The Inquisitors (The Space Merchants Book 6)

by Wendie Nordgren

  “Yes, Praetor Galerius.”

  Eli and Dario watched me from over Praetor Galerius’ shoulders. A Chief Medical Officer on Praetor Galerius’ staff began studying our medical scans.

  “Kaoti, what is that missile doing?” My voice shook with fear.

  “It will do nothing to you or to any of us. Be patient.”

  “Kaoti! Tell me!” I was starting to panic.

  Eli said, “Teagan, the missile is ancient. Within it were housed proteins that invade the genetic sequence and manipulate humanoid DNA until nothing but blood remains.”

  Feeling sick, I covered my mouth. “Someone once told me of Daphoene’s bloody wars.” I met Nico’s eyes. “I didn’t realize it was so very literal.” Faint, I sat on a bench. “Oh, stars.”

  The bunker had a small bathroom, four wall bunks, a supply cabinet containing water, food, and medical supplies, the medical unit, a communications console, two chairs, and a small table that folded up into the wall. The hours dragged by. My husbands kept us company through the console’s vid-screen. Nico even set up a stones board and moved my pieces for me while we played. Eventually, Kaoti insisted I take a shower and a nap. He assured me that we had an unlimited supply of recycled bathing water. The hot water and feeling of being clean of sand and sweat felt so good that falling asleep, even under our dire circumstances, was no problem. I had no idea how long I slept. However, when I did wake up, my head was killing me. The pain was excruciating. Stabbing pains filled my eyes. I made my way into the small bathroom where it smelled as though someone had recently taken care of business. It caused me to experience mild nausea. Holding my breath, I dampened a cloth and returned to bed. Covering my eyes with the wet cloth, I willed my headache to go away, but it seemed to migrate upwards until my head was filled with stabbing pains. Soon, I almost felt as though I had the flu. I started to cry.

  “Teagan, what’s wrong?” Kaoti asked as he came to my side.

  “Oh, Kaoti! I don’t want to die like all of those ancient soldiers! This is why I dreamed about them. They stood brave and tall and then melted down into pools of blood.” I started sobbing.

  Kaoti patted my back. Someone passed a bottle of water to me. Kaoti opened it and held it to my lips.

  “No, save it for yourselves. I’m dying.”

  Kaoti said, “You aren’t dying.”

  “I am. My poor children and Thunderdrop.” I sobbed against Kaoti’s shoulder which made the pain even worse. After I had calmed a little, he walked me to the console and sat me down before it. Blonde hair and blue eyes filled it. “Phillip,” I said and started crying again.

  “Hey, Cupcake. I hear you aren’t feeling well. Everything seems fine on your scans. Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

  “I’m dying, Phillip. I know it. The genetic things from the missile got to me.”

  “Cupcake, what are your symptoms?”

  “My head hurts so bad, like blinking hurts. Is my brain dissolving?”

  Phillip covered his face and turned away. “Don’t cry, Phillip. There’s nothing you can do. Will the guys be infected because of their contact with me? Should I leave the bunker?”

  Yukihyo punched Phillip in the arm.

  “No!” Phillip said in a choked voice. He held up a hand to fend Yukihyo off. When he turned back around and I saw his face, I started crying again.

  “Phillip, how could you? I’m dying, and you’re laughing?”

  “Teagan, wait! Oh, stars. Teagan, your head hurts because you are experiencing caffeine withdrawals. Have some water. Stick a small pain patch on your forehead.” His eyes were crinkled with humor.

  “I’m not dying?”

  “No, and Kaoti and those boys will make sure of it.”

  “What if the contagion gets inside of the bunker? It’s out there, Phillip. I’m the one who found it. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t participated, none of this would have happened. Now, Kaoti and my friends are in danger. Violet and Poppy can’t lose Kaoti. Do you know how much he means to them? What have I done?”

  “Calm down,” Kaoti ordered. He started scratching behind my ear.

  “What are you doing?” I asked him somewhat hysterically.

  “It calms Puff down. I thought it might work on you.”

  I stared at him in shock and then laughed.

  Binder held a pain patch up for Phillip to see. “This one?”

  “Yep. That should do it. Now, get her to go lie down with a damp cloth over her eyes. Maybe, get her to change into something more comfortable, stay still, and sip water.”

  Kaoti led me to the bathroom, gave me one of his spare shirts to change into, and then tucked me in. I could sense that Zared wanted to comfort me, but the shielding interfered with our bond. Kaoti and the boys watched through the vid-screen console as decontamination drone units descended upon the island. The hours crawled by, but my headache finally faded. Lack of caffeine made me grumpy and irritable. Then, the cramped quarters and complete lack of any type of diversion really started to wear on my nerves. I spent a great deal of time napping.

  After days of waiting, Kaoti said, “It won’t be long now. Extra precautions are being taken. The air, water, and plants are being tested.”

  Cedrenus asked, “Do you think Rovek is going to fail us?”

  Kaoti said, “I don’t think so. You and your team did survive.”

  I said, “Only because of you and your bunker. If you hadn’t been here….”

  “Hush, Teagan, I will always be here. I will protect you for all of my days.”

  “Kaoti, how did you even get here? When did you get here? Was it when Praetor Galerius came?” Cedrenus asked. The boys were all curious to find out, and so was I.

  “No, I arrived with Teagan.”

  “How? Rovek and I were alone in his transport and on his boat,” I said.

  “No, you weren’t. I used a visual displacement shield to hide my presence. Then, I used magnetic grapplers to secure myself to the transport. I slipped beneath the water and held onto the boat. An oxygen mask allowed me to keep pace with you as I swam close to the ocean floor and out of Rovek’s detection as you made your way to the shore.”

  “Is that how you always manage to sneak up on Violet and me?”

  Kaoti just stared at me.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  I had never before been so relieved to see a squadron of Parvac soldiers and scientists. They swarmed the small island. Kaoti, my team, and I were poked and prodded by doctors until they were satisfied with our health. Then, my husbands flew me in a shuttle to Dario’s house where I soaked in a bubble bath and scrubbed my scalp. Yukihyo and Zared helped me from the tub and dried me off. Then, they proceeded to get me wet all over again in a completely different manner.

  The next few days consisted of extravagant pampering, frequent and energetic lovemaking, and exhausted meals in bed. My husbands gave me such persistent and extensive erotic attention that I fled my bedroom and sought sanctuary with Terre, Tracy, Violet, and Sparrow.

  “Look at you. I’m surprised you can walk,” Sparrow said dryly.

  They all giggled at me.

  “Violet, I’m surprised to see you up and about. I assumed you’d have your brave husband trapped in bed.” I shifted my weight in my chair. I was tender from manly attention.

  “Kaoti has been rewarded for his bravery.” She gave me a waggle of her eyebrows. He had also been awarded Daphoene’s Medal of Honor for saving me and my team.

  My children were too busy playing and having fun to do more than give me a few messy kisses before running off for their next activities. Peter had entered the splash stage. All he wanted was to play in the pool. He took to water as though he had been born a fish. Terre and I stood a few feet from each other, and Peter swam from me to her and back again. Once we tired him out, he ate, slept, and woke up eager to swim some more. Fitz was delighted by him, and Farowyn was exceedingly proud of his nephew. He made several video recordings of him for his grandfather, King Rorgow
yn.

  Dario had taken us all on a fascinating excursion to view a volcanic eruption. The red and black flowing lava as it had spread across the rocky ground had been awe inspiring in its deadly beauty. He had also taken us to a war museum since I now had a greater appreciation of archaic warfare. We all enjoyed our field trips.

  We spent a lot of time relaxing at Dario’s home. My ladies and I were fond of the pool. Near it, Yukihyo and Nico started doing pushups and sit-ups while shirtless to tease me, but I didn’t fall for it. Between them, Zared, Fitz, Eli, Drex, Dario, and Farowyn, I was ready to take the Lady Victoria Dacia’s advice and put them on schedules. Knowing my thoughts, my Laconian hybrid warriors smirked and laughed with the exception of Zared, who seemed contrite.

  My ladies and I had returned from a tea party at the Galerius Estate when we walked in on Eli and Rovek having an argument. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Nothing, dearest one,” Drex said.

  “There you go again. That is exactly what I mean. How is she supposed to learn to be self-sufficient when she is constantly coddled?” Rovek asked.

  “She did quite well in the survival challenge,” Eli said. “Go find a volcano to explore from the inside.”

  Rovek scoffed. “Did you think I wouldn’t figure it out? I know the two of you were behind the technical difficulties I experienced during her team’s evaluation. I assume you brought her treats and pampered her instead of allowing her to prove her capabilities.”

  I became worried.

  Noticing, Eli said, “Don’t worry. You and your team passed. Rovek can make all of the false accusations he wants, but he can’t prove anything.”

  Rovek said, “Don’t give me that smug, superior act. We’ve known each other all of our lives. You forgot about one thing. I found the fish.”

  My cheeks turned red. With everything that had happened, we had forgotten to pretend to catch the fish that Fitz and Nico had put on our hooks.

  “I’m certain the cadets would have no problems passing a survival challenge. They are after all young men. Therefore, I decided to pass the team rather than making them suffer. They had no choice unless they were to go against the orders of their superiors. Angering a Praetor would severely impede their future careers.”

  “I didn’t ask for any kind of special treatment,” I said.

  “No, I’m sure you didn’t. Also, had your bodyguard not been there, the consequences would have been disastrous. My apologies, Princess. I did not mean for our discussion to cause you any distress.” Rovek bowed and kissed my fingers.

  I snatched my hand back. “What the hell is this all about?” I waved my hand at him. Rovek acting like the polite gentleman was too out of character for me to believe. “When do you ever call me princess?”

  “You are what you are.” Rovek clasped his hands behind his back.

  Drex grew pale.

  Tracy got angry. “Wait just a minute. Are you saying that a princess can’t complete a survival challenge without being coddled?”

  In a placating tone that only made her angrier, Rovek said, “It is an undeniable truth that delicate females such as yourselves were not created to struggle for survival in inhospitable environments. Beautiful ladies should be treasured and should be provided with everything they want, need, or desire. The Princess needs to prove herself. Therefore, males such as myself must facilitate her wishes.”

  “So, without male assistance, females are incapable of accomplishing anything much less surviving a nature challenge?” Tracy asked.

  Rovek gave her a sympathetic smile. “There are many worthwhile accomplishments for females. I find your research on Sea Stars to be fascinating, Lady Tracy.”

  Drex watched Rovek like a distant accident in slow motion that he had no power to stop. He turned to Eli. “I believe I finally understand the way I sounded that day.”

  “Horrifying, isn’t it?” Eli asked.

  Drex said quietly, “He should stop talking.”

  “I think you’re wrong, and we’ll prove it just like we proved to Drex that we could complete the Academy training mission,” Tracy said angrily.

  “Yeah,” Sparrow said. She was angrier than Tracy.

  Terre sighed unhappily. “Unfortunately, I must agree. It is intolerable for you to consider females to be less capable than males. While we may not have the same physical attributes, our minds are more than capable of compensating for what our musculature lacks.”

  “Set up your survival challenge. We will handle it together and won’t allow our husbands or anyone else to interfere,” Tracy said.

  Drex and Eli weren’t the only ones staring at Rovek as though he was an idiot. All of our husbands were. Yukihyo had his arms crossed over his muscular chest and was glaring at him. A match in the ring was in their future. Jazon smiled at Rovek. He was pleased that the man had pissed Tracy off. I could tell when Rovek realized how thoroughly he had screwed up. He was quicker to come to the realization than Drex had been.

  In resignation, Rovek said, “As you wish, Lady Tracy.” He bowed to us and went off to make arrangements.

  The last thing I wanted to do was to participate in another survival challenge, but I didn’t really see any way out of it. Tracy and Sparrow were furious, and I owed them for backing me up with Drex when they had served as my crew. Still, with just us girls, who would put bait on my hook for me? I decided it would be Tracy. She had no qualms with dissecting sea critters. Nodding to myself, I caught Zared’s grin as he watched me. Answering the crook of his finger, I went to him and allowed myself to be led away off to bed.

  After a night of manly attention, I enjoyed a leisurely soak in the tub. Then, I had Ulf braid my hair. We all had a lovely family breakfast together. Afterwards, my ladies and I were sitting under the shade of the patio, enjoying the breeze and discussing a guided sight-seeing trip through the jungle. The tour promised to be educational for children with an on-site petting zoo, but also full of beautiful exotic flora and breathtaking scenery for the adults to enjoy.

  “Oh, look. They have a flower arranging class where you get to pick your own flowers,” I said.

  “That looks like fun,” Terre said over my shoulder. “Sign us up for that, too.”

  “Ladies, if you would be so kind as to give me your attention,” Rovek said.

  We turned our eyes to look at him. Eli, Drex, Fitz, Phillip, and Jazon looked at him like they wanted to rip him apart.

  Their glares didn’t bother Rovek. “By all means, if you wish to book the excursion, do so. You have nothing to prove to me. I realize that I was in complete error with my baseless assumptions. I humbly beg for your forgiveness.”

  “I’m not buying it. You’re just saying that. You don’t believe we can handle roughing it,” Sparrow said.

  “Have you formulated the means by which we can prove our worth?” Terre asked.

  “My lady, your worth isn’t calculable. Each of you is priceless,” Rovek said with sincerity.

  “Aw, that was sweet,” I said. “See? He realizes he was wrong. Let’s sign up so we get into that flower arranging class.”

  Rovek inclined his head to me.

  “Teagan, stop sucking up,” Tracy scolded.

  Violet gave me a sympathetic pat.

  “Yeah, I’m not buying it,” Sparrow said.

  Xavier narrowed his eyes at Rovek. If he were to lose his temper and pummel my teacher, we wouldn’t have to go on another survival challenge. Xavier read my mind and shook his head at me. Telepathically, he said, “Tracy is deeply offended by what Rovek said, but my wife is playing along because she wants to have an outdoor activity with her friends. She loves being outside.”

  I sighed. There was no escape.

  Rovek said, “Very well. Come with me.”

  “Right now? Don’t we get to change?” I asked as I looked down at my long, flowing sundress. It had spaghetti straps and was white with a washed-out pattern of water colored flowers of pink and purple. I showed Rovek my white flip-fl
ops.

  “If you ladies wish to participate, you will either come with me immediately or forfeit.”

  I thought, “Forfeit, forfeit,” really hard at my friends, but it didn’t work.

  They got up, hugged Violet goodbye, and kissed their husbands. Frowning, I gave each of my husbands a quick peck and a sad frown. I cast a disappointed glance at the vid-screen and the sign-up page for the fun flower arranging class I wouldn’t be getting to take. Instead, I’d have dirty hair tomorrow and bugs for breakfast. Yukihyo chuckled at me and slapped me on the butt as I walked through the house and out to the front.

  Rovek drove us to a marina and explained the rules along the way. If we could survive alone for five days without outside assistance, he would take back everything that he had said. He helped us each board a fancy speedboat. I went to the beverage dispenser and made myself a cup of coffee. Then, we were off. My friends held their chins up with stubborn determination. I made a second cup of coffee and guzzled it. Then, I went to use the small bathroom. I searched it and used the underskirt of my gown to hide a roll of waste paper, a bar of soap, and a few bottles of water from the main cabin. Tying my underskirt’s hem edges, I hoped I had done a good job of concealing the items. I had taken and hidden all that I had managed to find that could prove useful which wasn’t much.

  After about an hour, Rovek finally slowed to a stop beside a large yacht that was anchored in the middle of the ocean. “Ladies, your challenge will occur here on this vessel. It is inoperative. Open communications have been disabled, and not even Sparrow will be able to make repairs. Should you desire rescue and an end to the challenge, you may contact me and only me with this.” He handed Tracy a small vid-screen. “Climb aboard.” He gestured toward the metal ladder attached to the side of the boat.

  Tracy put the vid-screen in her bodice. Rovek’s eyes greedily followed the motion. Then, she knotted her skirt and carefully grabbed a hold of the ladder and climbed. Hiding behind Sparrow, I did a better job of tying my skirts and then followed. The metal ladder was hot under my palms. The sun was bright, and the waves were calm. Tossing my leg over the side, I let Tracy help me to the deck. Then, we helped Terre and Sparrow. The four of us watched as Rovek sped away.