Diamond Nights and Ruby Lights

The Tachy angled and banked, slowing its trajectory as it prepared to land.

Far below, Eden II was a gem hanging off a string of pearly stars surrounded by a spherical halo of illuminated gas embedded in an even larger circle of invisible dark matter.

Xion imagined the mass at Pegasi's centre, ever amazed at how this galaxy revolved around a powerful gateway to nothingness.

In its immediate surroundings was a close-packed region known as Pegasi's bulge. Sprinkled within were globular clusters, collections of ancient celestial bodies, and forty dwarf galaxies orbiting or colliding inside the spread-out universe.

He heard a small gasp from behind him.

Turning, he tagged his woman, gazing in awe at the sight of the System's brightest star and twin sun, Alphetraz, which formed one corner of the Square of Pegasus, once with a constellation designated δ–Peg.

‘Although it appears to the naked eye as a single entity, it's a binary system composed of two stars in near orbit.'

‘I've never come so close to it,' Katya breathed. ‘It's like looking into diamond nights and ruby lights high in the sky.'

‘Well said. Sling-shotting over Alphetraz is the best way to come in over the rock,' Xion rasped. ‘The finest homecoming every fokkin' time.'

He glanced at her face awash with starlight and jolted at her beauty. ‘Did you know our double star-sun is also called Sirrah, as well as surrat al-faras, which means the navel of the mare horse and corresponds to the winged Pegasus? Some believe that those blessed with its light can enjoy a promise of long life, love, honour and riches.'

The pair exchanged a smile as Xion wrapped an arm around Katya's waist and tugged her close to him. He pressed a kiss to her temple.

‘You ready, khaliya? We've got a hella lot to accomplish ahead.'

‘Bring it on,' she smiled. ‘That said, I don't want to leave this ship. I've enjoyed this, us, these last few days. '

Her face flushed as she spoke, and she ducked her head at the unexpected emotion of the moment.

Xion slid a finger under her chin and lifted her face.

‘For what it's worth, I don't want to leave either,' he growled. ‘When this is all over, we'll plan to get away somewhere where we can forget all the troubles of our universe.'

He saw a cloud pass her eyes.

So he leaned in and dealt with it. ‘Perhaps your kids can join us too.'

Katya's eyes lit up, and a slight curl formed on her lips. ‘Really? All thirteen of them? Think you can manage with your sworn bachelor mindset?'

‘We can start in micro-doses,' he conceded with a twitch to his brow. ‘But if they're anything like their mother, I'm sure they'll have me wrapped around their fingers in seconds. Now, strap in, woman. We're coming in to land.'

Katya gazed up at a soaring tower.

The ground and second floors of the 360-degree high glass and chrome structure featured gleaming speedsters and racers displayed within the elevated glass fa?ade.

She twisted her head even as Xion's flyer raced up the building. It touched down with lightness at a small terminal, a crystal-ringed reception, and a waiting foyer under the building's eave.

She glanced outside at the extensive landing pad. A sleek passenger shuttle was parked on the tarmac and take-off area.

Droids rolled about, manipulating the air traffic control screens and ops.

A late afternoon light drenched the terminal, bouncing off the small fleet of high-tech flyers, racers and pinnaces parked in neat bays.

‘Welcome to the roof terminal at Sable HQ,' Xion drawled.

He unfolded his tall, imposing form from his flyer and helped her out.

She took his hand and stepped down with a sigh, gazing at the architecture and clean lines of the space. ‘This is incredible.'

‘Tis,' he murmured, burying his face in her hair and stroking her back. ‘Ready to face the Riders?'

‘Do we have to?' Katya whispered, turning to face him. ‘Their reputation terrifies me, especially Kainan. Aren't I exactly the kind of kinai that he'd like to put away?'

‘No one but me is allowed to put you away. Maybe I'll lock you up in my villa on J'Urg M'Hor and throw away the key.'

‘J'Urg, who?' she asked, her bow furrowed in confusion.

‘You'll soon see,' Xion said with a cryptic smirk as he led her to an expansive elevator.

When the lift slid shut, he tagged her and, without a word, took her lips in a ravishing kiss.

She was panting when the doors whispered open.

To the sight of a stunning ebony-skinned creature in a perfect-cut pantsuit and soaring high heels.

Mirage, arms crossed behind them, gave them both a small smile.

‘You made it,' she murmured, then slicing her jade eyes to the Rider, the Sable consigliere smirked. ‘And you nailed it just as I predicted.'

Xion sucked his teeth, stepping with his woman out of the elevator. ‘Did you miss us?'

‘Nada, my node on the Tachy kept me up to date with all your shenanigans. Given the strategic importance of our alliance with Iccythria, would you care to share your adventures with the rest of the Riders? They're waiting in the boardroom.'

‘For both of us?' Katya asked, raising a brow.

‘Naam. They're in there discussing something or the other. You'll be a pleasant surprise. I don't think they know you're back in town.'

Xion jerked his chin, his eyes gleaming. Turning to the woman in his arms, he winked. ‘Ready to meet the other Riders and be offered up as a living sacrifice?'

Katya cocked her head. ‘Somehow, I get the feeling I need to run away. Far, far away.'

He pressed a kiss to her shoulder. ‘Nada, beautiful, you stay here by my side. But fokk, will you blow their minds.'

She allowed him to lead her further into the stunning building past Siriuxian oak timber louvred windows that poured light into the elegant spaces that invited interaction.

The Sable Group hadn't skimped on schills for its design, and it showed.

Their offices were designed to embody minimalist luxury with modern technology. The walls were covered with hi-tech panels in soothing colours and natural materials.

The U-shaped interior featured a beautifully equipped lounge area, co-working lounges, exclusive cubicles, meeting rooms, private booths, hover-bike storage, showers, and workout studios.

Katya took it all in with a raised brow and deep inhales, unused to the power signals the place was sending. ‘I'm not in Kansas any longer.'

While she'd stayed at luxe hotels and visited the best designer stores, her upbringing had been hectic, and her life experience was unstable.

Always running away from order, law and stability.

However, those unspoken aspects were present here. The Sable offices were characterised by ease, steadiness, and gravitas, and she realised then that the same applied to Xion.

Despite his playboy looks, under it all, he was a rock, robust, secure, unmovable, and she sensed the Riders would serve more of the similar energy.

The thought of them rejecting her terrified her, and she drew all comfort possible from the heat of Xion's palm around her own.

Eventually, Mirage slowed down before a giant wooden door. ‘Come in,' she said, letting the couple in.

With Xion's hand on her back, Katya stepped forward, giving her a little push.

Into an expansive conference room.

Four figures sat at the sprawling table of dark, textured altiphyte wood polished to a mirror sheen.

They were huddled around a holo display of spreadsheets.

At the sight of the newcomers, they knifed up and stared.

Xion's lips quirked. ‘Brothers.'

Silence lingered.

All four men's eyes tracked from Xion's smug visage to his hand around Katya's waist and then to her face.

Their eyes dilated even further when he leaned into her ear and whispered. ‘Wait for it.'

He added a lingering kiss to her temple, and that's when the room exploded.

‘Fokk brother, too much!'

The hoarse rumble came from a hulking figure with a mass of short jet-black hair with blue streaks. He sported a bushy, inky beard, silver grey eyes, a stubborn chin, and a swathe of jagged scars down one side of his face. His massive feet were slung up and crossed on top of the table, and he swung them to the floor to lean in with surprise.

‘Kinais, meet Katya, my woman. Khaliya, that cursing man—ignore him, please—is Kage, call name Shadow. He once ran Sable Industries as our ship designer and tech head. Now, he runs circles around his kitchen, wife, and two kids while keeping a beady eye on our mini armada.'

She met the stare of the still-shocked man and gave him a slow smile. ‘Hi.'

‘Fokk, Xion, you've always been a show-off!'

This time, the exclamation came from a lean, towering, striking, and muscled man in an exquisite suit. He had dark, thick hair with silver highlights, a neat moustache, and a beard with piercing blue eyes. His elegant presence contrasted with his more casual-dressed companions. He nodded to Katya with a warm smile.

Xion winked at him. ‘Didn't see this one coming, Zee, with all your psionic powers?'

‘Nada, but your accelerated meta velocity means you sometimes move too fast for me, kaka.'

Xion's chest rumbled. ‘Zane, call name Phantom is our business and financial controller. He oversees our sales, logistics, private equity and finance divisions.'

‘Are you two the real deal? Or am I having a trippy fantasy?' The man who drawled this time sported a magnificent sheathe of dead-straight ivory and silver hair. It fell to his back in an extended, smooth sheet with a braid over one shoulder.

His skin was pale, and so were his white irised eyes that he seemed a ghoul, albeit an exceedingly handsome one.

‘Riv, have I ever brought a woman up here before? Into our sanctuary ?'

‘Nada, you have not. You also avoid PDA like the plague, so this wades in the interesting-as-fokk territory.'

‘She's here because she's all that and more.' Xion gave the silver-haired Rider a chin lift and turned to Katya. That kinai's name is Riv, call name Wraith. He runs our armouries. He moonlights as the head of our secret surveillance ops and militia, and on his off days, he dallies as a bounty hunter.'

‘Pleased to meet you,' Katya said.

‘Who are you? Really?'

The direct, clipped question came from the last man in the room, a colossal man. His long mane of dark locks whipped around his broad shoulders as he spoke. His tanned skin, from the broad neck to his upper arms and hands, was covered by gold and sapphire nebula tattoos.

The same iridescent azure, gold, and silver hues flashed on his beard, squared jaw, and full moustache. His forehead was a wall unto itself, and his ebony brows were thick and unyielding.

‘Ah last but not least Kainan. Pick your moniker: Papa Bear, khosi, flaming meta warrior king, commander of the united military forces of our System and Alliance army. He's our self-appointed protector and leader. He growls but usually doesn't bite unless provoked, and then he flames. Most times, he's putty in the hands of his woman, Selene, and their babies.'

Kainan was undeterred by Xion's wit, and he jerked his chin to her, his sapphire wildfire eyes raking her face.

These men were protective of their own, she thought. Tread with care.

She stepped out of Xion's hold and gazed at her new acquaintances, meeting each of their cool stares with one of her own.

They were a tough crowd.

But she dared to take them on.

‘My name is Katya D'Hanna. There's nothing remarkable about me at all. But here goes. My proudest accomplishment is my thirteen children. My worst was getting caught for nicking an artwork from a gallery in Galicia. My most prized items are my books. I like ancient history and mid-century earth stories. My biggest non-serious fear is insects. We have giant volcanic irradiated spiders on Iccythria that are nothing to laugh about. Once, I had one stuck in my hair for hours before it got cut out. My absolute terror is that you'll reject me today and think me unworthy of your fellow Rider. My celebrity crush was once Tyrus Ball from the holo series Ball's Mysteries. Now it's Xion Sable. How many tattoos do I have? None, which I understand is an anathema to Edenites. However, I have a halo of piercings on my forehead and jewels in places you don't want to know about. I was late to realise that I love cognac and narwhals, which are not mythical and exist both on Earth and Dunia.'

By now, all the Riders, bar Kainan, were trying their darnedest to hide their chuckles.

Katya continued undeterred, ignoring Xion, who was choking in mirth beside her. ‘A place I've been to one too many times is the pleasure planet of Zanyria. The trip I want to take but haven't yet is to Katane to see the legendary winged hawk warriors in person because I hear they're hot as fokk. My secret hobby is silk art threading, and my dream is to become an artist with major installations across Pegasi. And last but not least, my unusual pet. I fell for the rage a few years back and got my daughter a purple-haired miniature goat - the then-pet must-have from the slopes of New Tibet. Apart from that, nothing to see whatsoever.'

By now, even Kainan had cracked, and he shot her an amused look, one brow raised.

‘She's alright,' he conceded in a grumbled timbre.

‘She's the shit,' Xion drawled, pulling her even closer and pressing his lips into her hair. ‘And these men are the Riders, my love. Kisan and Ki'Remi are missing; the latter is a doctor and is probably at a clinic today. Kisan, my 2IC in security, is most likely walking the streets of Eden II, keeping it safe.'

‘Where the hell did you two get together, and how did we miss this meet-cute?' Kage demanded.

‘Well, we have quite the story for you,' Xion said. " May we join you?'

The four men, each burlier than the next, stood up from their seats and made their way around the table. Their strong arms outstretched to embrace their brother.

The men hugged, muscles and sinew rippling in a show of brotherly affection.

Moments later, they turned to welcome Katya with formal Ccyth bows and handshakes.

Kage veered from the script and embraced her in a hug as well. His embrace was tight yet gentle, his massive hands embracing her in a warm welcome.

Kage moved on to jerk his chin at Xion, giving his approval, even as Katya blinked back tears.

These men were the antithesis of her siblings, and it dawned on her that Khosana DKRT's words were valid: The blood of a covenant is thicker than the womb's water.

She sat back, witnessing the truth of the words unfold as the room was filled with laughter as the Riders caught up with hugs and playful punches on the back.

Xion pulled Katya close as the couple settled on the vast table across from Xion's brothers.

‘We're starved,' her mocha and jade-eyed Rider announced. ‘We'll need some repast before we can share how and why we met. You'll be keen to hear it all, brothers.'

As if on cue, Mirage arrived with a floating warmer behind them.

Soon, plates were doled out, and deliciousness was dished out. Utensils chimed, and the clinking of glasses and chatter of voices added to the lively atmosphere.

In the few minutes they set aside to eat, they escaped from the busyness of running a galaxy-wide organisation. Losing themselves in savouring the food, satisfying their bellies, and filling their hearts and minds.

As they ate and drank. They caught up with each other's lives, exchanging bawdy stories and even more salacious jokes. But even as time wore on and the alcohol flowed, the talk turned more solemn.

Xion broke down the lead-up to events on Iccythria and the present sticky situation with its King.

‘By now, I'm sure he's well apprised of my escape. He'll be wary of trying anything now, given we have some clue on his plans.'

‘That said, I don't think he'll quit,' Katya said, sipping from her glass of an utterly beguiling, dream-haunting pinot noir from a small format winery on Galicia.

She savoured its character and class, with layers of beautifully supple, shapely, bright fruit gliding across the palate like a ballerina.

‘So we need to lure him,' Xion added. ‘In essence, create the ultimate trap for him to waltz into. We have the support and sanction of a substantial contingent of Iccythrians led by Duke's mother, the Khosana Sonaya DKRT, who is the King's niece incidentally.'

‘Damn, family succession is a thicket of blades,' Riv drawled. ‘And I would know, given what Killen is experiencing on Katane.'

When Katya's brow furrowed, Xion explained. ‘Killen Sable is Riv's only son, whom he had with the love of his life, K'élisa. He's now the King of Katane.'

Katya clapped her hands together in delight. ‘He's is? Oh my. Is he -,'

‘A fierce, winged Sāb?r Hawk warrior? Naam,' Riv said with a quirk to his lips. ‘Which is why we were all so amused when you mentioned them. He's facing rebellion and mired in politics in the court because of many things. He's a rogue monarch. So we understand and sympathise with your experience on Iccythria.'

‘The question is, what are we going to do about it?' Kainan asked, ever the pragmatist and strategist.

Xion and Katya exchanged glances.

‘We have some ideas.'

At Kainan's chin jerk, they shared.

Later, they received their Riders' blessing for their proposed daunting task.

Much later, Katya and Xion lay tangled on his bed, nestled in a stunning apartment with 360-degree views of Eden II, chests heaving, panting after their lovemaking.

The four-bedroom condo, set on one of the topmost floors of Sable HQ, featured a striking facade of horizontal concrete layers and blackened metal, which matched Xion to a T.

Its entrance had private elevator access, and its contemporary frontage celebrated brutalist design, softened by cascading gardens and a welcoming water feature upon entry.

The same wall greenery flowed over the terrace partition outside Xion's room.

‘I think you passed the official Rider interview, test, and freakin' examination,' Xion murmured, stroking Katya's face. ‘My kakas loved you.'

‘Who wouldn't?' Katya teased with a glint in her eyes.

She propped herself on his chest, gazing at the blooms and vines inter-tangled and woven together. ‘I can't believe I missed this stunning interior when we came in.'

‘We were busy khaliya. It was eyes on me and not on the furniture and plants.'

‘This is heaven when you compare this to Iccythria, where no plants grow above the surface. Everything we cultivate and eat is grown in underground hydroponic farms that are more functional than designed or imported, ' Katya told him. ‘How did you conceive all of this?'

‘Zane asked us to design the homes of our fantasies, and I came up with this. We wanted the interior styling and the outdoor flow to reflect the quality of the architecture and our particular aesthetic. Remember khaliya, not so long ago, we were poor kinais living on the streets, hoping for a life like this. To have achieved it still blows our minds.

She lay her head on his chest, and their eyes locked. ‘You blow my mind.'

His lips turned up, eyes soft, and lids half mast with desire and devotion. ‘Woman, you undo me.'

She stared into his eyes until she couldn't stand the sweet any more.

Slicing her eyes away, she focused on the base of the plant trellis outside, where golden fish were frolicking in a small pool.

‘Are those koi I see in the pond?'

‘Naam, they're fantastic.' He extended a lazy arm and pointed to a plant wound around the vines. ‘That's an apple tree. ‘I'm attempting to grow enough fruit next season to make cider and wine.

‘It's so you, kodan.'

‘Naam,' her man drawled. ‘I was born by the sea on Earth, and this is my tiny way of bringing that memory to life.'

She turned to face him. ‘You're a sentimentalist at heart.'

‘I am,' he grunted, stroking her hair over her back. ‘Which is why one thing about you blows me away.'

What's that?' she asked.

‘How much you care for others, those kids who were abandoned and discarded. Yet you saw their potential and need for love and risked your life to nurture them.'

She sliced her eyes away and took a ragged breath. ‘Someone once said every child deserves to feel unique. My mother loved me, but I was fodder for my father, who put to work as a thief and pick-up artist at a young age. I never fit in; I was an outsider and, under all the glitz and glam, a thief. I still am. So when I met one of the outcast children my father was attempting to recruit, I made it my mission to save as many of them as possible. For many were being pulled into the same life that I was. It was the least I was able to do for them - use my skills to safeguard them from the life I knew.'

She sighed for a moment while Xion remained silent, giving her time.

‘They're a blessing and a reminder that maybe I, too, might be seen as cherished by someone.'

‘You are exceptional to me,' Xion rasped. ‘To take on a dozen kids and you're own and redeem their lives is nothing short of extraordinary, khaliya. From the moment I touched you and kissed you, I sensed I can just be myself, and since then, regardless of the crazy chase our love has been, I've experienced true pleasure.'

He leaned in and captured her lips in a long, sensual kiss.

His lips trailed from her mouth to her ear, whispering sweet words in velvety tones, sending shivers down her spine.

‘Damn, kodan,' she murmured,' Still can't figure how someone so rough and rugged on the outside is so tender and gentle on the inside.'

Xion pulled back and met her gleaming gaze. ‘Rough? I'll show you rough, woman.'

His lips crashed on hers, the intensity of their passion burning brighter with every touch, sigh, whispered word.

Katya felt as if she was living on the very edge of a precipice, the warm rush of her emotions threatening to spill over into something even more intense.

As the night wore on, the soft glow of the moonlight streaming through the window cast an ethereal light upon their naked limbs. Highlighting the curves and lines of their forms and the look of pure bliss on their faces.

At last, they lay spent, their bodies still entwined, their breaths slowing to a gentle rhythm.

You're the only one who's ever made me feel like I'm not alone, Katya,' he murmured. ‘You've given me something I never thought I'd have - love.'

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him, her heart swelling with emotion.

‘And you, Xion,' she whispered. ‘You've bestowed on me something I never thought I'd have either of - security and so much joy.'

He pulled her close, their limbs melding together in a passionate embrace. She felt like she could breathe again for the first time in a long time.