Prime Deliverance (Katieran Prime Series (Book Five)) Read Free Page A

toward the others.
    “Are you injured?”
    She said nothing but continued to cry. She lowered her head against his shoulder. The tears that fell wet his shirt, but he didn’t care. He growled as another Lieutenant ran up to them. He didn’t like the other male near his female.
    “Give her to me and I will take her to the medic,” the other male offered as he spread out his arms.
    “No!”
    A medic and his father arrived. The medic tried to take AriELa from him. He growled, “Do not touch her!”
    “TarAK, let the medic check her out for injuries,” MarAK told his son. He was a willful child, but this was worse than that.
    “I won’t let anyone else touch her!” TarAK didn’t know why he was reacting this way. His only thoughts were to protect AriELa.
    “Give her to me!” Prime Commander KydEL yelled.
    “No!” TarAK pulled her tighter to him. AriELa looked up and stared into his unusual grey eyes. She had such sadness there and remained quiet. She aged right before his eyes.
    “TarAK, I’m her cousin and a medic in training. Let me take her so I can treat her injuries.” Prime SydEL approached the irate youth with his hands up in the air.
    The red haze in his eyes slowly started to fade. He knew SydEL, they were friends. The Prime loved his cousin and he would never hurt her. He nodded his head and slowly shifted AriELa into her cousin’s arms.
    MarAK nodded at the medic signaling him to make his move. The medic injected TarAK with sedation medication. TarAK’s last thoughts were of AriELa, grateful she was safe.
     
    *****
     
    “This is a dangerous situation, MarAK,” Prime Commander KydEL and Prime Leader RendEL spoke calmly.
    “I understand, but if it is meant to be …”
    “Then it will be, but not now. It is too soon.”
    “I know. Neither of them is ready.”
    “Then we do this for them, until the time that they are ready.”
    “Agreed.” MarAK hoped his son would understand his actions one day. May the Goddess KatieRI watch over them.
     

 
    Chapter Two
     
    Seven Years Later at the City of Katiera
     
    AriELa watched him walk across the landing field. He was bigger now, taller, and wider in the shoulders. His skin had darkened from the hours spent out on the sandy beachside facility for training. Even from this distance, she could see him taking in his surroundings.
    She was nervous. This was the first time she had seen him since she had been rescued all those years ago. She remembered him opening the pod up and reaching for her. Nothing had felt as safe to her as being in his arms. For some reason, his father, MarAK, sent him away after that awful day. She never truly felt safe since.
    MarAK had died while on patrol. She was told an asteroid collided with his shuttle. It still sounded pretty suspicious to her, but no one asked for her opinion. TarAK was called back to the City of Katiera to take his father’s place with security. She followed her cousin and aunt as they went to greet him. He barely glanced at her. It was as if his eyes seemed to roll over her and then dismiss her as if she wasn’t even there.
    “Sorry your return to Katiera is under less than pleasant circumstances,” Prime Medic SydEL told the young male as he reached out to clasp forearms.
    TarAK accepted the forearm clasp. “I am happy to help pick up where my father left off.” He kept telling himself over and over not to stare at Prima AriELa. It had taken years of hard work and heavy training to purge himself of most of his thoughts of her. She only invaded his thoughts when he dreamed. His memories of her had been when she was younger. Now she was a beautiful, mature female. He had to fight to keep himself from becoming aroused, but it was difficult, very difficult.
    “Security Liaison TarAK, it is such a pleasure to see you again. You have been gone too long,” AriELa’s aunt greeted TarAK warmly. She had been very close to TarAK’s mother before she died.
    “Prima SandELa, you look lovely as