3013: CHAOS (3013: The Series Book 8)

by Laurie Roma

  “You always were an idiot. I knew it, and so did your uncle,” Jaden said, playing on his adversary’s ego. “It’s why he never would have chosen you or your half-wit brother as his successor. You don’t even deserve the Lomar name.”

  “You shut up!” Ellion screamed. Spittle spewed from his mouth, but he didn’t notice, or just didn’t care. “You turned our uncle against us. I know you did. All these years we’ve had to listen to what a great leader you are, and how we should have tried to be more like you. Uncle Pirus just didn’t want to see the truth. You’re nothing but a fake. You claim to be an advocate for our people, but all you’re really doing is pissing all over our way of life.”

  “Slavery is not a way of life. If you don’t understand that now, you never will.”

  “Only a fool would say that. The weak were meant to be ruled by the mighty.” When the warriors standing behind him cheered in agreement, Ellion’s chest puffed out. “I’ve hated you for years. Killing you is going to give me such pleasure. With you gone, the Coalition of Eight will fall, and we will have the power to rule the entire planet.”

  “What do you know about power?” Jaden asked in his most condescending tone. “You’re still just an errand boy, Ellion. And not even a good one. It took you weeks to track two helpless females down, and you were stupid enough to come onto my land to do it. That alone would be enough for me to kill you.”

  “You weren’t supposed to be back yet! Why aren’t you still on Earth, kissing the ass of the Alliance?”

  Jaden cocked his head to the side. “And just how is it that you know about my trip?”

  “I have spies everywhere, Tor,” Ellion claimed. “I know more than you think.”

  “Then you should have known better than to come on my land and challenge me.”

  “This mountain belongs to Lord Chidron—”

  “No, it doesn’t. It’s mine, and you’re a long way from home, Ellion. Perhaps your brother wanted this to happen when he sent you after the females. You know, getting rid of the weak link. You’re a fuck up, Ellion. Always have been, always will be.”

  “I’m going to kill you!”

  “You are welcome to try.”

  Ellion lunged forward, but his steps faltered when Katra allowed herself to be seen. The warriors gasped, their jaws dropping open, but she just glanced at Jaden. “I grow tired of this. Have you heard enough?”

  “By the gods, what demon magic is this?”

  Jaden ignored Ellion’s exclamation and shot his mate a pointed look. “Did you really need to do that? Have you ever heard of patience?”

  “Totally overrated.”

  “Warriors, attack! Kill Tor and the demoness. And find those bitches. Make them pay for their betrayal!”

  Ellion ran at Jaden as the other warriors surged forward. Jaden lifted his sword, easily blocking Ellion’s attack. He spun around, fighting off three other attackers, killing them quickly with a few well-placed blows, then a few more stepped forward to take their place. Jaden had always been fast, a lethal killing machine when in combat, but now he moved quicker than he ever had before. His reflexes were like lightning, making it so that it seemed as if his opponents were moving in slow motion while he was supersonic in speed.

  A sound behind him made Jaden turn just in time to find Ellion trying to stab him in the back. He quickly rolled away, ending up behind the other two warriors he was fighting. He sliced at the back of their legs with his sword, making them scream as they fell to the floor, writhing in excruciating pain.

  Leaving them to their suffering, Jaden attacked Ellion with a ferocity that sent the male scrambling backwards, trying to avoid the blows. When he was close enough, Jaden’s left fist shot out, striking Ellion hard enough to knock him unconscious. Jaden made the decision to leave Ellion breathing in order to interrogate him, and quickly dispatched the two screaming warriors he’d injured, silencing them forever.

  Jaden turned, saw Katra fighting three warriors and hurried forward, intending on helping her. He only made it two steps before he froze in shock when he saw all the other warriors that had come into the cavern littering the ground, already dead. When Jaden had fought with her on the ship during their voyage back to Tartarus, he’d known she was skilled, but he hadn’t realized just how much she’d been holding back during their fight.

  Katra was deadly grace in motion.

  Jaden watched in amazement as she blinked out from where she’d been standing just as the warriors’ blades were coming toward her, only to appear again behind one of them, where she quickly killed him by stabbing him in the back, straight through the protective armor he wore.

  Jaden shook himself out of his stupor and moved fast, challenging one of the warriors as Katra twisted, meeting a blow from the other male. She hit his sword so hard with her own that his blade went flying across the cavern. When he bent down to pull a dagger out of his boot, she never even gave him a chance for it to clear its sheath before she quickly ended his life.

  The warrior Jaden fought was skilled, but no match for his strength and accelerated speed. The fight only lasted seconds until he shoved his sword into the other male, claiming his life and damning him to hellfire where he belonged.

  When the battle was over, He looked up to find Katra watching him. Her glowing silver eyes were hot, searing Jaden straight to his core as his gaze met hers. She was truly a warrior…his match in every way. No, that wasn’t true either. The truth was he’d never seen her equal. She was absolutely amazing, and it made him burst with pride that she belonged to him.

  He went to her, unable to keep from touching her as he lifted his hand to stroke her cheek. Before he made contact, he paused when he saw the blood covering his skin. He didn’t want to mar her beauty by putting his blood stained hands on her, but she made the decision for him as she moved her head closer to place a kiss in the center of his palm.

  Giving in, Jaden jerked her into his arms, hugging her to him in a crushing embrace. “You are well?”

  “Never better.”

  He pulled back far enough to give her an incredulous look, then he laughed. “I see I was worried about you for nothing. You kick some serious ass, Katra.”

  “As do you, mate.”

  A terrified scream had them springing apart, and they turned to face the threat together. Ellion had woken and somehow he’d gotten his dirty hands on Kylie. He was now holding the frightened female in front of him with her dagger to her neck, desperately trying to use her as a shield. Without a word, Jaden and Katra shifted a few feet apart, both of them moving into a better position to attack.

  “Stay back! I’ll kill her if you come any closer,” Ellion screamed. “Let me out of here.”

  “Don’t do it,” Kylie cried out.

  “Shut up, bitch!” Ellion’s wide eyes shifted around the room, taking in the dead bodies of his warriors, then flickered back to Jaden. “You…we can make a deal. You need me alive if you want to know what’s going on.”

  “He’s lying. He won’t tell you anything,” Teya said as she stepped out from behind the boulder. She was holding her side, and they could see blood pooling from between her fingers. Her lip was also bleeding, showing she’d tried to fight Ellion off before he’d gotten a hold of Kylie.

  “Be silent,” Ellion screeched. Kylie screamed in pain as he jerked her head back by her hair when Jaden and Katra both took a step closer. “I said stay back! I’ll tell you everything, but you have to make me a deal.”

  “There is nothing you could tell them that I don’t know, and my information doesn’t come with a price,” Teya spat out.

  “You don’t know anything, whore.”

  “I was only a whore because you made me one,” Teya hissed back at him. “And I know plenty. All those months I spent chained up in your room, you may have thought you’d broken me, but you didn’t. I was just listening, waiting for a chance to break free. And now I have, I would rather die a thousand deaths then see you get away with what you’ve done!”<
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  “You’ll never be free!”

  In a rage, Ellion tossed Kylie away from him and lunged at Teya, his blade raised high. She threw up her good hand, trying to ward him off, but it was little defense against the sharp weapon. Katra wanted to end the situation quickly, but something she felt from Jaden told her he needed to be the one to finish it.

  “How is your aim, mate?”

  “True.”

  Jaden felt Katra’s dagger manifest in his hand, and he threw it without thought. The blade buried itself straight into Ellion’s chest. The warrior staggered, dropping his own weapon on the ground as he stared down at the blade sticking out of his chest with a look of horror on his face. His knees buckled, and he crashed to the ground.

  Kylie was crying as she stumbled over to Teya, pulling her away from the male dying on the floor. Jaden and Katra walked forward and watched Ellion cough up blood as he let out a sinister laugh.

  “My brother will avenge me…”

  Jaden’s voice was hard when he said, “Your brother will die by my hand, just like you. You both belong in hellfire for killing your uncle and what you did to those females.”

  “Whores,” Ellion spat. “You think you’re so righteous, but you’re really just delaying the inevitable. You may have bested me, but you will not defeat Korsek. He…will destroy you…and everything you love. All of Tartarus…will bow down to him. They will…”

  Ellion died before he could say another word.

  * * *

  CHAPTER NINE

  “Teya!”

  Jaden and Katra hurried over to where Kylie was slowly lowering Teya to the ground, and it was clear the wounded female was in bad shape.

  Teya’s breathing was labored, but she tried to speak. “Kylie, you have to tell them everything. You have to warn them…”

  “Oh, Teya. Rest now. Save your strength.”

  “Tell Kylie to move aside, Jaden,” Katra ordered.

  After he did so while pulling Kylie aside himself, Katra lowered to her knees beside the wounded female.

  “Your eyes are totally frosty.”

  She smiled down at Teya. “Mate, can you tell her to relax?”

  “What are you doing?”

  “I am going to heal her.”

  He shot her a startled look. “You can do that?”

  “Aye, I can.”

  “Do what?” Kylie asked. “Are you talking to each other in your minds?”

  Katra glanced up, then her body tensed as she saw Kylie clinging to Jaden. A red haze washed over her vision, and she barely restrained the growl threatening to tear from her throat. Jaden slowly pushed Kylie away from him until their bodies were no longer touching.

  “Katra, you can’t think that—”

  “How would you feel seeing me in another male’s arms, mate?”

  Jaden’s body tensed. “Is that a threat?”

  Katra mentally rolled her eyes, letting him feel her disgust through their bond. “Nay, idiot. It is not a threat. I am just telling you that I like seeing another female hanging on you as much as you would like seeing another male embracing me.”

  He nodded curtly. “It won’t happen again.”

  Katra didn’t bother to answer, focusing back on the wounded female. She called forth her magic, then sent a healing stream of energy into her hands. She placed her hands on Teya, allowing for the healing warmth to spread from her into the wound. Through their connection, Katra could feel the injury begin to mend. She could also sense other wounds on Teya…older ones. Wounds that she had received from the monster that had held her captive. Katra pushed more healing energy into the female, making sure all the damage was repaired, not wanting to leave any trace of what she had previously suffered.

  If only she could heal the wounds inside Teya’s mind as easily.

  Jaden watched what was happening before him in amazement. When she was done, Katra was swaying with weariness. Jaden gently pulled her back against him, stroking her hair back from her face, then he pressed his lips to hers. “You are a miracle.”

  “It is good of you to think so.”

  He smiled at her, then glanced at the females that were looking at them both with a mixture of shock and astonishment.

  Teya sat up, touching her side. “You healed me.” Tears filled her eyes, then slid down her cheeks. “How can I ever thank you?”

  “You can tell us what you know,” Jaden said in answer.

  “Gladly.”

  “We should get out of here, and make our way to my palace,” Jaden told them. “Katra, do you think you can make it?”

  “I am tired, mate, not incapacitated.”

  Jaden helped her stand, and the other two females also got to their feet.

  “Thank you for granting us sanctuary, Jaden,” Kylie whispered. “Before we go…”

  “Say what you will, Kylie.”

  She and Teya exchanged glanced before Kylie said, “I know you trust your people—”

  “Implicitly.”

  Kylie nodded. “And your faith in them is admirable, but we are concerned with who will know we’re at your palace.”

  “Is there some reason you have cause to suspect someone at my palace?”

  “No, but we know someone at Rego Palace has been feeding information to Ellion and Telok,” Teya informed them.

  Jaden and Katra shared a look, then he said, “We will take precautions. Now, we must go. It’s going to take us some time to—”

  Katra didn’t let him finish. Using their bond, she searched his memories for images of his home, and transported all four of them into his bedchamber located in a tower at Tor Palace.

  Jaden’s home was situated near the coast of the ocean on one side, with a mountain range separating them from their closest neighbors on two others. The only open area leading onto Jaden’s land was connected to Rego’s territory, making Tor Palace one of the most secured locations on the planet.

  The moment they arrived, Katra could see the sky was dark out of the large windows set in the black stone wall. During their time in the cavern, she had forgotten that it was the middle of the night. The room was enormous, with a massive black, four poster bed covered in a deep red cover, positioned between two large windows. Shimmering red drapes were tied to the posts that would block out the light when left hanging, and a small sitting area was located off to the left, near a large fireplace.

  Kylie gasped as she looked around. “How…?”

  “I think I’m going to throw up,” Teya muttered.

  They heard a squeak of surprise that had them all turning. A plump, older female held a hand to her heart from where she was kneeling near the fireplace, stoking the fire. “My lord!”

  Jaden smiled. “Seneca. It’s good to see you.”

  Seneca scrambled to her feet. “We received word you were back, and I wanted to make sure I had your room prepared for you when you arrived, but how…?”

  “It’s a long story, which I will tell you later. For now, I need you to show Lady Lomar and her friend to guest rooms. Tell no one that they are here.”

  “Of course, my lord.”

  He glanced at his guests. “We have a lot to discuss, but I think it would be best if we did so after we all get some sleep.”

  “Thank you, Jaden. I feel like I could sleep for a week.”

  “Then rest easy, Kylie. You are safe here.”

  Teya glanced at Jaden, then turned to Katra. “You can understand me, right?” When Katra nodded, Teya reached out to grip her hand. “I will never be able to thank you enough for what you’ve done for me.”

  “Jaden, tell her I was pleased I could help. We shall speak more tomorrow.”

  He relayed her response and got a bright smile in return, then he turned to address Seneca, who had walked over to join them and was now staring at Katra with open curiosity. “Katra, meet Seneca, the most trusted member of my household. Seneca, meet Katra Tor, my consort.”

  Seneca let out an audible gasp, then caught Katra off guard whe
n the older female yanked her away from Jaden to embrace her. “Your consort! By the gods, I never thought it would happen! And so lovely, too! Oh, my dear, welcome to your new home.”

  Katra murmured her thanks, but it was clear from Seneca’s expression when she released Katra that she didn’t understand a word. Jaden sighed. “Looks like we’re going to have to get some language converters here.”

  Seneca’s eyes went wide. “Language converters? Of course! That explains the glowing eyes. They’re a little…hard to miss.”

  Jaden was about to explain more when he saw Katra reach out to grab one of the posts of his bed to hold herself up. He could sense she didn’t like showing weakness in front of others, and quickly wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his side. The extreme weariness he felt from her as soon as he touched her told him she had been shielding just how tired she was, and it made him grit his teeth against the need to yell at her.

  “Seneca, please see to our guests.”

  “Right away, my lord.”

  He waited until Seneca ushered Kylie and Teya out of his room before turning his attention to his stubborn mate. “Katra, you need to rest.”

  “I do,” she said, surprising him with how quickly she agreed. “Using magic takes energy, and a healing like the one I did for Teya takes a considerable amount.”

  “Not to mention transporting the four of us to my palace. How did you—?”

  “I pulled a memory from your mind,” Katra explained around a yawn. “Transporting is only safe when you know where you are going. Go on. I know you want to speak with your second-in-command. I will be fine here.”

  Jaden pulled back the covers on the bed, and by the time he turned, he saw Katra was gloriously naked and clean, as if the battle they’d been part of earlier had never occurred. “Stop using magic!”

  “Go away,” she ordered, crawling on the bed. She peeked up at him through veiled lashed as he covered her up. “And you might want to avoid having any other females saunter into your room while I am in residence.”