Daegan

by Veronica Scott

  “I promise.”

  He dropped his hand, scrutinizing her before he took a few steps in the direction of the trail. “I hate to go but the bracelets are relentless once the summoning begins.”

  “I know,” she said. “Or rather I’ve been told. This is the first time I’ve had to wear one. Take care of yourself today.”

  “We’ll talk more later.” He jogged off, clearly reluctant to be going.

  Flo followed more slowly, thinking over their conversation. It definitely hadn’t gone the way she expected and as yet she didn’t have a good read for how Daegan was going to decide. He did have to consider what might be best for his people but on the other hand, if he didn’t join Aydarr, this Badari offshoot was a dead end. Aydarr would never let any of the humans move here while the war was going on, so there’d be no mates for Daegan and his men.

  Could a Badari stand by while the others of his kind fought for freedom for everyone and for the planet? The Tzibir were a different matter, being infused with reptilian rather than mammal DNA. Coming in sight of the residences, she sighed and decided not to think too much about any of it until the next time she and Daegan talked. Her job was to tell him the truth and get his commitment to join Aydarr. Clearly the fact this group had no pack structure was a big impediment.

  The other women were eating a desultory lunch and then made the hike to the open pavilion where the interviews were held. The head lab tech called for order. “In two days we predict the island will be hit by a large storm,” he said. “We’ll let this session today continue although many of the men are assigned to facility emergency preparation so you’ll have to adapt to whoever shows up today. There’ll be no session tomorrow and the next morning you’ll be moved inside, to a safe location for riding out the storm.”

  “How long?” Renate asked.

  “Depends on many variables,” he said. “Maybe as long as a week. The experiment will continue unabated once the storm has passed and any damage to the facilities has been repaired.” He shook a finger at them and his face was set in stern lines. “Don’t imagine this storm provides any opportunity for escape. I assure you our security protocols are well honed and we never lose a prisoner.”

  With the stern warning, he stepped aside and the women dispersed to their seats. Presently a small group of Badari filtered in and took their places for the mandatory conversation.

  Flo wondered who Daegan would send her today or if she’d be left in peace so she was shocked when Wint settled into the wholly inadequate chair across the table from her, grinning widely enough to display the tips of his fangs. She took a quick scan of the Badari around the room but didn’t see any of the men she recognized. The ones here today had the bearing of ordinary soldiers to her, lower ranking.

  “He’s not coming today,” Wint said with a sneer. “I made sure to assign him to some of the hardest labor, filling sand bags and building anti flooding barricades. He may think he’s high and mighty but it’s me the Khagrish bestow authority on, to run operations and give the orders. And it’s time for the two of us to talk.” He gestured first to her and then tapped his own chest.

  “Why are you so interested in me?” She leaned back in her chair, subtly gathering herself for combat if required. She didn’t trust Wint.

  “You’re different than these others.” The Badari waved a casual hand at the group. “You have fire, you don’t bend. I think I’ll enjoy the process of breaking you to my will.”

  Flo laughed in his face, which probably wasn’t her smartest move but felt satisfying. As he growled at her, she said with icy contempt, “None of us will ever pick you and the rejection goes double for me. This is as close as you’ll ever get to me.”

  “You’re all so cocky with this farce of an interview process, thinking you can pick and choose,” he said, talons deploying and digging into the surface of the table with the force of his emotion. “Well, what if I tell the Khagrish I want you? Think the scientist’ll listen to me or to you? We both know the answer, don’t we? I could tell Nyddfalorr my choice today in fact and put an end to all this nonsense where you’re concerned. ”He rubbed his chin. “The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. We could spend the storm denned up together as cozy as can be—”

  Fear knotted her gut and she protested instinctively. “Daegan would—”

  “Do what? He’s not going to go against the Khagrish on your account, don’t fool yourself.” He rubbed his chin with one hand, eyes narrowed. “Maybe his usefulness is over. Maybe it’s time for him to have a little accident, during training maybe, or during the storm—”

  She uncoiled and in one smooth movement slapped him hard across the face, continuing her momentum after the blow, darting to the side before he could grab her. Flo jumped over the table and into the center of the room, drawing the immediate attention of the guards and the lab tech. Pointing her finger at the Badari, she shouted, “Maybe it’s time for you to shut up and go, Wint.”

  He stood and hurled the chair, narrowly missing one of the other women but for a Badari soldier deflecting the airborne furniture just in time. “I’ll go for now but this isn’t over. It’s far from over.” Giving the guards a glare, he stalked out of the room.

  The lab tech was at her side, a guard right behind. “What was that about?”

  “We had a difference of opinion,” Flo said, dusting herself off.

  “Wint is a valued member of the experimental community,” the tech said. “You’d be wise to consider him as a potential mate if he has an interest in you. Dr. Nyddfalorr would like him to be among the breeding pairs.”

  She spoke the absolute truth without a second thought. “I’d rather die first.”

  “A stupid thing to say to those with power over your life and death.” The tech gestured to the guard and Flo’s bracelet flared into life on her wrist, sending waves of pain through her body. She staggered, hitting the table with her hip and going to her knees as the other women watched in horror. The pain cut off abruptly and the guard hauled her to her feet as the tech got right up in her face. “Lucky for you the mainland only gave us a limited number of females or I’d be sending you to experimentation right now. I’ll say it one more time—Wint will have a mate when this process is done and if he chooses you, so be it.”

  Flo held her tongue, secure in the knowledge the lab would be attacked and destroyed long before Wint could make any demands of her. No use for her to exhibit too much rebelliousness right now to push her point.

  Seeming satisfied, the tech stepped away and surveyed the room. “You will continue the interviews. Dr. Nyddfalorr is most anxious to bring this phase of the experiment to its conclusion and move forward.” He strode away to his preferred spot, at a big desk at the far end of the room.

  The guard glared at Flo and retreated. She took a deep breath and returned to her chair, working on calming her pulse and her keyed up nerves. Wint definitely had aspects of being an alpha-born and therefore probably did have a number of followers. How different would he have been if he’d grown up in a pack with a strong Alpha to set boundaries and structure? She wondered what Aydarr would do with the man because the Alpha she served definitely wasn’t going to tolerate any kind of bullshit or passive aggressive resistance.

  I probably need to bring this issue up the next time MARL contacts me.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Daegan didn’t mind being on sandbag duty today. It was mindless physical labor and he had so many thoughts churning through his head after his conversation with Flo on the beach earlier that he needed time to reflect. Wint thought assigning his rival to the lowest tasks was a victory somehow for him but Daegan had made peace a long time ago with the necessity to keep his head down in front of the Khagrish. His men needed him to do whatever it took to survive and provide leadership and encouragement behind the scenes. His own pride had to take second place to remaining alive.

  Flo’s revelation he had unknown brothers to the north, in an experiment running for centur
ies before this lab was established, took his breath away. How many Badari had struggled and died, in both labs, before this current generation brought hope and real freedom?

  He pondered what Flo had said about the pack structure and the blood oaths. It explained things that had puzzled him over the years, instinctive urges he’d experienced when it came to leading the group and imposing his will. When he’d been a boy, a wise old healer took him aside and whispered about the necessity for subterfuge to hide what he was. Two others from his set of cubs had been removed from the group and never seen again and the rumor was they’d been somehow tagged as alpha-born and executed. Some days growing up he’d felt as if he was trying to contain a whirlwind of fire within himself, power yearning to be expressed, things he wanted to accomplish, dreams and goals…but he hid it all from the enemy. The other Badari knew though, even as Kierce had evidently explained to Flo when revealing his status.

  He’d been horrified years ago when he realized as a teenager he was the only alpha-born left alive on the island. The entire responsibility for the Badari was on his shoulders with no one to learn from, no one to ask for guidance.

  Daegan stacked his sand bags and went to fill more. This was such a low tech way to protect buildings from storm runoff or flooding but he suspected the Khagrish liked forcing the Badari to do hard labor and get their hands dirty while the scientists, techs and guards stood by in their clean uniforms, laughing.

  Someday they’d learn the error of their ways. If this other Alpha was truly bringing in a force of well-armed, well trained soldiers, the day was soon. And he and his men would join in.

  Of course he’d agree to help wage the war. Flo shouldn’t have been in any doubt over his casting his lot with her comrades. Freedom was the most important thing to achieve for his men and the cubs. What was concerning him was what would happen afterward. He couldn’t help being an Alpha. It was his gift from the Great Mother to be alpha-born, just as others were born healers. He wished he could talk to Kierce and learn more about life in the pack and about Aydarr, what to expect.

  A pang of bitterness stabbed through him at the thought of Kierce having sworn loyalty to another Alpha but his chief emotion was joy the man had survived whatever the Khagrish subjected him to during the experiments and found his way to a relatively safe haven.

  How much independence would he have from Aydarr? Could he run his own pack as he saw fit? Daegan had no objection to functioning as a military unit in a chain of command with these others but he rebelled at the thought of handing over responsibility for those he regarded as his to lead. I’m too independent to tamely submit.

  Wiping his brow, he straightened and evaluated the work being done. The barricade was progressing nicely. Probably in another hour or so he’d be done here and sent to the next spot where the Khagrish had been lax in maintaining the facility. He was eager for the day to be over and their release back into the Preserve. He’d go for a refreshing swim in the ocean—maybe Flo would like to come too.

  As he bent to fill the next sack, he thought about Flo. She was a completely unexpected element in his life, affecting him as no other woman ever had. Of course he and his brothers had only interacted with female Khagrish and the professional sex workers the Khagrish brought in on occasion, but even in the group of twenty human women, he had eyes only for her. From the moment he saw her, he wanted to protect her, to stand by her side and be partners.

  His cock pulsed and he bit his lip not to laugh at himself. Oh yes, and I want to make love to her all night long. What he actually wanted was to claim her as his mate while in the throes of hot sex and never be parted from her for the rest of their lives. Was that too much to ask? His sense of humor kicked in and he had to chuckle.

  The Khagrish had no idea what they were toying with here, expecting the Badari to relinquish a mate tamely—assuming a man was blessed by the goddess to find one and the woman reciprocated—to someone else in a later phase of the experiment. His fangs and talons deployed and the man filling bags with sand next to him gave him an odd look and edged a few feet further away as Daegan worked hard to retract his natural weapons.

  But what was the truth of Flo? She said she’d sworn no blood oath to this Aydarr—Daegan’s jealousy upon hearing she was in another Alpha’s pack had been instant and fiery. She certainly wasn’t already a claimed mate—he’d know if that had been the case. He was positive his senses would have alerted him and warned him off. He’d thought she was feeling the same attraction he was but now there were flickers of uncertainty in his mind. She said she’d done undercover work before. Maybe she was experienced at making a man believe she desired him as part of her cover.

  Daegan shook his head, angry at himself. No. He refused to go down the path of suspicion and doubt where Flo was concerned. The knowledge she was his mate-to-be was rock solid in his heart, if she reciprocated what he felt. Flo was genuine, honest, a warrior. She’d tell him the truth and so far she seemed to be attracted to him and even a bit surprised to find the connection forming.

  Wint sits with Flo. Frawmar, a mid-level soldier he’d assigned to watch over Flo at today’s interviews, reported in via the telepathic link.

  Daegan’s hackles rose and his talons edged out again, tearing the bag he was lifting to his shoulder and allowing a steady stream of sand to dribble out.

  They’re shouting at each other. She struck him. The news came in rapid-fire fashion now. He says he’ll tell Nyddfalorr to give her to him.

  Forcing himself to keep walking to retrieve more bags from the waiting robo truck, Daegan sent his two enforcers an alert.

  The soldier sent a new message. She had words with the tech and the guard punished her. I didn’t dare try to intervene.

  No, you did the right thing. Daegan’s rage was white hot and immediate but his soldier would be severely mistreated if he tried to help Flo against the guards. I’ll be there as soon as I can. How is she?

  Shaken. She’s gone back to her chair and everyone is leaving her alone. Shall I sit with her in the next round of conversation?

  No. Observation only unless Wint returns. I’m on my way.

  Daegan glanced at Ivokk. I have to go to her.

  The guards are bored and no longer paying any attention. I have a soldier on the way to take your place so the numbers match up when they do a count at the end of the day. Go.

  Without another word, Daegan slipped past the corner of the building where he’d been working and sprinted cross country toward the residence barracks and the pavilion where Flo waited. He arrived in a few minutes, his already impressive speed augmented by concern for her. The interviews were ongoing so he strode straight up the stairs, inside past the startled guards and to Flo. She gaped at him as he hooked his hand under her elbow and pulled her to her feet.

  “You’re done with this,” he said. “You and I are a pair.” He made his statement a challenge, watching her face, heartened by the gladness with which she’d greeted his arrival.

  “Yes, we are.” She nodded and moved closer to him, smiling a bit tremulously. “I told the other women that yesterday in fact.”

  He could feel the tremors in her body, an after effect of a severe punishment with the neurocontroller. “Can you walk to our new home or shall I carry you?”

  Flo raised her arms, winding them around his neck and he lifted her with ease before turning to leave the pavilion. A Khagrish guard stood in Daegan’s way but his expression was uncertain and he checked with the lab tech.

  “We’re a breeding pair,” Flo said, raising her voice. “That’s the whole point of this exercise, right? We’re just advanced in the process. We’re going off now to move into the next phase you Khagrish care so much about.”

  Taking her remark as his cue, Daegan stepped past the guard and left the pavilion, expecting the agony of the neurocontroller to strike at any second but forging ahead. There was no interference and he made his way to the section of Preserve where the individual huts had been put up in an
ticipation of the ‘breeding pairs’. He carried Flo inside and laid her carefully on the large bed.

  She immediately sat up and he retreated a step to reassure her he was non-threatening as she said, “Thanks for the timely extraction.”

  “What happened? I received only a sketchy report.” He couldn’t prepare for whatever might happen next, either initiated by Wint or by the Khagrish unless he had more details. The need to protect Flo was visceral, making his heart pound against his ribs.

  Flo rubbed her arm where the bracelet rode. “They weren’t kidding when they said this thing could inflict a world of pain. Wint was threatening to expose you as an Alpha, among other things. I decided to shut him up and the guards didn’t like it. Would he reveal your status as an Alpha?”

  “There’s nothing I can do to prevent it,” Daegan said. “We’ll worry about it if it happens before your friends arrive.” Anxious to offer comfort and unable to keep himself from touching her, he settled for smoothing her hair off her face. “The lingering pain dissipates, I promise.”

  Flo looked at the interior of the hut where they sat. It had rudimentary furniture and a cooking unit, plus a screened off area which was the bathroom. “Nice.” Laughing, she said, “Do they give you guys decks of cards?”

  For answer, Daegan got up, went to the small cupboard, opened a drawer and pulled out a sealed deck. “Like these?”

  “Exactly like those. That’s kind of funny whoever founded this lab kept the tradition. I warn you, I’m good at all the Badari games and I know some killer human ones as well. I’ll clean you out of shells or whatever we use for betting here.”

  “I consider myself warned.” He could tell the effort she was making to maintain a light tone and willingly played along. Whatever she needed from him, he’d gladly provide.

  “Do you think this place is wired for sound and video?” she asked.