***
Torkel had tried. He’d tried to keep his distance and maintain his objectivity but last night he realized he couldn’t. He loved Faye. Would always love her. “You’re my Chosen,” he murmured, kissing her once more.
“Torkel.”
She twisted and wrapped her hands around his neck, holding tight. She cried and mumbled something he couldn’t hear. Torkel buried his face in her neck, wrapped his arms around her waist until they were chest to chest and let her cry herself out. When Faye pulled back she kissed him. This time the kiss was deeper than the one he’d given her.
Their tongues entwined, stroking, licking as they became reacquainted. Remembered passion flared and soon Torkel had her turned so Faye straddled his lap. The hard jut of his arousal firmly planted where he wanted. Torkel groaned and broke the kiss.
“You need your rest.”
She hadn’t had any more nightmares after he settled on the bed next to her but the brief hours couldn’t replace the sleep she’d lost over the last few days.
“I can sleep later. I want you, Torkel. I need you.”
He groaned again as her words ignited the heat in his loins. His hips thrust up while his hands at her waist pulled her down. Her eyes sparked.
“Be sure, Faye.”
She smiled and for the first time in weeks, the hard knot in Torkel’s stomach eased.
Her hands latched loosely around his neck. “I’m sure.”
Torkel hid his relief by kissing her. His hands yanked at the awful prison jumper. He never wanted to see it on her again.
“Take this off.” The buttons popped and snagged. Once the material parted, he cupped her breasts and squeezed. She was smaller but he’d take care of that. He planned to take care of his Chosen and feed her until her body filled with the curves he adored.
Faye flung his shirt over her shoulder, causing Torkel to chuckle. He lifted his hips and eased the material of his pants down while she kicked off her clothing. She resumed her spot on his lap and before he could protest, guided him to her glistening entrance.
“Faye, too fast.”
She snorted in his face and slowly lowered her weight. His shaft slid through her wetness. Faye arched her back when she was fully seated. Torkel clasped her waist holding her steady as they rocked into one another. He’d missed this too. Missed having his Chosen’s body riding him into forever.
“Faster, Torkel.”
In this, he couldn’t deny her either. Torkel sped up, his own release chasing on the tail of Faye’s. When she cried out and convulsed on his lap, Torkel joined her. She slumped over his chest with a sigh. His heart hammered while he kept her close.
“Hmmm, I’m hungry now.”
The comment was so unexpected, Torkel laughed. “I’ll call down for something.”
With regret, he eased from her satiny warmth. He lifted his legs up onto the sofa and stretched out with Faye on top of him. Her weight a warm pleasure he’d missed. She sighed, her body going softer if possible. Torkel smiled.
Her fingers teased along his shoulder. “You mentioned Axan. I haven’t seen him since I chose you.”
Torkel stiffened but forced his muscles to relax one by one. “Don’t worry about it.”
She popped up, using his chest as a resting place for her forearms. “But you said-”
“Forget what I said.” The words came out harsher than he intended.
Faye stared a moment longer and pushed up further. Torkel cursed. He tried to move her back into his arms but she sat up and slid onto the sofa. Torkel sat up as well and shoved a rough hand through his hair. “The Marenian we questioned from one of the raids left a clue pointing at Axan’s involvement. We haven’t been able to track him down. No idea who his contact was either.”
“What about the man that asked me to pick you?”
Her gaze was anxious. Torkel reached for her hand and entwined their fingers. “Do you know who he is, Faye? A name?” Perhaps her memories held the very clue they searched for.
“No.” She shook her head. “He cornered me on the ship when we landed. Said his friend was a good man and asked me to choose you. He looked Enotian. Blond hair and blue eyes.”
Torkel frowned. The description fit anyone. His thumb brushed lightly over her knuckles.
“I thought it was odd he always seemed to know when you were leaving,” she added.
“What?” Torkel moved close, their hips bumped. “Why would you say that?”
Her brown eyes darted around and she worried her bottom lip as if fearful of his response.
“Hey,” he said, using her word. She cracked a smile. “What made you say that?”
Her shoulders rose and fell. “He only called when you were leaving for a mission to see how many were going or when. He gave me a communicator. A small one and he called on it to ask those questions.”
He jerked to attention. Torkel and his unit communicated with similar devices. “Do you still have it, Faye?”
“I stomped it.”
She said it with such vicious pleasure Torkel laughed. “Do not worry.”
“I wish I’d never met him.”
He brushed her hair back from her face. “You were going into an unknown situation.”
Her smile this time was more what he’d become used to from his Chosen. “You’re good at giving me excuses.”
“I’ll give you whatever you need.”
To his surprise, she snuggled back into his arms. The warm weight of her body lay against his. “I wish I knew more.”
He did as well but having her back meant more than any knowledge she could have shared. “You’ve helped. We have a description of the man who approached you. We know of Axan’s involvement. It will come together. Lothar won’t escape forever.”
Her arms tightened as she murmured, “It was awful, Torkel.”
Torkel stiffened but kept his hold light as he caressed her with the smooth glide of his hand running up and down her back. At last she was ready to talk about what happened to her. “Tell me about the nightmares, my Chosen.”
A deep inhale and then her whisper filtered to his ears.
“When I was little, I hid in a kitchen pantry to fool my mother about my whereabouts. She looked everywhere for me and I thought it was great fun. My father came home to help her look and I could hear them calling me. The game got boring when it took too long for them to find me…” Faye stopped and drew in a deep breath.
“I’m here. Nothing can harm you, Faye.”
Torkel kept his voice low and waited for her to continue.
“The door locked. The pantry latch closed and I couldn’t get out. My parents didn’t get back for hours. They’d gone to the authorities to report me missing.”
He couldn’t imagine the fear of a little one in such a circumstance.
“I curled into a tight ball, crying and wishing they’d find me. When they got home and heard my voice, my mother unlocked the door and pulled me into her arms. It felt like it took forever for them to save me, Torkel.”
Tension coiled tightly around his muscles and his stroking hands paused. He didn’t want to hear any more. Then her next words devastated him.
“Being held by the Marenians reminded me of my greatest fear. Brought it all back. You took forever to save me.”
Torkel swallowed past the thick lump in his throat. He buried his face in her hair and made two silent vows.
Never would he fail to look for her.
Never would she doubt his love again.
Torkel wouldn’t stop until the Marenians were forced back to their world and innocent women and men were no longer snatched from the people who loved them.
Chapter 26
“Nothing,” Jaron snapped, throwing the reports down on the table.
Torkel rubbed the back of his neck and paced. Only his team leaders were present for the meeting he’d called. Faruk, Jaron and Rydak had gone over everything and none of them were any closer to figuring out the identity of the trait
or. Faye’s involvement cleared up where the leak had come from on their side but that was a minor piece in the huge mess that was growing bigger than any of them had expected.
“What are we missing?” Torkel asked the room.
Faruk sat slouched in the chair, tapping a lone finger on the edge of the table. His white-blond hair stuck up in places, giving his stern features a comical cast. Jaron sat opposite of him with a stack of printed mission reports and names of potential suspects. Only Rydak appeared calm, though his look could often be deceiving. Rydak had mastered the art of hiding his emotions when necessary better than anyone Torkel knew.
“I think we need to regroup in the morning with the others. Clear our heads,” Faruk suggested.
Staring at the walls and fighting rising frustration didn’t help. He wanted to hold Faye and revel in having her back. “Let’s call it a night. Faruk’s right.”
They departed at the door. Jaron stayed behind to speak with Torkel. Neither man got the chance as Arak arrived from the stairway and headed toward them with determined strides. The half-Enotian, half-Argoran did not look pleased.
“What’s wrong, Arak?”
Arak growled, flashing a hint of fangs. “The men are talking. Is it true that you and the team leads suspect us? Has the Commander asked you to look into our backgrounds?”
He leaned forward inches from touching Torkel. Blue eyes that generally reflected good humor darkened to navy as they glared at him. Jaron’s gaze burned as he too stared at Torkel.
True the Commander had asked Torkel to go through the files on each member of his teams under the Unit but he had no intentions of doing so. “I trust all of you, Arak and unless someone proves otherwise, I will continue to trust all of the men I hand selected.”
Arak’s aggressive stance eased slightly. “What about your Chosen? She’s no longer in detainment.” Arak hesitated and buried his hands in his pants pockets. “Are you turning her over to the Enotian government to deal with?”
Torkel’s blood boiled at the thought. “No. I’ll handle Faye. My Chosen isn’t going anywhere.”
The truth was, Torkel had already spoken with the Commander of the Jutaks and the man promised to speak to the governing council on Faye’s behalf in light of the circumstances.
A relieved smile creased Arak’s face as he relaxed further. “Good. I like Faye. She’s perfect for you.”
Torkel nodded and grunted. “She is.”
Beeping sounded from the room behind them. Jaron jerked, looking behind them then his head spun in Torkel’s direction, gaze wide.
Horror filtered through Torkel. Not possible. Impending doom beat against his nerves. “What is it, Jaron?”
“Alarm,” his friend snapped, hustling back into the room.
Arak and Torkel followed. His fingers twitched and Torkel had to repress the desire to contact Faye. “Which alarm, Jaron! Is it Faye?”
He waited for the denial. Torkel realized the uselessness of hoping and praying when Jaron glanced up from the monitors. Torkel read the answer on Jaron’s face.
His stomach heaved and Torkel hit the door at a run.
“Wait, Torkel! We need coverage.”
Torkel ignored the shouted plea. This was his Chosen. A woman he’d already failed in the past. Not this time.
“Torkel, I’m with you.” Arak’s snarled, running down the hall with him.
Another curse and he knew Jaron had joined them, murmuring direction in the comms they all wore.
“I’m tired of this,” Torkel declared once he reached the top of the stairs and the floor to his quarters as he surged forward.
He didn’t want to lose her. He’d just found his way to forgive her. When would these bastards quit? Alarms pierced the night and adrenaline coursed through Torkel’s body. “I won’t be late. Trust me, Faye. Trust me to come for you this time,” he murmured, ignoring Arak and Jaron’s intense stares.
Torkel dug deep and pulled on everything in him. His Marenian side that he always denied roared forward. His arms and chest swelled. Power rammed through his legs as his calf muscles exploded into massive knots aiding him in his bid for speed.
Torkel outdistanced them, even Arak and his animal reflexes. Faye’s screams spurred him on. “No!!!” Torkel roared. Not this time. No one would ever take her from him again. He burst through his front door with a hard shoulder thrust and drew to a halt.
“Finally, you join us.”
Torkel’s head snapped up in horror to see Faye being held by a man standing at his bedroom door. The dark-clad figure swung Faye in front of him and slammed his arm around her throat. Faye screamed again as the man hefted her up against his frame and laid the jagged edge of his blade to the delicate column of her neck.
“Stay back.” The words were low and muffled from the black masked figure.
Torkel stayed. Faye’s choked breaths sent arrows of rage through him. If she so much as twitched wrong, the knife could cut into her tender flesh. “Be careful. She’s no good to you dead.”
“You don’t give orders here.”
He tried to track the voice but fear for Faye overruled any rational thought. The man inched backward, dragging her with him. Faye’s feet kicked and squirmed about his legs.
“Faye, stop,” Torkel cautioned.
One slip. One slip and his world would end right in front of his eyes. Adrenaline slammed into him without an outlet.
“You need to learn your place, Jutak.”
“My place is defending those in need.”
Torkel wanted to draw his weapon but if he reached behind his waist, he might escalate the situation. Arak and Jaron eased in behind him, both out of breath from trying to keep up with him. Torkel didn’t spare them a glance, his attention completely on the man holding Faye and the deadly knife at her throat.
‘Faruk’s coming from the outside,’ Kyele murmured through the comms they all wore.
“You ruined everything,” the man raged. “You and your…”
Torkel locked on the muffled voice. The identity hit him. “Axan?”
“Screw you, Torkel!” Axan yelled.
He’d kill him. Because of Axan’s obsession, Faye had been taken away from him. Suffered nightmares that might never heal. The curtains in his living room shifted by the balcony. Faruk climbed over the railing, weapon shoulder high and had the demented man in his laser sights.
Torkel needed to keep Axan distracted. Only one chance for this to end without blood shed. “Axan, you can petition for leniency.”
Maniacal laughter. “On what grounds? Lunacy? There’s nothing wrong with me. My papan will never forgive the shame I’ve brought him.”
“Faye is innocent. She has nothing to do with this.” Torkel inched closer. He risked a glance at Faye, worry gnawing at his insides.
“She chose you,” Axan spat and ripped the mask from his face while keeping Faye angled in front of him. “If she hadn’t chosen you, none of this would have happened.”
Torkel kept his hands out to his side. Faye wasn’t crying. She smiled at Torkel and trust blazed from her brown eyes. He almost lost it then but Torkel forced himself to focus on Axan. “Every woman has the right to choose. Last chance, Axan. Let Faye go. I can’t let you take her.”
“Maybe I should tell you who else hates you, Marenian.” Axan quirked a brow. “Which would you prefer, Jutak? The traitor or your Chosen?”
“Faye.” Torkel didn’t have to think about it. He would always choose Faye.
“But it would be better to watch you suffer.” Axan pulled his arm holding the knife back. Raised it high with the intent to slash Faye’s throat in front of him.
Torkel yelled, “Now!”
Axan’s head turned to see who was behind him.
Faruk took the shot and a bead of blood appeared at the center of Axan’s head as he keeled over. Torkel launched across the room and snatched Faye into his arms, his face in her neck as he held her tight.
“Thank the gods.” The breath shud
dered from him. She was mumbling something against his chest, her hold on him absolute. Torkel worked to settle his heart rate back to normal. He leaned back. “What is it, Faye?”
“I never meant to cause all of this, Torkel.”
At the pain echoing in her voice, grief struck him. “No more apologies between us. I forgive you. I love you, Faye.”
She sniffed back tears. “I love you, Torkel.”
Arak and Jaron rushed forward.
“Dead,” Jaron confirmed, one hand on Axan’s throat.
Torkel couldn’t find it in him to care. Faruk entered slowly, removing the rappelling equipment. Torkel met his gaze and nodded his thanks.
“This doesn’t help us figure out who he worked with,” Arak declared.
Faye stiffened in his arms.
“Not you,” Torkel said softly in her ear as he rose to his feet.
Faye leaned into him, her arms firm around his waist.
“How did this happen, Jaron? I thought you increased security after the last time.”
How was Faye to trust him? Feel safe?
Jaron rose and pressed buttons on his handheld before meeting his stare. “He used his father’s login and password to hack access to the building.”
Not good enough. “Change everything. Tonight.”
“On it.”
“I’ll contact the Commander. He’ll need to know about this latest attempt. Axan worked with someone close to the teams. This person is connected somehow to the person who set Faye up.” Torkel would find them.
Epilogue
Faye washed her face and dried it on a towel. She turned out the light in the cleansing room, wanting nothing more than to join Torkel in bed. His Commander and a group of men who made up the governing council for Jutaks had questioned her for hours the night before via vid conferencing on the communicator. They agreed on her innocence and dismissed potential charges. Through it all Torkel had remained by her side. When at last they seemed satisfied she had nothing else to share, Torkel had bundled her off to their place and made love to her sweetly. Softly.
Her mouth lifted in a smile as she remembered. Faye entered the dim bedroom and her brow creased. The bed was empty, sheets rumpled from where he’d been resting moments before. “Torkel?”
Torkel's Chosen: A World Beyond Book 1 Page 18