Venomous Heart

by Mary Auclair

  Now Khal thought he had to take care of him.

  “This is not something you can help with.” Arlen bit out his words, but his voice was returning to normal. As he closed his eyes, he regained a little more of his control. It wasn’t enough, and he was still a danger to anyone who came in contact with him, but Khal was an Eok, and that meant it was safer for him than the others to be around Arlen.

  And he was too stubborn to leave now anyway. Too stubborn and too foolhardy.

  “Does it have anything to do with Doctor Ava?”

  Arlen’s eyes shot open and he studied his younger brother carefully. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, I saw how you react around her.” Kahl approached, but his movements were careful. “As soon as she came in contact with you, I knew what was happening. I’m only surprised you took so long to find out yourself.”

  “What nonsense is this?” Arlen’s temper was flaring back, tension rippling down his limbs in violent anticipation.

  “It came to you,” Khal stated simply. “The Mating Venom.”

  Arlen paused, then turned away from his brother. He walked all the way to the balcony overlooking Knut’s cherished garden, then turned his back on it as the memory of the kiss he’d shared with Ava came back to him.

  There was no escaping what he felt. And there was no hiding it from Khal’s shrewd eyes either, apparently.

  “It doesn’t matter.” Arlen shook his head. “Whatever you think you know, keep it to yourself.”

  Kahl’s mouth hung open, then he frowned deeply. He approached without the slightest hesitation despite Arlen’s glare of hostility.

  “You can’t ignore the Mating Venom.” Khal came to stand just by Arlen. “The madness will come, and then, there’s no telling what you will do. Just look what’s happened already.”

  The room behind Khal bore stark witness to what the Mating Venom would push him to do. All Knut’s furniture lay in heaps of splintered wood, the mattress reduced to a pile of feathers, and expensive items were shattered on the floor. Arlen hadn’t just ransacked it, he had utterly destroyed the place.

  Everything was broken, ripped and slashed. Everything except the portrait of a startlingly beautiful female on the wall. One that watched him with that expression of defiance that made him itch all over with an urge to put his mouth on her, his hands on her.

  No. I’m not that young fool anymore.

  “I am well aware of the effect of the Mating Venom, little brother.” His answer was loaded with enough bile that Khal looked chastised for once. “And I am not going to be victim to that curse ever again.”

  Khal’s eyes widened and he took a moment to absorb his brother’s statement. His expression became cautious, but there was no mistaking the worry there. “So that’s your genius plan?” He lifted an ironic brow. “Ignore the Mating Venom because of what happened with Maral? Brother, if you think because your last mate was—” Khal didn’t have time to finish.

  Arlen moved, getting into his space with an uncharacteristic aggression, splaying his talons over the younger Eok’s chest. Khal’s eyes grew wide with shock, then fear as Arlen pushed him back until his ass hit the rail of the balcony.

  “Never mention that name again.” Arlen’s voice was breathless, but rage ran amok in his veins as his mind burned him with a murderous hatred. “I won’t repeat myself.”

  Khal’s face twisted with hurt as he grabbed Arlen’s wrist, trying unsuccessfully to free himself from his brother’s hold. “Really? You leave us—leave me—for a year, and I’m supposed to act like nothing happened!” Khal’s emotion bubbled up to the surface now, finally breaking the young Eok’s control over his feelings. “And I’m supposed to watch you fall to the madness also? Not a chance! I’m not letting you destroy yourself like this. You know what will happen if you ignore the Mating Venom’s call, and you know what I have to do if it becomes a danger. When you become a danger.”

  Arlen’s rage lessened as he realized just how much Khal had grown in the year since he’d left. Young, brash and funny Khal, always up for an adventure, for a new thrill. Khal wasn’t the unrestrained youth he’d once been anymore.

  None of them were the same.

  “I will complete this mission, then I will return to the Frontier.” Arlen pulled away from Khal, then walked back inside the room. “Karian and I made a deal. A year of peace for a year of combat.”

  “You’d prefer to lose yourself to the Bloodlust than to accept that you have another chance at happiness? You think taking Doctor Ava for yourself is a worse fate than losing your soul?” Khal shook his head. “What about Mother’s soul? Father’s? Mine? No, Arlen, I’m not ready to let you do that.”

  Grief, old and vivid at the same time, came back to bite him, and sadness drowned Arlen’s anger. Khal had always had too much heart, felt too much for an Eok’s own good. This would hurt him.

  “Fine! I won’t interfere for now,” Khal said as Arlen turned away to walk out. “But as fun as it is to fight with you, that isn’t why I came.”

  When Arlen didn’t answer, Khal continued.

  “She’s here.” There was a sense of impending doom in his brother’s voice that made Arlen turn to face him. For the first time ever, he saw the shadow of genuine fear in Khal’s eyes. “Prime Councilor Aav is here, and she has a thousand Mantrilla soldiers with her. Her ship will be landing in a few minutes.”

  Arlen stood mute for a few seconds, then shook his head. Tension rippled from his muscles and with a supreme effort, he regained control of his body.

  “She hasn’t left her seat in the Ring in three decades.” Arlen’s mind raced with possibilities as he tried to understand what might push Prime Councilor Aav to endanger her hold on power like that. “Did she give any indication as to what she wants?”

  Khal’s face became even more grim as he nodded. “She wants us to assemble all the humans in the main square. She wants to inspect them.”

  Arlen cursed loudly. This was bad, as bad as it was unexpected.

  “Keep Ava and Uril out of her sight. Not a word on any hybrid.”

  Khal nodded grimly. Arlen didn’t need to tell his brother what would happen to them if Prime Councilor Aav got her claws on them.

  Something churned in his stomach as Arlen braced his hand against the doorframe. It took him a few moments to understand what it was. Then he knew that, for the first time in his violence-filled life, he was afraid.

  Afraid for the one person who mattered above all else.

  8

  Ava

  Ava eyed the Eok standing in front of her as she held the door open. He was as tall and large as any of them, but the marks on his deep Prussian blue skin were a shade lighter. His face was broad and chiseled and he had a pleasant, almost debonair expression as he flashed her a bright, white smile. It was easy to see that this Eok was young, younger than her twenty-eight years by a good many. He was nothing like the one Eok she so desperately wanted to see, the one Eok who had haunted her dreams for the past two nights. The one Eok who had been avoiding her for so many days.

  As Ava stared at him, she saw glimpses of Arlen in the stranger’s face. The same hard fullness of the lips, the chiseled strength of the jaw, the way his brows creased as he watched her.

  “Who are you?” she asked boldly, not taking her eyes off him. “I sent a note to Commander Arlen at the Command Center.”

  “My brother sends his regrets, but his duties prevent him from meeting you this morning.” The newcomer inclined his head slightly in apology. “I am Captain Khal.”

  Well, that explains the resemblance. He sent his baby brother to let me down easy.

  Ava bit her lower lip to hide the sudden pinch of disappointment, but judging by the look of pity on the Eok’s face, she’d failed miserably. It hurt that Arlen had refused to see her, more than she’d thought it would, and certainly more than it should.

  After all, what did she expect? He had ordered her to leave after kissing her, as though her touc
h had burned him.

  Or as though he was disgusted by it. As though kissing her was a perversion to be ashamed of.

  “If Arlen sent you then it’s fine by me,” she lied through her teeth. “He doesn’t need to waste his precious time on me.”

  She knew she sounded bitter and spiteful, but she couldn’t help it. Arlen had no idea what his touch did to her when he kissed her—what it still did. She couldn’t sleep without dreaming of him, and whenever she wasn’t careful, her mind circled back to the feeling of his hands on her body. She was losing her mind.

  And he obviously wasn’t losing his.

  “I was told you require some sort of medical equipment?”

  Khal brought Ava’s attention back to the real reason—or, rather, the excuse—she had used to send the note to Arlen. She hesitated, but not for long. She had used her need for medical supplies for Uril as an excuse to see Arlen again, but the need was real nonetheless.

  “Uril needs myocardic nanites. The shock he got in the fight made one of his murmurs grow too much, he’s not getting enough oxygen.” Ava lifted her chin, steeling herself against the onslaught of feelings at the thought of Uril’s deteriorating condition. “My stock here is depleted. I’ll also need equipment to monitor his heart. Here’s a list of what I need.”

  Ava handed a piece of paper to the Eok, who took it reluctantly.

  “Dr. Yrakan will come to treat him in a short time, I’m sure.” Khal stared at the list of equipment Ava had requested, then slid it into a pocket of his vest. “In the meantime, you can communicate directly with him if you have any need.”

  Anger flared in Ava instantly.

  “I don’t need Dr. Yrakan to take care of Uril.” She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “I am Uril’s doctor. Commander Arlen might have relieved me of my position as medical doctor to the rest of the population, but nothing will make me give up Uril’s care. Not even him.”

  As she bit out the last word, Khal lifted his brow. Ava immediately regretted her outburst and the obvious way in which she had betrayed herself. Shame flooded through her as she realized that this young Eok knew she was hoping to see Arlen at every corner.

  I’m such a fool. I should be focusing on getting the Exo-Heart and getting far away from here, not pining after a man who obviously wants nothing to do with me.

  The thought didn’t help; it only made her angrier at herself.

  “I am sure Arlen would have been more than happy to see to you personally, but he does have a security concern to deal with right now.” Khal spoke in a low, soothing voice. A voice full of pity, and it was that pity that made Ava bristle like a cornered beast.

  She wanted no one’s pity, especially not from one of those big blue warriors. She mentally shook away her feelings to focus on what Khal had just said. Because any danger lurking on Aveyn could compromise her chances of retrieving the Exo-Heart and saving Uril.

  And that wasn’t something she was ready to accept, Big-Blue-and-Mighty warrior or not.

  “What security concern?”

  “There is no danger to you, Doctor Ava,” Khal answered with a light shrug. “There is no need to worry. You just focus on staying safe in the mansion. You can rely on us for the rest.”

  Khal eyed her with a kind of paternal dismissal, like he was trying to let her down easy. Like there was nothing she could say or do that would be of any help. It made her mad—madder than anything else he could have done. She might be a filthy hybrid, a creature whose very existence was a stain on the Ring, but she certainly wasn’t stupid. And she wasn’t going to be treated as though she was.

  “Patronizing, much?” When Khal didn’t answer, Ava summoned that stern look that always helped her with difficult patients, the look that made grown men apologize with downcast eyes like children. Ava stared hard at him, until his easy smile faltered and he looked like he wanted to bolt down the hall. “You might as well tell me. I know more about this green rock than all of you combined. So speak, before I make you.”

  The young Eok took a step back, throwing his hands in the air in surrender. A chuckle left his mouth and his eyes twinkled with a private amusement. “Well, all I can say is that you deserve each other.” Khal laughed out loud, clearly amused. “You’re just as charming as he is!”

  “What are you talking about?” Ava’s eyes reduced to slits and she took a step closer, anger flowing through her like liquid fire. “What did Arlen tell you?”

  Did he tell his brother that he kissed me? Did he tell him he wanted to avoid me at all costs?

  Questions and thoughts tumbled over themselves in her mind, each more painful than the next.

  “He hasn’t been back to talk to you, has he?” Khal shook his head, then stared at her with a serious look, completely unlike his expression of a few seconds ago. “He will need to, you know. Or it’ll drive him mad.”

  The sudden turn of the conversation had Ava blinking, confused. “What are you talking about?”

  Khal pursed his lips into a grimace, then shifted his weight from foot to foot, indecision clear on his face. He glanced at her, then he seemed to make his decision.

  “Arlen won’t listen to me. He won’t listen to anyone.” Khal spoke in a low voice and his expression became intense. “He’s been hurt too much, and he’s too proud to admit that he’s scared, but he can’t ignore it. When the Venom calls, there is no ignoring it. He will have to answer it, or he’s going to go insane. I can tell you’re feeling it, too. Go to him, you are the only one he’ll listen to.”

  Ava stayed silent at Khal’s words. None of it made sense.

  “I’ll retrieve what you asked for.” Khal patted his vest pocket, his expression returning to the same matter-of-fact, lightly humorous one from before. “But if you want answers, you’d better go to Arlen.”

  Fuck this. I’m done with dealing with half-truths. I’m going to find Arlen whether he wants to be found or not.

  “You bet I will,” Ava fumed, harnessing her anger to direct it at the one she was truly mad at. “Let’s see what Big-Blue-and-Mighty has to say for himself.”

  She stormed down the hall, leaving Khal behind. She could feel his eyes on her as she walked away but she couldn’t care less.

  All she cared about was pummeling one particularly obnoxious blue alien warrior into giving her answers.

  She could hear them talking on the other side of the door, but she didn’t care. She was too angry, and too scared that if she waited, her anger would abate and she would lose her courage.

  Ava pushed the door open, marching in without missing a beat. She didn’t knock, didn’t wait to be called in, she just walked straight in.

  A uniform-clad Relany officer stood facing the wall of screens, his face wearing an almost comical expression of shock as he turned to face her.

  And beside him towered the blue warrior who had robbed her of sleep for the past two days.

  “I need to speak with you.” Ava planted her feet wide apart and crossed her arms over her chest in her best don’t-mess-with-me attitude.

  “Doctor Ava.” Arlen’s voice was cold and remote, and the use of her title was like a slap to the face. He looked at her with those two pale eyes letting nothing show of his emotions. If he even had any. “I sent Captain Khal to see to your needs.”

  Pain stabbed through her at his words. No apology, not a single note of warmth, or even of guilt. Heck, at that point, she would take disgust over that indifferent remoteness.

  “I know.” She raised her chin, refusing to let him see how much he was hurting her. “But I heard you have security problems. I want to know what they are.”

  Annoyance flashed across Arlen’s face and he muttered under his breath. All Ava could make out was the name of his brother, coupled with a few untranslatable Eokian curse words.

  “My brother should not have bothered you with this. It is none of your concern.” Arlen turned away from her and back to the screens on which tiny lights flickered. Most of them were gre
en, but one was distinctly red and Ava approached, her gaze on what she immediately recognized as a map of Aveyn.

  “This is Facility Twenty-One.” Ava stood behind Arlen, just beside the Relany officer. She pointed to the blinking light. “Why is it red?”

  Arlen shot her a surprised glance, then his hard lips pursed in a displeased grimace. He eyed her cautiously, like he was trying to decide if he should listen to her or push her out the door and lock it behind her.

  “We lost communication with Facility Twenty-One nine days ago.” His voice was reluctant, but at least he wasn’t shutting her out.

  Ava stood silently as she stared at the map. The ominous red light flickered on and off as her eyes trailed over the sea of green covering the land. Somewhere out there was the Vault, and inside the Vault was the one thing she needed, the one thing that would make all this godforsaken pain worth it. The Exo-Heart, in its bio-container, waiting to be picked up. Nothing. There was nothing on that map that gave her the information she needed.

  Where are you? Uril needs you!

  She turned away from the map and faced Arlen.

  “It’s the middle of the storm season in the Southern Hemisphere of Aveyn.” As she spoke, she tried to convince herself that this was some kind of reasonable explanation, but she knew it wasn’t. “A powerful storm can blow out a radio tower. It’s not unheard of, and Facility Twenty-One is the most isolated of all of them. I don’t even know why Knut built it there; it’s so remote, completely isolated from the others.”

  “There was a storm system in the area when we lost communication. That could explain why the reconnaissance team and the follow up team didn’t come back.” Arlen nodded but his face remained grim. “They would have stayed with the humans until they re-established communication.”

  Ava stood there at Arlen’s side. She was all too aware of his presence, of the strength emanating from his body. Now that she knew there was no immediate danger, she couldn’t focus on anything else but him. And maybe she was a fool, but she needed answers. If Arlen wanted nothing to do with her, then she needed to hear him say it.