Tracking (Return of the Nine) Read online

  Beeda came around and kissed her on the forehead, while to her surprise, S’rin squeezed her blanketed toes.

  Vida smiled. “Now that you are linked to Derion, you are safe to touch.”

  A deep voice spoke from the doorway. “Miss Senior, what have you done to my son?”

  Dorum was standing there and scowling.

  Ianka struggled to sit up and something flickered in his eyes. “What is wrong with Derion?”

  “He is suffering. His body is on fire. What did you do to him?”

  “He took some of my blood and then gave me his a while later. If he is having a problem, bring him into medical.” She scowled.

  Dorum tensed. “He won’t come.”

  “Tell him I ordered it. He will love that.”

  “He won’t listen.” It was obvious that Dorum was worried.

  “Right.” Ianka sat up, wrapped the bed sheet around her and hopped to the floor with Vida’s help. She tucked the sheet into place and minced up to Dorum. “Take me to him.”

  “You aren’t dressed.”

  “My clothes are in the shuttle. Do you want to keep delaying?”

  He shook his head and offered her his arm. She took it and kept hold of the sheet as they slowly walked to the pods, and from there, they were whisked to the area occupied by the Fury.

  She continued to mince along in bare feet and he was radiating a protective aura. When they got to the living quarters, he brought her to the door and pounded on it. From the other side, she heard a thud. “Go away, Father.”

  Ianka scowled. “Don’t talk to your father like that, Derion. Open up the damned door.”

  The door opened and an astonished Derion stepped back as she shuffled in. Ianka turned and closed the door in Dorum’s face saying, “We will call you if we need you.”

  “You should be in medical.” He was sweaty and pale.

  “So should you. You look worse than I do.” She reached out and touched his forehead, surprised when he leaned into her hand.

  His skin cooled the moment that she touched him. “That was easy.”

  He gave her an apologetic look through his black and red eyes. “I am sorry that I did not have time to court you properly.”

  She sat on his lap and looped her arms around his neck. “I am sorry that I got shot.”

  She didn’t have a lot of experience with kissing, but she gave it a try. He wrapped his arms around her for a moment before pulling her tightly against him.

  The sheet hit the floor at some point, but by then, it didn’t matter. She was firmly involved in getting to know her mate.

  * * * *

  Vida disconnected her viewing when clothing began to fly. “Okay, she is definitely staying on the mother ship. He has quite the grip on her and it looks like they are going to be negotiating terms all evening.”

  Beeda laughed at her daughter. “It is about time. If it has really been six years since the attacks, I am surprised that you didn’t seek out husbands before this.”

  Vida explained about the limited amount of Gaian men, the evolution of talents beyond that of the Senior family, and then, she had to get into the details of what the girls had gone through after their parents had disappeared.

  North and Beeda held hands while they heard the story, and tears slowly made it down their faces.

  S’rin held Vida’s hand and explained the involvement of the Nine and the delight in the discovery of an evolutionary change that complimented the one their ancestors had engaged in generations earlier. The Gaians were the tenth race and they were only too happy to help them become all they could be.

  * * * *

  “So, would you have come after me if I returned to Gaia?” She leaned her chin on her hands and met his gaze with a smile.

  He chuckled and shifted under her. “I would follow wherever you led, at a respectful distance. I have seen you in action, and a woman who can tear a door off hinges is a woman to be courted carefully.”

  She stroked her fingers on his chest. “Wise. Very wise. So, what alterations can I expect as the wife of a Fury?”

  He grinned. “Well, you will gain a few inches in height.”

  “Yay. It was bugging me that Vida got taller.”

  “Do not worry about it. The transformative power of the Fury is also within you if you tap into it. Give it a few weeks but it might emerge. We can practice.” He ran his hands up her back and smiled.

  “Practice what?”

  He chuckled and rolled her under him. The rest was self-explanatory.

  Author’s Note

  So, both women found their mates after getting shot. This is never going to catch on as a popular dating technique.

  Now to be frank, I have no idea when I am going to get to the next book in the Return of the Nine. There are nine already, so sometime after August. It is going to be a busy and active summer for me so I have to focus on ‘normal’ releases.

  Thanks for reading

  Viola Grace

  http://www.violagrace.com

  [email protected]

  About the Author

  Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.

  Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Author’s Note

  About the Author