The Dawning of Fate

I stepped onto Gutark’s ship with one arm wrapped around my mate and the weapon of my enemy clutched in the other. The once pristine steel of the floors was now splattered with blood not only from me but from the rest of Gutark’s party as well. Though, I was sure I left a pretty impressive trail as I entered the main deck. All of those abroad turned to me and I was met with a mixture of fear and respect. I clutched my mate tighter against me. Amondis stepped out from the mess of unfamiliar faces

“Azandum,” he sighed. I noted his apprehension amidst the relief. My drakul was riding close to the surface and I knew my wombmate did not understand my connection as of yet. “Gutark has a medic among his men.”

Amondis gestured to the side and a tiny man stepped forward. I could smell his fear from here. He was of the Zuru, a peaceful people who were renounced for their medicinal practices and targeted for that very same reason. I knew he would present no threat to me but the battle was still fresh in my mind. I was having trouble separating friend from foe. Every male here represented a threat to my mate–my family.

Echo lifted her head then and looked into my eyes. When she looked at me, it felt like a breath of the sweetest air entered my lungs. She was my everything. There is no war I would not wage for her. She rested her hand on the side of my face and I leaned into it, needing the contact like I needed air. I felt the rawness of her skin and felt a wave of anger build at it having been there. Her hands should only know the softness of her favorite soil and flowers.

“Let him do his job, Azandum. You’re injured and he’s willing to help.”

“So are you,” I growled lowly. Her smile was weak as she nodded.

“Me first then, hm?” One of the furs above her eyes lifted.

I glanced at the male briefly, studying him closely.

He dipped his head demurely. “Neither you nor your mate will come to no harm in my care. I am the only medic among the ship’s crew.” He straightened then and stared at me directly. “So you may except my help or suffer on your own.”

A growl built in my chest but it died as I heard Echo’s amused snort. She rested her head back on my shoulder with a sigh, stroking her fingers through my hair gently. “He has a point.” One that I couldn’t deny.

She was in so much pain, her tiny body shaking from it. Yet, here she was, comforting me. What did I do to deserve such a woman in my life? Surely nothing that would warrant such a blessing. I needed to get her off this planet as soon as possible. She has endured enough. I followed the Zuru, ignoring the pain that pulsed within my wing, as he led us through the ship toward the medical facilities. Gutark’s ship had an impressive layout if not standard. As the doors slid open, the chaotic sounds from inside reached my ears. The few injured were either groaning, sleeping, or spouting profanities. A tiny Zulu female was in the process of bandaging the man with a foul tongue.

“This way please,” the Zuru said gently, guiding us away from the main entrance into a more personable enclosure. A bed sat high in the center of the room. There were a few side tables and a simple stool in the corner.

“If you would place her on the bed, I can begin my examination. I would prefer to treat your injuries first…” He trailed off as he moved to the other side of the bed and pick up a small tablet from one of the side tables. He began tapping on the device.

I maneuvered Echo and sat her on the platform before helping her lie back. Sweat sheened on her paling skin and her clothes were stained with my blood.

“I will heal.”

“Stubborn man,” Echo whispered. Her response made the Zuru chuckle.

He moved so that she could see him better. “My name is Pazit. The first thing I’m going to do is conduct a scan of your body. It will be harmless and you won’t feel a thing.”

She nodded slowly. “I’m Echo. Nice to meet you, Pazit.”

Pazit nodded sharply and began tapping on his screen again. A humming sound proceeded the clear monitor that descended from a small hatch in the ceiling. The soft feminine sigh drew my attention back to my mate. Her eyes fell shut and for a moment, I panicked.

“The table heats as it scans the patient’s body. I will keep it at this temperature if it is preferable,” Pazit explained, staring intently at his tablet.

“Please,” she whispered weakly. I set the staff off to the side and moved closer, worry pinching my chest for her. I gathered a slender hand and observed how much thinner it had gotten since we’d been away from Icturi. Missing patches of skin left her palms pink and raw. Her fingers curled around mine and I raised my eyes to her face. The white that surrounded her now purple iris remained but the only grey that remained was in the tiny pupil that was once black.

“You are a reckless female,” I growled softly, crouching down to her side. “You have disobeyed my orders on multiple occasions. You could have been hurt or worse.” My anchor roared in denial and I felt his worry and anger spread through my veins but I kept it at bay.

She gripped my hand tighter. “I had to save you.”

Save me? My pride roared at the notion. I wanted to deny that I needed to be saved but I couldn’t deny the fact that my wounds had yet to heal. The bleeding has slowed but the lacerations still festered with pain. I glanced back at the spear Dronan used against me. It was a fearsome weapon. Not only was it fashioned from Tumerian metal and embedded with the Aeniury gem. Aeniury was the gem that formed when our metal was heated. Tumerian society ran on it the energy that the stone conducted. This was one of the many reasons why Tumerian metal was so sought after. To us Tumerians, it was our most powerful weapon and greatest weakness.

“Fascinating.” My eyes narrowed in on Pazit as I stood. He swiped his hand and the monitor lit up with a scan of my mate’s body. “I have never examined a Terran before but your physical characteristics share enough similarities with other species that I can give you an accurate examination. I am seeing signs of malnutrition and dehydration. Your body appears to be overheating and if you allow me to collect a blood sample, I can conduct some further tests to determine the reason.”

Echo nodded. Pazit drew a small pen from his device and pricked her skin before putting it back in its compartment. “This will only be a moment.” And it was exactly as he said because mere seconds later the tiny device beeped. “Oh my.” The astonishment in his voice caused my hackles to rise.

“This is unprecedented! I have never seen anything like it!” Pazit swiped his hand toward the monitor and Echo’s diagram became overlaid with an image of multiple lines and colors.

“What is this?” I demanded staring at the screen.

The pink in his eyes was bright. “I am not sure how this is possible but this human appears to be going through a metamorphosis of sorts. The DNA markers in her blood are being replaced as we speak! The reason why she continues to experience such fatigue and stress is that her body is trying to fight off the changes as if it were a disease but the foreign DNA is stronger so it is losing the battle.”

“What about the pain?” Echo asked eyefurs pinched. “Will it stop?”

Pazit turned to her then, sympathy written on his face. “Can you explain it to me, Echo?”

Echo blew out a breath. “It feels like my entire body is burning up from the inside out. With every movement I make, I–”

Bu-bump.

The sound was small and weak but it froze everyone in the room. Echo’s eyes widened as she shot up into a seated position. I hurried to steady her but she didn’t even seem to notice me as her eyes were fastened on the monitor above.

“Zoom in on that white dot in the center.” Her small frame was trembling but I knew from our bond that it wasn’t fear. It was something closer to apprehension.

Pazit did as she told him to and he sucked in a breath before tapping rapidly on his little device. “How could I have missed this? This…this parasite is consuming all of your nutrients!”

“Remove it immediately, Pazit!” I commanded.

Bu-bump.

“No!” Echo wrapped her arms around her stomach protectively.

Confused, I stared at her. “Echo…”

“We must!” Pazit insisted, tapping on his device. “It is worsening your condition.”

Claws extended from her nailbeds and the purple in her eyes brightened. “It is not a parasite! It is my baby!”

Pazit’s pink eyes blew wide. “Excuse me?”

Time seemed to slow at that very moment as I struggled to process her words. Baby? Seedling?! Could she really be–Was she truly with child? My fingers clenched and unclenched. My hearts seemed to be beating in overdrive.

“Confirm it,” I told him, staring at the little white pod on the monitor. I knew my mate was looking at me but I would not give her my attention until I knew for sure.

Pazit shook his shock and did as I asked. “Unprecedented,” he commented, astonished.

“Well?!” The Zuru male jolted.

“Zan,” Echo scolded. I ignored her in favor of staring down the healer.

He cleared his throat. “All signs correspond with the existence of a possible fetus but I will need to conduct more tests and monitor her progress since I have not treated a human patient before. My knowledge of the species is limited.”

“I will help you as best I can but for now I’d like to just shower and go to sleep, if that’s okay,” Echo told him.

Pazit nodded. “As you should. You must eat as well. I will draw up a dietary plan for you so that we may begin helping you regain your strength.”

“Thank you,” she responded, moving to stand. I stepped up and lifted her into my arms, holding her close to me.

Pazit looked at me. “I urge you to proceed with caution. I fear the fetus will do more harm than good under her current conditions. Your mate is undergoing fundamental changes to her molecular structure while also carrying a child that requires her strength to survive. You will bring her to me each day for the duration of your stay aboard. It is imperative.” He fumbled around within his drawers and pulled out a tube of clear liquid. “Apply this to your injuries.:

He spoke in a tone that said he would not be taking ‘no’ for an answer and I found myself respecting this male. He would do whatever he could to help my mate.

My head tipped forward in acknowledgment. “Thank you, Pazit.”

He nodded sharply before looking back at his device. “Your sibling will show you to your quarters. Ensure that she gets plenty of rest. I will send up a food tray and your staff.”

“Thank you, Pazit,” Echo called as I exited.

Amondis showed us to our quarters on the ship. I had yet to see Gutark and thank him for his assistance but it would have to wait. I had to tend to my mate first. We bathed until the water ran clear once more. She helped me apply the gel to my wounds and I set Echo down gently on the bed, my mind racing with thoughts and emotions that I couldn’t fully comprehend. My mate was carrying my child, something that neither of us thought was possible until the bond was complete. And yet, here we were. The thought of her carrying my child humbled me and made me realize more than ever how much I still had to learn. I was just beginning to understand what it meant to be responsible for another life. She needed my support now more than ever. We were about to begin a new journey, one filled with the joys, fears, and frustrations of parenting.

I covered her with a soft blanket. “What can I do?” I asked, sitting beside her and taking her hand in mine.

She smiled up at me before pulling me down for a kiss. “Just being here is enough,” she murmured before snuggling closer to me.

I smiled, relieved that my mate had found respite and comfort with me. I vowed to do whatever it took to protect her. I gently kissed her forehead, knowing that no matter what happened, I would always be there for her.

Echo looked up at me, her expression a mixture of excitement and fear. “What are we going to do, Zan?”

“We’ll take it one day at a time, my al sisi. We’ll do everything in our power to ensure that you and our child are healthy and strong.”

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of protectiveness over her and our unborn child. My thoughts turned to what Pazit had said about the dangers of her current condition. I knew that I had to be vigilant and cautious, ensuring that she was taking care of herself and the seedling. My little mate had a tendency to be quite reckless.

But as I looked down at her peaceful face, I couldn’t help but let my thoughts wander to a more intimate nature. We had been through so much together, and now we were about to embark on a new journey as parents. I wanted to show her just how much she meant to me.

I leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, savoring the taste of her. She responded eagerly, her hands tangling in my hair as she pulled me closer. Our bodies pressed together, and I could feel the heat building between us.

As I moved my lips down to her neck, trailing soft kisses along her skin, I felt her body arching in pleasure. I knew that we were taking a risk, given her condition, but I couldn’t help the desire that was coursing through me.

With a gentle touch, I slipped my hand between her thighs, feeling the wetness that had already gathered there. She moaned softly as I began to explore her, my fingers delving between her soft folds. Her body writhed with pleasure. I could feel the heat building between us, driving us both to the edge but I held myself at bay. This was about her right now. She deserved it. Finally, with a cry of release, she collapsed altogether, spent and satisfied. We lay there for a long moment, reveling in the closeness.

As Echo drifted off to sleep, I watched over her, feeling a sense of awe and wonder at the life growing within her. At that moment, I made a promise to myself and to my mate. I promised to be the best father I could be, to protect and provide for our family, and to always be there for them, no matter what.