by Mikayla Lane
“What the hell do you mean, Rebecca can decode it? She’s not beast bound! What is her gift? How do you know her? How the hell did you find the cave? And why did you keep it a secret from us if it leads to one of our own? Maybe one of us could decode the damn thing!” Gracus had a dozen other questions running through his mind but figured Grai could start by answering those.
Grai chuckled in his mind and Gracus felt like slapping the man until he finally spoke. “Her gift is psychometry. At least that is what Luke and I believe her gift to be, based on the gift of her hybrid father, Kerik. Rebecca’s mother, Ellen, met him when she went to England as an exchange student.”
Grai continued. “I had barely met Rebecca’s father, when they were found by the Relians and killed in a car accident trying to escape. I only got there in time to save their daughter, Rebecca, from the wreckage. I knew she had a human family and brought her here, to her grandfather.”
Grai paused before speaking again. “It was then that Luke, took me on the river and we found the cave. He promised me that he would never speak of it to anyone if I didn’t allow Becca, to find out about her heritage until she figured out the clues to the cave on her own. He wanted her to grow up like a normal child,” Grai explained.
Gracus sighed, knowing that it sounded all too reasonable. He’d seen images of the other cave art found in the area and knew they couldn’t take a chance of it being found and decoded by the Relians. Or even an intelligent human. One with a mind like Tristan’s could probably figure it out easily, he thought with a smile. That child, and the others like him, were so much more advanced than anyone gave them credit for.
That made Gracus wonder. “How do you know she can decode it?” he asked suspiciously.
Grai didn’t hesitate to answer. “Becca was with us when we found it and even though she was only a year or so old, she was able to make the symbols shimmer and dance on the walls. They came alive for her and she began… speaking to them. It was why I had to explain our existence to him. He was a smart old guy and not much escaped his sharp mind.”
Gracus wasn’t satisfied yet. “Why didn’t you let a Valendran try to decode them?”
Grai chuckled. “Well, at the time they were found, I hadn’t been real welcome among you. But, I had our translators and code breakers on it and they couldn’t figure it out either. And to be honest, with everything else I had going on, I forgot about it until I found out you were with Becca and she was headed to the cave.”
There was still something that was nagging at Gracus, but he couldn’t put his finger on it right now. “Just get rid of those Relian bastards so we can keep her safe. We’ll figure out the rest at the cave,” Gracus said, needing to end the conversation with Grai so he could think.
Grai chuckled in his mind. “Of course, my friend. Our women come first,” Grai said before Gracus, felt the energy connection between them severed.
Gracus was startled from his thoughts by Rebecca’s sudden stop. He caught himself right before he plowed into her, and ended up tumbling into the tree trunk to the right of her instead with a loud ‘OOMF’.
“Good grief! Are you alright?” Rebecca asked as she reached for his arm to help right him.
Gracus caught his breath and chuckled. “I’m fine. A little warning next time would be nice though,” he said with a grin, glad that he was well trained and well built, otherwise that would have hurt a lot worse than it did. Even so, his shoulder smarted. Not that he would admit that to Rebecca, he thought.
Rebecca blushed, embarrassed that she’d caused Gracus to hit the tree with her sudden stop. She knew better than to do that while hiking. “I’m sorry… really. I was just thinking that we should probably stop for a break soon,” Rebecca said apologetically.
She’d been so wrapped in her own thoughts, she hadn’t thought that he might be walking that closely behind her. And she had no idea how to explain why she had expected him to be so in sync with her that he would anticipate her moves. She had no clue herself. It sounded stupid, even in her own head.
Rebecca and her grandfather had never been that in sync and they’d hiked together for almost two decades. There was no reason for her to expect she and Gracus to be that close, but her body hummed strangely around him and her mind felt a pull towards him that she’d never experienced before.
And her mind… her mind was the worst. Everyone had a voice in their head, but hers was becoming more insistent the longer she was with Gracus. As if her mind, had a mind of its own. Oh yeah, she thought, now I’ve really lost it!
Gracus grinned and looked at the tree he’d just hit and the ground around them. “Looks like you picked a good spot,” he said with a devilish smile that knocked the breath from her already off balance mind and body.
Rebecca knew she was staring at him open mouthed, her mind and breath still trying to catch up to her. He was so damn sexy it was insane, she thought. All that cheesy crap she’d read in romance novels about feeling like you’d been hit by lightning, was real. There was no other explanation for her out of control attraction to him and the thoughts in her mind.
Oh my God! She thought. His damn crazy was contagious! What the hell was she thinking? Seeing the concerned expression on his face, she forced herself to smile, not realizing that it looked more like a grimace, and dropped to the ground with a thud. She barely contained her groan as her tailbone smacked a rock. Twisting to the side, she pulled it out from under her and lightly chucked it past the tree.
Gracus pulled his packs off and looked at her strangely, sifting her energy for what was wrong with her. He felt her attraction throb in her energy and the rapidly increasing energy bond between them and tried to smother his smile.
“Are you all right?” Gracus asked, pretending a concern he didn’t really feel. He didn’t want her cured of her attraction and bond to him. He wanted to fan the flames until she was as addicted to him as he was to her.
Rebecca looked up at him and smiled at his tenderness. “Yes, I’m fine. Just a little tired. We’ve been walking for hours and I don’t have those long legs that you have.”
She was lying, of course. Rebecca didn’t feel the least bit tired but she knew they should stop and hydrate. The air was deceptively dry out here and if you weren’t careful you could easily get dehydrated and die. That was the last thing they needed after his drug overdose.
Gracus could feel the lie in her energy along with her attraction and embarrassment. He didn’t want her embarrassed and he sat down and pulled out his pack, grabbing a canteen of water that he passed to her before taking one for himself. He took a sip and looked around, scanning the area for the Relian scum that was somewhere in the area.
Confirming they were safe, Gracus smiled at her. “You picked a good spot, it’s beautiful,” he said, looking at the area and the views around them.
They were on the crest of a small hill, hidden by a strand of trees. A small green valley was spread out before them with the ridge they were heading to, not far in the distance. Gracus breathed deeply of the air and closed his eyes to enjoy the moment.
If it wasn’t for the Relians following them. His people following him and the Relians. And some mysterious cave with coded symbols… this would be a beautiful moment with his mate, he thought with a wry smile.
Rebecca looked around her and sighed. It never stopped amazing her at how beautiful this place was. “Yes, it is. They invented the word awesome, just to describe this place,” Rebecca said teasingly.
Gracus turned startled eyes to her. “Truly?” he asked, unsure if she was serious or not until she burst out laughing.
“No silly. But, they should have,” she said as she took another drink of water before closing up the canteen and handing it back to Gracus.
Gracus chuckled as he put their water back in his pack and stood. He slung the packs over his shoulder before reaching out a hand to help Rebecca off the ground. The touch of their hands was electric and he could feel the bonding energy flowing rapidly through
them both.
Rebecca felt the shock in her hand and pulled away as soon as she was on her feet. She grinned up at him a little nervously before shaking it off. They didn’t have time for her craziness if they were going to make it to the base of the mountain tomorrow.
She wiped her hands on her butt to ease the tingling in her hand and smiled as she walked past him. “So why don’t you tell me about yourself. Got any brothers?”
Gracus felt his jealousy rise at her question and tamped it down. “No, I am an only child,” he admitted as he followed behind her along the partial path.
“So you were spoiled and showered with affection as well then?” Rebecca asked, grinning at the thought of her loving and attentive grandfather.
Gracus chuckled. “Yes… that sums it up very well. You grew up happy and loved?” he asked, curious to hear her past from her and not Grai.
Rebecca turned and gave him a beautiful smile and he could feel her happiness in her energy before she turned back around. “I was very happy and much loved. I wish I could have known my parents, but my grandfather and the people in town made sure I never went a day without love and attention. I had a wonderful childhood.”
Gracus couldn’t help but smile at her happiness, grateful that she’d never had to suffer the way some of the other hybrids had. Grai had done well to send her to her grandfather and allow her to grow up in such a place, he thought. Even though her lack of knowledge of her parentage was going to make this very difficult for him.
He couldn’t begin to think of how to explain to her about who she was, much less who the hell he was, who was following them and who was somewhere in the same woods, for reasons they couldn’t explain. This was a mess, he thought.
Clatz grunted in his mind. “You’re such a whiny bitch! Instead of thinking about what you can’t do, think about what you can do or shut the hell up. You’re getting on my energy nerves and if you don’t stop we’re going to see how human electro-shock therapy works on a Valendran.”
Gracus was irritated enough without Clatz’s attitude problem and he snapped back, “If you can’t say something helpful, then shut the fuck up!”
Seconds later Gracus’s jaw locked up and he shook violently as Clatz gave him an energy shock to the brain. The jolt had been quick, lasting only a moment, but it had been powerful enough that Gracus stumbled and grasped for the nearest tree.
Rebecca heard what sounded like teeth snapping together and turned to see Gracus holding on to a tree and drawing in a heavy breath. “Are you all right?” Rebecca asked with concern, wondering what had happened to him so suddenly.
“Bastard!” Gracus said vehemently under his breath before he looked up at Rebecca and smiled. “I just got a twinge in my side. I’m fine,” Gracus said, vowing to get even with Clatz later.
*****
Jalorn was crouched on a ledge, watching the new Valendran arrivals split into two groups and a slow smile spread across his face. Damn! This was perfect. Far too perfect, he thought.
“So we’re getting out of here right?” Blint asked, as he looked down where he’d last seen the Valendran party.
Jalorn stood and slapped Blint’s face. Hard. “You’re a fool! Get back to the others and wait for me!” Jalorn said as he grabbed his comm.
He waited until Blint was out of earshot before he tapped in some numbers. “What is it Jalorn?”
Jalorn looked around to make sure Blint was gone before he responded. “Grai T’Alq just showed up with four Valendrans. And there is another Valendran panting after a local river guide. I believe this would be a good time to get me some back up that is competent, don’t you agree?”
There was a choked sound on the other end of the comm and Jalorn smiled at being able to shock the man. “Why the hell are you contacting me instead of Dagog?”
Jalorn grinned. “Because I am no fool. If Dagog gets involved it is guaranteed to go wrong and he will blame me for it. If you send me help and I fail, he never needs to know about it. But, if I succeed, then we both get credit,” Jalorn said, hoping that his fellow warrior would help him.
He heard a heavy sigh on the other end of the comm and Jalorn waited impatiently for an answer. He didn’t have much time, so he was glad when Shinopai relented.
“Fine. I will send you four clones of an earlier class than the ones you have and two dark ones. If you can’t succeed with that, then you don’t deserve to come back. Send me the coordinates to a safe drop location and I will have them there within the hour,” Shinopai said before the comm went dead.
Normally, the disrespect would have infuriated Jalorn, but not with Shinopai. He was the closest thing to a friend that Jalorn had and Shinopai felt the same way or he would have never decided to send him the earlier, better class of clones to help him.
Like his father, Dagog was continuing to churn out clones based on clones, in order to replenish his army after Grai destroyed the mothership. With his father and most of the senior staff with it, not including thousands of the earlier clones. The cells of the later clones, based on the earlier clones were degraded.
Unfortunately, six out of ten of the new clones being produced were barely competent enough to do menial tasks. Like Blint, he thought angrily. Even the murderous dark ones, showed more intelligence. His only hope of accomplishing this task would be with something other than the four idiots he was currently stuck with.
Jalorn closed his eyes for a moment, thinking of the best way to do this and he knew it really didn’t matter how, the outcome would be the same. Half the Relian fleet couldn’t break Grai when he was a mere child, they wouldn’t catch him now. Not alive anyway, he thought with grudging respect.
Jalorn looked down at the forest where Grai T’Alq had dropped and wondered if his best option was to just run. To leave behind these idiots and head back to the nearest town then disappear among the humans as so many of his people had already done.
Dagog had a hefty price on the heads of those who had abandoned him after the devastation of the mothership, but he still had not found any of the deserters and no one really expected him to. Most assumed they were all under the protection of Grai and knew the likelihood of finding one was pretty slim if the oldest T’Alq brother was involved.
Jalorn shook his head as he looked out over the beauty of this world. If Grai had taken up his birthright and had led the Relian people, it was they who would be ruling this world. Instead, they got stuck with the savage and much less intelligent brother, Dagog, to lead them.
And with every defeat, the morale and certainty of their ultimate demise was being assured, Jalorn thought. He wondered for a moment how the escaped Relians were faring among the humans. If they had regular jobs and had found a female to share their lives with. If they had found happiness.
Jalorn looked to where Grai was and shook his head as he stood. He needed to stop thinking of things that were not worth his time and concentrate on the things that were. The potential capture of the man who would have been the greatest leader their people had ever known.
But Jalorn was no fool, he was a first generation clone and he knew the outcome was more likely to lead to his death. Unless, he changed tactics, he thought. He noted where the woman and single Valendran were and where Grai and his team had dropped. Scanning the area, a thought occurred to him and a slow smile spread across his face.
Jalorn stared in silence as the plan formed in his mind and when he knew it was as solid as he could make it on such short notice, he headed back to his useless men. Well, they would make great cannon fodder, he thought with a grin.
Chapter Ten
Gracus smiled at Rebecca across the evening fire, his senses on high alert for any indication that the Relians were close. He’d been tense since Grai had told him of the enemy somewhere nearby and he’d set up his tent very closely to Rebecca’s when she had decided to camp for the night. She had looked at him strangely, but he’d ignored her and continued to set up camp.
“We made excellent time tod
ay. We should be near the base of the mountain by mid-morning,” Rebecca said with a smile as she warmed her dinner in the fire coals.
Gracus nodded his head as he looked around the darkening forest around them. He hated that they were this exposed. Rebecca had chosen a great spot for them, hidden among some trees with a few large boulders at their backs, but it didn’t stop him from worrying about the enemy among them and how close they were to his mate.
They ate in silence and Rebecca couldn’t help but notice how distracted Gracus had become since they had stopped earlier in the day. It was as if he had decided that he didn’t want to be here any longer and Rebecca couldn’t help but think it was because of all of her talk of the cave and mysterious symbols.
She sighed and looked down at her now warmed dinner as she pulled it from the coals. She wasn’t real hungry anymore and she just poked at it a few time with a stick, her mind turning as to how to fix the awkward silence between them so they could return to the easy banter they’d had earlier. Before her crazy trumped his accidental drug overdose.
Gracus scanned the area once more and contacted Amun through the Shengari’. “Are you close? Do you sense anything?”
Amun sat tensely in the dark a few yards away from them with Decano at his back, weapons at the ready and senses on alert. He scanned the area once more before he responded to his friend.
“All is well. There are no signs of a Relian presence nearby. Concentrate on your mate, my friend. Bond with her. We will watch your back,” Amun assured Gracus.
Gracus sighed in relief but still had to make sure. “Grai, have you found them yet?”
Grai responded immediately. “Not yet. Gibly has caught their scent and we are tracking them now. I will let you know the moment we find them.”
Gracus could hear the heaviness in Grai’s words and knew that he must be jogging or navigating rough terrain and he wondered just how far Grai had traveled ahead of them. It was obvious that Grai wasn’t stopping anytime soon and although Gracus felt bad about it, he was also grateful that they were just as determined as he to protect his mate.