“Take her to the buses. The medics are stationed there.” Their escort rushed back toward the encampment, disappearing in the dark.
With an arm around Alyssa’s waist, Jess led them to the nearest bus with the smallest line of waiting slaves. They fell in line behind four adults and three children. Tears dampened Alyssa’s eyes as she inspected the bodies before her. A small child clung to its mother’s leg, large eyes staring at them, the grime and long straggly hair making it impossible to tell if it was a boy or a girl.
“This is so awful, Jess.” Alyssa sniffled, her body shivering from the encounter with Sen. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing people this way.”
“Me either.” Jess sighed, shaking her head slowly. “It’s so hard to believe that the Szu’Kara did this. I mean, seriously, this is not the savior race we grew up idolizing. This could have been us, Aly.”
“We were lucky, I guess. What I went through was awful, but this… this is a nightmare.”
“Speaking of nightmare, what the heck happened out there with Sen?” Jess stared at Alyssa with big eyes, her mouth pinched with worry. They inched forward as the people at the front of the line were lifted into the back of the bus.
“I… don’t really know.” Alyssa hugged herself, rubbing her shaky hands up and down her arms. “When he grabbed me, it was like all my anger at him and Kayn and Ras hit me all at once. My rage seemed to spread to Sen, where his hand touched me, and I… Oh, Jess, it was horrible. I think I did something to him, but I don’t know how.”
“It was scary, Aly,” Jess whispered, staring at the ground. “I thought he was forcing you into Asen’Sha. Your eyes, and his, went completely white, and you both started shaking like you were being electrocuted. But when he started shrieking and fell to the ground, I didn’t know what to think.”
“Uh, let’s talk about this when we get back to HQ,” Alyssa said, tilting her head at the woman in front of them who had turned to listen.
“Right.” Jess nodded, smiling politely at the woman. “Later.”
Chapter 9
Alyssa paced along the front of the conference room as Kora helped Jordan into a chair. The others had filled the seats at the front half of the long table. Sebastian stood by the coalition banner, his eyes following her every move. He’d only heard bits and pieces, since Alyssa had slept the whole ride back.
“What’s going on, Bas?” Jordan shooed away a hovering Kora. When she finally sat next to him, he looked over at Sebastian, his eyes flicking over to Alyssa. “I thought you guys were staying in Oregon to help Alex with the interrogations.”
“We were,” Sebastian said, glancing at Alyssa. “Alex’s team can handle the slaves and the Zooks. We did our part, so I thought it best to bring Alyssa back here where she feels safe.”
“Why?” Ela turned her scrutinizing eyes to a still pacing Alyssa. “What has happened now?”
Alyssa cringed at Ela’s tone. Her shivering had stopped while she slept, but her mind still raced and nausea had settled in for a long stay. The memories of what she saw in Sen’s mind, and what she’d done to him, made her gag. Jess sat right up front, bottled water ready and waiting.
“There was an incident.” Sebastian pushed off the wall he’d been leaning against and stepped in front of Alyssa, halting her steady pacing. He cupped her cheek, forcing her to look up at him, his eyes searching hers. “I don’t really know what happened, darlin’. Can you explain it to us?”
She sucked in a big breath, taking in the faint cinnamon scent of Sebastian, mixed with the smell of sweat and gunpowder that still clung to him. He’d called an emergency meeting as soon as they’d arrived, so none of the returning team had showered yet.
Leaning against Sebastian, Alyssa gathered what strength she had left and faced the waiting crowd. All eyes watched, mostly curious, some concerned. Nervous and unsure what to say, she locked her eyes on Jess, who gave her a soft smile.
“Sen was at the camp—”
Kora gasped, and Alyssa could hear Jordan murmuring soothing words.
“Did he harm you?” Nait asked.
“Um, it was more like I did something to him.”
“Can you be more specific?” Ela asked tersely.
Alyssa blinked, no longer focused on Jess as the images flashed through her mind. “He grabbed me, and it was like we were suddenly linked together—mentally. When he appeared out of nowhere, I was so frightened, but as soon as he touched me, my fear turned to rage. I imagined him burning in hell, and somehow I think he saw and felt what I wanted him to.”
“Fascinating,” Nait muttered.
“For a moment, the vision of him burning went away, and I think I saw his thoughts. I think he believes that he’s part of the commander bloodline, and that his child is too. I think he believes if he can get Lyssa, he can take over as Commander of the Szu’Kara.”
A collective outcry brought Alyssa’s attention back to the room. She scanned the faces of her friends and fellow coalition members, those who she trusted the most. Ela scowled as Nait leaned toward her, talking fast under his breath. Jordan gripped Kora’s arm, trying to reassure her.
“No one is going to take Lyssa. We won’t let that happen. I promised you that I’d take care of you, and I won’t break that promise.”
“Jordan’s right,” Sebastian said, his voice rumbling in his chest against Alyssa’s ear. “Nothing’s going to happen to her, although I think we should consider relocating the three of you to either Spokane or Seattle. I’ll reach out to both sites to see which can accommodate a child best.”
“Thanks, Bas,” Jordan said. “I don’t like the idea of leaving, but I’m not much use right now, and I have to think of my family.”
“Of course, Jordy. I’m sure we all agree it’s best that way.”
“Where is he now?” Jordan asked.
“He escaped. Alex’s people didn’t know how powerful Sen is,” Sebastian said. “He pumped a guy so full of Valene, the guy is still catatonic. They searched everywhere, but Sen is long gone.”
Kora practically collapsed in her seat, burying her face in Jordan’s good shoulder.
“It’ll be all right, honey,” he said. “We’ll be safe in the city.” He looked around the room for support.
“He’s right, Kora sweetie,” Jess said. “You’ll be safer in the city surrounded by lots of people, and coalition guards.”
“After what happened,” Alyssa mumbled, “I might go with you.”
Sebastian scowled at her, his eyes burning with concern. “You want to leave?”
Realizing how that might have sounded, she squeezed Sebastian’s waist and peered up into his eyes. “No, babe, I didn’t…” She shook her head emphatically. "No. I want to be wherever you are. I’m just freaked out about all of this.”
“I’m glad, darlin’. I couldn’t stand the thought of you living so far away.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek and smiled warmly at her.
“Alyssa,” Nait said, “would you mind coming by my lab as soon as possible? I would like to run some tests.”
“I gave you blood the other day.” She pressed harder against Sebastian. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight.
“Yes, but I had no idea you might have gained more than the usual Szu’Kara abilities.”
“What do you mean?” Alyssa asked.
Ela cleared her throat. “What he means is, you have not only retained Valene in your system, giving you what we thought were limited Szu’Kara abilities, but you are exhibiting commander line traits. It is possible that when the commander impregnated you, his unique DNA bonded with yours during gestation.”
“But I was pregnant for less than five months…”
“We need to run more tests,” Nait said. “You are the first species to breed with a commander outside our own kind. All previous commanders took Szu’Kara mates to preserve purity of the bloodline.”
“Why would Commander Kayn go against tradition?” Jess asked.
“As I have said before,” Ela said, “it is possible he believes that because your species is the most advanced we have yet to encounter, a hybrid child with his DNA would be an evolutionary advancement.”
“What would that do for him?” Sebastian asked. “What would he gain from that?”
“Power, of course,” Ela said.
“But he’s already the commander.” Alyssa stepped out of Sebastian’s arms and began pacing again. “Why would he need more power?”
“Because there are others, like Sen’Tasi, who believe they should be our leader,” Nait said. “Commander Kayn is of the purest bloodline, but he is not the only Szu’Kara from the commander line. Because they see Lyssa as the next evolutionary step for both our species, the one who possesses the child would have the leverage and power to retain the position of commander indefinitely.”
Kora’s eyes darkened. “My baby is not a possession.” Jordan kissed her forehead and murmured something only she could hear.
“Previous planets that we have inhabited needed commanders to remain behind when our fleet resumed its exploration. The current commander can choose to settle a planet, or they may pass the honor to the next descendant with the purest claim. They may choose to stay or pass the position on as well, and so on.”
“This situation is like the monarchies of your history,” Lorn said. “Previous commanders had as many offspring as possible so there would always be a descendant of pure blood, and those offspring who did not assume the commander role built families of their own. So, there are many candidates vying for the throne, and a prize like Lyssa would give a descendant a better chance at gaining our most coveted position.”
“It’s always about power,” Sebastian grumbled. “Kayn has it, and all his distant relatives want it.”
“Yes, that about covers it,” Lorn said, breaking his silence. “There have been many unsuccessful attempts to remove Commander Kayn from his position. Unfortunately, at one time, my father tried to force me to challenge the previous commander.”
“What?” Jess snapped around to stare at him with wide eyes and a slack jaw.
“What are you saying, Lorn?” Sebastian eyed the now blushing alien. Alyssa narrowed her eyes, looking at each of the aliens in the room as they all stared at the table.
“Lorn’Sefa!” Jess’ voice hit a shrill note. Oh, crap, she’s pissed. “Explain yourself this instant.”
“I apologize, my love.” He kept his head down, but rolled his puppy-dog eyes up to Jess. “It is not something I am proud of. The previous commander took my mother from my father, and made her his consort. When I was conceived, he discarded her. My father accepted me as his own child because he was unable to impregnate my mother. He was good to me, but resented the commander. When I came of age, he tried to convince me to demand recognition as a direct descendant with equal claim to leadership as Kayn. He was born years before me, and I had no desire to assume that responsibility, so I refused. Kayn was raised and trained to be commander, I was not.”
Everyone in the room gaped at Lorn. Alyssa blinked and shook herself, trying to focus. “So does that mean you have the same abilities as Kayn?”
“I do, but not as strong as if I were pure-blooded, as Kayn is. I have not used them in many years, and never to harm another in the way he has.” Lorn scowled, a far-off look in his eyes. “I believe most of my people are aware of my lineage, but I have always tried to fit in with the rest of our population.”
“It is true,” Nait said. “We have always known of Lorn’s connection to the commander. Our previous commander was not discreet with his consorts.”
“So how many others like Lorn are out there?” Sebastian asked.
“I do not know,” Nait said. “I believe the commander has eliminated many to avoid possible opposition.”
“I thought only Szu’Kara of pure commander line could lead your people?” Alyssa asked. Pinpricks of worry ran along her spine.
“Yes,” Ela said, looking at Lorn with a pinched face, “but since Commander Kayn has endeavored to breed with a human, some of our people have seen this as an opening, a chance to vie for the crown, shall we say?”
“Are you saying he wants to kill Lorn?” Jess grabbed his hand, her face lined with worry.
“The commander has always known I am not a threat to his position, but now that I have joined the coalition, it is possible he may attempt to eliminate me. I do not wish to be commander, but if he continues with his plans for genocide, I may not have a choice but to challenge him.”
***
After the meeting, Alyssa and Sebastian followed Jess and Lorn back to their rooms, keeping a polite distance behind as Jess scolded him for keeping such a huge secret. Alyssa let Sebastian lead her to their room as she gawked at the backs of her friends disappearing into their quarters. When the door clicked closed behind her and the darkness swallowed them, Alyssa nearly buckled under the weight of stress.
“You want me to open the blinds, darlin’?”
“No,” she mumbled. “We should sleep.”
“You slept the whole ride home.” Sebastian stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around Alyssa’s waist, laying a gentle kiss on the side of her neck.
“You didn’t,” she said, “and I feel so drained from everything that’s happened. I just can’t believe Lorn is…”
“Yeah, crazy, huh? But we’ll figure things out, darlin’. Let’s get some rest, then we can go to the lab and see what Nait and Ela want you to do.”
Alyssa lurched toward the bed, plopping down on the edge and nearly yanking Sebastian off his feet. He frowned, the line between his eyebrows digging in deep.
“You okay? You look shocky.” He crouched down to stare into Alyssa’s glazed eyes.
“I’m fine, babe,” she said, blinking a few times, and focusing on his handsome face. “I just need some real sleep in our bed, with your arms around me.”
“Not a problem.” He gave her his endearing lopsided smile. Pulling her shoes off, Sebastian helped Alyssa get situated under the blankets, then took off his boots and climbed in beside her.
With a deep, quiet sigh, Alyssa scooched her back tight against Sebastian’s chest, hugging his left arm around her while his right arm slid under her head and pillow. Within minutes, soft snores filled her ears as she stared at the thin line of daylight edging the window blinds.
The image of Sen burning seemed branded in her mind along with the echo of his thoughts, each one overlapping the others until it sounded like a hundred Sens whispering in her head. If he thinks Lyssa can make him commander, there’s no telling what he’ll do to get her. Kora must be terrified. Thank heavens I don’t have to worry about that anymore with Kayn. Although, I do miss my…
Alyssa cut off that thought, a single tear escaping before she could clamp down on her emotions. Placing her hand on her empty belly, she remembered the tiny body she’d held. His little arms and hands had been so delicate, his cold skin nearly translucent. He had been practically perfect, a small but almost fully formed fetus. Only one long gash on the side of his head marred his beauty, given to him by his psychotic father, Kayn, when he’d sliced Alyssa open after abducting her.
No! I’m not going to let him get to me again. Not now. I can’t think about what I’ve lost. Kayn and our baby are the past, Sebastian and the coalition are my future.
After close to an hour of staring at nothing, Alyssa finally drifted off. Her dreams played like a stuttering filmstrip: still frames of Sen stuck in silent screams, his flesh bubbling and melting in the unmoving flames, then flipping to pictures of Kora holding Lyssa, locked in Asen’Sha, finally ending with flickering images of a mountain retreat.
A cabin, nestled on the side of the mountain, tall trees surrounding the area, sat in an enclosed clearing where a small garden grew to one side, and a yard with long grass filled the rest of the space. Alyssa and Sebastian chased three children of differing ages in a game of tag, their echoing laughter sounding distant.
&n
bsp; Two of the children looked like perfect combinations of Alyssa and Sebastian, but the oldest child was a boy with thin, white feathery hair. His large eyes glittered in the sunlight, and his iridescent skin shimmered. Alyssa reached out to grab his hand, worried the sun might burn his pale skin, but her fingers slipped right through, touching nothing but air. The young boy smiled wistfully at her before turning to run, fading away with each step until he vanished.
Breath catching in her throat, Alyssa’s heart fluttered as she looked around the clearing for her son. The sound of laughter floated around her, slowly fading away as well. Realizing she was alone, Alyssa called out, but no words passed her lips. She tried desperately to yell for Sebastian, dashing in slow motion around the grassy knoll in search of her family. The sunlight began to fade as she turned in place, searching, panicked and lonely. Taking in a lungful of air, Alyssa forced all her energy into one last scream.
“Sebastian!”
“Huh? What?” He jerked up onto his elbow, blinking away sleep, his free hand clamped on Alyssa’s arm. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
She glanced around the room, visions of their mountain retreat superimposed over the shadows of their furnishings. As the dream slipped away, Alyssa wiped at her face, surprised to find her fingers coming away wet with tears.
“Darlin’, are you okay?”
“What?” She turned to him, barely making out his dark outline against the lighter shade of their bedding.
“Are you okay? You screamed…”
“Oh, uh… I guess, yeah. Sorry. Bad dream, sort of.”
“You want to talk about it?” He rubbed his hand up and down her arm, smoothing away goosebumps.
“No, no. I think I’m going to shower then see if there’s any dinner left.”
“I’ll come with you.” Sebastian yawned loudly.
Unchained: The Discordant Earth Series Book Two Page 7