Wide green eyes studied him.
“Why?”
He considered his options. Trust did not come easily to him, but he needed her help.
“I am taking her away,” he answered honestly.
A shiver rippled over her fur. She bowed her head and was silent for so long he thought she wouldn’t answer.
“She’s on the lower level, third door on the right.” Her voice was the merest thread of sound. “I can take you there but you’ll have to get out on your own.”
That didn’t present a problem; he’d kill every damn guard in the palace if he had to in order to get Cam out.
“Take me there,” he ordered.
She nodded, rising silently to her feet and heading for the door. An unexpected feeling of compassion hit him as he watched the small figure walk away.
“What’s your name?”
His question stopped her in her tracks. After a frozen instant, she turned to face him. “Diandra, Master,” she said softly.
“Is there something—” he started.
“It’s too late for me.” A dark shadow flickered across her eyes. “But it won’t be for much longer.”
Kievan had seen that shadow before in the eyes of men wounded in battle. They didn’t recover from their injuries. He nodded.
“Thank you for helping me, Diandra.”
“I’m not helping you; I’m helping her.” Without another word, she led the way from the room.
Chapter Seventeen
Kievan slipped quietly into the small room. The route Diandra had taken had been long and circuitous but they hadn’t encountered anyone else along the way. She paused outside the door, gave him a quick, curiously sweet smile, and disappeared before he could say anything else.
Cam’s room was clean but bare, a straight chair and a narrow cot the only furnishings. She was lying on her back on the cot, body still, face blank. She had been dressed in a white slave gown and his mind flashed back to the first time he had seen her. At least now she wasn’t bruised and wounded—at least not physically. After a long second, she turned her head to the door and saw him. He winced at the flash of agony that crossed her face, a pain so deep it hurt to look at. Before he could react, the blank mask covered her face again. She rose gracefully and knelt beside the cot, perfectly positioned.
“Yes, Master?” Her voice was completely calm and emotionless.
Moving cautiously, he sat on the bed, not attempting to touch her.
“I have something to say. All you need to do is to listen.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Growing up on Sardor was hard. I told you my mother died when I was born. My father spent most of his time campaigning so I floated around from relative to relative, none of whom particularly wanted me, until it was time to start training.” He shrugged, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice. “But that didn’t work out very well, either. I was one of their best fighters but I was never a true Sardoran warrior. I didn’t care about honor, I didn’t care about tradition, I never felt like part of my clan. I rebelled every chance I got. I wasn’t surprised when I was declared Outcast. What did surprise me was that I missed Sardor.” He hesitated and studied her profile. Her face hadn’t changed.
“Those first years were…difficult. But then I won the station and it was mine. The first time that I was in control, the first thing that I truly owned. So I fought for it, I conquered every obstacle that stood in my way, and I never stopped working for it—because it belonged to me. But I still missed Sardor and when another Outcast showed up at my station, I enjoyed spending time with him. I felt…at home. Of course, unlike me he was a good and honorable man—” He saw her quickly suppressed flinch but continued. “When the opportunity to help Sardor arose, he left me and went back. I saw that as a betrayal.”
Her head had turned; her face was still blank but she was watching him.
“A short time ago, he showed back up on my station. He needed help. I helped him but because I was angry I made him pay for it. As a result, he attracted the attention of Prince Ustrod. I don’t know why, but the prince wanted that man. I didn’t give him up. I let him escape.”
A flicker of emotion crossed her face but he couldn’t read it. The next part was going to be worse but he kept talking.
“The man had a human mate. I was attracted to her.” That emotion was definitely pain. “I didn’t take her. However, Prince Ustrod also saw her and wanted her. I didn’t give her up, either.” Her body jerked and she looked away but not before he saw the desolation in her eyes. Quietly, he added, “Not because of what she was to me but because of what she was to him.”
Her eyes came to his but the mask was back in place.
“Prince Ustrod was very angry about losing the man. He threatened to send Imperial troops to take Sigrast. My men are good but he has many, many more. He would have won and a lot of people would have died. The station might have survived but it would have been under his control while he dredged every penny he could out of it.” He hesitated, wanting to lie to her but unable to. “Don’t misunderstand, it would have been terrible for everyone on the station but my main concern was that he would be taking what was mine, everything that I had worked and fought so hard to keep for so long. Fortunately, he had been distracted by the human female. He agreed to accept her instead of the man once she was fully trained.”
“That’s why you kidnapped me.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes.” He couldn’t look at her any longer. “I assumed one human female would be much like another.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I was wrong. Because you can’t stay here. Prince Ustrod is a cruel master. He will hurt you and I can’t allow that.”
“Could he hurt me more than you have?”
His eyes closed at her whispered question. “Not in the same way. But he will hurt your body and he will hurt those parts of you that I left undamaged. I am taking you out of here.”
“What about Sigrast?”
“As soon as we leave orbit, I will communicate with J’Ssett. He will issue an evacuation order. Anyone who chooses to stay behind will at least know what they are facing.”
“I don’t believe I want that on my conscience, Lord Kievan. I will stay here,” Cam said calmly.
“No, you won’t.” he growled.
“You’re not my master anymore.” She looked at him directly. “I learned to live with you. I’m sure I can learn to live with the prince.”
“Goddess damn it, weren’t you listening? He will hurt you.”
“You hurt me,” she responded. Something inside him ripped open.
“I know I did,” he said softly. “I can’t even begin to tell you how sorry I am about that but I’ll try—as soon as we leave.”
“I’m not leaving.” Her voice was calm but her chin tilted defiantly. Despite his anger at her refusal, the return of her spirit thrilled him.
“Cam.”
That broke through the calm; he had never addressed her by name before. Blue eyes startled, she looked at him and emotions flickered across her face.
“Please trust me. You can’t stay here.”
“Why would I trust you?”
“I never lied to you, pet.”
“Not with your words.” It was his turn to flinch.
“Perhaps not, but I always told you the truth with my words. And I am telling you the truth now. You must let me take you away.” He hesitated, took in the stubborn tilt of her chin, and added softly. “Unless you want the same type of scars that Talasi has?”
She paled but immediately smoothed her face. He reached over and grasped her chin. Her breath hitched when his skin touched hers. Ignoring his own reaction, he leaned closer.
“And what you are doing now will only make it worse. The fact that you have locked everything away will only challenge him. He will break you, pet.”
Raw emotion flickered on her face—anger and the pain he had only glimpsed so far.
>
“He won’t have to…you already did.”
His hand went to her neck, holding her in place so he could bend forward and lean his forehead against hers. “No, I didn’t, pet. I damaged you but you’re still in there.”
He felt her shiver as he drew back. “I’m not giving you a choice. We’re leaving. Now.”
Anger animated her face and once again he rejoiced at the sight. Without another word, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.
“I could scream,” she hissed.
“And if we’re very lucky, we’ll both be killed when they come for us.” He made his voice hard and saw her flinch. She didn’t speak as he towed her to the door.
The corridor was still empty and they made it to the garden door without any interruptions. Slipping into the silent garden, Kievan led Cam through the lush greenery, keeping to the shadows. He kept Cam’s small hand firmly tucked in his and, somewhat to his surprise, she didn’t try and pull away. In fact, her fingers curled around his. He pulled her closer until he felt the soft brush of her body with each step. The flowers surrounding them enhanced her sweet scent and his body responded.
Knowing that it was a bad idea, knowing that time was critical, still he groaned softly, stopped, and yanked her into his arms. Startled, she gasped and he took advantage, mouth descending hard over hers, tongue thrusting into the sweet depths of her mouth. For one glorious moment she responded, moaning into his mouth, her tongue stroking his. Then her body went rigid. Reluctantly he lifted his head. Despite her stiffness, her nipples had tightened, her eyelids had dropped, and her mouth had softened. Her face was anything but blank. Suppressing the flare of triumph, he tightened his arms around her for a fraction of a second, took her hand again, and resumed their journey.
The garden opened into a series of smaller gardens, each enclosed with tall hedges, each centered on a special feature – a specimen tree, a tinkling fountain, a mosaic of herbs. The final garden room contained a maze. Kievan cursed under his breath. They didn’t have time for puzzles. He headed for a path that seemed to dead end at the hedge wall, intending to see if they could push through the thick greenery. What looked like a dead end turned out to conceal a hidden entrance into yet another garden room. Heavy with flowering bushes around the edge, the center contained open turf around an oval reflecting pool. Prince Ustrod and another man stood silhouetted by the pool.
Chapter Eighteen
Cam jumped and barely refrained from squeaking when Kievan stopped abruptly and covered her mouth with his hand. She had been following him absently, barely paying attention to their surroundings as she tried to sort out her tangled feelings. The emotions she had tried to suppress for the past week were raging inside her, the empty numbness gone. She felt alive again and she couldn’t deny how much of that was due to having Kievan nearby. In spite of everything, she still felt safe with his large warm body so close beside hers.
While part of her rejoiced that he had come for her, the rest was still wary and bleeding. The pain she felt at his betrayal had brought back memories of the horrible time after her mother died. In both cases she had refused to listen to the truth and in the end, the two people that she loved had abandoned her—only this time it felt like she had been the one to die. She wanted to hate him and, yet, she believed his explanation. She knew how hard he worked, she knew what Sigrast meant to him. And now he was willing to give it up. For her. A cautious hope began to burn in her damaged heart, but she pushed it aside and forced herself to concentrate on her surroundings.
Her gaze went to the two men standing by the fountain and her body jerked. One of the men looked exactly like the image of the devil from her third grade Sunday school class, complete with pointed horns and a flowing black robe. But then her attention focused on the other man, pale and skeletal in the moonlight. Tugging on Kievan’s arm until he looked at her and his head dipped, she whispered in his ear as quietly as possible, “That’s the man from the Market; the one who grabbed me.”
His eyes flared but he only nodded and returned his attention to the two men. Cam strained to hear the conversation.
“And that damned Sardoran?” Prince Ustrod asked.
“I’m sorry, your highness but he is completely ensconced on Sardor Two. He has a new mate and seems to be firmly back in the fold. He hasn’t left the planet.”
Kievan’s muscles tightened beneath her arm.
“Then take care of him there.”
“Unfortunately, the Sardorans are even more vigilant with their new planet. There is no chance of breaching the orbital defenses untraced.”
“Dammit, Blauthen. He is the last link between me and Trillium. Not only that, he may have logs from that Serigali ship that disappeared. I want him eliminated.”
“I assure you that I am monitoring him. If he leaves the planet, I will strike.”
“Your past two attempts have not been successful. I suggest that you don’t fail me a third time.” The prince’s voice was deadly but Blauthen seemed unaffected.
Instead, he nodded calmly and changed the subject. “Is the new planetary destructor ready?”
Kievan tensed again, and for a horrifying second, Cam thought he would leap forward, but he remained at her side.
“No.” The prince scowled at the ground and scuffed his boot across the turf. “As profitable as the Bliss stones are, it’s a costly project and I can only push it to a certain extent.”
“Is it really necessary, your highness? Sardor will be gone soon. The Sardorans are busy moving to their new planet.”
“I don’t want them moved, I want them destroyed. They are the only race in this part of the Galaxy that is strong enough and honorable enough—” his voice dripped with disdain, “—to take up the Trillite’s cause. The new Emperor just might be weak enough to listen to them.”
“But they don’t know the Trillites have a cause.”
“Not unless that damned Chief figured it out. If the fucking Serigali had just killed him when they found him instead of deciding to torture him, this wouldn’t even be an issue.”
“They are an unreliable tool,” Blauthen agreed. “Why did you decide to use them?”
“They are immune to the effects of the Bliss stones. That means I don’t have to worry about them stealing the stones for themselves.” He laughed. “Yet they were the ones who discovered that the Trillites’ blood had such valuable properties. Ironic, isn’t it?”
Blauthen made a noise that could have indicated agreement, but Prince Ustrod had already returned to his pet peeve. “But you can imagine the outrage at slaughtering cute little animals for their blood. If the Sardoran knows, or if he told someone enough for them to realize it…” He shook his head. “I’m not about to take that chance. And considering how much money your Brotherhood is making out of this, you shouldn’t be, either.”
“Very well, your highness. I will—” Blauthen stopped and lifted his head. Cam remembered how he had sniffed as she approached in the Market and was suddenly conscious that the wind had shifted. Kievan cursed under his breath, his muscles clenching, but then his rigid posture relaxed, and he headed for an opening in the bushes. He pushed Cam slightly behind his body with one hand as he moved. Understanding what he wanted, she fell into slave position.
“Prince Ustrod,” he drawled as he stepped forward. “I was not advised that you had returned. And with such...distinguished company. Why it seems like Blauthen was gracing my jail cells only a few days ago.”
The prince’s cheeks darkened but Blauthen only smiled, baring double rows of pointed teeth. “I was desolated to have to refuse an extension of your hospitality.”
Kievan returned the smile with one so deadly that Cam shivered. The movement drew the prince’s attention.
“So you have finally brought me my reward.”
“Reward?” Kievan asked innocently.
“My reward for leaving your wretched little station alone. Have you forgotten?”
“Not at all. But, unfortu
nately, I must decline your gracious offer. If you want Sigrast, you may have it.”
“I want the slave,” he demanded.
Kievan’s body tensed. “No. She is mine.”
“You would sacrifice your station? For a slave?”
“She is not just a slave. She is my mate.”
Prince Ustrod stared at him in disbelief before giving a mocking laugh. “You damned Sardorans and your mates. Still, I suppose the fact that you think of her as belonging to you will just make it even more pleasurable when I fuck her.”
“You will never lay a finger on her.” Kievan’s voice turned lethal.
“Do you forget yourself, Lord Kievan?” The prince raised a mocking eyebrow and the resemblance to a devil became even more pronounced. “No matter what meaningless title you choose to assume, conquering one little space station does not give you any power here. I want her and I’m going to have her. It will just make it that more delicious every time she screams for you.”
“You won’t make me scream,” Cam bit out, before Kievan squeezed her hand.
“I assure you, my dear, you most definitely will. Oh, I do love a fresh canvas. I will give you one more chance, Kievan. Walk away now and I will be merciful and leave your precious station alone. If you do not, I will make everyone on board pay for your stubbornness.”
“No.” Kievan didn’t hesitate. He pushed Cam gently behind him, then placed his hands on his knife hilts.
Prince Ustrod laughed but she saw a flicker of doubt cross his face.
“Really? You would take on two armed men?”
“I would take on the whole damn planet for her,” he growled, and her heart fluttered at his words.
“I beg your pardon, your highness, but your contract with the Brotherhood does not extend to personal protection,” Blauthen interjected.
“What? Given the number of credits I’ve paid you, I expect you to assist me.”
“Unfortunately, my hands are tied. Especially since your last payment is late.” Blauthen’s mouth stretched into a shark like grin as he stepped back.
Cam and the Conqueror: A SciFi Alien Romance (Alien Abduction Book 3) Page 17
