Excuse me?
Ren growls, and Xen climbs to his feet. Rather than dealing with him and Xen facing off over her attitude, I address it myself. “Look, it’s been a crazy night. You and Xen obviously have some catching up to do. But don’t forget who kicked whose ass last time. Just because I’m being nice doesn’t mean I’m willing to tolerate your bullshit any more now than I was the last time you decided to run your mouth.”
She straightens her hair, then wipes the remnants of her tears away. “I should not have spoken to you like that, I just…will you come check on him later, if the Acia allows it?”
“My mate will not—”
“Yes. I’ll come.” I give Ren the side eye, daring him to disagree. Things between Illaria and me have always been terrible. But really, there’s a chance here. Not only for me to make things a little easier for myself, but also get her the hell off my case. Not having to deal with her drama anymore would be a huge relief.
After giving me a tight smile, Illaria walks over to make another plate and Xen bends down to clean up the mess she made. “Thank you, Ajayla,” she says.
I nearly roll my eyes. This has to be the first time ever she’s said my name without some sort of contempt, and all I had to do was help Ren split open her lover boy’s skull to give him his memories back so he’d know who she is.
“We should let them talk. Plus, I wanted to check on Leandra before we go to bed. She took the whole ‘you’re pregnant’ thing kind of hard.”
Ren throws an arm around me as we walk through the kitchen. “You worry for her.”
“Yeah. I mean, who knows how having an Illusian baby will affect her. She’s already so sick. Seriously, you guys must have super sperm, because she’s only been pregnant for like two seconds.”
Ren furrows his brow. “They have been mated longer than two seconds. Most females—”
“Get pregnant on the first night. I know,” I interrupt, surprised at how jealous I sound. I’m happy for Leandra, really happy, actually. But part of me can’t help but wonder why I haven’t gotten pregnant yet. Not that I want to be. Or…I might. Hell, how can I be this upset about not having a baby when I don’t even know that I’m ready for one?”
He pulls me in close and kisses the top of my head. “Do not compare yourself to the other females, my Aciana. You are like the stars—unique, with an unmatched beauty. You cannot expect our mating to mirror that of another because there never has, nor will there ever be, a couplet as powerful as ours. I will give you young and everything else you desire. You are my queen, and anything less would be a disgrace.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ren
The control panel blinks, and I silence the alarm, waiting for Rivan to cut off the thrusters. Exiting Bastian’s atmosphere later than planned has put us at risk of discovery. With no set destination, we are once again freely roaming in space.
We have allowed ourselves to become distracted. Weighed down by emotion we cannot afford. The memories I retrieved from Xen were fractures, and like pieces of a puzzle, we have been fitting them together, tugging at their frayed ends, trying to make sense of what I saw.
Sol has tirelessly searched for the male who shares my mate’s blood, and he has yet to be found. By all accounts, he should be dead. I trust my mate, and if she recognizes the male as her kin, I will not challenge her instincts.
Rather than relying on Sol alone, I have gathered all the males and given each a task. Analyze the information. Find a pattern. A common thread. Thus far, all we have managed to discover are several sets of coordinates for locations that do not exist.
“Check the numbers again. They must be incorrect.” I sharpen my knife with my barb to pass the time.
Sol punches the tablet keys loudly, and my irritation spikes.
“Acia, with all due respect, they are correct.”
The table rattles as I slam down my first. “Impossible. One cannot live inside a black hole.”
Thumbing through several star maps, Sol re-enters the coordinates, then zeroes in on the results. “It remains the same. These specific coordinates lead directly to Jor’s Vortex.”
“Could it be a farce? Has it been proven to exist?” Nexx inquires.
Sol throws up his hands. “How am I to know? Based off the numbers and all the data trails, yes, it has been verified. I obviously have not been there personally.”
Pressure pulses in my head, increasing my frustration. Nexx grabs the metal cup nearest him and launches it across the room. “You will watch your tone, Sol.”
“Or what?” he scoffs. “You going to kick my ass? Maim me beyond recognition?”
“Silence!” My command echoes through the room. “Demand a challenge or stop your bickering.”
Tao rises from his chair, tablet in hand. “There is a pattern, Acia.” Six images flicker in and out before replacing the current projection on the star map. “All the coordinates you obtained from Xen’s mind should not exist. All are located within restricted areas, or zones designated too dangerous to pass.”
I lean in, peering closer. “A cover, then.”
A wide grin spreads across Tao’s face. “It is a logical conclusion. Perhaps, the Universal Community has been hiding in plain sight all along.”
“Compare all data we have acquired for the human named Braxick and the travel logs we recovered from our mission to retrieve Xen.”
Sol perks up at my attention. “Acia, we may have located his name, but records of his last known whereabouts are over fifty birth cycles old. It does not seem productive to waste time comparing them with all the other data I still have to comb over. Perhaps, the Aciana could continue to examine the video logs. Or allow me to—”
“Absolutely fucking not.” She is mine to protect and what lies within those journals saddens her. Their contents are for her eyes only. It is her blood—her kin—that has betrayed us so deeply, and she will not be embarrassed further by allowing his records to be openly examined. “I will request that she continue her search, but I will not disrespect her needs for privacy. Compare the data. We have no sufficient leads, and the Universal Community is closing in.”
Sol nods, then lowers his head before continuing his work. It is an appropriate action after overstepping, and I am pleased he recognized the offense and chose to address it so quickly.
“What is our course of action if it is confirmed the male responsible for this entire scheme is at one of these locations?” Orion asks.
My veins swell with a hot rush of rage. “What we do to all those who have wronged us. Flush him out and repay his grievous actions a thousand-fold. We will find this Braxick. And end this once and for all.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jayla
The infusion case clanks against the floor as I set it down near Leandra’s bed. She’s been laid up all day, refusing to eat, and I’ve had enough.
“You’re not putting that needle in me.” Leandra pulls the blanket up to her chin and grimaces. Ragar rips the covering off her with a grunt. She narrows her eyes. “Traitor. Aren’t Illusian males supposed to be loyal?” Ignoring her, he wads up the blanket and throws it into the corner, then sits on the bed beside her and begins rubbing her calves.
I prep the syringe. “You might not want to hear this, but it’s not just you I’m worried about. In case you missed it, you’ve got a baby in there.”
“How could I forget? I’ve been barfing my guts up for days.” She flops over with a groan and grabs at one of Ragar’s shirts that’s hung over the side of the bed. He pulls it from her reach. Leandra huffs, then throws out her arm and looks away. Ragar stops rubbing her calves long enough to cup her cheek, guiding her chin up in a “look at me” way.
The injector slides effortlessly into her vein, infusing her with a cocktail of electrolytes and vitamins, then retracts the instant it’s complete.
She rubs her arm. “I don’t feel any better.”
“Seriously? It’s been like three seconds.”
“Like hell you won’t,” Leandra says, then looks to me for help. “Seriously, Jay. Tell him he’s being ridiculous.”
I shrug. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
A tiny droplet of blood escapes the wound before I can seal it, and Leandra frowns. “He’s refusing to leave me if Ren calls for him.”
Despite mostly tuning out her complaints, I nearly choke on my spit and gawk at her. Ragar? Turning down a chance to maim the men responsible for over a century of his people’s suffering?
“Insane, right? He’s been broody and silent all day, then popped that little gem on me earlier.”
There are no words. I really have no idea what to say. It is insane, and I don’t think Leandra quite understands the gravity of what she just said. Ragar lives to kill things. It’s his religion. And to be willing to give up the chance at reaping revenge because he’s worried to the point of refusing to leave her?
“Your suffering dampens my taste for blood,” Ragar says, drawing her attention.
I eject the cartridge and put it back in my bag, and by the time I look up, Ragar and Leandra are staring at each other, and the tension between them is so hot it’s awkward. She might be on the verge of barfing again, but I’m pretty sure he’s about to rip her clothes off.
“Yeah, so…I’m going to go. Let me know if you need me.”
“Mmmhmmm,” Leandra mumbles, still ensnared in Ragar’s gaze. Not wanting to witness whatever is about to happen between them, I slide through the door, letting the auto-lock click into place. Thank goodness for sound proofing. I love Leandra, but I certainly don’t want to hear her and Ragar getting it on.
Taking the stairs two at a time, I’m anxious to get back to my room and tear through more of the video journals. Ren’s frustration is building, and he’s so tense, I worry he’s going to explode and destroy the kitchen again. He and the other males have been searching non-stop for anything that could narrow down Braxick’s location. Sol sent word to his underground contacts, but they’ve yet to respond. Most of the males have confined themselves to the nav bay in shifts, spending hours on end cataloguing and looking into each possibility. As of yesterday, they’d found little more than a suspicious pattern. I hope my great-grandfather shows me something I can use soon, and that all this time staring at the face of a man I’m starting to hate is worth it.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ren
The subtle scent of salt and Jayla call me to my room. I have tried to ignore the sadness creeping through our bond. My mate does not like her eyes to leak in the presence of others. Unable to resist my need to fix the cause of her misery, I abandon planning the early stages of our possible assault in order to check on her.
The closer I get, the more her tears weigh down my soul. I despise it when she suffers. If I could crush the life from every being who has ever brought her pain, I would bathe in their blood. No hesitation. No remorse.
A jolt of panic courses through my veins as I activate the biometric key to our room, and I can hear Jayla rush to cover the evidence of her misery. She cannot hide her tears from me. Nor do I ever want her to. I may not understand or feel these emotions, but any mated male worth a damn will bear the brunt of his mate’s anguish.
Her shoulders droop as she clutches her knees to her chest. Her eyes are bloodshot, face puffy, but the tears she shed have been wiped away.
“What can I do?” I ask, gently soothing the ache behind her eyes. I have learned she does not like me to take the offending emotions away. I fix what I am able. The pulsating pain in her head. The raw skin at the corners of her eyes. Those I can eliminate without worry I am altering her process of expelling whatever has burdened her.
My mate remains silent. She moves closer, wrapping her arms around my waist, allowing me to hold her. The warmth of her body hardens my cock, but I do not give in to my urge to take her. It is not the time. My female is in mourning.
“You wear the evidence of your grief. Do not keep it from me.”
She sniffles, burying her face in the animal hide of my shirt. “I can’t even…there are no words. It’s disgusting, Ren. Worse than that…it’s the most horrible thing I’ve ever seen. And I… Fuck, you’re going to hate me.”
“That is an impossibility.”
Her lip trembles as she meets my gaze. “You don’t understand. My great-grandfather, the Universal Community—they weren’t just experimenting on adults, but children…all different species. The offspring from their breeding trials. They…bled them, Ren. Then when my great-grandfather refused a transfusion, he was forced to drink the blood.”
“I do not understand. What purpose would they have—” My vision narrows, outrage tightening my throat. “Our offspring. That is how he, and those that further his transgressions, have remained alive.”
I am careful to quiet my anger, walling it off from the bond. My Jayla does not need another reason to feel devastated.
“Yes. He didn’t do it by choice. Two armed men came in and grabbed him, not bothering to take off the camera he wore on his head. The live feed ended just as they forced the blood down his throat.” Her shoulders shake as she continues to cry.
I grit my teeth to silence the roar threatening to explode. Of all the vile, filthy sacrilege…
My mate’s suffering is unbearable. Rather than force her to continue, I slide into her mind and see for myself. She does not fight against me, simply cradles her head in her hands and waits for me to finish.
“What does this mean for your race, Ren? Is that why they wanted Liral? To sell his blood? What the fuck is wrong with these people?”
Unable to stand the agony twisting her features, I send a gentle cooling wave through the bond. Just enough to quiet her hysterics.
“We have to get them out of there. Whatever those assholes are doing to them...I can’t stand it.”
I remain quiet, letting her process her grief, then cup her face and bring her watery gaze to mine. “If I do nothing else in my life, I will find these savages and make them pay for your tears—for the misery they have caused my people. Rest now. I must return to Sol and Rivan. No longer can we afford to wait in the name of safety. We will re-evaluate the data and make a decision. And if in two days’ time I have not buried my blade and set fire to their entirety, we will move on, tearing our way through their ranks until we find the piece of shit responsible and end this once and for all.”
“I’m scared, Ren.”
The vulnerability in her voice triggers my mate drive, demanding I sate her need for security.
“Do not fear. No matter what we find, no one will touch you.”
The wetness of her tears stains my shirt as she tilts up her chin, meeting my gaze. Her features harden, and pure aggression flashes in her eyes. It promises violence. Exudes a threat even a male of my strength would consider viable. “I’m not afraid of someone hurting me, Ren. I’m terrified of what I’ll see, and even worse, what I’ll do when I see it.”
Sol shuffles his feet as he enters the navigation bay, his steps heavy with exhaustion. It took Jayla several Earth hours to finally settle, and all the others are well into their sleep cycle.
“Acia—”
“Scan the immediate area near and around the vortex for any signs of life, electrical signatures…anything that could interfere with us entering the zone.”
His brow furrows, and he rubs his eyes. “Are we not waiting for our sources? It has only been two Earth days since we reached out. There is still a chance one of them will send more reliable intel.”
“The humans know about our young—what they can do.”
The color drains from Sol’s face as he stares, mouth agape. “But...how? Since when?”
An all-consuming sense of frustration overtakes me, and my instincts demand blood. No amount of death will replace what they have taken from us. From the
babes drained for the very thing that gives them life.
To steal what does not belong to them with no regard for the value of a female’s body or the life that flows through a child deserves death. And it is I who will hand deliver it and relish in their screams.
“They have twisted our most sacred of ceremonies, defiled our greatest gifts. What are we for if not to serve those that will foster our future generations? Re-scan the area, incorporate all the data you have found, and give me an answer by morning.”
“I swear it, Acia. I will not sleep until it is done, and I will signal our contacts once again,” Sol replies. There is a steadiness to his features. No trace of his usual failure to recognize the depth of importance of his task. He is advancing closer to being what is expected of him.
There is hope for him yet.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jayla
Lines of text stream across the tablet in my hands, and it’s all I can do to stay awake. I haven’t slept. Haven’t been able to shut off my brain. Every time I close my eyes, I see the blood dripping down my great-grandfather’s face and the look of pure panic twisting his features.
He gagged on it, sputtered and choked as they forced it down his throat. After last night’s revelation, something inside me changed. I’ve been so confused, fluctuating between guilt and anger, depression and self-hatred for being a part of the race that has caused so much pain to the people I love. I’ve felt ashamed, and if I’m honest with myself, undeserving of the respect the Illusians give me.
Not anymore. Seeing that video—watching the lengths of depravity Colonel Braxick and my great-grandfather have gone to—sparked an inferno that’s left me burning in its flames.
What they’ve done—and what they’re still doing—is unfathomable. Gone is the time for self-doubt and pity. So, I’m going to sit here, no matter how horrible I feel, and tear through everything in sight. There has to be something in all this crap we got from the lab where they held Xen that will narrow down our search. Ren’s convinced Colonel Braxick and my great-grandfather are at one of the six sets of coordinates the males uncovered, and damn it, I’m going to figure out which one.
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