“Lia has received a secure and scrambled video transmission from Brianna. You need to see it. Out.”
Soon he’d see…hear his gemate for the first time. Just the sound of her voice would call to the bond between them. The result would be both pleasure and pain as his heart, body, and mind would demand the final step to complete the gemat-gemate bond.
At this point, he’d take anything of his mate he could get.
Iolyn raced from the elevator and cut across the Command Deck. He was vaguely aware that every soldier and officer on duty stared after him. They knew—and cared—about his good fortune. The unmated Prime males among them envied him the blessed gift of a gemate.
As he ran into the Captain’s Board Room, the occupants turned to face him. He ignored them. Ignored the tension in the air. His attention was fixed on the large video screen over Wulf’s shoulder.
There she was, his Brianna, frozen in Pause mode. She was beautiful—but fear darkened her amber eyes and worry etched creases on her pale forehead.
“What happened? Why did she call Lia?” Iolyn walked to the screen and traced the tense muscles lining her throat. He swore he could almost feel her pulse pounding against the fragile skin over her carotid as her body processed stress hormones. His eyes narrowed as he assimilated the rest of the image. “She’s in a public place. Not under guard. Why isn’t she under guard? The Alliance Military was to send her one. Captain Sinclair told Tor so.”
“She has a guard. A Volusian who’d been sent to protect her and her lab team before we knew she was a Lost One. As for the other guards…the ones Admiral Nelson ordered…well, you’ll see and hear,” Wulf said. “Please, brother…come…sit next to me. We’ll play the whole call. You need to hear her voice.”
His older brother approached and touched his arm, then lowered his voice, “I remember what Mel’s voice did for me. It will bring you some relief for a short while.”
It also would be torture. His body’s neurochemistry would awaken his mating urges. He wouldn’t be quite sane until he had her in his arms.
“Sit. Listen,” Wulf said. “You’ll tune in to her feelings better than we can.”
“I don’t need to hear her voice to recognize she’s frightened.” Iolyn moved to a seat to the left of Wulf’s at the head of the long steel-and-stone conference table. He turned to look at the others present—Wulf’s mate Mel sat to Wulf’s right, his other brother Huw and his mate Nadia sat next to Mel, and Dr. Lia Morgan and her mate Joen Dakkin were next to him.
Lia’s gaze was filled with understanding. “Iolyn…”
The doctor would try to reassure him, and he wasn’t having any platitudes. He cut her off. “She needs me.” The words were a low growl.
I need her.
“Tone it down, Iolyn,” Lia’s mate warned.
“Joen, please, you’re not helping, love.” Lia stroked Joen’s face, then smiled at Iolyn. “We understand what you’re going through, Iolyn. Yes, she’s scared. She has a right to be, but she has also made all the right moves to put distance between her and danger. She’s safe for the moment and will remain so until we get to her. Believe in that.”
Lia spoke in what Iolyn thought of as her doctor voice. He could’ve been bleeding out, seconds away from death, and she’d use that same tone of voice to make his last moments calmer.
Nadia chimed in. “Iolyn, Brianna’s smart. She called Lia as soon as she realized the danger had escalated beyond the original stalker creep.”
“Escalated?” The dark fire of his rage came up his throat and escaped as a buzz-saw growl which was soon echoed by the other three men in the room—and every Prime male within one deck. The floor began to shake and objects vibrated on solid surfaces.
“Stop it!” Mel ordered. “Now isn’t the time to go bat-shit crazy with all the growling and snarling. Save the batel rabia for when you really need it.”
Iolyn closed his eyes and willed his fury back inside until it boiled and popped under his skin. He knew he and the other Prime who’d joined in the buildup had succeeded in dampening the effects of their battle rage when the three women sighed their relief. As battle-mates, they fed and built on the emotions of batel rabia also.
Iolyn turned toward Wulf and said, his voice harsh from unspent anger, “No one answered my question—where are the military guards? One Volusian isn’t doing it for me. What in Balcon’s Balls name happened?”
Wulf grimaced. “It’s on her message. But the short version is two men showed up. Brianna and the Volusian protecting her determined they were imposters.”
Iolyn cursed.
“There has to be a leak at the highest Command levels. The word of Brianna’s existence was either sold or given to one of our enemies as soon as Brianna contacted Alliance Command the first time,” Mel said. “Brianna’s existence was marked as need-to-know.”
“The Prime Elder Council would also have been informed,” Huw added. “All Lost Ones are reported to the Council for verification since the Council keeps the database of the gemate markings.”
Iolyn’s stomach lurched. “So, it could be any of the Prime’s enemies or the rebels.”
“Or someone totally new,” Wulf added.
“Great.” Iolyn grunted. “You mentioned a Volusian protecting her…” He should be protecting her, not some stranger.
“The Volusian,” Wulf said, a wry twist to his mouth, “is V’niko, a former member of the Volusian Special Forces. He’s also Commander A’tem’s cousin. V’niko requested the assignment to protect Brianna and her lab team because she is the reason he has twins with his Terran wife.”
Iolyn let out a breath and muttered, “That’s a bakking relief.”
“Yes.” Wulf gripped his brother’s arm and squeezed. “Now, listen to Brianna’s message.” He hit the Play mode.
“Lia…” Brianna’s voice was low and melodious despite the tension in her voice. The sound shot straight to his heart and then hit his groin—hard.
Iolyn almost moaned out loud as something buried deep inside him surged forward and filled him from head to toe with a life force he could only have felt once before—when he’d marked Brianna as his mate. He massaged his mark as it tingled and itched and…burned.
His brothers chuckled at his gesture and Joen smiled. They must’ve had the same reaction to their mates.
“…the man stalking me, a Dornian by the name of Jotak M’tali, tried to kidnap me after I reported him to the Alliance Military.”
“Ansu bhau! Ne! Ne!” Iolyn surged from his seat and stormed around the room.
A cursed Dornian. A nomadic species and weaker cousins to the Antareans and Erians. Thieves. Liars. Con men. Mercenaries. Kidnappers of women.
“A bakking Dornian. How did he get near my mate?” He glared at Wulf.
“He was the Chief of Security for the research laboratory,” Wulf said.
“How in Balcon’s Balls did he get hired by the Alliance?” Iolyn raged.
“That’s being looked into by Admiral Nelson,” Wulf said. “The Alliance Military Police stationed on Oz are tracking him now. M’tali might already be off-planet and heading for his family caravan. Now, sit down, Iolyn.”
Iolyn looked at the video monitor. Wulf had stopped the call playback at the beginning of Iolyn’s loss of control, freezing his precious, fragile Brianna’s image once more. Her eyes pleaded for help.
I’m sorry. So sorry I’m not there.
“She’s safe, brother,” Wulf said. “Your mate has shown herself to be strong and resourceful.”
For now, she’s safe. But for how long?
Mel rose and walked to his side. She took his arm and pulled him back toward his seat next to Wulf. “Trust in Brianna’s intelligence. Listen to the rest of the call. Then we’ll make plans.”
Iolyn allowed himself to be led. Once seated, he placed his fisted hands on the table and took several deep breaths until he no longer saw red and could speak without choking on his fear. “I’m fine, Mel. Thanks.” M
aybe if he said it enough, he’d believe it. “Brother, please play the rest of the call.”
Wulf, after exchanging a sharp glance with Huw, un-paused the call. Iolyn almost laughed. His brothers would have him tranquilized if he went ballistic—and he wouldn’t blame them. He wasn’t himself. He’d always been called the calm Caradoc brother.
Not today.
“…V’niko,” the camera panned to a tall Volusian with his broad back to her, guarding her, “and his friend A’nan assisted me in getting away from Jotak. My call to the Alliance Command…”
Iolyn leaned forward. The tension in her voice had escalated.
“…brought two imposters masquerading as Alliance guards.”
Iolyn fumed and made a vow to seek out the two apayebote and break their fucking necks.
“…V’niko helped me escape again.”
He owed A’tem’s cousin a great debt.
Brianna took a deep breath which hitched with what might’ve been a sob. Yet, she shed no tears. His mate was mentally and emotionally strong, but physically she was no match for mercenaries and stalking Dornians.
“…I only trust you, Lia—and your shipmates. Come get me.” Brianna paused and the camera panned down her torso where she lowered her waistband and revealed her marking. He covered his mark in response. “I have a favor. I asked the Alliance Command to request the Prime to find my mate. If there’s a traitor, as I suspect, then my request might not have gotten to the proper authorities. I worry that my gemat might also be in danger. I beg you, please ask Wulf Caradoc to contact his father and find my gemat…”
Her initial request had found its way to the proper person, thank the One. After that, who knew where the information had leaked? That, while dealing with her own safety and fears, she’d reached out to Lia to seek protection for him spoke to her generous nature. He was so blessed.
His gaze devoured the image of her faded marking and followed her finger as she traced the design. He could imagine the ecstasy he’d feel, then share with her, as she traced his marking as they made love. Any lingering doubts he might’ve buried deep inside about a misidentification of her mark were put to rest by the visual evidence. The mark was an identical match to his.
His soul sang. She was his, and he, hers.
“…tell my gemat I can’t wait to meet him.” Her full, lush lips twisted into a slight grin. “I bet he’ll be as shocked as I was about all this.”
Then Brianna’s lips turned downward, and her voice filled with what he read as disgust. “Jotak wanted to force me to breed with him. He won’t stop pursuing me. Dornians are persistent to the point of compulsion.”
The Dornian was a dead man. Iolyn would see to the deed personally.
“…the fake escort.” Brianna shrugged. “I assume they were ordered to kidnap me, then maybe kill me for whatever crazy reasons their employer might have. My enemies won’t get their wish. Once you find him, tell my gemat not to worry. I promise I’ll stay safe until we can be together.”
She’d better remain safe. If she were hurt or taken by the bak M’tali, Iolyn’s rage would be unlike anything the galaxy had seen in a millennia. To forestall another Galactic war, he needed to get to her as quickly as possible.
“…go to Jump Station Charybdis. When you arrive, ask for Damon Martin. He’s my eldest brother, and he co-owns the station and operates Hades.” Brianna stopped talking and looked around before gazing intently into the camera. “Got to go. My skin is itching. Trouble’s coming. Hurry, Lia!”
The screen went black. Then what she’d said sank in.
“Hades!” Iolyn roared. “That den of iniquity! She thinks she’ll be safe there? Ansu bhau. She needs a keeper!”
Hades was infamous across the galaxy. It was a very, very bad place on an equally notorious jump station located in the isolated region on the outer edges of the Milky Way where the Perseus arm merged with the Cygnus-Orion arm. The bar was a dive with live sex acts on stage and private sex rooms. Hades’ claim to fame was that it featured real sex with real women, not just sex sims or sex androids, though those were also available. The roughest element in the galaxy—pirates, mercenaries, shady freighter captains, con artists, thieves, and murderers—used Hades as a place to let off steam before entering the most dangerous jump gate in the Milky Way: the Charybdis Gate, a frequently treacherous whirlpool of a shortcut to the other side of the Cygnus-Orion arm. Only those who had Obam navigators could use it safely. The benefits were worth the risk by providing shorter travel times and increased profits for the freighters that used it.
Decent people like his gemate weren’t safe on Jump Station Charybdis, let alone in Hades.
“Iolyn,” Lia called to him, “she trusts her brother to keep her safe.”
“How do you know that?” Iolyn looked up from his fisted hands with their white knuckles.
“She told me about her family once.” Lia chuckled. “She has a great affection for all six of her brothers, but especially Damon. She called him the black sheep since he didn’t want to be a peaceful farmer.”
“Six brothers?” Iolyn thought of his precious mate growing up around six other males, not of her blood, and snarled.
“Yeah.” Lia smiled at his snarl as if she knew where his mind had gone. “She always knew she was adopted, but that didn’t stop her from loving them as if they were blood. She had a good life on Gliese 581C due to the Martin family, so you’d better get it in your head to like them and trust them with Brianna’s safety and happiness.”
“But they weren’t her real brothers.” Iolyn was angry and, yes, jealous. “They could’ve—”
“Don’t complete that thought. They didn’t. She’s unattached and wants you…” Huw snorted. “…if you can believe that.”
Iolyn turned and glared at Huw. “Shut up.”
“Iolyn,” Wulf said, “we have to trust in Brianna’s faith in her family. Keep in mind, she asked the Alliance, and then Lia, to find you. It’s obvious she wants the bond.”
“Yes.” That was the only thing keeping him halfway sane at the moment. But it was a short moment, a mere nanosecond, before his fears and worries surged to prominence once more.
“This is a good start to your relationship, Iolyn,” Mel said with a smile. “Remember? I ran from Wulf. At least Brianna is keeping herself safe the only way she knows how…for you.”
Iolyn looked at Wulf. “How soon can we get to the jump station?”
“A lot faster than we could to Oz. A slight backtrack and then use the Andromeda Jump Gate which will dump us close to Jump Station Charybdis. This will cut our travel time by a quarter.”
Maybe another twelve hours until I see her, can hold her in my arms.
Iolyn nodded. “Good. But I need to let off some energy now. Cleaning and redecorating my quarters didn’t hack it.” Mel and Nadia laughed. “I don’t want to scare my gemate.”
Especially since I’ll have to lecture her about hiding in a den of iniquity. I need to be calm, reasonable, and not yell.
Besides not wanting to frighten Brianna, he wanted to make love to her as soon as humanly possible. The way he felt right now, he’d physically hurt her without meaning to.
“Who’s up for some hand-to-hand?” Iolyn asked.
Huw had come to stand behind his chair. “I’ll fight you.” He slapped Iolyn on the shoulder. “I still owe you for a few dirty moves you used on me when I was out of my mind over Nadia.”
Nadia giggled as did Lia and Mel, who added, “Wulf can help. I’ll command the ship while you boys beat the crap out of each other.”
Joen stood. “I’ll referee. I might even join in. I haven’t had the chance to beat on a Caradoc for a while. Need to keep my skills up. Who knows?—We might have to wade into a bar fight to get Brianna out of Hades.”
“Joen,” hissed Lia.
“What?” her mate replied.
“Iolyn didn’t need to hear that last bit.” Lia turned to Iolyn. “I’m sure Brianna will be kept safely hidden
away from the bar patrons. Her brother wouldn’t expose her to any overt danger.”
The image of his beautiful, fragile, and unworldly scientist mate sitting in a raunchy sex bar among the dregs of the galaxy and the women who catered to them threatened to fray his last bit of control on his batel rabia.
Iolyn vocalized his displeasure at the images in his head. The agitated rumbling rattled the commendations on the walls of the boardroom.
“Ansu bhau. Can you just stop it, please?” Mel glared at Iolyn and the other males who’d once again chimed in. “Wulf, do something. And do it off my Command Deck.”
“Huw, push your engines.” Wulf stood and dragged Iolyn from his seat and shoved him toward the doorway. “We need to get to Brianna as fast as we can.”
“You got it, brother. Don’t start pounding on Iolyn until I get there.”
As Iolyn left the room, he heard the women laughing and placing bets on who’d win the battle of the Caradocs.
There was no doubt he would. The way he felt right now, he could take on every Prime male on the ship without breaking a sweat—and still have enough energy to take down Jotak M’tali, the two fake soldiers, and his beloved gemate’s big brother, just because.
Chapter 6
Jump Station Charybdis
Bria walked through the decontamination chamber and into the docking tube which connected the Mason freighter to the supply docks of the jump station. The Mason freighter captain was right on her heels. She’d wanted to remain on board until Damon could come get her, but station rules stated that all living creatures on a docked ship must go through decontamination and then disembark while the ship was unloaded and then sanitized.
Feeling as if she were a tremendous burden for the captain, she looked over her shoulder and said, “I’ll be fine now. Damon will come for me.”
“Your brother said he’d have my balls for breakfast if I let you out of my sight.” The man’s lips twisted into a grimace. “I’ve seen what he’s done to men who’ve crossed him. I’ll stay with you until he gets here.”
Bria was somewhat shocked to hear the fear in the captain’s voice. Yes, Damon had always been assertive and more alpha-dominant than her other brothers, but she’d never thought he was scary.
Prime Imperative (The Prime Chronicles Book 3) Page 6
