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General Khan Mak’un!

“Khan.” Kiril moved to the general, managing to stay between Mara and Davin. “It is good to see you, my friend.” Kiril turned to the blonde woman at Khan’s side. “I trust you are well, Anna?”

The greeting was clear: Kiril was establishing his dominance over Davin by using his relationship with the general. It would be hard for Davin to protest anything Kiril decided.

“I am. It’s good to see you again, Kiril.” Anna’s smile was warm and genuine. This was a woman Akahana would like to have known. In another life.

Khan took Kiril’s offered hand, his face revealing nothing of what he was thinking. “We need to talk, General.”

Khan raised an eyebrow, but allowed Kiril to lead him outside the room. Taber grasped Mikkarn’s arm and mumbled something to him before turning back to Akahana. “I’ll be right back. Dr. Mikkarn will take care of you.”

“You can’t fight Davin.” She knew she was in trouble with Davin when she locked gazes with him. The subtle changes in the look in his eyes reminded her so much of Gamin, she wanted to vomit. Davin was definitely going to kill her. It was just a matter of when.

He caressed her cheek with a finger. “Yes, I can, Dearheart.” And he followed Kiril and Khan out of the room.

?* * *

Kiril looked back at Taber when he shut the door behind the three of them. “I didn’t think I’d need to issue an invitation.”

“She’s terrified of that man in there,” Taber said without preamble. “You can’t let him take her.”

Both the other men looked at each other, a wealth of meaning in that glance. “She told you this?” Khan prompted.

“I felt it. I can pick things up from her when her emotions are high.”

Kiril shifted his feet. “Do you know what that means, Taber?”

“She says it means I’m her mate.” There was no reason to keep something like this from these two men. It could only help him if everything he’d learned about the Gothe’maran people was correct. “You should also know that she has no intention to take another mate. I get the impression that Gamin, the mate I killed, was very abusive to her.”

“Abusive… how?” Khan waved a hand, indicating he wanted more information.

“Well.” Taber looked the man in the eye. “He beat her almost to death before I got there. And I don’t think that was the first time. I’m not a doctor, like Mikkarn, but I know a human body can become accustomed to things done to it repeatedly. A person who has seizures repeatedly and is treated with Valium or Ativan will eventually become tolerant to it. You can give that person a dose that would probably kill a person who has never had the drug, and it won’t faze them in the least.” He shifted his gaze to Kiril. “Now, I don’t know how your healing tubes work, but something Mara said stuck with me.”

Kiril nodded his head. “The grafts and regeneration aren’t working properly on her. Makes sense.” He scratched his chin. “But she’d have to have been healedhundredsof times…” Kiril trailed off and paled as the implication settled on him.

“You see my point.” Taber crossed his arms over his chest. “Look.” His focus shifted from Kiril to Khan. “She may not want me as a mate, but under your laws, it’s still my responsibility to see to her safety. I can’t do that if you let Davin stay near her.”

“Relax, my friend.” Khan laid a hand on Taber’s shoulder. “Anna remembers you and would probably have my head if I went against you in this.” He smiled. “Besides, I can see no claim Davin could possibly have. Even if Gamin set up some kind of provision for her, your claim as mate will take precedence. You may be called upon to prove your claim, though. Are you prepared for that?”

“Prove my claim?”

“The Chamber of Souls. You would have to prove your claim as mate if Davin challenges you.”

“Well, I guess that means I’m not prepared, because I have no idea what you’re talking about.” When Khan would have explained, Taber raised a hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll learn and be ready if it happens.”

“In the meantime --” Kiril took a breath, “-- I’ll deny Davin’s request to stay with Akahana, saying she needs her rest and is to be disturbed by no one. That should give you time to learn what you must, Taber.” He turned to Khan. “You’ll back me up?”

“Always,” Khan said without hesitation.

Taber wanted to rush back to Akahana -- she was very frightened. But he knew from years of hard battle that the last thing he needed to do was show his hand to this Gothe’maran warrior. If Davin smelled blood in the water, he’d move in for the kill. Instead, he let the other two men lead the way, and he took a spot leaning on the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest.

“You’re not taking her until I know without a doubt why she can’t be healed.” Mara was nothing if not human. No Gothe’maran -- man or woman -- could possibly be that stubborn. Taber almost smiled. Almost. Expressing amusement could be fatal at this point. Davin looked angry enough to kill, and for a Gothie, that meant the situation was likely ten times worse than it looked.

“I will take her back to Homeworld, where she belongs, and where I may care for her as her mate wished. You cannot stop me.Human.”

“Thatismy mate, Davin.” Kiril placed his hands on his hips and opened his stance, obviously ready to battle for his mate if necessary. “Take care how you use the word ‘human.’”

Davin’s jaw clenched, as did his hands. Taber had no doubt that if not for the presence of the two leaders from Military Command, he would have physically removed Akahana from her hospital bed. “I will require all necessities for my stay with the female. I will not leave her while she is here.” He looked straight at Taber. “I do not want the human male to dirty her with his touch.”

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