“Stay back!” Kyele ordered in a ruthless tone.
The hair at her nape stood on end from Kyele’s chilling command. Boots paused behind them. His hand snapped out lightning quick and snagged her straining wrist. The blade hovered over his throat.
“I’m here. I’ve got you, Joni.”
His quiet whisper, the deep cadence of his speech penetrated the fog of fear and rage pouring through her. At last she could distinguish the noise around her. The sound in the foreground of her mind was her own voice mumbling no over and over again.
Another flash of fire lit her pores, reigniting the need to kill. Joni leaned forward. Her hips straddled his waist as she tried to shove the knife closer. The impression left a thin line on his tanned throat.
No! “No,” she pleaded, seeing the acceptance in his eyes. “Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare let me hurt you, Kyele.”
Kyele snatched the knife from her hand and threw it far from them as he pulled her tight against him, her chest flushed to his. His other arm clamped around her waist. Tears dampened her cheeks but he held her close, arms secure at her sides so she couldn’t move. Joni felt him kiss the top of her head and the words he kept repeating came through loud and clear.
“I’ve got you, Joni. I’ve got you.”
Joni wanted to hang on to his familiar refrain. Kyele would take care of her. He always did. He promised. Agony burned a path across her brain and Joni screamed. Her vision dimmed until she slumped onto his chest.
Kyele clutched her tighter. “Joni?!”
His voice increased in volume until he was shouting. Shouting at her to wake up. Shouting at someone to hurry the fuck up.
“Don’t die, Joni.” His lips on her face. Kisses. Trembling kisses over her eyelids. “Please, Joni,” he whispered, kissing her ears. “Don’t die on me.”
***
Joni screamed again and the sound was one of such pain Kyele could only hold onto her. Torkel tugged at Kyele, trying to reach Joni. He snarled and shoved his Unit Leader away as he rolled to the side careful to place Joni on the floor beneath him. She was pale. Nothing like his golden beauty.
“What’s going on?” Sylvie cried out, sliding to her knees beside him.
Arak knelt behind his Chosen and wrapped his arms around her waist. Kyele couldn’t explain. He lifted Joni up against him, her hair a cascade over his chest and hands. She was completely limp, sending fear crashing through him.
“Did she just try to kill Kyele?” Faye stood in the circle of Torkel’s arms.
“Dr. Maku believes one of the intruders injected her with a severe hallucinogenic,” Arak said as the others crowded around Kyele. “I was telling Torkel and Jaron that we needed to have all of the females tested to find out who had been drugged.”
Ignoring everyone and the myriad questions, Kyele slid his arms beneath Joni’s hips and back to lift her as he rose to his feet. “I can’t wait. Let Dr. Maku know we’re coming.”
Torkel began issuing commands but Kyele heard none of it as he rushed through the door and to the elevator. When it took too long to arrive, he changed direction and raced for the stairs. Creed running at his side said something but Kyele’s attention remained on the lifeless form of the female in his arms. He misted from his physical body the moment he hit the steps, keeping up the force of the vortex to carry Joni along.
The next few hours became Kyele’s worst nightmare.
Nothing Dr. Maku did countered the hallucinogenic in Joni’s system. In fact, her screams got worst as Kyele stood by helplessly. She vacillated between screaming about killing one of them and reliving her nightmares about her experience with the slavers.
“Do something!” Kyele held Joni down on the bed and it was the most difficult thing he’d ever had to do. The whites of her eyes were bloodshot. Maku’s assistant, Laia, came forward and activated the electronic bed restraints. Kyele almost lost his mind. “What are you doing?”
Dr. Maku glared at Kyele and pointed to the door as he maneuvered him back. “Go! You’re not helping.”
They began strapping her wrists to the rails of the bed. Then her legs were bound. The clamps beeped as they locked into place. Joni screamed and arched her hips away from the sheets. “Kyele!”
Her gaze flickered with pain as she called to him but Torkel blocked him from returning to her side. Fury was an insistent throb demanding he exact vengeance but he had no physical outlet.
“Out now, Kyele!” It was his Unit Leader and not his friend issuing the command.
Kyele put his fist through the wall in a neat hole. Air hissed between his teeth and his heart thudded in his chest. Torkel used his superior strength to restrain him with an arm across his chest and dragged him away. “Take time to get your head together, Kyele.”
He allowed Torkel to get him into the hall but that was as far as he’d go. Pacing outside of Joni’s room, Kyele didn’t know how much longer he’d last before he cracked and did major damage to those around him. He stared at the closed door and firmed his resolve. Someone would pay. They’d pay for every tear she shed, every cry from her lips.
“Dr. Maku will figure this out,” Torkel said.
Kyele braced his back against the wall. His body hummed with unreleased energy. “I should be in there with her. You were with Faye after we rescued her from the slave auction.”
Torkel winced. “Faye wasn’t trying to kill me either.”
“It shouldn’t matter.” Kyele pushed off of the wall and commenced pacing again. He glared through the window at the activity inside. “She shouldn’t be restrained.”
Jaron returned from informing the others of what happened, a look of pity on his face. Joni had gone for his throat as soon as Kyele’s grip slackened when he lowered her to the bed in the medic center.
“How is she?”
Kyele couldn’t answer. This was his fault. He should have been prepared. Better yet he should have continued to stay away from Joni. Maku and Laia were exchanging rapid fire speech. Joni in the midst of it all continued to cry.
“Kyele!” Her panicked scream tore through him.
Enough. He shifted and bypassed Torkel. He was back at Joni’s side when he became physical. She jerked on the bed and cried out. Lights above the bed lit from flashing yellow to occasional red, while beeps dinged in the background as Dr. Maku worked. This time he didn’t attempt to remove Kyele.
“It’s been several hours and the levels of the drug haven’t tapered off at all.” Dr. Maku’s frustration came out in a snarl.
Kyele sat beside Joni, fists braced on the narrow space on the bed. Thin loops circled her wrists, the reddened skin showing signs of abrasion. Dr. Maku glared in warning and Kyele wanted to kill him.
“She can’t be released until she’s not a danger to herself or others.”
Once Kyele had himself under control, he gave an abrupt nod. “I won’t undo the locks.”
Her body convulsed on the medic bed and the yellow indicator lights switched to red. An alarm sounded and Maku began prepping several syringe depressors. Kyele tried to wait but her painful cries drove him. He wrapped his arms around her restrained body as much as he could. “Joni. Joni, I’m here.”
Her glazed eyes stared at the ceiling, body rigid, jaw locked in a horrible grimace. Kyele wanted to rage. He couldn’t take much more of watching her suffer. Waiting while Dr. Maku worked with the detox serum to remove the hallucinogenic from her body. Waiting while Joni cried and begged him to make it stop.
He forced himself to lock down his emotions as he’d always done in the past. It was hard. With Joni he’d relaxed the guard he maintained and allowed himself to hope. Now she was hurt. Because of him. He was right when he told Torkel he didn’t deserve her. But he’d fix this. Kyele would take care of Joni as he always did.
Climbing into the bed, he curled around Joni, holding her tight. Every now and then her body gave a fierce shiver. Tears clogged his throat. He had to help her. The need to take care of Joni battered at his consc
ious. No more.
“Leave,” he ordered Dr. Maku, sparing him a glance.
The blond Enotian gaped. “What?! Kyele, you need—”
“Leave!” Kyele roared.
Torkel came in and murmured something in Maku’s ear. They both glanced from him to Joni. The regret in Torkel’s gaze savaged Kyele before they left.
Kyele gripped Joni’s jaw and turned her face toward him. Tears welled in her eyes and she tried to jerk away from his touch, hiding her face in his chest. Pushing back the desire to comfort her, Kyele forced her face up. “Will you let me help you?”
Sniffling and battling the fire raging through her body, Joni managed a weak nod.
“Very good, tesa,” he whispered.
She responded to the endearment and her body softened. She leaned into him, face tucked beneath his jaw. “I hurt, Kyele.”
“I know. I’ll fix it, Joni. Trust me.” He would give anything to take this pain from her.
She lifted her head to scrutinize his features. He wasn’t sure what she saw. His anger? His deteriorating grasp on control?
Joni nodded, nose bumping his as her eyes closed. In sleep or exhaustion, he couldn’t tell. “I trust you.”
Trust. The one thing she’d always given him without hesitation from the day he’d met her. Was there ever a more perfect female?
Kyele wasn’t sure if what he was about to attempt would work but he had to try. His ability to destroy an enemy from the inside could help him save the female he’d waited too long to claim.
Chapter 24
She was burning up. Flames ravaged Joni’s body and muted the sounds around her. The one constant was her need for Kyele. She called for him repeatedly but the pain battered her back. She couldn’t feel him holding her any more and her body wouldn’t respond to her commands. Each time she tried to jerk her arms and legs free something held her immobile.
“Kyele!”
Did she call for him or was it her imagination? Occasionally, she thought he was there and then the liquid fire would burn through her veins again, throwing Joni into a tailspin. Panic resurfaced and she renewed her struggle.
“I’m here, Joni.”
“Kyele?”
The voice and tone changed, became sinister. “Did you think I’d let you go?”
Joni cringed. She knew that voice. Knew the vile man who owned it.
“I’ve got you.”
Joni jerked, body trembling. Kyele or Dr. Kirkem? In the darkness she couldn’t tell. How was she to find her way?”
“Trust me, little Earthling.”
Joni turned toward the dark whisper and followed blindly. Kyele. It didn’t matter if she was lost. She trusted Kyele.
“Like you trusted me?” Laughter accompanied the question.
Joni spun around searching for the source of evil.
“I will never let him hurt you again.”
Warmth suffused her. Stumbling down an unlit path, Joni pressed forward. If she could reach Kyele everything would be fine.
“You belong to me now.” This was a different voice but one as vile as the other.
Pressing her hands to her ears, Joni charged down a narrow hall, escape her only thought. Surrounded by malevolence, her breath came in pants. She ran faster as fear kept pace. The more she ran, the more the ominous feeling grew deep inside of her. The walls swelled as if coming to life. Joni was as brave as the next woman but even she knew the value of hiding.
‘Kill the Jutaks. Kill the Jutaks.’
The chant was back in stereo. She didn’t want to hurt her friends.
Images and flashes of those who bought her from the Marenians flipped through her memory. Each one refreshed the pain she thought she’d managed to suppress
“Put them in the cage. Sell them with the rest and get a good price.”
Joni froze. Her heart pounded in her chest but she didn’t take another step. The voice of the Marenian rang clear.
“I’ve got you, Joni.”
Shaking her head, Joni dropped to her knees. Kyele wasn’t here. She wasn’t safe. Throwing back her head, she screamed. And screamed.
“Joni.” Kyele’s voice snapped her to attention and her screams cut off abruptly. “I’ll make it all go away.”
This time when she opened her eyes, her dark soldier knelt beside her, his hand extended palm up. Lines of strain bracketed his mouth. His dark eyes glinted with turmoil, the look in them merciless.
“Kyele?” Was he really with her?
“It’s over, Joni.”
Crying out in relief, she dove for his arms and sobbed as he enfolded her in a cocoon of safety. As she came down from the high, his reassuring hold told her she didn’t have to run any more.
***
When he came out from cleansing her body of the poison, Kyele shuddered. He dragged a deep ragged breath into his starving lungs and leaned his head against hers. Not only had he eradicated the hallucinogenic, Kyele came out of her mind space with secrets he hadn’t planned to pull from her memories. Secrets that made him snarl and gnash his teeth together.
He clasped Joni’s hand with his. His fingers trembled. Nothing shook Kyele but sitting beside her, his heart slowing its rapid beat he could only stare. He nuzzled the back of her hand, thankful she was still with him. The truth of what she meant to him could not be ignored.
Kyele never doubted that he cared for Joni. He reacted too strongly to her. Now he realized it was more. He loved her. For the first time in his life, he loved someone and he’d almost lost her.
“Kyele?”
Even weak, her voice stirred him. “Yes, Earthling?”
He found himself caught in the glow of her golden eyes. Joni never looked at him different. Even after witnessing the destruction he could cause. She accepted him at a level he’d never dared to expect from anyone.
Her brow creased and her lips pursed. “Enough with the Earthling.”
An unwilling grin tugged at Kyele’s lips. He kissed her temple because he could and eased back to study her face. No longer pale, her skin glowed with a peach tint. Her health appeared fully restored. Relief crashed into him and it was fortunate he was already propped on his knees or he would have fallen to the floor.
“Tired,” she whispered.
“Then sleep.” He brushed a knuckle across her satiny cheek. “Just sleep for now.”
Kyele needed time to plan how to act on the information he’d pulled from her. His expression darkened as he rolled to his feet.
They would pay. Every buyer who’d laid a hand on her would pay because Kyele knew their names now. Their faces. His lips curled into a cruel slant as he contemplated their demise.
“I’m sorry,” Joni said, turning her head to the side to see him.
“For what?”
Her lips curved. “Trying to kill you ring a bell?”
He chuckled. “Forgiven.”
“Your eyes are…”
Kyele waited. He’d heard it all before. The dark green gaze he’d inherited form his mother often glowed with the darkness of his father’s nature. Many times they’d been referred to as a killer’s eyes.
“You’re eyes are beautiful,” she finished.
His chest cracked wide open. Kyele leaned over again and kissed her eyelids closed. “Rest, tesa.”
Kyele stayed with Joni, ignoring the staff who came to check on the machines and make notations. As soon as he assured himself she slept, Kyele left the medic center.
Dr. Maku met him in the hall and gave him a sharp look. Kyele spoke first. “Remove Joni’s restraints.”
“Did she awaken?”
“Yes.”
The medic exhaled in frustration. “Why didn’t you send for me immediately?”
Because he’d needed to let Joni get much needed sleep. She’d been tormented throughout this process. “She’s resting again.”
“Is there a change in her condition?”
Kyele didn’t bother to lie. “The drug has been removed from her system.
”
They stared at one another. Dr. Maku’s gaze was full of questions but he knew better than to ask Kyele about personal details. Only Joni was capable of getting him to share about his past.
Another sigh. “Fine. I will check on her status and speak with her when she’s awake.”
Kyele shrugged and left. What he’d done to heal Joni didn’t make sense but he believed without a doubt she’d recover fully. All that was left was to find out who’d done this. He avoided all of his team members as he dressed in his combat gear, placing his spare weapons and extra laser fuel cells in a bag over his shoulder. When Kyele took the hover-car, only one thought guided him.
Revenge.
As the son of the Butcher, he knew all about how to exact revenge
Chapter 25
When the door opened, Joni rolled over and opened her eyes.
Dr. Maku came in and cleared his throat. “How are you?”
This was her last meeting with the medic. Whatever Kyele had done cleared Joni of any lingering effects from the drug. The headaches and the menacing whispers were thankfully gone.
“Joni?”
She attempted her usual bravado. “I’m fine.”
His grin was weak at best. Be afraid of the killer Earth woman. Joni snorted, not finding herself funny at all.
“Well, that’s good to hear.” He tapped away on his data pad, avoiding her gaze.
Joni had never had a problem with the medic before and wasn’t sure what the issue was now. Laia had seemed more sedate as well when she came in earlier to go over Joni’s vitals. Maybe attempting to kill their friends hadn’t gone over well. Not that she’d had any control of herself.
Dr. Maku cleared his throat. “I have everything on file from this incident. From all accounting, you’ve fully recovered. If you feel any pain, please let me know immediately.”
“Okay.”
He offered a wain smile and left. Joni sat back in the bed, plucking at the dismal blue paper jumpsuit. She didn’t have long to ponder his odd behavior. Sylvie, Lissi and Faye burst into the room each wearing triumphant grins.
Kyele's Passion: A World Beyond Book 4 Page 18
