by Sadie Carter
Willa winced as Darac smashed himself against a wall. After Mila told Koran who she was, he had barked out some orders in Zerconian. The warriors had moved off Darac before securing him in this room while he was momentarily dazed. There was a one-way window which allowed them to watch him from the room next door.
Once Darac had recovered—and it hadn’t taken long—it became obvious he was still not himself.
She studied him closely. “He’s showing no sign of what the Coizils did to him.”
“It took over an hour in a regen chamber to mend him.” Koran stood beside her, watching Darac pacing back and forth in a furious rage. “Another hour and he would have been dead.”
She swallowed heavily.
“He looks so unlike himself,” Mila stated sadly from where she stood on Koran’s other side. She clasped hold of her mate’s hand. “It’s scary to think that if we didn’t meet you could have ended up like this.”
“He’s not dead yet,” Willa snapped, sick of their fatalistic attitude.
“There is no coming back from this,” Koran told her. “He cannot be saved.”
“And I say he can,” Willa countered. “You must think there is a chance as well, or you wouldn’t have brought him to this room.”
“I thought there might be something of Darac left,” Koran told her. “But now I see there is not.”
“But Willa is his mate,” Mila reminded him. “She can help him, right?”
Except she wasn’t his mate, he’d rejected her.
Koran shook his head. “I do not believe that even his mate could bring him back and if she is his mate, I cannot allow her close to him. He is too dangerous.”
Allow?
Jesus, were all Zerconian males this domineering? She’d thought it was just part of Darac’s personality. “I think that decision is up to me, don’t you?” she stated. “Let me in there.”
“No.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “Guess what? I don’t have to do what you say. Open that door and let me in.”
Koran turned to glare down at her while Mila frantically shook her head behind the warrior’s back. She obviously wanted Willa to back down, but that wasn’t who she was.
“I am the commander of this ship, and while you are here, you will do as I say.”
“Yeah? Even if what you say gets your friend killed? Is that something you can live with? Because I know I sure as hell can’t.”
His gaze softened slightly. Didn’t help much, he was still a scary looking bastard.
“He will kill you.”
“I don’t think so. I was getting through to him earlier before one of your idiot warriors touched me. I’ve seen him like this before, and I’ve brought him out of it. I don’t know why, but for some reason, I can help him.”
Mila nodded. “Because you’re his mate.”
She shook her head. “He doesn’t want me.”
“He rejected you?” Koran asked, eyebrows raised.
Hadn’t she been humiliated enough? “Yes, he rejected me. Happy now? Not like I wanted to be his mate, anyway. He’s sexist and crazy, and he thinks he can boss me around. It’s better this way. As soon as I help him, I’ll be on my way, and we can both get on with our lives. If you don’t believe me, you can ask my crew. But I’m telling you I can help him.”
An hour later, after much yelling and cursing—all her—and consulting Rye, who wasn’t much help, she’d worn Koran down. Or at least, she had agreed to the stupid rules he’d set before allowing her into a room with Darac.
“This is ridiculous,” she told Koran. “It’s just going to make him crazier if all of you come in there with me. And we’re not even going to fit through the door!”
She stood in the middle of a group of Zerconian warriors. Two in front, one on each side and two behind her. All heavily armed and by the grim look on their faces, ready to kill.
“They will enter in single file,” Koran explained. “Four warriors will take position in each corner of the room to surround Darac. Two will flank you.”
“I know you’re trying to protect me, but I’m certain that he won’t hurt me. Your men’s safety is something I can’t guarantee.” Although why she should care if they got their heads ripped off, she didn’t know.
Koran gave her an incredulous look. “They are well-trained and heavily armed warriors. He is one warrior.”
“Exactly, so why the overkill?”
“To protect you.”
“You don’t even know me. He is your friend.”
Koran stepped back. “He was my friend. Now he is a shell. The only reason that I am allowing you in there with him is because I could not live with myself if I did not try. But make no mistake, I believe this to be a fool’s mission.”
And she was the fool. She could read that loud and clear.
“This won’t work if he can’t even see me or if he thinks you guys are a threat to me. Rye, tell him.”
Rye nodded. “Willa is right. He is very protective of her. But you still don’t know if he will recognize you Willa. It took multiple hits from a stunner to take him down. You could be seriously hurt in that time.”
“My men are not armed with stunners,” Koran told them.
And that was what worried her. This attempt to bring Darac back might well end in his death.
“I’m not helpless. If you arm me, I can protect myself.”
“No,” Koran replied.
Lord help her. She didn’t have the patience for this.
“You can have snipers standing in the doorway, ready to take him out if he harms me.”
Koran shook his head, and she stepped forward until she was standing a few inches from the larger man. She scowled up at him. “Neither of us wants to be responsible for his death. We’re on the same side here, so you need to work with me. If I go in there surrounded by your men then I am never going to get through to him, all we’ll do is infuriate him. If I go in there with your men ready at the doorway, I’m still protected, but I have the space I need to talk to him.”
He was silent, a thoughtful look on his face.
Come on. Come on.
“We will change our plan.”
Thank God.
“Two warriors will accompany you. One in each corner behind you, armed and ready to shoot if he attacks. Two more will stand at the doorway. If told, you will drop to the floor to protect yourself. Understand?”
She ground her teeth together at his commanding tone. “Understood.”
He spoke in Zerconian, and four warriors peeled off, two standing at each side of the door.
“You sure about this?” Rye asked.
Willa looked up at his calm face. Did he think she was choosing Darac over her crew? Nerves jangled in her stomach.
“I have to do this. We owe him. Without him, we’d all be dead. He allowed the Coizils to torture him for us. Have you wondered why he didn’t go crazy while they were beating on him? I have. To save us. Because the moment he lost it then he was dead and they’d turn their attention to us.”
Rye nodded, and she realized he had thought this all through.
“Which could be why he’s so bad now.” She winced at the sound of another fury-filled roar. “I have to help him, Rye. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t. But my loyalties still lie with the crew.”
“Willa, about that. I—”
“Are you ready, Willa?” Koran interrupted. “We go in now.”
“Wish me luck.” She gave Rye a weak smile.
She took the blaster Koran handed her and nodded at him. The door opened, and two warriors raced through. She quickly followed, knowing she wouldn’t have long to get through to Darac before he attacked.
As she moved into the room, Darac had turned his gaze to the warrior in the far corner. He let out a warning growl. Okay, that was good, right? He hadn’t immediately launched himself at the other warrior so perhaps there was still something of Darac in there.
Nerves tightened her stomach.
“Darac. Darac!” she called out sharply as he ignored her. His gaze flashed back and forth between the armed warriors. Almost as though he was deciding who to take out first.
Another roar filled the room, and she winced, rubbing her ears.
“Are you are done now? Because I’m pretty certain, you just caused some permanent hearing damage. Are you ready to listen to me or are you too busy having a tantrum? If you drop to the ground and start kicking your feet, then I am so out of here.”
“This is your grand plan, female?” one of the warriors asked incredulously.
Darac’s attention turned to him, and he took a step forward. The warrior shifted slightly, readying himself.
She had to do something quickly. “All of you shut up unless I tell you otherwise.”
She didn’t bother looking at the two warriors behind her. They meant nothing to her. Darac did. She couldn’t leave him like this.
“Don’t fire.” She shoved the blaster in the back of her pants, moving quickly forward.
“Willa, stand back,” Koran yelled out.
“No.”
Darac roared over at the doorway where Koran stood.
“Darac!”
He didn’t turn from glaring at Koran.
“Hey, Darac, it’s rude to ignore someone when they’re speaking to you.” She gave him a sharp smack on the nose.
“Are you insane, female?” Koran roared.
“No, but I’m going to be the last face you see before you die if you don’t shut up.”
Koran snarled, but she ignored him. She had Darac’s attention now. His red eyes glowed as he stared down at her. A low rumble came from deep in his chest.
But he hadn’t hurt her. He hadn’t attacked her.
Yet.
Licking her lips, she stared up into his face. Not a flicker of recognition. But she took the fact that head was still attached to her body as a positive sign.
Reaching out, she touched his arm. Her hand shook and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. If he was going to kill her, he would have done it by now. Or maybe he didn’t see her as enough of a threat to bother. She grabbed his other arm holding onto him. He didn’t shove her away.
“You need to come back. Now. Before these guys get trigger happy and take you out. If that happens, then I go with you because I’m not going to drop and get out of the way. So they’ll kill me too.”
He growled.
Crap. That didn’t work. What now?
“Step away from him, Willa. This is not working,” Koran called out.
“He hasn’t hurt me, has he? It’s working fine,” she lied. She’d kind of figured she’d just step in the room and talk to him then he’d magically return.
Darac suddenly stiffened, looking over to the doorway. Willa turned and saw Koran walk into the room. Suddenly, she was in the air, being swung around. Her back hit the wall as Darac pressed close. Her feet dangled in the air, her mouth nearly aligned with his.
“Don’t shoot. Don’t shoot!” she called out frantically.
People spoke, but she couldn’t hear them through the ringing in her ears. Fear filled her, and she squeezed her eyes shut waiting for Darac to drop dead at her feet. But nothing happened. She opened her eyes, staring into his red gaze.
“Willa.”
Had she imagined that? Did he actually speak?
“Willa.” His voice was croaky, strained. But she’d seen his lips move.
“Darac, thank God.”
He leaned in, his breath tickling her lips. Then he covered his lips with hers. Sparks lit her insides, and she melted. She opened her mouth, meeting his tongue with her own, dancing, dueling.
Sweet heaven above.
Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to get closer. Desire rushed her, filling her. Her clit throbbed, and an ache developed deep inside her, an empty space she’d never realized existed.
Him. She needed him.
Her head swum. Then suddenly, he let go, and she dropped to the floor, falling on her butt. Darac took a few hasty steps back. She held her hand to her head, fighting the dizziness swamping her.
“Get out!” he roared. Eyes now dark brown instead of red, he looked no less wild. He stared over at Koran. “Get her out of here now!”
***
Darac sat at the table, staring down at his clenched hands.
“You need to eat.” Koran sat across the table, but Darac couldn’t look at him. The anger still bubbled inside him. He had control of it, but only by a bare thread.
“You should have killed me.”
“I was going to,” Koran replied calmly.
Darac raised his gaze. “Why didn’t you? I was a danger to everyone and instead you sent in a helpless female? What were you thinking?” His voice ended with a roar. How dare he put Willa in jeopardy.
Koran’s gaze remained steady. “Do you know how many friends I have lost to the madness? How many more I may lose?”
Darac leaned across the table. “I know. I am older than you.”
“Then would you not do anything you had to save a friend? We are old friends, Darac.”
“Yes. We are. Which is why I thought I could trust you to do the right thing. I am not the important one. She is.” If anything happened to her…
“So, she is your mate.” Koran sat back, a hint of satisfaction on his face.
Darac stood suddenly, resting his hands on the table, he loomed over Koran. “It matters not. I am not the male I was. I am barely in control. It eats away at me constantly, and I believe I am only growing worse. You know what I am capable of, and you had no way of knowing that I would not hurt her. You could have gotten her killed!”
He paused, seething, working hard to calm himself.
“She was protected.”
Darac gave him an incredulous look. “Protected? I could have snapped her neck in seconds.”
Koran leaned forward. “I would not have done so had she not been so insistent that you would not harm her.”
“Willa has no sense of self-preservation. She would be the first to put herself in harm’s way to help another. Should this happen again, you will do whatever is necessary to keep her safe.”
“I believe nothing but tying her up would have kept her from you.”
“Then that is what you should have done,” Darac told him. “Mates come first.”
Koran watched him thoughtfully. “She is not your mate yet. Why have you not mated her? It could fix you.”
“Would it? You are so certain of that?”
Koran frowned. “When Zoey denied Dex as her mate, he became crazed. He lost time, spent hours sparring with others, but after they mated he was himself once more.”
“I am far beyond that. I was gone, Koran. Then she brought me back. She gave me control. But just barely. When the Coizils were torturing me, I came so close to losing control and killing as many as I could before they killed me.”
“But you did not.”
“Because I needed to make certain of her safety. It was the only thing keeping my mind together.”
Koran leaned forward. “She still needs you. Are you planning to give up? To give in to the madness. What would that do to her?”
“Nothing. Because we are not fully mated, she would not follow me to the other side.”
“That is beyond stupid.”
“Beyond stupid?” Despite himself, Darac felt a trickle of amusement. “You are starting to sound like Mila.”
Koran shrugged. “She is my mate. I did not deny her.”
“I am not denying Willa.”
“No? It is obvious she cares about you. She risked her life to help you.”
“What if mating does not fix me? What if I am this way forever? I would tie her to a monster.”
“Monster? You are no monster.”
“No?” Darac glared at him. “Any threat to Willa and I go into a murderous rage. I have known you for many years, I consider you a friend and earlier I would
have killed you without the slightest hesitation.”
“You have control now.”
“But for how long? I cannot mate her until I know I will not place her in harm’s way. You saw me. Saw how out of control I was. I am protecting her.”
“By pushing her away?”
Guilt ate at him. He had seen the devastation on her face when he had pushed her away. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. “I pushed her away for her own safety.”
“I am sure that will keep her warm at night. Or perhaps another male will do that. She is very pretty.”
He swung out at Koran, who blocked his arm and pushed him back.
“You wish to fight?” Koran taunted.
“You will not speak of her that way.”
“What do you care? You are going to die like a martyr and leave her. She will be free to join with whoever she chooses.”
Letting out a deep yell, he shoved Koran back, then turning, slammed his hand into the wall. All he managed to do was bruise his knuckles. He slammed his fist into the wall again, splitting the skin.
It felt good. The pain actually cleared his head a little.
“You need to try,” Koran told him. “You have a chance. It is more than most get.”
“I am unstable. The risk is too great.” Before, he had hoped there was a chance they could mate. But he had totally lost it again.
“I believe there is risk either way. You kissed her. The mating has begun. She could even now be feeling the effect of that kiss.”
He had not been in his right mind when he had kissed her earlier. A kiss set the mating process into action. If the mating did not progress, if one mate denied the other then human females could grow overly aroused. To the point of pain.
“It did not affect Mila as much as it did the Crown Princess, but there is no way of knowing how Willa will react.”
Darac let out a deep breath. “Let me speak to an Elder. Then I will determine what to do.” He could not stand the idea of her suffering.
Koran nodded. “Good. She is interesting, your mate. Very, ah, forceful.”
Forceful? That was one way of putting it. “Willa knows her own mind. When she is scared, she tends to become bossier.”
“Bossy. Yes. I believe some of my warriors were actually scared of her.”
