Madness Unmasked

by ML Guida

  “You wouldn’t have to. I have this.” She lifted a thick branch that she obviously thought would deter the Gogs.

  Her proud voice pricked his paternal instincts. “Your weapon would have been the death of you.”

  She looked at the jungle. “As long as it was quick.”

  He didn’t like her dubious tone. “What do you mean?”

  “Promise me that if those things surround us and there’s no way to escape, you’ll kill me.” The gravity in her voice haunted him.

  He frowned. “Are you serious?”

  She nodded. Her unblinking stare unnerved him. “Yes, I am. I know it’s the coward way out, but I don’t want to be tortured or slowly eaten. I’d rather die.” She sighed and leaned back against the wall of the cave. “All I can think about is my poor sister and how she suffered.” Her gaze turned misty as if she’d gone far away. “Every night, I dream of that bastard sneaking into my high rise. I can smell his foul breath, hear my sister’s screams, and see the terror in her eyes… Then I wake up in a cold sweat. I’m back in my hotel, scared and shaking in my bed.” Her hands were trembling. She hid them behind her back. “I don’t want to be carved and diced up into tiny pieces or have my heart ripped out.”

  His gut clenched into a slab of shame. Damn you, Daidhl. “Is that what happened to your sister?”

  “Yes. The only good thing was that most of the mutilation happened after she was dead, but it doesn’t make the pain any easier.” She wiped away a tear and smiled sadly. “Lisa was more than a sister to me. She was one of my best friends, and now, she’s gone.”

  Guilt spliced into him. Her life had been ripped apart, because of Daidhl. Ysam would never be able to convince her that his brother wasn’t a monster. How could he ever convince her to allow him to put his brother’s Mating Stone in her sister’s ashes? “I’m sorry.”

  “Everyone is sorry, but being sorry doesn’t change anything.” She looked up at the morning sky. “What really gets me is that the stars and planets have always fascinated me. I always dreamed of exploring new worlds like on Star Trek.”

  “What’s Star Trek?”

  “A television program.” She gently put her palms on his cheeks. “Daidhl ruined all of that for me. Now, the only thing I want to do is go back to Earth. I don’t want to die on this planet, Ysam, or be killed by a hairy-one-eyed alien. I want to die on my own planet of natural causes.”

  The skin across his chest tightened. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

  “Except for the kidnapping,” she said drily.

  “I’m even sorry for that.” Hot tingles whooshed over his face. “But my people are dying.”

  “I understand your race is dying, because you can’t reproduce, but I think women should have a choice on whether they want to be mated with an alien or not. Kidnapping violates our rights.”

  “I get it, Kathy. Being an overgrown bully isn’t my idea of a hero, either.”

  “Then, why did you?” She cast him a sharp gaze that made him feel he was up on the witness stand being interrogated.

  “Because I have orders.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Please.” She drew at the word. “Orders can be broken.”

  He scowled. “Not if I want to be a member of the Orion. Captain Taog gave me an order and if I disobey him, I’ll never be a security officer.”

  “That’s your dream? To be a security officer?”

  Her scorn stroked his anger and he growled. “Don’t belittle my dream.”

  “I’m not belittling your dream. Why don’t you just ask Anonghos if you can be on his team?”

  He rolled off her lap, ignoring the sharp pain, and sat away from her. Her simplicity just fueled his frustration. “You don’t understand. I’m an Inquistian dragon. We’re supposed to do research and science. Only Bravians and Dominans dragons are ever appointed to the security team.” His bitterness cut into his tongue like sharp thorns.

  “Are you saying you have a caste system on Zalara?”

  “What’s a caste system?”

  “A caste system is where people are pigeon-holed into certain roles based on their birth. No matter what, they can’t move into another occupation or lifestyle.”

  He scratched his head. “I wouldn’t say we’re that rigid. On Zalara, you have to prove yourself to be worthy to be a member of the Orion. I could apply for a science officer job, but that’s no what I want to do.”

  “What’s wrong with being a science officer?” She tilted her head toward the cave. “Vaughn’s a science officer, and he saved your life.”

  “I’m grateful for what he did but being a science officer isn’t good enough for me. I watched my mother and sister vaporize before my eyes. Like you, I’ll never forget their screams or the terror in their eyes. Our scientists, including me, should have known what the Kamtrinians were planning and kept our women safe.”

  She squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry, Ysam. I really am.”

  “We were so busy protecting Earth that we weren’t prepared. Because of our negligence, all of our women are dead.”

  “So, you think a security officer would have stopped them for killing your mom and sister,” she asked softly.

  “Of course not. But I have always hated bullies and killers. I want to make sure my people and yours are never vulnerable again. I don’t want to be sitting behind a desk doing experiments or researching theories. I want to do something.”

  “And you don’t think doing research is helping people?” a gruff voice asked behind them.

  Ysam winced and turned to look at Vaughn’s angry and hurt face.

  “That’s not what I meant Vaughn. Research is important, but I want to do more.”

  “Raw strength isn’t going to get us out of here, my friend. We have that with us, and you’re badly wounded. The Gogs outweigh us in strength and brawn. We have to figure out how to repair the Intrepid or your ship to get out of here.” He marched past them and headed over to Tash who was talking with the security bears. “And that, my friend, takes brains.”

  Kathy smiled wearily. “You hurt his feelings.”

  Heat flushed over his cheeks and he squirmed, wishing he could take back his words. “I didn’t mean to.”

  “But you did.”

  “I understand that, Kathy.”

  She motioned with her hand. “Then, apologize to him.”

  He glared. “I can’t exactly walk just yet. I just had surgery.”

  Excuses. Dumb Excuses. But true excuses.

  “Fine. I’ll do it for you.” She stood and wiped her hands on her pants. “Plus, I want to know what their plan is.”

  His heart froze, then sped up. After the kidnapping, he never thought she’d speak to him, but now the woman was acting like his champion. No, not a champion––his defense attorney. “Kathy, I don’t need you to fight my battles,” he said softly.

  “God, men and egos.” She threw her hands up in the air. “I go half-way across the galaxy only to run into the same pride and arrogance.”

  He sat taller. “I’m not arrogant.”

  She smirked. “Sure, you’re not.”

  She walked down the embankment, carrying her stupid stick that would only piss off the Gogs. The sun’s rays highlighted the different subtle brown colors of her hair. Something he hadn’t noticed before.

  Her strides were long and determined, and her hips swayed back and forth when she moved. Fates, he respected her, but he loved to watch her sashay. She wasn’t the only one who needed to know what Tash and the other Arians plans were––he needed to be on the team.

  He put his shaking hand on the rugged wall and slowly forced his wobbly legs to move, very carefully. Sharp pain throbbed in his chest as if he’d been stabbed with eighty spears.

  He leaned against the wall until the pain was manageable. He needed time to heal, but time was a luxury. Drawing on his sheer will, he slowly walked down the hill to the little group huddled together a stone’s throw from the jungle.

&n
bsp; “Tash, that’s suicide,” Vaughn growled. “You’ll be killed.”

  “Does it really matter?” Tash folded his arms across his massive chest. “We’re all being picked off one-by-one. We have to get to the Intrepid and make repairs or knock out their shield generator so we can use the radio tower and communicate off planet. Those are our only two chances of survival.”

  “What tower?” Ysam shuffled closer.

  Tash glanced at him. “It’s on the other side of the jungle and heavily guarded.” The skin bunched around his eyes, and the scar down his cheek whitened. “I’ve sent Arains to try and dislodge it, but none of them came back except for one.” He kicked a stone so hard it rippled the purple-striped leaves off a nearby bush.

  Kathy’s eyes narrowed. “Who came back?”

  Tash looked at her curiously. “Nulc. Why?”

  “I was just wondering, that’s all.” But she wasn’t looking at Tash, she stared at Ysam as if she wanted him to read her mind.

  Something was up, but he’d no idea what. He sighed and turned away from her gaze. He was never good at reading women’s secret signals and always got them wrong. “Tash, tell me more about this tower.”

  Vaughn gestured toward the cave. “We need to talk inside where it’s safer and cooler.”

  The two suns rose higher in the sky and the humidity grew heavier, weighing on Ysam like a hot blanket. Not one single cloud offered any relief. Ysam’s temperature shot up, and he struggled to breathe, but he made his way up the hill without complaint.

  When they made it to the entrance to the cave, Tash led them to a group of large rocks that were set in a circle. Ysam wiped the sweat off his brow and gingerly sat next to Tash. “So, tell me about this tower.”

  “The tower sets on a cliff that is at least three hundred feet high and looks over the sea. Angry waves crash against the rugged rocks. The Gogs have guards posted around it. Even if we could climb the cliffs, we couldn’t defeat them.” He looked away toward the jungle. “But maybe if we had a decoy, we could draw them away from the tower long enough for us to set explosives.”

  Ysam shook his head. “That’s your plan? To sacrifice your self?”

  Tash snarled, the cords of his neck bulging. “I can’t stand and do nothing while my crew is murdered. I’m the captain. It’s my job to protect them.”

  “That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice yourself, Tash,” Vaughn said softly.

  “You don’t have to do this.” Ysam clasped Tash’s stiff shoulder. “I can do it.”

  Tash shook his head. “You’re still wounded.”

  “I’m a Zalarian.” Ysam dropped his hand and gave him a fixed stare. “I’m a fast healer.”

  Tash drew his brows together, his face tightening. A vein quivered underneath his scar. “When will you be able to fly?”

  “In a couple of days.”

  “We could all be dead in a couple of days,” Tash said. “We need to move soon.”

  “You’ll only get more of your men killed. We need to fortify the cave. If I’m outside the cave in dragon form, I can keep your people safe.” Ysam frowned. “Why haven’t the Gogs attacked?”

  Vaughn shrugged. “We don’t know. They seem to attack every seven days.”

  Kathy raised one slender eyebrow. “Ritual, perhaps?”

  Tash’s eyes glowed darker. “Or it takes them that long to eat one of us.”

  “How many days ago has it been since they last attacked?” Kathy asked.

  Vaughn sagged his shoulders. “Five days.”

  Ysam leaned over with his elbows on his knees. “But first take me to the cliff. Can we get there without anyone else being killed?”

  “Maybe.” Doubt and desperation flashed in Tash’s eyes. “Nulc made it out alive. He knows the way. But first, I need to discuss this with my officers.”

  Tash and Vaughn left and headed back to the cave where Arians were gathered talking and drinking.

  Kathy clasped Ysam’s arm. “Did you know I can see auras?”

  “No, but all of our designated mates have psychic powers, I just didn’t know which one you possessed.”

  “Oh.” She dropped her arm. “Well, there’s something not quite right going on here.”

  He lifted his eyebrow. “You mean besides getting eaten by aliens.”

  “Yes.” She peered around him nervously then lowered her voice. “I saw dark brown auras last night around Nucl and the other men after Dech and Walfea were captured.”

  Weariness was getting a grip on him and he didn’t want to play a game. “Okay, I’ll bite. What does this mean?”

  “Dark brown auras mean deception. I couldn’t tell who, but I’m beginning to suspect Nucl. I don’t think he’s telling the whole story about what happened to Dech and Walfea.”

  Ysam rubbed his forehead. Nucl hadn’t acted suspicious after he returned from the jungle. He seemed defeated that he hadn’t been able to save the two brothers. Ysam understood those feelings of frustrations only too well. “I think you’re imagining it.”

  “Excuse me?”

  Her haughty voice should have warned him he was going into dangerous territory. He dropped his hand and leaned back. “What would he gain by being deceitful? I think you’re just scared and overreacting.”

  Her eyes narrowed, and she lifted up her stupid branch.

  Wrong thing to say.

  “You’re lucky you’re wounded, Ysam. Otherwise, I’d bash this over your head for kidnapping me and telling me I am overreacting. My auras have never failed me except when it came to you.”

  With that, she jolted up and headed over to the entrance of the cave, leaving him alone, cussing himself for his own stupidity.

  Chapter 10

  Kathy flopped down on a rock. Her anger gripped her tighter than a hangman’s noose. Blood pumped madly inside her. She clutched the branch tightly. Ysam’s lucky she hadn’t hit him over the head. He was just like every overbearing detective or attorney or judge she’d ever faced in the courtroom.

  Except she hadn’t found herself kissing them.

  Overreacting was not in her repertoire of skills. As an attorney, she had to remain calm in a crisis if her client was going to trust her.

  But not her dragon. First he tried to seduce her with dancing, kidnapped her, then he doubted her ability to read auras. Not that she went around telling everyone she chose clients based on their auras, but this allowed her to defend the truly innocent. Sometimes her clients had been railroaded, but their innocence always shone through the darkness like a lighthouse beacon.

  Lately, back on Earth, she’d had trouble trusting her auras. Usually, she could make a definite decision, but since Lisa died, she second guessed herself. But with Nucl, the answer was clear. He was being deceitful, but she just wasn’t sure how.

  Ysam was wrong about Nucl. She knew it in her gut. The way he looked at her last night and then what happened on the Intrepid with overheating the engines… If Ysam wasn’t going to believe her, maybe Ryruc would.

  Shuffling footsteps crept toward her and she stiffened. She glanced over her shoulder.

  Ysam slowly made his way to the entrance. “Kathy, I want to talk to you.”

  As if she was going to listen to any more of his condescending comments. She got up, still holding onto her trusted branch and brushed past him to look for Ryruc. He reached for her, but she easily dodged his hand.

  Ryruc was talking quietly with his brothers and with some other Arians she didn’t know at the other end of the cave. She started in that direction, when Nucl quickly walked past them with his head down. Almost as if he didn’t want them to see him.

  Wasn’t he supposed to be an officer?

  “Nulc,” Tash called. “Where are you going? We need to talk about the plan.”

  Nucl clenched his fists and swore softly underneath his breath. Not loud enough for Tash to hear, but Kathy heard every word. “I’ll be vulking late, you asshole.”

  She froze. Before she could stop herself, she bl
urted. “Late? Late for what?”

  He narrowed his eyes and snarled. “That’s none of your business.”

  Her heart stopped. He flashed the same evil look he had last night.

  “Nulc,” Tasa called louder.

  Nulc’s gaze didn’t waver from Kathy. “I suggest you not say anything about what you heard. People have had a habit of disappearing around here.” In a split second, his evil vanished and his voice changed as he turned to face the crew. “Yes, Captain. I was just going to scout…”

  Tash shook his head. “Not until we have the plan down.”

  “Kathy.” A loud voice made her flinch. Ysam wobbled toward her. “Didn’t you hear me? I want to talk to you.”

  Nucl glanced over his shoulder, giving her a warning look. She couldn’t stop shaking.

  “What was that all about?” Ysam followed her gaze.

  “Nothing.” After the conference with the Arians, he’d been so condescending she knew he’d never believe that Nucl had threatened her.

  “Did you say something to Nucl?”

  She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He was accusing her? “No, I didn’t. If you’ll excuse me…”

  He clasped her arm gently. “We need to talk.”

  She broke free. “We don’t have anything to talk about. When we get off this planet, you’re taking me back to Earth. Period.”

  Probably not what Ysam had planned to do, but she wasn’t going to be a docile prisoner. Even as she said it, she thought about going back to all the humdrum men who never made her as angry or as passionate as Ysam did. Damn him.

  “Ysam,” Tash motioned. “Come here.”

  While the men were all huddled, Kathy stared at the ground, not sure what her next move should be. She shuffled her feet and reworked her conversation with Ryruc and Vaughn over and over again, but she wasn’t any closer to solving the riddle.

  Back on Earth, she would have bulldoze right in for the answers, but she wasn’t on Earth and wasn’t even around humans. She was around aliens.

  She hugged her middle. Standing here like a wall flower wasn’t going to get her anywhere. Clanking of bowls and the smell of roasting fire drew her attention to the back of the cave. Maybe she couldn’t get anything more from the men, but maybe she’d get better answers from the women.