3013: ALLEGIANCE (3013: The Series Book 15)

by Laurie Roma

Roman snorted on a laugh as he stood next to her. “Subtle. Real subtle, sugar.”

  “While a conversation about mining rights or dampening fields would be riveting, I am sure that can wait until next rising when we are all present.”

  Adric’s face paled slightly. “How did you—?”

  The Xenon caught Sarros’ gaze. “The answer is no to mining rights on Xenthian or the surrounding meteors and asteroids.”

  “I didn’t—I don’t—” The Reema sputtered.

  Torren stood up gracefully. “You obviously have strong objections and complaints regarding who should be able to participate in these captivating discussions, but what you’ve failed to recognize is your opinions no longer matter. Now, you just have to deal with it.”

  “Blunt, and to the point. Okay, maybe he isn’t so bad,” Roman muttered.

  “The Xenon don’t want or need anything from you, but we recognize the importance of creating an open discourse between our races,” Torren continued. “Each of us was chosen for this duty, and now, we’re here to fulfill that obligation.”

  “Why did you come?” Ian asked. There was no animosity in his voice, just simple interest. “Why did an elder volunteer to attend this meeting?”

  “Probably for the same reason she did.” Torren nodded toward Amari. “What is the song on the lips of every righteous warrior called to battle?”

  “Peace, or an honorable ending.”

  The word song didn’t have the same meaning in her tongue as it did in other languages, but she had learned that particular code her race lived by the day she had first picked up a sword. The question was, how did a Xenon know the old Dragon Warrior saying?

  “Peace, or an honorable ending,” Torren repeated with a slight bow of his head. “That is what matters.”

  “What in the worlds are they talking about?” Sarros asked. “Peaceful ends? I don’t want any endings.”

  “We are discussing matters of allegiance,” she stated softly. “We seek an accord, to decide if we will stand with one another. Will we ask the people we each represent to unite during a crisis or to defeat a common enemy? If tested, will some let personal feelings cloud their judgment about issues that could potentially affect countless lives and impact worlds? That is the heart of why we are here, is it not?”

  “The heart always matters,” Torren said seriously. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” And with a graceful wave of his hand, he vanished.

  “Damn, he ruined our exit,” Roman murmured as he laced his fingers with Amari’s, squeezing gently. “You do it, sweetheart. I don’t want to end up transporting us onto a star.”

  “I have done that before, and I would not recommend it...”

  And with that, they also disappeared from the room.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Roman was out of bed and had a blade to the intruder’s neck before he was fully awake.

  “Are you fucking crazy, or do you just have a death wish?”

  “I haven’t survived over fourteen thousand years being sane all the time.” Elder Torren Blue ignored the blade at his throat as he glanced around Amari and Roman’s bedroom on board their vessel. “Sorry to just pop in like this,” he said cheerfully, not sounding a bit remorseful. “Great view.”

  Roman tightened his hold and growled, “How the hell did you get past our shields?”

  “Magic?” A universe of sarcasm was implied in that one word.

  “Fucking smartass...”

  Torren laughed. “Do you mind putting your weapons away? You can keep the knife if it makes you feel better, but I’d appreciate it if you’d put some pants on. Besides, your mate has already frozen me in place, so you’re safe from me.”

  “For the moment.” Amari dressed herself and her mate in black tank tops and matching pants before she got out of bed. “If you were able to transport yourself onto our vessel, I am sure you would be able to release yourself from my hold, but you would never get past all of us.”

  Perplexed, Torren’s gaze cast around, then downward. “Ah.”

  Having moved into position while the Xenon was distracted, Rhys was crouched in a fighting stance off to the side, his lips pulled back in a silent snarl. Hydra hadn’t bothered to wait, and she was now surrounding Torren’s feet and up to his calves.

  Roman winced as he stepped away. “Hydra, don’t eat him. At least, not yet.”

  “Okay, I wait,” Hydra promised.

  Torren’s brows shot up. “Interesting company you keep. I was hoping to arrive in a less intrusive manner, but I was redirected here.”

  “Any intruders are brought directly to me. It is a safety precaution that has never been activated before,” Amari explained, thrilled that it had worked. Although, perhaps she should redirect her trap to some sort of holding cell next time. She wasn’t very happy about having a virtual stranger in their bedroom, and her mate was killing mad.

  Maybe she should have warned Roman before they had their first visitor.

  “Yes, you should have.”

  “Or you could have looked into my mind,” she countered.

  “Sugar, I told you. I would probably erase your memories instead of scanning them correctly without proper supervision. I need more training and practice.” Roman switched back to speaking out loud. “Right now, I want to know why rainbow elf has paid us a visit in the middle of the night before we let Hydra eat him.”

  “This seems like a good time to mention that I come in peace.”

  “It’s also a good time to mention that if you ever come into our bedroom again, I will shave you bald before I beat you bloody,” Roman threatened.

  Torren sighed, but he was clearly amused. “Now you’re just being mean.”

  “I like his hair,” Hydra whispered loudly. “The colors are pretty.”

  He smiled down at her. “Thank you.”

  “Why are you here, Torren?”

  Amari reached down to stroke her hand over Rhys’ head. He licked her wrist, then relaxed and sat down by her side, but he never took his eyes off the Xenon. Hydra also moved away from Torren, and the Voda’s form rose up until Amari’s fingertips skimmed into her surface as if she were seeking reassurance. She surprised everyone when she didn’t stay with Amari but moved to Roman’s side instead.

  Over the last few days, he’d said that having Rhys and Hydra around was like being a new father to children who were still in the resentful, suspicious phase. His presence had altered their family dynamics, and they both followed him around as much as possible, watching every move he made.

  They especially didn’t like when the bedroom was closed off to them, but at least they had an understanding. They were allowed to continue sleeping in the room as long as Amari and Roman were given privacy whenever they needed. At least it seemed like Hydra was warming up to him.

  The moment they had gotten back to their vessel earlier, Roman and Amari had come together in a clash of heat and passion. Unable to get enough of one another, they’d made love again in the bath, then on the floor of the bedroom after they’d eaten near the firepit. They’d ended up back in bed and had only been asleep a few hours when their uninvited guest had arrived. Rhys and Hydra were upset by the sudden intrusion and would not leave Amari and Roman’s side until the newcomer was gone from their home.

  “I think there might be a situation we need to address.”

  “What situation?” Roman asked, all business now.

  “I probably shouldn’t confess this to a regent, but I was on my way back to the Delta Station before I came here. I’d planned on spending some time in the target range while most of the crew was sleeping, and I was going to wake Darius and Lazio and make them join me. Darius is just fun to annoy, and I find Lazio’s company highly entertaining.”

  “Most people have a different word for it,” Amari commented dryly.

  “I enjoy learning about your weapons. I may start a collection of my own.”

  Roman groaned. “I wish I hadn’t heard that. So, what’s this situati
on you want to speak to us about?”

  “It’s gone.”

  Amari and Roman glanced at one another before she asked, “What is gone?”

  “The Delta Station. I know it’s a space vessel and constantly in motion, however, my own ship is magically tied to it for the duration of the meeting using a strong spell that couldn’t have been severed by anyone but another powerful Xenon or a Dragon Warrior.”

  “We did not do it,” she swore.

  “I believe you, which makes this even more troubling. Someone secretly reversed my spell, and I don’t know how or why. Trust me, that never happens.” Torren’s smile was fierce. “And I look forward to punishing whoever managed it.”

  Since Amari had used magic to tether her own vessel to the station when she’d arrived, it should have been a simple matter to identify the Delta Station’s location. Instead, the moment she opened herself up, that same ominous feeling that had plagued her during the meeting slam into her. The energy was so forceful, so insistent, that it felt like her head was in a vise, and her stomach churned as if she had downed. She tried to sort out what she was sensing, but she only felt unending darkness.

  “It is not there. I cannot sense it at all.”

  “Shit. How is this even possible? What if the Delta Station is still here, but someone hid it from us? That seems more plausible than someone undoing both of your magic tether things without either of you knowing it.”

  Not wasting any time, Amari transported all of them to the command deck of her vessel. Unlike the rest of the ship, this room was a stark, sleek epicenter of technology with its black floor and wall. One wall was a massive window that showed an unembellished view of the space with various screens and monitors hovering around it or on the other walls.

  They were standing on the large, oval platform that held the command console. Some of the screens moved away from the wall to hover in the air around them, and the images on those screens changed. Rhys and Hydra settled down at the base of the platform’s step, both of their attention focused on Torren.

  “This is fantastic! Amari, this tech is super frosty.” Roman turned in a circle. “The Alliance would kill for this sort of advanced equipment.”

  “I worry that is true. This room is far more than basic equipment. It is a blend of magic and technology that I have collected and crafted throughout the years.”

  “I take it you haven’t been in this room before,” Torren said with a smirk, but there was admiration in his gaze. “I could really use an upgrade on my ship after seeing this.”

  “This is where I first arrived on the Delta Station, and that is the course we were on until the signal cut off. I am doing a scan of the surrounding area. This one—” Amari pointed to one screen, “—covers the possible area with a maximum radius if the jump drive had been engaged from the moment we left the station earlier. I thought visual aids would be helpful.”

  “Very helpful. Stars, I think this might be my new favorite room...after our bedroom, of course.”

  “Of course.” A few of the screens moved, and Amari narrowed her eyes. “The Delta Station is not showing up on any scan.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I believe it must be shielded by magic. Alliance technology could not hide a vessel from us.”

  “The meeting was a trap of some kind, wasn’t it?” Roman asked bleakly. “Someone waited until we left to kidnap them. Fuck!”

  “How would someone even know that we had left the station?” Torren asked.

  Amari shrugged. “Since we did not leave by shuttle, they would only know if someone on board was involved in whatever this is.”

  “I have a bad feeling about this, but I trust your super senses. I mean, do you think we can trust him? What if he is a part of whatever is going on? This could be a trap of his making.”

  “We can trust him. I do not understand how I know that. I just do.”

  “Let me get the comms up, and hopefully, I can bypass the lockdown and hail someone on the emergency frequency.” Roman tapped at the lit keypads of the console. “Sweetheart, how do I work this—” he paused, then grinned. “The mind merging thing really does come in handy.”

  “Since we mated, Roman and I can access each other’s knowledge and memories through our bond,” Amari explained.

  “I figured as much. That really would come in handy. So, would being able to speak mind-to-mind.”

  “The regular communications system is down on the Delta Station, and emergency channels aren’t activated. I could order a search, but it would take days to get more Alliance vessels into the area,” Roman announced. “The station is on lockdown and was put into stealth mode the minute all of the chancellors were on board. Added to that, if whoever is behind this has found a way to block us from finding the station, elites will be of no use. We need to figure out what’s happening on our own.”

  “Why would someone want the Delta Station or the other chancellors? What purpose would they serve? They are not goddesses or emperors, or even kings. They can influence policy, aye, but they have no real power.” She winced. “Apologies, mate.”

  “No, I agree. They could have been taken for ransom, leverage. Hell, whoever it is could want the station itself. If someone wanted power, they should’ve waited until you two were back on board,” Roman said, then he froze. “Shit! What if the Delta Station isn’t what they are after? What if someone is targeting us? You. Him. They could be here now.”

  Amari shook her head. “Nay, mate. They could not.”

  “He managed to get on board,” Roman said, worry had him gripping her arms. “They could be trying to figure out how to take down our defenses. Show me your other traps. No, we need weapons. We should go to the weapons bunker.”

  “You have a weapons bunker?” Torren asked, intrigued. “Perhaps I can—” he smiled innocently when Roman snarled at him, “—ask you about that later.”

  “No one who wishes us harm can board our vessel. Essentially, they would not be able to find us,” Amari explained.

  “But someone disconnected us from the Delta Station,” Roman reminded.

  “I vow that my shields will hold,” Amari growled.

  Roman held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, I didn’t realize there were so many layers of magical protection around us. I’ll never doubt you again.”

  “We won’t find the answers we need unless we can track the damn station. Speaking of answers, this has made me question something you said earlier.” Torren studied Amari carefully. “When you called for an accord earlier, I found your choice of words interesting, Dragon Warrior. You didn’t say we needed to stand together for growth and prosperity or technological advancements. You spoke of uniting during a crisis and defeating a common enemy to obtain universal peace.”

  She met his gaze directly. “What is your point, Xenon?”

  “My point is what you said seems very relevant in light of what is happening now. I’m not sure if you have the sight, or if predicting the future is one of your powers—”

  “The future is filled with infinite possibilities, and yet, fate rules us all.”

  “That’s very true,” Torren agreed easily, but the intensity in his gaze didn’t waver. “However, you know something that can help us tip fate in our favor. What can you tell me about the missing station?”

  Amari gave him her full attention. She kept her expression friendly, but both she and Roman had gone on alert. “What exactly do you mean by that? You came here to tell us there was a situation.”

  “You know more, sense more about this situation than you are saying. I can feel it. In all my years, I’ve ever encountered anyone with such an abundance of raw power before. You don’t wield it for everyone to see, which is good, but it does make you an unknown element. Can I rely on you in a fight? To control the gifts you were born with, and to do what’s right? Or do I listen to what little data my race has collected about yours and believe that you aren’t to be trusted?”

  Well,
that was definitely to the point.

  “What kind of game are you playing?” Roman asked coldly. “You come here, ask for our help, then insult us by wondering if we can be trusted?”

  “That seems like an accurate analysis.”

  “You son of a—”

  Amari placed a hand on Roman’s arm. “We are going to have to see if we can trust you as well, Torren. We have the opportunity to prove that our people can overcome whatever past is between us and show that Dragon Warriors and Xenon can fight side-by-side. Actions will speak.”

  “I agree. So, do you know any magical trick that could help us find the Delta Station? Unfortunately, tracking this sort of thing is not turning out to be a specialty of mine,” Torren confessed.

  After a long beat of silence, Amari said, “Actually, I do have an idea, but I do not know if it will work.”

  Roman smiled grimly. “Only one way to find out.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  “Fuck, we’re too late!”

  Roman had to yell to be heard over the blaring alarm. Security protocols had been triggered on board the Delta Station, which meant an immediate lockdown had been initiated. The overhead lights flashed inside the Regos’ suite, casting the room in eerie blue light for a few seconds before fading to black for the same amount of time.

  Torren lifted his hands, and the sound in the room instantly muted. It gave them a blessed reprieve from the irritating noise, but the sudden quiet only seemed to emphasize the horrific scene around them.

  The once luxurious suite was in shambles.

  The sliding doors that had closed off both bedrooms from the living area had been pried open. Metal was torn and shredded, exposing electrical wires that sparked and sizzled. Furniture was overturned throughout the living area, and blood spread in dark, glossy pools on the floor and stained fabric. The body of an elite was sprawled out on the floor, but most of the blood in the room seemed to be from the Helios shifter who was impaled on jagged pieces of broken marble that had once been the countertop in the kitchen area.

  “That is not Reva,” she said softly. “The Regos are alive. I can sense them, but everything else is...blocked. I shall return.”