Silver Ch. 08

"Is something wrong?" Theophilus asked.

"Not at all, pretty Dregan."

At the sound of the voice, Theophilus sat up quickly, staring at the man before them. He felt Sholto stiffen, both recognising the detested tones.

"You," the auburn-haired man whispered. "From the space-station."

"No talking," was the terse response as a gun was pulled out. He removed his headgear, letting the young males see his silver hair and grinned at their wide-eyed looks of shock. "This is a disruptor. It doesn't normally kill, but I'm sure neither of you would like to find out firsthand what happens if it discharges close to your precious babies." Jabez's grin widened at the twin gasps of fear. "I'm only sorry I can take just one of you with me and, of course, that will be you, pretty Dregan."

"You will not harm Sholto?" Theophilus queried, moving slowly at the insistent motion of Jabez's gun.

"I want him to tell everyone just who has taken you. As long as he stays quiet and you docile, there will be no problem. If he tries to raise the alarm or you resist, I'll send a full discharge into your belly," Jabez said threateningly.

Theophilus moved slowly to reach Jabez, ignoring the look of triumph in the hard green eyes. As he came to stand by the white-haired man, the sound of an unearthly shriek seemed to vibrate the air around them. The noise startled Jabez and Theophilus moved swiftly. He caught the wrist holding the disruptor and twisted with all his considerable strength. The sound of bone snapping coincided with a bellow of pain and the gun dropping to the floor.

Simultaneously the door flew open. Theophilus was suddenly enveloped in strong PrideHomer arms and carried rapidly from the room. Glancing up from the chest of Denys, he saw Sholto in Willis' embrace and sagged with relief. He tried to ignore the screaming from the library, burying his face back into Denys' chest, grateful for the deep reverberating purrs that helped drown out the other sounds.

A moment later a familiar figure limped from the library as Theophilus and Sholto were carefully lowered to stand shakily amongst their extended family.

"He will trouble us no more," came the rasping voice.

"You have our thanks, Alden," Willis said, looking from his son's pale-faced, young husband to the other male and then to Theophilus.

Alden moved to gently touch each of the pregnant men, as if making sure for himself they were safe.

"We are well," Theophilus confirmed. "You felt me?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Yes. Fear, shock, and a cry for help," Alden nodded. "The link strengthens."

Theophilus and Sholto were guided into Jameson's den. Denys' son Dayd, a PrideHome physician, adamantly insisted on checking each in turn to ensure they had suffered no ill effects. At the conclusion of his examination, Aurora appeared with steaming mugs of hot chocolate, a craving that all had developed in the last stages of their pregnancies. The two men looked up at the sounds of activity outside the den.

Uist and Xavier raced into the house, looking around as if expecting to see bedlam and bloodshed. They relaxed a little at the sight of Willis, smiling as he approached them.

"Tristam and Rayner follow," Uist said tersely. "They have said everything is now well?" Uist could not help but turn the statement into a question.

"All is well," Willis confirmed. "Alden understood Theophilus' call for help and has taken care of the one who would harm them." Willis' eyebrows rose at the savage snarl from his son. "He was the one we sought?" the older PrideHomer asked.

"Perhaps it is fitting that Jabez was killed by one of those he created," Uist growled, warring with himself over relief Jabez was no longer a threat and regret he was not able to kill the man personally. "Our husbands?" he asked his sire, deciding relief was the victor. He just wanted to have his mate in his arms.

"This way," Willis said.

By the time Tristam and Rayner made their way into the house, Uist and Xavier were each looking after their mates and other family members milled around, fussing over the small group.

"You felt me, too?" Theophilus asked, his voice almost child-like with awe, from the shelter of Xavier's embrace.

"We did, beautiful," Tristam smiled. "Both of us picked up your fear and subsequent relief. Tymon's lessons have paid dividends with your nascent psychic abilities. Hiram was not the one we sought," he affirmed. "Jabez was the orchestrator of our troubles. I understand from Denys that Alden has taken care of the danger."

"He heard my call for help," Theophilus nodded. "We are safe now?" he asked, his voice tinged with hope.

"Let us complete the clean-up operation, beautiful," Tristam smiled. "I want to make completely certain."

****

Tristam lay on his side on the bed, his lover facing towards him. He gave a soft moan as Rayner nursed first one then the other nipple into peaked, fiery nubs. The moan deepened in timbre as open-mouthed kisses bathed his chest and abdomen. Soft lips encircled his aching shaft and he gave a guttural groan as his straining erection was enveloped in wet heat and insistent suction.

A talented tongue lovingly lapped at the head of his penis, worshipping it with tiny kitten licks before he was taken deeper once more. A gentle hand found his sac, rolling the precious orbs inside, whilst the other worked his shaft in tandem with unrelenting sucking and waves of mental pleasure that ebbed and flowed. He gave a soft whine of disappointment as his erection was released.

"I want you in me," Rayner husked.

The sound of his mate's voice and the pheromones pouring off the younger man left Tristam in no doubt of Rayner's sincerity. He knew it was what he wanted...needed, but was afraid of hurting his lover. It had been some time since Rayner could comfortably accept him and his pregnancy was even more advanced.

"Rayner..." he began, but was silenced by soft lips on his.

"We both need this and I know you won't hurt me." With slow, careful moves, Rayner turned to press his buttocks against Tristam's hard flesh. "If it becomes too uncomfortable you will know," Rayner assured. "Trust your instincts the way I do, love," he added.

Tristam fussed with the pillows and smiled as he nuzzled Rayner and then spooned up behind him. He picked up their oil, anointing his fingers to movie them with care inside his lover as he sucked and nipped lightly at Rayner's earlobe. His husband's shaft hardened rapidly at the way Tristam masterfully played with his body, hitting all his young lover's hot spots. Then Tristam was ready to enter his mate's glistening portal.

"If it becomes too much, tell me," he growled. "You won't be able to hide it and I want to give you only pleasure."

"In me. Now," Rayner demanded softly. Tristam's hard flesh pushed into him with an aching slowness. He moaned again, collapsing back against his lover, letting his pleasure flow into his mate's mind, spiraling them both towards a shared zenith. He felt more full than ever before, but the pleasure was all-encompassing, chasing away anything other than the perfection of their union.

"That's it, angel, let me take care of you. I've got you and I'm never letting you go." Tristam penetrated as deep as he could due to his mate's condition and he murmured his loving words into a small ear, chasing them with his tongue.

Rayner shuddered at the deep, almost guttural sound of Tristam's voice and then moaned softly at the slick muscle that slid in his ear, sliding around before teeth once more nibbled at his lobe. Rayner's hand clenched Tristam's hip tightly. He could not speak, he was too aroused. Instead he focused on flooding Tristam's mind with the joy and delights the lovemaking engendered. In response his lover began to move slowly and gently, thrusting shallowly in and out at a leisurely pace.

"You feel so good," Tristam groaned. "So perfect, Rayner, so very, very beautiful."

Rayner felt the strain in his lover's body as Tristam refused to speed up or push deeper. Then Tristam's hand wrapped around his throbbing shaft and Rayner lost his tenuous control in three, almost-too-soft caresses. He cried out his climax, his release pouring into Tristam's care.

Tristam rotated his hips, giving a final thrust and spilled his seed, filling Rayner with his come. He gave a muted shout of his husband's name before burying his face in Rayner's soft, sweet-smelling tresses.

The blond kissed the nape of his lover's neck, nipping and sucking as he recovered from his high. He tended to his mate as soon as possible, sliding an arm under Rayner's head as support and the other possessively around his waist to rest on the brunette's swell. Smiling with the same contentment that he could feel from the precious man in his arms, Tristam nuzzled affectionately, kissing the bare shoulder and neck, scenting and tasting joy, satiation and completion.

****

Xavier hid a sigh, knowing that the pinkish tinge to his frill was a giveaway to his true feelings. He stood in the sitting room of Jameson's house and looked around at his extended and diverse family. His husband sat huddled close to Uist, the cat-man holding tightly with one arm to the blond and with the other to his mate on the large settee. Tristam and Rayner sat nearby with Jameson and Aurora hovering beside them.

His parents, Laban and Vira and brothers Ivo, Asa and Yve were now present, due to Theophilus' imminent birthing. His cousin Meta stood with Alden. The genetically created man had made his home on Phixia and Xavier was pleased to see them so openly a couple. Willis and Steffen stood by Uist and beside them Denys, his wife Jaen as well as sons Jaymz and Dayd.

Further back were the Aantnaa friends of Sholto, consisting of two workers and two soldiers, the insectile types as different from each other as human was to PrideHomer. Darius was also there, both as friend and as Elite security. Tymon stood in the furthest corner, his cloak wrapped around him like a shield.

"My family, my friends," Xavier finally spoke, drawing all eyes to him. "I am pleased to see you all here and sorry that the news I have for you is not what I would have wished it to be." He glanced briefly at Jameson, Tristam and Uist. Only the four of them knew what he was going to say and he could see them tensing. "In deference to a request by Jameson, I undertook to perform the autopsy on Jabez. I regret to inform you that Alden destroyed a clone."

A cacophony of sound broke loose; yowls of anger from PrideHomers, howls from Phixians, an ululating shriek from Alden, buzzes from the insect race and cries from humans. Xavier waited a moment watching sadly as Theophilus shrunk closer to Uist. His beloved husband was too attuned to Xavier not to have known he was bearing bad news. The reptilian fully intended to comfort his mate at the earliest opportunity.

"The clone's memory chip had significant episodes missing that meant it was not the orchestrator of any of our recent trials. The real Jabez used one of the hidden exits from the building when we stormed it, activating the clone with the sole purpose of trying to snatch Theophilus. Jabez then went straight to the space port. The memory chip recorded that the clone had just twenty minutes to get Theophilus to the space port to travel with the real Jabez or the clone would have to secure another ship. Jabez was more interested in saving himself, but clearly would not let pass an opportunity to strike at us even as we thought we had brought his danger to an end."

"From my time with him, I believe Jabez to be psychotic and psychopathic. His revenge is constantly in the forefront of his mind," Tristam said quietly. "He is a very dangerous individual who will clearly stop at nothing to attain what he wants. We will need to be vigilant until we can track him down and eliminate the threat he poses."

"He will not hide from us," Willis growled, the sound menacing and deadly. "He will be found and Bloodfeud will ensure he does not escape justice."

"I have some investigations that I think will soon bear fruit," the mental voice resonated in everyone's mind as Tymon strode to stand alongside Xavier. "There are many, gifted to greater or lesser extents, that live anonymously within the larger universe on whom I have called for help."

"My own enquiries did not stop with the name of Hiram," Willis rumbled. "I will still work in harmony with Laban and Jameson. There will be no place he can hide."

Xavier moved to envelop his husband in a tight embrace. He was aware of Rayner and Tristam coming to join them as well as Uist and Sholto, the six combining as one. The rest of their family moved to surround them. To the reptilian, the love and protectiveness he could feel was solid, strengthening, an almost physical entity.

He nuzzled at Theophilus as his husband pressed a loving kiss to his frill. Love and faith shone in the golden orbs and Xavier knew he, like all his extended and diverse family, would do anything to protect Theophilus and the others.

Jabez would be found, of that the Phixian had no doubts, and the danger he represented would be eliminated.

There could be no peace for them until it was.