Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Kaitlyn

Kait lounged on Viktal's bed, peering into the Guardian version of a computer tablet. The women in her family were having a conference call, working out wedding plans. Soon, all three of them would walk down the aisle at the Dragon Palace, where her cousin Lauren lived with her prince.

"The wedding dresses were ordered and will be here with the next shipment, along with the horses and all the stuff from home," Makayla informed them. She grinned at her screen. Kaitlyn and Lauren grinned back.

The three women were happy that they were going to have their horses and all the things they missed from Earth. They loved their mates, but it was very lucky that Makayla's man was a Guardian and the sacrifice of her humanity meant that she was a Guardian too, and they would always have access to things like coffee, jeans, and vodka. It was part of her sister's payment for being a member of the space police.

Kaitlyn grinned. She studied her sister and cousin, making sure they looked happy. And at the same time marveling at genetics. The women were quite different in looks.

Her sister Makayla had the body type of their dad. She was close to six feet, strong of body, yet she had the curvy assets from mom. She also had their dad's mocha-colored skin and dark curly hair. She was in her late thirties.

Kaitlyn's eyes were dark hazel. A mix of the brown eyes of her father and the bright green of her mother's. Kaitlyn also got paler skin from her mom, the shorter body, and the bigger boobs. Not to mention the booty to match. Kaitlyn was all hour-glass figure with a soft and curvy body and cream complexion.

Her cousin Lauren's looks came straight from her mother. Her skin was the darkest of the three. Her family had always said that Lauren's eyes were chocolate drops, and her wavy dark brown hair didn't break the color scheme. She was dark brown from head to toe.

And while Kaitlyn and Kayla were curvy, Lauren was not. She had a short, tight swimmer's body with just a handful of boobs, a tiny ass, and sweet as pie country girl innocence peering out of those big eyes.

Kaitlyn smirked. Lauren used her smaller stature and innocent look to get what she wanted. She was often underestimated because she was just so cute and cuddly. Hah! That girl was hell on wheels.

Kaitlyn and Lauren were in their early twenties, with only a few months difference in their age. When their parents were all killed in a car accident, Makayla left the military to come home and finish raising Kaitlyn and Lauren. Essentially, Makayla filled the role of mother to the two younger girls.

As a family, they all laughed and insisted that Kaitlyn was cream, Kayla was mocha, and Lauren was chocolate. Their differences in skin color meant that many people didn't realize they were related.

In looks, the three women were quite different. In attitude and abilities, not so much.

Her focus was drawn back to the screen. Kayla and Lauren were talking about which room at the palace to hold the weddings.

The Dragon Palace made a hell of a wedding venue. The desert where Kaitlyn lived wouldn't work. They'd have to erect too many tents for all the guests. The logistics would be a nightmare. Makayla lived on the spaceship while the Megoth platform she wanted was being built. The deck fit around the ship and gave her somewhere she could soak up the sun. The rooms she added to the deck would be used to entertain her family, as the rooms on the ship were small. There would also be areas for storage. That way, when Makayla and Falcon had to take the ship into space, they wouldn't have to take all the supplies they collected for their life on the planet. Many of those supplies were for Kaitlyn and Lauren's use, too.

Even though Kayla lived smack in the middle of Kaitlyn's desert and Lauren's palace, her home wasn't finished enough to entertain… So, the only real option for a triple wedding was the palace. Which meant the Dragon King had been asked to host the wedding.

Giggling, Kait asked, "So have you met your father-in-law yet, Lauren?"

Her cousin groaned and flopped back in what looked like an office chair. "No. They don't live at the castle. That belongs to Daxter. The king and queen have a palace that is hidden somewhere in the mountains. It takes a bit to travel to them unless you can go by dragon." She smirked. "Won't that be fun? I'll be scared for the entire… flight. We are leaving in a bit. I'm supposed to meet Daxter's mom and dad tonight. We're having dinner and I'm not looking forward to it. We are also supposed to discuss what takes place in a human wedding and I'm scared," she admitted. "Not just of meeting his parents, but of the flight and everything else."

Makayla leaned into the screen. "Lauren, little bit … look at me."

Kaitlyn held her breath as Lauren struggled not to cry, then her cousin met Kayla's gaze.

"What is it?" Kayla demanded. "Why are you upset about this?"

Lauren shrugged. "I was a slave. Daxter bought me. Now he is bringing me home to meet his parents. It feels… weird."

Kaitlyn snorted and Makayla laughed out loud.

Makayla started with her voice gentle and soft. She ended fiercely, "Lauren, honey. You are marrying a man who turns into a dragon. Red, furry men with four arms kidnapped you from Earth and now you live on an alien planet. What about that is not weird?

"Not only did you survive, but you have also thrived here. And you remember—it is their planet that allowed slavery to continue. If there was no slave market, you wouldn't have been put in a cage. They may be putting an end to it now that Daxter has demanded it, but they didn't do it before.

"Plus, you love his son, and Daxter loves you. That has to carry some weight. And don't forget… you are willing to help the Dragon King rid this planet of slavers. Daxter's marriage to you solidifies his power base. Because of you, there are stronger ties to the chief of the Megoth Horde, and a Guardian pair will live on this planet. You have awesome ideas about how to eradicate slavery and help the slaves.

"Not to mention—if he gives you any grief—Kaitlyn and I will help you kick his ass!"

Lauren giggled, and Kait was glad to see a sparkle back in her eye. She'd be fine. "Call us tonight and let us know how things go. It doesn't matter how late it is."

Her cousin winced. "There aren't any communications set up for the mountain palace. Evidently, Daxter and his parents can speak to each other telepathically, so they don't allow other communications."

Makayla frowned. "You should suggest they add some type of emergency option. What if Daxter gets hurt? How does anyone let his parents know? Or the reverse—if the king and queen become incapacitated in some way, how does anyone contact Daxter?" She shrugged. "Just seems like they should have a backup plan."

Lauren agreed.

Makayla turned her attention to her younger sister. " Kit Kat , have you heard from Tallie? Is she going to come back in time to be your bridesmaid?"

Kaitlyn sighed. "I don't know. Something is going on. I got a garbled message from her yesterday that she was on her way and might be coming in hot. She told me I wouldn't be able to contact her for a bit. Then the message went to static and disconnected."

Her sister frowned. "What the hell? What did she mean, hot? That girl has fiercely embraced human slang. I will have Falcon scan for distress calls a little further out into space. He normally monitors the area a few miles out of Megoth's orbit. He can extend that a little more. I knew her parents were going to be a problem."

All three women started laughing as they remembered the first time they met pink-haired Tallie's parents. Tallie was so nice. So helpful and caring. And she had a wonderful sense of humor. Her parents weren't nice or helpful, and humor was definitely not their thing.

The ambassadors had landed their spaceship right next to Falcon's. They stormed down the ramp with servants and guards in tow, demanding… loudly… to see their daughter.

They tried to take over, wanting to assert their dominance over everything. The zoo, the other aliens, and Kaitlyn's sister Makayla. She grinned. Kayla put a stop to their display of dominance immediately. For one thing, she and her husband-to-be were Galactic Guardians. Part of an ancient security force that had full authority throughout all the worlds.

The Guardians were always the ones in control, much to the Ambassador's dismay.

Because Falcon and Kayla didn't agree with any of their suggestions, Tallie's parents packed up and left quickly. Dragging their reluctant daughter with them. Kaitlyn figured that had more to do with the man at her side than it did with her parents. Tallie wasn't glad to see him. Which sucked, because they were promised to each other. Tallie had told her it was similar to being engaged. Only she hadn't agreed to it. Her parents had arranged a contract with the male.

Kait needed to find out what the story was with that relationship.

Makayla leaned in. "Let me know when you hear from her again. Are you still good with keeping all the animals at your village, Kait? You'll need something for the three horses for now, and the beef and dairy cattle that will be coming. A few of the cattle might be on this shipment. Maybe some chickens, too."

Kaitlyn's breath hitched and she forgot all about Tallie's problems. "Umm, when did you say they were going to be here?"

"I don't know. About a week. They need another day or so to finish gathering things up and loading it all on the spaceship. So maybe two?"

She kept the panic off her face and nodded. Two weeks ? Shit. She hadn't even told her mate that her horse was coming. Not to mention more horses and a small herd of cattle… and maybe chickens. Hell. What was she going to do with it all?

Quickly, she finished up her conversation and left the tent that had become her home. She wandered through the village and didn't bother to stop and talk to anyone. Nor did she go to the communal dining area. She wasn't hungry.

Not yet.

No. She wanted to check the space next to the Yesla pen.

The horde beasts were huge. In the mature males, the backs were over ten feet from the desert's red sand. Which meant even the largest warrior could ride them comfortably, without their feet dragging in the dirt. Kaitlyn loved them. She had learned to ride one and as long as she stopped and started near something she could climb to get on or off their back—it was great. But it wasn't her horse.

The Yeslas were strong, fast, and could go long distances with only a little water. The beasts grew thick wool under their hair in the winter, and when they shed that wool in the summer, it was gathered by the tribe and used to make warm clothing and blankets.

Viktal's tribe had bonded with the beasts long before he was born. The horde fed and cared for the herd. Protected them from being slaughtered for food. The Yesla in turn carried the warriors into battle and through the desert.

On one side of the pens, there were large tents filled with food for the Yesla, and what she considered their tack. Blankets for the beasts, a few saddles the warriors had carved, and the metal and leather bindings that were very similar to bridles.

She walked out into the desert, looking at the land, estimating what she'd need to form a pen for the horses, one for the cattle, a few areas that would give them shade, and tents for their food and grain. She would also need something to use for a water trough. Again, a smaller version of what the Yesla had in their pen would work. Now Makayla said there would be chickens too.

They would be here in a couple of weeks or less. Why had she agreed to do this?

Suddenly, she felt tired and incapable. So tired. She sat down on a large, round rock and let her shoulders slump. She looked over the area that she thought would be good for the horses and cattle—and started crying.

Viktal

Zaneth, one of the oldest of them, signaled he wished to speak to the chief of the Megoth Horde.

Viktal smiled at the elder. Zaneth's hair had been gray for decades. He was just a little bent over from age and old accidents. The ancient warrior was the one who taught a fatherless boy about living in the desert on this planet. Zaneth gave him the tools that he used to survive and thrive. He was like a father to Viktal. He was also the man he'd chosen to teach his mate how to survive in this land. He would always hold a special spot in Viktal's heart.

The man limped over, looking irritated. "Your mate is sitting out in the desert beside the Yesla holding pen—crying loudly."

"About what?"

"Are you crazy? The last time I found her crying and thought of helping, I got hit on the head and knocked unconscious. The beast who did that—kidnapped your Kaitlyn. I didn't go near the woman. I ordered several of the young warriors to stand and guard her—making sure they knew to watch over each other so no one could sneak up on them—as they did me. Then I came to get you. Thank the skies she is your problem and not mine," he said as he turned and walked away.

Viktal frowned and started walking toward the Yesla pen. He'd caught his mate crying several times in the past few days. She always told him it was nothing. Or that it was happy tears because of her Earth-style wedding planning. She and her sister and cousin talked every day and added more detail to the planned event.

Viktal loved his mate and would do anything to make her happy. Including going through the increasingly complicated Earth ceremony. He sighed and waved off villagers, intent on getting to his mate. He was starting to think the tears weren't all that happy.

As he stepped around the large Yesla enclosure, he spotted Kaitlyn sitting on a red, rounded rock in the middle of the desert sand. Her sobs were loud and heartbreaking. No, these were not happy tears.

He nodded at the panicked look on the first warrior's face. Taking pity on the boy, Viktal dismissed him.

Kaitlyn

Unable to stem the flow of tears, she watched as the leader of the Megoth Horde looked across the desert, searching for her. She didn't doubt he would find her. He always found her. Thank god. She'd come to depend on him in so many ways.

The man searching for her had many redeeming qualities. He was a massive giant with thick, muscle-bound arms that were all tatted up, and legs the size of redwood tree trunks. His chest was a thing of beauty, and his neck was corded and strong. He had amazing, dark, curly hair that fell past his shoulders. That curly hair hid thick horn nubs that were several inches high. And brilliant blue eyes. His flesh was tinted red, and he had amazing scrollwork running up his arms. Plus… he loved her. Really, truly loved her. Soon, he would be her husband.

She shivered when his brilliant blue eyes met hers.

Viktal

He strode out to the love of his life and carefully plucked her off the rock and turned. Sitting with her in his lap, he wrapped his muscled arms around her and held her tight. Adjusting her more comfortably in his arms, he tucked her head under his chin and tightened his hold. He stared out at the warm, red landscape—waiting patiently for her crying jag to end.

Kaitlyn called his planet a desert. Viktal was the desert region's Horde leader. But this planet was more complex than it looked. In just a few days ride in any direction lay the ice fields of his planet. Megoth ran hot and cold.

On Viktal's side of the planet, they wore little clothing. To live, you needed to know the planet's secrets in order to find water, then use the rock formations and dips in the sand for cover, and the fertile soil in many of those dips to grow crops.

In the ice fields, there was a second Horde leader. Where Viktal ruled the planet covered in hot sand, the ice on Megoth offered an entirely different set of challenges. Viktal wasn't even sure what those challenges were. But he knew the Horde leader for the ice fields didn't have a mate. Didn't have to run the minefield of issues in dealing with his mate's sister and her cousin. Or her tears.

Viktal smiled to himself. He would not change places with the other Horde leader for anything. Kaitlyn might be crying a bit in the last few days, but he would help her with her problems and dry her tears. Then he would take her to bed, so they both felt better. He couldn't imagine his life without his love.

She squirmed to get comfortable, and he relaxed his hold a bit. It wasn't long before her tears dried up.

Sighing, she tilted her head back and met his gaze. "It's… okay. I think I'm done."