by Tana Stone
“It’s true,” Torven said. “It was the only way to get off the station.”
“It does not make you look good. The High Command is insisting an innocent Drexian would not run.”
Torven tried to control his anger. “They would if they were being set up. You know I’m incapable of committing treason.”
“You do not have to convince me. I know you are no traitor.” He rubbed a hand across his forehead. “But you can imagine how they are making this look. A violent criminal drags a tribute bride off the station.”
“He didn’t drag me,” Trista said, her own voice brimming with irritation. “And I shot him once we were on the shuttle.”
The corners of Dakar’s mouth twitched up, and he glanced at Torven. “She got the drop on you?” His eyes shifted back to Trista. “I think I like you already.”
“My tribute bride has tried to kill me more than once,” Torven said, avoiding the look he knew she was shooting him.
“I told you I was not trying to kill you the last time,” she said. “I was saving you.”
Torven rubbed the back of his head. “It still left a bruise.”
Dakar stared between the two. “Your tribute bride? Are you telling me this is the female you were matched with?”
“Yes,” Torven said. “Did you not know this?”
Dakar shook his head and his topknot bobbled. “I did not stop for long at the station. I only met with Dorn briefly, and I guess he did not think that information was relevant.”
Torven stepped closer. “What has Dorn discovered?”
Dakar glanced back over his shoulder. “There is too much to tell you to here. We should get out of sight. These hills are crawling with Kronock.”
Torven nodded and his eyes darted around the craggy rock face. “Of course, you are right. We should go below the surface again where they won’t find us.”
Dakar peered at the dark mouth of the tunnel. “Is this why I haven’t been able to get a lock on your location for hours? You’re under miles of bedrock? Is that why the tribute’s tracker isn’t showing up on sensors?”
“I cut that out of her as soon as we left the station,” Torven said, as Dakar’s eyes grew large.
“You cut…?”
“Your friend is a brute,” Trista told him, with a grin.
Dakar returned her smile with a dazzling one of his own, reminding Torven of his friend’s ease with females. “That I know well.”
Torven cleared his throat and jerked a head toward the tunnel. “Enough talking out here in the open. Come. You’ll see.”
Trista reached a hand for his, but he did not take it. He did not want Dakar to become even more suspicious than he already was. Torven had noticed the way Dakar was watching them, as if he couldn’t quite decide what was actually going on.
If Dakar knew what had happened between them, he would know that Torven had crossed a line. It was one thing to kidnap a tribute bride, it was quite another to claim her while being on the run and living as a fugitive.
Torven’s heart raced as he thought about how he’d taken her—in the hot spring, up against the rock wall, with her balancing on a bounder. No, Dakar would not understand their connection. He would only think that Torven had taken advantage of a human female who might never be his. And he would be right. If Torven was never vindicated, he would never have a legitimate claim to Trista. His stomach twisted at the thought, but he didn’t look at his mate.
“I will lead the way,” he said, “but it is dark, so be careful.”
Dakar took a metal cylinder off his belt and clicked it once. A light shone from the end. “Would this help?”
Torven let out a relieved laugh as he took the light. “Most of my tools went down with the shuttle.”
“When you say, ‘went down . . . ?’” Dakar said.
Torven entered the tunnel and Trista fell in step behind him. “Into the icy lake we thought was a valley.”
Dakar looked back at the frozen terrain before following. “Do you think you could have found a less hospitable planet, my friend?”
“The next time I crash land on a planet, I will make sure it meets your standards, Dak.”
The two crewmates traded barbs back and forth as they descended beneath the mountain, but Torven was very aware of Trista’s silence. He hadn’t been able to explain why he couldn’t show affection for her around his friend, and he doubted she understood his sudden coolness. He’d gone from having his cock buried inside her to avoiding her touch. His face burned with shame as he thought of how this must seem to her.
He stole a glance behind him, but her face was unreadable in the warm glow of the light bouncing off the curved rock walls. He and Dakar had to walk slightly bent as the tunnel dropped, and he saw his friend’s topknot scraping against the roof as he followed along behind Trista.
The air slowly became warmer and wetter, a sure sign they were on the right path and would soon be in the cavern with the hot springs.
“Is there an end to this journey?” Dak asked. “Not that I do not prefer it to the frigid surface and avoiding our enemy.”
Torven spotted the blue glow ahead. “We are almost there.”
Trista breathed heavily behind him, and he realized how quickly he’d been walking. Dakar had easily kept up, since he also had long legs and a wide stride, but Trista must have been nearly jogging to keep pace with then. As he exited the tunnel and entered the cavern, he waited for her. “I am sorry if I went too fast.”
She waved his comment away with a flick of her hand. “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Her face was blank. She didn’t look like she was upset, but there was no warmth in her voice.
“I did not expect this,” Dak said, as he walked around the massive stalactites embedded with millions of glowing blue flecks. He tilted his head back to take in the rock formations that looked as if blobs of rock had been poured from above and suddenly hardened. He walked over to the steaming spring pool and dipped his hand in. “I take it the Kronock have no idea this exists.”
“Not as far as we know,” Torven said, glancing at Trista who was peeling off her environmental suit. “I doubt they had any interest in this planet before we arrived.”
“Not surprising.” Dakar sat down and leaned his back against one of the wider stalagmites. “How soon did they turn up after you crashed?”
“They weren’t chasing us, if that’s what you’re asking.” Torven sat across from his friend and tried not to cast worried glances at Trista, who was now dangling her feet in the pool. “We lost one engine and landed the shuttle to see if we could make repairs, but there wasn’t a Kronock on our tail.”
“Is that when the shuttle went into the lake?” his friend asked.
“First, we were chased by some kind of amphibious monster,” Torven said. “Then the shuttle went into the lake.”
Dakar raised an eyebrow. “You’re really selling this place.”
“Well, I hope we don’t have to stay here. Please tell me Dorn has found something that proves I’m innocent.”
Dakar leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Both he and his brother, Kax, who’s in military intelligence, are working on it. From what he told me, they’ve been suspicious of someone in the High Command for a while now. There were some issues with sabotage recently, and another warrior was blamed until they realized he’d been set up.”
Torven slapped his hand against the hard rock floor. “What kind of Drexian would do such a thing?”
“One who has no problem working with the enemy,” Dakar said. “They must be getting something out of it, to go to such lengths.”
Torven shook his head. “There is nothing worth sacrificing your honor.”
“Agreed.” Dakar’s face was solemn. “But whoever is doing this is powerful enough to cover their tracks, so we must be careful.”
Torven calmed his breathing. “Did Dorn have any idea how long their investigation would take?”
&n
bsp; “No, although he did mention doing something to draw out the traitor. I do not think you will need to be on the run for much longer.”
“Good,” Trista said, from where she sat. “I’ve had about enough of being a hostage.”
Torven couldn’t help feeling the sting of her words. If he hadn’t been certain if she was upset before, he was now.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Trista scissored her feet in the warm water and breathed in the faint sulphur smell. A bit of water splashed up onto her rolled-up jeans as she glanced over her shoulder.
Not long ago, she’d been in that same water with her legs wrapped around Torven’s waist. Now, he sat huddled with his friend, discussing strategy for proving his innocence, while she sat alone. She kicked her legs faster, sending droplets of water flying.
It was clear he didn’t want his friend to know they’d been together. As soon as Dakar showed up, Torven had cooled off toward her. Was he embarrassed that he’d slept with her? Her eyes stung with tears she refused to let drop. She looked up at the iridescent-blue ceiling of the cavern, blinking hard.
He wouldn’t be the first guy who’d ignored her, or tried to pretend they weren’t together, but she’d really thought he was different. She’d felt a connection with him she’d never experienced before. At least, she thought she had.
She peeked over her shoulder to where the two Drexians sat, deep in conversation. Even seeing his broad back and dark tattoos swirling below the sleeve of his shirt made her pulse flutter. Trista jerked her gaze away. How could she have been stupid enough to trust him?
He’d kidnapped her, for fuck’s sake. Shouldn’t that have told her everything she needed to know? Why did she convince herself that this guy was different? That he wasn’t really bad, even though everyone else thought he was?
“So much for not getting mixed up with bad boys anymore,” she muttered to herself.
A little voice in the back of her head reminded her that she didn’t think he was guilty, and neither did his friends. Maybe he wasn’t a traitor, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t used her. Did he even intend to go through with the wedding ceremony, or had he gotten what he’d wanted from her? There was no guarantee he’d ever be proven innocent and get to return to his people, much less come to live with her on the Boat.
Trista looked around the cave as the eerie light bounced off the water and reflected undulating wave patterns on the huge stalactites. Was she willing to stay with him, even if they could never be officially bonded?
Her face flamed as she thought back to how she felt when he was inside her. It had been amazing, but better than that, it had felt right. As if they’d been made for each other. Trista squeezed her legs together at the memory. She was still sore from him, but she definitely wanted more. But how was that any different than her ex-boyfriends back home that could never make a commitment? Hadn’t she convinced herself of the same thing back then? That good sex was enough to make up for being ignored?
“Fuck that shit,” she whispered.
“Trista?”
Torven’s voice made her spin her head around and realize she’d spoken louder than she’d intended.
His brows pressed together to form a crease between his eyes. She thought she read regret in his expression, but she was probably imagining it.
“Nothing,” she said, turning back to the water. “Just talking to myself.”
She heard him get up and walk to her. “Dakar has food in his pack. Better than our rations.”
She didn’t want to look at him, but she had to admit she was hungry. Her stomach growled. She wasn’t sure the freeze-dried food in the foil packets counted as a decent meal, and she found herself longing for real food.
“Not dehydrated rations?” she asked, glancing up at Torven.
He grinned at her and held out a hand to pull her up. “No, although I do not think you gave those a fair try. Padwump rind is an acquired taste.”
Trista didn’t smile back, and didn’t take his hand. If he wanted to play it cool, two could play at that game.
“Has my friend been serving you padwump rind?” Dakar asked, shaking his head and shooting Torven a look. “This is not how to impress a guest.”
Trista sat next to Dakar and smiled at him. She liked his messy man bun and scruff, and couldn’t help staring at his vivid-teal eyes. Drexian eyes came in more colors than she’d ever imagined, and it was hard not to feel pulled in by them.
“I didn’t know I was a guest,” she said. “I think captive is a better word.”
Dakar’s eyebrows lifted, and his eyes flicked over her head. Torven grunted behind her before settling himself on her other side. He clearly didn’t like her comment, but he didn’t say anything.
“Well, you are a guest,” Dakar said, giving her a dazzling smile. “At least now.”
She returned his smile. Even though she liked the thought of making Torven squirm, she also genuinely liked his friend. He seemed easygoing instead of intense, and had no problem poking fun at Torven.
Dakar unwrapped a bundle and held it out to her. “I’m told these are delicacies on Earth.”
Trista stifled a laugh as she peered down at the rings of dough. “Bagels? I don’t know if I’d call them a delicacy, but I’ve never been as happy to see one in my life.”
She bit into a bagel and closed her eyes as she chewed. It wasn’t exactly what she’d pick for a last meal, but after dehydrated rations, it tasted heavenly.
“I have more of these I will leave with you,” Dakar said. “I ransacked the kitchens on the Boat when I stopped there.”
Trista swallowed. “Wait. You’re leaving?”
Dakar didn’t meet her eyes. “If I disappear for too long, they might suspect I’ve located Torven. I don’t want to inadvertently give away his location until I’m sure Dorn has the information needed to clear his name.”
“After Dak rests, he will leave us and try to draw the Kronock away from the planet,” Torven said. “That will buy us more time.”
“Us?” Trista asked, still not turning to face him. “Why do I have to stay here?”
Dakar and Torven were silent but she knew they exchanged a look over her head. She finally twisted so she could see Torven.
“You don’t need me anymore, right?” Her eyes narrowed at him. “I mean, you already got what you wanted from me.”
His mouth opened, and a flush of red began to climb his neck, but he didn’t speak.
“You needed to use me to get off the station,” she continued. “You got off. You escaped. You don’t need me anymore. I’m sure I’m just a liability to you now.”
“You are not a liability.” His voice was a low growl. “You are my…”
She leveled her gaze at him. “Your what, Torven?”
“Maybe she should leave,” Dakar said. “Releasing her could help your case when this finally gets resolved. I can take her back with me, and she can explain that you didn’t mistreat her and—”
“No!” Torven’s booming voice echoed off the cavern’s walls.
“Torven?” Dakar eyed his friend warily.
“She does not leave,” Torven said, his voice shaking. “I need her for leverage.”
“Leverage?” Dakar shook his head. “It is true the Drexians won’t do anything to risk her, but can you say the same of the Kronock? What if you’re both captured by our enemy? Do you really want her falling into their hands?”
Torven leapt to his feet and strode across the cavern. “I will not let that happen. I will keep her safe.”
“So, I can’t leave?” Trista jumped up and spun around to face Torven.
His hands were in tight fists by his side. “You want to leave?”
She hesitated, thinking about their limbs entwined in the water and the feel of his big arms around her. Then she thought of him pulling his hand away from hers and was reminded of every guy who’d pretended to care for her then ignored her as soon as his friends came around. “Do I want to get off this i
ce planet and go back to my home on the Boat where I have people who actually care about me? Hell, yeah, I do.”
He took a step back as if he’d been slapped. His eyes flared with anger as he glared back at her. “I cannot let you go. I need you.”
“So much for not being a hostage.” She turned away from him and sank back down next to Dakar, keeping her head down so he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes.
“Torven, why don’t—?” Dakar began, his tone calm.
“No more discussion,” Torven snapped. “She cannot leave with you.”
Dakar sighed.
“You should get some rest, if you plan to leave in the morning, Dak,” Torven said, his voice gruff. He came up behind Trista and rested a hand on her shoulder. “You should also sleep.”
She jerked her shoulder out of his grasp. “Get away from me.”
She heard his sharp intake of breath, then his heavy footsteps as he stormed to the far side of the cavern.
Dakar handed the remaining bagels to Trista without a word. She looked down at them through a haze of angry tears. She’d thought Torven was different, but he wanted to control her just like all the rest of them had.
She swiped away hot tears and folded up the packet of bagels. She’d see about that.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Torven woke up and rolled over on the hard, rock floor. His neck ached as he sat up and squinted through the dim blue glow of the cavern. Although he preferred the steamy air to the sub-zero temperatures outside, he had a hard time sleeping when he was hot, and he’d stripped down to his pants during the night. He groaned as his cock stiffened, and he tried to ignore it.
The dreams he’d had about Trista all night hadn’t helped. He’d rolled over many times, reaching for her soft body, to find nothing but scratchy rock beneath him. All he wanted was to prove his innocence so he could return to the Boat and wake up every morning beside her.
He hadn’t slept near his mate, even though he’d wanted to, and now his eyes scoured the cavern for her. When he’d gone to sleep, she’d been curled up against the far wall. Now she was no longer there. He reached for his black shirt and pulled it on over his head. Jumping up, he walked quickly around the various rock formations protruding from the ground in case she was behind one of them. Nothing. Another scan of the cavern told him her pack was also missing. His stomach became a hard knot.