Suddenly Lock’s mental voice interrupted the flow. This male hurt you and then bragged about it to his friends?
Where does he live? Deep demanded, his mental tone filled with rage. Tell us, Kat and I swear he won’t draw breath for very long.
Kat didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. They had seen her worst memory and instead of reviling her, they wanted to avenge her. I really appreciate the offer you guys but that was a long time ago. Besides, Tommy wound up living in a doublewide and working at a greasy spoon type diner on the wrong end of town. So you could say he got what was coming to him already.
I don’t agree with you. Such callous treatment of a female ought to be punished. Deep’s tone was ominous. You gave yourself to him—gave him the pleasure of your body and the purity of your heart and he returned your trust with betrayal. Such a male should not be allowed to live.
I’m with you, Brother, but Kat is right about one thing—we need to concentrate on finding Sophia, Lock sent. Never fear, our grudge against the male who hurt our Kat will keep.
Kat sensed some mental grumbling from the dark twin as though he wasn’t nearly satisfied to leave Tommy Barnes alone. But before she could answer she saw something amazing.
Oh, she gasped as the connection between them deepened immeasurably. She saw the blue and white globe of Earth, just as she had before. Then, suddenly, they began to rush forward. Past the grayish, pocked face of the moon, past the arid red deserts of Mars—she watched them zip by with wonder. The immensity of Jupiter made her mind whirl and the rings of Saturn were barely a blur. Onward they sped, making Kat feel lighter than air as heavenly bodies whizzed past her. Then she heard Deep’s voice in her mind.
Did you enjoy the tour of your solar system, Kat?
Yes. It was…amazing.
I’m glad you liked it. Because now that we’ve reached the edge of it, we must go faster or we’ll never get to Tranq Prime.
As he spoke, the space around them began to blur. Distant stars that were mere diamond specs set in dark velvet suddenly grew terrifyingly immense and then receded to nothing again as they sped by them. Or in one case, through them. Kat barely had time to cry out as they entered a burning ball of flame so bright it would have blinded her if she’d been looking at it with her physical eyes. But almost before the cry left her lips, they were through it and whooshing forward again at a dizzying speed.
Lock laughed softly in her mind. Bet you never thought you’d see the inside of a star first-hand, did you my lady?
No. Kat still couldn’t believe it. This is unbelievable!
It’s fairly amazing, Lock admitted. I never knew Deep could take us so far.
I’ve always wanted to test the limits of our power. Deep sounded as though he was smiling for once and Kat could see why. Shooting through the universe this way was the most exhilarating sensation she’d ever had—it was like every roller coaster she’d ever been on, to the thousandth power. How could anyone help being elated at the giddy, exciting feeling of flying through space at the speed of light?
I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself but we’re actually moving faster than the speed of light now, Deep informed her. We have to if we want to get to Tranq Prime in time to find Sophia.
But…but I thought that was impossible, Kat protested. How can we be moving faster than the speed of light?
Because we’re not physically here, Lock explained. Our bodies are still lying on the bed. But our minds are free to wander. Anything is possible on the astral plane.
Especially if you have enough power, Deep growled. Hang on, we’re about to go even faster.
As soon as he spoke, everything began to blur. Kat half wished she could close her eyes but that seemed to be impossible in this state. The sensation of speed was so great she could barely stand it. She was sure if her physical body had been subjected to such stress she would have been vaporized in an instant. Then just as she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, they came to an abrupt halt in front of a graying white globe.
Tranq Prime, Deep explained. It’s mostly ice locked and the people live underground. Lock, is the net ready?
I have it woven. I just need to cast.
I hope you made it big enough. We need to cover the entire planet and all the outlying space around it as well. Remember, she could be anywhere in this sector.
I understand. Get ready.
Kat sensed a tension from Lock, as though he was about to lift an immensely heavy weight or do some other physically strenuous activity. She hoped that he had gotten enough power from their earlier exchange to do what he needed to do.
I’m all right, Lock assured her, obviously feeling her worry. It was Deep that needed most of the power to get us here and hold us in position. Just be ready when the net is cast—concentrate on Sophia.
All right. Concentrating hard, Kat pictured her friend—Sophia’s large green eyes fringed thickly with dark lashes, her lovely long chestnut hair, the sweet, shy way she spoke, her willingness to help, her compassion, her tender heart that ached for anyone in pain, even if it was someone who had hurt her… Sophie, she thought urgently, as the brilliant, shimmering net flowed outward, covering Tranq Prime and all the space around it. Sophie, I know you’re here somewhere—at least I think you are. I found you once—please let me be able to find you again! Please!
But though she searched and searched for the tugging of a familiar mind, she felt nothing.
Anything? Lock sent after a few moments.
Kat wanted to cry. No, nothing. I—wait!
What is it? Deep asked but Kat shushed him.
Let me concentrate. Something was moving in the corner of her mind. A tugging so faint she could barely feel it. As she focused on it, it began to grow stronger.
Kat rushed outward along the shining strands of the net, following the tiny familiar tug. It was leading away from Tranq Prime, taking her into deep orbit around the frozen planet—so deep that it was barely a speck in the sky by the time she found…
Wait a minute. Kat frowned. That’s not a ship. It’s just a rock.
An asteroid, Deep sent.
But…how can Sophie be inside a rock? Kat doubtfully eyed the vaguely spherical shape floating in space.
If that’s where the tugging is leading you, let it, Lock told her. Go deep, Kat. Let the feeling pull you in.
All right but I still don’t see how she could be in there. Again feeling like an unseen bird, Kat dived straight at the rocky grey surface of the asteroid which seemed to be about the size of a large house.
To her surprise instead of speeding through a solid mass of rock and gravel, Kat suddenly found herself inside a hollow metal shell. What the…?
It’s a ship! Lock sent excitedly. One built to look like an asteroid! Quickly, Kat, can you see Sophia?
Very quickly, Deep growled in her mind. I can’t hold us here, this far from our bodies much longer. Hurry Kat!
I’m hurrying! Speed was no issue. In her disembodied state she could flit around more quickly than a hummingbird fluttered its wings. Sophie was very near now, she could feel it—could feel the terror and distress emanating from her friend.
She rushed through a dark, narrow hallway and out into a larger room with a wide bank of controls and an enormous viewscreen. Projected on its vast surface was a being in a shadowy hood with burning red eyes.
Oh my God! Kat flinched at the sense of pure evil that flowed from the enormous image.
The AllFather, Deep sent grimly. So it is the Scourge who have her.
Was there ever any doubt? Lock returned. We knew they were hunting her, though we still don’t know why they want her.
And we don’t have time to find out, either. Deep’s mental voice was strained. Where’s Sophia?
Here! And oh my God… Kat couldn’t go on. Sophie was standing naked with her hands fisted at her sides, looking up at the viewscreen. The terror on her face was heartbreaking but she wasn’t crying aloud. Instead, silent tears ran down her cheeks as
her eyes remained fixed on the hideous face of the AllFather. Behind her stood a tall man, as massive and muscular as any Kindred, but with pale grey skin. He had proud, stern features and red eyes with black hair, which she assumed was normal for the Scourge. It was hard to know since she’d never seen one in person before.
Sophie, she sent, trying to make contact with her friend. Sophie, hang on! We can see you and we’ll tell Sylvan where you are. Help is coming, just hold on!
She can’t hear you, Deep said, his mental voice still strained. We’re on a different plane than she is right now. But we have to get back soon.
I know, Kat whispered through their link. But poor Sophie. She—
Just at that moment the viewscreen went blank and the horrible face of the AllFather disappeared. Kat felt an immense sense of relief—as though a burden had been lifted from her mind. Oh, he’s gone! Thank—
And then the man behind her drew a knife.
Oh God! No—no! Kat rushed forward, forgetting that she couldn’t be heard or seen, and tried to knock the long, black-edged blade from his hand. No, don’t you touch her you son of a bitch! Don’t you dare—
Suddenly she felt the rubber band sensation she’d felt before—the feeling of being pulled backwards at tremendous speed whether she wanted to go or not.
No! No, please! she begged, but there was no stopping. Helplessly she watched as her friend disappeared. Suddenly they were through the metal hull of the asteroid ship and then it was nothing more than a spec in space. Tranq Prime disappeared and its far distant sun became nothing but a winking dot. Stars, planets, and vast swatches of black, open space rushed by them twice as fast, fifty times as fast, a hundred times as fast as they had on the journey there.
The rest was a blur so intense she couldn’t distinguish anything but black and white, dark and bright. In less time than she would have thought possible, she found herself back in her body which felt terribly tired and weak. A throbbing, pounding headache bloomed behind her eyes like a poisonous black rose. Not that she cared how she felt at the moment.
“He’s going to kill her,” she gasped, sitting up despite her dizziness and pain. “I know it! I know it.”
“Not if Sylvan can get to her in time,” Lock said grimly. “Did you mark the location, Deep? We don’t have time to triangulate right now.”
“I’ve got it.” Deep was already climbing out of bed. He half staggered and then regained his balance, which made Kat wonder if the joining had drained him too. “On my way to the view-room now.” He looked at Kat. “You said Sylvan’s waiting for the call?”
She nodded weakly. Now that she was sitting up, colored lights were flashing before her eyes and she was feeling decidedly nauseous. The headache was growing in intensity, becoming so sharp it was blinding.
Deep gave her a worried look. “Take care of her, Brother. I must go now.”
“Go!” Lock sat up as well and pulled Kat into his arms. “I’ll care for our Kat.”
Deep frowned. “She’s not ours, Lock—not really. You’d do well to remember that.” And then he was gone, running to warn Sylvan and give him the location of the strange ship where Sophie was being held.
Oh please, Kat thought as the world spun around her and started to go dark. Please let him be in time. I don’t see how he can be, but please…
* * * * *
Deep pounded down the long metal corridor in his bare feet, grimly intent on his mission. He felt weak from the incredibly intense joining, but he ignored the physical limitations his body wanted to impose on him contemptuously. There was no time for frailty or hesitation—his second brother’s life was in danger.
Because it wasn’t just Sophia that would die if Sylvan didn’t get to her in time.
Deep had seen the look in the male’s eyes when he stood ready to protect her—to defend her with his life if need be. Sylvan might have survived Feenah’s rejection but he wouldn’t survive Sophia’s death, of that Deep was certain.
Amazing that he could let himself feel so intensely for a female again after what Feenah put him through. Amazing and stupid—such emotional weakness only leads to pain. But he hoped he was wrong in Sylvan’s case. Hoped his second brother was in time to save the woman he so desperately loved.
He was running so fast he nearly passed the view-room. It was basically a lounge with a large viewscreen mounted on the wall for long distance and multi-light year communications. Skidding to a halt, he rushed inside to see a red eyed Olivia huddled against Baird, who was doing his best to comfort her. She looked up the moment he came in, a mixture of hope and fear flitting across her face.
“Deep? Did you find her?”
“We did,” he said shortly. “Call Sylvan—now.”
Baird was already punching a series of numbers into the viewscreen’s controls and in less than a minute Sylvan’s face appeared on the screen. Deep bit back a startled curse when he saw his second brother—Sylvan had never looked worse.
Gone was the cool, collected warrior who never showed the least emotion no matter how hopeless the situation. Desperate eyes stared into his and it was like looking into the abyss. But there was no time for commiseration.
“Where is she?” Sylvan asked hoarsely. “Is she alive?”
“She was a moment ago,” Deep said grimly. “But she’s in danger—grave danger, my brother.”
The change in Sylvan was immediate. The pupils of his ice blue eyes expanded and went blood red. At the same time his fangs punched out, long, sharp and utterly lethal. “Where?” he growled, his voice dropping an octave from its usual baritone to a menacing bass. “Tell me where.”
Deep rattled off a string of coordinates and then repeated them more slowly to make sure Sylvan got them right. “She’s in a ship that’s built to resemble an asteroid,” he added. “I don’t know where the entrance is.”
Sylvan cursed. “The asteroid that followed us through the fold! I wondered how the Scourge could’ve gotten all the way to Tranq Prime without us knowing!” He glared at Deep. “Don’t worry about the entrance—I’ll cut my way in.”
“Go quickly, Brother,” Deep said. “And be cautious—I only saw one Scourge holding her but he’s armed.”
“Armed or not, soon he’ll be dead.” Sylvan’s eyes blazed with rage and then his image was gone—popping out of view as quickly as it had appeared.
Deep shook his head and stared at the blank screen. The goddess give you speed, Brother! I hope you reach her in time.
Chapter Thirty-four
“Please,” Sophie gasped, backing away. “Please don’t!”
“I’m doing you a favor.” Xairn’s voice was distant, his red-on-black eyes calm and emotionless as he approached her with the long, curving knife. “Do you know what your fate would be if I took you back to my father as he commanded?”
“But…but I’ve got Blood Fever,” she said desperately, groping for any excuse to live just a little while longer. “So I’m going to die anyway even if you just…just leave me alone.”
He laughed humorlessly. “So that is what the marker detected. Well, then I am saving you from two unpleasant deaths.” With a quick lunge he caught her arm and drew her close. “Come, Sophia, I’m not going to violate you,” he said quietly. “Those urges are still buried in me—never to awaken, I hope.”
“So you’re just going to kill me instead? No thanks!” Fighting with all her might, Sophia struggled to get away. Kicking and squirming, she twisted in his grip. She fought so hard she almost broke free…until Xairn swept her feet out from under her. With a cry, she landed flat on her back with a bone-jarring thump on the hard metal floor.
The fall knocked the breath out of her and for a moment all she could do was gasp, trying to get air into her lungs. She was going to roll away from him, to try and buy more time, but a moment was all it took. Before she could move, Xairn was on her, pinning her down.
“Please…” Sophie could barely speak and now tears were forming in her eyes, making it hard to
see. “Please, no. I…I need to live. I need to tell him…”
“Tell him what? That you love him?” Xairn’s eyes were flat as he raised the knife again. “I’m sure he knows.”
“But I never got a chance to tell him.” Suddenly that seemed like the worst thing—worse even than the fact that she was about to die. Oh Sylvan, I spent so much time fearing you for one reason or another that I never let myself love you. Oh please, God—if you’ll give me one more chance I swear I won’t waste it! I’ll tell him how I feel. I’ll let him bite me and bond me—anything so that we can be together. Together one more time…
But the gleaming black edge of the alien knife grew in her vision and no one seemed to be listening to her prayers.
Then, for some reason, Xairn withdrew the knife. “Let me look at you,” he demanded, leaning over her.
“What? Why?” A thought suddenly occurred to her—was he the Scourge commander who had demanded that Sylvan surrender her when they’d been caught in the energy net? His voice sounded the same. Sophie closed her eyes as the memory of his words echoed in her ears… We will strip her naked before we take her to the AllFather. Strip her and take her in front of you where you stand, helpless to do anything but watch as she begs for release…
Xairn seemed to sense her fear because he spoke very softly. “I told you I wouldn’t violate you, didn’t I? Now open your eyes, I need to see them.”
“Why?” He didn’t seem to have the same kind of power in his voice that the AllFather did, but Sophia found herself looking up at him anyway. His eyes were terrible—pure black where they ought to be white, with oval red pupils. For some reason, he appeared to be studying her eyes as well.
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