Elianna was relieved to hear Kierce was in the valley now but Gabe’s answer was only the tip of the iceberg as far as she was concerned. She opened her mouth to start firing questions but the Alpha held up one hand and shook his head.
“The three of you can go,” Aydarr said to the other humans. “We’ll continue the discussion with Elianna.”
Good naturedly the two pilots and Nicolle took their leave, the portal closing softly behind them. As soon as the door was shut, Elianna said, “Is he okay? Is he in the hospital? How soon can I see him?”
“What can you tell us about the tiger, as you call him?” Aydarr asked.
Elianna stared at him. Why don’t they ask Kierce? She remembered the vow Kierce had obtained from her, that she wouldn’t reveal his secrets to anyone. But he’d had the Khagrish in mind when they had the conversation, not his fellow Badari, surely. “I want to see him then we can talk.”
“Most people don’t make demands of the Alpha,” Mateer said, his deep voice not as friendly as she remembered.
“No, it’s all right.” Aydarr made a small negating gesture. “She and the tiger spent days and nights together in the cell, so I’m assuming she knows quite a bit about him. I appreciate her concern, and I think it’s reasonable to take her to see him.” Aydarr turned his attention to Elianna. “But then I am going to expect you to provide a full explanation because we need any shred of information to help him, and any other Badari such as he may be.”
“He’s not from your pack, is he?”
“No, which is a mystery in itself, but he carries the Badari scent, and he acknowledged me as Alpha.” Aydarr rose and headed for the door. “Enough conversation. We can walk to the enclosure in a few minutes.”
“I’ll come too,” Jill said. “This is an intriguing, somewhat shocking development and we all want to help your friend.” This last comment was directed to Elianna. “He’s one of us, even if he is four footed.”
“Enclosure? Did you put him in a cage or a cell?” Anger made her voice sharp, and she immediately made a placating gesture. “I’m sorry, I’m not trying to be judgmental. It’s just, he deserves fair treatment, especially from his own kind. The Khagrish tortured him every day, and it was worse for him after refusing to kill me.”
Aydarr unbent a little. “We all know what the Khagrish are like. Have no fear—we’ll take the best possible care of him, but there are only so many ways to handle a huge beast of this nature, especially with the human population and the Badari cubs in the valley.”
“He’d never hurt either.” She had a moment of doubt, remembering the way he’d admitted the tiger had seen her as prey at first. If he was still under the influence of the Khagrish drugs, he might not be in his right mind yet. Much as she hated to admit it, the precautions being taken were probably wise. No matter how it hurt her heart to think of him trapped in a cell.
“I’m responsible for the Badari and the humans,” Aydarr said gently as the trio left the structure which held his office, the conference room and whatever other admin offices there might be. “Until I know he’s firmly in control of himself and not a danger to anyone, I must err on the cautious side.” He led the way onto a path to the left, winding through dense forest and heading west.
Despite her worry over Kierce, Elianna enjoyed the walk. The forest was full of birds, singing as they pursued their activities, and the dappled sunlight on the leaves and grass was beautiful. The air was clean and fresh, and it was a paradise after the terror of the Khagrish lab. She hoped she was going to find Kierce relishing the surroundings as well.
Jill and Aydarr walked hand in hand, with the AI floating behind. Mateer had remained at the offices. She was content to proceed in silence and soak in the peaceful atmosphere.
“This part of the valley is strictly off limits to humans,” Jill said, looking over her shoulder at Elianna. “We don’t want your friend to become an exhibit to be gawked at, nor are we anxious to share the possibility of Badari DNA involving such a fearsome creature.”
Elianna must have had a puzzled expression on her face because Aydarr said, “Many of the humans would rather forget we Badari aren’t merely oversize versions of them. We have other attributes, but I don’t wish to remind anyone unnecessarily.”
Remembering Kierce showing her his talons and fangs, she saw his point. “Makes sense to me. Tiger wouldn’t appreciate being on display. He’s a sentient being.”
“I hope you’ll trust us with what you know about him,” Jill said, brow furrowed. Her voice was soft.
“I need to talk to him.” Elianna was conflicted between a desire to make clear to these people exactly what Kierce was, so he could be treated properly, and her pledge not to divulge his secrets.
“We’ve arrived.” Aydarr put out a hand and Elianna stopped walking, looking ahead to see a force barrier sparkling in the sunshine. The Alpha nodded to a young soldier standing guard.
Ignoring all of them, she edged around the Alpha and his mate and went right to the end of the path.
She was facing a small glade, with a babbling brook running through it, framed by huge trees and enclosed by the unbreakable barrier. “Much better than what the Khagrish gave him.”
“We tried to pick a spot in this off limits quadrant offering him the most variety of surroundings,” Jill said.
It’s still a cage. Shading her eyes with one hand, Elianna scanned the clearing and the nearby brush, trying to locate Kierce. At first she feared he was gone, escaped somehow, but then a spot off to the left caught her eye precisely because her vision blurred when she tried to focus there. She shook her head, thinking she had a mote of dust or pollen in her eye, but then Kierce left his place of concealment and padded forward, slinking low to the ground as if stalking them. His dark stripes and the shadowy aspects of his white-gray coat had served as excellent camouflage while he remained unmoving.
Elianna sank to her knees, extending one hand as if to pat him through the electronic fence. “I’ve been so worried about you.”
Kierce stopped about five feet from the barrier and glared at the Alpha and his mate, his eyes molten gold. A growl rumbled steadily from his throat.
“Can we have some privacy?” Elianna asked. “Or better yet, can I go into the enclosure?”
The guard did a double take but stayed silent. Aydarr stared at the crouching menace, his own eyes taking on luminescence as he concentrated. “His mind is unsettled, full of violent thoughts and strange images. His perception of his surroundings doesn’t match the reality except in the most cursory ways. I’m not sure he recognizes you. And, of course, he doesn’t know us. Although I do sense he remembers I stand as Alpha to him.”
“The scientist gave him powerful drugs,” Elianna said, struggling again with her vow of silence.
“And you know this how?” Aydarr didn’t turn his head, and his voice was intense.
“The lab tech told me.”
“Badari can scent lies, you know.” The Alpha’s statement was as casual if he was commenting on the weather. “Not a good beginning to your time here.”
Feeling trapped, as if she was in a cage herself, nauseous, Elianna said, “I made him a promise not to discuss anything about him. At the time we were thinking about the Khagrish, of course, not you—because we didn’t even know you people existed, but I gave my word. Please, let me go inside.”
“I understand honoring an oath,” Aydarr said. “Allow me to remind you, however, I’m his Alpha and in charge of this valley. I’ll take responsibility for any consequences arising from your sharing his information with me.”
Remaining silent to avoid committing to anything, Elianna walked along the barrier. The cat paced her. “How do I get inside?”
The guard looked to Aydarr who indicated his permission to allow her entry, adding, “I’m instructing Tiger to move away from the portal,” he said, pinpointing the force of his gaze to the cat again.
Elianna was surprised to see Tiger retreat, but waves of
“I’m going into the enclosure with you,” the Alpha said. Jill seemed completely unconcerned at the idea of her mate entering the area. Remembering how Aydarr had made Kierce stand down at the Khagrish lab, Elianna wasn’t surprised. Jill must know better than anyone else how powerful the Alpha was. Still, she wasn’t so sure she’d be as calm in the situation.
He took Elianna’s elbow and escorted her to the far corner of the force barrier. Jill, MARL and the soldier trailed along behind them.
Elianna didn’t see what the guard did—maybe he had a handheld controller—but a small portion of the wall winked out, and she and the Alpha stepped inside. Aydarr released her as the energy crackled into place behind her, and Elianna walked forward across the soft forest floor, one hand outstretched.
“It’s good to see you,” she said to the tiger, shutting out her awareness of the three watchers. “I’ve been worrying about you nonstop.”
The cat made a sound deep in his throat and settled into a reclining position. Elianna hurried to him and knelt, putting her arms around his neck and burying her face in the soft fur. “I’m going to cry,” she whispered. “Sorry.”
Tiger licked her arm and purred.
“I’m ok,” she said, figuring the man would ask about her health. “A few scrapes and bruises. Turns out the boss here has a big job for me here, which is exciting. You know I love my work.” Tiger head butted her and she sat back, staring into his golden eyes, searching for the man instead of the beast. Was there a glimmer of connection? She scratched behind his ears the way he liked, and he leaned his considerable bulk against her. “Listen, these people might not be your brothers you told me about, but I’m pretty sure they’re your cousins at least. Family. They don’t want to have you in a cage, not even a nice one like this, with trees and a brook.” Conscious of the Alpha listening, she put her lips close to his ear. “It’s safe for you to transform. “
The cat looked her directly in the eyes and shook his head.
Her heart jumped, thinking he was communicating with her, but the next instant he moved away and scratched vigorously at his ear then he settled down for a long bath, cleaning one paw assiduously, displaying the impressive claws. Unsure if Kierce had actually tried to tell her something, she sat cross-legged and tried again. “They want me to tell them more about you, to help you, but I gave you my word. Are you okay with me explaining the situation?”
Kierce stopped bathing and studied her, then flicked a glance at the Alpha, standing patiently a few feet away. Rising to his feet, the cat walked away, taking his time, heading for the stand of trees at the rear of the enclosure.
Is that a sign to do whatever I want? Or is the man so deeply buried in the cat he doesn’t comprehend?
“I think your meeting is done,” Aydarr said, not unkindly. He came to help her rise to her feet and waited while she dusted herself off.
“I wanted to tell him I was going to be gone for a while, make sure he was okay,” she said, staring at the spot where the cat had vanished into the brush again. Elianna wanted to run toward the trees and beg Kierce to stay with her. She craved a sign the man had been aware of her presence. Biting her lip, she worried about the fact he was remaining in the tiger form despite being surrounded by other Badari. The choice struck her as odd, the decision puzzling. She pivoted to Aydarr. “I can’t go anywhere yet, not without more time with Tiger first. He needs me.”
“Tomorrow will be a quick trip to the island, to evaluate the situation with the ship,” Aydarr said. “Your tiger isn’t likely to have a crisis in one twenty-four hour period. As far as we can tell from observation, he’s pretty well adapted to this space.”
Being parted from Kierce without knowing he understood her situation was unacceptable. Her thoughts were whirling and the indecision in her own mind made her dizzy. The Alpha wasn’t going to let her postpone the vital trip to the island, not without a lot of explanations and Kierce hadn’t given his permission. The only gestures he’d made resembling communication on the topic were negative. He must have his reasons.
Watching her, Aydarr said, “I want an assessment and you can return here immediately, if that sets your mind at rest for now. But then, assuming you can resolve some of our technical challenges, yes, I’d like you to relocate for an extended period to do the work. The longer we keep the ship sitting on the ground, the more chance it’ll be found. Sooner or later, the Chimmer will demand to know where it is and the Khagrish search will begin.”
She wondered what happened to the original crew but decided not to ask. She was in a war for survival now and the Chimmer were deadly enemies of humankind. As she and her companion exited through the small portal in the energy barrier, she said, “I want to be able to visit him when I’m here in the valley.”
“I was standing right there,” Aydarr said. “You got no answers from him.”
A flash of hot irritation burned through her. “Which doesn’t mean I should stop trying.”
“Of course, no one is giving up on him. But I can’t be here every time to stand guard.” His mate touched his arm, and the Alpha took a deep breath as if to give himself a space to gather his patience. “However the two of you communicated in the Khagrish lab, did he tell you where he was from? My pack and I will not rest while any of our kind remain in the hands of the Khagrish.”
Goose bumps rose on Elianna’s arms at the determination in his voice. “He only said they were from the opposite hemisphere. He didn’t have any knowledge of other Badari except the ones at his lab. We were both surprised to see you and your men the other morning. I don’t know if his location has the pack structure you do—he made no reference to one, or anything about reporting to an alpha. He called the others his brothers.”
“How did he end up here then?” Jill asked.
Elianna couldn’t see any reason to dissemble on the point. “He said he and two others were brought for the experiments.”
Aydarr stopped dead in the center of the path, hands fisted, and appeared to be making a heroic effort to control his emotions. His question was gritted out. “Two more Badari were held and experimented on at the location where we found you?”
“I’m sorry to be the bearer of the news but he told me they died during the experiment. I never met either of them.” She’d decided to share a few details to satisfy the Alpha and hopefully further ensure Kierce received proper care but nothing more personal about him. If he ever made it back to being a man, he could tell his own story. Her heart thumped painfully at the idea he might be doomed to remain in the tiger form. “I didn’t understand the experiment.”
“No one can comprehend the twisted things their scientists do. We have limited experience with the kinds of protocols they administer where a Badari begins as a man and ends as something else.” Aydarr’s eyes were hooded and his face took on a sad cast for a moment. He appeared to be reviewing past events but didn’t share his perceptions with Elianna. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know, frankly, since it didn’t appear the Badari in question had survived, and she desperately wanted Kierce to successfully regain his life as a man.
Aydarr had more questions, flung at her in rapid-fire style. “But when it all began, the tiger was a man? Standing on his own two feet?”
“When I was put into his cell, he was as you see him now. I called him Tiger because he reminded me of the pictures in my childhood trideos, of a legendary Terran animal with that name.” She hoped Aydarr wouldn’t sense she’d told him the literal truth but not the whole truth. Her memories of the times Kierce had been a man were vivid and precious to her. Was she doing the right thing, not telling them Kierce could transform? For all she knew, maybe these Badari could help him stabilize in his true form. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see the trees in Kierce’s new home, but no sign of him. He’d clearly gone to ground and, with his natural camouflage, he’d be impossible to spot. I need to think. I can always tell Aydarr the rest of the story later, if Kierce doesn’t revert to a man on his own. The Badari here would watch over him and not allow anyone to abuse him, not even by gawking at him. Kierce could take his time. When I get back from the island, I’ll see what the situation is. I have leverage here since the pack needs my skills. And it’ll only be one day.
CHAPTER NINE
From his vantage point high in one of the trees, he watched her walk away. As the other Badari male touched her arm, he growled, deep in his throat, although scent told him the man and the second human woman were mated, and he had nothing to be jealous of.
Aside from the fact the other male was free to walk with Elianna and talk to her when he couldn’t.
He’d give anything to be able to do even such a simple thing. Once the trio had gone from sight around a curve of the path, Kierce stretched out along the huge branch. He’d known she was here in this new place with him and he’d been desperate to see her. He could pick her beautiful scent from the air no matter how faint and it was maddening and reassuring at the same time to know she was in proximity to him.
What he wasn’t sure about was whether this was a new Khagrish trick, either real or in his head. She seemingly ran free right now, which was good, and she’d looked clean and well fed. But he was unmistakably in a cage, which wasn’t an encouraging sign. Kierce laughed as best his feline form could manage, an odd sound. Whoever had erected this enclosure had no idea of his capabilities, both to climb trees to great heights and to then leap from one to the next. Oh yes, he was going to break out of here at some point.
If what he was experiencing was real.
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