The League 1: Born Of The Night

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  Aksel walked toward her like a prowling lorina. He tossed the blood covered rifle onto the overturned table.

  Aksel's eyes were a stormy gray as he raked his gaze over Kiara's body and curled his lips back like the sight of her disgusted him. "Did Nykyrian ever tell you how they train assassins for the League?"

  He was mad! Kiara stared at him in disbelief, unable to comprehend his friendly tone after what he had just done to his wife.

  Aksel reached out a cold hand and touched her cheek. "They take you for three months and keep you isolated," he continued, disregarding her attempts to pull away. "You're sent into holo-rooms where they play your worst fears over and over again until you no longer fear anything."

  His fingers traced the line of her chin. Kiara shivered, wishing she could do something other than stand before him in helpless expectation.

  Having no other recourse, she spit at him. A smile curved his lips at her reaction. He wiped his cheek, his eyes never wavering from hers.

  As if she hadn't done a thing, Aksel continued talking in that eerie, deadpan voice. "They only feed you raw meat and while you eat it, they play tapes of dying victims begging for their lives."

  He held his hand out in front of her face. Kiara took a step back, the wall blocking her retreat.

  "With this hand, I could rip your throat out." He snatched her closer to him and placed his hand over her neck. Kiara waited for him to demonstrate his point. But he didn't.

  Instead, his cold voice droned on, "The hybrid could tear out your heart with his bare hands. Does that excite you?"

  "You sicken me!"

  Aksel gave her a twisted smile, his hand stroking her cheek. "Did Nykyrian tell you he killed two instructors before he finished training? He did, you know." His hand fell away and he turned her to face him, his hands resting on her hips. "He was always better at killing, but I was the one who enjoyed it the most!"

  His laughter rang out, chilling Kiara.

  "Nykyrian would sit for hours after a mission, staring into space, feeling guilty," he sneered the word like it was the worst thing imaginable. "I was a true warrior. I went out afterwards celebrating my glory."

  His hands tightened around her waist. Kiara bit her lips, wanting someway to strike out at him.

  "So why did my father brag about his half-bred foundling?" Aksel snarled, his face a mask of contorted rage. "It wasn't my kills he talked about with pride. It was always Nykyrian's. Always Nykyrian's!"

  Kiara cried out as his hands bit into her flesh.

  Aksel shoved her back against the wall with a solid thud that knocked her breath from her. He leaned his body against hers and she could feel his desire bulging against her stomach. Sweat beaded on her body as Kiara feared his next move. He ripped the top of her dress open. Kiara screamed, struggling against him in desperation.

  "I should take you now," Aksel said in a ragged whisper, running his hand over the top of her corslet, oblivious to her cringing. "But I won't. That wouldn't be any fun." He stepped back and smiled at her. "When the hybrid comes for you, I have a special place for him to watch me rape you. Then you can watch me cut off pieces of his body until there's nothing left but his ear which I shall gladly give to you as a token to remember him by."

  "You're insane!" Kiara said, kicking out at him with her legs.

  "I've never known an assassin who wasn't," he said with a laugh, then strolled casually out of the room.

  Sobs racked Kiara's body. She pulled against her chains, but all she succeeded in doing was tearing the flesh off her wrists. There had to be some way she could escape. Some way she could warn Nykyrian.

  Fervently, she prayed for an answer.

  Chapter 15

  Nykyrian and Caillen sat in the council room of the OMG's base, reviewing data about Oksana. Hauk paced the floor behind them, his boots clicking an eerie beat against the porcelain floor that ate at Nykyrian's tolerance. Jayne and Darling sat across the room, listening to him and Caillen argue battle procedures.

  Nykyrian clenched his teeth in frustration, sat back in his chair and stared at the statistic sheets in front of him. A frontal assault would end in complete annihilation, and a covert attack was almost as risky. Aksel’s men knew each other well enough to spot a stranger immediately. At this rate, they'd never get Kiara out alive.

  Caillen sat back in his chair, a smile spreading across his face as he drummed his fingers against the table. "You know, I've been making deliveries to Netan Raananah. If I were to fake a shipment to him, I could smuggle you guys into Aksel's base."

  Nykyrian frowned. "How could you get us through the scanners?"

  Caillen tilted his chair back on two legs and put his hands behind his head, that cocky grin Nykyrian despised, breaking across his face. "You're going to regret everything nasty you've ever said about my ship. The Malta is equipped with special jammers no system in existence can pick up on. They'll have to do a personal inspection to verify my cargo." He laughed. "Remember guys, I am a third generation smuggler!"

  Hauk snorted. "Yeah well, once we're in, they're not going to just let us sail right back out. The Malia is too fragile and slow to outrun a fighter."

  Caillen rubbed his jaw as he thought about Hauk's words. "Her cargo hold will carry two fighters, plus passengers."

  Nykyrian nodded in agreement. This was the first plan they had come up with that stood even a breath of a chance. "That's it, then."

  Darling cocked his eyebrow at Nykyrian. "Aren't you forgetting something? How do we get out once we're in there?"

  Nykyrian studied Darling's face. A million thoughts passed through his mind. "It's me they want. You and Caillen will stay on board the Malia and monitor Aksel's men and the base's corridors. Hauk will grab Kiara, get her inside his fighter, and take her to safety. Jayne will be waiting to cover them once they're out of Oksana's orbit."

  "And what about you?" Hauk asked roughly.

  "I'm bait. I'll fly out in the opposite direction with my fighter. The bulk of Aksel's troops will follow me." Nykyrian narrowed his eyes at Hauk. "You will not engage any fighter at any time. You will keep your engines full throttle. Let Jayne take care of whatever follows you."

  Nykyrian looked back at Caillen. "You and Darling need to rig additional power to the Malia to make sure she can get out as fast as you can pilot her. She's too big to dogfight."

  Nykyrian tossed the print-outs to Darling. "Aksel will probably be holding Kiara in his office. I'll need a dummy bomb. Can you do it within the hour?"

  "Is my hair red?"

  Nykyrian stood. "Then we prepare."

  Jayne, Caillen, and Darling left. Hauk stayed behind with a face that reminded Nykyrian of Rachol's doom-and-gloom attitude. Disregarding him, Nykyrian pulled his Nemesis gear from the closet.

  "You're not planning on coming back, are you?"

  Nykyrian paused. With a deep sigh, he pulled his boots out of the closet and sat them on the floor. "I'm good, but no one's good enough to survive the number of fighters that'll be after me."

  Hauk tapped his fingers against the tabletop in a pulsing rhythm that set Nykyrian's teeth on edge. "Why not send Kiara back in the Malia and let me fly out with you to fight?"

  Nykyrian unbuttoned his shirt. "The Malia might get caught. I trust Darling and Caillen to make their way safely home. I need you to see Kiara makes it back to her father intact."

  "I'd rather keep you alive."

  "Kiara is my life," Nykyrian whispered. He sat down in his chair and placed his head in his hands.

  This was the only way that made sense. If he were dead, Kiara would be free, he would be free. Strangely, he felt no remorse. Somehow it felt right.

  Nykyrian looked at the ring on his smallest finger, the ring he had bought before he went to see Kiara the first time after her father shot him, the ring he had intended to give her as a wedding band, but couldn't bring himself to do it. The rows of red griata stones, surrounded by a gold band, glinted in the dim light.

  He pulled t
he ring off and handed it to Hauk. "I want you to give this to Kiara."

  Hauk studied it, then looked at him with a severe frown. "This is a wedding ring."

  "I know. We were married according to Andarion custom a few months ago."

  Hauk closed his eyes and Nykyrian knew he wanted to curse.

  "I'm depending on you to make sure she's recognized as my widow." Nykyrian licked his suddenly dry lips. "If I don't get the chance, tell her I love her, that I've always loved her."

  Hauk's eyes teared. "I can't do this," he said in a ragged voice.

  Nykyrian cleared his throat of the lump. "We've had too many missions together for you to soften now."

  Hauk clenched his teeth and looked away. "You always planned to come back from those missions."

  Nykyrian scoffed. "Not really. This is the first time in my life I actually want to return alive. Pretty damned ironic, isn't it?"

  Hauk fastened the ring inside his pocket. "What do you want me to tell Rachol?"

  Nykyrian smirked, jerking his boots off. "Ask him where the hell he was when I needed him most."

  Hauk's eyes widened incredulously.

  Nykyrian chuckled. "I'm only kidding. If you said that, he'd start drinking again. Since he was the driving force behind the OMG, I leave it for him to run." Nykyrian stood and reached for his clothes. "Also tell him the lorinas are his to coddle."

  Hauk laughed. "He might dig up your body just to shoot you for that!"

  Nykyrian paused at the thought. He just hoped Aksel left enough of him to bury.

  * * * * *

  Caillen sat at the control panel of the Malia, waiting for clearance to enter Aksel's base. He smiled at the six crates of damson, Nykyrian had graciously donated to add realism to the scam.

  The orange light on his board flashed, warning him the probe scanners were on. Pushing in a series of buttons, he smiled as the jammers hummed on.

  "Take that you swixtas." He laughed.

  "Malia cleared," the controller's voice echoed. "Dock in bay eight."

  Caillen complied. He loved his job. There was nothing like extreme danger to get the blood pumping and the brain juices flowing.

  Several soldiers stood by, waiting to board his ship. Caillen shook his head, and double-checked the settings on his control panel.

  He walked past where Nykyrian and the rest were hidden, wasting time. The longer the guards had to wait, the more anxious they'd become. It was a childish ploy, but it always served to unnerve sentries. With a prayer for success, Caillen slowly lowered the ramp. He opened the hatch and stared down the barrel of a laser rifle.

  "Problem?" he asked calmly.

  "We're expecting Quiakides," the helmeted soldier snarled.

  Caillen burst into laughter. "Is that you, Marek?"

  The soldier shifted nervously before pulling his helmet off. "Yes."

  Caillen shoved the barrel away from his face and sauntered back inside his ship. The other soldiers filed on board and set about searching his cargo. "Buy a clue. What would I be doing with Quiakides? Hasn't anyone bothered to tell you we don't get along?"

  "You run missions for him."

  Caillen dropped his mouth sarcastically. "Duh! I'd run missions for the devil as long as he pays me on time."

  "That's why we're searching you."

  Caillen laughed again. "Like Quiakides can't afford a better mode of transportation than this dilapidated junk heap. Forget a clue, buy a brain."

  Marek glanced around the ship. "Where's Kasen?"

  Caillen shrugged. "Off with Shahara."

  The other soldiers returned, shaking their heads. "He's clean."

  Marek nodded. "You looking for Netan?"

  "Yeah, where is he?"

  "He's with Aksel," Marek said, replacing his helmet. "I'll tell him you're here."

  Caillen took a deep breath, grateful the ruse had worked. "Do it. I don't have a lot of patience. If he doesn't get here quick, I'm leaving."

  Marek motioned his group of soldiers off the ship.

  "Hey," Caillen mischievously called down the ramp after him. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to lock my systems down while I wait. I just can't trust you mercenaries, you guys are a rotten group."

  He saw Marek stiffen, but he didn't say a word in reply.

  Caillen smiled in self-satisfaction. He locked the hatch, then ran to free the group from their hiding panels in the walls.

  Darling moved to the front to monitor communications.

  "You'll have to rush," Caillen said to Nykyrian who checked his blaster's charge level. "If Netan stays on board too long, they'll get suspicious."

  Nykyrian nodded, his stomach knotting. He had to succeed. Looking at Hauk, they took positions on opposite sides of the hatch, ready to pounce.

  Their wait was short. Netan must have really been in the mood to get flagged. As it was, he ended up unnaturally unconscious.

  Caillen opened the hatch just enough for Nykyrian and Hauk to squeeze through. Nykyrian's heart pounded against his ribs. He had to get Kiara out.

  With practiced ease, they made their way out of the bay and down the hallway, Darling instructing their path via a headset and map inside the Malta.

  Darling's voice talking to him in his headset soothed some of the tenseness out of him. Nykyrian knew he could rely on his friends to get Kiara to safety.

  "Two more corridors, then Aksel's office is on your left," Darling instructed.

  Hauk moved.

  "Wait!" Darling warned.

  Nykyrian's heart skipped a beat.

  "One being coming down the hall up ahead. There's a door behind you Kip, use it."

  Nykyrian led the way into the dark room. "I hate this," he hissed to Hauk.

  Hauk nodded in agreement.

  After a few seconds, Darling's voice returned. "Clear all the way. Move."

  Nykyrian opened the door. They made their way to Aksel's office. He tried the door's security code, but it wouldn't budge. "Damn!"

  "What?" Hauk asked, scanning the hallway.

  "Aksel must have changed codes." Stifling his temper, Nykyrian quickly rewired the lock and raised the door.

  Nykyrian saw Kiara first. Her jubilant face looked up at him with adoring eyes that cut through to his soul. He ran across the room and jerked the chains out of their hook in the ceiling. Relief coursed through him as he picked the locks and freed her wrists from the metal cuffs.

  His eyes hardened as he noticed the tear in her dress. "Did he hurt you?"

  "No," she sobbed, holding him close. "He was waiting for you."

  Nykyrian kissed her, his arms tight around her waist while he thanked God she was safe. She trembled in his arms like a frightened gimfry and he vowed once more to see Aksel pay for this with his life!

  "Come on, we don't have time!" Hauk said from behind him.

  Nykyrian moved away from her. Hauk was right. Pulling his jacket off, he wrapped it around Kiara.

  "Where's Aksel?" Nykyrian asked her.

  "I don't know," she whispered, touching his face. "He left a few minutes ago."

  Hauk cleared his throat and pulled at Nykyrian's shoulder. "You need to see this."

  Nykyrian turned around, then went numb. For the first time, he noticed Driana lying on the floor. He crossed the room to stand over Driana's body.

  "She's dead," Hauk confirmed, stooping to feel for her pulse.

  Nykyrian looked back at Kiara in confusion over the grisly sight. "What happened?"

  Kiara covered her trembling lips with her hands. "She tried to kill Aksel, and he beat her to death."

  Nykyrian moved back to Kiara. She fell against him, shaking. Nykyrian held her tightly, knowing this would be his last time to ever touch her. "You're safe now, shona. But we have to hurry."

  Handing Kiara over to Hauk's arms, he adjusted his headset. "Darling, report."

  "You're clear the whole way back."

  He nodded to Hauk. "Get her home."

  Hauk hesitated. He gave Nykyri
an a look that told him how reluctant Hauk was to leave him to his own defenses. "Walk with peace," Hauk said quietly before dragging Kiara out of the room behind him.

  Nykyrian thought over the old League phrase. He finally understood how an assassin could walk in peace. With a sigh, he welcomed the peaceful slumber of death. He gave them a good head start. Hauk would take care of Kiara.

  This was the only solution.

  "Walk with peace," he repeated and opened the door. Nykyrian ran down the hallway back toward the bay.

  "Kip, to the right!" Darling's voice shouted.

  Nykyrian whirled, his hand drawing his blaster. Too late. The shot ripped through his shoulder with a painful sear. Returning the fire, Nykyrian watched the soldier crumple.

  Alarms blared and flashed all around him. Nykyrian ran full speed, trying to get to his ship before the area was sealed off. The blast shield to the bay rumbled closed. Falling into a roll, Nykyrian barely made it under the heavy steel before the huge door slammed shut with a loud crash.

  Unfortunately, he stopped rolling right at Aksel's feet.

  "Still predictable," Aksel sneered, clicking back die release of his blaster as he looked at Nykyrian disgustedly. "I knew one day your sense of valor and fair play would be your death."

  Nykyrian rose slowly to his feet.

  "Kiara's safe," Darling said in his ear. "Detonation in four . . . three . . ."

  "You're so disappointing," Aksel said, leveling his blaster at Nykyrian's head.

  The gun and dummy charge fired simultaneously. Nykyrian dodged the blaster's shot, then rushed Aksel. Catching Aksel about the waist, he tumbled to the ground. Aksel brought his legs up and kicked Nykyrian back. Aksel threw himself on top of Nykyrian at the same moment Hauk launched his fighter.

  Nykyrian took advantage of the distraction and landed a solid fist into Aksel's jaw. With a curse, Aksel reeled backward. Not waiting to see Aksel land. Nykyrian bolted to the Malta. As quickly as he could. Nykyrian climbed up the small manhole underneath the craft.