“Now I distracted you.” His smile was warmer and so were his eyes. “What do you recall from the messages?”
“Let’s see, battle born males are treated like shit by Rodyte society, but they have dormant magic inside them.”
“True and true. Anything else?”
“For some reason ‘bonding’ with a human female will give you access to your magic. If General Nox explained how it works, I don’t remember.”
“He only said the specifics would be explained to any female willing to participate in the program.” He lightly touched the small of her back, guiding her toward a ship on their left.
The simple contact sent shivers up and down her spine. Even through her clothes, his hand felt large and incredibly warm. “That’s about all I remember. Will you fill in the blanks now?”
“After we’ve spoken with Milanni. This is the Destroyer.”
She looked at the ship he’d indicated and felt her eyes round. Larger and meaner looking than the other ships, the Destroyer was clearly equipped for its stated purpose, destruction. Row upon row of weapons lined every visible angle of the ship’s exterior. What had Milanni done to be held aboard such a combative ship? Or was she a member of the crew? Questions flooded Lexie’s mind, but the promised conversation would likely answer many of them. It made more sense to wait until after the interrogation to pester him.
They entered the ship through a simple gangway, but immediately hit a security checkpoint. These Rodytes certainly took safety seriously. Kaden led her down one corridor and then another. Again the passageways were rounded, like tunnels rather than hallways. And the deck was coarsely textured, which made her footing more secure. There seemed to be more people aboard the Destroyer than there had been on Kaden’s ship. Not that she’d seen much of Kaden’s ship. Still, every man they encountered immediately averted his face and hugged the wall until they passed. Was that expected behavior or was Kaden signaling them in some way she couldn’t detect?
Another security checkpoint led them to a large open room. Three small cells had been created with transparent energy fields. Two of the compartments were in opposite corners of the room, the third near the center. The inhabitants of the cells were clearly not allowed to exit and the open arrangement allowed none of them anything resembling privacy.
“Is this the brig?”
“We call it the detention center,” Kaden told her, “but the purpose is the same.”
She nodded, hesitating near the door. The three occupants stared at them with cold, assessing eyes. Kaden seemed satisfied with their containment, but she would have felt more comfortable if something solid separated her from the detainees. “There’s a lot of wasted space.”
He smiled, clearly realizing she was stalling. “The entire room is one big grid. Cells can be erected and arranged according to the needs of the security staff. They can leave the cells transparent or increase the density of the fields to create complete isolation.”
“What did they do?” Reluctantly, she followed him across the room.
“That’s Quinton Keire, our planet’s deposed leader.” He pointed to the thin male in one corner.
Deposed planetary leader? The battle born had staged a military coup on their home world? He didn’t give her time to reply before he went on to the next inhabitant.
“That’s a member of the crew. Probably started a fight.” He indicated the man near the center. “And that’s Milanni.” He nodded toward the female in the opposite corner from the deposed leader.
Lexie focused on the female. She was dressed in a gray-blue outfit similar to human scrubs. The bright green rings in her eyes were visible from halfway across the room and her short, spiky hair was tipped in the same vivid color. “What did she do?”
They were almost to her cell but Kaden answered. “She killed someone. It was more or less an accident, but the man’s still dead.”
Milanni sat on her bunk, back pressed against the perimeter wall. She looked at Lexie then smiled at Kaden. “Did you bring me a roommate?”
“I’ll help keep her warm,” the crewman offered with a leering smile.
“Security, activate privacy dampeners for cells two and three.” There was no verbal response to Kaden’s order, but suddenly the energy field surrounding the two men became opaque.
“That wasn’t nice,” Milanni muttered. “Watching each other misbehave is our only entertainment.”
“I’m not here to entertain you. I’m here to barter. Give me the location of the Relentless and I’ll turn you lose.”
She didn’t seem surprised by the offer much less impressed. Apparently, they’d had this conversation before. “Without my ship or any form of currency, I have nowhere to go. The Integration Guild wants me dead and so does Tandori Tribe.”
“You’re ship belongs to the Integration Guild. There’s nothing I can do to change that.”
“There’s nothing you will do about that,” she countered with a glare. “As Quinton’s incarceration proves, the battle born can do anything they choose.” Then her hostile gaze shifted to Lexie. “Who’s your friend?”
“Her sister might be one of Fyran’s captives.”
Lexie gasped and grabbed his arm. “They’ve taken more than one? Who is Fyran? Why are they…never mind. I know why.” She faced Milanni directly, tears burning behind her lashes. “I don’t have a lot of money, but I’ll give you everything I have.”
“Oh, she’s adorable, Kaden.” No one could have missed the sarcasm in her tone. “Where’d you find her? College campus? Local high school? You’re even carrying her books.” She motioned toward the backpack. “That’s so sweet.”
“Drop the attitude or I’m gone,” he snapped.
Her features gradually froze into an emotionless mask, except for the bitterness smoldering in her dark eyes. “Why is this suddenly more important than it was last week? I’m not the one who walked out on our negotiation.”
“Her sister was taken eleven days ago,” Kaden told Milanni. “That would have been four days before your alleged escape. Were any new females captured shortly before your departure?”
Pity softened Milanni’s gaze as she looked at Lexie. “Sorry, doll. All the girls I saw were there longer than that.” Then her eyes widened and she swung her legs over the side of the bunk. “No, wait, there was one. I forgot about Fyran’s private pet. He always—”
“This is a waste of time.” He motioned Lexie toward the door.
“Wait!” Milanni rushed toward the energy field, making the barrier hum. “Is she pretty? Early twenties, with blonde hair and blue eyes?”
“She’s guessing,” Kaden dismissed.
“I only saw her once, so I’m not sure when she arrived. But Fyran has a thing for blondes. He always keeps the pretty ones for himself, never lets his men play with them until he’s tired of…shit, I’m sorry.”
Anguish and guilt slammed into Lexie like an avalanche. She covered her mouth with her hand and blinked furiously, but nothing could stem her angry tears. Strong arms enfolded her, drawing her toward something warm and solid. She buried her face against Kaden’s chest and released her breath in a harsh sob.
She hadn’t allowed herself to cry since the night Libby was taken. She’d focused entirely on finding Libby and used determination to drive back the pain. But hearing Milanni discuss it all so casually had shattered her protective numbness. It left her emotions raw and exposed.
“Don’t listen to her,” he advised, stroking the back of her hair. “She’s trying to make herself relevant.”
Lexie pushed back far enough to look into his face. She took a deep breath and forced down the worst of her feelings. Hysterics accomplished nothing. She had to be strong for Libby. “But the description fits. Libby is in her twenties with blonde hair and big blue eyes. And she’s more than just pretty, she’s movie star beautiful.”
With his arm still around Lexie’s shoulders, he turned back to Milanni. “You swore you couldn’t help us before, tha
t you didn’t know how to locate the Relentless.”
She shrugged, yet rebellion blazed in her eyes. “Something tells me your motivation to ‘barter’ is stronger now. You might finally make it worth my while.” She looked at Lexie, eyebrows raised, then returned her gaze to Kaden.
“Can you find the Relentless or not?” His voice sounded tight, as if he was clenching his teeth.
“How was I going to give Fyran the transformation formula if I couldn’t locate the ship?” She rolled her eyes then returned to the bunk and sat down.
Kaden had said Milanni killed someone, but apparently that wasn’t her only crime. It sounded like she also attempted to steal whatever the Rodytes used to release their magic. Unless they had more than one transformation program, which seemed unlikely.
“You’ve told us so many different stories.” Kaden crossed his arms over his chest, clearly out of patience for Milanni. “How am I supposed to know what’s true?”
“If I lie to you now, Garin will kill me. His mate has wanted me dead all along.”
“What do you expect?” he snapped. “You killed her father.”
“That wasn’t my fault and you know it.”
Kaden didn’t argue with her claim. Instead, he asked, “What do you want in exchange for the information?”
Without pause, Milanni listed her demands. “If you can’t give me back my ship, then I want safe passage aboard a ship of my choice to a destination of my choosing. I also want enough untraceable credits to start a new life.”
“After we’ve located the Relentless and rescued the human captives,” he countered.
She shook her head. “I’ll wait until you verify the ship’s location, but the rest has nothing to do with me.”
He stared at Milanni silently while his hand slid up and down Lexie’s back. “Where do you want to go and who do you trust to take you there?”
“There’s a mercenary named Rex Dravon.”
“I know of him.” Kaden didn’t sound pleased by the suggestion.
“I want him and I’ll only tell him where to take me.”
“He’ll expect payment. Dravon doesn’t do anything out of the goodness of his heart.”
Again, she shrugged. “Not my problem. If you want the location of the Relentless, you’ll give Rex whatever he wants.”
Kaden sighed and lowered his arm. “I can’t authorize those concessions. I’ll have to ask Raylon.”
Interest sparked in Milanni’s expression. “Raylon, not Garin? Has something happened to the dashing General Nox?”
“Hate to disappoint you. Garin’s alive and well. He’s just dealing with other concerns right now.”
“What other concerns? The battle born have never been closer to achieving their goals. What could possibly be more important than finishing the job?”
Kaden just smiled. “I’ll let you know what Raylon says.” Then he turned, preparing to escort Lexie from the room.
“Are you going to tell her why she’s really here or just wait until mating fever does the work for you?”
Tension rolled across his shoulders, but he didn’t turn back around. “Let’s go.”
Lexie’s heart fluttered as she followed Kaden from the detention center. She had so many questions she wasn’t sure where to start. No, Milanni’s parting shot needed to be addressed before they moved on to broader issues. “What did she mean? Why am I ‘really here’? What the hell is mating fever?”
He hurried her off the Destroyer before he replied. “Humans can mate with whomever they choose, but Rodytes must find a genetically compatible partner before they can form a mating bond. Without the bond, Rodytes cannot produce children.”
“Isn’t this mating bond what allows you to access your magic? I know General Nox said something about bonding.”
“It’s part of the process, but the transformation program is separate from the spontaneous connection Milanni mentioned.”
She looked up and down the busy concourse. Did they need to go somewhere private to finish this conversation? He didn’t seem in a hurry to relocate, so she lowered her voice and moved a bit closer. “What does Rodyte breeding have to do with me?” Any kind of “breeding” program made her intensely uncomfortable, yet the thought of touching and being touched by Kaden sent tingling heat washing over her body.
“Rodyte males can detect a potential mate by scent.” He paused and an odd intensity ignited within his eyes. “I’m relatively sure you and I are genetically compatible.”
“Seriously?” She tried to convince herself he was full of shit, but she’d been wondering what was causing the odd attraction ever since he stepped onto the shuttle. Even now she felt anxious and restless, as if she were hungry for something she’d never tasted before. “And mating fever? Does that mean what I think it means?”
He nodded, his gaze locked with hers. “When potential mates encounter each other, their bodies release chemicals, endorphins and hormones, that amplify their natural attraction. That part is important. If there’s no natural attraction to amplify, they won’t feel the pull even if they’re genetically compatible.”
“The pull? Is that the same as mating fever?”
Again, he nodded. “The pull urges a couple to bond. It’s nature’s way of ensuring that the species survives.”
“But I’m not Rodyte.” She had no idea where she was going, but she started walking again. Just because they could form a mating bond, didn’t mean they should or would. She loved children and wanted several of her own, but not right now.
And not with an alien!
Kaden hurried after Lexie, her backpack bumping against his side. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He caught her upper arm, drawing her to a stop.
“I’m not frightened,” she insisted, turning around. “I’m confused.”
She licked her lips as she looked up at him and Kaden’s attention shifted to her mouth. Gods, how he wanted to kiss her. But kissing her would unleash the pull in her. Then neither of them would be able to keep their hands off each other. The last thing he needed right now was a combative mate distracting and challenging him.
He forced his thoughts back to the subject at hand. “What remains unclear?”
“All of it,” she cried. “We’re not even the same species. How can you be my mate?”
“Humans and Rodytes are frequently compatible. As I said before, several of my close friends have bonded with human females. At first our geneticists thought we shared a common ancestor, but further research revealed that human DNA is unusually resilient. It adapts well when combined with other species. It’s one of the reasons we’ve continued to study your world.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
He chuckled. Spirited females had always intrigued him and Lexie certainly qualified. “Mating fever can also make the female argumentative. She challenges her mate, inviting him to prove his strength and ability to protect her. She won’t surrender if he’s not strong enough to tame her.”
She looked off into the distance, refusing to meet his gaze. “Please don’t take this personally, but I’m not interested in acquiring a mate right now.”
“Nor am I.” The assurance felt false while his instincts were urging him in the opposite direction. The timing might be horrendous, but he wanted a mate with every fiber of his being. Battle born males were isolated and controlled. Females weren’t forbidden, but it was nearly impossible to attract a female while consigned to a life of servitude and brutality. What female would want to share such a hollow existence? “The battle born are in the middle of a war for independence. I wouldn’t be able to give a potential mate the attention she deserves.” Unless she was directly involved in our cause as well. The thought was so tempting he almost missed her next comment.
“That didn’t keep your friends from claiming mates.” Her tone rang with challenge, but he didn’t rise to the bait. If he allowed her to provoke him, there was no way he’d be able to keep from kissing her, and likely a whole lot
more. He wanted her to ache for his touch and crave his taste. Despite all the rational reasons to wait, the dark, elemental part of his nature wanted to start their courtship immediately.
“General Nox has forbidden interaction with human females.” The reminder was more for him than her. “If I claimed you right now, I’d be court-martialed.” Hopefully, the fact that he hadn’t instigated contact would save him from Garin’s wrath. Besides, Garin’s youngest brother had inadvertently delivered Lexie to Lunar Nine. Garin couldn’t punish Kaden without punishing Zilor, and everyone knew Garin had a soft spot in his heart for his brothers.
Lexie searched his gaze for a moment in silence, then dismissed the topic with a stiff nod. “Tell me about Rex Dravon. Why did Milanni request him?”
“I don’t know him personally, but his reputation is…dubious.” Lexie had been headed in the wrong direction, so he steered her back toward the outpost as he answered her question. “The only loyalty he holds is to his crew and he’ll do most anything if the price is sufficient for the risk.”
“And can you offer him a price that’s ‘sufficient for the risk’?”
“I can’t.” He smiled. “But Raylon can.”
Raylon had spent many years as Garin’s personal enforcer. Raylon could be ruthless when the situation called for drastic action, but his reputation had evolved far beyond his actual deeds. His scarred face and cold eyes reinforced his reputation as a badass, so many were intimidated by him before he spoke one word.
“Why did General Nox delegate the rebellion to this Raylon person?”
Though her tone was casual, her persistent interest was starting to concern him. Many of her questions had nothing to do with rescuing her sister. Curiosity was natural, all of this was new to her. Still, he wasn’t sure he could trust her.
“Milanni doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” he grumbled.
“Milanni didn’t say that. You did.”
He glanced at her then away. How much should he tell her? Her loyalty had yet to be proven. If she wasn’t a potential mate, he wouldn’t have told her anything. But when their courtship began—and he already knew it would begin—he wanted her to understand the society that had created the battle born and all the challenges they were overcoming. “We’re called battle born because our mothers were prisoners of war. The practice has been abandoned, thank the gods, but it left behind an entire generation of mixed-race children who are scorned by the elite of our society.”
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