Star's Storm: Lords of Kassis Book 2 (3 page)

He waited until Armet left before he slowly
disentangled himself from the body now lying more on top of him
than beside. He brushed a soft kiss over Star’s forehead before he
carefully rose out of the bed and tucked the covers securely around
her. He glanced at her once more before he turned to leave the
room. Her face was flushed a dusty rose and a slight smile curved
her lips. He wondered what she was dreaming of and could only hope
it had something to do with him.

“Armet,” Jazin said as he quietly closed the
door behind him.

“My lord. Please forgive my intrusion,”
Armet bowed respectfully. “Your brothers and father wish for you to
meet with them. They expressed their regret but new information has
come to their attention that they feel you should know about.”

Jazin’s mouth tightened. He glanced at the
door. He had only been asleep for a few hours but it had been
enough to refresh him. Still, he was hesitant to leave his mate.
His eyes moved to the door as it opened. Jo, Star’s sister, and
River walked through the entrance talking quietly. They both
paused, looking anxiously at him.

“Star?” Jo asked in a husky voice.

“She is sleeping peacefully and looks much
better,” Jazin replied. “I would thank you to let her rest as long
as possible. Shavic said it is the best thing for her at this
time.”

Jo rolled her eyes. “I figured that. I was
just worried she….” Jo drew in a deep breath and smiled tearfully
at River who wound her arm around her waist in support. “I was just
worried.”

Jazin relaxed slightly as he noted the
pinched look around Jo’s mouth. He knew she loved her little sister
and was very protective. That was evident the few times he had seen
them together. In fact, he saw how all three were very supportive
and protective of each other. His thoughts flitted to his own
father and brothers and he had a deeper appreciation for his own
relationship with them. He had never thought of it much before now.
Thinking of his father and brothers reminded him that they were
waiting for him.

“I trust you ladies to stay and watch over
my mate until I can return,” Jazin said. “I am needed in a meeting.
Armet will stay outside the rooms if you should need anything.”

Armet looked startled for a moment before he
nodded. He had grown attached to the little female who had taken
over the Third House of Kassis, also known as the West House. He
had to admit it was much easier to maintain since she had come. He
would have never complained but he and several of the warriors
under his command had their hands full at times dealing with the
females who used to live in the West House. Those remaining now
were either mated, children, or older couples. The little female
often visited each of the families to see how they were doing and
if they needed anything. He was also fascinated by some of the
things that she could do. He had never seen anyone move the way she
did in the training room and some of the things she created were
not only innovative but useful.

“I will return as soon as possible,” Jazin
was saying.

He gave a sharp look to Armet. Armet nodded
to show he was aware of the unspoken command; protect all three
females with his life. Armet spoke quietly into his comlink and
moved to stand by the door as Jazin cast one last, longing look at
the door leading to the room where his mate slept.

“Protect them,” Jazin muttered under his
breath as he walked out the door.

“With my life, my lord,” Armet said with a
glitter of pride and respect in his eyes. “With my life.”

*.*.*

Star woke up in stages. The first stage, she
became aware that there was light filtering into the room. The
second stage, she became aware of the soft sound of voices
murmuring beside her. The last stage and the most important one was
she became aware that she didn’t hurt…. anywhere. She flexed her
toes back and forth before moving her legs. When she still didn’t
feel any pain, she moved her fingers before turning her head toward
the voices and opening her eyes.

Twin sets of eyes, one an unusual dark blue
and the other a set of light blue like her own, stared at her with
worry and love gleaming from them. Star slowly smiled before she
whispered in a husky voice.

“Hi,” she murmured.

River grinned back. Jo opened her mouth,
closed it, and promptly burst into tears. Star’s eyes widened as
she watched her older sister’s shoulders shake as she cried. River
was pressing a small towel into Jo’s hands and hugging her.

“Is she hurt?” Star asked, her voice raspy
from being dry.

She struggled to sit up so she could comfort
her big sister and was surprised that it wasn’t that easy to do.
She finally made it into an upright position, balancing herself on
her arms until her head stopped spinning.

“Wow!” Star muttered, raising a trembling
hand to her head. “Head rush.”

“You dope! You shouldn’t be sitting up yet,”
Jo bit out between hiccupping sobs. “You were dead almost
twenty-four hours ago. You shouldn’t even be…. be…. be able to sit
up.”

“Water?” Star asked with a grimace, rubbing
her throat.

River reached over and picked up a small cup
of water that was on the table next to the bed. She held the cup
while Star took several small sips from it before she set it back
down on the table. Jo’s sobs slowly became quieter until she was
just drawing in deep, calming breaths. Jo wiped at her
reddened
cheeks with
the soft cloth that was clutched in her fist in aggravation.

When she felt like she finally had a small
semblance of control back, she glared at her little sister. “Don’t
you ever scare me like that again!” Jo snapped out, wiping at her
still damp cheeks.

Star chuckled as she weakly collapsed back
against the pillows. “It’s not like I planned to get hurt,” she
said. “Jazin?” She asked fearfully.

“He’s safe,” River assured her with a
smile.

“What happened?” Star asked looking back and
forth between River and Jo. “Was anyone else hurt?”

River bit her lip and looked at Jo who
nodded. “Yes,” River began quietly. “Eighteen people were killed in
the banquet room. Most were women on the stage and several of the
men who were sitting close to it. Thirty men who attacked us were
killed. Javonna was working with them. She is dead, as well,” she
said quietly.

“What about the councilman? Tai Tek?” Star
asked, playing with the covers nervously.

Jo shook her head. “He escaped,” she said,
her lips pressed into a tight line of frustration. “If I ever get
my hands on that bastard, I’m going to barbeque his ass over an
open flame.”

Star laughed at Jo’s fierce scowl. “Was
anyone else hurt? Ajaska? Manota? Torak?” She asked biting her
lower lip in concern.

River reached over and gripped one of Star’s
hands. “Torak was hurt when he fought one of the Tearnat’s guarding
Tai Tek but not seriously. None of the others were hurt,” she
assured.

“Jazin was frantic when he saw you….,” Jo’s
voice choked up again.

“We came very close to losing you, Star,”
River continued. “You scared all of us, especially Jazin. He really
does love you.”

Star sniffed and looked away. “He’s never
said he does. He just says I’m his and I should do what he tells me
to do,” she grumbled under her breath. “Fat chance that is ever
going to happen.”

River giggled. “I can always lend you my
knives if you need them. Once I pinned Torak to the door with them,
he’s been very careful about his ‘I’m the man speech ever since,”
she giggled.

Star’s lips turned up in a smile. She looked
at her surrogate sister with a twinkle in her eye. The thought of
pinning Jazin to the door brought up some interesting ideas. She
just might have to take River up on her offer if he became too
overbearing again.

“So how long have I been out and what’s
happened since everything went fuzzy on me?” Star asked tiredly.
“And why in the hell do I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck?”

“It wasn’t a truck but a laser blast to the
back,” Jo snapped out. “It’s a miracle you are even moving right
now. If Madas hadn’t gotten you to medical as fast as she did, you
wouldn’t be here,” she gritted out as tears filled her eyes again.
“Damn it! Now I’m crying again.”

*.*.*

Three weeks later, Star was seriously
thinking about borrowing River’s knives. Jazin had ordered all the
guards to make sure she was protected at all times when he couldn’t
be with her. He was busy working on some ‘top secret’ defense
system most of the day. From the little bit she had been able to
gather, which wasn’t much, Tai Tek was preparing for another
attack. This time, he had approached another alien galaxy outside
the Alliance’s jurisdiction. The species wasn’t well known as they
kept primarily to themselves. Rumors, or Intel that was coming in,
stated Tai Tek had promised unlimited access to the planet’s energy
crystal mines in exchange for help in defeating the Houses of
Kassis.

Jazin had been working with Manota on a
defense system to protect not only their planet but their warships.
While Manota’s shield worked at protecting the four royal houses,
Jazin’s would protect their fleet of warships during battle. In the
meantime while he was busy, he had ordered Star to rest as much as
possible. River and Jo came over daily to visit but she was not
allowed to even set foot out of the West House. Hell, even the
healer that saved River came to her. When she had asked why Shavic
wasn’t still caring for her, Jazin’s eyes had turned a darker black
and he had said that Shavic had been reassigned back to the
warship.

In the meantime, she had snuck out of the
house at least a dozen times and each time, either Armet or Jazin
caught her. And each and every exit she used was then either barred
or a guard placed in front of it. She was really beginning to get
desperate.

It was time to break out the knives,
she thought with glee as the picture of Jazin stuck to the door
floated through her mind.

A knock on the door roused Star from her
dark, gleeful thoughts. She let out a deep sigh and hoped it was
her sister and River. She knew River had to be careful right now
since she was pregnant but that didn’t mean she couldn’t help Star
escape the confines of the house. She was going batty being locked
up!

The knock sounded again as Star approached.
“I’m coming. I’m coming. Keep your pantyhose on,” Star called out
in frustration.

She opened the door and stood back in shock
when she saw Madas Tal Mod standing outside the door. The huge
Tearnat’s lips pulled back to reveal a set of even, but very sharp,
teeth. Star’s eyebrow rose. It was probably the closest thing to a
smile a Tearnat could make, she guessed.

“Hi Madas,” Star said in surprise. She
glanced around to see if there was anyone else with her. “Would you
like to come in?”

“That is usually what happens when someone
requests entrance into a room,” Madas teased.

Star chuckled. She liked the big female
Tearnat. Not just because she saved her life but because she did
have a wicked sense of humor.

“I guess you are right,” Star laughed as she
opened the door further. She waited patiently as Madas entered,
sniffing the air as she came through. “What brings you here? Jo and
River wouldn’t have happened to send you here to rescue me, would
they?” She asked hopefully.

Madas turned in an elegant circle to look
darkly at Star. “You need help?” She growled out menacingly. “The
Kassis lord is mistreating you?”

Star released a deep sigh and shook her
head. She motioned with one hand for Madas to have a sit on the
long, dark burgundy couch in the center of their living area. Star
sat down on a matching chair across from her. There was a small,
delicately carved crystal table between them. A refreshment tray
containing hot tea, dozens of small pastries and breads, and a
mixture of fresh fruit had been brought in earlier.

“Not unless being kept on a pedestal is
considered mistreatment,” Star reluctantly responded. She reached
over and poured Madas and her some tea. “Would you like some
pastries, bread, or fruit? They always bring me way too much. Plus,
it isn’t much fun eating alone all the time.”

Madas reached over and gingerly took the
small cup of hot liquid from Star. She then proceeded to load a
plate full of each of the items. She always did like the food and
drink on this planet. It was one of the few that reminded her of
her home.

Madas grinned when she saw Star’s eyes
widened at the size of the helping on her plate. “I am much larger
than you, little warrior, and never turn down the delicious food
available here. It reminds me of my home. My clan lives at the edge
of the great mountains. We grow much of our own food there. Fruit
hangs heavy from the trees that surround our village and the
grasses along the snow ridges are used to make breads. We are
careful of the amount of meat we eat. Gril’s clan comes from closer
to the desert where there is not an abundance of such things. His
clan survives primarily on the flesh of the animals that live in
the region,” Madas explained.

Star looked at the huge, dark green, brown,
and black creature closely. She could see the beauty in the way her
skin formed into soft scales. Her head was delicately curved with a
series of ridges along the top that flowed down like waves of hair.
Her skin was very soft and dry, not hard and wet like she had
expected. She wore a long-sleeved light tan shirt with a darker
brown vest over it and soft, dark brown pants tucked into mid-calf
length soft, brown boots. Around each wrist was a band of what
looked like gold. Her claw-like fingers were slender and the nails,
while very long, were carefully manicured. Her long tail wound down
along her side and the tip curled around one ankle like a cape.