The Healer's Kiss: Book Four of the Forced To Serve Series (30 page)

“Do not harm her, Rena. Ambassador Onin goes to meet her destiny today. That will be enough punishment, don’t you agree?” Malachi asked, giving Issa Onin a warning glance. “Ambassador, didn’t anyone tell you that Rena and I have a lot in common? You would be wise to guard your tongue around her.”

Issa’s gaze raked the female in question. “I see nothing. You lie.”

“I agree that the ambassador is not worth the expenditure of my energy,” Rena replied, uncomfortable with how much she liked hearing Malachi laugh at their private joke. Feeling Seta’s curious look, Rena turned to her physical clone. “Malachi refers to our inner beliefs in the validity of the Creators of All.”

Seta arched one eyebrow, looking back at a grinning Malachi, noting Ambassador Onin had crossed her arms and was no longer looking at any of them.

When Warro landed the shuttle, Synar stood and walked to Malachi. “We will kill only when it is a matter of life and death. No retribution, regardless of what happens.”

“What are you not telling me, Liam?” Malachi asked, frowning at Rena and Seta. “You know I am blocked from seeing.”

“Just a funny sensation, nothing more,” Synar said tightly. “Will you keep our accord?”

Malachi nodded. “I will do so.”

“Good. Then let’s go see what Orem Sel is doing,” Synar said, walking down the ramp first. “You may disable guards and weapons at will, but do not kill unless one of us is threatened.”

“Seta?” Ji said, turning in his seat.

“Yes?” Seta turned to look at him.

“Take care. Do not let down your guard,” Ji ordered.

Instead of answering, Seta nodded and followed Synar down the ramp.

At the bottom, Synar stood to one side, taking a respectful personal guard pose. The Lotharian guards jogging towards the shuttle glanced at him warily, but at least they weren’t pointing their weapons.

Malachi held out his arms. “Ladies, let’s walk down the ramp together and put on a little show for the welcoming committee.”

Seta hooked a hand over Malachi’s arm, and waved to Rena to do the same. Rena narrowed her gaze, but finally conceded. “If this is a trick just to touch me, I swear you will pay.”

“Smile, Rena. How else will you ever pass yourself off as my mate?” Malachi declared, grinning at her flashing eyes.

“What about Ambassador Onin?” Seta asked.

“She can walk behind us, as a well-trained mate should,” Malachi said gleefully. “I’m sure she will appreciate my body shielding hers from any laser blasts that might come our way.”

Issa snorted, but conceded the demon did have a point. Let Conor’s body take the hit. It would be the only time her Norblade mate had ever bothered to protect her.

Malachi watched the guards raise their weapons as he and the Trax siblings descended. He was already offended by their lustful gazes directed at the females with no regard.

“Avert your eyes if you value them,” Malachi ordered coldly. “These three females are my personal property. You need show mine more respect than you did Chiang’s female.”

“It is just our way,” the lead guard declared, only to drop his weapon as his gaze went black. “What have you done? I cannot see.”

“Yes. Now I don’t have to worry about you looking at my females any more, do I?” Malachi remarked casually. “Didn’t your ruler mention my demon? I find his power very useful. If we can have an understanding in the matter, I might be inclined to restore your sight.”

“Yes. My apologies if I offended you or your females,” the guard said.

Malachi watched the others reel in their desire, and smiled as he imagined all the limp bonding organs among them. There was just nothing like fear to improve a demon’s mood. He waved a hand, and the guard expelled a breath as his vision cleared.

From behind him, Malachi turned when he heard Liam clear his throat in warning.

“Quite right, Liam. I believe I’ve made our point clear.” Turning back to the guards, Malachi smiled. “Now where is my number one trader? I trust you have been hospitable to him.”

The guard he had tortured waved down the weapons. “This way,” the male said coldly, turning on his heel and walking ahead of them.

Malachi thought they must have looked like quite the parade walking along in their striking clothes, escorted by at least twenty armed guards.

Seta leaned closer. Malachi bent down to hear what she wanted to say. “You must teach me your demon tricks. Is it a form of mind control?”

Malachi laughed and whispered back. “I’ve never thought about it that way, but yes—I suppose it is. I believe you could easily master it, Lieutenant.”

“Your enjoyment of the guard’s fear was disgusting,” Rena whispered from his other side.

“Why? I did not harm him,” Malachi offered with a smile. “Are you always going to judge me so harshly? That tiny show of force may end up saving us all further mistreatment.”

“I suggest we not argue among ourselves within hearing range of the guards,” Issa hissed in warning from behind the cursed demon and his matching Ethosians.

Synar didn’t bother adding his warning to Ambassador Onin’s, but he saw a very strange look pass between the emissary and Malachi. It only confirmed what he had suspected almost from the first moment he’d realized what she was. Her presence on the Liberator was not just for the sake of the Demon Zorinda. The emissary was also among them to serve the Demon of Synar. The question was only what form her help would take. Synar frowned and wished such knowing was not blocked from him.

***

“Did you even sleep last night?” Boca asked.

“I slept enough,” Chiang said, smiling at the memories of her moaning in pleasure, over and over. He was discovering the tiny Sumerian’s bonding urges were as strong as his own. He hoped the Lotharians got an earful.

“I never slept until you fell asleep still vibrating on me. I was too sated then to move you off. I hope you’re not too sore this morning.”

To hide her flushed face, Boca turned her attention to the fully stocked closet of female clothes. At the end of the rack were some that even fit her small form.

“I was tired, Chiang. It was I who did all the fighting yesterday. All you did was knock a couple guards’ heads together,” Boca declared.

“That statement borders on disrespect—
mate
,” Chiang said, softening his criticism with a grin.

“Is the truth disrespectful?” Boca demanded, pulling a long tunic from the closet.

It had matching shorts that molded to her when she slipped them on. There had been no hygiene straps available to replace the ones Chiang had shredded, so she belted the tunic over the rest of her naked form with a braided leather belt she found. It would serve as a band to hold weapons later.

Chiang walked to Boca, pulling back her head by her still unbound hair. He kept his touch gentle, but firm. Her instant stillness fueled a growing need in him to establish his dominance over her. He could only hope his will proved stronger than his mating urges. There would be no claiming or talk of it until they were safely back on the ship.

“Find something to bind up this mess,” he rasped, his mouth coming down harder than he’d intended on hers. Boca flinched only for a moment. Then she yanked him tight to her as she returned the demands of his mouth with ones of her own.

Chiang yanked himself away while he could, glaring down into her upturned face before forcing himself to untangle his fingers from her hair.

“I should be worried about how our host will treat us today, and instead I can think of nothing but getting back inside you,” he informed her.

Boca wound her hair around and around her fingers, twisting it into a knot that she secured with two metal pieces she had broken off a decoration she’d found in the luxurious cleansing area. Her pins had gone missing last night when Chiang had flung them away in his haste to bond. Her gaze was locked to Chiang’s as she finished securing it, noting his look was as possessive as ever. His approval of her now tamed hair was so satisfied male that seeing it brought a snort from her.

“What would happen if I cut it all off?” she demanded. “Would you cease to desire me?”

Chiang grinned. “Never. I’d just become obsessed with another part of you.”

“
Mehed. Olete koik uhesugused
,” she said.

“Complain in Sumerian all you want. Soon I will understand your insults. I’m planning to purchase translation devices for both of us,” Chiang informed her, tucking the various scanners and control devices into his numerous pockets. “The new ones get implanted under the skin.

He had chosen to forgo wearing a laser weapon on the mission and was glad now. It would have made them look even less trustworthy. And between the two of them, they could fairly quickly subdue most attackers. The pride he felt about that fact was not as surprising today as it had been yesterday.

“Do you think the cap…
Conor
is coming?” Boca asked, barely catching herself.

“It wouldn’t surprise me to find our employer is already here,” Chiang replied.

“Let us not tell the demon about our rude greeting by the Lotharian guards,” Boca said. “He…I was not harmed…much. One death was enough retribution.”

“You fear the demon seeking retribution more than me doing so?” Chiang asked, not sure how he felt about her respect for Malachi’s power.

Boca thought about it. “More like I fear the demon’s decision making where any female he favors is concerned,” she finally said.

“Understandable,” Chiang agreed as he nodded and then walked to answer the knock on the door. “Come. We are summoned by our host at last.”

Sighing as she swore under her breath, Boca followed Chiang out the door.

Chapter 20

In the receiving area, Orem Sel sat on a large chair facing the door that the guards ushered them through. Malachi looked at the male smirking at them and snorted in disbelief.

“Do not underestimate him,” Rena hissed, seeing the wicked intentions in the demon’s gaze. “He will kill your host body without a qualm if it suits him.”

“Then what would keep me from killing him?” Malachi asked, looking directly into the emissary’s sincere gaze.

“He is meant for a higher purpose. This is all I know,” she said, swallowing her disappointment, appalled when Malachi patted her hand, which was still resting on his arm. She had long forgotten what it was to be this vulnerable. Her gratitude for the demon’s reassurances was almost more painful.

Synar stepped forward and leaned close to Malachi and Rena, who were still talking. “Ask first for the whereabouts of Chiang and Boca,” he whispered.

Malachi gently moved each Trax sister’s hand off him to step forward.

“So…the elusive Conor Synar has decided to grace me with his presence after all,” Orem Sel commented.

“Grace is not the word I would use,” Malachi said tightly. “You know why I am here. Where is my trader, Orem Sel? It took me months to find something to keep the Greggor in my service.”

“Your Greggor has come to no harm by my hand,” Orem Sel declared with a smile. “And by all reports his dangerous female has let him live through yet another sleep cycle, though it has been reported that they didn’t sleep much.”

“How very ignoble of you to spy on my employee,” Malachi said, returning the Lotharian’s smarm with some of his own. “Are your people in such need of bonding lessons that you must take them from Greggors? I have connections to a Siren or two if you want to learn better techniques.”

Malachi narrowed his gaze as he saw Chiang and Boca enter the area. Chiang started towards him but was stopped by two of the guards accompanying him.

“I see you are determined to be difficult. Perhaps I should retrieve my people and find better customers,” Malachi said coldly.

Orem Sel raised a hand, and suddenly they were ringed by over a hundred laser weapons, charged and ready to be fired on them.

Malachi shook his head. “Now I’m offended. And look—I can raise my hand as well.”

He did so and the weapons all powered down instantly. The guards were smacking them and checking them

Malachi walked closer to Orem Sel. “Highly entertaining. Now release my people while I’m still in a good mood.”

“I fear no demon or his master,” Orem Sel said. “I am protected by the Creators.”

“Really?” Malachi asked, pacing across the front of the man. “Shall we test that theory?”

Orem Sel stood and held out his hands. “Do your worst.”

“No, don’t. . .” Malachi heard a female voice call out in warning, but he’d already sent a bolt of energy zinging towards the man. Moments after, he bent at the waist, feeling it return to Conor’s body with all the force he had used to send it.

Orem Sel laughed. “Your demon power is useless on me, Conor Synar. I have no fear of you.”

Malachi straightened and looked over his shoulder to see one of the guards had stepped up to take Rena in hand. He narrowed his gaze, lifted a hand, and the man called out once before being reduced to a pile of dust that fell gently from the air. Rena put hands on her hips and glared at him. Smiling, Malachi turned back to Orem Sel.

“Maybe I can’t hurt you, but how would you like to be the only living male left on a planet full of angry female slave mates?”

He smiled at Orem Sel’s growing frown.

“I see your point,” Orem Sel said, sitting back down in his chair. He looked over at the guards stopping Chiang and waved them aside.

Barrier down, Chiang walked forward immediately with Boca on his heels. “Are you alright?” he asked, reaching a hand out to Malachi, who nodded from his bent-over stance.

“I am fine, Doctor. It just stings a little,” Malachi reported, hearing Boca swearing and cursing the Lotharians in her native tongue. “Thank you for caring, Little Warrior. I was worried about you too. I trust the Greggor took good care of you.”

Boca shook her head and gave Malachi the hand signal Gwen often used to show disrespect. He merely raised an eyebrow.

“Why do you let the Greggor’s female insult you?” Orem Sel exclaimed, not understanding why a male as powerful as Conor Synar would let such a female live when there were so many other more malleable ones to be enjoyed.