The Vampire King's Mate

by T. S. Ryder

  "Who are you and why have you come for me?" she demanded as she was propelled back down the gangplank.

  "None of your business and you're human. Worth a lot of money."

  "And how did you find out I was here?"

  The Dibat snorted. "Everybody has heard about what your T'shav twins did at Zon's Sanctuary. We figured since you got knocked up by one of them, they'd keep you with them. It was easy to find a T'shav brother-sister duo with a human in tow."

  "Will you be quiet?" the Rlabek snapped as they hurried into the forest, across from the clearing where Chapec and Dievca fought. "Any more questions, human, and I'll cut your tongue out. Our buyer wants a live human, but that doesn't mean in perfect health. And get that brat to shut up!"

  Veronica hushed Ava, trying to bounce her gently as they were pulled through the jungle. Nothing helped. If anything, Ava's cries only got louder. Eventually, the Rlabek called them to a halt. She pulled an injector from her pocket.

  "Take the baby from her," she ordered.

  "No!"

  Veronica tried to hold Ava to her chest, but the other aliens grabbed her. One of them pulled Ava away from her while the others twisted her arms behind her back. Bile rose in her throat. She fought with every ounce of strength she had, but it was no good. She was helpless as the Rlabek pressed the injector to her daughter's chest and activated it. Ava instantly went silent.

  "Now that it's not giving me a headache, let's get going."

  Veronica was released. She was handed her daughter back, and she cradled the small body, terror burning through her. "What did you give to her?"

  "Just a sedative. Don't worry, it won't hurt her," the Rlabek said.

  "What sort of monster drugs a baby?" Veronica seethed.

  The Rlabek smiled. "The kind that won't hesitate to leave it behind and let it die if you don't do as you're told. Now keep your mouth shut and keep moving."

  One of the aliens pushed her from behind. Veronica stumbled forward, bile churning in her stomach. There was no way that Chapec or even Dievca would ever allow anybody to drug Ava. That much she was absolutely certain of. To them, family was everything. They'd never risk the baby.

  Which only meant one thing. These were real kidnappers, and they really would kill her and her child if she didn’t do as they said. Who might kill them both anyway.

  As Veronica hugged the baby to her chest, her fingers brushed against the sequins sewed into her shirt. Would it be enough to mark their path? She didn’t know how good of trackers the twins were, or if they were even alive…

  She had to try. There was hope until she gave it up. She worked one of the sequins free between her fingers and let it flutter to the ground. Nobody around her seemed to notice, and her heart lifted.

  All she had to do was leave a trail of sequins, like breadcrumbs in Hansel and Gretel. Hopefully, Chapec would find them and come to save them. Because if he didn't…

  Don't think about that. Just breathe.

  Chapter Ten – Chapec

  Chapec knocked aside the fist that flew at his face. Sweat dripped down his face as he and Dievca stood back-to-back, she having managed to get a knife. He continued to block and defend while she lunged and stabbed. There was a painful stitch in his side from where a fist had landed. The first T'shav that had attacked them lay on the ground, dead from where one of his fellows had accidently stabbed him. Their attackers were drawing back, deeper into the trees.

  "They're trying to lure us away from the house," Dievca shouted.

  "I get that."

  His sister jumped forward, driving her knife through the ribs of one of their attackers. Chapec scrambled to cover her back again; another alien was pointing its blaster at her. He slammed his palm into the alien's wrist, following it up by smashing its nose. Chapec twisted the blaster from his enemy's hand and shot him point-blank in the chest. He grabbed Dievca's arm and pulled her behind him as he shot at the others.

  Their attackers ducked behind trees, cursing. They began firing back. The blasts of energy shot chunks out of the trees, the ragged edges catching fire. Dievca darted into the line of fire. Chapec cursed and jumped to cover her as she hurled her dagger. It sunk into one of their attacker's throats.

  The new position gave Chapec a good angle, and he took down another one. Only three left now. He and Dievca retreated behind another tree. Two of the attackers turned and ran into the trees. The third kept firing until he realized his companions were abandoning him; he cursed and ran after them.

  Chapec aimed his blaster at the retreating figure's back but didn't pull the trigger. Were these Zon's men, who came to take Veronica back to the Sanctuary? If they were… then killing them had been a mistake, even if they were attacking him and his sister.

  "Chippy…"

  Chapec turned. Dievca was staring at the little farm they had started to build. A sleek stealth ship sat atop the vegetable garden Chapec had worked so hard on. His heart hammered as he glanced at it to the open door of Veronica's house.

  "Check the ship," he ordered as he headed for the house.

  His sister fell into step beside him. He opened his mouth, but she gave him a firm look. "If we run into trouble, being alone can get us killed."

  She had a point, so he didn't protest. They ran to the house to find it empty. Nothing looked out of place, everything neat and organized. There was also no sign of Veronica and the baby. Chapec didn't bother wasting time searching for them. He mentally cursed himself as he charged back out of the house and towards the transport ship. He should have gone there first. If they were preparing for takeoff—

  But it was also empty.

  "These controls were shot out," Dievca said. She frowned at the crispy navigation board. "Veronica must have gotten her hands on a blaster and decided she didn't want to go with them."

  A wave of relief washed over Chapec. He sagged against the wall. Even though there was no real evidence that Veronica was okay, he trusted his sister's assessment. She was rarely wrong. So that meant Veronica was alive. And she was smart, she would stay that way, and she would keep the baby safe.

  "A ship this size is too small to carry over-ground vehicles," Dievca said.

  "Which means they're on foot. They'll be headed for the settlement."

  Dievca nodded. "Most likely through the forest. And even if they took the path, we need to get there ahead of them. We don't know how fast they're going. So we cut through the forest. I know a good trail."

  The twins returned to their own house to retrieve the broadswords they had acquired since theirs were still at the Sanctuary and headed out. But where to start?

  Chapec was no tracker. The only reason they'd been able to catch up with the bounty hunters Dievca had hired before the Sanctuary was that the trees were sparse on that world and his sister had put a tracker on their vehicle. This time they had no such luck.

  But they were only a dozen yards into the trees when something small and glittering caught his eyes. He picked it up; it was a sequin from Veronica's shirt. He showed it to Dievca, and soon she found another one. Chapec's heart rose. Veronica was alive. She was conscious and leaving them a trail to follow.

  "We'll catch up," Dievca assured him.

  Chapec nodded. The kidnappers couldn't be more than a couple hours ahead of them.

  All too soon, however, the twins were forced to halt. The sun sank beyond the horizon, leaving everything pitch black. There was no seeing the trees around them, let alone the delicate sequins. The twins settled down next to each other. Chapec laid on his back, sword across his chest as he stared at the starlit sky. When they got Veronica back, he was taking her to the Sanctuary. It didn't matter what Zon did to him, as long as his mate and baby were safe.

  "I'm sorry."

  Chapec grunted in surprise at Dievca's words. He couldn't remember a time when she had ever apologized to him without prompting.

  "I don't blame you for hating me right now," she continued. "If something happens to them, I'll never forgive
myself. You were right. Dad would never have wanted me to become so obsessed with revenge. And because I blew our chances at the Sanctuary…"

  "Nothing is going to happen to them. We'll find them, and we will take them back to the Sanctuary."

  Chapec closed his eyes. As much as he wanted to continue after the kidnappers, they needed rest to face the next day. He just hoped that their quarry had been forced to stop as well. If they had lights and could continue throughout the night…

  "I think part of me was jealous that you found a mate," Dievca whispered. "I could see the way you loved her, and she loved you. I don't think I'll ever have that kind of love. I don't think I'll ever find a mate."

  "You will eventually."

  "Sometimes I'm not sure I even want one. But it would be nice to have somebody." He felt her shudder in the darkness. "But I don't suppose I'll ever have the chance. You're right, we have to take Veronica back to the Sanctuary. And I doubt that they'll just let us leave again."

  Chapec reached over the forest floor until he found his sister's hand. He squeezed it gently. "Once we have Veronica back, we can find you a new place to go to. You don't have to go back with us."

  Dievca snorted in the 'you're an idiot' way he was so used to. "Of course I do. I'm not letting my brother face a warlord alone. Besides that, what if you're attacked on your way there? You need me to cover your back."

  "Well, we'll figure it out." Chapec breathed in and out, trying to calm his mind. The worry wouldn't stop twisting his gut, and every inch of his body longed to be up and moving. They should have grabbed lights from the house before chasing after the kidnappers. Thoughts tumbled all around his head and eventually he sighed. "I don't think I'm her mate."

  Dievca stirred. "Veronica's? Of course you are."

  "No. She's my mate, I love her, but after the way I treated her… she won't choose me to be her mate. And that's okay. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that she is safe in the end."

  "You're her mate. You're the father of her child—"

  "The child that was conceived when I was lying to her. The child that I have now put in jeopardy for the safety of my own skin. I don't deserve Veronica. I don't deserve to be a father."

  A long moment of silence answered him. Dievca rolled to her side. "Stop thinking. Try to rest. We're going to need our strength tomorrow when we save them."

  Chapec lay with his eyes open, trying to relax his muscles. Eventually, all he could do was close his eyes and pray for the morning to come quickly.

  ***

  As soon as it as light enough to see the path, they headed off again. Weariness dragged at Chapec's limbs, but there was also a strong beating in his chest, a feeling of power and energy that propelled him swiftly through the trees, his eyes searching the ground for bright glimmers of light to show he was on the right path. Dievca scrambled to keep up with him.

  He was beginning to tire when he heard voices ahead. His instinct was to speed up and charge them, but Dievca caught his arm and pulled him back.

  "Ambushes work better than a full-out charge," she whispered. "I'll go around them, you get as close as you can without being seen. I'll do a whistle-lark call and we attack together."

  Chapec nodded reluctantly. Dievca disappeared into the trees on his left. As he crept forward, he heard Veronica's voice, high-pitched with fear, and he drew his broadsword. His fingers tightened on it, imagining cutting down the people who dared to frighten her.

  When he saw the first aliens through the trees, he dropped and inched closer, being careful to avoid rustling the branches around him.

  "I don't care if we can get more from a live human, we'll still get something for her body," a furious female voice said. "Kill her."

  Chapec's blood boiled. With a roar he sprang forward, driving his sword at his enemies. They would not harm Veronica!

  Chapter Eleven – Veronica

  The night was difficult.

  The aliens didn't have any sorts of lights and they were forced to stop, which Veronica was grateful for. If Chapec and Dievca managed to fight off the thugs the Rlabek said had been hired to kill them, they could be coming to rescue her. This would give them time to catch up.

  But the Rlabek had only let Ava wake up enough to eat before she was sedated again. Veronica had spent the whole night with her baby cuddled in her arms, terrified that she was going to stop breathing because of the drugs in her system.

  The morning was a relief. Ava stirred, and Veronica was able to feed her again while the kidnappers picked up their camp. She worked another sequin free from her top as Ava finished eating.

  The Rlabek came over, her face pinched with irritation, and pulled out her injector again.

  "Please, can't you just wait for a little while?" Veronica twisted her body, shielding Ava. "She's hardly awake, you're going to—"

  "What's wrong with your shirt?" The Rlabek stared at her midsection.

  Veronica felt the blood drain from her face as she looked down. She had been trying to work the sequins off in a random pattern so they wouldn't be noticeable, but right at her navel was a bald patch the size of her thumbnail.

  "It's always been like that."

  The Rlabek struck her across the face. Pain traveled across her jaw and down her neck, making her cry out. Veronica staggered backward, fighting to hold Ava upright.

  "You think I'm an idiot, girl? You've been leaving a trail, haven't you?"

  Veronica shook her head, but she could see the Rlabek didn't believe her. The alien cursed and pulled her blaster out. Veronica's head spun. Her body went cold. How could she get out of this now? Two of the other aliens grabbed her arms, holding her in place.

  "Our buyer doesn't want a dead human," one of them said.

  The Rlabek hesitated.

  "Please, I wasn't leaving a trail. It's an old shirt."

  The Rlabek scowled more fiercely. "I don't care if we can get more from a live human, we'll still get something for her body. Kill her."

  Veronica opened her mouth, whether to scream or beg she didn't know. One of the aliens holding her drew a knife. She struggled uselessly against their grasp.

  And then a roar broke through the trees. A streak of red charged towards them. Chapec!

  The kidnappers released her at once. Two energy blasts came at Chapec from opposite directions. The T'shav slid forward, slicing at the legs of the nearest kidnapper. One of the blasts that were meant for him went wide, impacting a tree. The other hit the shoulder of another kidnapper; the alien dropped, screaming.

  Veronica dodged behind a tree, cradling Ava close. Chapec roared again as a blaster bolt hit his sword. It spun out of his hand, but that didn't stop him. He grabbed the nearest kidnapper, using the alien as a shield against the Rlabek, who was now firing at him with a twisted expression on her face. Another kidnapper crept up behind him, a wicked knife in hand.

  "Behind you!" Veronica screamed, heart in her throat.

  Chapec dropped his shield. He twisted, grabbing the wrist of the alien that was almost on him. He jerked the kidnapper forward, jabbing two stiff fingers into his throat. Another blaster bolt shot past Chapec's head. Veronica looked around wildly, searching for something to help her T'shav with. She seized a branch. But did she dare put Ava down so she could help him?

  When she looked up again, Chapec was throwing the kidnapper over his shoulder, twisting the knife from his hand. And Dievca was standing over the Rlabek's body, fury radiating from her body. Two of the kidnappers went at her; Chapec threw his knife, hitting one of them in the back while he snatched up his sword again.

  Dievca dodged a blaster bolt and slapped the kidnapper nearest Chapec across the back. The alien turned towards her, and she jumped back, drawing him and the one already attacking her away from her brother. He charged the last kidnapper with a blaster. Veronica turned, huddling behind the tree. She didn't want to see anymore. Ava was stirring, her big black eyes blinking blearily. As the grunts and cries from the battle faded, she began to
cry.

  Moments later, Chapec was beside her. He gathered her up into his arms. Veronica leaned against him, her body beginning to tremble. Tears poured down her face as he clung to her. Soon her whole body shook with sobs.

  "I'm sorry," Chapec whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

  Veronica shook her head. She didn't want him to apologize right now. She wanted him to hold her and never let her go.

  Dievca cleared her throat. "If we're going to get to the Sanctuary again, we have to get moving. We don't know how many others are out there."

  "The Sanctuary?" Veronica's head jerked up.

  Chapec brushed his lips against hers before jerking back, as though remembering that they weren't together. He pulled away, looking at the ground. "It's the only place you'll be safe."

  "But… if you go…"

  The T'shav twins both looked resolute. Chapec helped Veronica to her feet. She stared at him, trying to decipher what was going through his mind. But he didn't look at her as they started back through the forest. Veronica's stomach twisted. She had to go back to the Sanctuary, for little Ava's sake. It was too dangerous otherwise.

  But what would be waiting for the twins once they got there?

  ***

  Veronica yawned as she paced the floor of the kitchen. They had been traveling for several days now and were almost at the Sanctuary. Anxiety twisted through her gut every time she thought about what might happen once they arrived at their destination.

  If it wasn't for Ava, she would have told Chapec to just turn the ship around. Despite the fact that he had lied to her before, she didn't want him hurt. She didn't want to see him locked up forever. She didn't want that for Dievca, either.

  What she wanted was to find a way to make it work, to be a family. As much as there was all this stuff between them that needed to be worked through, the fact remained that they had a child together, and whether or not it was smart… she loved him. And she regretted freezing him out so much during the time they were away from the Sanctuary. If she hadn't been so hard-headed, she would have been able to see that he really did love her. And maybe things could have worked out differently.