Rykaur: A SciFi Alien Romance (Enigma Series Book 8)

by Ditter Kellen

  Gryke blew out a breath. “She knows him better than we do, Rykaur. What if she is right?”

  “My gut tells me that Jefferies expects Mary to come back on the third day, whether she poisoned us or not. He will wait for her to return home and question her before he makes a move. And he knows she will return. The children assure him of that.”

  Gryke didn’t push further. “Then, we wait.”

  Rykaur shut out everything around him and attempted to reach Mary several more times. But every time he thought he was close, she would begin with that irritating humming noise. “I am going ashore.”

  Braum gripped him by the arm. “Use your head, Rykaur. You cannot go running in there now. You will get her killed.”

  “I was in that camp for months,” Rykaur ground out, snatching free of Braum’s hold. “A perfect target for Jefferies had he been brave enough to show.”

  Zaureth moved around to stand in Rykaur’s path. “One Bracadyte would not have been worth the risk of getting caught to Jefferies. But if he thinks that we are on to him, he will not hesitate to open fire on us and every innocent human in his path. Including Mary and the children.”

  Rykaur knew Zaureth spoke the truth. They all did. He met the healer’s concerned gaze, swallowing around the lump in his throat. “He will kill my Mary.”

  “There is a chance she will die,” Zaureth agreed, holding Rykaur’s intense gaze. “But if we do this right and keep our heads about us, we could prevent that from happening.”

  “Why did she do this?” Rykaur ran a hand down his face and glanced at the lights of the shoreline. “She does not trust me to know what is best.”

  Zaureth reached up and laid a palm on Rykaur’s shoulder. “Love will cause us to take risks and do things we would not normally do. And she loves those children more than she loves herself.”

  “I know she does,” Rykaur softly admitted. “I only wish that she could love me a modicum of that much.”

  A furrow appeared between the healer’s eyes. “Are you certain she does not?”

  “I am.”

  Zaureth let his hand fall away. “I would not be so sure about that. Her emotions were easy enough to read.”

  “Trust me, Zaureth. She holds no love in her heart for me.”

  Gryke blew out an impatient breath. “She is a female, Rykaur. You will never understand females. Not even when you mate with one.”

  Rykaur would have laughed if his heart didn’t hurt so much. He lowered himself up to his neck in the water and prepared to wait. “Mary…”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Mary sped through the halls of Aukrabah as fast as the stolen ATV would carry her. She kept glancing back over her shoulder, expecting to see a mass of Bracadyte warriors hot on her trail. But the halls remained empty.

  She arrived at the entrance in record time, dismounted the four-wheeler, and jogged up the incline into the camp beyond.

  Marines stood at attention on either side of the entrance. The one named Ted quickly stepped forward, holding a rifle sideways in front of him. “Halt.”

  Mary stopped, put on her best learned prostitute face and sidled up to him. “Well, now. What is your name?”

  Ted held his ground. “Where are you heading?”

  “To your tent, if you have a minute.” She had no idea what she would do if he agreed to her outlandish suggestion.

  The young Marine shifted uncomfortably. “Where is Rykaur? I can’t imagine he would send you out alone.”

  Using her best seductive smile, Mary lifted a hand and tinkered with Ted’s collar. “I reckon he had his fill. He’s an insatiable lover.”

  Ted quickly stepped aside. “Go on. And stay away from this camp. The men here don’t need the distraction.”

  Nervous and more than a little relieved, Mary sashayed past him and marched up the hill toward the houses beyond.

  She rounded the corner of the first house she came to and bit back a gasp as she was grabbed from behind.

  A hand clamped over her mouth. “Boss is waiting for you. If you make a sound, I have orders to snap your neck. Comprehend?”

  Mary nodded, indicating that she wouldn’t scream.

  His hand disappeared from her mouth, only to pat her down. Finding no weapons, he jerked her back more firmly against him and covered her breasts with both palms. “Mmmm, nice.”

  Gritting her teeth and fighting back nausea, Mary attempted to step away. “I doubt Jefferies would want you pawing what was his. He’s not going to be very happy about it once I tell him.”

  The man stiffened before shoving her forward. “Move.”

  Stumbling forward, Mary walked several yards before turning left toward home.

  “He’s not there.” The stranger grabbed her by the arm and pointed north. “There’s a car up ahead. You’ll get it in, and I’ll drive you to his location.”

  Mary strode along the sidewalk, taking in her surroundings with a calculated glance. The last thing she needed was for the Bracadytes to come barging out and seal the children’s fate.

  “How are the kids?” she inquired, afraid of his answer yet more afraid not to ask.

  He didn’t answer, only gave her back another shove. “That red car at the curb up there. Get in the driver’s side.”

  Mary hurried her steps, arriving at the car in a matter of seconds. Memorizing the license plate number, she climbed behind the wheel and waited for the stranger to get in the passenger’s side.

  “Drive.”

  She started the engine. “Where to?”

  After rattling off the address, the man switched on the air conditioning and fumbled with a phone in his hand.

  Mary drove out of town to a remote house near the causeway. No lights were on when she arrived, and her stomach lurched in dread. Jefferies would be inside.

  The stranger in the passenger seat jumped out, rounded the front of the car, and jerked her door open. “Out.”

  As soon as Mary’s feet touched the ground, the guy jumped behind the wheel and sped off, leaving her standing in the dark outside the house.

  The front door opened to reveal a manic Jefferies. “Get in here.”

  Mary took a terrified breath and squeezed past him, cringing as the door shut and locked behind her.

  “Where are the children?”

  Jefferies slapped her hard enough she flew over the chair behind her and landed on her back in the floor.

  He was on her before she could blink. “I ask the questions here. Did you do what I sent you to do?”

  Mary nodded, not sure what else to say. “I poisoned their water.”

  “You lie!” he roared, wrapping his hands around her throat. “I’ve been watching the news, every second of every hour. There’s been no mention of the Bracadytes’ deaths. Now try again!”

  Her hands flew up to grip his where they prevented the air from passing through her throat. Her mouth opened and closed several times before he eased his grip enough for her to speak.

  “I did as you asked,” she gasped. “I poured the poison in their drinking water. I’ve been hiding in a small cave near the entrance for two days. You have to believe me.”

  Jumping to his feet, he jerked her up with him. “I don’t believe you.”

  “But I’m telling you the truth,” Mary cried. “Where are the children?”

  Jefferies shrugged, his eyes glossy with insanity. “I don’t know. The little shits wouldn’t stop crying. I got rid of them.”

  Mary’s heart lurched and tears sprang to her eyes. “What do you mean you got rid of them?”

  “I had them taken miles from here and dumped. Who cares. You won’t be around to see them again anyway. If they’re even alive.”

  Mary watched in terror as Jefferies grabbed a coiled-up rope from the table. “Get in there.” He nodded toward the hallway.

  “What are you going to do?” She hated the fear that resonated in her voice.

  Grabbing her by the chin, he squeezed until she thought surely he’d
break her jaw. And then he leaned in and covered her mouth with his.

  Mary gagged, biting his lower lip with everything she had. Though she wasn’t sure how to reach out to Rykaur in her terrified state, she had to try. “Rykaur!”

  “Mary? I am here. Tell me where you are!”

  Mary opened her mind as much as her brain would allow in its fearful state. She showed Rykaur the tag number, color of the car, and the house address.

  “I am coming, Mary. Do not antagonize him. Do you hear me? You submit. Stay alive!”

  Rykaur’s words swirled around inside Mary’s head, a small comfort in a time of madness.

  Jefferies suddenly spun her around, secured her hands, and shoved her down the hall to the last room on the left.

  As soon as the bed came into view, Mary dug in her heels. “No. Doug, please don’t do this. I’ve told you everything that I know. I’m not lying to you.”

  “We’ll see if you’re telling the truth or not.” He shoved her facedown onto the bed.

  Mary could hear the sound of his belt sliding through his beltloops. “I don’t know what else you expect me to say. I did as you asked. Why are you doing this?”

  “I spent twenty something years in the military, Mary. Twenty years of pursuing the enemy. Twenty years of perfecting ways of torture that you can never imagine in your worst nightmares. I have ways of pulling the truth from a person.”

  The sting of the belt arcing across her back wrenched a cry from Mary. She bit into her lip to keep from giving him the satisfaction of hearing it again.

  “Did that hurt?” He swung the belt again. The sting of it leaving fire in its wake.

  Mary lost count of how many times he hit her with the belt before he tossed it onto the bed beside her. “You’re a tough one, I’ll give you that.”

  He suddenly wrapped a hand in her hair and yanked her head back. His tongue slid along her jaw with sickening precision. “You like that? Hmmm?”

  Keeping her mouth locked tightly closed, Mary stared at the wall in front of her. She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of seeing her humiliation.

  “Turn over.”

  Mary stilled, tensing in anticipation of another blow.

  He grabbed hold of her arm and flipped her onto her back.

  Her shoulders screamed in pain, and her wrists burned from being bound under her body weight. She stared up into Jefferies manic eyes. “Don’t.”

  An insane Doug reached down, gripped the hem of her shirt, and ripped it up the front.

  Mary went wild.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Rykaur blasted from the water and hit the ground with a speed that would rival a cheetah. Fear and adrenaline coursed through his veins, creating an unearthly strength he might not normally possess.

  The rest of his group had exited behind him. Though they ran like the wind as well, they were no match for Rykaur’s pace.

  Rykaur could feel Mary’s terror, hear the silent screams she fought so hard to hold inside.

  He attempted to connect with her over and over as he ran, to no avail. She couldn’t feel him through her fear.

  What was Jefferies doing to her to cause such a reaction? Rykaur didn’t know, but his imagination tormented him with scenarios.

  Cars and homes flew by him in a blur of color, so fast did he run. He didn’t stop until he reached the darkened house that Mary had described.

  A scream burst from inside as Rykaur sped up the drive and hit the front door without stopping. It splintered beneath his weight, exploding inward and shattering across the kitchen floor.

  Rykaur bounded down the hall, his boots slapping on the tile floor, his only warning as he charged into the bedroom and ripped Jefferies off a screaming Mary.

  Jefferies landed against the opposite wall, busting the sheetrock on impact.

  Rykaur didn’t stop. He stalked around the bed, pulled a knife from his boot, and reached for Jefferies.

  That was when he noticed the man’s pants were down around his knees.

  A roar of pain and fury welled up in Rykaur’s throat, bursting free with such force the window he stood next to shattered.

  Rykaur couldn’t look at Mary. Not yet. His heart feared what he would find.

  He yanked Jefferies up by his shirt, held him against the wall by the neck, and drove his blade to the hilt into the monster’s stomach.

  “No!” Gryke snarled, barreling into the room. He grabbed hold of Rykaur’s arm to prevent him from freeing the knife and stabbing Jefferies again.

  Rykaur bared his teeth. “He dies.”

  A faint moan sounded from behind him, pulling Rykaur out of his psychotic frenzy. He blinked, his gaze focusing on Jefferies’s slack mouth.

  “Tend to your mate,” Zaureth commanded, flanking Rykaur’s other side. “I will take care of this garbage.”

  Rykaur released the handle of his blade and staggered back a step. He slowly turned to face Mary.

  She lay on her side on the bed, her half-nude body huddled in a ball with her hands tied behind her back.

  “Mary,” Rykaur whispered, rushing to the bed. He released her bound hands and covered her with a sheet.

  Scooping her up into his arms, he hugged her tightly to him. “I am so sorry, my love. Ah, Mary…no.”

  She lifted tear-filled eyes—eyes full of apology and something else he couldn’t name. “You made it. Thank God you made it. He would have…”

  “He did not force you?”

  She shook her head. “He would have if you’d been another minute. I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you. I’m sorry about a lot of things I did and said.”

  Rykaur’s heart ached for his precious Mary. “I should have taken into consideration your love for the children. I am as much to blame for all this. I was so caught up in my feelings for you and hoping that you could return those feelings that I ignored your desperation over the children’s safety.”

  Mary laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled in closer. “Your feelings are returned, Rykaur. You were all I could think about when I thought that Jefferies was going to…”

  “You do not have to talk about it now, sweet Mary. I will take you home. to our home, and have Abbie check you over.”

  Lifting her head, Mary gazed into his eyes. “That sounds wonderful, but I have to find the children. They’re not here.”

  Rykaur hesitated for long moments, glancing back to find Zaureth with his palms on either side of Jefferies’s head.

  “I will help you dress, and then we will search for them.”

  Gathering up Mary’s strewn clothes, Rykaur carried her from the room and into the bathroom.

  He sat her on the sink. “I have never been as terrified as I was tonight, Mary. I thought I would be too late.”

  “But you weren’t,” she whispered, holding still while he pulled the sheet free of her body.

  A growl rose up when he took in the markings on her pale skin. “He hurt you.”

  “It’s just bruises. They’ll heal.”

  Rykaur wanted to run back into that bedroom and stab the piece of garbage again and again until there was nothing left of the man but bloodied meat.

  Pulling her shirt free of her clothes, Rykaur noticed it was ripped down the front. He tossed it to the side, removed his vest, and put it on her. It swallowed her, the bottom resting on her thighs.

  He laced it up. “It will have to do until we return home.”

  After helping her into her jeans, he slipped her shoes onto her feet and brushed her hair back from her face. “Do not ever leave me again, Mary. I died a thousand times after hearing your scream inside my head. I thought I had lost you forever. I cannot live without you, whether you can love me or not…”

  Chapter Thirty

  Mary listened to Rykaur profess his love for her, and an overwhelming feeling of home settled in her heart.

  She’d never truly had a home before. Never been loved by anyone besides those kids. Yet there she sat, on a sink in a strang
e place, her body bruised and battered and her face in excruciating pain. And all she could think about was going home with Rykaur, growing old with him and dying with him by her side.

  She couldn’t imagine her life without him either. He took her breath when he was near, turned her stomach to mush, and filled her heart with a longing she’d never experienced before. She loved him. God help her, but she was in love for the first time in her life. “I love you, Rykaur.”

  He stilled, his eyes searching hers. “Mary?”

  Mary reached up and cupped his face, closed her eyes, and opened her mind to him. “Feel it, Rykaur.”

  She felt the moment he entered her mind. A warm, calming sensation overtook her like a dream she never wanted to wake from.

  And then his voice invaded her senses. “I feel your love, Mary. It radiates from you in a warmth I could stand in for eternity. Will you mate with me?”

  Mary’s eyes fluttered open. There was no hesitation or doubts in her next words. “Yes, Rykaur of Aukrabah. I would be honored to be your mate.”

  His arms came around her, nearly crushing her in his tight hold. “You have made me the happiest Bracadyte in the world.”

  Kissing her gently on the lips, he pulled back and lifted her into his arms once more. “Zaureth can help with your injuries, and then we will go find our children.”

  Mary’s heart turned over. “Did you say our children?”

  With a nod, he strode down the hall toward the bedroom. “They belong to you. If you can love them as you do, I can as well. They will never want for anything, and—”

  The rest of his words were cut off by Mary’s lips closing over his.

  She kissed him with everything she had. Every thought, every memory, every emotion.

  “Jefferies is dead,” Zaureth announced, interrupting Mary’s tender moment. “But I was able to retrieve the information I needed before he passed away.”

  Rykaur moved to sit on the bed, keeping Mary on his lap. “You found out Howell’s location?”

  “I did,” Zaureth responded, his gaze glittering with intensity. “He is in Cuba.”