by Tana Stone
I didn’t know anything about the blockade, but I could see the suspicion on his face as he glowered at me. “I’m sorry. I had no idea—”
“None?” He cut me off, narrowing his eyes until they were slits.
I shook my head vigorously, which was a mistake, as my vision started to swim. “How could I have known that, especially if they did it to find me?”
“Perhaps it was always part of the Zagrath plan?” He stepped closer, towering over me. “You did say the admiral spoke freely around you.”
“Not about any blockade.” I sucked in a breath and thought back to the old man droning on about tracking the Vandar. Even though I’d attempted to tune him out a lot, my memory did not allow me to forget anything. “He did mention tracking the Vandar using cargo intended to be stolen during raiding missions.”
His hazel eyes held me. “Anything else you forgot to mention before?”
My mind searched for any tidbit I could share with him. It was clear he thought I’d held out on him. Instead of worrying about him taking me as a mate, I was now concerned he might consider me a traitor and put me out an airlock.
“A star chart,” I finally said. “I remember that he had a star chart—an old-fashioned one on paper so it couldn’t be hacked into, he said.”
Toraan’s eyebrows lifted in obvious curiosity. “What did this star chart show?”
“He was tracking Vandar movements. Every time one of your hordes raided an outpost or a ship, he marked it. The admiral claimed that there were patterns.”
Toraan closed his eyes for a moment before growling low and opening them again. “Just what we need. A Zagrath who can predict our horde patterns.”
A word bubbled up in my mind, one the admiral had muttered to himself darkly many times. “Does the word amoeba mean anything?”
The Raas froze, then his hand darted out and grabbed my arm roughly. “Where did you hear that?”
I gasped as he jerked me to him. “The admiral said it. That was what he was attempting to break. Something about an amoeba, but I didn’t know what the word meant.” I tried to shake off Toraan’s hand, but his grip was too tight. “I thought he’d made it up. I thought he was old and delusional.”
Toraan released me, scraping a hand through his hair. “Tvek. If the enemy deciphers our amoeba defense…” He glanced at me. “It could mean death for all of us, including you.”
I wasn’t sure exactly what tvek meant, but at that moment, I felt like saying it a few times.
Chapter 14
Toraan
“You are sure, Raas?” Rolan’s hands gripped the edge of the desk in my strategy room as he sat against it.
“How would she know the word if she had not heard the admiral use it?”
Rolan and Viken both nodded, but their faces were grim. They knew what this meant, just as I did. The amoeba defense was a tightly held secret that was one of the reasons we’d been able to evade the empire for so long and win so many battles. Its seeming unpredictability—along with our invisibility shielding— had made it almost impossible to defend against a Vandar attack. But if they knew about it and were working on determining the pattern…?
“I do not understand how this could have reached Zagrath ears.” Viken slammed his palm against the star chart and the clear surface rattled from the impact.
“Too much has reached the Zagrath lately,” Rolan added.
I agreed, but I could not imagine how it was happening, either. Our hordes were tightly contained communities. We did not interact with other species, and even rarely with other hordes. We flew stealthily and attacked our enemy without warning.
“The only variable is the human females,” Viken said. “Your brothers both took one onto their warbirds, as you have done.”
I flinched from the implied rebuke, and for the first time in ages, felt the urge to rush to my brothers’ defense. “You believe humans—females at that—are behind the empire’s intelligence on us? From what I understand, both females were their captives.”
Rolan lifted his hands up. “Do you have another possibility, Raas?”
The only other possible answer was a traitor within, and the concept was abhorrent to me, as I knew it would be to my fellow raiders. “None that makes sense.”
Viken planted his feet wide and braced one hand on the hilt of his battle axe. “We should consider more seriously that the human we have on board is part of the enemy plan.”
“Then why did she tell us of the Zagrath’s intel and plans?” I pointed to the star chart I’d marked with new points and waved a piece of paper in the air. “Why did she draw the admiral’s star chart for me?”
Rolan eyed the paper. “How did a female with no astrological training replicate a star chart for you?”
I’d wondered the same thing when Rachael had begun sketching on the paper I’d found for her. “She claims to have a memory that allows her to recall anything she sees.”
Rolan’s eyebrows shot skyward. “Then perhaps she should be on the command deck instead of locked in the Raisa suite.”
Viken snorted a laugh, and I didn’t tell either warrior that she was staying in my quarters now.
“The fact remains that she knows what no female from Horl ever could without having heard it from the empire. And, until now, we have never been aware of the enemy having knowledge of our amoeba defense.” I pointed to the star chart. “And there is no denying that this is a record of our horde’s movements over the past astro cycle.”
Both raiders shifted uncomfortably before nodding their agreement.
“The accuracy of this chart does lend strength to the rest of her information,” Rolan admitted. “We should take it seriously.”
“We should postpone our trip to the pleasure planet,” I said.
Viken tightened his grip on his weapon. “As much as I hate it—and I do hate it—I agree. I do not know how, but the enemy has knowledge of us they did not have before. We should be more wary and unpredictable. And our stops on pleasure planets have been noted on this star chart.”
I sighed. “The crew will be upset.”
“The crew will survive.” Viken gave me a crooked grin. “And they have their hands.”
Rolan’s gaze rested on me. “You are not still considering taking the human as a mate, are you, Raas?”
My initial anger at Rachael had faded, as had my belief that she had lied to me. She’d seemed genuinely contrite that she hadn’t told me earlier, and part of me wondered if she had any idea of the importance of the information she’d overheard. To her, it had been boring chatter by the admiral and even terms she didn’t understand. She’d seemed truly shocked that it had been so crucial.
Although I no longer seethed with fury, the seed of doubt had been planted. Lila had deceived me, and the betrayal I’d felt had pierced me deeply. It was one of the reasons I held honesty at such a premium. Could I trust Rachael? And if I couldn’t, how could I possibly take her as a mate. I’d initially thought I could take a mate as a strategic move in my long game against the empire, but was I being reckless? A Raisa who was part of an imperial plot would be my undoing.
“Raas?” my majak prodded.
I swiveled my head between my two most trusted warriors. “Do you believe the female is in league with the empire?”
Both Vandar considered my question, then Rolan shook his head.
“I do not either,” Viken admitted. “I believe she is in as much danger from them as we are, especially if the admiral has any clue that she listened as well as she did.”
“Just because she is not a spy does not mean you need to take her as your Raisa,” Rolan said.
“No.” I tipped my head back and stared up at the black ceiling—the ambient lighting glowing blue across its surface—thinking of the pretty female I’d left in my quarters and trying to convince myself that she was not Lila. “It does not.”
I did not need to take her as a mate. There were other ways to strike a blow to the imperial admiral
. Then why did I want nothing more than for the human to say yes to me? Why did the need to claim her make my body throb and my pulse race?
Chapter 15
Rachael
“Tvek, tvek, tvek!” I was right. The Vandar curse word did help, even if I wasn’t sure exactly what it meant.
I stomped across the room again, even though I’d practically worn a path in the shiny floor since Toraan had left me. He’d looked angrier when he left than when he’d arrived, and he hadn’t been thrilled with me then, either.
Why had I held back from telling him everything I’d known? Now he’d lost faith in me, and he would probably doubt everything I did from here on out. If there was a “here on out.” I couldn’t imagine that he’d still want me as a mate. Not if he thought I’d lied to him, or at least withheld information, which I could sense from his expression, was the same thing in his book.
Taking long strides to the table, I refilled my goblet and took a swig. I hadn’t done it on purpose. Everything had happened so fast. He’d rushed off when I’d told him about the admiral searching for the secret colonies, and then I’d been distracted by his suggestion of being his mate and had forgotten the whole reason he’d taken me on board—because I’d promised to give him intel on the empire.
I’d meant to keep up my end of the bargain. I truly had, but fear had kept me from spilling everything all at once. Fear that what I knew wouldn’t be enough. Fear that once the Vandar knew what I did they wouldn’t keep me. Fear that Toraan would realize he’d made a mistake in asking me to be his mate and promising not to turn me back over to the empire.
Now, the Raas had even more reason not to want me. Despite my own hesitation about agreeing to be a virtual stranger’s mate, tears pricked the backs of my eyes as I realized that it would probably never happen now. Not if he thought I’d been deceptive.
I drained the goblet and poured myself another glass, even though I knew I should slow down. The Vandar wine was dulling both the pain and regret. Blinking away my tears , I walked unsteadily toward the bathroom, ignoring the recurring sensation that the room was slanting to one side. I needed to stop rehashing the conversation in my mind. I needed to take my mind off Toraan and the mess I’d made of things—and I knew just what would do that.
Although the attached bathroom was constructed of the same obsidian stone as the rest of the Raas’ quarters, tiny pinpoints of sapphire light embedded in the ceiling gave it a blue glow. A shiny counter ran along one wall, and next to it was an obelisk with squared off sides and lots of flat buttons. A round, tiered pool dominated the center of the room, with a wide ring of water at the base, and three smaller rings leading up to a top circular pool that might hold two people. As I walked around, I saw that each level had steps to the next but was divided by stone walls, and each level featured a different color of water.
I approached the tiered pools almost reverently, dipping my fingers into the water and almost moaning when I realized the crimson water was hot.
How long had it been since I’d had a proper bath? The sonic showers on the imperial ship had been efficient, but not enjoyable.
I eyed the water again then glanced back at the doorway. Why was I concerned about Toraan walking in on me bathing? He’d stormed out, and I doubted he was coming back anytime soon. Even if he did, it wasn’t like he’d want to begin whatever claiming ritual would make our mating official. Not now.
A pang of regret made my eyes burn, but was quickly replaced by a flutter of nerves. Even though I was sad the possibility of sex with the huge Vandar was most likely off the table, I was also relieved. Not that the idea of being with the Vandar didn’t make my heart pound and heat pulse between my legs. It did, big-time, but that didn’t mean I was a wham-bam-thank you-Rachael kind of girl.
I laughed at that thought, the sound echoing in the room.
“You need to relax,” I told myself. “Everything is going to be fine.”
I hoisted myself up on the stone wall of the pool and then swung my body over the side, pulling up my skirt, lowering my legs into the water, and letting out a breathy sigh.
Damn, that felt good.
I scissored my legs back and forth, mesmerized by the red of the water and how quickly the heat made the muscles in my shoulders unwind. I took a sip of wine then set my goblet on the stone ledge beside me.
What did it even mean to be a Raisa? Toraan had used that word and said it meant the mate of a Raas, but I wondered what would have been expected of me.
“Fuck him, obviously,” I said to myself, the words giving me a small thrill. He was so huge, I could only imagine how large his cock would be. I gulped and moved my legs faster in the water, as some splashed over the sides. The stable boy I’d seduced hadn’t been anywhere close to as big as the Raas, and I’d been sore after him.
I gave my head a small shake. “Better a huge cock than a shriveled one.”
I bit back a giggle and a grimace, grateful that I would never have to see the admiral’s old cock, which must have been as saggy and wrinkled as the rest of him.
My mind returned to the Raas. Even though I probably wouldn’t be his Raisa now, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about it. He’d talked about mating marks that I would get. I touched a hand to my chest. It was strange to think of my brown skin with dark swirls across it, but not altogether unwelcome. I would have done anything that kept me out of the hands of the empire. Now, what would I do?
The warm water didn’t seem so warm anymore as my legs had adapted to the heat, but I eyed the level higher. That water was orange, with bubbles popping at the surface, and I detected a spicy scent. I glanced down at my skirt and top. If I wanted to try out all the levels of the pool, I’d have to either take them off, or get them soaked.
I looked over my shoulder. I was still alone. As far as I knew, the Raas might not return for a while. If at all. The ship’s engines hadn’t started back up again, so whatever the issue was, it hadn’t been solved. Not to mention the fact that he was most likely in counsel with his first mate about the information I’d finally given him.
I nibbled the corner of my lip. Then, before I could have second thoughts, I swung my legs back over the wall and quickly stripped off my clothes. I left them in a pile on the floor and quickly got back into the water, this time submerging myself in the heat up to my neck.
The shock of the water had sobered me up a little, but I didn’t want to be sober. I wanted to forget the loss and fear and disgust I’d felt as I’d been handed over to the admiral and then escaped from him. And I needed to forget the frustration that I’d messed up the possibility of being with Raas Toraan.
I closed my eyes and sank into the water, my body floating on the surface and my ears submerged. I almost jerked back up when I heard music, but then I realized that it was playing underneath the water. The melody was soothing, and my anxiety melted away as I slowly let my body sink below entirely. For a moment, I was lulled by the sound and completely at peace.
Then a loud splash jerked me back to reality, and strong hands wrenched me out of the water. I gasped for breath as the Raas held my naked body to his.
Chapter 16
Toraan
At first I hadn’t heard her when I’d entered my quarters, but a quick scan of the space—partially illuminated by the undulating, blue flames of the fire—had revealed that she wasn’t sleeping or sitting at the table. The small splash from the bathing chamber had drawn me toward the room, even as my heartbeat had quickened.
Was she bathing? I hadn’t explained the bathing pools to her, or which water held which healing property, but perhaps she had not been able to resist the temptation of the waters. The thought of the human naked in the water fired my blood and made my cock harden. I stripped off my armor and boots, discarding them—along with my battle axe—on the floor, then took long steps toward the bathing chamber.
Entering the space, my eyes adjusted to the blue lights embedded in the ceiling that gave it a starlight effect. My
breath caught. Where was she? Moving quickly, I circled the tiered bathing pools and returned where I’d begun, seeing nothing. Then I spotted movement on the surface and a fingertip fluttering out of the crimson water.
She was submerged. I didn’t pause to wonder why she might be beneath the water or hesitate to jump in, even though I still wore my battle kilt. I plunged my arms under the hot water and jerked her body to the surface, holding her to me as water streamed from her face and she spluttered and blinked.
“What the hell are you doing?” She pressed her hand to my chest, attempting to push herself away from me.
“Saving you.” Her round breasts were against my chest, her skin warm and soft. I had one hand on the small of her back and my arm possessively wrapped around her shoulders.
She pushed firmly away from me, and I released my grip, immediately missing the feel of her. My gaze went to her breasts—the dark peaks tight—and my cock ached with desire. Even spluttering and angry, she was the most beautiful female I’d ever seen.
Smoothing her hair off her forehead, her previously bouncy, black curls now hung straight and wet. “Saving me?” She shook her head, then seemed to realize her breasts were exposed above the water and slapped her arm across them. “From what? Is the ship under attack? Are there intruders on board?”
I stared down at her, trying to keep my eyes from the soft mounds she attempted to hide. “No. I thought you were…” What had I thought? That she was drowning in water that did not reach above her chest? That she’d been trying to kill herself?
Before I could finish my explanation, or determine what exactly it was, she glanced down at me. “Are you still in your skirt?”
I followed her gaze to the leather that was now wet and heavy around my waist. “It is not a skirt. It is a Vandar battle kilt.”
“Okay, but why are you wearing it in the bath?”