Omega Run, page 9
“The food smells enticing.” Her voice sounded breathless, Kresso’s teasing making her squirm.
Mahel set a plate filled with steaming vegetables and thinly sliced meat in front of her. He fed her a bite, and she closed her eyes and moaned. An assault on two fronts.
“This is so good.” She took the fork from him and downed another bite.
Mahel dished up two more plates then joined them at the table, pushing one toward Kresso. They ate in companionable silence, surprising Lyra at how comfortable she had grown with her mates in such a short period of time. She had just started a second helping of food when Kresso’s tablet began beeping.
“Kresso. It’s Himmy!” Imko’s voice sounded urgent. “Her water broke.”
“Don’t forget Lyra,” Himmy’s voice sounded strained in the background.
“She’s early.” Kresso swore under his breath, grabbed the tablet from the table, then tapped the screen. “Get her comfortable, Imko. We’ll be there soon.”
Lyra jumped from Kresso’s lap and hurriedly dressed. By the time she had finished, her mates were waiting for her by the door.
Kresso slung his medical kit over his shoulder. “The transport will be too slow. We need to fly.”
“I’ll carry Lyra.” Mahel snatched her by the waist, and they raced outside.
Before she knew it, they were flying high above the island and at a breathtaking speed. Her worry for Himmy and the baby was at the forefront of her mind. Ten minutes, maybe fifteen and she was being ushered into a building.
“She’s in a lot of pain, and there is a lot of blood.” Imko met them at the door and then led them to a bedroom. Lyra could see the worry etched in his features.
“How far apart are her contractions?” Kresso asked his brother.
“Five, maybe six minutes.” Imko brushed a shaking hand through his hair. “I don’t know. She’s in a lot of pain.”
Mahel drew Imko aside while she and Kresso approached the bed. Lyra knew Mahel was trying to calm Imko.
Himmy lay upon the bed, her face pale and contorted, her brow wet with sweat. Kresso brushed the hair from Himmy’s forehead as if checking her temperature.
“Himmy, I need to examine you,” Kresso told his sister-in-law. “You are going to feel some pressure.” He pulled the blanket down that was covering her legs and lifted her gown.
Lyra tried not to gasp when she saw the amount of blood on the sheets. Himmy let out a scream, and her body bowed off the bed.
Lyra lunged to Himmy’s side across from Imko. She leaned toward Himmy’s ear and started to make a weird noise that her throat was creating on instinct. Himmy was moaning and panting, but Lyra kept crooning and rubbing her cheek against Himmy’s.
Imko murmured, “What are you doing?”
Lyra shrugged while Kresso sat and checked the readouts.
“Bleeding is slowing, Himmy’s body is relaxing, and the baby is ready for delivery. Lyra, keep that up.”
Lyra kept the crooning going until Kresso delivered the baby and put it on Himmy’s chest. Himmy laughed, Lyra’s croon changed pitch, and she continued until Kresso grinned and nodded. “That’s it. Himmy’s out of danger.”
Lyra stopped making the sound and staggered back, landing on her butt.
Mahel came around and lifted her to her feet. “Well done, Lyra.”
“I am pretty sure Himmy did all the work.”
Himmy and Imko were in a world of their own with their precious new arrival in their arms.
Kresso did more scans of Himmy’s abdomen, and he was grinning.
“Well, sex is now authorized in six days or less.”
Imko raised his head. “What?”
Himmy was enthralled with her new baby. “He said we can have sex again this week, Imko.”
Imko blinked. “How? The other doctors said she would be wrecked until surgically repaired.”
Kresso smiled gently. “She fixed herself.”
“With a bit of help.” Himmy grinned at Lyra.
Lyra stood back and looked at the infant. It was cute and super pink and kind of wrinkly. “What are you naming him?”
“Imarthen.” Himmy kissed the baby’s tiny cheek. “His name is Imarthen.”
The umbilical had been cut at some point. Imko helped Himmy sit up, and they were smiling and cooing at their new arrival. Lyra leaned forward and flipped the sheet down.
She looked around. “Where are we?”
Mahel wrapped his arms around her. “Private wing of the capitol building.”
Kresso cleaned his hands and finished packing his kit. “Better news. There doesn’t seem to be any lasting damage to Himmy. I will need to verify, but she might be able to have more than the one child.”
Imko chuckled. “Nice, but I don’t care. I have Himmy safe. The baby is just a bonus.”
Lyra smiled and relaxed. That had been nerve-racking.
Servants were called to help Himmy get dressed, and Imko held onto their baby while the relieved staff fussed over her.
After they finished assisting Himmy, they bathed the baby, dressed him, and swaddled him in a warm cotton blanket. Himmy gave the baby a dreamy smile when the servant placed him back in her arms.
Lyra looked at Kresso and Mahel. “How long do we stay?”
Himmy looked at her. “You don’t want to stay?”
She was clean and in a soft gown that wrapped across the breasts. It was a sensible arrangement.
“I thought maybe you would like some time alone with your baby and your mate.” Lyra knew she would after the kind of ordeal Himmy had just been through.
“We can always come back after you’ve had a chance to rest, Himmy,” Kresso told his sister-in-law.
An alarm sounded in the building. Its high-pitched screeching tones made Lyra bristle.
“The building is being put on automatic lockdown.” Imko snatched his tablet from the table and tapped the screen. “What is going on out there?”
Imko did not receive a response, and bars automatically came down in front of the windows.
Kresso peered out one of the windows and swore. “The alphas. There is a large group converging at the front entry. They must have scented Lyra.”
Mahel and Lyra joined Kresso at the window. A crowd of large, muscular behemoths gathered at the front of the building, and the crowd was growing by the minute. One massive alpha flew in front of the window and grasped the bars, giving them a fanged grin.
Even through the thick glass, Lyra caught his scent. He didn’t smell right. Lyra wrinkled her nose, stuck her tongue out at him, and blew him a raspberry.
Kresso chuckled and drew Lyra away from the window. “Do not taunt the alpha, Lyra. He might consider it foreplay.”
“As if,” she growled then bared her teeth at the offending alpha. “I don’t like his scent.”
“We need to get her out of here before she causes a riot.” Mahel dropped the curtain, hiding the chaos outside.
“You think?” She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. “You gonna fly me out of here? Cause that might be a problem.” She pointed to the other window. Two more of the alphas floated in front of it with leering grins. They didn’t smell right either, so she hissed at them and hid behind Kresso’s huge body.
“Use the sublevel emergency escape route. The tunnel will take you outside the city limits.” Imko didn’t seem concerned. He was engrossed in his mate and child. “There is a flyer you can use as well,” he threw in.
“What about you, Himmy, and the baby?” Lyra gave Imko a sidelong glance. “Will you be safe?”
“They cannot get into the building while it is under lockdown,” Imko assured her. “And once they no longer scent you, they will disperse.”
“Well, that’s good to know.” She peered around Kresso and stared at the window. The alphas were still there, and another had joined them. Definitely not her type either. “Yeah? Well... I want one of those blasty things just in case.”
“Blasty things?” Mahel asked.
“The Su’ath weapon she shot me with.” Kresso chuckled. “We’ll grab it on the way out, Lyra.”
“Okay. Let’s get out of here.” Lyra wasn’t in the mood to deal with a bunch of horny alphas, especially since they had the wrong scent. She was very happy with the two she had, thank you very much. She quickly hugged Himmy and caressed the baby’s cheek. “We will visit soon.”
“Yes, because I still want cuddles,” Himmy smiled.
“Take her to your outpost, Mahel. It will be easier to keep the rest of the alphas away,” Imko said as they left the room.
“Hold on tight, precious.” Kresso swept Lyra in his arms, and he and Mahel made a beeline for the elevators, stopping only long enough for her to grab the Su’ath weapon.
She kept a tight grip on the weapon, hoping she would not have a reason to use it. Just as they stopped in front of the elevators, an alpha rounded the corner and stopped beside them. She recognized him as one of the guards that handcuffed her when she shot Kresso.
The alpha sniffed the air then grinned at her. “You look very cuddly.” His eyes were on the weapon, and he drew in a deeper breath. “You smell delectable.”
Her mates growled, and Kresso held her tighter.
“Down, boy,” Lyra said when she was slammed with the alpha’s scent. “Not interested.” That seemed to calm Kresso and Mahel, but they still bared their teeth at the guard.
“Not even a little?” His shoulders slumped.
“Nope. Sorry. You don’t smell right.” She shook her head.
“I had hoped...” He heaved a sigh. “Anyway, you can’t take the elevator. The system shut down due to the lockdown,” he warned.
Mahel and Kresso grunted their thanks.
“Thank you,” she called over Kresso’s shoulder as her mates took off for the stairs.
Lyra was thankful Kresso carried her because the escape route was deep underground, and the tunnel was dark and damp. What felt like hours passed, and they finally reached the flyer and landing pad at the end of the tunnel.
Mahel readied the flyer, and Kresso seated his big body inside with her on his lap.
“We are far enough away from the capitol building that we shouldn’t draw the other alphas’ attention.” Mahel slid into the seat beside Kresso and began pushing buttons.
“Stop at the island first. Lyra will need her clothing, and she needs to eat. It is a long flight to the outpost.”
Chapter Eight
Lyra yawned and burrowed deeper into the warmth of Kresso’s chest. It felt like she was back in her nest. His scent surrounded her, teasing her senses. It made her feel protected. She felt secure in a way she hadn’t known she needed. She’d fallen asleep in his arms not long after they had taken the flyer and headed to Mahel’s outpost.
She cracked open her eyelids and peered through the forward window. The view was incredible. The dark, endless space surrounding them was filled with colourful nebulae, planets, and stars. Off in the distance, a large space station rotated slowly on an invisible axis. I am in fucking outer space!
“Is that the outpost?” Lyra stretched slightly, and her stomach began to rumble. No matter how much she ate, her body still insisted she needed more nourishment. “Is there food?”
“Yes, that is the outpost.” Mahel grinned. “And, of course, there will be food.”
Kresso gave Mahel a droll stare. “I am quite sure a feast has been prepared for your arrival.” He dug into one of the bags they had packed and handed her a bright red fruit. “This should tide you over until we land.”
Lira hadn’t missed the sarcasm in Kresso’s voice. “A feast? That sounds wonderful.” She smiled brightly then took a bite of the fruit and savoured the burst of tart sweetness across her tongue.
Mahel sighed deeply, and Lyra could see him all but cringe. “If it is a feast you want, precious, then we shall have to make sure it happens.” He leered at her, his eyes darkening with desire. “In private, of course.”
The hot look Mahel shot her was enough to make her fangs extend, and she ached to take a bite out of her very sexy mate instead of the fruit still clutched in her hand.
Kresso inhaled deeply and grazed his teeth across the sensitive skin of her neck, making her squirm in his lap. Then he growled in her ear, “If you leave this flyer smelling as luscious as you do now, even the betas won’t be able to control themselves.”
“Then take care of me, Kresso.” She twisted on his lap and flashed a smile to show her fangs had descended.
Her stomach growled again.
Loudly.
Lyra stared at the fruit in her hand then back at Kresso. Both were quite tempting. But... Food first, sex later. She shrugged and quickly took a bite of the fruit, the juices burst across her tongue, and she moaned. Yup.
Kresso gave her a calculated stare then kissed her. “Mmmm...” he said when he drew back. “A little tart, just like you.”
“No time for play, Kresso. We’ll be docking in less than ten minutes.” Mahel pushed a button on the flyer’s console. “Control, this is Captain Mahel. Prepare docking bay twelve for landing.”
“Aye, sir. Docking bay twelve outer doors opening in five... four... three... two... one. Docking bay twelve prepared for landing,” a female voice responded.
“Thank you, Sergeant.” Mahel disengaged the autopilot. “Coming in for landing.”
“We’ll finish this later.” Kresso nipped the tip of her ear and squeezed her hip.
“Don’t finish without me.” Her teeth seemed to know playtime had been postponed.
Mahel grunted his agreement, swooped in, and captured her lips before releasing her and focusing on the landing controls.
Lyra’s heart skipped a beat, and with the way her cheeks felt so tight, she knew she was grinning like a loon, but she couldn’t help it. Mahel and Kresso made her feel...
Happy?
Yes, that’s what she was feeling. It had to be.
Lyra couldn’t remember a time that she had ever been truly happy, and even though she had been yanked from death and thrown into this crazy new world, her two mates were beginning to grow on her. It was more than just her body’s reaction. She really liked Kresso and Mahel. A lot. She snuggled in Kresso’s lap and took another bite of the fruit. By the time she finished the last bite of the snack, Mahel was guiding the flyer to a stop in the landing bay.
“Take Lyra to my quarters. I have a few things to deal with, and I’ll meet you there.” Mahel turned off the controls, opened the flyer door, and began to exit. Then his body went ramrod stiff, and he growled.
Lyra peered around his big body to see what had riled him up when the most enticing scent filled the air. It made her want to growl... and bite. She could feel her gums tingling and her fangs threatened to descend.
A group of three males and two females stood beside a small ship. They looked much like the MaKorith, but Lyra instinctively knew they were not. Their skin was tinged with red, and their scent was different. One of them smelled divine. She almost groaned out loud, and her body began to tremble.
The huge male in the centre of the group looked up and sniffed the air. His deep blue eyes met and held hers a moment before he mouthed omega and gave her a wolfish smile. His features were rugged, and the clothing he wore looked military in style. One of the females spoke to him and broke the spell. He then turned his gaze to Mahel and nodded curtly.
“What are the Su’ath doing here?” Kresso wrapped his arm around Lyra’s waist, holding her against his body.
Lyra knew it was a protective move, so she leaned into him and let the warmth of his chest and spicy scent settle over her, calming her rattled nerves.
She looked again at the huge Su’ath male with a strong jaw and rugged features. He was a force barely contained, his muscles bulging with each movement. There was something about the male that made her want to crawl up that big, rugged body and take a bite out of him. Was it his scent that rattled her so? She couldn’t be sure. She had trouble separating the scent threads, especially now that she was cocooned within Kresso’s embrace.
“Who is the big one?” she asked, knowing that Mahel would know the face of his enemy. She sounded almost breathless, and her blood felt like lava flowing through her veins.
“That is Commander Ja’mor. He is rumoured to be their most skilled pilot.” Mahel peered at Lyra, surprise in his expression as he caressed her cheek. “His presence is troublesome for us both, I see.” He quickly turned to Kresso. “Take Lyra to my quarters. I will join you after I find out what these Su’ath want.”
“Come on, precious.” Kresso guided her away from Mahel.
“But Mahel...” she started, unsure why she felt the need to stay. Not for Mahel’s safety. Her mate was strong and could defend himself against any enemy, including the ginormous Commander Ja’mor.
“Mahel will sort it out. It is safer for all concerned if you are tucked away in his quarters.” Kresso urged her beyond the double doors to a long passageway.
She couldn’t help but glance back. Her heart felt as if she were leaving a vital part of it in that landing bay.
No. Two parts. Her mind insisted because one of the Su’ath affected her in a way that only a mate should.
She sighed in relief when Mahel joined them in the apartment that Kresso had found by memory and scent. He had been at the outpost before.
Mahel seated himself beside Lyra and lifted her onto his lap an hour after she and Kresso left him in the landing bay.
“Commander Ja’mor informed me that the Su’ath found a lost research vessel, the Cataclysm, that belongs to us.” He toyed with a strand of Lyra’s hair before continuing. “The commander has been sent as an emissary to return the ship to us, though I think he may have ulterior motives.”
“Oh, he has ulterior motives, all right.” Kresso stopped pacing long enough to stare at Lyra and shake his head. “I think somehow that the Su’ath has found out about our omega research.”
“I have no doubt that the commander suspects.” Mahel caressed Lyra’s cheek. “Especially now that he has seen Lyra, but the Su’ath are offering their hand in a truce. I have arranged for them to join us at the evening meal. I thought a more intimate meeting would be prudent under the circumstances.”
