“Ryker is an arrogant, cocky bastard. He will be too busy trying to defeat his half brother to notice that I am his worst enemy, not Varian Saar. I will generously help him to destroy Varian; and while he revels in his victory, I shall strike at him and destroy him. He will not suspect a thing, my friend. Once I have control of Darkar and Trilabs, I will rule the Universe.”
“Your cunning and daring amaze me, my liege. I will do all you say and serve at your side always.”
“Soon, Ryker Triloni will send for me to discuss our private truce; then, my friend, our secret plans will be put into action.”
“What of Supreme Councilman Garthon’s daughter?” Koch asked.
“She knows too much to live much longer,” Taemin declared.
“What of your father, and Kadim Tirol, and Kadim Maal Triloni?”
Prince Taemin stared his loyal officer in the eye and calmly replied, “We will slay them, then you and I will rule all that exists.”
“Once you have slain Prince Triloni and his brother, Commander Saar, nothing and no one can stop you from becoming supreme ruler of the Universe.”
“You weren’t the least surprised when Varian sold Jana Greyson, were you?”
Ryker looked up from his microscope and grinned. “I let him know I wasn’t fooled by his little charade with his pretty slut. Oh, I wasn’t surprised to hear he had locked her in his quarters and sated himself with her. After all, Precious, the Saar men have this strange weakness for green-eyed blondes.” He smiled at his mistress, who quickly and radiantly returned it.
“I knew Varian was faking an enchantment for her to gain my attention. Now that I’ve unmasked Dohler and Vejar, his agents, and gotten rid of them, my brother is right back where he started from, at point zero. He must be getting awfully flustered by all of these setbacks. No way could he fool me with Jana. He would never marry an alien whore who favors my beautiful mother. Why, Jana’s hardly more than a captive breeder. I talked with Baruch a few times, and he swore Varian felt nothing but lust for his captive,” Ryker said, unaware of Baruch’s disappearance and Baruch’s lies to him.
“What if you’re wrong, my love? What if Varian secretly loves this alien beauty? What if he sold her because he was afraid you would kill her?”
“I considered that point. That’s why I have Moloch watching Jana and Draco. If Varian and Draco have some ruse going, I’ll uncover it. Somehow I can’t see my brother leaving his true love with any man, even a good friend. From what I hear, this Jana is irresistible. Besides, Varian would be afraid to leave her alone for months while he’s gone. No, Precious, if he loved Jana, she would be in his quarters right now. If the Supreme Council protested, he would tell them where to go. Jana Greyson was captured as a lure for me, nothing more. But I do want to know more about this mission of his to…the Milky Way Galaxy, wasn’t it?”
“When is that bitch Canissia Garthon scheduled to visit you again?”
Ryker laughed. “In a week or so. Come now, Precious, stop fretting over her. Soon, she’ll be out of your hair for good. Once I get all the facts I need about this curious assignment to another galaxy, I’ll hand her over to Moloch or Taemin. Cass surely does make a lot of enemies.”
“You promised her to Moloch first,” she reminded him.
“You should know by now that I keep very few of my promises. I might deal with Moloch in another way, when I’ve finished using him. Taemin wants Cass. Perhaps I’ll help him obtain her, for a price…”
“What about Moloch? Will you leave him free?”
“Don’t worry about Moloch. I’m running those new experiments in a few weeks, and I’ll be needing several healthy specimens. Moloch will suit my needs perfectly.”
She rubbed her hands together in undisguised eagerness. “I can hardly wait. Why didn’t you keep those two Elite Squad secret agents for our experiment?”
“And deny myself the pleasure of watching Varian squirm? I bet he was up half the night trying to decipher the deaths and placement of the bodies of his two Elite Squad agents. That’s how I know Jana means nothing to him. After discovering I was onto his little plot against me and Trilabs, he would never have sold her and taken off without her.”
“And if you’re wrong?” she pressed boldly.
Ryker scowled at her and shrugged. “If I am or not, they’ll both die eventually.”
Jana lay in bed trying to concentrate on a book, but she couldn’t. She had lived in this opulent setting for ten days, yet doubts chewed at her. Draco and his servants had done their best to make her feel at home. She should be happy and calm; but she wasn’t. She couldn’t be until she understood exactly what was going on. Draco had not visited her bed or sent for her to come to his. Since that day of her arrival, he had not even set foot in her suite. She was so confused. A man didn’t purchase a mate, then ignore mating! Sometimes she discovered him watching her with such a disturbingly strange expression on his face. Sometimes he seemed about to speak or to touch her but would halt and shift uneasily. She needed to end this period of limbo, this ominous unknown. She needed to seal her fate as Draco’s charl, to get their first union behind her. She could just lie in his bed and let him take what he pleased, couldn’t she? Perhaps she would become accustomed to his touch, maybe learn to enjoy it. She needed to prove she could live without Varian, to herself, to Draco, and everyone.
Was Draco concerned over her feelings? Was he waiting for her to come to him? Why had he seemed edgy today? Had he found her sexually undesirable now that he owned her? Was he finding it difficult or impossible to follow Varian Saar in her life? If so, he would come to resent and despise her. Insecurity and panic surged through her. She knew charls could be resold…She didn’t want to have sex with Draco, but she must! Her life here could depend on becoming his mate. Why was he avoiding her in this way?
Her taut nerves demanded release. What she needed was a long, tiring walk. She slipped down the darkened hallway toward the formal gardens. Her bare feet traveled silently through the darkened house. In the gardens she wandered down the paths, halting here and there to pluck a flower and inhale its heady fragrance. The silvery full moon offered plenty of light. Jana stopped near the huge fountain in the center of the garden and sat on its stone edge. She watched the moonlight sparkle on the cascading streams of crystal liquid. Her troubled mind returned to a day beside another waterfall.
“It would take many tears to overflow that fountain, Jana. Why not leave that chore to summer rains?” Draco teased, causing her to jump and turn. He was concerned over her obvious sadness. He knew she must be wary of her new life, yet was Varian the cause? “Is something wrong? You seem distraught tonight.”
Jana felt she must confront this mystery and its truth. She bluntly came to the point. “You have not touched me since I came here, Draco. You treat me like a sister or friend. Why? Have I somehow displeased or disappointed you?”
“Why do you worry over such matters, Jana? Is there a reason you need a physical commitment from me?” he inquired. He had expected this situation to arise, but not this soon. How to deal with it properly and sensitively? His abstinence must seem irrational to her.
“I fail to understand your refusal to take what is yours. Am I naive about men’s needs and desires, or about my position here? I assumed you would claim me before now. Why haven’t you?” she bravely questioned.
Draco sought his words carefully. “On the contrary, Jana, I find you more than pleasing. You’ve been here such a short time, and we hardly know each other. A man can sate his physical desires with any woman, but you are too special to be used lightly. There is no urgency to bed you. We must have time to adjust to each other and become close. I do not see you as a woman who yields her all to a man she does not love. You must trust him and desire him. I would never take any woman by force, Jana. Nor would I accept her submission from gratitude or from a sense of duty. I’m happy with the current arrangement between us. For now, all I demand from you was outlined on your first day here
. Do you understand?”
“Does Varian’s prior possession have anything to do with your decision?”
“I am not jealous nor do I fear competition with my friend Varian. Mere sexual gratification is of no importance to me. Feelings are what matter most, Jana. Take this time to enjoy life, to discover its wonders. Let your emotions heal and grow and strengthen. Forget you are a charl, a captive alien. Find Jana Greyson; get to know her and like her. Be my friend, my companion. If fate sees fit to change those roles later, so be it. Don’t try to create feelings toward me. Remain honest with both of us.”
Jana impulsively kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly. “I don’t deserve such good fortune, Draco. How will I ever thank you? No other man would be so kind. I will be good; I’ll make you proud of me.”
Draco walked her to her room and kissed her good night. He knew his words had polished his image and darkened Varian’s. It couldn’t be helped. He would like nothing more than to possess Jana; he couldn’t, for many reasons. He hadn’t realized what a treasure and temptation she was. He prayed for time to pass swiftly.
Jana leaned against the closed door, more bewildered than before their talk. Was Draco falling in love with her? Was he afraid to press her? If he had demanded her surrender, could she have yielded? She desperately wanted to trust him, but could she? It just didn’t seem natural or logical. He had spent a fortune on her; he owned her body and life. It was back to limbo. She couldn’t decide if his words gave her comfort or increased her apprehensions.
Another week passed. Jana acknowledged her elite status in Draco’s household. People were not only polite, they were genuinely amiable. She perceived no contempt from any business associates or members of his social circle. This treatment not only surprised and pleased Jana, it slowly restored her confidence and self-esteem.
Jana returned to her studies. She practiced her dancing and Draco’s language. She spent hours in his library yet she was thrilled when Draco hired several tutors for her. She asked countless questions and urged them to teach her all they knew. She avidly studied his culture, his interests, his world, and his businesses. She wanted to be as helpful and satisfying as possible. She went riding every day. She explored until she knew every inch of the house, grounds, and gardens by heart. At last, she was beginning to free herself from the painful past.
Draco watched Jana carefully. He knew she was coming to trust him and admire him more each day. Her vivacity and joy in life were returning. She carried out her duties to him with a special flair. She was interesting and witty, bright and quick. She was as fresh as she was before Varian intruded on her existence. Jana fit into Draco’s life as perfectly as the missing piece to an intricate and priceless puzzle.
Draco came to adore Jana. Her presence at his side became as natural as breathing. Often she was like a carefree and impish child with eyes wide and innocent. She could be a tomboy racing over meadows and hills on the back of his esprees, her tawny hair flying out behind her in the winds. She could be a gracious lady with the poise, elegance, and dignity of a queen. She could be a pixie whose wit and antics charmed and amused the coldest of hearts.
Jana revealed enormous intelligence and gentility. She was able to meet anyone on any level. She was always observing, questioning, and learning ways to improve herself. She was a devoted and loyal friend to Draco, a constant companion. At last she seemed at peace with herself and her new life. The old Jana had been reborn, more self-reliant, spirited, and self-controlled. She was more than any man could imagine and she showered Draco with attention.
Her hours outside quickly restored her golden tan and the silvery streaks in her hair. Her skin was smooth, healthy, and satiny. Its texture and glow was aided by hours with Draco’s masseuse and her constant exercise. Her figure ripened and took on a new dimension of supple and alluring curves. Her heightened colorings and new hold on life placed a noticeable glow in her beryl eyes.
Draco surged with pride and satisfaction. Jana was his protégée, his creation. He took her everywhere with him. As he had instructed her to forget her captive role in his life, so did he…
Open and secret bids were issued for her. When he continued to receive such numerous exorbitant offers, Draco tried to prevent any more by suggesting to the Earthling that he and Jana feign a love match. He didn’t want her constantly reminded of her charl rank or made to feel like a piece of property. When he would cast loving eyes on her and reply, “Jana is the center of my life. I could never part with her,” his ploy worked.
In frustration and loneliness, Varian ordered the ship’s speed increased to maximum. In another day, they should reach Earth to collect their six hundred captives; once he delivered them to the planet Anais, he could head for base, then Jana. He wanted, needed to complete this mission. The day he issued that command, Nigel headed to his office for a long-overdue conversation.
Varian was sitting at his desk, staring at the haunting possessions in his drawer. He slammed it shut and leaned back in his chair. The price of his duty to the Council, Alliance, and Saar name was almost too great to pay. If he had these past months to relive, he would make countless changes. The buzzer sounded at his door, drawing him from his turmoil.
Nigel was allowed to enter. Reading and weighing Varian’s gray mood, he stated sympathetically, “It’s harder than you ever imagined, isn’t it?”
“I wonder if my sacrifices will be worth it all, Nigel. I should have let another ship take this assignment while I solved matters with Ryker. I was a fool to let things go so far; I realize it was an unforgivable mistake to auction her. At least I should have told her the truth about my feelings and her sale.”
Nigel shook his head. “This isn’t the time or place to worry over mistakes, Varian. You can’t force this ship to reach its destination before its time. Have you forgotten the ship not far ahead of us must complete its mission first? You’ve got to relax and gain control of your wits.”
Suddenly Tristan Zarcoff rushed to Varian’s quarters and interrupted his talk with Nigel. The ship’s commander listened in disbelief and rising fury as the medical chief delivered his staggering report: the decontamination chemicals from Trilabs were useless. There was no way the Wanderlust could carry out her assignment. If Tristan had not tested the chemicals before reaching Earth and taking on captives, the entire crew would have contracted a fatal illness.
“That lousy bastard!” Varian thundered in outrage. “How did he learn about this secret mission? He would stoop to any level to kill me. Stars forsake me! He’ll pay for this offense!”
“Are you saying this was intentional?” Tristan questioned. “Could he have known about our assignment?”
“I’d bet my rank and ship Ryker is behind this evil deed. What does he care if others suffer! What does he care if the entire crew of my ship dies along with me! A war with me, I can accept and understand, but not so deadly a one sacrificing so many innocent lives! Thank Kahala you discovered this.”
“What can we do now?” Nigel asked in grave concern.
“We have no choice but to return home as quickly as possible. It might already be too late to rescue more Earthlings before we attempt to deal with that meteor. Now that I think about it, Ryker would be a fool to tip his hand on a simple rescue mission; if he knows about the second part of this mission, he’ll send his grandfather’s Androas Troopers after us when our energy banks are drained. If we’re to use those chemical lasers, we had better test all of them first! Let’s head for base. Time is running out.” The instant Varian made those statements aloud, he knew how they would affect him. This was a personal battle with Ryker, one he must confront. One he could no longer escape.
Varian ordered reports. The men pored over the facts, coming to several conclusions. Varian signaled Tesla Rilke and asked him to plot a rapid course back to Rigel. He commanded Vaiden Chaz to send Kadim Tirol and the Council a coded message explaining their predicament the instant they were within communication range. Secondly, Vaiden was to i
nform Brec Sard of Ryker Triloni’s malicious deed and to have the supreme commander locate more decontamination chemicals and have them ready for pickup.
At top speed, they could reach base in nine or ten days. That would leave six to seven weeks to carry out the assault on the meteor; and if they failed, just enough time to get out of the Milky Way Galaxy before disaster struck. Thank heavens they had more time than they had believed originally, as their check on the meteor revealed its speed had decreased slightly. Without delay, the Wanderlust was heading home again. If only he could locate and interrogate Baruch…
On Karnak, Jana Greyson was being bound tighter to Draco Procyon, drawn more deeply into his world. Jana did all she could to conquer any lingering love for Varian Saar; she tried her best to inspire this same feeling toward Draco. She owed him so much. It had helped when Draco asked her to display love for him before others, to halt any further offers for her purchase. Most of the time, it succeeded; so Jana gladly cooperated. Besides, her feelings for him were warming. What did it matter if people believed they were in love? What did it matter if people assumed she was his mate in all ways? Perhaps this charade would lead them gradually toward making it a reality.
Each day, Jana would order her mind to cease all thoughts of Varian, and command her heart to slay all feelings for him. But it was impossible. In the darkest shadows of night, Jana unknowingly allowed Varian’s ghost to visit her. Memories of her lost love would sneak uninvited into her slumber. She would awaken abruptly and find herself reaching out for him. Some nights her body would tremble with longing for him. She berated her submission to him, for she couldn’t forget his intoxicating kisses or their blissful unions. She cursed his hold over her.
Jana came to wonder if Draco’s kiss and touch could drive such agonizing feelings from her body. Could his lovemaking force Varian from her life? Could Draco release Varian’s powerful hold on her body? She needed freedom and peace! She wanted this terrible emptiness and longing to go way. She wanted to feel whole again. She wanted to sate the passions which chewed viciously at her each night. She began to believe that only after total surrender to Draco could she resolve her torments. Jana used every wile she could imagine, without being wanton or shameless. Those initial fears and doubts returned during the long nights to plague her. She couldn’t ignore the truth any longer; something was preventing his claim.
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