Chapter 32

Amy smiled as she watched her daughter getting ready to meet Zachary. Kristine turned around and looked at her mother with a frown, “Are you sure you’re okay? I can stay here you know.”

Amy shook her head, “I’m fine, Kris. Really! You go and enjoy some time with Zach. I know you two haven’t really had a chance to see each other that much.”
Kristine nodded, “You can come with us you know.”

Amy chuckled, “Honey, I think Zach wants some time with just you. All of you have been so concerned with me that you haven’t just had time to yourselves. Really, Kris, go out with Zach and have a good time. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.”

Just as Kristine was about to reply, a knock sounded on the bedroom door, “Kris, you ready?” came Zachary’s voice.

Amy got up from the chair she’d been sitting on to open the door. Smiling up at Zachary she said, “She’s ready.”

Zachary walked in and saw Kristine near the dressing table. He gave her a smile and kissed her cheek. “You look wonderful, li’ho.”

Kristine gave him a shy smile as she slid her hand into his, “Thanks.”

He nodded and turned to look at Amy, “You sure you don’t want to come along?”

Amy rolled her eyes, “Really you two! I will be fine!” She held the door open wider, “Go and enjoy yourselves!”

They nodded and Zachary led Kristine out of the bedroom towards the front door. Amy followed them out and waved to them as they walked down the street. Once they were far away, she closed the door and went back inside.

She walked into the kitchen and began making herself a cup of cocoa. The day after they had brought her here, Zachary and Jules had returned to her world to gather up supplies that would help her and Kristine feel at home. Amy knew they wouldn’t be able to bring back anything from her house since it had been burned to the ground, but they went to get things from a store.

Amy grinned as she thought of the two men going grocery shopping up world. While she and Kristine had sat there in Zachary’s home wondering if they’d pull it off, Jules had taken the lead and taken Zachary to the store to get the supplies on the huge list Amy and Kristine had made. Turned out Jules had been up world plenty of times as a young man, long before he had become Weapons Instructor.

She took her steaming mug of cocoa to the sitting room and made herself comfortable on the couch there. She covered her legs with a throw she’d placed on the back of the couch and sat back to enjoy her cocoa. She began to reminisce about the past month and everything that she had learned.

After that night in the stadium, she had woken up in a strange bed, surrounded by her daughter and others she didn’t recognize. One of them turned out to be Zachary, the other Jules, and the last one was a healer. Kristine had explained that healers were the doctors of this world. Still she’d panicked again and tried to tell them to let her go. Kristine had asked everyone to step out of the room so she could talk to her mother alone. When they were alone, Kristine sat down on the edge of the bed and began to confess everything to Amy.

All Amy could do was sit and stare wide eyed at her daughter as she told her about a world that seemed to be underground from their own. She told Amy about portals and Wahani and supernatural powers and so many other things that it made her head spin. Still Amy knew Kristine wasn’t making any of that up. Her daughter wouldn’t lie about something like that.

When Amy asked about what had happened at the stadium, Kristine had explained about the tooth and how Zachary and the others had gone to rescue them. She told Amy that the Mayor and the gang would never bother anyone again and that all of the innocents were not harmed. After it was over, they had returned here to take care of Amy and Kristine until Amy was well enough to go wherever she wanted.

When Kristine had finally finished explaining what had happened, Amy had calmed down enough to let the men back in. The healer finished examining her and pronounced her healthy. All she’d gotten was a small bump on her head that would go away in a few days.

After Zachary had shown the healer out, Amy had apologized to him for giving him a hard time when he’d been trying to rescue her. Zachary had told her it was okay, that he understood her reluctance for trusting him. Still, she apologized to him, then thanked both him and Jules for rescuing all of them. She then asked if she could thank Xavier and Teether too since they helped.

Imagine her surprise when the others cleared their throats and Kristine explained that Teether was a tiger. Actually, Zachary had said he was a li’ani, which was much different than a tiger from her world. At that point, Amy didn’t doubt it. If these people were capable of doing the things Kristine had described, then it was safe to say that nothing in this world would be like her world.

It wasn’t until about a week later that she actually got to meet Teether. She had already met Xavier. Who had come by later that first day to see how she and Kristine were adjusting to their new surroundings.

She’d gotten another surprise when she’d learned that Xavier was a king! She’d noticed that the others treated him very differently than they treated each other. Then she’d overheard Zachary and Xavier in the living room. Zachary had asked Xavier how the Queen was doing and Xavier had replied that she was fine, but he was keeping his eye on her since she had disobeyed his orders. Amy knew that meant he had to be King.

When Kristine returned to the bedroom, Amy had asked if Xavier was a king and Kristine confirmed it. When Amy had asked what had happened to the Queen for disobeying Xavier, Kristine had given her a sheepish look before telling her that a two month pregnant Queen had gone to help rescue them despite her husband’s protests. When he’d ordered her to stay at a safe distance while the rescue happened, she’d disobeyed and entered into the fight.

Amy nodded, it was no wonder the king wanted to keep an eye on her, especially if she was carrying a possible heir. Xavier had returned later with Teether so Amy could meet him and thank him for rescuing them. Then she’d asked if she could meet the Queen. All of them had gone silent and all eyes had turned towards Xavier, who simply said his wife was still recuperating from all of the excitement and would come to see her when things calmed down.

In the meantime, Zachary, Kristine, and Jules all showed Amy around that world. She began to learn so many things about the Wahani and their way of life. It was amazing to her to know that this world existed parallel to hers, but it remained secreted away.

They had shown her the portal to her world and taken her back to see the ruins of her house when she had finally asked to go see it. She had been amazed that the portal was in the barn on their land. They’d walked out of the barn and she’d seen what was left of the house. It seemed that people had already been there to clean up the mess that was left behind.

She knew that everyone from her world believed that she and Kristine had vanished without a trace. So, it was a risk even being there to see the remains of her house. Still, they let her do it and Jules volunteered to go with her to Felix’s grave while Zachary and Kristine returned to his world.

As Amy sat near Felix’s grave, she said her goodbyes. She’d been in the other world for a little over two weeks at that point and realized that it was a perfect way to start her life over. Since she had nothing to go back to because Kristine had told her that Zachary wanted Kristine to stay with him, Amy figured she’d stay there too. Zachary had already made it clear that his home was hers for as long as she needed it.

It was both the fact that her daughter was staying in the new world and that there was no longer a threat to her old world that helped Amy make that decision. So, she said goodbye to Felix and returned to the new world with Jules.

Zachary and Kristine were waiting at the house for her and she had announced that she was going to make her new life there. Kristine wanted to know if she was absolutely certain of that and she said yes. Zachary told her she could stay at his home since he had rooms in the castle, which were more convenient for him. So, she and Kristine had begun to make the house into a home for them.

She’d been making the adjustment well when Kristine finally told her that she could meet the Queen if she still wanted to. When Amy said yes, Kristine had asked her to sit down because there was something she needed to tell her. Nikki was alive and she was the queen.

And everything Amy had learned, every story the others had told her suddenly made complete sense. Nikki was the tie that bound all of them together. It explained why Kristine had acted the way she did after Nikki had disappeared. Amy had nodded when Kristine had finished, saying how it all made perfect sense. Kristine had expected her to blow up or to cry, but she’d just nodded and said it made sense.

Her tears hadn’t come until she’d been face to face with Nikki again. To see her alive and well had been a huge relief to Amy. She’d simply wrapped her arms around Nikki and said thank God that someone from the Payne family was still alive. She and Nikki had a teary reunion and Nikki had stayed to share stories with Amy.

Xavier was close by of course. He remained in the sitting room with Zachary and Jules, while the girls retreated to Amy’s bedroom. It was there that Nikki had told her everything that had happened to her and how she’d met and fallen in love with Xavier. She and Kristine had told Amy all about the courtship and the wedding. Then Nikki had told both her and Kristine that she was no longer human.

That had been quite a shock to Kristine, but Amy took it in stride. When Kristine had calmed down, Nikki had explained what had happened to her and how they had all come to the conclusion that Henry must have been a Wahani without ever knowing it. Amy agreed. Henry never knew his real parents. He’d been raised by an aunt and uncle, but even Henry had wondered if they were really his aunt and uncle.

He’d only been a few months old when his parents supposedly had died in a gang fight. The couple that took him in had known his parents and they’d told him they had volunteered to take him in at his parents death. Since the couple had raised him and loved him, he’d never asked anymore questions. They had given him a home to grow up in, why would he leave that to search for something he might never find.

Once that was all in the open and Kristine seemed to have accepted everything, the three of them began to talk about Nikki’s pregnancy. It was indeed going to be a boy and they were going to make the announcement of an heir to the Wahani people soon. Amy made sure Nikki knew that Henry would have been proud of her because even she was amazed that Nikki had done all of this.

Amy could see what being in this world with Xavier did for Nikki. She was a completely different person. Gone was the young, moody, and distant teenager and in it’s place was a stronger mature woman who had found her place in life.

Amy sighed and sifted in her seat. So much had happened over the last few months. And in the last month alone, she’d found out so much more. She’d woken up in a world where super beings known as the Wahani lived. A world that had a King and Queen. A world where her daughter wanted to live because she was in love with the second in command, the Chief Advisor. And a world where her best friends’ daughter was alive and well as the Queen.

Still, it hadn’t been that hard to adjust to this place. Everyone had been kind to her. They’d all answered any questions she’d had and given her the space she’d needed. She couldn’t have asked for more.

A knock sounded at the front door. Amy set her mug down on the end table, pushed the throw to the side and went out into the hallway to answer it. She opened the door to a crack and peered out. Smiling, she opened the door the rest of the way.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hello, I hope you don’t mind, Zachary said he and Kris were going out and you’d be alone. So, I thought I’d stop by and see if you wanted some company,” he said.

She chuckled, knowing he was just as concerned as everyone else was about her adjusting to her new life. “I’d like that, come on in,” she said as she stepped back to let him in.

As he walked into the hallway, she asked, “Want some hot cocoa? I made some for myself and I know you’ve never had any before, so…”

He grinned, “I’d love some.”

“Great, why don’t you go make yourself comfortable in the sitting room and I’ll get you a mug.”

“Thanks, Amy.”

She gave him another smile before disappearing into the kitchen to make him some cocoa.

**********************************************************************

Kristine moaned as Zachary deepened the kiss. Her arms slid up his chest and wrapped around his shoulders as he walked them backwards towards his bed.

After they’d left her mother, she and Zachary had taken a leisurely walk through the city and stopped at an inn to have dinner together. The two of them had taken their time eating dinner and catching up with each other. After dinner, they’d walked to the castle as they kept up the light conversation they’d started earlier.

They’d walked through the castle grounds for a while until they’d stopped in one of the gardens surrounding the castle. Sitting on a bench, they’d just been content to be with each other until they’d started to kiss. One thing had led to another and Kristine asked if they could go to his rooms.

In his rooms, she had taken her time in undressing him wanting to remember every groove and hollow of his body. He had then done the same to her, undressing her slowly while his hands and mouth memorized every inch of her.

Soon, they were both naked and his lips had found hers again. As she felt the bed against the back of her thighs, Zachary lifted her in his arms and settled her on the bed. She used her arms to pull him down on top of her, spreading her legs allowing him to settle his hips between them.

Zachary moved his lips from hers and began to kiss his way down her neck and shoulder. Moving lower, he teased her nipple with his tongue before taking her breast into his mouth and suckling it. Kristine closed her eyes with a sigh and curled her fingers in his hair, holding him there.

Soon, he moved to her other breast and gave it the same attention as the first. Kristine moaned again and slid her hands down his back feeling his muscles moving beneath them. She arched her hips up and pressed herself close to him, eliciting a groan from him.

As she wrapped her legs around his, he lifted himself up to elbows and looked down at her. “I love you,” he whispered.

She smiled, “I love you too, Zach.”

He smiled at her as he slowly slid into her welcoming depths. As her legs tightened around his, he began the slow rhythm of making love to her. His eyes never left hers as he moved in and out of her.

A sigh escaped her parted lips before she whispered, “Oh Zach.”

She arched her body closer to his. He could feel the tightening of her walls and knew she was getting close. He picked up his pace and took her lips in his again. As they kissed passionately, he slid a hand between their bodies and caressed her bundle of nerves. Kristine moaned into his mouth and tightened her arms around his shoulders. A few thrusts later and she was throwing her head back crying out his name as she came.

Zachary closed his eyes and moaned as he felt her warm liquid bathe him right before she leaned up to kiss his neck. Holding him tightly, she continued to place soft kisses over his neck and shoulder, tightening her walls around him. She felt his groan against her lips a moment before she felt his seed bathing her walls and the hiss of her name reached her ears.

She continued to hold him tight until she felt him shudder. When she knew his orgasm had passed, she took his lips in hers again and pulled him down with her against the mattress. Together, in a tangle of limbs, they continued to kiss relishing the aftermath of their lovemaking.

**********************************************************************

Evelyn hesitantly knocked on the door in front of her and waited for it to open. When it did, she was met with a shocked look.

“Evelyn? What are you doing here?” he asked.

She gave him a timid smile, “I was bored and I knew you weren’t doing anything, so I thought I’d come over for a while.”

He chuckled as he held the door open wider, “Does anyone know you’re here?”

She pouted, “Of course! I told Nikki where I was going.”

As Charles shut the door behind them, he grinned, “Just Nikki?”

Evelyn rolled her eyes at him, “She’s the Queen, so what’s wrong with that?”

He shrugged, “She’s not your parents or your brother.”

Evelyn huffed. “Alan Charles Nieri, just what are you implying?” she said, placing her hands on her hips.

Charles sighed and walked over to her, caressing her cheek. As she leaned against it, he said, “I just don’t want you to get in trouble Evelyn.”

She smiled up at him, “I won’t. Nikki will tell Xavier where I am and you know he approves of you.”

Charles nodded, “I know.” He slid his hand into hers and led her into his sitting room, “So, what do you want to do to pass the time?”

She grinned, “Got any knew programs to show me?”

With a laugh he nodded, “Okay, let’s go to the study.”

Taking his offered hand, Evelyn let him lead her out of the sitting room towards the study where his computers were.

**********************************************************************

Nikki lay in the bed, watching her husband through slitted eyes as he removed his clothes. When he was done, he moved through the room, turning off the lights and locking the door before making his way over to their bed.

Xavier lifted up the covers and slid into bed next to his wife. As he reached out to pull her into his arms, she shifted into them. He sighed as she settled against him and pressed a kiss on top of her head.

“Why aren’t you asleep?” he asked.

“Waiting for you,” came her reply.

He tightened his arms around her as she began to press kisses from his chest up to his throat and neck. He closed his eyes as her lips found their way to his ear and licked behind it before she nuzzled him there.

“Nikki,” he began to plead as her hand wandered down his side even while she continued to nuzzle him.

She whispered in his ear, “I want you.”

He let out an exasperated growl, “You’re not in heat, leijha’mi.”

“So? I still need you when I’m not, you know.”

He rolled them over until he had her pinned beneath him. Looking into her eyes in the dim light, he said, “Are you ever going to listen to me?”

She pouted, “I listen to you.” She slid her hand down between them and stroked his already hard cock. “I’m listening now.”

He growled, “Don’t change the subject, Nikki.”

“I’m not.” She leaned up to kiss his cheek, “You can’t possibly still be mad at me? It’s been a month Xavier!”

“Esu i’poskpro-sa nem esu borwo thi vapu ursamose sehi kindan!” he growled in Wahani.

“Idi oka-sa thi!”

“Yene esu oka-sa! Esu vapu ursamose deh asou o’syn sehi kindan!”

“Idi oro-sa idi dro kherhan on‘hi! Tosh itwa lym an‘thran.”

Xavier switched to English as his voice broke, “What if he had a weapon Nikki! You know we aren’t immune to them! You saw what happened to me when I fought them the last time!”

She went silent beneath him, remembering her reactions when he’d returned to the barn after his encounter with the gang. He’d had a knife wound and had just barely been nicked by a bullet. Her lips began to tremble as she remembered what she’d felt like knowing how close that bullet had been.

She looked up into his eyes. “Idi maie nomiri,” she whispered.

Xavier sighed as he saw the tears in her eyes. Leaning down, he nuzzled her cheek, “I know you are. Please, just remember, you can’t risk yourself or our son like that. Ever.”

She nodded, tightening her hold around his shoulders as her tears fell down her cheeks.

Xavier began to kiss and lick her tears away and after they finally stopped, he kissed her lips and undressed her. Slowly, tenderly, he touched his wife letting her know just how much he cherished her.

Nikki closed her eyes and let her husband love her. She’d been in the mood to have him make love to her in a quicker, rougher way. But after what he’d just said, she now enjoyed the tender way he was loving her.

Soon, he was sliding into her body, moving his hips in a smooth, languid way, igniting the fire inside of her. As her breathing quickened, so did his pace. His hands moved to her hips, lifting them slightly as he pushed himself deeper into her.

Nikki leaned her head back and arched her body up to meet his deep strokes. She moaned in pleasure as he found her sweet spot. He felt her fingers dig into his shoulders a moment before she cried out.

“Xavier! Yes!” she gasped as she felt her release finally come.

Xavier groaned and lowered his cheek to hers. “Leijha’mi,” he whispered as he spilled his seed into his wife.

“Idi agalo esu, Xavier” she whispered.

With a sigh, he rolled over and held her close. As she lay her cheek against his chest, he replied, “Idi agalo esu alsis.”

Translations
li'ho - honey
leijha'mi - beautiful
esu i'poskpro-sa nem esu borwo thi vapu ursamose sehi kindan - you promised me you would not put yourself in danger
idi oka-sa thi - I did not
yene esu oka-sa - yes you did
esu vapu ursamose deh asou o'syn sehi kindan - you put yourself and our son in danger
idi oro-sa idi dro kherhan on'hi - I knew I could handle him
tosh itwa lym an'thran - he was only human
idi maie nomiri - I am sorry
idi agalo esu - I love you
alsis - too