Drawing back her fist, she gathered her failing strength, and punched Venna in the face. “That’s for me,” she snarled. She punched her again, heard the crunch of bone and blood spurted from her nose. “And that’s for my sister.” And for Janey she wanted to add, but thoughts of Janey were just too painful. Later, she would have to face them, but first, she needed to save the rest of the crew.
A hand touched her on the shoulder, and she looked up into Callum’s face. “We have to go.” He gripped her arms and picked her up. “What about her?” he nodded in Venna’s direction.
“I want her dead.”
He nodded once. “Then leave her.”
Venna looked up as Callum strode with her up the ramp.
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“We’re going to destroy the planet.”
“Take me with you.” Callum ignored her, and she screamed this time. “You can’t leave me here. I was doing my job, my duty.
Come back.”
…
Callum could still hear her shrieking as the doors slid shut behind them. His mind was numb. Everything was in pieces. His euphoria of earlier had vanished completely. He strode quickly to the bridge and lowered Tannis into one of the seats, then fastened her harness. She looked awful, her skin a sickly green, her yellow eyes bloodshot.
“Comm El Cazador,” he said. “I’ll ready us for takeoff.”
Her hands were trembling, and he reached across and opened the comm link himself. Then sat down in the pilot’s seat and switched on the engines, felt the vibrations beneath his feet as the main thrusters engaged.
Tannis’s voice sounded weak and thready. God he hoped they were in time, he didn’t think she could take another death. And it was his fault. If they had turned back as soon as they had heard from Skylar, then Janey would still have been alive. Or maybe not.
He didn’t know anything anymore.
For a minute, there was no reply. The ship was ready for takeoff now and he turned his attention away. They were lifting into the air and he had to concentrate on what Venna had told him about leaving the planet. They couldn’t do it without the engines, and he had to get out of there fast before they were affected.
He hit the boosters and they shot skyward. They reached maximum speed within seconds and were beyond the planet’s atmosphere. The lights flickered and went out, the thrusters stuttering. They lost power, but their forward momentum kept them heading in the right direction. But then the lights came back the engines burst into life.
“Come in, El Cazador. ”
Silence. Then the comm unit flashed. “This is Temperance Hatcher, High Priest of the Church of Everlasting Life.”
“What do you want?”
“To destroy Trakis Seven.”
“And if I do that, you’ll let my crew go?”
“I will, but you have five minutes to comply and then the assassin dies.”
“How do we know you won’t kill them anyway?”
“Destroy Trakis Seven and we will release your ship. I’m a man of God, and the Lord does not allow his priests to lie.”
“Sanctimonious bastard,” Tannis mumbled under her breath.
She was sounding stronger. Already the effects of the planet were wearing off. Callum wondered how long that would last before the sickness started to eat at her.
She was going to die, and there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Callum Meridian, all powerful leader of the fucking universe couldn’t even save the woman he loved.
Because he did love her. If he hadn’t, if it had been some lesser emotion then he would have ignored her demand to abort their plan. He would have carried her there, forced her to take the Meridian treatment. But he hadn’t, because for once in his selfish life, he had followed someone else’s wishes instead of his own.
Maybe she would die not hating him. Instead of living forever and hating his guts.
She turned to him. “How long until we’re a safe distance.”
He checked the scanners. “We’re already there.”
“Then do it.”
Callum slowed down their forward momentum and brought the ship into a smooth turn so she was once again facing the planet.
Except it wasn’t a planet. It was a huge sentient organism. And he was about to kill it, and with it his chance of discovering more about what he was. What he was becoming. The future stretched out as an endless river of grey.
Tannis would die. And he would live forever.
“I’m sorry.” Tannis’s voice was soft.
“I know.” So am I, he added silently—she didn’t need to hear that.
But someone did. Opening his mind, he reached out to the planet. He found Venna’s consciousness first. She was still disbelieving, and he decided it was better to leave her that way.
He reached out further, found the soul of the plant.
I’m sorry.
Then he slammed his palm down on the button releasing the weapon. The ship shuddered under the force as the blast shot outward. A crimson bolt flared across the sky. It hit Trakis Seven within seconds, and the whole planet exploded in a huge fireball.
A scream erupted in the deep recesses of his mind.
Pain. Fear. Denial.
The organism had lived for maybe a million years, the final years alone and in exile, and it still didn’t want to die. The emotions swelled in his head, cramming his brain until he knew his mind would explode. Her stared at Tannis, letting her fill his vision, and the last thing he saw, before the darkness swallowed him, was her face.
…
Tannis stared in horror as Callum slumped down in his seat. She wanted to get up, and go to him, but she needed to finish this first.
The monitor still showed the burning planet, and she pressed the keys needed to send the pictures down the live comm link.
“Are you getting this, you bastard?”
“We are. You have done God’s work. The Lord will thank you.”
“I don’t want the Lord’s thanks, just free my fucking ship, you asshole killer.”
“They are free to go. God is merciful.”
Tannis slammed her hand down shutting off the comm link.
She scrabbled to release herself from the harness and crossed over to where Callum lay slumped over the console. His pulse was weak, but present, and some of the tension relaxed inside her. She pulled him back, then reached across and adjusted the controls so they were once again heading away from the planet.
Then she sat down in her seat and relaxed the hold she had on her control. Now, when there was no one to see her, she allowed the tears to spill over.
She’d failed. Her dream was as dead as the planet behind them. Janey was dead. It seemed unbelievable; she’d been so bright, so beautiful. But the rest were safe—she had to cling to that thought.
Skylar called in, ten minutes later. Tannis wiped her eyes and straightened in her seat. She had to be strong for the rest of them.
“The Trog’s dead,” Skylar said.
Shock hit her in the solar plexus and the breath left her.
“How?”
“He tried to save Janey. He went crazy and they killed him.”
There was more. She could hear it in Skylar’s voice. Although she was obviously making an effort to keep her tone blank, the emotions were seeping through. Barely suppressed rage but tinged with fear.
Not Rico. Please God, she hadn’t brought his death as well.
“Tell me.” Tannis forced the words out.
“They wouldn’t release Rico. They said he was to be executed for the murder of Hezrai Fischer. He could be already dead. They wouldn’t risk keeping him alive. And Alex. They kept Alex as well, said she would have the chance to resume her position as priestess.
If not, then she dies as well so a new priestess can be born. I had to knock Jon out in order to get him away, he was going crazy—I was scared he was going get himself killed.”
“Is he okay?”
“H
e’s come around, but he’s not good. He’s shifted now—it’s the best thing. But at least they’re unlikely to kill Alex quickly.
They’ll give her a chance to come around, take up her old position.”
“We’ll get her back. We’ll get them both back.”
“Maybe.”
She’d never heard such defeat in Skylar’s voice. She’d always been so strong. Tannis arranged a new rendezvous point and switched off. For a minute, she sat gazing unseeing at the monitor.
Then she commed the priest.
“You said you’d release my crew, you lying bastard. Release my pilot or we’ll be coming to get him.”
“That would be a waste of time. He’s already dead, burned in the cleansing fires.”
Her mind went blank, refusing to make sense of the words.
Rico couldn’t be dead. He was the one constant in her life for the past fifteen years. Her friend. Her mentor.
Smashing her fist down on the comm link, Tannis squeezed her eyes shut. She was past tears now. Red hot rage flooded her mind. She wanted revenge.
Tannis set the ship to automatic and put in the coordinates of the new rendezvous point. After that was sorted, she dragged Callum onto the floor, laid him on his sides so his wings wouldn’t be in the way, and put a cushion under his head. She sat close by, leaned back against the wall, and watched him.
He was beautiful. Back on Trakis Seven, he’d told her they could have eternity together. She’d never believed she could hold such a man for eternity, but maybe she could have him for the time she had left.
However short.
Chapter 19
It was hours before Callum regained consciousness. He blinked open his stunning purple eyes but didn’t speak.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Empty.”
“Me too.”
He dragged himself up then crossed to where she sat and slumped down beside her. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her against him, his big hands rubbing the skin of her back, massaging away the tension.
Tannis realized she didn’t want to talk, for a little time she just wanted to forget. Emptying her mind, she concentrated on the feel of his touch. No one had ever touched her quite this way.
Not sexual, just soothing. She closed her eyes and allowed sleep to blank away the memories.
When she awoke, she was still wrapped in is arms. Callum was half-sitting, leaning against the wall behind him, and she was in his lap.
He took one look at her eyes. “What happened?”
She took a deep breath. “Rico’s dead. And the Trog. And they have Alex—she’s alive for now, but I’m scared she’ll lose it and shift. Then they’ll kill her for sure.”
“Bastards.” He stroked her hair. “I’m sorry.”
“I want him dead. Temperance Hatcher.”
“You look so fierce, like a hawk.”
“I am fierce.” She bit her lip. “Usually. I just can’t believe Rico is gone.”
“He meant a lot to you, didn’t he?”
“He was my friend. Strangely, he taught me how to be human.”
“Tell me.”
She’d never spoken to anyone about her time in the research station. Even Rico. It had been too painful. Now she knew it was time to let go. Pulling free of Callum’s arms, she struggled to her feet. She swayed, weakness washing over her.
Could she be sick already? Then her stomach rumbled and she realized how long it was since she had eaten. It was strange, but life went on. A few hours ago, she couldn’t have imagined ever feeling hungry again.
“I will,” she said, “but let’s go find some food first.”
They checked the autopilot and went to the galley. Callum got them both a bowl of stew and placed one in front of her. She ate in silence for a minute, but after a few spoonfuls, she couldn’t face anymore. She put down the spoon, sat back and took a deep breath. Where to start?
“I can’t remember my life before the research center. I must have been about four, I keep feeling I should remember, but it’s a blur. Maybe I blanked it out when my parents were killed. I don’t know, but Thea, my sister, was younger than I was, and she remembered something, at least at the start. She would ask me when was mummy coming for us, and I’d look at her blankly.”
“What happened to her?”
“She died. I think she was around ten. I was eleven though that’s guessing, as we didn’t exactly celebrate birthdays in there.
I think because we were siblings they would conduct the same experiments on us, with one of us as control. It always seemed to be me. She would get sick, and I would be fine. When I realized, I used to beg them to use me, but they never listened, or maybe I was just stronger.”
She pushed the bowl of food away from her, as the pain churned in her stomach. “One time she didn’t recover. They took her to the medical center and she never came back. The guards told me they had put her down. She was too sick to bother with.
No more use for more experiments. I think that was when I decided I wanted to kill them.”
Callum reached across the table, took her hand, and squeezed her fingers. “I’m sorry. I never knew, and if it makes it any better, I will know in future. I’ll never use that excuse again. What happened to you after she died?”
“The same, but I went on without her. Actually, it was easier in some ways once Thea was gone. I had no one to worry about but myself. I learnt to distance myself from the others, not to care when they died or left. But I knew that it was only a matter of time. There were grownups at the center but they were human, not GMs. The GMs were always sent to the mines when they reached adulthood.”
“Venna told me it was an agreement they made with the Church when they bought the children. That GMs would be destroyed when they reached maturity.”
“I suppose that figures. You know, I’ve been thinking, and the truth is if the research center hadn’t existed then the Church would have killed Thea and me along with our parents. I should probably be thanking you for saving my life.”
He shook his head. “How did you get to be so positive?”
“That was Rico.” A wave of pain flooded her as she thought of Rico, but she forced herself to go on. “I was pretty messed up, but he straightened me out, told me he might as well drain me dry and put me out of everyone’s misery if I didn’t cheer up. So I did my best to put it behind me.”
“How did you escape?”
She closed her eyes and relived those last hours in the research station. “I’d been planning for a long time. I’d made a knife. But I kept putting it off and putting it off.”
“Why?”
“Because however crappy my life was I wanted to live and I knew I had zero chance of getting out of there. Even if I took a guard down, got out of my cell there was no way I could get off the station. I never admitted it to myself outright, but really it was suicide. Still, I figured better than dying a slow death in the mines.”
She gave a short laugh. “Ironic really.”
“But you did get away.”
“That was Rico again. He was a prisoner there as well. He called out to me as I was running down the corridor after I killed the guard. He said he could get me away if I released him. So I did, and he bit me. Nearly drained me. Later, he told me he’d been there for three months and hadn’t fed in that time. I was lucky to survive. Then he got me away and never bit me again.”
“Have you and he ever…”
She knew exactly what he was saying. “Never. I think he recognized I was… damaged, and he left me alone. He was my friend. The first real friend I’d ever had. When I escaped the research center, I thought I wanted revenge. Rico persuaded me not to focus my life on that. He told me I would regret it, and even if I got my revenge, afterwards I would be left with nothing. So I put it behind me, and I built a life, and it was a good one.”
“So why did you want the Meridian treatment?”
“Doesn’t everyone?”
“Not everyone, no. And some think they do but faced with the reality they don’t really want it.”
“You can blame Venna.”
“Of course. Venna, the angel.”
There was something she’d been meaning to ask. “What did you do to Venna? Back there on the planet.”
“Zapped her mind. Sent a wave of energy into her. It hurts.”
“I saw—nifty trick. Thank you. She was one of your people, you didn’t have to side with me.”
“Yes, I did. And she lost the right to my protection when she betrayed us all.”
Us. S he liked that he was identifying with them.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “For what happened to you and my part in it. I would take it back if I could, but that’s not possible.”
“I think I understand that now.” Forcing her lips into the semblance of a smile, she pushed herself to her feet. “I’m going to take a walk around the ship, have a shower, get my head straightened.”
For a moment, she thought he would argue, then he nodded.
“I’ll be on the bridge when you need me.”
She found a cabin and showered, then pulled on her clothes.
She roamed the ship for what seemed like hours, allowing her mind to wander over her memories of Rico and Janey. The Trog.
She didn’t cry, the tears had all dried up.
In the end, she was drawn back to the bridge where she knew Callum was waiting, worrying. He was slumped in the pilot’s chair, but he straightened as she entered, his gaze searching her face.
“I’m okay,” she said to pre-empt the question.
“No you’re not. But you look a little better.” He rose to his feet and held out a hand to her. “Let me try and help you forget some more.”
…
Callum waited to see whether she would take his hand. He wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t. How could she ever forgive him?
How had she turned out so strong after such a beginning? He reckoned he owed the vampire a big thanks for that. Though he’d never be able to deliver that thank you. Rico was dead.
Nina Croft Page 23