“I understand isolation better than most.”
She looked at him and smiled, yet sadness still shadowed her gaze. “I suppose you do.”
For a long tense moment they just stared at each other. He wanted to touch her, wanted to find the subject or phrase that would shatter her misconceptions and make her receptive to the attraction pulsing between them. His blunder in the shower was infuriating. Yes he recognized her scent and even more so her taste, but she was worlds away from ready to accept what he sensed. They were enemies. How could they possibly be mates?
“Why did you come to Earth?” She whispered the question as if she were afraid of breaking the spell.
“You know why.”
“I know what the report says, what Lor and the others have told me. I want to hear it from you. What brought you to Earth? What were you hoping to accomplish?”
He sighed and dragged his gaze away from hers. He’d told her enough already and there was so much he was forbidden to say. If she didn’t believe that he was trying to find a new start for his men, then no amount of detail would change her mind.
Her small, cold hand touched his arm and he shivered. “I really want to know. What made you put your trust in Sevrin?”
“I never trusted Sevrin,” he snapped then clenched his teeth. “The Overlord reluctantly took us into the ranks of his soldiers, but most of us are part Rodyte. Ontarians will never trust Rodytes, never really accept them.”
“Go on. What did you do?”
“I started looking for somewhere else to take my tribe, somewhere we could really call home.”
“What’s wrong with Rodymia? You said most of your men are at least part Rodyte.”
“At the moment Rodymia is ruled by Sevrin’s kin. Need I say more?”
“I suppose not.”
“If that changes, I might reconsider. Rodymia is the obvious choice in many ways.”
He would be happy to share his thoughts and explain his actions if her interest were real. But others were protected by the secrets he kept and he couldn’t help thinking she was playing an angle, trying to manipulate him in some way. Still, he was tired of lies, so he told her a stripped-down version of the truth constructed around several significant omissions. “Sevrin’s promises were wild and wonderful. I knew Rodytes had been manipulating DNA for centuries, so I needed to find out how much of what she told us was true. I warned the other alpha hunters not to trust her and to verify everything she said.”
“They didn’t listen to your warnings?”
“They wanted it to be real badly enough that they turned a blind eye to everything else. It didn’t matter that we were Sevrin’s prisoners and that their females were dying.”
“Why didn’t you stop it?” She kept accusation from showing on her face, but it sharpened her tone. “If you knew about the victims, why let it go on?”
“I was gathering evidence against her just like Lor. I was about to turn everything over to him when Sevrin announced we were moving.”
“That would have been a good time to turn yourself in,” she pointed out.
“No it wasn’t. I’d convinced Flynn to spy on her for me.” He scoffed then shook his head. “Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who took advantage of Flynn’s weaknesses.”
“None of that explains why you didn’t shut her down.”
“I wasn’t in a position to ‘shut her down’, but I was determined to get myself into that position. I pissed her off hoping she’d punish my entire team. I needed them not to hunt, but I couldn’t explain why my attitude had suddenly changed or it would have made Sevrin even more suspicious.”
“Did it work? Did she forbid your team from hunting?”
She was firing off questions like a seasoned interrogator, not giving him time to concoct lies. “Yes. And during the move no one hunted, so no one was in danger. The lull gave me time to try to find her new headquarters.”
“Did you find it?” Now her tone was tinged with challenge.
“No. Which was why I didn’t turn myself in. We were your only link to Sevrin. If the Mystic Militia rounded up all the Shadow Assassins, Lor would have abolished any hope he had of finding Sevrin. And Sevrin was the real villain whether anyone on Ontariese wants to admit it or not.”
“They’re not as oblivious as you presume. But it doesn’t change the fact that Shadow Assassins kidnapped human females and those females ended up dead.”
“I agree. Those particular hunters must be punished, but none of them are on my team.”
“No one on Team South hunted the entire time you were here on Earth?” Her disbelief was obvious.
“I knew you wouldn’t believe me. This was a waste of breath.”
Morgan stared at Nazerel’s stubborn profile, not sure what he expected her to say. She wanted to believe him. God knew his story was compelling, but it also seemed a bit convenient. He didn’t trust people in authority, for obvious reasons. If half of what Varrik reported about the elders was true, it was a wonder Nazerel trusted anyone. So it wasn’t farfetched to believe that he’d try to go after Sevrin himself. The events supported his claim. Or his claim had been carefully crafted around the chain of events.
She sighed and drew her legs up closer to her chest. “Are we staying here all night? It’s already pretty cold?”
His gaze narrowed, the expression part glare, part speculation. “Do not move.”
She felt the terrifying weight settle over her muscles and then he flashed out of sight. Each breath was a tremendous effort and she couldn’t even blink her eyes. Suddenly, the sensation passed and strength flowed back into her body.
Holy shit. This was her chance to escape, meager though it might be. She scrambled to her feet and threw off the blanket—and Nazerel returned.
“I must really be tired if the compulsion wore off that quickly.” He moved the blankets out of the way and spread one of the sleeping bags he had bundled in his arms.
“You went to the campsite?”
He just smiled and continued to make their bed. He spread the sheet, the blanket, and finally the second sleeping bag. “This should keep us warm and snugly until morning.”
She was too cold and too frustrated to argue with him. Sitting on the edge of the makeshift bed, she pulled off her boots then crawled between the layers.
A few minutes later he crawled in behind her and pressed himself against her back. One of his arms slipped beneath her neck and the other encircled her waist. “Would you like me to put you to sleep? It could be a long night.”
“No,” she stressed. “Stay out of my head.”
He buried his face in her hair and inhaled.
I sense things, smell things, taste things no human can understand. The memory made her shiver and sent restless longing ricocheting through her body. Surely he hadn’t meant what it sounded like he meant.
“Cold?” He pulled her tighter against him, amplifying the heat coming off his big body.
“What did you mean?” She hadn’t meant to ask, but the question just slipped out.
He chuckled. “You’ll have to be a little more specific.”
“In the shower.” Anxiety tightened her throat and kept her from blurting anything else.
“You know what I meant.” He brushed her hair back and kissed the side of her neck. “I think you might even suspect I’m right. You’re just not ready to admit it.”
She rolled to her back and stared up at him, but the angle of the moon cast his face into deep shadow. All she could see was a faint blue glow coming from his eyes. “I’m attracted to you. As ridiculous as that is, I admit it. But that doesn’t mean—”
He pressed his index finger to her lips, stemming her flow of words. “You’re not ready. I accept that. You don’t need to say any more.”
She turned her head, dislodging his finger. “I will never be ready. Do you accept that?”
“I accept that you believe that at this point in time.”
“You’re impossible.” S
he rolled back to her side and tried to ignore him. It was the only viable option when he was in this mood.
“There are significant advantages for a human when they bond with a Rodyte, especially a Shadow Assassin.”
His tone was so light, so conversational that it made her smile. “Is that so?”
“Would you like to hear what they are?”
“Do I have a choice?”
He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “You can ignore me.”
She chuckled, amazed by how easily he changed gears. “We both know how well I do that.”
“Once the female’s physiology transforms, making her more compatible with the male, she also becomes compatible with his nanites.”
“How does that transformation take place? Does it happen with all Rodytes or just Shadow Assassins?” He’d piqued her curiosity. That was for sure. They were talking about the elusive ability that had originally drawn Sevrin’s attention.
“The transformation is more dramatic with us, but it happens with every Rodyte.”
“But how? What triggers the transformation?”
“Can’t you guess?” He rocked his hips, subtlety rubbing against her. “Each time the couple mates, they become more compatible, more unified.”
His lips brushed her neck, sending shivers down her spine. She swallowed hard and tried not to squirm. “And the nanites? What would they allow the females to do?”
“Nanites are what heals my injuries and eradicates illness. They would make you stronger and faster, healthier than—”
“We’re not talking about me,” she pointed out in a breathy rush. “We’re speaking in generalities.”
His arm slid up under her breasts, but he ignored her reminder. “You would live much longer than an ordinary human, as would our children.”
Their children? She wanted to laugh, but the image formed, clear and tempting within her mind. Sweet round faces with auburn hair and blue-ringed eyes. Why was it so easy to picture a future at his side?
Because he was a master seducer! He literally taught others how to wear down the emotional defenses of their captive mates. Her mind tripped over the last phrase as she waited for a rush of righteous indignation. The thought once filled her with disgust and sympathy for the victims, yet all she felt now was discontent. She wanted, needed, something she refused to name.
“I’m not going to mate with you just so I can live for two hundred years.”
“I wasn’t suggesting you should. I just thought you should know.”
She didn’t respond, had no idea what he wanted her to say. Instead, she shoved the troubling thoughts to the back of her mind and closed her eyes. She tried to relax. A cold breeze caressed her cheek, but her body was cocooned in warmth. Their bed was surprisingly comfortable and his strong arms held her securely. The rest of the world had never felt so far away. It was just her and Nazerel, no conflict, no danger. She felt safe—which was utterly irrational!
Her eyes flew open and she stared into the darkness. How in God’s creation could her enemy make her feel safe?
His tall form contoured to her back from neck to knees. He was just lying there, his breath teasing her hair. He wasn’t touching her or trying to arouse her and yet her body ached for his. She pressed her bound wrists against her chest, as her nipples tingled for no apparent reason. She wanted him to kiss her, to hold her down and make her feel all the things she’d felt in the tent. But that was even more irrational than feeling safe in his arms.
She was the queen of hopeless relationships. That was all this was. In the back of her mind she knew nothing meaningful could come from this, so her body went haywire.
“Your pulse is erratic.” His breath was warm on her neck and the arm at her waist slid up until it encountered her elbows. “What’s the matter?”
“You’re making me crazy and you know it.”
“I’m just lying here holding you.”
He was right. She was the one who couldn’t stop wiggling, rubbing against him and… “Are you doing this intentionally?”
“Doing what?”
She pressed her lips together, refusing to speak the words.
“Do you ache, sweet Morgan?” He moved his arm down to her hips and realigned their bodies so she could feel how hard he’d gotten. “I’m not ashamed to say it. I need you. I want to be inside you more than anything.”
She shook her head and tried to wiggle away as her body responded with a painful clench. “I can’t.”
“I know it’s too soon for what I want, but there is no reason for you to be miserable. Let me touch you. I’ll ease the ache. If you relax, then I’ll be able to relax as well.”
“No.” She glared at him over her shoulder. “I don’t need you to touch me. I need to be away from you.” She even managed to sound determined rather than desperate, and still he chuckled.
“If you say so.”
“Take me home. No one will expect that. I can’t tell them where you’re going because I don’t know.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“I can’t take any more of this,” she cried. “Just let me go.”
His arm tightened around her and his breath escaped in a long sigh. “I can’t, morautu. You know I can’t.”
“Why?” She tried to turn back around, but his arm tightened, keeping her in place. “I don’t understand why you’re being so stubborn.”
“Yes you do.” He pressed another kiss to the side of her neck.
If he meant to take her off-world, she was doomed. She could not allow that to happen. “Once you get your ‘insurance policy’ from Phil, you won’t need a hostage anymore. I am your hostage, Nazerel. That’s all I am.”
“Go to sleep.” A hint of impatience crept into his tone.
She lay perfectly still, afraid to provoke him, yet not even close to falling asleep. How had she ended up in this hopeless situation? She reviewed each decision, each move she’d made, trying to figure out what she’d done wrong. There were no glaring errors. She was simply outmatched and she’d been out maneuvered every step of the way.
Maybe if he fell asleep, she could slip away and and…and what? She didn’t have a flashlight much less a vehicle and Nazerel could hear her heartbeat. Tears of frustration gathered in her eyes and she furiously blinked them away. She couldn’t give up. She would not give up. There had to be something she could do, some tactic she’d yet to try.
His hand stroked up her arm and then his lips brushed against her ear. “Go to sleep.” When he whispered the words this time they were laced with gentle compulsion.
* * * * *
Phil was waiting for them in his tiny storefront bright and early the following morning. Disguised as a gritty pawn shop, the store was really just a cover for his interstellar trading, which had made him an extremely wealthy man. “This was not easy to come by, especially in the timeframe you gave me to do it.”
“But you have what I need?” Nazerel asked hopefully.
“I do.” He took a deep breath then blurted, “But my fee has doubled. I took significant risks and—”
“Done.” He triggered the transfer with his comlink.
Phil confirmed the transfer then handed him a memory stick. “This contains everything you requested. I also transmitted the information directly to your device. Please verify it before you leave. I always strive for complete satisfaction.”
Nazerel’s comlink chimed and he navigated to the file that had just downloaded. He scrolled through the lengthy report, stopping every so often to verify the content, then nodded. “It looks good. Did you keep a copy?”
“No. I want no part in any of that.” He sounded sincere, but Nazerel wasn’t sure he believed him. This information was extremely valuable and Phil was first and foremost a businessman. But any threat at this point would be bluster. Nazerel wasn’t sticking around long enough to enforce anything other than goodbye.
“As usual, it has been nice doing business with you.”
“Likewise.” For the first time since they met, Phil looked uncomfortable.
“I require a bit of privacy. May we exit through the back?”
“Of course.”
He grasped Morgan’s upper arm and dragged her through the shop. They emerged through the rear exit and found themselves in a tiny parking lot nestled between several buildings. Complete seclusion would have been better, but Nazerel was still regaining his strength after attempting to burn through the collar. This would have to do.
“Don’t do this.” She twisted her arm as she jerked against his hold. “There is no reason for you to take me with you. It makes no sense.”
He yanked her to him, her back pressed against his chest as he pulled energy into his body with his other hand. The ground vibrated and clouds rolled across the sky, making the area dark and hazy. Morgan went wild, thrashing and kicking like a trapped animal. He tightened his arm around her waist, but otherwise ignored her. Ontarian Mystics called this Summoning the Storm. He didn’t care what it was called as long as it brought him to his destination.
Multiple streaks of lightning flashed at exactly the same time. Wind gusted, rocking them forward then back. He raised his free hand and a slit formed directly in front of him. The opening widened as if someone were peeling back layers of space, creating a void in between the twin distortions. Inside the void bursts of color and light danced and darted against the darkness.
Morgan screamed, clawing at his forearm as her body trembled.
“Time to go,” he shouted over the roaring wind. Then he wrapped both arms around her and leapt into the interdimensional portal.
Chapter Seven
A mental ping warned Varrik of Lor’s telepathic approach. Rather than wait for Varrik to network with Echo, Lor simply sent his signal to them both. We have a name. No guarantee that he’s important, but he’s gone way out of his way to conceal his identity. Oh and he just appeared fourteen years ago. There’s no record of him at all before that.
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