by Aubrey Ross
He materialized smoothly, Eloise cradled in his arms. After communicating his thanks, he felt a tingling ripple of amusement. Not willing to think about the implications, he looked around the room. Apparently they were the first to arrive.
Exposed trusses and bold stonework suggested that the building belonged to a previous era. According to Edrick, the main house had been built twenty-seven years ago. The gatehouse looked at least a hundred years old.
Arranged like a studio apartment, the living room and bedroom shared the same open space. Bronik walked to the bed and carefully placed Eloise in the middle of the king-size mattress. The adjacent bathroom had obviously been added long after the original construction.
After a perfunctory knock, the front door opened and Prince Alexi ushered two women into the room. Caitlyn, Alexi’s mate, looked calm and watchful. Bronik didn’t know her well, but to attract and hold Alexi’s attention, Caitlyn had to be something special.
Simone immediately crossed to the bed and placed her hand on Eloise’s shoulder. With long silver-blonde hair and delicate features, Simone was often mistaken for an adolescent. But the pain in her sky-blue eyes made it obvious she’d experienced more than anyone at any age should be expected to bear.
“How long has she been unconscious?” the healer asked him.
“Not long.”
“Did she complain of a headache or dizziness?” Simone kept her left hand on Eloise’s shoulder while she skimmed Eloise’s face and chest with her right. “She is extremely depleted. Was she not fed during her captivity?”
“I offered her blood but she drank very little.”
Simone fell silent as she continued her scans.
“Did Eloise tell you anything before she collapsed?” Alexi asked.
“Not much. She said her captor claimed that her mother stole something and he intended to trade her for whatever Tara took.”
“But she didn’t know what Tara is accused of taking?” The prince sounded as skeptical as Bronik felt. Very little of what Eloise had told him had been believable.
“Not according to her.” Feeling the irrational need to protect Eloise, Bronik reinforced his mental shields. It was unlikely Alexi would scan his mind without permission but Bronik wasn’t taking any chances.
Alexi shook his head, his features tense. “Not likely. Did she know who was behind the abduction?”
“If she did, she wasn’t saying.”
Something Simone did caught Caitlyn’s attention. She crossed to the bed, concern plainly written on her lovely face. “What’s the matter?”
Without looking up, the healer said, “She’s starving to death but she won’t take my blood. I don’t understand what’s holding her back.” Simone had made a small wound in her thumb and she was rubbing blood over Eloise’s gums, trying to stimulate her fangs. “And she…” Simone looked from Alexi to Bronik then returned her attention to her patient. “I’m not sure I can help her.”
“You’re unable to help her or you’re unwilling to help her?” Alexi moved closer as well. “I know you were abused by the—”
“I would never allow my personal bitterness to prevent me from helping someone. Even if I were so cruel, Eloise has always been kind to me.”
“Then explain what’s wrong.” Despite her calm expression, Caitlyn’s voice rang with unmistakable demand.
The healer hesitated for another moment before she explained, “Her symbionts are completely unresponsive. She needs energy desperately, but without her symbionts she is unable to adequately metabolize blood.”
“Are her symbionts still alive?” Alexi asked.
“Yes, but they won’t be for long unless we find a way to feed her.”
“Hook up an IV and—”
“More blood in her veins won’t do any good if she can’t process the energy,” Caitlyn told her mate.
Simone straightened and tucked her hair behind her ears. She kept her gaze on Caitlyn, clearly more comfortable with the other woman than either of the men. “I think I can facilitate an energy transfer, but you and I are the only Vladya hosts available. I’m not sure how Eloise’s body will react to your Rom symbionts.”
Rom symbionts? If Caitlyn hosted Rom strain how had she passed herself off as Vladya? She had been undercover in Tara’s camp when Bronik and the other survivors had been taken to the Vancouver compound. “You host two strains?” Bronik had never heard of such a thing.
“It’s a long story,” Caitlyn evaded with a smile.
“I can transfer energy,” Alexi told the healer. “What exactly needs to be done?”
The Yeager bloodline was the oldest and strongest on Strigoia Prime, which was why Yeager kings had ruled the planet for the past millennium. Both Alexi and Bronik belonged to the royal family. Alexi had been born to the reigning king, while Bronik’s mother was the king’s youngest sister. Of course, the healer might not realize what all that meant. Most of the hosts on Earth were initiated into a particular strain, rather than being born with symbionts already in their blood.
“You’ll need to saturate her body at the cellular level,” Simone told the prince. “Can you maintain that much control?”
Alexi’s smile verged on smug, but humor softened his smoky-green eyes. “I think I can manage.”
Simone nodded then looked at Caitlyn. “Would you mind scanning her while we do the transfer? I know your Rom symbionts allow you to delve deeper than me. Maybe you can figure out what caused this.”
Caitlyn sat on the edge of the bed and reached for Eloise’s hand. “I’ll see what I can find out.”
Alexi joined Simone on the far side of the bed. The prince curved his fingers around Simone’s wrist then placed his other hand on the center of Eloise’s chest. Silence descended as they went to work. Bronik stood back, feeling somewhat useless. He was a soldier, a man of action. Though he’d received years of in-depth training that allowed him to control his abilities, meticulous finesse was definitely not his style.
Eloise moaned, her head jerking to one side and then the other. If this didn’t work, would she die? A knot formed deep in his belly. Why should he care what happened to this woman? They were little more than strangers. Even as the thought formed he knew it was bullshit. He’d felt a connection with this little spitfire from the moment she strolled into his cell dressed in black leather and wielding a whip. She looked more princess than dominatrix now but he still found her fascinating. He definitely didn’t want her to die.
“How are your levels holding out?” Alexi asked Simone.
The healer’s face was flushed and she was shaking, but she stubbornly smiled. “Give her more. I’ll go feed as soon as we’re finished.”
Alexi accepted her decision with a nod and went back to work.
Pivoting toward Simone, Caitlyn placed both hands on the sides of Simone’s face. The others were engrossed in their task and didn’t notice Caitlyn’s odd expression. Was Eloise in more danger than the healer indicated? Bronik moved to the foot of the bed but he remained silent, not wanting to distract any of the participants.
Suddenly Caitlyn’s eyes flew open and she looked at him. Have you been intimate with her?
What difference did that make? Defensiveness mixed with guilt as he wrestled back the insistence that she butt the hell out. She wouldn’t have asked unless the detail affected the current situation.
Knowing Caitlyn was trying not to distract the others, Bronik sent his answer directly to her mind. Things were headed that way fast when she passed out.
Caitlyn nodded and closed her eyes again.
“I think we’d better stop.” Simone slipped her arm out of Alexi’s light grasp. “I’m feeling pretty woozy.”
It took Alexi a moment longer to release his connection then he lifted his hand and stepped away from the bed. “She’s at about seventy-five percent, but I have no idea how long this will last.”
“Why is she still unconscious if the crisis is past?” Bronik asked.
Simone looked
at him and shook her head. “The crisis is only postponed. We have to figure out a way to stimulate her symbionts.”
“I think Bronik can help us with that,” Caitlyn announced with a sly smile.
“What are you talking about?” Alexi sounded a bit impatient.
“If I interpreted the images correctly, Eloise was coming on to Bronik because her symbionts stirred each time he…made his desires known.”
“You want me to seduce her?” That had been his intention before Eloise fell ill. Now, dominating her physically seemed incredibly cavalier.
“Not exactly.” Caitlyn rubbed her arms, obviously uncomfortable with what she was about to suggest. “It’s not a matter of seduction. Eloise—the host—is not the problem here. Her symbionts need to be stimulated and Vladya symbionts are known for their ruthlessness. Each time you became sexually aggressive, her symbionts stirred. You must continue that pattern. Become progressively more insistent until her symbionts—”
“I’ve never raped a woman in my life and I sure as hell won’t start with Eloise.”
His vehemence seemed to please both Caitlyn and Simone. “That wasn’t what I was suggesting. We know you won’t hurt Eloise, but she needs to think she’s in real danger. It will excite her symbionts. Eloise, the woman, might respond to your charm, but her symbionts need to be challenged.”
“But I have no reason to treat her badly.”
“Actually, you do.” Caitlyn glanced at Alexi before she added, “She lied to you, which isn’t surprising. But what I read in her mind is confusing. Her abductor claimed to represent the Levari Brethren.”
“Edrick told me the Levari didn’t survive on Earth.” Alexi rounded the bed and slipped his arm around Caitlyn’s waist.
“That’s what we all believed.” She snuggled in close to the prince’s side, obviously content to be near him. “But what reason would her kidnapper have for implicating an extinct strain?”
“It’s definitely worth exploring,” Bronik agreed.
“And you cannot be nice about it,” Caitlyn stressed. “The more demanding you become, the more her symbionts will like it. This is about them, not Eloise.”
Bronik stilled as the implications sank in. “If I can’t awaken her symbionts, will she die?”
Simone came around the corner of the bed but stopped short of touching him. “I’ll keep searching for another solution, but right now you’re the only chance she’s got.”
Chapter Five
Awareness returned in stages, drawing Eloise out of the blackness. An acrid hint of smoke teased her nose then cool air brushed against her skin. Though heavy-lidded and dry, she forced her eyes open and located the source of the smoke. A fire churned and popped, safely contained behind a fireplace screen.
Relieved that the smoke had not signaled danger, she accepted input from her other senses. Her arms were raised overhead and secured in wide leather cuffs. A short length of chain connected the cuffs to an exposed beam in the ceiling. The restraints had kept her body upright even as she was unconscious.
Fear zinged through her muddled mind, clearing the rest of the cobwebs. She didn’t recognize the compact, rustic apartment. Had Bronik handed her off to yet another captor? Dread knotted her belly at the possibility. If Bronik had wanted her dead, he would have left her with the Levari Brethren. Yet if he meant her no harm, what was with the restraints?
She knelt on a quilt-covered bed, her knees near the end of the mattress. A satin thong was her only garment. How long had she been unconscious? No, a better question was, why had she regained consciousness at all? The last of her strength had faded as she slipped into the darkness. She still felt shaky and tired, but something significant had happened while she was unaware. Sleep alone would not have restored her strength. Somehow, Bronik had fed her.
The rumble of deep voices sounded on the other side of the door. She tried to amplify her hearing but her symbionts were still unresponsive. She tugged against the restraints, not really expecting them to give yet unable to passively accept her captivity.
The door swung open and Bronik moved into the small living room, which was separated from the bedroom by a half wall. A rush of cool, pine-scented air accompanied his entrance, but he closed the door before she could see anything but shadows. He balanced a tray on one hand, locked the door with the other then turned toward her.
“Feeling better?” Though his expression remained unreadable, amusement seeped through in his tone.
“Where am I and what did you do with my dress?”
He chuckled as he crossed the room and set the tray on the half wall. “We saved your life—again—and your first concern is your dress? That’s not very gracious.”
“Who is ‘we’ and how were you able to pass me energy?” She shifted her legs until her weight settled more squarely on her knees, relieving some of the pressure on her wrists. The position wasn’t painful, just humiliating. Nudity was often used by captors to denigrate their captives. Except this was Bronik, who had made his desire for her obvious from the moment they met. Her nakedness was more likely an indication of his next move.
Pausing to pour a glass of deep-red wine, he strolled toward her. “What did the Levari do to your symbionts?”
His casual question impacted her like a slap. How the hell had he figured out… He’d obviously scanned her mind or worse. What else had he learned while he was trespassing? “I don’t know. When I woke up for the first time after my abduction, my symbionts were unresponsive.”
“I understand why you didn’t want me to know but your pride nearly cost you your life.” He moved closer and held the wineglass against her lips. “Drink. The energy transfusion will last longer if your body is well fed.”
Energy transfusion? He’d ignored her question before so it was unlikely he’d explain now, but she needed to find out how he’d fed her. She couldn’t allow herself to become that weak again.
She jerked her head to the side and wine splashed her upper chest. “You first.”
“Afraid it’s poisoned?” His brow arched then he lowered his gaze, caressing her quivering breasts. “Why would I go to all this trouble if I wanted you dead?” He lowered his head and slowly licked the rivulets of wine off her skin. One drop trailed between her breasts and he followed, exploring her flesh with his lips and warm, wet tongue.
Her skin tingled and her nipples hardened even though he hadn’t touched her there. “Why am I bound?” she whispered as his hand swept up her side. His thumb teased the outer swell of her breast as he descended again to her waist.
He lifted his head and returned the wineglass to her lips. “Drink.” She took a reluctant sip and then another. The wine was rich and cool, a welcome reprieve for her dry mouth and throat. He took a drink and then offered her more. “On Strigoia Prime when someone saves a life that life belongs to them from that moment on.”
“We’re not on Strigoia Prime.” She licked the wine from her lips as he set the glass aside. What was his game? She needed to understand the rules if she hoped to survive, much less best him.
“Perhaps not, but you’re mine, regardless of the cause.” He picked up a plate mounded with fresh fruit, cheeses and cubed meat. “Your mother doesn’t seem interested in ransoming you, so unless you can offer me something more valuable than your delectable body, I intend to enjoy you to the fullest.”
Horrified by his attitude more so than his threat, she stared into his dark eyes. He couldn’t mean to keep her as a sex slave. Even Tara would never treat a wellborn captive with such disdain. Then she remembered how she’d first seen Bronik, bound in chains and stripped to the waist. “Are there no protocols governing the treatment of prisoners on Strigoia Prime? I’m a prominent member of—”
“We’re not on Strigoia Prime.” She opened her mouth to object and he shoved a piece of fruit past her lips. “I might be willing to barter privileges for information, but I have no intention of letting you go.”
Momentarily silenced by the fruit, she u
sed the pause to examine his strategy more closely. He desired her, that was no surprise, but his real goal was obviously information. What could she tell him that would seem important, yet not endanger Vladya strain?
It didn’t matter! If she told him anything, Tara would sense the betrayal the first time she touched Eloise’s mind. “If I betray my strain, I will be running for the rest of my life. Tara’s assassins will not rest until they find me.”
He speared a piece of cheese with a long toothpick then added a chunk of meat before he placed it in her mouth. “If you please me well,” she closed her teeth and he slid the toothpick free, “I will protect you.”
She consumed the bite as she glared at him. “I will not be your sex slave.”
Though his chuckle was warm, it held just enough mockery to set her teeth on edge. “I wasn’t asking permission.” He set the plate on the half wall then collared her neck with his hand. “You are mine, whether you like it or not.”
Dark desire rippled through her body, making her painfully aware of his strong fingers gripping her throat. For a moment she forgot to breathe and excitement hummed through her symbionts. Yes! Please awaken. I’ve never needed you more than now.
A knowing light flickered within his gaze and she realized she hadn’t shielded the thought. “If you won’t release me, why should I bother playing your game? Do what you want with me. I’m not afraid of you.”
“Really?” He leaned down and caught her lower lip between his teeth, pressing hard enough to make her yelp. “You had no problem spilling my blood. It’s only fair that I return the favor.”
Images flashed through her mind, vivid and dreadful. She’d been so arrogant, so cruel while she interrogated him. She’d whipped him and sliced his chest in her effort to impress her mother. “That was a true interrogation. This is…” She couldn’t find an argument that made sense. The parallels were inescapable. An apology rolled across her tongue but she trapped the sound before the impulse compounded her humiliation. She would not grovel before this egotist.
