Destiny Found (Epsilon Chronicles Book 1)

by Beth Valentine

  Only to run into a man with dark hair and pale eyes.

  He grinned at her. But it was a sinister grin, especially combined with his dead eyes.

  “Gotcha,” he said as he swung his fist toward her head.

  Unfortunately, because she was so surprised, all her training went out of her head and she froze.

  When his fist connected, it was lights out Natalie.

  Chapter Thirty

  Taavi knew something was wrong.

  Natalie wasn’t answering him after he felt a brief flare of alarm and then pain.

  Now, he couldn’t get her at all.

  He broke away from the group and ran toward the sheet she had disappeared behind, knowing his men followed.

  “Natalie.”

  He rounded the sheet, but it didn’t look like she had gone to the bathroom, nor did it look like there was a struggle. He looked at the tracks on the ground, seeing they led away from their little campsite. He kept his head down as he followed her small footprints in the dirt.

  “What’s wrong? Trouble?” Andris asked.

  His men would know by his behaviour that something was wrong. And they would never doubt him, so they followed him as he kept walking.

  When he came upon a boulder, he knew this was where Natalie had been. There were signs of a body falling into the dirt and being picked up.

  He looked around the large stone and surrounding forest, but he couldn’t find any other tracks.

  “No,” he shouted, punching a tree as he made his way back to his men.

  Kayla, Ben, Tali, and his parents had followed.

  He looked between his men and the others, his face grim, his emotions roiling.

  “Natalie’s gone.”

  Amid the gasps and cries, Taavi turned away. He would find his wife. And whoever took her was going to regret it with every fiber of their being. He would make sure of that.

  They would pay.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  Natalie woke with a wicked headache and a feeling of dread.

  What the heck happened?

  She was peeing and the next thing she knew, there was darkness.

  Did I pass out? Where am I? Why is it so dark?

  She sat up, deep breathing when she thought she would be sick, the pounding in her head worse now that she was up. She looked around at her surroundings and frowned in confusion.

  Did I fall into a cave somehow?

  All around her was a light red rock. She couldn’t see any light, but it was light enough where she was to look around. She didn’t know where the light was coming from, so she didn’t know which way led to the opening.

  She struggled to get up, leaning against the wall for support when she felt dizzy. When the dizziness had passed, she took a few steps to what she hoped was to the front, and peered around the corner.

  Nope, no light, just what appeared to be a bend in a tunnel.

  She walked back to the other end, peaked around the corner and encountered the same thing.

  Well, crap. What am I supposed to do now?

  She wandered down a little ways, following the tunnel, bend after bend before walking back to where she woke up. She went down the other way, and bend after bend, the tunnel split into three separate tunnels.

  She had no idea where she was, and she was starting to panic.

  She looked at the ceiling as she went, but there were no holes, so she didn’t fall through. But she couldn’t, for the life of her, remember what had happened.

  Taavi? Taavi, where are you?

  Natalie, thank Tavanni. Where are you? Are you okay?

  Natalie started to cry.

  No, I don’t know where I am. I don’t know what happened. I’m in this cave, or tunnel, but I can’t find a way out. Where are you?

  Alaila, are you there alone? Is someone with you?

  No, I’m alone. But my head hurts. What happened? Where am I?

  I don’t know, alaila. Someone took you. Can you remember who it was? Do you remember anything at all?

  No! Someone took me? I only remember going to the bathroom and then I woke up here with a wicked headache. I thought I fell into a cave or something.

  No, honey. Someone grabbed you, but don’t panic, I’ll find you.

  Taavi, you have to help me. What if they come back? I want you here. I want you with me.

  She knew she wasn’t making the situation any easier on him, or herself for that matter, but she was going into full blown panic mode, images of when Imhal had come for her making her slightly irrational.

  I will, alaila. I will find you and kill whoever took you. You have my word.

  Please hurry. I don’t know when they’ll get back. What if they leave me here? What if they leave me to die?

  Alaila, calm down. Take a deep breath. If they wanted you dead, they would have killed you. They will come back. But you remember your training, okay? You need to focus. Panic isn’t your friend right now. Calm is. Deep breath in and let it out. They can’t take away our bond, and we can talk. So just keep talking to me. Everything will be fine. I’m coming for you.

  Natalie listened to what Taavi was saying, allowing his calming presence to soothe the panic, following his instructions to breathe.

  As long as she kept her wits about her, she could protect herself from whoever grabbed her.

  After who knew how long, Natalie could hear foots steps coming toward her. She couldn’t tell which way they were coming from, so she divided her attention between either side of her small cave, keeping her back to the wall.

  Taavi, someone’s coming.

  Just remember, Natalie, you know how to defend yourself. I’m going to find you, but until then you protect yourself.

  I will. I love you.

  I love you, too. I will find you.

  Around the corner came a man with dark hair and pale eyes, and Natalie remembered him. She saw him one of those first days, staring at her with hate. After they had gotten back from destroying the Nezleans, he had watched her, winked at her, and walked away. And he had punched her in the head and taken her away from Taavi.

  He was a dead man.

  “Ah. I see my lovely alien has awakened. How are you feeling?”

  He slowly walked toward her, that same smirk still on his face.

  Natalie felt her lip curl.

  “You asshole. Take me back to Taavi. Or let me go.”

  He stopped a few steps from her and chuckled, causing Natalie’s flesh to shiver.

  “Oh, I don’t think so. I have plans for you, and I know my new friend has been dying to see you.”

  He shot his hand out faster than Natalie was expecting, brought her close and kissed her. He shoved his tongue in her mouth, causing her to gag.

  She struggled to get away, beating his chest as his hands gripped her bottom, hard. When she bit down on his tongue, he shoved her way, wiping his mouth.

  When he saw he was bleeding, he looked at her and grinned, showing his blood stained teeth.

  “You’re going to regret that, you little bitch.”

  He walked over to her, laughing as she tried to scramble away. He took her by surprise when he just leapt at her; hitting her so hard she thought her ribs might break. He forced her legs open, gripping her breasts, trying to tear the top of her dress away, but couldn’t. Instead, he pulled the bottom, easily subduing her kicking legs, and brought the dress up to her hips.

  Taavi, I can’t do this! He’s going to hurt me.

  Breathe, Natalie, and think! You know what to do. Team Two taught you. So do it, alaila. You can do it.

  Natalie calmed, forcing herself to slow her breathing. She brought her arms up around the man’s neck, watched his eyes widen before a cruel, taunting smile stretched his mouth.

  “Ah, that’s a good little whore. I knew you wanted it. Trying to play hard to get, eh?”

  He brought his mouth to her neck, kissing and licking her, and it was all Natalie could do not to gag. She did what Nash and Gigi had shown her, blocking his
one arm, keeping her head close. She reached down and grabbed his shirt, pulling it up his back as he groaned.

  “You’re a surprise, already trying to get me out of my clothes. You’ll have plenty of time for that,” he chuckled into her ear.

  When he went back to kissing and biting her neck, she gripped his shirt, pushed him a little ways away, crossed her grip and swung her arm around his neck, choking him. His face turned red and he was trying to get away, struggling to hit her, but she expected that and kept her head close.

  She counted down in her head.

  Six, five, four, three, two, one…

  With each second his struggles grew harder, and then softer, as he started to pass into unconsciousness.

  She wasn’t expecting who she saw over his shoulder, and gasped, releasing the man, and he gasped for air. She shoved the man on top of her off, gaping at the one who stood a few feet away.

  “Ah, there my pretty. I miss you lots. You not forget me, do you?” Imhal grinned, leaning against the wall. He looked her up and down and smiled, showing his sharp teeth. “You wear pretty things for me? I like. You, my pretty girl, dressed in pretty things. That thing,” he nodded to the man gasping on the floor, his smile gone, “touch what is mine.” He walked over to the man as Natalie scrambled away from them both. “Crishal, you touch my pretty. Friend or no, I kill you next time. She mine. Only mine. You have others to choose. Not my pretty.”

  Natalie, are you okay?

  Oh, God! Taavi, Imhal is here. He’s working with the man who took me. Said his name was Crishal. Oh gosh. He’s back. Don’t let him take me. God, please, Taavi.

  Damn it! I’ll find you, even if he takes you. You hold on for me, until I get there. You hear me? You hold on, no matter what.

  I hear you. I’ll try.

  Imhal hauled Crishal off the floor, and looked over at Natalie, impressed.

  “You feisty like before. Imhal still likes. I see my mark on you. It beautiful. But it need deeper, harder, scar bigger; but that wait for later. Come, we leave.”

  He gestured for Natalie to join him, and she shook her head, paralyzed. He took a step toward her. “You come, or I carry. Maybe Crishal carry? You want that?” When Natalie shook her head he grunted. “Good. Come. We leave now.”

  As much as Natalie didn’t want to, she couldn’t let either man touch her again.

  So she skirted Crishal, who was glaring at her, and walked a few feet in front of Imhal. Imhal came up beside her, then passed her, and led them out of the cave. Down the tunnel, around the bends, until they reached the three tunnels, taking the tunnel to the right. After walking around a few more bends, the tunnel opened up into the woods.

  Natalie looked around, not knowing where they were, but got a picture in her head so she could tell Taavi. All the woods looked the same, and she couldn’t see the lake from where they were. They had just come out of a massive boulder that wouldn’t be visible above the trees, so it would be a miracle if Taavi could find her.

  When she described to Taavi her surroundings, he knew exactly where she was talking about. She was on the border of Dielarta, a five-minute walk from where the magnetic field failed.

  Taavi said he was fifteen minutes away from her position, so she needed to stall.

  So, she did what any good woman would do.

  She faked it.

  “Ow. Can we slow down? I’m not wearing any shoes. Stop walking so fast. Can’t you get me some shoes?”

  She hopped around from foot to foot, brushing debris from the soles of her feet. She had thankfully slowed them down, carefully picking her way across some stones and other sharper objects.

  The men were glaring at her, but neither volunteered to carry her this time, allowing her to go at her own pace. So she slowed down, complaining about every little thing, and grinning when the men cursed and glared at her.

  She didn’t have to fake it, though, after she stepped on a particularly sharp stone that punctured her foot.

  “Crap. Ow! Okay, stop.” She sat down, examining her foot, brushing off the debris and saw blood dripping off. She looked up at the men standing over her. “Either of you have a bandaid or something? I need to wipe my foot off.”

  Imhal just frowned at her, so Crishal sighed, bent down, and ripped a chunk of fabric from her dress. He threw it at her.

  “Here. Use that and hurry up. We’re wasting daylight.”

  While Natalie cleaned her foot, the men were talking in whispers, not realizing that she could hear them.

  “So is everything ready? Is the ship in place?”

  “Yes. We ready. Do you know that man she with, he not coming after her? She mine. Not his. I kill him if he come.”

  “I don’t know if he’ll come. Plus, it’s not like he would be able to find us without a tracker, and power doesn’t work here, so I think we’re good. If he happens to find us, you are more than welcome to kill him. He’s a disgrace to our kind, mating with her. All she’s good for is a good fuck.”

  They both looked over to her and watched as she tied her foot up. She stood up, wincing as the cut throbbed and burned when she put weight on it.

  Well, at least she wouldn’t have to fake it anymore.

  She walked slowly, hobbling along as she followed the men.

  Taavi, I stalled as much as I can. I can’t do a whole lot more other than sit down and refuse to move. Where are you?

  We are about five minutes behind you. We just passed the rock cave. We’ll get you. Don’t worry.

  Natalie smiled and then shrieked as Imhal picked her up and threw her over her shoulder, pinching her hard on the butt. She pounded on his back, kicked her legs, anything to make him put her put.

  He slapped her butt, hard.

  “Enough. You slow. We not make good time. I carry you.”

  “No. Let me go, I can walk.” She squirmed some more, trying to knee him in the face. “Stop. I’ll walk faster, I swear.” She wilted, giving up; knowing she couldn’t get away and that she would be beyond Taavi’s reach shortly.

  Taavi. Imhal’s carrying me. I tried to stop him, but I can’t make them slow down anymore. You’ve got to hurry.

  A growl had her sitting up on Imhal’s shoulder as he jerked to a stop. She heard Crishal mutter “Shit” before Imhal slowly let Natalie off his shoulder and onto the ground.

  “That’s better, you asshole.”

  She swung around to see what had happened, and saw an animal.

  The animal was standing in front of Crishal, a cross between a lion and a wolf, its teeth bared in a snarl; saliva dripped from some wicked looking canines in a short snout.

  Natalie gasped and took a step behind Imhal. The animal looked at Natalie and growled again. Its dark green fur bristled and its body lowered to just above the ground, muscles bunching and flexing under its skin.

  It looked like it was going to pounce.

  “Maroosh,” Crishal whispered in fear, slowly edging back toward Imhal and Natalie.

  Natalie had two thoughts in close succession.

  First, if she leapt toward the animal, she could die. Second, if she didn’t do anything, Imhal and Crishal would take her before Taavi could save her. So it was really an easy choice.

  Natalie ran toward the animal, giving a brief smile at Imhal’s yell of rage.

  “Help,” she screamed, hoping to frighten the animal enough for it to not attack her, and for Taavi to hear where she was.

  The animal pounced, but not at Natalie as she had thought.

  It attacked Crishal, closing its jaw around his calf. He went down with a scream, trying to use his other leg to kick the animals’ head, trying to pull away.

  Imhal, the coward, took off into the woods, running for all he was worth. Funnily enough, the maroosh let go of Crishal’s leg and chased Imhal, jumping on his back, and riding him to the ground. Imhal gave a great yell when the creature bit into his shoulder, shaking its head.

  “Natalie,” was yelled through the air, echoing in the vast spac
e.

  Natalie turned toward the sound and ran toward it.

  “Taavi!”

  She looked back to see Crishal glaring at her, hobbling toward Imhal who was also getting up. Natalie looked around, trying to find the maroosh, and found it chasing after her.

  She skidded to a halt, terrified.

  The maroosh stopped behind her, panting, blood dripping from its mouth.

  “Nat,” Ben called out. “Where are you?”

  Natalie looked in the direction of Ben’s call, closer to where she left Imhal and Crishal.

  “I’m here, Ben.”

  Natalie didn’t take her eyes off the maroosh, and was very aware when it started growling again. Natalie had a weird feeling it wasn’t growling at her, but someone behind her.

  “Natalie,” Taavi said in a hushed voice. “Slowly walk toward me, but do not turn your back on the maroosh. It will attack if you do.”

  Natalie lift her injured foot, and look a step back, wincing as she put weight on her foot. The maroosh snarled, taking a few steps closer.

  Natalie stop.

  Natalie froze, not knowing what to do.

  The maroosh watched Natalie, and then walked around her to stand in front of her, backing its body up, and nudging her with its hindquarters.

  “My gosh, it’s protecting her. Not trying to hurt her,” Natalie heard murmured from one of the men, but she didn’t take her eyes off of the animal.

  Up close, its hindquarters hit just below her hips, meaning its head would be just below her chest.

  It was massive.

  “Should we let her go with it? I mean, if it isn’t trying to hurt her, maybe we should wait until it leaves or get bored?”

  “Hannan, that’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever said, what if it wants to eat her, and thinks we’re trying to take its food away. We don’t know what it wants.”

  Taavi, what should I do?

  Just go with it, we’ll follow along.

  The maroosh backed Natalie up until they were in a copse of tightly intertwined trees. She could barely see the men, but knew they were still there, watching just in case.