Striker Read Online Free PDF Page B

bulls. Then again, he had not expected to be a father, either. Did the fact that Fal'Amorics were blender species mean they shared the characteristics of all those species merged into their DNA? It would certainly explain why he hissed at a warlord who stared too long at Dargon.
    Azaes cleared his throat, smothering a grin as he passed a plate of seared meat to Zeus. "Do you have an official announcement for us?"
    Zeus straightened in his chair, acutely aware of every eye trained on him. "Dargon, Alpha, and I have made private vows and as soon as we return to Atlainticia, we will exchange pledges during a public binding. Alpha, and by extension Dargon, is my Udens Mahte'lan."
    "What does that mean? You used the word earlier." Zeus watched Dargon for cues to make sure he did not give Dargon too much meat or irritate him with overprotective care.
    Zeus blushed. "I did not … have another name for you and Alpha in Mar'Sani culture. Loosely translated, it means 'water mother'. All pregnant females are referred to as such. The Houses would be considered 'under Udens's care' when the family became sequestered."
    "We are not females." Dargon scowled.
    "Do not be a grouch. Zeus knows our gender. Mar'Sani only have two sexes and do not have a better term," Alpha admonished. Zeus was grateful that Alpha realized his problem was in not having another word.
    "What is on your forehead?" Mestor bit into a spicy stalk, the aroma quickly filling the room and causing Zeus’s nose to itch.
    "It is a symbol that will proclaim to others that I am part of an Alpha Trine. The dot also allows me to communicate with Alpha without physical contact."
    "He is our Marked. Very few Dar Massagas find someone who is compatible with them as well as their alpha." Dargon stopped Zeus from adding greens to his plate.
    "Is that the reason you kidnapped him?" Azaes pinned Dargon with a steely stare. The incident continued to be a point of contention between Dargon and the twins.
    Aggravated, Zeus hissed a warning at his brother. "Quit needling him. This is territory we have already covered."
    "I agree with Zeus." Zeus was silently thankful that Sohm'lan sidetracked the brewing argument. "Maybe you could explain what happened earlier? We do not return from the Waters of Poseidon injured."
    Between bites, Zeus told them what happened, leaving out the details about Canry. His parents should be told that news before anyone else. As he spoke, he met Mestor's and Azaes' gaze to ensure they were in agreement with him. Both nodded in unison when he skipped the information about the lost son of House Vondorian being found.
    "Why should we search out the Feteine?" asked Axis, the Oethra 7's GyrFalconi navigator, his plume of red-tipped, gray feathers raised in alarm. Large, black-ringed, yellow eyes were trained on Zeus, and a dark nail absently scratched at the edge of the wide, boney nose plate.
    Zeus carefully considered what information to divulge. "I was told that we could expect V'Saar in Valespian space. They crossed the grid in a weak spot near the Milky Way and have solicited the humans for help. At least one company has joined them, and they are waiting for us somewhere in Valespia's solar system."
    Zeus waited for everyone to absorb the information. Dargon's crew had been pursued across the galaxies for the Fal'Amoric royal family aboard the Oethra 7.  It was believed the interest the humans, and now by extension the V'Saar, showed in the Fal'Amoric people had to do with the Bespoken. Prometheus was last seen by his sister, Athena, when their mother, who had been pregnant with Zeus, took Prometheus away. Since Zeus had been picked up in a disabled vessel in Mar'Sani space at barely two months old, he assumed they had not been together long before being separated.
    Now V'Saar lay in wait for them. The question became how many, and why were they going through all of this trouble to acquire the Bespoken? Why not just push through a weak point in the grid and