The Harvest-The Next Generation

 Szin's story 
“I have to go, Takeo. This is so important to my dad.”Takeo buried the growl that threatened to break loose. “I know. We’ll talk tomorrow.”Szin turned away, making sure to keep his thoughts blank.* * * *Raiden stood at the outermost edge of the party, staring off into the shadows. Woods surrounded the area where the party was being held. Pretty outdoor party light lit the area, but the shadows waited beyond. Off to the side was where his dabba housed his flyers. Raiden waited. There, in the shadows, were two forms pressed together as one sampled than the other.  Raiden shook his head—it looked like Takeo had found Szin after all. He decided to leave them alone, let them have a moment of privacy. He knew things weren’t easy between them. The he had notice his parents returning to the party with Takeo’s. Something was brewing, he could feel it. He sincerely hoped Takeo hadn’t made demands or threats concerning Szin. That could prove to be a problem, if he had. Raiden turned and walked back to the well lit area of the party. Just as he stepped on the patio he heard his dad calling for Szin.  “Hey Dad, give them a few minutes,” Raiden said. “Ah, gotcha. Think they heard me?” Dale asked. “Yeah, and they’ll be… well, here they come now.” Immediately Raiden tried to read his twin. Confusion, fear, desire, relief, and a whole bunch of other emotions made a noisy brew in Szin’s head. Raiden relaxed. If Szin wasn’t blocking his thoughts then all was well. He only blocked his thoughts when he was plotting something or trying to hide something.  Raiden had to admit Szin was taking this better than he thought. He watched Takeo, who watched Szin. Takeo turned to him and grinned, baring his fangs. With a quick jerk of his head, Raiden signaled all was okay. Maybe Szin knew this was meant to be and had dumped all those crazy thoughts about Takeo finding another mate. Raiden relaxed. The last thing he, or any of them, needed was for Szin to do something foolish. Takeo might only be part Onfre, but he took that side of his heritage seriously.  The party wrapped up after the boys had cake and opened their gifts, another custom Dale had stated along with young showers. Everyone said goodbye, and Takeo made a point of kissing Szin in front of both sets of parents. Szin stood quietly in Takeo’s arms.  Dale watched the display. One part of him was trouble, the other part relieved. Szin didn’t know about the talk they’d had with Takeo, and he wasn’t sure how Szin would react if he did know just how serious Takeo was about this. Looking around, he decided to leave the mess until morning, and talk to Szin. He found his young near the cake, eating the icing. Dale approached and put his hand on Szin’s shoulder. “Hey sweetie, you need to talk?” “Aw Dad, I’m way too old for you to be calling me that,” Szin grinned at his dad as he shoveled in the sweet icing. “Never. You’ll never be too old to be my young. I love you, Szin. Listen, I thought we could—” Szin stepped away from Dale. “I love you, too, Dad. I’m not really in the mood to talk right now, okay? Maybe tomorrow.” Dale frowned. Should he push? For that matter, should he tell Szin what Takeo had said? “Szin—” “I’m going to bed, okay. I’m tired. I’ll help you clean up in the morning, how’s that?” Giving up, Dale shrugged as Szin walked away. Morning would be there soon enough. “I’m here if you change your mind. Someone like Takeo can be a bit frightening, but trust me you couldn’t have a better mate. You care for him, don’t you?” Szin turned back. “I never said I didn’t. And I know Dad, really, I do. He’s a good male—strong, loyal, and caring. A mate to be proud of. ”  “Exactly. It’s going to work out, I promise.” Szin nodded hello to Keyno as he joined them.“I hope so. Look, I’m going to bed, it’s been a long day.” Dale frowned as Szin walked back to the house. Keyno wrapped his arm around his mate and kissed his neck, watching his young leave. Dale turned in Keyno’s arm, a question on his lips, but Keyno just shook his head. “Tomorrow, love. He doesn’t want to do this tonight.” Szin walked back to the room he shared with Raiden, and prepared for another ‘talk.’ Raiden smirked as Szin sat on his bed.  “I saw you two out by the flyers,” Raiden said. “Looked like things were getting pretty intense.” “Yeah, I got dragged out there.” Szin pinched the bridge of his nose. “Takeo is coming tomorrow. He's asked for our parents for their blessing to mate me."  "Just because he's asked doesn't mean they'll give it. But then again, that might not be enough to stop him either. He is part Onfre."   "Good Lord, what a mess. Dammit Raiden, how is it he can touch me, and I lose the ability to think?” Raiden kicked back on his bed. “And you’re supposed to be the smart one.” Szin sighed heavily. “Don’t make fun of me right now—not right now, Raiden.” Immediately contrite, Raiden sat up. “Okay, okay, you’re right and I’m sorry. He’s your mate, Szin. You know there is a bond between the two of you. There always has been, and I don't know how you can resist that need. I mean, I don’t know any other way to explain it better. Frankly, that pretty much sums it up.” “Jesus.” Szin flopped back on his bed. Raiden watched Szin for a minute. “You okay, Szin? I figured I’d have to peel you off the ceiling right about now.” “I’m just… I don’t know what I am. Overwhelmed maybe,” he threw one arm over his eyes. “This is the right thing. You know that, I know that, and he knows that. Again, neither of you is going to be happy without the other. If he thinks you’re good enough, then fuck what anyone else thinks. And as you’ve told me a million times, brains count. How many times have you thrown ‘brain’s over brawn’ in my face? Come on, Szin. Why are you letting others influence your life still?” “I know. I feel like he’s a part of me; always have actually.” Szin sighed, stood up, and started getting ready for bed. “Look, it’s late, and he said he was going to be here early tomorrow. Maybe I do need to just stop fighting this. Anyway, I need to get some rest, or I won’t be able to string two words together when he arrives. I’m going to bed. What about you?” “Yeah, me too.” Raiden shrugged as he undressed. “It going to be okay, Szin. You’re making the right decision. ‘Nite.” “I hope so. ‘Nite.” Szin got into bed, crammed the pillow up under his head, and tried to sleep.  A few hours later Szin eased into Raiden’s mind. Barely skimming the surface, he tested to see if his twin was really asleep or faking it. After getting a brief glimpse of his dream Szin knew he was asleep. He got up and dressed quickly, then arranged the pillows on his bed to look like a body. Finally he covered the pillows up with his sheet.  Szin slipped quietly out the bedroom door. He tip-toed through the house, barely daring to breathe. His nerves were stretched thin, and his heart was racing. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he kept expecting the light to suddenly cut on or a heavy hand to land on his shoulder—someone demanding to know what he was doing or something to happen to prevent his escape.  Just a few steps closer and he was home free. He gently closed the back door, taking time to make sure it didn’t squeak, and walked quickly to where the flyers were kept. His dabba would be furious he took his fastest flyer, but Szin had no choice. It would get him to Ta’Nar the quickest.  Szin slipped into the seat and engaged the flight controls. As quietly as possible he maneuvered the flyer out and started his ascent. Soon he was in the inky blackness of space. He made sure to keep his thoughts away from what he was doing just in case Raiden woke up in the middle of the night and checked on him.  Thinking about anything but what he was doing was hard, and the tightness in his chest made it nearly impossible. He wouldn’t allow himself to question if this was really the right thing to do because that would be picked up if Raiden should tap into his thoughts. Tears burned his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.  He was just getting ready to engage the warp engines when his flyer shook violently from a direct phase hit. Trying to keep his thoughts pleasant, he frantically checked the control panel. His engines were off-line. Before his mind had time to deal with that, a ship decloaked off to the starboard. And shit, he knew that ship. A tractor beam was engaged and secured to his ship.  There was no way his shields could be activated now. Just as his hand reached for the button to engage a force field around him—his body tingled. Szin barely had time to cuss before he was transported onto the other ship. Moments later Szin was on the small bridge with a very irate Takeo, who was holding a stunner. “Shit, Takeo let me explain!” Szin threw his hands out in front of him. Jesus, he wouldn’t really stun him, would he? “Oh, you will, Szin, but not right now.” Takeo smiled and Szin felt his blood run cold. It wasn’t a nice smile, and he could see that Takeo’s fangs. “Fuck! You’re not really gonna…” Takeo fired the stunner, then moved quickly to catch Szin’s limp body. * * * *  Szin opened his eyes and blinked a few times. First thing he noticed was he was tied to the co-pilot chair. Second thing he noticed was Takeo was in the pilot seat next to him. “Sumabitch!” Szin yelled. “You stunned me!” “It was on low.” Takeo stared out the viewing screen at space. Szin twisted his head around, his eyes wide. “It was on low? Did you just say it was on low? Well hell, what am I whining about then? Damn thing was low. Jesus H. Christ.” “I caught you before you hit the ground too.” “Oh well, thank you so fucking much. You stunned me andcaught me before I managed to knock myself silly.” “Szin?” “What?” Szin snapped, still glaring at Takeo. “Shut up.” Szin dropped his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. Several moments passed.  “You’re really mad at me, aren’t you?” “No.” Szin eyes snapped open in surprise and he turned his head to look at Takeo. He was calm, cool, and totally collected. Szin began to sweat. “No?” Szin asked. Takeo sighed deeply. “No, I’m not mad at you. I was expecting you to do something like this—had hoped you wouldn’t—but was expecting it.” “Okay… why?” “You were just too calm. I know you, Szin. You’re incredibly smart, but you seem to have blinders on when it comes to you and me. If you had pitched a fit when I told you I planned to speak to Keyno and Dale… I would have gone home after the party, no worries. You’ve been vocal about how wrong it is for us to mate. But the way you reacted told me that very smart, though twisted, brain of yours was in overdrive. So, I waited to see what you would do.” “Dear God.” “And you ran.” “And you were waiting.” “Yah. No one is going to come between us, Szin, not even you.” “Why can't you see some force in the cosmos screwed up? You should have been paired with Raiden, not me. He’s more like you than I will ever be.” Takeo jerked his eyes off the viewing screen, stunned. “Are you completely nuts? We’re both hardcore tops, you know that. The two of us would never work. Plus, he’s as hard-headed and stubborn as me. No, you are the perfect balance to me. You’re smart and cool under pressure. Well, most times.” “Oh ha-ha.” Szin laid his head back against the seat. “Takeo, I’m really not the right mate for you. I can’t make you happy. Jesus, look at your own parents, would you? Colt’s as dangerous as Ti. I might be able to fight my way out of a wet paper bag on a good day.” Takeo snorted. “You forgot one very important thing.” Szin turned his head away from Takeo. Tears were burning his eyes from the gentleness in Takeo’s voice.  “What?” “Colt is submissive to Ti. When he’s on his knees at Ti’s feet it doesn’t matter how strong, or deadly, Colt is. Szin, you’re a submissive too. Each of you have your own strengths. I don’t know why you can’t see that. And you’re going to be my submissive and my mate. Before it’s all over with, I will show you that you are the right mate for me. I want no one else.” “But…”  “Tell me you don't care for me, Szin. If you can do that, then I'll take you straight home and never bother you again. And if you lie, I'll know.” Szin didn't say anything... he couldn't. His feelingfor Takeo were never the issue. “Right. Guess that answers that.” “God Takeo, what I feel for you isn't the issue and.... Holy hell, my dabba’s flyer. Oh shit, tell me you didn’t leave it floating dead in space. He’s gonna kill me!” Szin struggled against the bonds holding him. “Calm down. I contacted Raiden and told him what you’d done. We’re towing the flyer with us. It’s safe. Come morning, he’ll tell Keyno and Dale.” “Oh thank God… wait. What do you mean come morning? Where are we going?” Szin asked. “Onfre.” “What!”   TBC