Helion

by Olivia March

  Gwen was adjusting Evie’s position against her chest when she suddenly heard a loud roaring sound and with a sinking heart she just knew it had to be Helion. The sound resonated with a level of rage that seemed unlikely for such a cold creature and it froze the blood in her veins. He’d discovered they were missing and she hadn’t gotten nearly far enough away to escape his wrath. She’d barely begun her escape. There was no way she could outrun him this close, not with that freaky lightstep thing they did. Her only option now was to hide and pray he didn’t find them.

  The gas station beckoned, her only hope. Hugging Evie close, she broke into a run for the building, relieved to find the door unlocked. A frantic search for a hiding place revealed only a small back office with a desk she could crouch under with her daughter. It was more than a little obvious but she had no other choices. Another moment saw the duffel tossed beneath the desk before Gwen crouched under there with it. For a while she didn’t even dare to breathe, fear and adrenaline making it impossible.

  Though not a praying woman, Gwen nevertheless stuttered out a few Hail Marys, so desperate was she to come away from the night unscathed. She didn’t believe Helion would go so far as to kill her for her defiance but she really didn’t want to find out what else he might do.

  Chapter Ten

  “You’re pushing a hard pace tonight, Commander,” teased Mithrain, easily matching his lightstep to Helion’s. “Is there some particular reason we’re returning to base camp with such haste?”

  Helion eyed Mithrain impassively but did not reply. Over the last three days they’d killed thousands of Scourge, successful missions on all counts. But the entire time he’d been occupied with thoughts of the girl. He wondered if she was resting as ordered, if she was eating enough, if she had everything she needed for herself and the baby. He also wondered how she’d feel under his hands, how she’d taste on his tongue, how she’d grip him when he thrust inside her. His thoughts were so obsessively sexual that the things he wanted to do to her would probably terrify her if she knew.

  There was nothing to stop him from taking her. She’d been so terrified of him at first it seemed unlikely she’d be interested. But that had changed very quickly. He’d smelled her wet heat when he’d first disrobed in the tent and knew she desired him. Keepers were larger than human males, in all aspects, but joining their bodies could be done. No doubt his passion would overwhelm her, at least at first. But he sensed fire in Gwen, the capacity to meet his passion with an equal amount of her own, and he wanted to be consumed.

  Although eager to return and gauge Gwen’s current level of resistance to a liaison, that wasn’t why Helion was in such a rush. Verdun had checked in with him daily through their mind link to report on how Gwen and the child were doing. The reports had so far been good but the update a couple hours ago had been…hesitant. Verdun indicated Gwen seemed nervous and on edge. She’d also slept more during the day and eaten more than usual. Helion wanted to believe nothing was amiss, that Gwen wouldn’t be foolish enough to attempt an escape, but he had a bad feeling. If she did do something so foolish, he would make good on his promise to punish her. There was no place on this backwater planet she’d be able to hide.

  And just as they lightstepped within a few miles of the camp, he got a message from Verdun.

  “She’s gone.”

  That was all. And Helion’s rage shattered the quiet of the night with a roar. He lightstepped even faster toward camp, putting on a burst of speed to arrive and move on to capture his prey.

  “Nefarion, my tent, now!” he commanded his shadow Keeper through the mind link. The bastard took his time arriving at Helion’s tent and had the nerve to be hale, uninjured and unimpaired. Had he been any of those things, Helion might have been tempted to restrain the urge to kill the bastard. But he was fine, and about to die.

  “Verdun has informed me of the woman’s escape, Nefarion. The woman I set you to watch has slipped away from camp. Explain yourself.”

  “I followed the girl as you instructed, Commander. She hasn’t gotten far in any case. When she heard your…call, she immediately went to ground in an abandoned shop just a couple of miles from here.”

  The Keeper stood tall, unafraid of Helion’s simmering temper. He was a prince in his own right, of the Shadow Keepers of Balruin. He’d pledged his sword under Helion’s command but clearly wasn’t intimidated by him. Everything about this Shadow Keeper annoyed Helion, from the top of his obsidian hair to the tips of his black boots. And right now he wouldn’t mind blacking both of Nefarion’s eyes.

  “When you saw she was sneaking out of the camp, why didn’t you stop her?” Helion asked through gritted teeth. He still couldn’t believe she’d actually done it. Disobeyed him, left the camp where she’d been safe and well taken care of. What sort of woman left such a cozy situation to return to being cold and hungry and constantly under threat of torture and death? Why would she do such a thing?

  “You told me to follow the woman and report any suspicious behavior. And that I have done. You did not order me to interfere.”

  Truthfully it seemed disobeying Helion brought endless pleasure for Nefarion. It had to, because the shadow bastard defied him as often as possible, in all manner of ways. Helion fought the urge to run Nefarion through with his sword. A prince of the Shadow Keepers he might be but he was in need of a lesson about who was in charge here. He could not deny, though, that his orders had been followed to the letter, if not the intent. Knowing Nefarion’s love for making Helion’s life difficult, he should have been more specific. But in truth he’d really believed the threat of punishment would keep Gwen from attempting to leave. She had a lot more gumption than he’d given her credit for. That pleased him but it wouldn’t save her from punishment.

  “Very well. You will lead me to her hiding place then. I will retrieve her and the child myself,” he replied coldly, striding toward the forest. He passed a subdued Verdun and called back to him, “Wait for me in my tent, Verdun. You’ll be taking care of the girl child tonight.”

  “My lord Commander, stop!”

  Helion jerked to a halt at Mithrain’s call. He was impatient to get that disobedient female back to the camp and didn’t appreciate the delay but he called up a thread of patience.

  “What is it, Mithrain?”

  “My Lord, you need to make haste to retrieve the woman,” Mithrain replied, looking uneasy. His gray eyes stared off in the distance and Helion felt a tingle of foreboding skate down his spine.

  “Scourge approach, my Lord, from the north. A great company of Scourge, at least two thousand. They appear to be marching straight toward our camp.”

  Helion stilled. No Scourge could see where Keepers set up their base camps. The shielding talent and technology of Bevirian Keepers made all the Keeper military camps invisible to any but other Keepers. The only way two battalions of Scourge could be marching to their exact location was if someone had told them exactly where to go. A traitor.

  Helion’s thoughts immediately jumped to Gwen and her escape. For a moment he let suspicion have free rein. Had she been in on this attack? Given away the location of the camp? The Scourge knew how much Keepers revered females. Could she have been a plant? Rage threatened to consume him, but rationality eventually won. The truth was this woman hadn’t wanted to come to their camp. And Scourge in general didn’t have the self-control to manipulate such an elaborate scheme, especially since helpless women were irresistible lures to their bloodlust and desire to possess. Which meant the woman had once again put herself in harm’s way. Foolish female.

  “How long until the Scourge reach camp, Mithrain?” he asked sharply.

  “An hour, sir…maybe less.”

  “Very well. Mithrain, Nefarion, you’re with me. Tohran, link to Commander Melithan and tell him we need him to reinforce us. Get everyone prepared for battle. We will return shortly.”

  With that he lightstepped north, in the direction Nefarion had indicated Gwen had taken. Lady help her w
hen he caught up with her.

  * * * * *

  So, the Commander had figured out the Scourge were coming sooner than he’d wanted. His original plan to distract Mithrain, the camp’s only sensor, so the two battalions of Scourge could catch Helion and his men unprepared was now useless. Thanks to that human woman and her disobedience, Helion not only knew about the threat but had called for reinforcements. Helion had plenty of time to get more help and arm his troops for the battle. The woman would pay for that. The Scourge on their way would no doubt be slaughtered now and his employer would be very displeased. He needed to deliver Helion’s head on a platter or instead of getting his credits it could be his own head on the block.

  Ah well, he’d just have to look for another opportunity, as soon as he could. Two Scourge battalions were a small price to pay to keep his cover intact. He dared not try to warn them Helion was on to them. It was much better to just sacrifice these pawns and consider his next move. He’d make sure to deal with the woman before he attempted another attack on Helion and his men, and that meddlesome Mithrain as well. Neither of them would get the opportunity to interfere with his plans again.

  Chapter Eleven

  The suspense was driving Gwen insane. It’d been maybe ten minutes since she’d heard Helion’s roar but it felt like hours. She was cramped and sweating under the desk, waiting for the moment the Commander would storm in and inflict the promised punishment. Best-case scenario he would decide they weren’t worth his trouble and not pursue them. And she refused outright to acknowledge she’d be a little disappointed if he did go for that option. But the larger, smarter part of her brain feared the worst-case scenario, that Helion would come and force her to endure something horribly painful or embarrassing.

  A few more minutes passed and still nothing. Gwen couldn’t hear anything except her own too-rapid breathing. Soon it became too much to continue crouching, the nearby window tempting her to take a peek, to see with her own eyes if anyone was outside. But just as she was about to sneak out and take a look, she heard a sound. It was so faint she could almost believe she’d imagined it. But it was a sound she remembered all too well, the slight whoosh of air that heralded the arrival of a lightstepping Keeper. And with that sound came the quick death of her hopes to escape this night.

  “Don’t make me drag you out of there, Gwen. Get up and face me. Now.”

  The words dripped with ice and Gwen’s heart pitched into her throat. Helion had come personally to fetch her and he sounded beyond pissed. She was so dead. It was tempting to stay where she was but her father used to say her punishments would be more severe if she made him come get her. Gwen had no doubt Helion would apply that same principle right now, with his rage clear in his voice. So she reluctantly pushed out the duffel and followed it, holding Evie close as she climbed awkwardly to her feet.

  The small office seemed far too tiny to contain Helion. In his rage he looked even taller and broader and icier than usual. He was also flanked by two of his men. Mithrain she recognized but the other was the mysterious shadow creature whose name she did not know. Not that it mattered—she probably wouldn’t live long enough to figure out what made that one tick.

  “Nefarion, take her belongings back to camp. Mithrain, you will deliver the child to Verdun’s hands and his only. Unwrap the little one and hand her over, Gwen.”

  It was madness to defy Helion when he was like this but Gwen couldn’t stop the instinctive protest that rose to her lips.

  “No, I won’t let you take my child from me. She’s all I have in the world. You have no right to separate us!” She clutched her little girl harder and struggled not to cry. He just couldn’t take her daughter away—that was the worst sort of cruelty.

  A muscle twitched in Helion’s jaw but he stood implacable. If he was swayed at all by her tears, he didn’t show it.

  “If you cared at all for that child in your arms, you never would have left the safety of the camp. Give her to Mithrain now, woman, or I’ll come get her myself.”

  The tears did fall now. She had no doubt Helion would do exactly as he threatened and rip Evelyn from her clinging arms without a shred of remorse.

  “Will I see her again?” she asked, her voice a mere whisper of sound, the pain of the coming separation driving fear and anxiety into her heart. She saw Helion’s face harden even further with the question. His eyes, already glowing with ire, burned so bright she felt singed.

  “You will see her when your punishment has been delivered and not a moment sooner. Hand her to Mithrain now. I won’t tell you again.”

  That last command was delivered softly but the threat in the words increased. His eyes were daring Gwen to defy him again in front of his men. And she didn’t have the courage to do so. She believed him when he said Evie would be returned. But if he planned to beat her, she’d be in no shape to care for her. Verdun had been kind to Evie. Gwen could only hope he’d be good enough to stand in while she recovered from her punishment.

  Reluctantly she unwrapped her sweet girl and handed her gently to Mithrain, whose expression revealed a sympathy she couldn’t look at closely or she’d just fall apart. He cradled Evie gently, bowed to Helion and left the room. The other Keeper didn’t spare her a glance at all as he grabbed their things and left, leaving Gwen in the room with the last person in the world she wanted to be alone with. Gwen watched Helion warily, scared of how still he stood, how tight his jaw clenched with his rage.

  “You, human, provoke more emotions in me than I’ve experienced in centuries. You holed yourself up with your little daughter in this room? A room with one door and no other means of escape? Again. Perhaps you’d like to explain why you did this foolish thing? It won’t spare you the punishment you’ve earned but there’s a chance it might temper me if your reasons are good.”

  “We don’t belong in that camp, Commander. Even if you do clear the city of Scourge, it still won’t be safe for us. There’s no structure anymore, no law enforcement, no civilization. Humans are as dangerous to me and Evie as the beasts are. I can’t get used to having your protection and these luxuries when in the end we’ll be on our own again, trying to scrape for survival. It’s better for me to take my daughter and find some place to survive this nightmare on our own.”

  Gwen lifted her chin as she said this, trying to assert her independence to Helion, to convince him she was right. Too bad the effect was ruined by her clenched hands and shaking legs. They kind of spoiled her attempts to be forceful. It also didn’t help that she doubted her own conviction in the matter.

  “Let me see if I understand you. You took your daughter away from the safety of the camp because someday in the future you believe I’ll throw you both out in the cold to deal alone with the perils your world now faces? Did I not promise to find you a safe place before I released you from my care?”

  His voice was soft again but Gwen wasn’t fooled. She’d called his honor into question and Helion was a prideful man.

  “Yes, but you also said you would—” She stopped there, lacking the courage to continue.

  “I said I would what?” he asked forcefully, his eyes narrowed.

  “You said you would…would…take me when you came back from your mission, that my time would be up then. Even though I told you no!” She blurted this out quickly, her face on fire.

  At first nothing happened but then Helion’s eyes widened incredulously, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. Then they snapped together until only gleaming slits remained and his entire body began to vibrate with barely restrained temper.

  “Are you telling me you really left the camp because you believed I intended to take you by force when I returned?”

  At this point Gwen knew she should have kept her mouth shut about his sexual threat and just left it at her first excuse. The anger and outrage on Helion’s face was a terrifying sight. But she’d seen his gaze tracking her body and knew any minute his clear interest would spark her own. And she remembered quite well how he said
he’d react if he scented her getting wet. His rage was already her cross to bear. She didn’t want to add his lust.

  But the anger pouring off him now was a clear sign she’d made a mistake. Trying to deflect his lust by accusing him of dishonorable intentions was not her brightest moment. Whereas at first he’d just seemed enraged at her defiance, now outrage was screaming from the top of his head to the tips of his boots. But in for a penny in for a pound, right?

  “You said if you smelled desire on me, it would provoke you to take me. Just being aroused doesn’t mean I’m consenting! How would you even know if you were the one causing the arousal? There are hundreds of Keepers in camp I could get turned-on by. So yes, I left to avoid being molested by you!”

  Anger and fear pushed those words out of her mouth. They weren’t even remotely true. Helion had been the only Keeper she’d noticed sexually at all since she’d met them. But her attraction to him was not a welcome one. And even though she’d told him so, he remained determined to change her mind, a mind that was already overwhelmed by temptation every time she saw him.

  Helion became eerily still after that last comment. Just when she thought he was going to fracture into a thousand icy pieces, he finally broke the deafening silence.

  “Bend over the desk.”

  Gwen stared at him, shocked. That wasn’t what she’d expected him to say. She watched him warily now and made no attempt to obey. Whatever his reason for the command, it couldn’t be good. She stared at him, her eyes asking the question.