Chapter Four

  “What is wrong with you?” Bri’aque said, not for the first time during their sparring session as Torin failed to block another obvious blow coming his way. Good thing they were both well armored or Bri’aque would be in chains for hacking the First Son to pieces. “You are not concentrating. You fight like a whelp. Tell me what goes on with you, Brother of the Heart.”

  Torin threw his sword in disgust. He’d thought a good sparring session would ease his mind, but it did not. Her taste filled his mouth. The softness of her hair played havoc on his senses.

  “There it is again!” Bri’aque cried in triumph.

  “What nonsense do you yell?” Torin shouted at him, irritated.

  “Your eyes glaze over and you’re not inside your head. Tell me now or I will contact your father.” It was a threat Bri’aque used rarely. Torin knew it was time to confide.

  “It’s the Earth woman.”

  “I figured as much.”

  “I kissed her.” Torin let that settle in with Bri’aque for a moment.

  “Was it not a good kiss?” Bri’aque asked, clearly not seeing what all the fuss was about.

  “It was amazing. I had the Mating Waves.”

  Now Bri’aque was completely silent his mouth hung open then closed, then opened again.

  “Now you see.” Torin snorted.

  “But that’s impossible.”

  “I thought so too.”

  “Will you tell your parents? They can’t find you another mate if you’ve already…”

  “She is not my mate. She is not Scyrillian. Perhaps the reaction is false. Reacting to whatever was done to her.”

  “Mating Waves are never false, and I don’t recall any rules when it comes to one’s destined mate.”

  “I cannot be Attached. I don’t want to be.”

  “Well, don’t you sound a whelp full grown?” Bri’aque snickered at his friend. “I can certainly see your dilemma. Now more than ever you have to find out more about this human. What progress have you made with information?”

  Torin had the nerve to look sheepish.

  “I have not questioned her in the full legal capacity.”

  “But you have gone to her every rising since she has awakened. Does she know you visited her while she was in the deep sleep recovering?”

  “How do you know this?” Torin demanded, embarrassed that he had been noticed coveting the human.

  “I am First in Command. Security is my job. I must know everything in this house to keep you safe, my First. I ask again, have you questioned her?”

  “Yes, no… Well, I wanted her to get comfortable with my company.”

  “Well, if the Mating Waves are anything to go by, she is very comfortable with your company.”

  Torin ignored Bri’aque’s comment. “The other woman hasn’t regained consciousness yet?” Torin desperately sought to change the subject.

  “No,” Bri’aque frowned thoughtfully, “Bela, said her injuries were serious. She believes it best if we keep her unconscious while her body heals.”

  “I understand you go to this woman regularly as well?” Torin noted slyly.

  “Only because we do not yet know if she poses a threat. I am doing my job, old friend.”

  “Yes, well, I’m sure it’s a fine job. Let’s try this again, shall we?” Torin picked up his sword and attacked.

  “Wait.” Bri’aque held up a gloved hand. “Do you hear something odd?”

  Torin took a moment to listen. It was faint at first, but with careful concentration, he heard it too. He lowered his weapon. “What do you think that is?”

  “I do not know, but it seems to be coming from the Circulation Tunnels.” Bri’aque answered. “It sounds as if someone is screaming.”

  Karia knew the moment she opened her mouth to scream she was busted. But what the hell was that anyway? It slithered towards her, and it was gross as all hell. And she was stuck. Oh yeah, she had made it quite a ways in the vent, but she knew she should have made a left when she made that right. It took a moment for her to realize, the size of the vent was getting progressively smaller and dirtier.

  If she could just scoot backwards to the vent she just passed, her foot was about a foot from it. She was sure she could kick the grill in. The one in her room had been just as strong but she managed to pull that one out.

  The thing slithered closer and Karia screamed louder, she could see its mouth looked liked a suction cup and its entire body was about a foot long. She tried to scoot backwards, but with her rising panic she failed. She was frozen, afraid any quick movements would send the thing in high gear. She began to fear a transformation might occur from her intense fear, she definitely didn’t want that happening.

  That thing got close enough now that she could see the beady little black eyes. Whatever it was was not friendly. Karia heard a grinding noise of metal protesting, a grill being pulled out. Someone with a very large hand grabbed her by the ankles and yanked her backward, right before the thing suctioned its mouth onto her face.

  Rather roughly, she was pulled out of the vent and set upon her feet. Frantically, she checked herself to see if the thing somehow clung to her. She must have looked like she was having some sort of seizure. After a quick check of her hair, she finally assured herself she was clear of all disgusting vent creatures and looked into the very angry eyes of Torin. Bri’aque seemed to be desperately holding in a laugh.

  “Why are you not in your quarters?” Torin barked at her.

  “Because obviously I’m standing right here.” Karia shot back, looking around the room. “What the hell was that? Does it eat flesh?” She shivered.

  “Right now that is not the concern. How did you get out of your room?”

  “How did I get in this one?” she retorted.

  Torin took a deep breath before he continued. “You were remanded to an area. If anyone else but Bri’aque or I had found you, you would have been killed on the spot. Do you not see the foolishness of your actions?”

  “I am fool to sit around and wait for someone else to decide my future, or lack thereof!” Karia shot back. “And what the hell was that thing?”

  Again Torin ignored her question.

  “I will have you escorted back to your room. If you try this again, woman, I will have you moved to a room without benefit of windows or Circulation Tunnel. I assure you it will be most unpleasant.” Torin turned his back on her and summoned a guard; with terse instructions to the guard he turned his back to her as she was being led back to her room.

  “It is called a bloodsucker!” Bri’aque called to her.

  Karia mumbled something about “weird looking mosquitoes” before she left the room.

  “Well it’s a good thing you have her under control.” Bri’aque clapped him on the back.

  “Guard yourself, Bri’aque. I think I have enough anger to focus now.” With that, he picked up his sword, barely giving the laughing Bri’aque time to defend himself.

  Karia wondered how she would react to Torin’s presence when he returned for her. She was humiliated say the least. How he could get under her skin when she barely knew him was beyond her. And then there was that kissing thing, she barely knew him and she was ready to jump into bed with him.

  Karia shook her head and got up to pace around the bed the short distance allowed her. She was stupid. She was going to jump into bed with an alien. That’s what he was to her and she to him. Come to think about it, what if his parts were different? What if they didn’t have sex the way humans did? Yes, he looked humanoid enough, but those eyes and that hair refused to be labeled anything else but non-human. And yet then again so was she.

  She’d been wracking her brain for hours, trying to figure out what her father had done to her. Yes, he had made her womb viable when at first it was not, due to the rare disease she was born with. No one was allowed to go if they were not reproductively viable and disease free. They would be responsible for starting a new Earth. Her father had gone to great lengths to ensure she would be on that vessel with the last surviving humans. There were so many tests, so many that failed. Then one day, when Karia was close to giving up all hope, he had burst into her quarters at the lab.

  “Child, hope has fallen quite literally out of the blue!”

  “What do you mean, Father?’

  “I can’t elaborate, but given time, I think we can rid you of that foul disease that eats away at you. You’re going to be on the ‘Prometheus’ Promise’ rest assured, but I need you to rest, child.”

  And she had. She had dutifully gone along with her father’s plans. Never questioned. She wanted to live. Now she wondered. A little too late. But never in her wildest dreams did she think he would intentionally cause her harm. Turn her violent, into a potential killer.

  Not more that once, she wondered what role she had played in some of the death and destruction on what Torin referred to as Lathaeon. Could she have, in a mad rage, killed some of her own crewmembers? Out of ten, only she and Brietta were left. Did Brietta only survive because she blacked out? Just how connected was she to those beasts that had come upon them so savagely?

  Right now she did not want to think. Soon enough she would have to relive it with the Dream Walker. What if it—because she had no idea what it was since everything else was alien—tapped into something she had hidden? Would she be killed on the spot once it was discovered she had attacked Torin? Why did it always seem like when she got out of one scrape, another one was waiting for her? Not the same type but just as deadly?

  What seemed like days later, but was in actuality three hours, Torin came for her. He seemed grim and determined. To do what, Karia could only guess. She stayed silent and followed closely behind him as instructed, two guards brought up the rear. She knew by instinct they were instructed to kill her at the first sign of hostility toward their First.

  Oh yes, they stared at her lustfully. She could feel the heat of their eyes through the gauzy material she wore, but that would not stop them from killing her. She stared at Torin’s back dutifully, trying to appear as docile as possible. His long strides weren’t easy to keep up but she managed and kept some dignity about herself as she did. Through long corridors, which she was familiar with thanks to the walks she and Torin shared when he came to visit, they finally went through a door she was never shown before. With good reason. It led to the vehicle docking station.

  Her hazel eyes widened at the huge vessels. She wondered which one she and Brietta had come in on. They came to halt by a vehicle much smaller in size compared to the others but still bigger than the ship that she and her companions had traveled in.

  Torin went aboard first and turned to help her up the rather large steps. Clearly this ship was not made for people of her size. For a brief second, it appeared that he held her hand a fraction longer than was necessary, but she couldn’t be sure because of his abrupt turn.

  She swallowed the lump in her throat and chastised herself for being silly. He was the First Son. By all standards, he was a pure bred and she was a mongrel—it wasn’t like she had a chance. Hell, it wasn’t as if she even wanted one. Her prime directive was to start a new world and, dammit, she might have had a heavy hand in sabotaging that!

  Torin sat her in a chair softer than Egyptian cotton and took the seat to her left. One guard took the helm, the other sat slightly cat a corner to Karia. He would get a perfect shot if he had to. She turned away and focused on the large, clear ship shield. A small lurch was all she felt and they were clearing the docking station and flying into the whitest sky. White sky? Without thinking she reached over excitedly and grabbed his hand.

  The guard pointed a strange object at her in warning. Torin placed his hand over hers, and with a slight nod, the guard warily backed down. Torin was grateful Karia did not see that.

  “Your sky is pure white!”

  “Why, of course, what other color would it be?” He smiled curiously at her. He ignored the fact that he loved touching her small hand.

  “Your sun is blue? Oh, it’s beautiful. At home, before the Final War, our skies were blue,” she answered wistfully, obviously remembering.

  “What is the name of your world, Karia?” Torin prodded gently.

  It was time questions were asked and answered. That was part of the reason for the trip. To make the questioning as gentle and comfortable as possible. That and he liked her company.

  “Earth.”

  Torin waved his hand and a holographic image appeared out of nowhere. It was a solar system. A massive solar system. Karia was glad she hadn’t grown up in Scyrrilis and had to learn the solar system. She could barely get all the facts together about the few planets in her own.

  “Point it out on the map.” his tawny gaze looked expectantly at her.

  Was he crazy? Out of the millions of friggin’ dots on that map, she was supposed to just point right to Earth, which in its own right was small.

  “I’m afraid our knowledge of the solar system does not reach as far as yours. My father found Fallon One or Lathaeon quite by accident when one of our scout ships picked it up. We haven’t mapped it out as much as your people.”

  Torin seemed to take that in consideration for a moment before he responded. “Tell me about some of the planets in your solar system, maybe I will find one familiar enough.”

  “Well, Mars is small and red and…” Karia began a long diatribe on the planets and found to her surprise she had been listening—somewhat—to her father when he talked about the solar system. He was a geek scientist through and through. He liked technology, biology, astronomy—you name it, he had an interest in it.

  “Ah, I think I know where you are,” Torin declared when she was reciting the few facts she knew about Neptune. He waved his hand and the picture began to move, until there were still tiny balls on the screen but a whole hell of a lot less. She recognized the system and immediately pointed out Earth. “See, that’s our sun, we’re the third planet. At least we used to be.”

  “You lived in the space desert?”

  “Space desert?”

  “It is the one place my people do not like to go. They find it too primitive. There really isn’t much to see in this system. We travel it only if we have to, to get to the other side for trade.”

  In other words, Karia thought to herself, she lived in the slums when compared to this man and his people.

  “Well yes, then I guess I do—did,” she corrected herself. Trying not to appear insulted. She knew he meant no harm. But when the guard closest to her snickered, it was hard not to be insulted.

  “Well, for a desert, they make the most beautiful females I have ever seen,” he said softly, eyeing the guard with enough animosity the guard practically winced. He knew he would be reprimanded for the faux pas. Karia smiled, it took the sting off.

  Already quite familiar with the culture of Earth from what Karia told him, he began to ask about the planet’s history. That Karia had extensive knowledge of, thanks to her sickness. At the time, her father saturated her with reading material—of his choosing.

  Torin then began to ask about the more sensitive subjects while they traveled. He pointed out their own landmarks and points of pride, seeing his world now from her eyes. Karia was enjoying herself. He felt guilty for having her locked up in her room like a caged animal. But he had not choice. He was trying to save her life. And if he did save it, he had no idea what he was going to do with her.

  “What?” he murmured, lost in his thoughts of her.

  “Are we flying too high? I ask because I don’t see any birds.”

  “Birds? What are ‘birds’?”

  “Birds, you know. Winged creatures that come in all sizes shapes and colors. They sing or talk and sometimes screech, but beautiful nonetheless.”

  “You had creatures such as these on your world?” he asked in amazement. “They can fly without a machine?”

  “Why yes, oh I wish you could see one. I love birds. They’re beautiful; to see them fly is wonderful. The freedom that they had.” Karia’s voice was wistful, and his guilt multiplied a hundredfold.

  “I am sorry for your troubles and situation. Hopefully, with the questioning soon to be over and the Dream Walker assisting, we can give you your freedom back and start you on a future for yourself.” He squeezed her hand in reassurance.

  She smiled shyly at him and her words reached his ear—just barely. “And if I am found guilty, there will be no future to plan.”

  “I have news of Brietta.” He smiled cheerfully at her, pretending he had not heard her disturbing, if not truth-riddled, comment.

  “How is she? Is she awake now?”

  “Not yet, but Bela said a couple of more days and she will bring her out of The Sleep. She is almost completely healed. She suffered great damage physically.”

  “Yes, I’ve thought about that.” Karia looked Torin in the eye. “Do you think I might have been responsible for hurting her?”

  Torin shifted uneasily, it wasn’t that the thought hadn’t crossed his mind, but he didn’t need the guard drawing conclusions as to why Karia was really kept under guard.

  “Don’t be silly. We’ll talk of this later when we’re alone.”

  Karia nodded her head in understanding.

  “Pilot Guard, take us back. The lady and I are hungry.” At the mention of food, the guard next to Karia’s eyes glazed over in anticipation. Just what Torin intended.

  “Now you will understand what true questioning looks like old friend.” Bri’aque quipped, loving the temper that was Torin’s.

  “You will not insult her, yell at her, or purposefully upset her in anyway.” Torin slammed his fist on the Meeting Table.

 

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