Betrayed & Seduced

by Shelley Munro

“We’re not doing anything with you,” Ry said. “Yet.”

  Jazen tensed every muscle in her body, ready to spring for freedom should the opportunity arise. Not that she’d manage an escape, but she refused to cower against the wall and do nothing. It wasn’t in her nature to act passively.

  Ry stuck his head around the corner and spoke to someone. “You can come in now.”

  A float table sailed into the room and the scent of a meaty stew accompanied it. A servant, an older man with a hunched posture and a lined face, trailed the float table. He aimed a friendly smile in her direction. “Dinner is served. Where will you eat your meal?”

  “You’re giving me food?”

  “We’re not monsters,” Ry chided.

  Jazen’s tight throat throttled her words. Instead, she stared at the two big men. The pale couple clasped hands and shimmered from view. Poof! She blinked at the unexpectedness, even though she’d already witnessed their powers.

  The servant decided for her and directed the float table over by the windows that overlooked the gardens at the rear of the castle, if one peered through the bars. Once he set the table to hover, he retrieved a chair for her.

  She looked up in time to see the waiter disappear. Ry and his friend exited, closing the door with a firm click. The lock slotted into place with a final thud.

  They’d given her food, treated her with respect yet the uncertainty had every inch of her pulsing with fear. If only they kept their promise and contacted Chobe for her. Raffey didn’t deserve to suffer for his father’s stupidity in going to money-lenders. Although the idea of food nauseated her, she sat, lifted the dome covering one plate and picked up a spork. What had smelled so divine earlier now churned her stomach, but she managed a few mouthfuls before she pushed the plate away and stood, anxiety forcing her to motion.

  Now she sympathized with the beings she’d captured for bounties. Trapped. Scared. Indecisive. No, scratch that. Terrified better described the emotions roiling through her, and she hated every moment of the uncertainty.

  Nanu Captures His Mate

  Nanu opened his chamber door to Kaya’s pounding fists.

  “What do you want?” Unsettled as he was, he refused to face Kaya’s ribbing.

  “Jannike had her babies. Two. There were definitely two. I hear she threatened to geld both Lynx and Shiloh. I offered to take them off her hands and she called security.” Kaya beamed as she pushed past Nanu and entered his suite. “The real Jannike’s back.”

  “Have you visited her?”

  “Not yet. We’ll go together. You’re not going to go freaky on me and let your inner monster out?”

  Nanu sighed. “Beast, not monster.”

  “I was searching for you.” Ry appeared in the doorway. “I’ve been thinking about this gattoc of yours. I might have a solution. Building your gattoc out in the forest isn’t feasible. You need to go to a place where it’s safe and we can have your back.”

  “We’re going to visit Jannike,” Kaya said.

  “I’m meeting Camryn there,” Ry said. “Let’s walk and talk.”

  The visit to see Jannike, her two mates and the new babies stirred his inner beast to greater urgency, and envy grabbed his chest and squeezed it to the edge of pain.

  He entered his suite again with relief, no longer needing to keep his fragile emotions contained and invisible from his friends. Only the knowledge that Jazen was nearby stopped him from freaking out. He inhaled and fancied he caught a note of her honey scent.

  Yet another set of knuckles rapped on his door, seeking entry.

  “I’m not home,” he called.

  Leeam and Sheera shimmered into sight. “We’ve come to help with your gattoc. Do you have depictions?”

  The Incorporeal pair changed their appearance and their clothes several times each cycle, mostly to bright blues and reds, greens and yellows. On Narenda, most Incorporeal beings wore sedate colors such as black, white and gray. Not this pair. At present they both wore hot pink T-shirts and form-fitting black trews. Their T-shirts bore the slogan ‘Team Nanu’. Kaya’s doing, he’d bet.

  The angst riding his mind skittered away, replaced by eagerness and gratitude. “No, but I can describe a gattoc to you. All the things that make an impressive bower, and you can tell me if it is possible.”

  Sheera rubbed her hands together in glee. “This is so exciting. We never had interesting assignments when we lived on Narenda. Our friends back there are so envious.”

  Her excitement was infectious, and contentment filled him now that he was taking steps to make Jazen his own.

  “First, it needs to be secure. No one must be able to enter or leave until I give permission.”

  “What if there is a fire?” Leeam asked.

  “They’re normally outdoors and standalone structures. Are you sure you can transform my suite for me? Will it resemble the real thing?”

  Leeam and Sheera exchanged a smile.

  “Living in the castle with all of you plus the servants and soldiers gives us many options to scoop up the sexual energy you radiate. We are well-fed and confident we can hold the images for the seven cycles you require. Remember the Christmas surprise? That was much more difficult than the images you propose. Thanks to you and your friends we are stronger now,” Leeam said.

  Sheera bounced up and down on her toes and gestured with the vigor of an enthusiastic musical conductor. “As long as we can scoop up your sexual energy, we believe we can supply you with your gattoc.”

  As Leeam and Sheera transformed his suite into a wilderness, complete with a hot pool, a small waterfall and a celebration bower, Nanu’s hair stirred and lifted. He hummed and the pressure in his gums ceased. His tongue explored the sharp incisors that had pushed through and would allow him to take Jazen’s lifeforce.

  Joy filled him as he added more details for Liam and Sheera to conjure. He eagerly awaited his capture of Jazen, and meantime, he’d bust into her comm unit and learn more about the woman. They’d read her messages, and Ry and Ellard were currently checking out her brother and the story about the house and the loan. Some of the info on her comm was secured, and he wanted to unlock it. Research and everything else was fair game. This was love and war—the battle of two determined people, but he was confident he would win with the help of his beast.

  After her meal, the Indy crew left her alone. Jazen wandered the two large rooms of her suite, trying not to let the black specters of doubt and fear get a tight grip on her imagination. Life in the brothel had resembled this—a jail she longed to leave. Still, to this day, she wondered at Azarious’s method of persuasion with the brothel owner, how he managed to extract her and Chobe from the life. No doubt, currency had changed hands.

  Her mentor was of no use here.

  Concentrate. You were trained to think on your feet.

  They’d taken her comm and the rest of her possessions, but the one thing that might save her, the one thing that no one knew about except Chobe was the tracker inserted in her hip. Her brother would come for her. They’d made a promise to each other once they’d escaped the brothel. They had each other’s backs.

  Jazen continued to prowl the two rooms. Around the gel-bed, which bore the faint impression of her body from when she’d attempted to sleep, past the washroom and facilities and into the spacious common room. She glimpsed the twinkle of lights from the city through a window, yet not a sound reached her.

  Her joints ached. Her head ached. Her chest ached.

  Surely they hadn’t placed something in her food? No, if they’d attempted to drug or poison her, she wouldn’t have lasted this long. She stalked into the washroom.

  “Lights on.”

  Luckily, the command worked. She blinked until her vision adjusted and peered into the reflective surface. Everything about her reflection appeared normal, but she felt off. Wrong. Shaking her head, she resumed her pacing.

  Chobe, hurry. It’s your turn to rescue me for a change.

  “Are you sure you want
to go through with this?” Ry asked, concern pulling his forehead into lines. “She’s a warrant-taker and judging by some of the files on her comm, she might even assassinate some of her targets.”

  Ellard absently scratched his ghostly arm. “We haven’t discovered much on her brother. My security contact hasn’t got back yet. If you waited another cycle, maybe two before you forge ahead, I’d have the information you require.”

  “It’s too late,” Nanu said with regret. His inner beast was pushing him at Jazen, and he had to trust in his beast. Matings between their people never failed if both parties were true Indra natives. The commander and Rosevear—their match had not been a true one, which was why he and Yep had intervened in another man’s private matters. That and the array of bruises Rosevear had borne had helped them decide. She’d died anyway, but they’d tried to do the right thing. As for Jazen, he’d have to pray to the goddess that her lifeforce was compatible with his and the mating would stick.

  Every instinct in him screamed this was right.

  Kaya entered the chamber. “I’ve researched her brother by following the trail of planets Jazen has visited,” Kaya said. “For past jobs, they worked some together, although I got the sense her brother cuts corners. From what I learned, he prefers those jobs with a kill tag. Has she told you anything about him?”

  Nanu wrinkled his nose. “Not much. We’ve spent most of our time dodging each other’s questions.”

  “My sources confirm he is a warrant-taker and assassin too,” Ry said. “Although not as successful. My gut says he’s a con-artist. It is difficult to locate his whereabouts because of the assassin jobs he does. He keeps a low profile. You can tell Jazen we let the money transfer go through. Her brother has his loan payment.”

  Nanu hissed and didn’t miss the swift, silent communication bouncing between Ry, Ellard and Kaya. “Don’t worry. It’s my beast,” he explained as his dreads lifted and swayed around his head. “My control will improve after the mating.”

  “Whoa, that’s disturbing as hell,” Kaya muttered as his dreads continued to dance.

  “You say your hair is a weapon?” Ry asked.

  “Soon, I will use my dread tendrils to choke anyone who threatens me or my mate. I can also use them as a whip.”

  “Good to know,” Ry said. “You will have full control once this is over if, say, we’re training together.”

  Nanu grinned at the direction of Ry’s mind. “You’re my friends. As long as you’re not threatening Jazen, you won’t come to harm from me.”

  “Nanu, what if this mating doesn’t take? What if Jazen flees the first chance she gets? We can’t watch her all the time.” Kaya appeared uncharacteristically somber. “What if she rejects you? You’re my friend. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “It’s too late,” Nanu repeated. “The changes started in me the moment I saw her. Jazen not having Indra genes is a problem.” He lifted his shoulder in a half-shrug, trying not to let his friends see his apprehension. “The truth. Anything might happen. The one thing I am certain of is that I must proceed.”

  “All right,” Ry said. “We stick to our plan and deal with the consequences later. While you’re busy with Jazen, we’ll continue to gather information about her and her brother.”

  “Nanu, before we go forward with the capture, can we see your gattoc?” Kaya asked tentatively.

  “Of course.” Pleasure filled Nanu. The missing ingredient in his preparations—family involvement. “Will Camryn and Mogens want to see?” He eyed Ellard. “Gweneth too?”

  “I’ll comm them. We weren’t certain if we should ask,” Kaya said. “None of us wish to make this situation more difficult for you.”

  “It is tradition to drink a toast and bless the gattoc,” Nanu said. “It has been bothering me that I failed to fulfill this part of the ritual.”

  Kaya hip-bumped him. “Silly. You should’ve told us. I’ll be back shortly.” She jogged toward her suite. She reappeared with two bottles of toasting wine and a servant bearing a tray of silver goblets.

  Camryn, Gweneth and Mogens arrived, and a short time later, Shiloh and Lynx.

  “Jannike ordered us to attend and wish you the best.” Lynx and Shiloh shared an intimate grin. “She ordered us to tell you that if Jazen didn’t treat you well, she’d throw her in the dungeon. We are also to take depictions so she can see your gattoc.”

  Without warning, Lynx grabbed Nanu and kissed him on the lips. Before Nanu reacted, Shiloh also kissed him.

  Kaya burst out laughing. “Did Jannike sanction those royal kisses?”

  “Yes. She told us she wanted you to have support, and she was sure Yep would’ve kissed you good luck.”

  “Sorry, Ry, but you’re not allowed to kiss Nanu,” Camryn ordered. “I’ll do it.” She darted toward him, stood on tiptoe and kissed him on both cheeks.

  Everyone chortled and observed Ellard and Gweneth.

  “What the grata?” Ellard rumbled. He grabbed Nanu and planted a firm kiss on one cheek.

  “I’ll do the other,” Gweneth said and did so.

  Nanu took a rapid step backward and blinked at them. Emotion clutched his mind and misted his eyes as he angled to Kaya. “It is time for a toast.”

  A short time later, with his gattoc blessed and toasted by his friends, both old and new, Nanu strode toward the suite that housed Jazen. Ry and Kaya, standing in for his brother and father, accompanied him. At the doorway, Kaya stopped Nanu and hugged him. Finally, she stepped back and Ry embraced him too. Nanu’s eyes stung again with joy and happiness, and a knot tightened this throat. No matter what the future, at this moment in time, he’d never experienced such belonging and satisfaction with his life. Unable to speak, he gave a curt nod and unlocked the door.

  It was time to get this capture started.

  Something—an out of place sound—jerked Jazen awake. Her lifeforce muscle beat faster, every hair on her body prickling. Soundlessly, she slid off the gel-bed and crept to the entrance of the sleeping chamber.

  She wasn’t alone.

  Not that her eyes worked in this inky blackness.

  The blacklight hadn’t filled the outer chamber when she’d decided to rest. But now her hand, held out in front of her, blended with the black gloom.

  She cocked her head, trying to use her other senses as her mentor had taught her. A musky yet seductive fresh scent filled her lungs. She inhaled again, glorying in the sweetness of the perfume. Before she sucked in her third deep breath, someone sprang at her. Instinctively, she crouched. Her fists slashed out into the blackness, connecting with a thunk.

  “Oomph!”

  Before Jazen had time to strike again, someone grabbed her arms. A cloth—the source of the zesty odor—pressed over her nose. Her next breath drew the scent deep into her lungs and a decadent languor swept over her.

  “Nanu?” Her voice sounded far away, yet whatever the substance on the cloth, she didn’t lose consciousness.

  “Yes, my sweet. I’m here.”

  A muffled snort sounded, followed by a hoarse gasp.

  Nanu swept her up and cradled her against his broad chest.

  At last. She relaxed against the hardness for an instant, then her sluggish mind transformed back to warrant-taker. “What have you done to me?” Unfortunately, her demand emerged in a whisper.

  “Nothing you didn’t want,” Nanu soothed.

  The answer pleased her on one hand, but the tiny analytical part of her brainbox rejected his answer. They’d imprisoned her in this room.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Shush. Relax. We have a long way to travel.”

  Jazen’s brows scrunched together. “I want to go home. Chobe needs me.”

  “Your brother will be fine on his own. He can visit us later. Ry said the currency transfer went through and your brother should receive the funds.”

  Something about his reply struck her as wrong, but she failed to grasp the source of her doubt.

  They were m
oving from the suite they’d locked her inside. Nanu carried her, his strength obvious since she exercised to pack her body with muscle. She had to in order to carry out her job as warrant-taker. Her eyelids drooped, and anxiety tickled her with ghostly fingers. Why was it she recalled some thoughts and others drifted away like Barron mist?

  Nanu carried her down long corridors while two others strode beside him. When the corridor narrowed, one escort marched in front and the other followed behind. Soon, a faint wind tickled her face and the scent of green plants and spicy flowers filled her nostrils. Her eyes refused to stay open, no matter how hard she tried to watch her surroundings. Finally, she gave in and attempted to make do with scent and hearing to give her clues.

  They clattered up a ramp. A ship. They were leaving the castle. She attempted to force her eyes open and they did for three short secs before her lids slid back down. Something in that cloth they’d pressed over her face.

  Needed to object. Needed to shout. Needed to fight.

  She did none of those things as the engine hummed and propelled them away from the castle.

  Instead, she relaxed against Nanu’s hard chest and let her mind drift into more pleasant topics. She was alive, and as long as she lived, she had hope that she’d escape.

  The transport took a long time to get to their destination, and fatigue as well as drugs tugged her deeper into slumber, and she remembered nothing else except the lengthy journey.

  “Thank you for helping me,” Nanu said after they’d carried Jazen back into his suite at the castle, the trip a way of confusing the warrant-taker and making her think they were at a different location.

  “You’d do the same for any of us,” Ry replied.

  “Good luck.” Kaya didn’t smirk. “Tell your mate if she hurts you, I’ll snap her in half like a puny twig.”

  Ry scowled. “Not helping.”

  “Nanu is my friend. He’s your friend too.”

  Ry’s jaw set. “She won’t receive a warning from me.”

  Nanu brushed aside their fear and worry for him and embraced them both. “Remember, don’t disturb me unless Viros is on the verge of war. We should emerge around cycle seven or eight, if all goes well.”