by Mary Auclair
Aliena refrained from shouting again. Kamal was watching her with wariness in his eyes, but at least he was listening. She had to convince him she was telling the truth, and fast. Before Wyol and Sheegar could do more harm.
“I hid in the cargo hold because I couldn’t let you save my uncle by yourself, no matter what you said,” she pushed on. “It’s too important for me to leave it to anybody else. I was still hiding when I heard them.”
“Them? So now it’s Wyol and another?” Kamal frowned even deeper.
“Yes.” Aliena’s eyes reduced to slits. He didn’t believe her, and that alone was making her uncontrollably and unreasonably angry. Why the heck did she care so much about his trust, anyway? She shouldn’t give a damn, but she did, and it hurt like a bitch. “Wyol and another, named Sheegar. They were talking about betraying you.”
Kamal grew very still, his glittering eyes the only indication of his internal turmoil.
“Wyol said he didn’t want to go back to a lawful life. That you would betray them all. Betray them for me.” Aliena kept talking, the emotions of the moment urging her on. “Sheegar wasn’t sure at first, but he agreed in the end.”
“Were there any more traitors?”
“I don’t know,” Aliena answered truthfully. “I tried to spy on them, but the crate I was leaning on wasn’t properly bolted to the floor and it slid. I tried to hide but they found me. Wyol wanted to… to rape me.” She spat the word, as if she still couldn’t wrap her mind around what could have easily been the brutal end of her life. “Sheegar wouldn’t let him. They argued.”
“Sheegar is Mantrilla. They honor their females. He would never have let you come to harm.”
“Well, unless you count being thrown out into deep space.”
“A merciful death.” Kamal shook his head.
“Oh, so you agree with him?” Aliena scoffed. She didn’t even know what to think anymore. “Perfect. Then why’d you save me? That’s all your crew wanted to do as well. No harm done, just shove the human out the spacewalk door.”
“I don’t agree with it. I would never let you come to harm.” Kamal took a fast step closer. His mouth was twisted in an angry curve and his eyes blazing. “But I know Sheegar. Mantrilla are not like Eoks, or humans, or even Avonies. He would have considered it a favor, a sign of respect for you.”
“Well, with friends like that, I guess I don’t need enemies.”
Kamal grunted, his eyes still intense, tension rippling down his powerful limbs. His gaze trailed down her body in a clear male assessment, and he took another step closer. She could almost feel the heat from his body through her clothing. Fear fluttered in her belly, fear and something else, something all too female. Something that spread heat and want between her legs, at the memory of his strong arms, holding her on that platform.
So screwed.
“Where are they now?” Aliena asked, resisting the urge to step back and away from him. Or step closer to him. Yes, she was much more in danger of stepping closer.
Something must have shown on her face, because Kamal’s eyes changed. They were still gleaming and angry, but something else deepened the intense blue of their glow. His gaze slid down to her mouth and latched there. A war waged on his features, a desire so savage it made her belly quiver and her mouth go dry in both fear and arousal. Somewhere deep in her gut, she knew that if he were to give in to his impulse, he could not stop.
And she would not want him to.
“They could be anywhere, sabotaging the ship, maybe.” Aliena forced herself to talk. To break the dangerous spell. “They could have more of the crew with them.”
Her words seemed to force some sense into Kamal, and he tore his gaze from her mouth, then nodded. A second later, he turned toward the door, then pressed on the communication panel.
“Marmack? Tailan!” he called in a sharp, no nonsense voice.
“Yes, Captain?” Marmack’s voice soon answered, and judging by the heavy thread of anxiety in the male’s voice, she knew there was trouble.
“Find Wyol and Sheegar. Put them in confinement, as well as anybody else who tries to shield them.”
Kamal turned back to her. His eyes latched on to her body, sliding down in a slow, torturous assessment. Whatever he saw left his face hungry.
“Stay here. Don’t open the door to anyone.”
With that, he turned and walked away. The sound of the door sliding back down was like the tearing of fabric in the back of her mind.
Why did it hurt so bad that he’d left her like that?
There was something else going on. Something she didn’t understand, just there, out of reach in her mind.
Kamal
The door slid down behind him and he was alone in the hallway. The cut from Aliena’s presence was almost too much. He fought his instincts, the constant drip of the Mating Venom on his tongue urging him to go back to the female and seal the union the only way he could.
Take her. Make her his in body and soul.
And he would. There was no turning back, not now. It didn’t matter how much he wanted to negate the obvious, the Venom in his blood was going to hammer the truth all the way into every cell in his body. Aliena was his bloodmate, her very life was linked to his in a way that made her the center of his universe.
But he couldn’t allow himself to be lost to the Mating Lust just yet. He had to deal with Wyol and the threat of a mutiny before giving in to his desire and going back to Aliena. As he walked down the deserted hallways in the direction of the command center, he felt the anger rise. Anger that those he was responsible for were in danger. All because of the vindictive greed of one of his newest crew members.
I should have ripped the heart from that little bastard months ago.
In a few hasty minutes, Kamal had finally reached the command center. He didn’t pause before slamming his palm onto the bio-reader, confirming his identity as one of the three allowed into the room. The door slid up with a clean sound and he stepped inside, closing it before meeting the eyes of the two people on the other side.
“Have you found them?” Kamal met Marmack’s stricken stare. “Where’s Wyol?”
Marmack watched him for a few seconds, his golden gaze calmly assessing. He was clearly surprised to see Kamal had left Aliena so soon after the Mating, but had the good sense not to comment on the issue.
“I’m sorry.” Marmack used his arm to corral an unusually quiet Tailan behind him. “Neither Wyol or Sheegar have been found, but the search is still ongoing.”
“They can’t be far. We’re in space, for Midnight God’s sake,” Kamal countered, stepping closer to his friend. There was a wariness in Marmack’s features, a tension that betrayed how careful the other male was of him. And he was right to be so. Kamal was under the Mating Venom’s effect, and the frustration of being away from his mate made him impulsive, unpredictable.
Deadly.
“They can.” Marmack’s eyes stayed on Kamal. Whatever he saw, he didn’t move from his protective position in front of Tailan. “Five escape pods are missing.”
“Five?” Kamal couldn’t help the sharpness in his voice. The aggression underlying each syllable. “How many were aboard?”
“We still don’t know. From the count of possible passengers in the escape pod, it could be as many as ten. That’s half the crew.” Tailan spoke from her position, her vibrant female tone filled with fear. Fear of Kamal. “We haven’t found any trace of Wyol or Sheegar yet, but the Mellark is a big ship. We’ll have to wait for a clean count of the missing to know what we’re up against.”
Kamal grunted with annoyance. Tailan was right, that much he knew. There was no point in running around in circles as long as he didn’t know the extent of the betrayal. And more importantly, who was behind it.
“Wyol didn’t have the means to convince Sheegar, not by himself,” Kamal continued, forcing his voice to return to normal. “Someone must have gotten to him. Someone rich enough to offer him more than what we could ga
in from the deal I made with the humans.”
“Someone with a whole lot to lose if the humans gain their freedom.” Marmack spoke softly, but the words were heavy.
“Minister Knut.”
The knowledge filled the silence between Kamal and his friends. Minister Knut was not just any adversary. He was without doubt the most powerful male in the Ring, after Prime Councilor Aav. His wealth alone could buy entire armies. His trade relationships had reach in almost every planet in the Ring, and even beyond.
“If he wants us dead, then we’re dead,” Tailan said with a hollow voice.
Silence invaded the room once more. Tailan spoke the truth, and they all knew it.
“He might be powerful and rich, but he’s not above the law.” Kamal nodded, as much to himself as in response to Tailan’s remark. “If he thinks us to be such a threat, then he knows he’s screwed if we find him and the humans. He has something else to hide, something that will brand him an outlaw if it’s brought to light.”
There was a pause as each of them assessed the threat of Minister Knut and his tremendous power. Kamal stared at his friends, those people who had stood by him for a decade. Would they still stand by him now?
“He knows we’re coming,” Marmack said with a frown. “If he got to our people, then he knows where we are, and where we’re heading. There’s no way we can get to him without the element of surprise.”
“You’re right.” Tailan nodded. “There’s no need to even try. Not that you would have the support of the crew if word got out that Minister Knut is waiting for us.”
“I’m not abandoning them.” Kamal’s eyes went from Tailan to Marmack. Anger was rising inside him again, but for a very different reason. “They’re Aliena’s people, Aliena’s family.”
“And she’s your bloodmate now.” Marmack spoke carefully, but it was clear these were rehearsed words. “You won’t be working with a clear head. All you will see is her and her safety. And that’s only after you consummate the Mating.”
“You think me weak?” Kamal stiffened. “You think me unable to fight?”
“Not weak,” Marmack answered sharply. “You’re just not taking full measure of what happened to you. And you’re not taking full measure of the risk to me, or to Tailan.”
“I know very well what happened to me,” Kamal growled through clenched teeth. “It doesn’t change who I am. It doesn’t change what needs to be done. I’ll speak to the crew once we know more. They’re free to leave if they don’t trust me. And you’re free to leave with Tailan, too.”
Marmack’s face froze, and behind him Tailan’s eyes grew wider. Her slender female hand wrapped around Marmack’s upper arm but he shook it free.
“And what about Aliena? She’s going to be free to leave, too?”
“Don’t be stupid,” Kamal growled viciously, unable to restrain himself at the thought of Aliena leaving.
“Does she even know?” Marmack wasn’t backing down. He was playing a dangerous game, taunting Kamal like that. “You owe her at least that.”
“I haven’t told her yet.” Kamal turned away from Marmack and Tailan. He couldn’t fight it anymore. He needed to get back to her. “It’s not like I had a choice. They would have killed her—if not now, then later. Now they know that I would rip the entire Ring apart and hunt every one of them down if harm were done to her.”
“True,” Marmack said before Kamal got to the door. “But that doesn’t change the fact that she needs to know about the bloodmating. About what it means to you.”
Kamal braced his weight against the door frame.
“I know.”
Then he left his friends behind, lured back to the female his body craved more than oxygen.
Chapter 12
Aliena
She heard his steps in the hallway before he arrived. She could almost feel his body getting closer, as though some sort of link tied her to him, made her aware of his presence. Through the steel walls, the knowledge of him spread like a wildfire in her body. Tiny sparks of arousal awoke like fireworks on her skin, and she found her mouth was dry.
He’s coming back.
Her stomach made a double flip as the door slid up to reveal the tall, muscular shape of Kamal. His eyes still gleamed, casting sharp shadows on his already angular features, giving him the look of a bird of prey. Yes, he was as fascinating as an eagle, and twice as dangerous.
And she was his target.
“I’m sorry I left like that.” His voice was gruff, making her belly quiver, but not from fear. She should be scared. If she had an intact brain cell in her head, she would be running away just about now.
But she wasn’t.
“Did you find Wyol and Sheegar?” It was surprising how clear and steady her voice was.
“No.” Kamal shook his head, then stepped inside and the door swooshed neatly behind him, sealing them in together. ”But they’ll be found soon enough.”
Aliena nodded, her throat too dry to say anything. Her entire mind was swallowed in the knowledge that she was alone with him. That she was at his mercy.
“Did Wyol or Sheegar say anything else?” He stepped closer, his eyes like two shining jewels, radiating the promise of carnal pleasure. “Are they working for someone?”
“So you believe me?”
“Yes.” Kamal spoke with a soft voice, but what was glittering in his eyes was anything but. He took yet another step closer, standing near enough that he could reach out and touch her if he wanted to.
And she wanted him to. Definitely.
“Good. I’m glad.”
The words hung in the air, their meaning lost as something unimportant. Her eyes were prisoners of his and she heard her breathing; fast and shallow.
She moved, her feet deciding for her, and soon, the distance between her and Kamal closed. She had to tilt her head almost all the way back to keep gazing into his eyes. The heat from his skin radiated through his clothing, and she refrained just in time from reaching for his hard, broad chest.
She was under some sort of erotic spell, and just looking at him made her needy and wet. She wanted to touch Kamal’s body, wanted him to touch her. She wanted to purr under his hands like a cat. She mentally shook off the vision of Kamal running his long, strong fingers along her naked waist down to the place between her hips. Those strong fingers sliding between the lips of her sex, touching her where she needed it the most.
Stop this! What’s wrong with me? What did he do to me?
“What happened out there?” Aliena spoke as much to disperse the intrusive thoughts as to get an actual answer. This time, her voice wasn’t clear and steady anymore, it was like the croaking of a frog. “What did you do to me?”
Kamal’s mouth reduced to a fine line, then he relaxed again.
“I claimed you. I made you my mate.” His eyes searched her face, like he was waiting for her to say something. But she was speechless, her mind was a blank. “If I hadn’t, you would have been executed for detonating an ionic device aboard the ship.”
“And you had to claim me for that?” Somehow, she wasn’t convinced. It made no sense for him to tie his life to her like that. Not for that reason, at least. “You’re the scariest thing aboard this ship, possibly in the entire Ring. They would not have defied your orders. A word from you, and they would have stopped.”
“You don’t know our laws,” Kamal answered, his frown a clear indication that he didn’t like where the conversation was going. “Claiming you as mate was the only way to make sure no one goes after you as soon as my back is turned. You’re safe from them now.”
“So I’m what? Your wife?” She flipped back her hair, sudden doubt insinuating itself in her mind. “Your possession?”
“Yes.” Kamal reached, fast as a snake, and grabbed her nape in his strong, large hand. “You do belong to me now, Little Bird.”
“I’m not a possession.” A long shiver ran along her spine as Kamal’s thumb traveled the length of her jaw to stop at the plump s
well of her lower lip. No matter how much she protested, her stupid body seemed to sing along that yes, indeed, she was. “I’m a free woman, and I’m intent on staying that way.”
“There is no freedom anymore, not for you.”
Kamal’s thumb wandered inside her mouth, and the taste of his skin registered on her tongue. It was clean and wild at the same time. It sent a shot of arousal straight to that hot spot between her legs that warmed at the proximity of him. She tried to object, tried to negate his terrible claim, but she found her voice was gone. His words should make her bristle with anger, but instead, his touch made her damp with want.
I am lost.
“No freedom for me, either.” Kamal lowered his head, close—so close, his breath brushed her lips. “I took you as mate. Your life is mine now, as mine is yours. Freedom is an illusion long gone. It was wiped away on the day I carried you back to my ship like an injured little bird.”
His body inched closer, and soon a ripple of electricity traveled down her when his chest met her breasts. Even in the shock of its novelty, the contact felt like a long denied satisfaction. Like it was always meant to be.
“What do you mean?” She hated the tremor in her voice. The vulnerability.
“I gave you the bite. It contained a complex compound of proteins and hormones. Eoks call it the Mating Venom.” Kamal’s eyes strayed away. She got the uncomfortable impression there was something he wasn’t telling her. Something important he was hiding from her. “An Eok warrior produces it when his body chooses a mate, a female he has to make his.”
“That Mating Venom, what did it do?” When Kamal stayed silent, Aliena understood. “That’s what made me come in front of everybody.”
“A side effect of the Venom.” Kamal lifted his brows, then nodded. “We will feel increasing lust until the union is sealed. There is no point in fighting it.”
Understanding vibrated in her body in tandem with her desire, leaping along her bones to give a resounding yes. She wanted it.
