by Stone, Ciana
“If you want your bitch, you’ll do exactly what I say.”
Leonidas did not recognize the male voice. He longed to threaten the man, to announce the painful and prolonged path he had in mind leading to the man’s death. But he was too disciplined. “I’m listening.”
“I will text you a location.”
With that the line went dead. A few seconds later his phone chimed to indicate an incoming text. He accessed it and read the address. Immediately he read it off to his team, via the comm link and instructed that he be picked up on the way to the location.
Within minutes he and his team were inroute to the location which was a warehouse at the port. His team split up to secure the perimeter, reporting in all of the exit locations and activity in the area.
Leonidas had little time to develop a strategy. He did not want to risk storming the building. That might get Shilah killed. He elected to go in alone. Let whoever was holding her think he was alone. Once he knew the situation inside, his team could move in.
The lock on the main door was open. He pulled it open and stepped inside to be met with darkness. Leonidas stood there a few seconds, listening and looking around. There were no sounds. Just tall stacks of crates in rows down the length of the warehouse.
“Move in,” he said quietly.
He moved deeper into the warehouse. Where was she? By the time he met his team in the center of the warehouse, he’d come to the conclusion that either she was not there, or had been locked up in one of the crates.
Which meant they had to check every crate in the warehouse. He gave the order and his team went to work. The sudden sound of a door slamming had his whirling in the direction of the main entrance. Almost immediately the other two doors slammed shut.
A split second before the first gas canister exploded he realized it was a trap. “Evacuate!”
Unfortunately it was too late. By the time he reached the main entrance his vision was doubled and blurred, his lungs were straining to draw in oxygen and his muscles were refusing to function.
He heard the gasps of men around him, heard them collapse on the cold concrete floor. Leonidas threw himself at the door, using his shoulder as a battering ram. It shook but did not give. He backed up to try again and his legs gave way.
His last thought before the blackness took him was Shilah. He had failed her.
*****
HE sat before the bank of monitors with a satisfied smile on his face. He’d learned a lot from studying the V’Kar in his custody. His bite had successfully transferred Nyx into Shilah Belenus’ system, but the effect was less than he’d hoped for. He knew he could not assimilate her but had hoped to do more damage than had been done.
She’d been delirious with fever, throwing up and in and out of consciousness for two days, but in the end the Vox Narr within her had acted like an antibody and destroyed all of the Nyx in her system.
Thus, the V’Kar could not be controlled or killed by the introduction of Nyx into their system. That was useful information. As was the fact that all of the information he’d extracted from her had been useless. It was clear that the Vox Narr were more powerful than the Nyx had realized.
He could have killed her, ended it quickly and moved on to other matters. But he felt the need to indulge himself in a bit of scientific entertainment. He wanted to observe V’Kar in battle. Learning an enemy’s methods was always valuable.
Moreover, he wanted to watch Shilah Belenus and Leonidas Kahnn die. It wasn’t enough that he’d raped her while she was in the delirium, brutalized her in every way imaginable. The cursed Vox Narr healed her.
At least physically. He had no doubt that she could carry the mental scars of what he’d inflicted upon her. With a laugh, he considered that he may have just ruined her for Leonidas.
V’Kar were aggressively passionate, at times animalistic when aroused. Not to the extent of the Nyx, however. It would be amusing if Leonidas proved incapable of quelling her fire as he had. He’d left her whimpering and beaten. Would Leonidas prove to be as supreme a conquerer?
HE doubted it. With a few keystrokes, he set the play into motion and sat back to enjoy the sights.
Chapter Eleven
Shilah came to consciousness with a yell, her heart beating wildly and her body propelling into a standing position, battle-ready.
Where the hell was she? The last thing she could remember was a room with blank white walls and an iron-framed bed. A bed she’d been chained to, so sick she thought she was going to die, being raped by a Nyx.
He will die.
Leonidas’ voice in her mind had her whirling around, her eyes searching the darkness. From the looks of things, she was in a tunnel, an old tunnel with stagnant water and the smell of decay.
“Leo?” She reached out to him mentally, latched hold and moved in the direction her senses dictated.
A hundred feet down the tunnel she came to an intersection. She looked into the adjacent tunnel and he emerged from the darkness. Shilah flew into his arms.
“He will die for what he did.”
She nodded against his chest. She wouldn’t try to deny what had happened. The moment they made contact Leonidas knew. She sagged against him in relief as she realized that he held nothing against her. He would not blame her for what happened, nor would it dim the fire between them.
No matter what the Nyx had done, she was his and he would kill the one who had hurt her.
She drew back to look up into his eyes. “I want him to die slow.”
“So be it,” he agreed. “We must move.”
She nodded and fell into step behind him, keeping an eye on the rear as he took point. They’d gone no more than fifty feet before she sensed them. Nyx. Leonidas stopped and cut a look at her.
How is that possible?
She shrugged and turned her back to his. Within moment she saw them, coming toward her. Three men. They didn’t look like soldiers. They looked like street people. They were dirty, dressed in miss-matched clothing. They looked human except for the strange blue gleam of their eyes.
It came to her in a flash. They’d been assimilated by the Nyx. She flew into motion, feeling Leonidas do the same at her back. The first man stumbled backwards under the force of her kick, taking him and the man behind him to the ground. She lashed out the third man, a combination round-house kick that sent him careening to one side, following by a side kick to the head that had him flying backwards. He hit the back of his head against a concrete support and slid to the ground.
By then the first two were on their feet. Shilah took on the first that came at her. She let him get close then drove a punch with all her strength at his throat. His eyes bugged and garbled sounds spilled from his lips. He grabbed his crushed throat, stumbling back against the wall.
She knew he was a goner and turned her attention to the last man standing. He pulled a long-bladed knife from the pocket of his torn coat and came at her. Fearing that the blade might be treated with iridian, she dropped to the ground under his first swing and scissor-kicked his legs.
When he went down she dove at him, grabbing the wrist of his hand wielding the knife. She twisted it sharply then shoved it down, beating it against the concrete. He screamed, punching at her with his free hand. One blow landed, knocking her off balance.
The knife skittered away and they both made a move for it. Just as the man’s hand neared it, a dark form moved above him. Shilah snatched up the knife and bounded to her feet as Leonidas wrapped his hand around the man’s neck from behind, yanked him up and hurled him into the wall.
The resulting wet crack preceded the man crumpling to the floor, his eyes wide in death.
“Let’s move,” Leonidas ordered and took the lead.
Shilah didn’t argue. It was obvious that this was some kind of trap set for them by the Nyx. The question was, for what purpose. He could have killed her when he had her prisoner. And from her link with Leonidas it was clear the Nyx could have killed him instead of gassing him into unconsciousness
.
What was his game?
She didn’t have time to ponder the question further. There were more. And this time they were all armed with blades. “Transform and escape,” Leonidas hissed. “I’ll hold them off.”
Shilah wasn’t about to run off and leave him, but maybe transforming was a good idea. She imagined the ogre and waited for the transformation to begin. Nothing happened.
She tried again. Still nothing.
Leonidas cut her a look to say he knew. Neither understood, but it was obvious something had been done to them to prevent them from transforming. And neither had time to figure it out. Half a dozen men were closing in around them. They had no choice. Fight or die.
As Shilah flew into action she thought of her family, her parents, her brother and her twin. If Chay was there Shi could join with her and have more power. It was something they had discovered as children. When they mentally linked, their abilities were heightened.
Chay. It was an instinctual call, a reaching out. If she was to die, her family had to know she died fighting, beside the man she loved.
She didn’t however, intend to die. With a savage scream she dove at the closest of her attackers. He didn’t expect the attack and the moments his surprise cost him allowed her to wrest his blade from him.
One swing and his head parted company with his body. She whirled, swinging the sword. “Bring it, you bastards!”
She gave herself to battle lust and it wasn’t until the last man fell that she realized Leonidas was leaning against the wall, watching.
“What?” She pivoted to face him.
“Just admiring your work.” The expression on his face said his words carried added meaning.
Shilah could not help but laugh. Here they were, fighting for their lives and he could turn her mind to sex. She stalked over to him, placing her hands on either side of his head on the wall and locked her lips to his.
Hunger flared strong and bright. His hands moved to her ass to pull her more firmly against him. She wanted nothing more than to sink into the moment and lose herself in him, but her senses picked up something that had her pulling back.
“More?” He asked.
She nodded and scooped up the sword she’d dropped. “We need to find somewhere easier to defend.”
“Suggestions?” He asked.
“Run?”
He made a face that said why not. They were faster than humans and where they were now left them open to attack from both directions. He took a moment to grab an extra sword from one of the fallen then together they ran.
*****
HE leaned back in his chair and watched as they ran. He’d already dispatched more men, but it would take time for them to catch up. That was fine, he’d already amassed new information that would be beneficial to the Nyx.
While he’d held Shilah and Leonidas he’d had a small implant inserted in the back of their necks. It contained iridium and minute amounts were being released incrementally into their systems.
Not enough to sicken, or even significantly weaken them. But combined with an agent known only to the Nyx, potent enough to prevent the V’Kar from using their ability to transform.
He would have to work out the details on a delivery system. It was another weapon his people could use against the V’Kar. Once they were neutralized, his people would have no trouble assimilating the humans.
HE laughed and turned his attention back to the monitors.
*****
Shilah leaned against the concrete wall, heedless of the mold and grime covering its surface. They’d been fighting for nearly seven hours, one wave after another. She didn’t know if it was the effects of continual battle, the after-effects of being held prisoner, or that she couldn’t remember the last time she ate, but whatever the case, her energy was running low.
Chay.
At this point she’d accepted that they needed help. Leonidas was a machine but even he was growing fatigued. They couldn’t go on indefinitely like this. Sooner or later one of them was going to go down. If only Chay could hear her and track her via their link.
“We have no idea where we are, or how deep underground these tunnels are. Even if she can sense you, there may not be time to send aid.”
Shilah pushed off the wall and walked over to him where he stood at the entrance of the small niche they’d found along the tunnel wall. “We are not going to die here.”
He looked down at her. “Each wave increases in number and strength. And no matter what sub-tunnel we take, they know our location. It stands to reason that we are being tracked or monitored.
That made sense, and made her take time to look around, searching the walls and ceilings. Surely the Nyx would not have wired the entire tunnel system. Then again, maybe they would. The Nyx she’d encountered was bent on discovering everything he could about the V’Kar, looking for any weakness the Nyx could exploit.
Shi.
Her head jerked at the same moment Leonidas looked at her. It was Chaya.
Father has dispatched a battalion and we are in route now. Hang on, Sis. The cavalry is coming.
Chapter Twelve
“I need a shower,” Shilah announced the moment she got out of the car at her parents’ estate. She headed for the door. When Leonidas did not follow she backtracked to where he stood at the front entrance with her father, mother and Octavian.
“You coming?” She asked.
He looked at her with a glare. Clearly this was not the way he wanted to announce their bonding to her father. Maybe he was right. She didn’t want to throw it in her father’s face. But she also wasn’t going to hide it.
She walked over to him and took his hand before turning her attention to Constantine. “Father, mother, I have bonded with Leonidas.”
Surprise registered on Constantine’s face, followed by a scowl. Resa showed no surprise. She stepped forward, hugged Shilah then offered Leonidas her hand. “Congratulations.”
“That’s it?” Shilah asked.
Resa shrugged. “It’s done. What would you have us say?”
“That you approve,” Shilah directed her comment to her father.
For a moment she thought her father was going to light into her. The scowl on his face did not bode well for welcoming Leonidas into their family. But Resa stepped over to him and placed her hand on his arm. They exchanged a long look.
Constantine stepped forward to face Leonidas. “I am understandably surprised. I was not aware you’d elected to court my daughter.”
“I hadn’t.” Leonidas replied.
Resa’s chuckle had everyone looking at her. She smiled at them, her gaze settling on Constantine. “If anyone can understand a surprise bonding it is us.”
“Yes, that is so.” Constantine agreed and turned to Shilah. “There was no force?”
“Well, I did kind of spring it on him,” she replied and quickly added, “I wanted it, Father. He didn’t initiate it. I did.”
Constantine looked at her for a long time then gathered her to him. “Then I wish you a long and happy life, my child.”
“Thanks,” she returned the hug then stepped back to take Leonidas’s hand.
“We are family,” Constantine proclaimed and offered Leonidas his hand.
“To the death,” Leonidas vowed.
“To the shower!” Shilah exclaimed to break the formality of the moment.
Constantine chuckled and gestured them away. “Go. We will convene in my study when you have finished.”
Shilah nodded and tugged on Leonidas’ hand to get him moving. She led him to her suite and started peeling off her dirty clothes. He took hold of her arm and turned her to face him. “You did not have to take responsibility for our bonding.”
“I only told the truth. I did initiate it, Leo. Because I wanted it. I wanted you. And it’s fine. You heard him. We’re family.”
He nodded and pulled her to him, claiming her lips. She met his passion with equal measure of her own, but was the one to pull back fr
om the kiss. “Shower.”
“Shower sex.” He countered.
“Now you’re talking.” She grinned and headed for the bathroom, leaving a trail of dirty clothes in her wake.
Chapter Thirteen
Shilah opened the door and threw her arms around her sister. Chaya returned the embrace. “Leave it to you to top a kidnapping,” she said with a laugh.
Shilah released her. “Come on in.”
“Nice place,” Chaya commented as Shilah led the way to the back terrace.
“It still feels kind of strange,” Shilah admitted as she sank down into one of the cushioned lounge chairs. “Want something to drink?”
“Naw, I’m good. So any ill effects from Doc removing that implant in your neck?”
Shilah shook her head. “Nope, but I can tell you Leo was pissed to the gills when he found out the Nyx had stuck one in him.”
“I can imagine. He does have a temper, doesn’t he?”
“You might say that. Have you heard anything about those things? Has Doc found out what they do?”
“A combination of iridium and some substance – I don’t remember the name – but according to Mom’s encyclopedic Vox Narr, it works with the iridium to suppress our natural ability to transform, and over time weakens us physically.”
“Talk about a time-released capsule,” Shilah commented. “I guess it’s good it happened. Now we know they’ll be trying to find a way to use it against us and Doc can come up with a way of neutralizing it if any more of us are implanted.”
Chaya stared at her thoughtfully for a few moments. “Shi, are you really okay with what happened? I mean what that Nyx did to you?”
Shilah looked away. “You already know the answer to that. Some days I don’t think about it and others … let’s just say that one day I plan on getting even.”
“Not if Leo finds him first.”
Shilah chuckled. “Yeah, there is that. “
He’s pretty freaking hot,” Chaya remarked.
“Nuclear,” Shilah agreed.
“So being bonded is…?”
