by Alana Serra
Like making sure she and the rest of his team lived through the night.
They took an Earth vehicle to the vault site, just as before. Several of his men were waiting, acting as guards and monitoring the location for any signs of movement.
"Report," he said to the elder among them.
"No discernible movements, Conqueror," he said. "There are heat pockets deeper within the vault, beyond the locked doors, but we're unsure if those are humans, or something else."
He nodded, then turned to his men with a stern expression. "Assume they are humans until we learn otherwise."
Rhavos made one last check on his men and their knowledge of the plan, trying his best to treat Rhin as he would any other team member. The last thing he needed was for the other Karuvar to accuse him of favoritism. No doubt several of them were already angry over the fact that he was including a human in this at all.
With a quick jerk of his chin, he ordered his front-men to descend into the vault. They would clear a path, if need be. Otherwise they would scout the tunnels leading to their first strike location: the armory.
"Stay with me at all times," he commanded Rhin.
"Don't have to tell me twice," she muttered.
When his men gave the signal, Rhavos made his way into the vault, keeping Rhin in front of him. She had already disabled the cameras, traps, and alarms, so the only thing they faced as they descended deeper into the vault was a vast expanse of empty corridors, just as Rhavos' men had seen on previous trips to this location.
Before tonight, their raids ended on the third level, locked doors blocking their path. But now they had Rhin, and when they reached the door she’d marked as the armory, she started to lift her arm to a panel, intending to activate it with her implant.
Awareness prickled at the back of Rhavos’ neck and he put his own arm out to stop her.
"It could be trapped," he said, and tested it with his own implant.
The panels flashed red, but nothing else happened. Rhin's gaze narrowed and she looked at him with impatience.
"I told you I disabled all the traps," she said.
The murmur from his men did not sit well with Rhavos, but he kept quiet as Rhin held her arm before the panels. Again, they flashed red.
"She is lying," one of his men said. "Just because you've lost your wits to this female doesn't mean the rest of us have to."
Rhavos moved quickly, closing the space between he and Vekt in a fraction of a moment. He shoved the younger Karuvar against the wall, his arm braced across Vekt's throat.
"Say that again," he growled, getting so close to the male that his horns scraped against the other Karuvar's.
Vekt pushed at his arm, struggling for breath. But it was Rhin's words that finally got Rhavos to stop applying pressure.
"They must have revoked my clearance. I can hack into it from one of the other rooms, if you're done fighting with each other."
Rhavos took a step back, but he pinned the other male with his gaze until the youngling finally looked away, rubbing his throat. The rest of his men were quiet as Rhin moved into a large room that contained several terminals. Rhavos positioned a few Karuvar to keep guard and watched as her fingers flew over the keyboard, her gaze intense and focused on her task.
After a short while, he heard one of his men call, "It is green."
Rhin looked up at him, a self-satisfied smile on her face. He wanted to encourage it; to nurture it. But he merely nodded and tried to ignore the tug in his heart when that smile faded.
Pulling his bladed staff from his back, Rhavos stood at the ready as one of his men activated the door. When the metal slid open, though, there was no one waiting on the other side.
"By the Stars," one of his men commented.
And rightly so, because the room was stocked with more weapons than an organization of this size should have. Firearms, mostly, from what Rhavos could see. There were a few blades, though, as well as some throw weapons.
"Wrap these up," he told Lovak, "carefully. Take them up top."
"They've already armed themselves," Rhin pointed out, gesturing toward the empty spaces.
When they returned to this vault—without such a liability—he would keep that in mind.
In the meantime, Rhavos oversaw the packing of the weapons for transport, taking a mental inventory. As Lovak gathered several of them from a smaller case, though, something caught his eye.
"Let me see that.”
A hand weapon in the shape of large claws was brought to him, the sharpened metal gleaming under the harsh light. Leather straps secured the blades and offered a space for the wielder’s hand to go through, the claws meant to protrude well past the fingers. But the space was far too large for a human hand, and there was something curious about the tips. They were stained with something Rhavos didn't think was blood.
"These are not human weapons," he said. "Where did they get these?"
Rhin's brow furrowed as she looked at the claws. "I… don't know. I've never seen them before."
Rhavos halted the packing and investigated the case the claws had come from. There were other weapons there, all made for the hands. Primitive in design, with no moving parts like a firearm. All were tinged at the end with that same stain.
"You don't think it could be…" Lovak began.
There was only one way to know. Rhavos lifted the claws to his mouth and touched his tongue to the stained metal. It tingled, and a bitter taste flooded his mouth, numbness soon following.
Poison.
He gave a quick nod. Though the poison faded quickly, he could still feel his heart hammering away. Rhin was looking up at him with concern, and he felt the strangest desire to comfort her.
Of all the things he should be doing right now, that was not high on the list.
"This is Nikhiza technology," he finally said.
This was met with uneasy stares. The Nikhiza were one of the few races who had ever given the Karuvar trouble. Brutal and merciless, their males were gifted with the spirits of beasts and could transform at will. They used weapons such as these that were tipped with a poison specifically made to weaken other Nikhiza.
Years ago, Rhavos' father had been forced to retreat from their homeworld. He'd lived with that shame for the rest of his life.
"Nikhiza," he heard Rhin say. "I've heard that name before. I… I…"
Rhavos' mind was in a thousand different places, and at first, he did not notice that Rhin had never actually finished her thought. When he finally looked at her, she was pale, her eyes wide with fear as she clutched at her arm.
"Something… something's wrong… I can't…" As he watched, Rhin's eyes rolled back so far he could see only white.
Fear struck Rhavos' heart, and in that moment, nothing else mattered. Not the rebel humans, not the Nikhiza, not even his own men. He knew she did not like being touched without permission, but Rhavos reached for her just the same. Before he could reach her, though, her own hand shot out with surprising swiftness.
Rhavos saw a flash of metal before he realized she'd grabbed one of the firearms and she was pointing it right at him.
His men reacted instantly, but he held up a hand to stop them. "No," he growled, deadly serious in his command. "Stand down."
"At least one of you has some sense." The words were coming from Rhin's mouth, and they were spoken in her voice. But they didn't sound like her. "Call off the rest of your dogs, and I'll take you to Dal’uhz. Just you."
He could disarm her in an instant, but if she was being controlled, there was no telling what might happen. And if she was not…
"We should have killed her when we had the chance," Vekt said.
Rhin just laughed. "Yeah. He's right. You should have. But I guess Karuvar and human men aren’t too different: You both think with your dicks."
Rhavos pressed his luck and stepped forward, looking her in the eyes. "This is not you. You must fight."
"There's nothing to fight, cabrón. Did you actually think that little lost
lamb routine was real? Give me a break." Her lips turned up in a smile that made Rhavos' heart sink. "Last chance. Get rid of your men, or I'll do it for you."
There were very few times in his life where Rhavos felt overwhelmed and unsure of the best path forward, but this was one of them. It was his duty to protect his men. He’d brought them into this situation, and he must ensure they make it out alive.
But it was also his duty to protect Rhin, and so he stood firm, hoping to call her bluff.
She didn’t back down, either.
"Suit yourself," she said as she raised the firearm. Her arm was shaking. He could see tears in her eyes. The pale color that had overtaken her face was now tinged with green, and beads of sweat traced a path down her brow.
But she still pulled the trigger.
Rhavos acted without hesitation, placing himself in front of her. A blast of energy exploded from the weapon, and he felt a sharp hit of pain as the beam sliced straight through the scale plates that protected his shoulder, branding the flesh beneath.
The firearm clattered to the floor and Rhavos heard an anguished cry. His ears were ringing, his heart was pounding, and he was in so much pain, that burning sensation passing from nerve ending to nerve ending. But when his men rushed to seize her—to kill her—Rhavos did the only thing he could do.
He stopped them.
"Touch her and you can consider your rank and title stripped," he promised through gritted teeth.
He could feel the energy shift in the room, the animosity rising from his men. They were questioning him. Questioning his strength, his honor, his very command.
But there was only one person he cared about right now: His mate.
She was crumpled on the floor, rocking back and forth, tears streaming down her face. He wanted to comfort her. To protect her. To take on the entire universe if it meant keeping her safe from these humans.
But darkness claimed him first.
11
No matter how many times she retched, Ren couldn’t seem to stop the violent churning of her stomach.
She was a burden. She knew it. They’d given her a bucket, but it was clear they weren’t happy with her. And why would they be? She’d wounded their Conqueror. A few inches to the left and she could have killed him. It didn’t matter that he was sitting tall, his jaw clenched, teeth gritted, expression rigid from pain, but otherwise fine. She’d pulled that trigger. She’d caused him that pain.
Ren’s stomach lurched again and she bent over her bucket, dry-heaving for a few moments before it passed. Every time it happened, Rhavos looked at her with concern, and she felt infinitely worse.
How could he feel anything other than hatred toward her right now? It was what she felt toward herself. She had it in spades. She’d broken a promise she’d made to herself over ten years ago. And in doing so, she’d almost killed her…
Her mate.
She couldn’t call him anything else now. Seeing him in pain, seeing that look of utter betrayal cloud his features, she’d felt it grip her heart. It was a pain fiercer than she’d ever known, and it was what ultimately broke the spell the Freedom Fighters had her under. Her implant had burned like someone was pouring acid over her arm, and as she’d regained full control of her body, her legs had just collapsed beneath her.
He’d been willing to carry her out, but she’d walked. She sat near him now, wanting to apologize—wanting to do something—but sensing she shouldn’t do it in front of his men.
So she waited. She kept her mouth shut and tried to keep the bile from souring her stomach again. When they reached Helios, when Rhavos refused medical treatment, she finally said something.
“Give me whatever he needs.” It was more of a command than a request.
The nurse on duty looked at her warily before glancing to Rhavos. He did not hesitate, merely gave her a curt nod and retreated down the hall. Ren could only guess he was going to his quarters—if not, she’d track him down.
Loaded down with supplies, she found Rhavos’ room easily enough. It didn’t look too different from her own, though somehow she doubted he appreciated the colorful floral arrangement or the abstract paintings on the walls. He seemed to be more of a minimalist.
Which was something she could think about when he wasn’t in pain.
“I know you probably don’t want to see me right now, but—”
“That is not at all what I feel,” he said, his tone weary.
She knew that. She could practically feel the concern still radiating off him. With a soft sigh, Ren approached where he sat on the edge of his bed. He was already undoing his harness, setting his weapon aside, and she was grateful for the help.
Bringing a basin of water over the the bedside table, Ren dunked a cloth in, wrung it out, and began to clean the wound, starting with the blood that still stained his skin. Rhavos’ muscles twitched, his teeth gritted harder, but he didn’t move.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “For stopping them.”
“I could do nothing else.”
It was not said in an adoring way, and why would it be? She could guess what that action had cost him. His men believed her a traitor, and for him to side with her…
“I don’t know what happened. One minute I was fine, and the next I was reaching for that gun.”
Her stomach revolted again, but she squeezed her eyes shut and kept control of herself. Rhavos still said nothing, still barely even flinched as she rubbed the cloth closer to the wound.
“I haven’t touched a gun in a long time. And I could see myself doing it; I could feel the weight of it in my hand. But I couldn’t stop myself.”
Tears started to burn at the corner of her eyes but she blinked them away, furious with herself. Now wasn’t the time. He might have spared her, but he didn’t care—
Ren gasped when she felt his large hand come up to cradle her cheek. She closed her eyes again and leaned into the touch, letting herself be weak for just a moment.
“I was terrified,” she admittedly softly.
“I know,” he said. “I could feel it.”
“I tried to break out of it, tried to stop myself, but the only thing that made me stop was seeing you in pain.”
Rhavos looked at her, and though he still seemed exhausted, his silver eyes darkened with an intense desire. When he spoke, she understood why. “That is what it means to have a mate.”
Ren drew in a breath and let it out in a soft exhale. Her hand came over Rhavos’ and she nodded.
“I want to kiss you,” he said, his voice a deep rumble.
It took Ren a moment to even understand. It was so far from what she expected, so far from the person she’d thought him to be, that she was sure she must have misheard. But that heat burned in his eyes, and he was looking at her lips, leaving her no way to misinterpret.
He was asking her permission. Respecting what she’d wanted, not taking the liberties any other man might take in this moment.
No sooner had she nodded than Rhavos leaned forward, the hand on her cheek moving into her hair as hers rested on his good shoulder. With the intensity that shone in his eyes, she expected a frantic, passionate kiss. And while his mouth pressed firmly to hers, his tongue brushing past her parted lips, it was slow and searching. Her heart fluttered uncontrollably, her chest squeezing. His tongue met hers in a gentle stroke, coaxing a soft moan out of her, and that sound was what finally urged him into pressing harder, his fingers tightening in her hair, his mouth crushing to hers.
Ren let herself get lost in it for a long moment, but she wanted more. She wanted to climb onto his lap, to press her body to his, skin to skin. To take him inside of her, squeeze around him as he brought her to climax.
Her other hand came up to rest on his arm, her nails digging in. A grunt escaped him, and Ren belatedly realized that was his injured arm. The arm she’d shot.
Her lust was suddenly doused by the ice water that shot through her veins, and she pulled back from him.
“I have to
clean and dress the wound,” she said.
Rhavos did not push. He simply sat back, his gaze staying on her, none of that intensity fading. She swallowed hard and tried to focus on her task, gently cleaning the wound before she applied the salve she’d been given.
“Something else caused you pain,” he said, and Ren blinked at him. “In the vault. Something other than seeing me harmed.”
He was right, but she wished he wasn’t. She wished, too, that she could go back to the place she’d been when they first met. Where she’d been nothing more than a caged animal snapping at anyone who came close. Back then, she would have had a few choice words for him before she shut this conversation down completely.
Now she was considering telling him about the hell that had been her life. Strange to think that she’d only known him for a week.
“Not every city is like Everton,” she began quietly. “Here, people are mostly free to do what they like. The militia only intervenes when there’s criminal activity. But it wasn’t like that where I grew up. The militia there had all the power, and the citizens had none, with no way to fight back.”
She let out a shuddering breath as she revisited that time. She’d spent her childhood in a flat that was barely habitable, and definitely not big enough for a family of three. Everyone else lived the same way. There was no school. No chance to play. Only back-breaking work, from the time she was six.
“We worked in the mines and the factories or out in the fields with the militia always standing guard, all of them armed. I remember watching my mother collapse in the heat. They wouldn’t let her get a drink of water, and when she didn’t get up immediately, they threatened her at gunpoint until she started working again.”
Anger flared in Rhavos’ eyes, but he stayed silent, allowing Ren to continue.
“It was killing her. Not just working like that day in and day out, but watching me work, too. Eventually she just… gave up. So… I had to fight for us. I had to do something for our family.”
Ren explained how she met with other people who were trying to escape the militia’s grasp. She sacrificed what precious little time she already had for sleep and instead went to meetings with a local resistance group. She helped build an underground bunker outside of the city, donated a portion of her own MREs and water rations to stock it. And when the time came, she took her mother there.
