Chapter 32

MANDY

58-Zallnanis fills the viewscreen, a blue-green planet teeming with life and promise. Kameer stands next to me in his home quarters aboard the Rorrsa . He grasps my hand as we behold the sight. Our new home.

“It’s so beautiful,” I say.

“Breathtaking.”

The video comm dings, and we glance over to see it’s my family’s comm number. True to his word, Kameer had one of his comrades install a private video comm in their quarters, and I’ve enjoyed speaking with my mother and sister on a daily basis recently.

He releases my hand, and I rush to answer the call. Seated in front of the screen, I beam at my mother and sister. My father is nowhere to be seen, but that’s not a surprise. After his release from the brig, he’s kept largely to himself.

“Hi, Mandy! Hello, Chief Kameer! Oh, would you look at it? Isn’t 58-Z marvelous?” Tasha says. “A real planet. A real planet and we’re all going to live there.” She pauses and exchanges a look with my mother, who shifts in her seat in a nervous manner that puts me on edge. “ Together . We’re all going to live there together.”

“What do you mean?” I glance at Kameer, then lean closer to the screen as I wonder what the hell kind of plan my sister has concocted now.

To my shock, a young Darrvason steps into view, and Kameer is quick to inform me of the male’s identity. That’s newly promoted Officer Harrek. He was a member of my crew aboard the Jansonna and he helped set the trap for Gorrsum and his brothers. He also happens to be the engineer who installed the video comm in your family’s quarters.

Thanks for the quick introduction , I send down the bond. But what’s he doing standing so close to my sister?

I have a feeling we’re about to find out, pretty human.

Officer Harrek places a hand on Tasha’s shoulder, and my sister gazes up at him with an affectionate look. Then she peers at me with mischief sparkling in her eyes as she allows the cardigan she’s wearing to slide down, revealing upper arms that are fully covered in Darrvason ancestral markings.

Oh, oh, my God. I don’t believe I’ve ever been more shocked.

Unable to summon words, I stare dumbly at the screen.

“Surprise!” Tasha giggles and laces her fingers through Officer Harrek’s. The young officer couldn’t look prouder or more smitten if he tried. “Mandy, meet Officer Harrek. Harrek, my love, meet my sister, Mandy.”

“Oh, my God. I can’t believe it.” I want to yell at Tasha for doing something so bold, but how can I when it means she’s going to live near me on 58-Z? The sister I adore and have always tried to protect will be living in the Darrvason settlement, rather than on the other side of 58-Z on a completely different continent. I clear my throat and glance between Tasha and my new brother-in-law. “Congratulations on your mating union. It’s, um, nice to meet you, Officer Harrek.”

“I am pleased to meet you, Mandy.” He places a hand on his chest. “I vow that I will take care of your sister and any offspring we have until the end of my days.” The adoring look he gives my sister warms my heart.

I shift my focus to my mother as I consider Tasha’s initial announcement that we would all live on 58-Z together .

“I’m coming too,” Mom announces, and once again, I’m stunned into silence. “Although, it’s my understanding that I must mate with a Darrvason, otherwise I’ll have to remain locked inside forever. Officer Harrek says that despite my age, and despite the fact that I’m no longer fertile, unmated Darrvason males would still try to steal away with me.”

Wow. Even if I could find my voice, I’m not sure what I would say. I give my mother a comforting smile in hopes of calming her nerves. It’s obvious that my sister and I are the reason she’s coming to the Darrvason settlement. But mating with a Darrvason? I pray she can find a male who will treat her with kindness, one that’s perhaps a little less possessive than Kameer.

I heard that, pretty human, and you’ll pay for it later.

I glance his way with a haughty look as he comes closer. You do realize that you just proved my point?

My mate sits beside me and places a hand on my thigh. His presence is calming, and I can’t help but smile as I imagine all of us living near one another. Or perhaps in the same house. Kameer plans to build a large house, and I don’t see why we couldn’t all live together. Unless large, extended families living together is not the Darrvason way.

Yes, pretty human, I will invite them to live with us. We will figure out the details later, but the house will be large enough, and I can easily add additional bedrooms and wings. Among my people, it is quite normal for extended families to live together.

Oh, that’s wonderful news. Thank you. I place my hand atop his.

But as I stare at Mom, I can’t help but wonder what happened with her and Dad, and my excitement starts to give way to worry. “I’m overjoyed to learn you’ll both be living in the Darrvason settlement,” I finally say. “But what about Dad? Does he know you’re leaving him, Mom? Are you safe right now? Did something happen?”

“I’m perfectly safe, darling, I promise.” Mom draws in a long breath. “Your father and I agreed to separate. I recently discovered he’s been spending time alone with a widowed Founder and I suspect he will marry the elderly woman once our divorce is finalized. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but I wanted to wait and see what happened with Tasha. I suspected she would offer herself to a Darrvason so she could follow you, and sure enough, that’s what happened.”

“Wow, Mom. I’m sorry about Dad. That’s awful of him, but it sounds like it’s for the best. Now he’ll finally be a Founder like he’s always wanted. Sort of.” Plus, now we won’t have to deal with his rages and his name calling and all the other bullshit he’s put us through over the years. However, I keep these thoughts to myself.

“Perhaps you know a sweet, older Darrvason male that might be in need of a mate, Chief Kameer,” Tasha says. “Perhaps you could help select a respectable male for our mother.”

I glance over at Kameer to find he’s holding back a smile. Of course, I can sense his amusement easily enough. He’s thinking that he never expected to play a matchmaker, but since he’s promised to help my family in any way he can, that’s exactly what he’ll do. “I will give it some thought and make a list of prospects.”

“Thank you,” Tasha says. “Make sure he’s tall and handsome.”

“Tasha!” Mom says in a scolding tone, and I can’t help but laugh.

“I will do my best,” Kameer says.

I stare at my sister as I consider her mating union with Officer Harrek. “When did you two mate?” I ask her. “When I spoke to you yesterday, you gave no indication that you were thinking about?—”

“We mated this morning,” she says in a gushing tone, “and the heartbond just snapped into place. It was totally romantic and magical. Officer Harrek thinks we might’ve set a record for fastest heartbond ever formed.”

“Well, considering that we’re about to land on 58-Z, I suppose the timing couldn’t be any better.” I peer at Tasha and Mom, joy resounding with me. Together. We’re all going to be together.

“Officer Harrek, are you set to return to the Haxxal soon with the rest of the crew?” Kameer asks.

“Yes, Chief Kameer. After the Jansonna safely lands on 58-Z, we’re scheduled to take a shuttle to the Haxxal . Tasha and Adrianna will accompany me, of course, and several other members of the crew are also bringing human females with them. There’s been a rash of matings on the Jansonna during the last moon cycle, some that remained a secret until recently. Also, the two thousand females are already secured on shuttlecrafts in Jansonna’s docking bay, and they will depart the moment the worldship lands on 58-Z, per the terms of the alliance.”

“Good luck with the landing,” Kameer says. “I will be monitoring from the Rorrsa and ready to provide any assistance if needed.”

“Thank you, Chief,” Officer Harrek says.

We chat for a few more minutes before ending the call.

It’s time. Time for the Jansonna to land on 58-Z.

The Rorrsa , the Haxxal , and the rest of the Darrvason fleet will remain in orbit until the Jansonna makes a safe landing. After that, the Darrvason ships will take turns landing. I almost can’t believe it. We’re finally here. We made it. We survived.

Kameer takes me in his arms. “Would you like to accompany me to engineering, pretty human?”

I’m touched by his invitation. “Yes, I would like that very much.”

He grasps my hand, and we set off.