Daria blushed with embarrassment as he rubbed the tattoo she'd gotten while she was in college. "Nothing."
He squeezed her toe and looked up at her. "Tell me."
His eyes mesmerized her and without hesitation she said, "A psychic at a fair predicted that someday I'd meet the other half of my soul. She said that love would be my only weapon."
Thorn grunted then stood up. "A female's weapon—love, deception, lies."
Daria wondered who had hurt him in the past then curious, she bent and examined the bands on her ankles. They felt wrong and she wanted them off. She pulled on one, it stretched slightly, then tightened again to a perfect fit. Astonished, she tried to stretch it enough to remove it and couldn't. She raised puzzled eyes to his then glanced at his armbands and stroked her hands over her upper arms.
He stepped away from her. "Take her to the brig, Aulunson."
"Yes, Commander."
Daria looked at him over her shoulder as Aulunson escorted her from the room. With each step away from him her anxiety grew until she felt paralyzed by it. Aulunson poked her in the back and she twisted away, turning back toward the Commander. He stood in the doorway watching her. She took a step toward him but Aulunson grabbed her arm and hauled her along the corridor and into the elevator. A soft cry of distress left her lips when two of his guards stepped in behind them blocking her view of the Commander.
She shook off Aulunson's arm and moved into the corner away from the warriors. She didn't know what was wrong with her but she couldn't seem to get a breath. As the elevator began to move, she wrapped her arms around herself and slowly inhaled. After several breaths she felt more in control. Aulunson reached for her and she jerked away. "There's no need to get rough, Aulunson. I'm not going anywhere."
"Except to the brig," he arrogantly told her.
"But, not for long," she shot back and grinned just to irritate him. "Commander Valanson will release me in the morning."
He laughed. "There's no way Commander Valanson will do that. He hates spies, especially female spies." Aulunson turned to his companions. "Do you think the Commander will release her in the morning?"
They shook their heads and sent her solemn looks.
Daria started to protest then she thought about the notes she'd taken from the Zarronian discs she'd watched and the information the boys had told her. She'd have to do some fast explaining if he found her notebook. Thankfully, she hadn't mentioned Dane and Dev. She didn't think the Commander would appreciate the fact that she'd used his sons as a source of information. No matter how innocently it had been done.
The elevator doors slid open and Aulunson led her to another room with the two guards behind her. Once inside he pointed to a small room at the far end and shoved her into it. It was very similar to a jail cell on Earth except there weren't any bars. There was a bunk and an opening in the far wall that led into a small bathing chamber. Smiling, she turned around and faced him.
"Just like home," she said, wiping the smug grin off his face.
He reached over to the wall and activated a switch. A network of red beams appeared in the opening between them. He sent her a gloating smile before he left.
"Hey, aren't you supposed to tell me not to touch them or something? Don't you care about safety?" Daria laughed. She'd bested him in front of Commander Valanson and he was ticked off about it.
She used the bathing chamber then slid onto the small cot. In the morning she'd convince Commander Valanson that she was telling the truth then when she reached Zarronia she'd ask to speak to Ambassador Eirikson.
As she fell asleep images of the way he'd held her and made love to her filled her thoughts but her dreams turned into nightmares of a land on fire, but cold. So cold.
# # #
A different guard woke her when he brought her breakfast. She accepted the tray thankful they didn't intend to starve her. After eating, she went into the bathing chamber and showered. There wasn't a comb or brush so she smoothed her wet hair as best she could. When she left the room Aulunson stood on the other side of the security beams, waiting for her. He deactivated them, motioned for her to follow him and led her to a larger cubicle where Commander Valanson sat behind a long table in the only chair in the room. He looked angrier today then he had the previous night. When she saw her notebook on the table in front of him she knew why. Not a good sign, she thought.
"That will be all, Aulunson. I'll call if I need you."
"Yes, Commander."
When they were alone Thorn said, "I've read your notebook. Who sent you?"
Daria thought quickly and decided to use part of the truth. "Nobody sent me. When I got trapped on the starship I decided to use the time to learn about your people."
When she stopped talking, he leaned back, propped his elbows on the arms of the chair and rested his chin on his fist. "What were you planning to do with this knowledge?"
"Well, I thought I'd write an article about Zarronia and try to get it published. Everyone's curious about you."
"Even though we've forbidden your people to do this?" His voice had grown softer.
"I would've asked your Council for permission to publish them."
"You're lying. Now, tell me who sent you?"
# # #
The interrogation went on for several units. Thorn asked the same questions and she gave the same answers. Her face grew paler as the time passed. When she began to shift from one foot to the other, he knew she was about to break and reveal the truth. Instead, she sat down on the floor, hugged her arms around her shapely legs, and gave him a lecture on civil rights.
He let her voice flow over him. It brought an image to his mind of cool sheets and hot passion. He shifted in his chair, and stared at her long, slender hands. They'd stoked him the previous night and left a trail of fire everywhere they'd touched. Her slender ankles were crossed, and he saw the rose tattoo on her toe. Her hands slid down and one of her fingers brushed over it, again and again.
She jumped up and paced back and forth in front of him. Finally, she moved to the table, planted her hands on it and leaned towards him. "Look, I'm just a victim of circumstance. I didn't mean to get trapped on your ship."
"You're lying. Your presence on the Invincible will be reported to the High Council and they'll decide what to do with you."
"Don't you think the people of Earth have the right to know about you? For all we know the women you're taking to Zarronia to live happily ever after have really been sold into slavery."
"They have not been enslaved."
"How can we know that for sure? None of them have contacted their family or friends."
"The reason for that has been explained to your people. Even you have laws protecting your privacy."
"Yes, but not to this extent. Can't you understand that we don't know anything about you and that frightens us? We need to know for sure that you really are who you say you are and that the women who go to Zarronia are safe." She leaned toward him and he slid back putting a few more millimeters of space between them.
"Commander—."
"Thorn."
"What?"
"My name is Thorn. Say it."
"Okay, Thorn, I realize my notebook could be taken the wrong way. But, a real spy wouldn't take notes then leave them lying around where just anyone could find them."
"Your notebook was hidden and because of the content I know someone helped you. I want his name."
"Nobody helped me. I gathered the information myself."
"You're lying. He gave you some of our information discs. Tell me his name."
Daria lowered her eyes to his chest. "The discs were in the quarters."
Valan slammed his fist against the tabletop, startling her. "So, you intend to protect the warrior who helped you?"
"I've told you I got on the ship by myself."
"I can make you tell me his name."
She took a step back. The expression on his face didn't bode well for her.
"We searched eve
ry part of the ship and you weren't on the fourth floor at that time. Were you hiding in his quarters?"
"No."
"Where are his quarters?"
She refused to answer.
The intensity of the questioning increased. Who helped her? Where was he? Where had she hidden? How had she gotten on board? Where had she met him?
She screamed at him to stop. "I've told you, again and again. Nobody helped me."
"Before the end of this day you will reveal his name." He summoned the guard and ordered him to find Aulunson. While they waited he paged through her notebook.
Aulunson entered and Thorn stood up. "This is your last chance to tell me the name of your accomplice."
Daria shook her head.
He frowned. "Aulunson, get the name of the warrior who helped her and ask about the identity of this female Penelope." Thorn sent her one last glance before he left the room.
Aulunson sat down at the table in a relaxed sprawl. "I want the name of your accomplice."
"I can't give you the name of someone who doesn't exist."
He smiled at her, then removed a small black box from his vest pocket. "Last chance."
She glared at him. He fiddled with the black box for a moment and a tingling sensation began in her ankles and flooded upwards through her body. It lasted a few seconds then stopped.
"Give me his name."
She refused and the tingling began again but it was more painful and lasted longer. He continued asking questions and torturing her until the sensation grew so bad that it forced her to her knees. She hugged her legs to her chest in an effort to stop the trembling of her body and swore to herself that she wouldn't tell him that Thorn's sons had helped her.
"Give me his name."
"No. "
He activated it again.
When he stopped there were tears on her cheeks and her hands shook as she brushed them away. "I won't tell you no matter what you do."
"Yes. Soon, you will tell me." He activated the control box again and this time he left it on for a long time.
# # #
Thorn paced his quarters while he waited for Aulunson to join him. He'd bonded with Daria but he didn't dare tell her she was his bondmate or explain what that meant. Knowing that another warrior was using the bands on her was nearly driving him insane. It took every gram of his control to stay away from the interrogation room.
He couldn't help but compare the weak mating he'd had with Naline to the bonding he'd experienced with Daria. Two totally different experiences but both with females who'd betrayed him. Enraged, he wanted to claim her then make her suffer as he would when word of this second betrayal was known.
He cursed himself. If he hadn't had so much wine before he went to the fourth level he would've remembered that those quarters were vacant. He fisted his hands and resisted the urge to put one through the wall of his office. The fates had dropped his True Mate at his feet and now he had to deal with her and his rising fever.
Since Naline's death he'd been able to control his fever but he could already feel his fever rising. The Council had taken a no tolerance stance on the issue of spying and he didn't know what would happen if the Council executed Daria for spying. If she died would their bond be broken? He paced back to his desk, glanced at the doors he'd left open in anticipation of Aulunson's arrival and wondered what was taking so long? Surely, she'd told him the truth by now. It had been over thirty micro-units since he'd left her with him.
He flung himself into the chair behind his deck and waited. According to the scientists the fever of a level five bonding couldn't be controlled with the use of ZL3 and meditation. Only being together and sharing sex would control it. That meant he'd have to figure out some way to handle their fever without her discovering the Zarronian's secrets. The simplest solution would be to move her into the quarters next to him so he could go to her without his warriors knowing what was going on.
He began pacing again then stopped when Aulunson appeared in the doorway. "Aulunson, what did you discover?"
"There is no Penelope. That is her middle name."
"So she lied about her reason for sneaking onto the Invincible. What about the warrior who helped her get onto the Invincible?"
"She got onto the starship herself but you aren't going to like the answer to who helped her stay hidden."
"Tell me his name."
"It was Dane and Dev."
Thorn wouldn't have been more shocked if he'd named Dag. It took him a few nano-units to gather his thoughts. "What did she tell you?"
Aulunson told him how she'd gotten aboard and where she'd hidden and how she'd met his sons. "I think she's still hiding something but I couldn't get her to admit it."
Thorn remained quiet throughout the entire story. "Anything else?"
"Well, there is one other thing, Commander. I've interrogated a lot of prisoners, but never a female before. Something I'd rather not ever have to do again. I've had men crack long before she did." Aulunson's voice was full of awe. "I had to use the highest setting with her and even then it took a while before she confessed. She's very strong-willed."
Every word from Aulunson's mouth pushed Thorn closer to the edge. He fisted his hands and forced himself to remain still when what he wanted to do was pound Aulunson into the floor then go to Daria. He nodded, buying a few moments of time while he reminded himself that what he was feeling was a result of the bonding. When he regained control he asked, "Where is she now?"
"I returned her to her cell."
"Anything else?"
Aulunson shook his head.
"You're dismissed."
"Yes, Commander."
After Aulunson left, Thorn paced the floor and cursed her. She'd used his sons. His protective instincts rose, building until he wanted to go to the brig and strangle her. He didn't for a moment blame Dane and Dev. Daria was as treacherous as Naline. In fact, she was worse. How had she persuaded them to help her? He thought about the questions his sons had asked him over the past seven cycles and knew they'd been asking them for her. Enraged, he stalked from his quarters and went to the brig.
"Give me the controller for the prisoner," he ordered the guard.
"Yes, Commander." Hastily, the guard handed it to him, then watched as he went to the prisoner's cell, deactivated the security beam and ordered her to follow him.
# # #
Daria remained where she was when he entered. She sat up on the side of the bed and stared at him. His face was dark with rage, and his eyes blazed with hatred. She saw his lips moving and heard his voice but was unable to comprehend what he was saying. Every nerve in her body was lit up and felt destroyed. Her muscles ached and twitched with pain.
"Come with me. Now!"
The words were roared and this time she understood him. She pushed herself to her feet and shuffled toward him.
He placed his hand around her nape and guided her forward and out of the room.
"Where are you taking me?" Her voice was hoarse from screaming at Aulunson. She cleared it and studied the floor of the elevator while she waited for his answer.
"To your new quarters."
"You're releasing me from the brig?" He ignored the question and escorted her out of the elevator and to the quarters next to his. Once inside she moved away from him and unable to continue standing she lowered herself onto one of the couches.
Thorn moved to the other couch, stretched his long legs out and crossed them at the ankles before he folded his arms across his chest and stared at her. "How did you like having the bands used on you, Daria?"
She shuddered and looked away from him for a moment then back, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "They're very effective."
"Yes, they are." He pulled the controller from his vest pocket. "You're going to be confined to these quarters for the rest of the journey. During that time, you will earn your keep as my kourtisan."
Daria tried to stand and failed. Instead she crossed her arms over her chest and glared a
t him. "I most certainly will not!"
"Yes, you will." Ruthlessly, he held up the controller silently threatening her with it.
Tears of exhaustion and frustration filled her eyes. She couldn't go through that again. Angrily, she brushed the tears away. "Return me to the brig, Commander." On the Invincible you'll obey my commands."
"I'm not one of your warriors."
"No, you're a spy and you're going to earn your passage."
"I'm not mistress material."
"Aren't you? Funny, I could have sworn I found you in the pleasure-givers section," he said, his voicing mocking.
"What are you talking about?" Before he could answer, she figured out the answer. At least now she knew what kind of "advise" the warriors were getting on the fourth floor. "You know that wasn't why I was there. It was the only place I could find to hide."
He rose and stalked towards her. "Did my sons take you there?"
Reluctant to tell him, she pressed back into the couch when he leaned over her.
"I want the truth. Now, answer me."
Terrified he'd use the bands again, she nodded. "I made them."
"Where were you hiding when we searched the ship for you?"
Her mouth was so dry with fear she could barely speak. "In your quarters," she whispered. A shiver tore through her when his face darkened even more. She'd never been so frightened in her life not even when she'd been running from those men on Earth.
He grabbed her shoulders and lifted her until her feet left the floor. "You tricked my sons into helping you stay hidden then when we discovered your presence you had them hide you in my quarters." He released her and she dropped back onto the couch as he strode away.
"Thorn-"
He turned and glared at her. "Is that one of my shirts?" he asked, pointing to the one she wore. "Did you wear my shirts while you were in my quarters?"
Thorn's Bondmate (Zarronian Warriors Book 2) Page 6
