by Abella Ward
At that moment, she felt stupid and utterly alone. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as she had imagined him to be. He had not touched her – only kissed her. And what a kiss it was. It was as if she was the only woman he had ever wanted. She hated to admit to herself that she had enjoyed every moment of it. It left her craving more . . . Something she had never felt for any man. This unnerved her, scared her.
Her headache was getting worse, and it distracted her. She couldn’t focus on the path ahead as her vision blurred now and then. She started coughing as the air became harder to breathe. On reaching a clearing, she sat down under the nearest tree. Something was in the air – she couldn’t tell what. Her breathing clip should have filtered out the toxins in the atmosphere, but it wasn’t working.
Tara had never been off the station, so she didn’t know how she would respond to an alien atmosphere. Sipping water from her flask, she waited for the coughing to stop. She had never felt this lonely in her life . . . And she had a creeping feeling that she was being watched.
She looked around. Every tree looked the same. The only difference was that the darkness had increased in her part of the woods, and she could hear whispers all around her. Shivering, she hugged herself, coughing now and again. Far overhead, the dim sunlight peeked through from among the branches. She blinked, wondering where the path was leading ahead. She couldn’t remember which direction she had entered and consulted the map again. She must have strayed from the path she had initially taken. The woods were playing tricks on her mind. She ignored the wave of panic that rose inside her as her stomach knotted.
Suddenly, it grew darker. Her vision blurred again. She blinked, trying to focus, but the stench seemed to strengthen. She had to get out of there, had to go on . . . She couldn’t stay there . . . Fatigue tugged at her bones, and she wanted to sleep. She didn’t even realize it when the darkness took over as she plunged into oblivion.
Tara lay on the thick forest floor, unconscious. The long, gnarled arms of the roots of the tree silently crept over and under her body, snaking around her waist and binding her to the ground. The thing that seemed to be the tree was preparing to devour her.
***
Rydel pressed the comm button on his wristband.
“Gyree, what is my current location?” he asked the computer.
Commander, you are headed west. The next turn is 100 yards away, 46-75 southwest.
“Thank you, Gyree.” He was on the right track. He had been to such planets many times before, and with the help of Gyree, he was trained to follow the right path and avoid danger. He was also in the Dark woods and was heading back from the cave where he had found the stone. It wasn’t hard to find once the map led him to the exact location. It was dark blue in color and the size of a small crystal ball.
“That looks good,” he said, rechecking the coordinates on the map he had on his device, which was a small, flat, square computer. He had scanned the final map he had drawn into the computer, which helped him with the navigation. “How’s Tara doing? Keep her company until I get back.”
Commander, Ms. Dawson left the ship two and a half hours back.
Rydel stopped short. “WHAT!?” Rydel yelled. His head reeled as rage thrummed inside his blood. “Gyree! I told you not to let her go,” Rydel said through clenched teeth.
Commander, she said she was going to join you and give you a surprise. She even told me not to tell you.
Surprise . . . ? It was a shock to him. “What do you know about surprises, Gyree? She hoodwinked you, get it?” He was moving faster now as the darkness closed in. Stupid, stupid woman! What was she thinking? He should have turned off Tyree's empathy center. And he should have known that Tara might try to escape. But it had never occurred to him. Did she find him so despicable that she wanted to get away from him by putting her life in danger? The thought made him wince.
I am sorry, Commander. I do not understand the reason for your anger.
“Forget it, Gyree. Just give me her location. Have you been tracking her?” he asked, jaw clenched. His breathing was labored as he moved on, his dark leather boots making crunching sounds as he stepped over broken bones and rocks on the ground.
No, Commander. She left her COMM band on the ship. I do know where she is headed, though, and I can trace her through her heat signature. It will take a while.
“Where is she headed? You better find her, Gyree!” Rydel said in a cold voice.
She took a path heading north into the Dark Woods. I did warn her, Commander, but this was the only route to the Great City to which she is headed.
Panic rose like bile in his throat. Fuck! That was the most dangerous part of the forest she had taken.
“Okay, Gyree. Find her now and lead me to her. Send me the new coordinates to her location.” Rydel made his way through the woods and came to a clearing. “And stay with me.”
I’m on it, Commander.
Rydel could hear the whispering in the trees. It gave him a chill just thinking of his mate all alone in the alien woods. The place was a death trap for an inexperienced woman like her. His tail swished nervously as he waited for Gyree to give him Tara’s location. He should have bound her before leaving the ship. His hands clenched into fists as he clasped his bag tightly. What if she were already dead? His mate, dead. The thought drove him mad.
His comm beeped and he pressed it with two fingers. “Gyree,” he said and waited.
Commander, I have found Ms. Dawson. I’m transferring the coordinates to your device.
“Is she okay?” Rydel asked, his heart thudding in his chest.
I can still sense her heat signature, which is faint. But she is not moving, Commander.
Chapter 6
NO! Rydel cursed loudly and waited for a few seconds for the data to download. The weight on his chest increased a thousand times as the pain became unbearable. He had never felt like this for a woman before. He hadn’t claimed her yet, and still, he felt their bond was stronger than many. That was a rare thing among his kind. And it was known that only a mate’s bond was strong enough to take a Klai’s life. Women in his tribe were few, and most of them were already mated. She was destined to be his mate. The Klai mated only once in life.
He turned north and almost ran in that direction, his dagger at hand, making his way over the uneven path ridden with thick roots and dead foliage. Rage blinded him, and for the first time ever, he truly feared for her life. He did not wish to see her lying dead among these dark woods. He couldn’t see her dead, beautiful body, cold, lifeless, abandoned among the rotting leaves. Her warm brown eyes, devoid of light . . . No, he couldn’t see her dead. And if she had left him, he would never forgive himself. His soul would not rest until he had followed her into the afterlife and claimed her there.
***
He must seem a monster to her, a man with no values. A plunderer who only took what he wanted. He had seen the hatred behind those sad eyes. He clenched his teeth at the thought as he moved faster. He would find her and make her see that he wasn’t the man she thought he was. Or was he any different from the other Klai men? He was the same . . . He couldn’t remember being kind to anyone.
It was almost an hour before he found her. She was paralyzed, and the roots had tightly tied themselves around her body as the tree was almost ready to devour her. She was still breathing, though. Her breath came in shallow gasps, her skin clammy and cold. His heart thudded violently in his chest as a lump formed in his throat. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to make it to the ship on time.
He coughed. The air in that area was toxic. He took out his dagger and hacked at the tough roots, cutting them savagely, trying to free her from its tight grasp. There was a hissing sound and the roots tightened themselves around her. It took a while before he could chop them all off. A bone-chilling shriek filled the forest air as the thing let go and its gnarled roots receded. He picked her up and made his way back toward the ship.
Once inside the healing chamber, he stripped her naked and put
her in the healing pod. She was still unconscious and her slender body had blue-black marks all over.
“Gyree, full scan and give me the status of her vitals,” Rydel said.
Yes, Commander.
After a few beeps and several minutes later, Gyree generated a report on her condition.
Commander, her vitals are fine, but she has a few broken ribs and partial poisoning. She needs an antidote immediately. Plus, several procedures are required. She will be weak and might take days to recover.
Gyree generated a list of several procedures needed on the screen on the pod.
“Go ahead,” he said.
Several procedures at once are not recommended. She needs advanced care.
“I command you to do it,” he said as his chest constricted, the weight there growing ever more painful. “Just keep her alive . . . ” His voice broke.
What was wrong with him? He was angry with himself. He had never reacted to anyone the way he was reacting to her . . . She was his mate, yes, but this was totally unexpected. It was as if, deep inside his chest, he felt a dull pain . . . The mere thought of losing her made him tremble as if he was losing his very soul. This strange feeling, this weird bond he had formed with her, unnerved him to no end.
He remembered her sad eyes and it broke his heart. He never knew finding a mate would be so painful. He stared at her slim naked form as she lay there and thought she was beautiful. Even with her disfigured face, he found her the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes upon. He couldn’t wait to bury himself inside her warmth . . . But he would never force her. She despised him – he knew that. His mate rejected him. But he would try his best to show her that he was worthy of love. Or was he?
Gyree started the healing procedures and Rydel went back to the control room. He poured himself a drink and took a long swig. He felt bone tired. Another strange thing he was experiencing. It must be the toxic air in the woods, he thought, or the mating bond was taking its toll. Among his kind, the bond was formed when the man or woman found his mate. The sign was the light, the silvery glimmer that was seen only for a split second. Only mates fated to be together could see that in each other. The bond, once formed, could not be undone. And if he did not claim her soon, it would take its toll.
Rydel still hadn’t left Ranus. Gyree had informed him that the procedures would take several hours, and he pulled out the Scroll to study it and take his mind off Tara. A futile attempt, though. The Scroll hadn’t changed. No new riddles or clues to give him a further lead.
He set to search the universal database for anything that might lead him to the Svix. He used the symbol the scroll had given him. That same symbol on Tara’s wrist . . . He still couldn’t figure out how the symbol was related to it. And after two hours of searching, he was still clueless.
He picked up the stone then and examined it. The Scroll said the stone would tell him where the Svix was. How? He held the round stone in his hand, his thumb rubbing its surface. It felt smooth to the touch and a bit warm. That was strange. Rydel knew it wasn’t warm before. He looked at it closely and then he saw something move inside it. He frowned and peered at it and then, as if mesmerized, he was transferred to another time.
He saw Tara lying on the bed, at the sickbay back home on Scyok. The healers were there, and then the things moved fast. The symbol on her wrist flashed before his mind, and then one of the healers cut through her chest with a scalpel. And then she screamed . . .
Rydel opened his eyes with a jolt. His hand was trembling, the stone no longer warm.
When did he doze off? No . . . This was some sort of vision. He grabbed at the parchment and went through it. There was nothing new. Rydel sighed. Not sure what to do, he put the stone back with an uneasy feeling in his gut.
Commander, all procedures have been completed successfully. Ms. Dawson will come to in a few hours.
“Thank you, Gyree,” Rydel said quietly.
He poured himself another glass of dark wine and started searching again. A headache was beginning to pound at his temples. What if he couldn’t find the Svix? What would he say to the chief? The Scroll wasn’t helping anymore.
***
Another hour went by and Rydel got up, tired and disappointed in his search. He would wait another day and then head back to Andromeda 13. What else could he do? He had tried his best. He couldn’t take Tara back to Scyok as the outbreak of the virus was still there. He couldn’t risk taking her there – not until he had found the Svix.
He walked out of the common room and headed back to his chambers. On his way, he stopped by the sickbay to check on Tara. He wanted to see her and make sure she was comfortable when she woke up. She would feel weak from all the heavy procedures and the side effects of the drugs might take a while to wear off. He would look after her himself.
He entered the sick bay and quietly walked toward her. She lay there bare and unconscious, looking so vulnerable that his heart ached. He picked her up, holding her close to his body as walked back to her quarters. She felt so frail and light in his strong arms, her skin soft and smooth as velvet.
The door to her chambers slid open and he went inside. He placed her on the bed and pulled the covers over her. She sighed and stirred.
Rydel stilled, gazing at her and wondering if she was about to wake up. He reached out and lightly traced her brow and her lips . . . Her face was damaged, but it could be reconstructed. He felt a stab of pain in his heart as he wondered how could someone do this to a beautiful woman?
Unable to resist, he bent down and placed a soft kiss on her velvety lips. Sighing, he gazed at her for a long time, his manhood straining against his pants. Then, abruptly, he left the room. He must wait and be patient.
A few hours later, he returned to her chambers with his bag that held the stone and the Scroll. He couldn’t sleep and he wanted to be with her when she woke up. Something nagged at the back of his mind. The stone seemed to hold some sort of magic – like a crystal ball that told the future. He settled down on the chair near the bed and began searching on his tab for anything relevant regarding the blue stone.
When Tara woke up and was herself again, maybe she could see something through the stone that he couldn’t. There had to be something.
A short while later, he got a message from the chief. It was three weeks old and he wanted to know if Rydel had found the Svix or not. Rydel typed a curt reply and sent it just as Tara stirred in her sleep. She was tossing and turning, whimpering, and then her eyes flew open and she suddenly sat upright in bed.
She saw him coming toward her and screamed. Rydel knew the delirium had begun. It was the side effect of the drugs from the procedures. She was frail and her human body responded differently. He rushed toward her and she cringed away from him, not recognizing him.
“P - please . . . stop . . . Stop it . . . No, no, no!!!” she screamed, covering her legs and curling into a ball as he took her into his arms and held her tight. There was a wild look in her eyes – as if he were a monster about to ravage her. He winced as his chest constricted terribly. He held her close, his strong arms cradling her as she fell silent, shuddered and then wept against his chest.
He held her until she was quiet. Her screams had shaken him and tore at his heart. He realized she thought him to be the man who had raped and disfigured her face. Guilt gnawed at him for being so harsh with her. She was broken inside, totally shattered. Her body had healed, but her soul needed healing, too, he realized. All the rage he had felt earlier dissipated like mist.
Chapter 7
Tara woke up and stared at the white ceiling of the room. She felt lightheaded but otherwise better. Where was she? How did she . . . ?
She tried getting up, but her head spun. Her tongue was dry. Water. She needed water. She looked around and saw him. He came toward her . . . and her eyes widened. A flood of memories rushed through her mind, making her nauseous.
“Drink this, please,” he said, gently handing her a glass of water.
&n
bsp; Did he just say please? She stared at him and saw something different in his intense, icy gaze. Was he sad? She had to be dreaming . . . She took a sip as she gathered her thoughts. He would be mad at her for trying to escape. Her hands began to tremble as she gripped the glass tighter.
He gently placed a hand on her trembling hands and said in a low voice, “It’s okay . . . Calm down, Tara.”
“How did I . . . ? That . . . that tree – no, that thing – caught me . . . and, and tried to kill me,” she said as tears streamed down her face.
“I got to you before that thing could kill you. Let’s not talk about it now, okay?” he said gently, gazing at her.
She shuddered and closed her eyes.
He brought a tray of food before her. “Tara, you have to eat,” he said, trying to sound gentle. “You have gone through extensive surgical procedures in the past 36 hours. You will need all your strength to help you feel better.” She seemed so small, fragile . . . His chest constricted as his jaw clenched.
She nodded and took a morsel of food. She unconsciously tried to look for her hood, realizing she was naked under the covers and wore no hood. Her cheeks grew hot as she looked at her robes and tried covering part of her face with her long hair. He must have stripped her naked while she was unconscious. The realization made her blush like anything.
“There . . . ” He handed her the robes. “But first, eat. You can get dressed later,” he said gazing at her ever so intently – like she was a delicate flower. “It’s okay . . . You don’t need to cover your face . . . ”
“What?” she looked up, confused. “Please, can I have my cloak back?” she said quietly, staring at her hands as she blinked back tears.
“I don’t mind. You can be yourself around me, Tara . . . ”
“I’m not c - comfortable,” she said as he quietly gazed at her and she felt utterly naked and embarrassed to the core.
He handed her the hooded cloak and wondered why she felt so self-conscious and shy around him. Somehow, he liked the way her cheeks flushed red when he looked at her. Women of his tribe were bold and brazen and did not shy away from men – even when they were naked. Tara wrapped the cloak around her shoulders and pulled the hood over her head.
