Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

RENIKK

E arth is rich in Titanium? Drekk, I didn’t know this. I thought the Galactic Alliance’s interest in Earth was merely because the more planets we ally ourselves with, the stronger we become in our fight against the Coalition and other common enemies.

Zyan needs Titanium. And vanadium. Desperately.

I face Raven and see the confusion on her face. I haven’t said anything, haven’t denied her father’s claims.

“I did not know your world has titanium,” I say as her face starts to dim. “But it does not change my path. Our path. You are mine, Raven, and I will do whatever it takes to be with you, even risk a treaty between our worlds.”

“It won’t come to that, will it, Mom?”

“Of course not, dear. Your father’s just lashing out. You caught him off-guard with your news. He does a better job negotiating when he has all the information ahead of time. And a few hours’ sleep.” Mrs. Miller leans toward me and whispers, “He gets cranky without his morning coffee, too.”

“This isn’t a negotiation.” Mr. Miller slams the front door shut and finally enters the living room.

“Certainly not!” Mrs. Miller agrees as she slides her hand in her husband’s. “This is our daughter’s life we’re discussing. Once everyone calms down and has a chance to adjust, we’ll discuss a wedding party. You do want a wedding party, Raven, don’t you? Nothing big, just immediate family and a few friends. And maybe we can throw in an officiant and hear you do your vows again. And a beautiful long white dress.”

“Mom…”

“Fine, a short one. Or something slinky to show off your figure to your groom.”

Raven chuckles. “That would be lovely, but it’s not necessary, Mom.”

“It certainly is! We need to celebrate your marriage and what better way to show Warrior Qeelin off to everyone? Such a fine male.”

Mr. Miller’s shoulders sag as if he’s outnumbered and has no say, and seeing the two females chattering away, I believe that’s precisely the case. And here I always thought Raven’s mother was submissive to her sholan. I suspect it might be the other way around.

“You can call him Ren, Mom.”

“Ren it is. Welcome to our family, Ren.”

Mr. Miller clears his throat and squares his shoulders. “No. There will be no wedding. No party. No welcoming him to the family. He’s an alien, Raven, which means he’s off-limits.”

“And here I thought I was the blind one in the family,” Raven sounds off, her hands on her hips as she stands up to her father. In the past, I’ve heard her object to his security measures, but never stand up to him so staunchly.

“If you look beneath his exterior, Dad, you’ll see he’s a wonderful man.”

“I admire Warrior Qeelin very much. And I trust him completely, or I never would have allowed him near you, but?—”

“But he’s an alien,” Raven repeats her father’s earlier comment. “We must find the commonalities in who we are and build an alliance based on those, not tear one another down because of our differences. Isn’t that what you say when you negotiate with the Galactic Alliance?”

His mouth snaps shut.

“Well, Dad?”

Krike, my female is fierce. I’ve seen Mr. Miller stare down both his own military and zyanthan warriors alike, but he’s losing this battle to one very small female. Mine .

Mr. Miller straightens his back, lifts his chin with an air of confidence, and says, “But he’s blue .”

“You did not just say that, Charles!”

“I’m losing ground here, Meredith. You should be helping me.”

Mrs. Miller crosses her arms over her chest. “Then find a rational argument and stop sounding like you’re a racist. His color is moot. You’re black and I’m white, and that didn’t stop us.”

For the first time, I see much of Raven in her mother. More than the beautiful dark eyes, and tight curls. Their temper is very similar. Easy going until pressed, and then the kuvak inside comes out with claws extended, willing to shred anyone who threatens their morals. I’m starting to worry for Mr. Miller even though he opposes me on this issue.

“We’re both human , darling,” he counters.

Raven leans in to me and whispers, “He only calls her darling when he knows he’s losing. Watch. Now he’s going to try to get on her good side.”

“And how does one do that with a human female?” I whisper in turn. “This is something I may need to know.”

“With me? I’m easy. The right touch and I’ll melt in your hands, Warrior.”

I think it’s the other way around. I melt in her hands, but I don’t say this, not with how her mother is glaring at her father. “Your mother can be rather intimidating when she’s angry.”

“You’ve been on my mom’s bad side before?” Raven asks.

“Never. I’m too scared to cross her.”

“But you’re a warrior!”

“Yes, a warrior. Not a fool.”

“He’s older than her,” Mr. Miller rebuts whatever Mrs. Miller just said that we missed.

“You are?” Raven asks me. “How much older?”

“I’m thirty-seven.”

She puffs out her lips. “Jeez, Dad, you make it sound like he’s ancient, like you.”

“I am not ancient, young lady.”

“Charles, stop with the excuses. Just say it. He’s not human.”

“Fine. He’s not human.”

Mrs. Miller tugs on her husband’s sweater as she draws him close. The male’s expression softens to her. “My dear Charles, you know how he’s protected her all these months. Look at her. She’s in love. You do remember what that feels like, don’t you?”

“Every day,” Mr. Miller says as he kisses his wife’s hand.

I’m beginning to understand the way of sholan and sholani. Until now, I believed it was the bond created by the gods, the innate compulsion to be together, that drives a male to sacrifice anything for his mate. It’s a need to understand one another, to see life from your mate’s perspective, that gives the pair the ability to achieve true happiness.

Raven throws her arms around my neck. “I love you, Ren. I wasn’t ready to say it earlier, because everything between us happened so fast, but looking at my parents, hearing them… all I can think about is that no matter what they say, whether they point out good arguments or not against my marrying an alien, it doesn’t matter. I love you and I’m willing to stand up to anyone and anything to have you.”

She kisses me, and I lose myself in her kiss and miss most of the discussion between her parents. When her lips eventually part from mine, the room is silent and we both turn to her parents who are watching us.

“Look at them, Charles. They love each other. And she’ll be safe with him. What more could you want for her?”

“For her to be here,” he says, the fight draining from him. “He’ll take her to Zyan. I don’t want to lose my little girl.”

This male is not my adversary. Merely a father who fears never seeing his youngling again.

“I would think in your position you’d be able to travel and visit us on Zyan, Dad.”

For the first time since Raven announced she is my sholani, I see Mr. Miller’s eyes light.

“You are right! I should be able to make a case for that.”

“And I can accept assignments that require us to return to Earth.”

Mr. Miller shakes his head. “No. Meredith is right. Raven will be safer on Zyan. You watch over her there, keep her happy, Renikk. We’ll find a way to visit.”

“Sounds like we’re having a party!” Mrs. Miller says, kissing her husband.

Raven jumps up and wraps her legs around me. “You’re stuck with me now, Shadow.”

“Stuck? What an odd word to describe spending the rest of my life with the female who completes me. I’ve been given a gift, sholani. You. Aji kali faztov, miz sholani,” I say out loud before I kiss her.

“What does that mean?” Raven asks.

“You are and always will be a part of me. It is my oath to you, one usually done during a claiming, but I thought it should be said here, in front of your family.”

“Aji kali faztov, miz sholan,” Raven repeats back to me, changing the last word to declare me her sholan.

“You are mine, Raven Miller. Now and forever.”

“Not until we kiss,” she says. “A human tradition.”

“My daughter is sly, Warrior. She’s manipulating you into kissing her,” Mr. Miller says.

“Ahh, but I cannot refuse her. Raven is my sholani. And for that, I am very happy to oblige her every whim, now and forever.”