Authors: Evangeline Anderson
Rast felt sick. “You mean even if I succeed I could kill her?”
Sylvan nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. It’s not likely but there is that possibility.”
“I don’t care about that.”
The soft voice came from the girl in his arms. Rast looked down in surprise to see that Nadiah’s lovely deep blue eyes were open. She struggled slightly against him and he helped her stand, keeping an arm around her shoulders just in case.
“Now, what did you say?” he asked, frowning.
“I said, I don’t care if I die.” Her face was filled with calm desperation. “I’d rather die than live with that horrible male the rest of my life.” She looked up at Rast earnestly. “Are you serious? Will you really act as my champion and challenge the blood bond on my behalf?”
He nodded slowly. “Yes. Absolutely.”
Nadiah sighed, looking troubled. “I know I should ask you why or try to change your mind but I’m desperate.”
“I can see that,” Rast said dryly. “He’s literally got you on the end of a leash.”
A spasm of hatred passed over her delicate features. “As you said, I’m his pet. But I don’t want to be—not any more.”
“Of course you don’t, honey!” Sophia came forward and gave Nadiah a quick hug. “But you shouldn’t say you want to die—that isn’t right.”
“How could I live as Y’dex’s mate?” Nadiah demanded. “Being abused every day and…and raped every night?” She looked ill. “That’s no kind of life.”
Rast felt a surge of protectiveness for the slender alien girl at his side. “That’s not going to happen, sweetheart. I won’t
let
it happen.”
Sylvan sighed and shook his head. “I hope you can prevent it, Detective Rast—I really do. Though I don’t see how you can without Kindred blood in your veins.”
“I’ll find a way.” Rast squeezed Nadiah’s shoulders gently. “Believe me, I will.”
She looked up at him, her blue eyes troubled. “There’s something else you should know before you commit yourself to my cause. While I was unconscious just now, I had a vision.”
In the past Rast would have ridiculed her statement but now he knew she was the genuine article—an actual, honest to God psychic—so he listened with respect. “Tell me about it,” he said quietly. “What did you see?”
Nadiah shook her head. “It wasn’t a seeing exactly—not like when I saw you with your sister. It’s something I know—a premonition. ”
“Okay then.” Rast stroked a strand of golden hair out of her eyes and looked at her seriously. “What do you know?”
“That if you do this—if you leave Earth and come with me—you may never return to your home planet again.” Nadiah looked at him with troubled eyes. “I don’t know if it’s because you might die or just that you’ll be busy with other matters. But I thought you should know before you committed yourself to my cause.”
Her statement shook him—there was no hiding that. But Rast had no doubt whatsoever. For some reason he belonged with the slender, blonde alien girl. He couldn’t explain it, even to himself, but the idea of leaving her, or of letting her leave without him and go millions of light years away to get married to a man she didn’t love, made him cold inside. “There’s nothing to think about,” he said firmly. “I’m coming with you.”
Nadiah smiled at him gratefully and Rast though he would walk over hot coals barefooted to see that warm, lovely expression on her face. It occurred to him that he’d never felt this way about a woman before—what was going on? He didn’t know and at the moment, he didn’t really care. He just knew he wanted to make Nadiah happy so he could see that look on her face forever.
“Thank you, Rast,” she murmured.” But I think you should go down to the surface one more time and say goodbye to anyone you might miss before we go.”
He nodded reluctantly. “Okay, you’re right about that. I should probably see my folks one more time.”
“I’ll come with you,” Nadiah said but Sylvan shook his head.
“No, you won’t. Not when Y’dex could attack you through the blood bond again at any moment. I don’t want you down on the surface of a strange world in your condition.”
Rast shook his head. “It’s all right—I can go by myself. Just get me a driver and promise not to leave without me. It shouldn’t take long.”
“I’ll fly you down myself.” Commander Sylvan stepped forward, frowning. “And you’ll fly us both back. Some of the smaller Kindred ships aren’t much more complicated than an Earth car to drive but if you’ve never flown before, you’re going to need some lessons before you start out for Tranq Prime.”
Rast grinned. “I’ve always wanted to fly.”
“Now’s your chance.” Sylvan clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on. We can talk as we go, but first I want a small sample of your blood. I’ll get the lab working while we’re gone and see if there’s anything I can give you to increase your chances.”
“Sounds good to me—let’s go.” He nodded and Sylvan led the way out of the viewing room. As they left, Rast cast one last look over his shoulder and saw Nadiah watching him. Her deep, otherworldly blue eyes were filled with emotion—nervousness, fear, uncertainty, but most of all hope.
She’s counting on me,
Rast though, and the idea made his heart swell in his chest.
He swore to himself then and there, that he wouldn’t let her down. That Nadiah’s hopes and the trust she had placed in him would be fulfilled in every way, even if it killed him to do it.
“I still don’t understand why he’s doing this.” Olivia looked perplexed. “I thought he didn’t like you.”
Nadiah looked down at her hands. “I didn’t think he did, either. I guess maybe he was just so angry at the way Y’dex was treating me that he couldn’t stop himself.”
“He
was
really angry,” Sophie, who was sitting on the other side of Nadiah, put in. “You should have seen him—he looked like an avenging angel when he scooped her up and started shouting at that nasty Yo-dah…er, Y’dex.”
“That’s his formal first name,” Nadiah said tiredly to answer the other girls’ confused looks. “Yo-dah is a childhood nickname. But we’re not children anymore.”
“Tomato-to
mah
to,” said Olivia. “I’m still wondering about Rast.”
“Me too,” Kat said. “So let me get this straight…Rast got
so
angry at the way Y’…Y’…Y’whatever-his-name-is was treating you, he decided to risk his life and maybe never see his home world and loved ones again just to get even? Sure, that’s
one
explanation.” She lounged back against the cushions scattered on the floor, looking skeptical.
They were all in Sophia’s suite, spending a few more hours together before Nadiah had to go. But the thought of going back to Tranq Prime, even with a champion to challenge the blood bond, was making her more and more nervous.
“What do you mean, Kat?” she asked, frowning.
“Do I really have to spell it out?” Kat raised one auburn eyebrow at her. “I think Detective Rast has the hots for you, hon.”
“The ‘hots’?” Nadiah shook her head, frowning. “You mean you think his internal temperature rises when I’m around?”
Kat looked like she wanted to laugh. “Among other things.”
“He
was
giving you some pretty significant looks,” Sophia said thoughtfully. “Maybe Kat is right.”
“I don’t think so.” Nadiah shook her head. “I mean, I don’t see how he could, um, feel that way about me. You should see the way I’ve treated him. I shouted at him and slapped him. And
then
I had a vision where I brought up his beloved older sister who died. After uncovering a wound like that, I’m surprised he’ll even talk to me, let alone act as my champion.”
“Well you must be doing
something
right.” Lauren came bustling up with a tray of homemade muffins. “Otherwise he wouldn’t be willing to risk life and limb to save you.”
“Here’s an idea,” Olivia said thoughtfully. “Didn’t you say he’s dedicated his life to saving women?”
Nadiah nodded. “Ever since his sister was killed.”
“My mom said he was tireless when he was investigating my disappearance,” Lauren put in. “He really takes a lost or hurting female very seriously.”
“Maybe that’s it then,” Liv said. “Maybe he sees all women—you included—as extensions of his sister. He couldn’t save
her
but maybe he feels that if he saves enough other women, he’ll get over it.” She shrugged. “Or something like that.”
“Thanks Ms. Pop Psychology for that interesting analysis,” Kat said dryly. “But I still think the simplest solution is the right one—Detective Rast has ants in his pants for Nadiah, here.”
Nadiah shook her head. “My translation bacteria must be acting up. Did you just say that Detective Rast has insects in his trousers?”
Kat wiggled her eyebrows. “Among other things,” she said again.
Sophie laughed and shook her head. “Kat’s just being silly, Nadiah. Don’t pay any attention.”
“All joking aside, do you really think he’ll be able to help me?” Nadiah asked her friends. “I mean, without any Kindred blood in his veins?”
“In my experience when a man is determined enough, he can do
anything
.” Lauren patted her shoulder and offered her a muffin. “And from what you’ve said, Detective Rast is plenty determined.”
“Amen to that.” Kat popped a bite-sized muffin into her mouth. “Lauren, these are to
die
for.”
Lauren smiled. “Thanks—they’re made with
tanka
berries from Rageron. I kind of think they taste like a cross between a hazelnut and a cranberry. Zairn loves them.”
“I just bet he does. You’ve really
mastered
this recipe.” Kat grinned at her. “I mean, do you just chop the nuts up or do you have to grind them into
submission
or something?”
Lauren’s creamy light brown cheeks turned dark pink in an obvious blush. “Stop being so bad, Kat!”
“Sorry, doll, I just have to get in a few digs wherever I can.” Kat popped another muffin. “You have to understand that before
you
came along, my love life with the whole ménage thing was the kinkiest thing going. Now
you
get to wear the kinky crown for awhile.”
Liv raised an eyebrow. “The
kinky crown?
Seriously, Kat, that sounds like a bad romance novel.”
“Or a really cheesy Lifetime movie,” Sophie put in.
Olivia laughed. “Yeah, something about beauty pageants gone bad, with all the contestants forced to be sex slaves to really stern but extremely hot masters. Awful.”
“Yeah, but you know you’d watch it if it came on,” Kat pointed out. She looked back at Lauren. “So does this recipe call for any
whipping
cream?”
“Kat!” Lauren threw a still hot muffin at her and Kat ducked. Olivia caught it instead and took a bite.
“Yum! Delicious but it needs dill pickle icing.”
“Ugh, I wish you’d never started with that,” Sophia made a face and looked at Lauren. “Seriously, she wants to eat it on
everything
now.”
Nadiah laughed along with them as the topic of conversation turned to Olivia’s pregnancy and her strange food cravings but inside she was still troubled. Why
was
the human detective willing to risk his life to save her from a lifetime of bondage? Was she really just another part of the quest that had started for him when his beloved sister, Jessie was murdered? Or could there be another, deeper reason? Did he care for her as Kat seemed to think? And more importantly, did she
want
him to care for her?
I’ve always dreamed of bonding with a Kindred warrior,
she thought, chewing one of Lauren’s muffins thoughtfully.
Living aboard the Mother Ship, seeing new things and new people all the time as the ship moved on to new trades.
Would she really be willing to give that up to be bonded to a human? Would she want to live on the little blue and white ball called Earth for the rest of her days?
Once again she tried to picture her ideal life, the one with a handsome Blood Kindred husband and two or three little boys that looked just like him running around. But somehow, she could only see Rast—his stern features looking like they’d been carved from granite, his truegreen eyes narrowed as he roared at Y’dex to leave her alone. Just remembering how it had felt to be held against his chest, his warm, masculine musk invading her senses, made her heart start to pound and her palms damp.
Stop being so stupid,
she lectured herself, taking another bite of the muffin, which she hardly tasted.
Olivia is almost certainly right—he’s helping me because he sees me and all females, really, as an extension of his sister.
For whatever reason he was helping her, Nadiah felt extremely grateful. But she couldn’t help wondering if she was just a symbol to Detective Rast…or if she meant something more to him.
“You’re picking this up remarkably fast.” Sylvan eyed the way Rast was handling the controls with reluctant admiration. He’d given the human a brief demonstration before they left the docking bay and Rast had showed such instinctive skill that he’d decided to let him take the steering yoke on the way down to Earth as well as on the trip back.