Vendel Rising Omnibus

by L A Warren

  “El,” Carek shouted, “you must breathe. You will not drown, but you must breathe before you pass out. Do. Not. Hold. Your. Breath.”

  Her eyes popped open. How had he found out? She choked in the purple soup as her sight dimmed. Elise spasmed and coughed. Air bubbles escaped her throat and floated above her head. It took two full minutes before she realized she was not, in fact, drowning.

  Carek held her shoulders and wrapped his legs around her waist to keep her still.

  “I’m so sorry, El, but you must understand.”

  “Don’t touch me!”

  Normally, she would wipe away her tears, however, the purple soup dissolved her misery and her tears floated away. She tried to extricate herself from Carek’s embrace, but he held her firmly.

  “Let me go.”

  He gave a shake of his head. “You would try to run and I can’t let you out of my sight.”

  “Let me go!”

  “El, we need to talk.” He stroked her cheek and she jerked away.

  She tried to pry out of his embrace. Powerful legs locked around her. Her struggles only succeeded in sending them into a spin. Carek was not budged by her efforts and allowed her to flail against him. He let her work out her anger and frustration until she finally caved in and relaxed, defeated.

  Everything she’d worked so hard to achieve had come to this? How had he found out? How did he know? How could she survive this?

  Shriek took in deep breaths. I must prepare for the braklav.

  Whimper mumbled. Lost! We are lost! No. No. No!

  Malice narrowed her eyes. He has not yet turned us in. Why? Elise. If he has known, why did he not turn us in?

  Elise had to find the answer to Malice’s question. Why hadn’t Carek turned them in?

  More Tender Training would destroy them. Gregor would not kill her. She was too valuable, but he would crush her until nothing remained.

  She and her sisters had their limits. If not Gregor, then the High Tender would find them.

  Carek lifted her chin.

  Her eyes squeezed shut in anguish. When Carek pressed his warm mouth to her lips, her lids popped open.

  In such startling contrast to Gregor, Carek’s kiss was a tenderness without end.

  His kiss? Why is Carek kissing me?

  Her sisters screamed in her mind.

  Shriek screamed. What’s happening here?

  Whimper moaned. What is this?

  Malice growled. I don’t like this!

  Carek kissed her cheeks and her nose, and brought his kisses around to whisper into her ear. “I am damned, and doubly doomed, for I’m in love with an impossibility. Forgive me, but I love you.”

  Elise sobbed.

  He returned to lightly kiss her mouth. And that was when she realized what was so different about his kisses. Carek didn’t force himself on her like Gregor did.

  “We need to talk.” Carek did not release her from his grip. “El, please, look at me.” He put a finger under her chin and lifted.

  “How did you know?”

  “I think I’ve known for a while, but I didn’t want to believe the truth. I mean, who would believe such a thing? But then, I began to hope. You’re a miracle. It’s impossible what you’ve done. How you’ve escaped.”

  “How did you know?” she repeated.

  “It was little things really.”

  “Tell me.”

  “I wasn’t certain until today. You made two mistakes.”

  “What?”

  “The Vendel left Earth long before knights in shining armor. It’s not an expression any Vendel would use and we worship the gods, not God. We left long before your Jesus walked the earth. I said, By the gods, and you said…”

  “God had nothing to do with it.” She glanced far above, to the ripples in the surface of the purple soup. There was nowhere to run.

  “Right, that’s when I knew for sure who Dove’s little chickadee was. Well, at least what you were.”

  “But you suspected before that?” What else had given her away? She needed to know for the next time. Will there be a next time?

  “You have a scar on your hand. Vendel rarely keep scars, unless for a reason. And none would dare leave a scar where a Binding Knife would enter, especially a woman. That’s what set me to thinking. I knew it couldn’t be true. I tried to deny it. How could a s’vlor sneak out the way you do? Why haven’t you been caught? I suspected, but by then it was too late.”

  “What do you mean, too late?”

  “Didn’t you hear me?”

  She searched his face. “No.”

  He leaned in and kissed her lips again. “Against every custom in my world, I profess my love to you. I am damned and doubly doomed. Damned for loving you. Doubly doomed for breaking my oath, sworn three times, to the empire. I should have turned you in, and yet I kept finding something else I had to do. I am forsaken three times over.”

  “What happens now?”

  “Don’t abandon us to the S’Lorek, El. Tell me you will help. If you belong to Emperor vlor’Malita, as I suspect, then you must be the key that Master Tender, Lord vlor’Vardhal, keeps talking about.”

  She stiffened at his words. “I have risked much to rid myself of Gregor.”

  “I know. I have helped, even after my suspicions grew. I have seen your brilliance and your tenacity, which is why I believe the Master Tender is correct about your potential.”

  “You don’t understand. I hate him. I hate Gregor. I need to be free of him. I can’t live as a slave.”

  “My precious, El,” he said, “the Emperor has requested the High Council meet. Do you know why?”

  “To rape me. He says he needs to Bond with me.” She couldn’t suppress her revulsion. “The bastard is dying to complete his conquest, mind and body.”

  He pressed a finger to her lips. “Be careful with your words. We share a private communication in here, but those are treasonous words. What you’ve said is a part of it, but not the whole of it. He is seeking more than sex.”

  “Really?” What more was left?

  “What do you understand of the Binding Rite?”

  “An exchange of biologicals. I hate Vendel biotech, by the way. A Vector to kill billions, an Activator to torture us, and the Blood Rite to prepare us for this Binding Ritual. I know it’s so he can have my body. I’m not naive.”

  “Let me explain, because you deserve the truth of what happened to you. What we’ve done to you.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “The Vector was designed here in the am-net. It had a very specific purpose.”

  “I know, Gregor told me all about it. Killing everyone without a certain number of WOR-genes and identifying women like me. A WOR breeding ground is what he left behind.”

  “Simplistic, but correct. The Activator?”

  “Turned on the WOR-genes and altered our neural chemistry so we can use the WOR-skill.”

  “True, so tell me, you’ve practiced the WOR-skill, tell me—how do powerful women allow themselves to be subservient to men?”

  “We have to learn how to use the WOR-skill and while we learn we wear collars which limit our ability to touch the WOR-skill. We’re nothing more than chattel.”

  “I’m sorry for that, El. I truly am. But let me explain about the Binding Rite. It’s not so they can take their WOR to bed. Most lords are married and perfectly content. It’s considered by many to be a tremendous burden as it causes conflict with their wives.”

  She scoffed at that comment. “How unfortunate for them. What a terrible burden…”

  Carek tried to find the right words. “Please, let me explain. Our culture is not like yours. No lord can—well, he’s not permitted to have sex with his WOR until after the Blood Right and after she’s demonstrated a certain degree of mastery over the WOR-skill. The exchange of biologics isn’t effective until then.”

  “Exchange of biologics? You can’t even say it. Gregor is going to rape me. He’s going to ejaculate inside of me!”


  “El!” Carek glanced around, but they were alone. “You must watch what you say.”

  “Tell me, Carek, why is Gregor pushing the Binding Rite? And why does he need to take it to council? What does that even mean?”

  “It’s the High Council. The highest ruling body we have. His peers will decide whether to release his oath. The Ruling Council has already decided the legal aspect. Recently, as a matter of fact.”

  “How, why?” And what oath?

  “Lord vlor’Vardhal argued that the emperor’s s’vlor has been resistant to conventional training. It is the judgment of the Ruling Council that an early Binding will help the emperor force his s’vlor through training by giving him absolute control over her. The Ruling Council has given the emperor the go ahead. However, he made a mistake and gave his sworn Oath not to touch you until proper Binding.”

  “What does that even mean?”

  “Oaths are important rituals for the Vendel and they’re legally binding. Emperor vlor’Malita gave oath as Emperor, not as a vlor’lord. Had he given oath as vlor’ he could have been released by whoever he gave his oath to. In this case, High Tender Marcus vlor’Vardhal. But, he gave oath as Emperor. Only the High Council, the ruling vlor’ and the High Judicators, can relieve him of that oath and allow a premature Binding.”

  “I don’t understand. And, how do you know so much about this? You’re not a lord.”

  “Several hundred years ago, I rose to my current position. Selected after the death of my uncle, who previously held it, for my forthrightness, my honesty and my loyalty to the empire.”

  “What position? You’re not Ruling Caste. You’re Working Caste.”

  “I’m a High Judicator. Do you know what that means?”

  “No.”

  “Our lords wield tremendous power, especially the v’lor with WOR. The Judicators and High Judicators balance the power of our lords. We’re drawn from the Working Caste and sit in Council. As a group, we have the power to overturn decisions, laws, and release lords from their oaths. Our decision must be unanimous, but it is binding. We’re the few who serve the Empire above the Emperor. I mentioned I’ve sworn oath to my empire three times; first as a boy, then when selected as a Judicator, and again when placed in the position of High Judicator. El, I sit in judgment of my emperor. Can you not see the conflict consuming me?”

  “I don’t see any of it. I don’t understand any of it.”

  Why hasn’t he turned us in yet, Malice Whispered. Why are you still free? Ask!

  “I’m well aware the trouble you’ve caused my emperor. I didn’t know it was you, El, Dove’s Chickadee, but I’ve heard the Emperor’s arguments in council. The High Council meets soon and the vlor’ rulers will release him from his oath. The High Judicators will follow and endorse that ruling.”

  Elise’s hope flared. “But it has to be unanimous, right? You can vote no. I need more time.”

  He dropped his chin to his chest. “I love you. I have said it. It is true. I’m damned for loving you and doomed for not turning you in.” He glanced up and shook his head. “I will not turn you in. When we are done here, I’ll watch you walk away. I won’t betray you. I’ll never betray you. But when the High Judicator’s cast their votes, I will vote with them. I’ll release him from his oath, knowing full well what it will cost you.”

  “Why let me walk out of here, but then condemn me to him?” She shook her head trying to sort it out.

  “Because the S’Lorek are out there. How many Vendel do you know? Not many. And yet the S’Lorek have touched each of us. I showed you my empire. My people. They are vibrant, brilliant and full of life. The trials of WOR indoctrination taint what little you know about the empire. It’s a cruel process, but necessary. I know this and yet I condemn you to it. I need you to see the empire as I see it. We took your world from you, and there’s no excuse for what we did, but you need to know why it was necessary. The S’Lorek would have eventually found Earth. Only in silencing the home world do we save it. Hate me. Hate the emperor. But don’t hate the Vendel. We’re worth saving.”

  His words hit her with the force of an avalanche. She tumbled down the mountainside, pummeled from every side by the force of his words. He smothered her with his passion for life, for humankind, and she broke under the onslaught.

  The willow bent and cracked.

  He reached out to her and she didn’t have the strength to pull away. All her efforts at freedom stopped in this moment.

  I have failed.

  Defeat took the last of her energy and she crumbled beneath the weight of it.

  Carek embraced her and she folded into his muscular arms.

  “I’m not done hurting you, my love. The Binding Rite is more than a physical rape. It’s much worse, and for this you will hate me. Binding will tie your mind to his. The Blood Rite has been preparing his body for the act. Your blood, your DNA, was taken into his body. It has been changing his genetic makeup as surely as the Activator worked on your brain. When his seed is planted within you, when the Binding is complete, you won’t be the same.”

  “What do you mean?” The tone of his voice, the seriousness of his expression caused her to panic.

  “Oh, El…” His voice cracked. “I’m giving the Emperor the keys to your very soul, because I’m the architect of your destruction. Binding destroys your free will. It will be bound to him. Lost forever. Do you understand?”

  No! Shriek shivered.

  No! Whimper wailed.

  No! Malice mumbled.

  It’s not true, the silent one whispered, but even in her voice, Elise sensed fear.

  “You will cease to exist,” Carek continued. “Dove’s Chickadee. Jeena’s kid. You will vanish. In every outward manner, you’ll be no different, but he’ll rule you absolutely. Who you are will fade. Your independence, your passion, your vibrancy will die. Your thoughts will be his. Your will bound to his. This is how the vlor’ control the WOR. It is how I will destroy the woman I love.”

  Everyone went silent in her mind. Malice said not a word, a cackle, a giggle or a whisper. Shriek bit her tongue. Whimper cocked her head. The other pondered.

  Elise fisted her hands and spoke with a cold fury. “Release me.”

  “I cannot.”

  “I won’t run.”

  Carek, so unlike Gregor, gave her the freedom she demanded. He unwrapped his legs and let her loose.

  “El, Gods I’m so sorry.” He wept. “I have forsaken my emperor, but my people…our people need you. Please don’t dismiss us. The Master Tender has tasked me to devise a system to link the s’vlor and increase their power. We hope it will be enough to destroy the S’Lorek. Help me save my people.”

  “Take me back, Carek.”

  “El!” he begged. “Please!”

  “This…is not love…Carek. Take me back.”

  Do not worry Elise, the silent sister said. We are not yet defeated. Until we are Bound, we are still free. We fight.

  Free? Free to do what? We’re a dead woman walking. Or at least a soon to be mindless automaton. Is there no limit to their cruelty?

  We learn new things every day, Elise. We still have time.

  At least one of us is still an optimist. Does this mean you’re finally going to come out of the dark and join us?

  The silent sister slithered into the dark, leaving Elise alone with her thoughts.

  I didn’t think so.

  Shriek stood and stretched. Looks like I’m not needed. Carek likes you. He’s not going to tell on us. You should listen to the lurker.

  Are you taking her side now?

  No, but I don’t think we should give up. Shriek turned and walked away.

  “Like giving up was ever an option,” she said out loud.

  “I didn’t mean give up, I just meant you need to work for the emperor.” Carek reached for her shoulder but she shrugged away from him.

  “I wasn’t talking to you.” She turned away from him. “Take me out of here. Tell your emperor
whatever you want. He’ll destroy me when he finds out what I’ve been doing behind his back. I won’t survive it.”

  Carek unhooked the wires from his temples and then did the same for her. His eyes cast down. “Didn’t you hear me? I’m not going to do that.”

  “How can you not? Aren’t you obligated to your emperor?”

  He firmed his lips. “You didn’t hear me, El. I’m not sworn to serve the emperor. I’m bound to serve the empire, one of very few men, the Emperor being one of them. Unlike him, I believe you must choose to help us rather than be forced to serve us. I very dearly hope you do.”

  Elise took in a deep lungful of the purple liquid and felt it glide down her throat and fill her lungs. Such an odd sensation.

  Save the Vendel?

  She gave a soft laugh.

  They were mad.

  And yet, you’re considering it, the lurker whispered from the darkness.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Gambit, Day 239

  Elise sat in the living area of her suite on the Fifth Deck and told her friends all about what Carek had said regarding the Binding Rite and what it would do to them all. This, of course, took time because she had to backtrack to the beginning and explain who Carek was, along with the rest of her excursions off the Confinement Deck. In short, clipped tones she described her late-night adventures to the stunned threesome.

  Alice became very still. “You thought that would work?” Her brows lifted with a dubious expression.

  Elise shrugged. “I did, at least until Carek explained what’s in store for us.”

  “Your plan was to win the jump-jet final and buy a ship?”

  “Yes! How else are we going to escape? Look, it may not be the best plan, but it’s the only way to get everyone off the Gambit.”

  “And then what? It’s not like we can go back to Earth. That’s the first place they’d look.”

  “I know. It’s not a perfect plan. There are tons of holes, but we don’t have time for perfect. It’s just the next step. Get off Gambit and find someplace to hide.”