The Oathkeepers Ch. 12

As his fingers brushed her, arcing fury erupted from her center. Psychic energy exploded from Zoe, sending Bastion reeling back. He stumbled, his eyes widening in disbelief as he stared at Zoe. She trembled, dropped a hand to her belly again and felt the simmering anger of her child.

Bastion let out a booming laugh. "It's true!" He stepped forward again, his eyes now for Iona. "And this one is mine? You humans offer yourselves to carry my new race?"

"Yes," Zoe said.

Bastion loomed over Iona. The pretty redhead was still flanked by Scout and Wing, though now they looked so small in this ship of Onyx. Bastion dropped a hand to Iona's neck, gripping her lightly and pulling her into his massive body. She squealed in fear, grabbing at his forearm helplessly. He ignored her struggling as he dropped his face to hers. He drank her in, his eyes running over her freckled face, her red cheeks and hair and lips. "I like her hair," he finally said.

He grabbed at the collar of Iona's coveralls and with a savage rip, tugged them from her body. She cried out, tears beginning to fall down her cheeks as Bastion continued his examination. Zoe felt it then, the anger of the other Oathkeepers. The envy. The disapproval.

She inched slowly past the distracted Bastion, forcing herself to ignore Iona's cries. "Paragon loved me," she said softly, letting her eyes now flick to the other Oathkeepers that watched. Blue and green and ebony eyes watched her. Deep Garnets clutched at their swords as they watched Bastion. Pale Ivories pursed their lips as they looked to Scout, standing furious as he watched Iona mistreated. "He planned to fill me over and over again with his children. He planned for every color to have their own human. He believed in the love of Zenith and Scythe."

As she said the names of Aegis parents, she dropped to his side. Two Onyx guards stared down at her, eyes confused as they looked between the brutal Bastion and Aegis. "Help me," she whispered to them. And she took Aegis's hand in hers. Her Onyx strained against his bindings but now stilled as she pressed his hand to her cheek. She looked back up to the guards, to the other Oathkeepers that now watched her.

Iona's scream cracked the space around them. Bastion had her by the hair now, was shoving her to her knees as he clumsily undid his armor. "No!" Wing finally roared and leapt forward to try to shove Bastion from the small human. Bastion growled, easily knocking the smaller Turquoise away, but now Scout joined him. Bastion dropped Iona with a snarl and turned on the two smaller Oathkeepers.

And then one of the Onyx dropped to his knee, quickly unlocked Aegis's restraints. With a roar, Aegis leapt from the ground, his wings beat in warning around them and Zoe scrambled back.

"Bastion!" Aegis yelled. Bastion stood with Scout's neck under his boot and Wing in a headlock. Up and down the command deck the other colors began to close in and Zoe felt their anger. Their hard eyes were directed at Bastion. "You do not deserve Paragon's gift. I am the blood of Zenith, who was called Oathbreaker just for loving a lesser color. But Scythe was not lesser. Every color between Ivory and Onyx will father our new race. Equally."

And like she'd known, the other colors cheered for Aegis. Their true leader. The heir of Paragon. Zoe watched her Onyx as pride nearly choked her. He was the best of them and Bastion knew it. As the other colors rallied at Aegis's words, Bastion threw Wing from him and surged at Aegis.

The two Onyx clashed then. Zoe's world became a maelstrom of roars and pinging metal and flapping black wings. Her Aegis moved like a wildcat on wings as he wrestled the bullish Bastion. All around the command deck were yells of encouragement as the two Onyx fought. Distantly, Zoe remembered she should check on Iona, but found her enveloped now in Scout and Wing's arms as they pulled her to safety. And then Bastion headbutted Aegis. Reeling, Aegis fell to the ground and Bastion was on him in an instant. Terror clenched around Zoe's heart and an animal scream rose in her throat.

Her child again rose to protect her. A blaze coursed up through her, sent her hair floating about her head in a golden halo around her. Her skin glowed golden, sending the Oathkeepers around her stumbling away as Bastion's surprised eyes turned to her. He shrank from her, throwing a hand up to shield his eyes to her blinding light. And then Aegis's hands were around his throat. Zoe's Onyx rose on his glistening wings and he was bathed in her golden light as he ascended with Bastion's neck in his hands. With a resounding crunch he jerked Bastion's body, breaking his neck. Aegis dropped Bastion unceremoniously to the ground and the body of the son of the last Gilded shook the ground as it landed.

Aegis turned to her, squinting as he found her eyes. Zoe felt her skin cool as her child's strength dimmed. As she fell to the floor, her last vision was of Aegis swooping towards her.

~

Aegis smoothed Zoe's hair from her forehead. She lay sleeping, though her face twitched and she groaned uncomfortably through the night. The last few weeks of her pregnancy had sucked the strength from her. Aegis slid a hand to her belly. They knew the child came soon. The gold light pulsed in a slow rhythm within her round stomach now. Paragon's child. Aegis couldn't feel jealous. He longed to see the last blood of his best friend again. Was glad there was this bit of him that still lived. And there would be more children. He smiled as he dropped his head to her belly, letting himself sink into the shared dream of Zoe and her child.

They were still on the warship at the edge of the Forked Band. The last few months had been filled with peace talks with the humans and planning for the first stages of opening Homeworld. Already there were dozens of women applying to be the first batch of mothers. Zoe and Iona demanded they own that project though.

"We're not going to become alien pimps," Zoe snapped at Keeper as he'd tried to give input. He'd wanted to match based on ideal genetic qualities. "Don't you remember why Gilded destroyed themselves? Love. We must first create love."

Aegis chuckled to himself as he remembered his round Zoe glaring up at the irritated Keeper. Iona and Scout and Wing had left the month before. The wide-eyed, red haired human was leading the project on Homeworld, working to match eager Oathkeepers with their prospective human mates. He wasn't sure if Zoe's terrified little friend could handle it, but it seemed Scout and Wing would give her some to lean on--and likely more.

Zoe turned, moaning lightly in her sleep and grinding her ass against him. Aegis chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. She was still insatiable. He ran his hands over her warm skin and goosebumps rose wherever he traced. She moaned again, and the urgency of her need began to spark off her.

Aegis's cock strained as Zoe pressed herself against him. With a slow smile, he ran his hand between her legs, lifting one slightly to give himself access to her heated entrance. She arched back against him, ravenous now as he pressed the head of his cock against her dripping folds. "Gentle," she murmured.

"Always," he said as he entered her. He pressed into her, widening her channel, seating himself in his Zoe. She collapsed against him, throwing her head back against his shoulder as a long sigh escaped her. She just wanted to be filled. To feel him inside her. He held in her place, reminded her where she belonged.

So slowly, Aegis moved. He let himself feel only Zoe around him. She gripped at his cock. Warm and inviting and desperate. When he was fully sheathed within her he needed to only barely thrust to draw low whines of pleasure from her. His hand snaked to her front, over her swollen belly to her full breasts. She was extra sensitive lately. The nipples were large and red and the barest brush from his cool fingers sent shivers through her. Down lower he slid his hand to cup her sex. He relished the feeling of his cock sliding slowing into her. He found her little nub with his thumb, pressed firmly against it as he continued to thrust. She whined as he body began to tense around him.

"My Zoe, my love," he murmured against her ear.

"Please, never stop," she moaned.

"Never. I will always be inside you," he breathed.

She orgasmed slowly, little whines and gasps falling from her as he continued to thrust slowly within her, keeping the same gentle pressure on her clit. As she climaxed, she panted his name, over and over and over.

Aegis grinned as he took her earlobe between his teeth as her body trembled against his. They had all the time in the world and her body was still so responsive.

~

Zoe awoke with a screech and Aegis sensed instantly it was time. The fear that he only knew because of Zoe rose in him as he carried her to the medical bay. The Bronze doctor set to work and though the flitting nurses tried to coax Aegis away, he held his grip on Zoe's hand. He would never leave her side again. She looked up to him, as if she knew the thoughts in his head. Because she did. As she screamed, she gripped at him and Aegis tried to give her his strength.

After one last, heartrending scream, Zoe went limp as a baby's howl filled the room. Aegis dropped his head to Zoe's face, peppering her sweating face with kisses. She panted, though reached one hand to her wailing child. Aegis finally tore his eyes from her face.

The Bronze doctor cleaned the fragile baby and handed it to Zoe. Golden hair and eyes stared up at them. "It's a girl," the doctor said softly. Small wings twitched on the baby's back. Her cheeks were bright red against pale, human skin.

"She's perfect," Zoe murmured.

"She is," Aegis agreed and sank down next to his Zoe and their strange new daughter.

"Zenith," Zoe whispered.

And Aegis's Onyx heart filled to bursting.