up and down listening to his growls of content.