by S. E. Smith
“What is it?” Calo asked as he broke through some of the patrons who were in his way.
Cree moved in quietly from the back entrance. “Marastin Dows,” he said bending down and picking up the empty container of anesthetic gas.
Calo’s curse filled the air as he looked around. “They didn’t take her out the front,” he said harshly.
“Or the back,” Cree said. “They must have beamed her to their ship. They must be working with someone with the Spaceport authority. They never would have been able to beam out otherwise.”
The Spaceport prevented all species from using any type of transport beam unless it had been authorized. They had shields in place to prevent it from being used. It would make it too easy for assassins, thieves, and would-be criminals to use it to escape leading to mass chaos. The Marastin Dow’s did not follow any rules believing they were above any type of restrictions. Cree pressed his comlink and informed the Horizon of the situation. They would not be able to reach Creon or Ha’ven until the men turned their comlinks back on. They did not want to be distracted or overheard by someone tapping into their communications device.
“Get a security team to the authority tower. I want all ships locked down. No-one is allowed to leave until they have been searched thoroughly,” Cree bit out rapidly. “Creon’s mate has been taken by the Marastin Dow.”
Calo was already pushing through the crowd following Harvey who was communicating with the thin, gold bands on Carmen. “Zuk, take Cal and his grandson back to the ship immediately,” Calo called out as he rushed out of the bar.
Cree paused a moment in front of Zuk before he followed his brother. His eyes were glued to where Mel stood next to his and his brother’s symbiots. He called to his symbiot to stay with Mel. He finally forced his eyes away from the small, hunched figure.
“I will hold you personally responsible for their safety,” he muttered before he called to his brother’s symbiot to follow him as he rushed out after his brother.
He knew his brother’s symbiot could find Calo who was following Harvey through the crowded streets. It looked like the huge gold creature was heading away from the docking bays and into the rougher living areas of the Spaceport. He picked up speed until he could see his brother up ahead. He stopped suddenly when he rounded a corner and found his brother standing in the shadows as Harvey moved stealthily up the side of a tall building, stopping periodically before continuing onto the next level.
“This is not like the Marastin Dow,” he said quietly from behind his brother.
“Why would they bring her here?” Calo asked, watching as Harvey climbed over the balcony to another level.
“I don’t know but they are dead so it won’t matter,” Cree bit out as he moved forward to follow Harvey.
Calo and Cree climbed stealthily while Calo’s symbiot transformed into a large flying creature and swept up to land on the top of the building next to Harvey. They pulled themselves up and over the top level of the building. The door at the top was ripped opened revealing the dark stairwell. Both brothers called forth their dragons so their eyesight was enhanced enough for them to see in the darkness. Calo’s symbiot split in half then divided again. The largest portion was in the shape of a small Werebeast while the two smaller portions formed armor over the brothers.
Calo nodded to his symbiot to follow Harvey and they moved into the darkness. They had to find Carmen. Both brothers felt the weight of their failure to protect her. If anything happened to her, they could never live with the dishonor of failing to protect their Prince’s mate.
*.*.*
Carmen lay still as she slowly regained consciousness. She heard the soft murmur of feminine voices in the room. They sounded like they were frantically trying to convince someone of something. She didn’t get the feel they were angry, just…. desperate? She frowned and let her eyes open so she could see where she was at. She jerked in surprise when she saw a pair of dark brown eyes looking down at her with worry.
“Can you understand me?” The voice asked in a rusty voice.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?” Carmen asked huskily as she stared up into the distraught face of a very human male.
The man smiled nervously down at her. “My name is Ben Cooper. Are you okay? I’m sorry about what happened. I didn’t know that Evetta and Hanine would do this,” he said quietly as he pulled a chair up near the bed she was laying on.
Carmen’s eyes flew to the two purple skin women standing behind him. One of them was biting her lip while the other looked at Ben with a look of worry. One of the women said something to Ben softly before disappearing into the other room.
“Why…. Why did they kidnap me?” Carmen asked confused.
She pushed herself up into a sitting position so she could get a better look at the room around her. It was dim, with only a couple of small lights on. The walls were dirty and worn but it looked like the place was being kept as clean as it was possible with the shabby furniture and fixtures. The walls and floor were a dull gray. The furniture was sparse with only the single bed and a small table and chair in the room she was in. The outer room did not look much better. She could see another beat up looking table and four chairs in it.
“Where am I?” She asked hesitantly, looking closely at the man in front of her.
He had long, light brown hair and dark brown eyes like her. He looked to be in his early to mid- thirties and was about six feet two inches if she had to guess. He was thin, though, as if he hadn’t eaten well in a long time.
“In the apartment we are renting temporarily,” he replied quietly looking behind him and holding out his hand. “This is Evetta. She is my wife,” he said gently as his fingers closed over the slender purple ones. “My brother and I were kidnapped from Earth almost fifteen years ago. We were sold as a slave several times before the freighter we were on was raided by the ship Evetta and her sister were on five years ago,” Ben said before he pressed a light kiss into Evetta’s palm. “We had convinced every species since we were taken that my brother, Aaron, and I couldn’t be separated otherwise we would die. Evetta and her sister were working as an engineering and programming specialist on the ship that hijacked ours.”
“I saw Ben,” Evetta said hesitantly looking at Ben with a soft smile. “His touch, his voice made me feel things I have never felt before. I would give my life for him. He is my husband,” she said proudly as she smiled down at him.
“We’ve been on the run ever since we were able to escape two weeks ago. Aaron was wounded in the escape. He needs help. Evetta and Hanine were searching for a healer who would work for cheap. We don’t have a lot of credits and we have to be careful who we approach,” he said tiredly. “I am too unusual to go out. It would have sent a red flag up immediately.”
Evetta looked at Carmen. “My sister and I saw you. You looked like my husband and his brother. We thought you would know how to heal my sister’s husband. He is in much pain. You travel with the Valdier. Their gold is magic. You will use it to heal him,” Evetta said with determination. “My sister’s husband cannot die.”
Carmen looked back and forth from Ben’s tired, haggard face to the determined look in Evetta’s face. “Let me take a look at him. I might not be able to do much but the healer aboard the Horizon can help him,” she said, rising up off the narrow bed. “I’ll do everything I can to help you,” she said placing her hand on Ben’s arm in encouragement. “You, your brother, and your wives are welcome to leave with us when we go. We have two other humans who were also taken. I am hoping my mate will return them to Earth,” she added.
Evetta carefully removed Carmen’s hand from Ben’s arm before pulling him closer to her. Ben smiled down at his wife, wrapping a tight arm around her waist. He murmured something in her ear that seemed to make her feel better as she relaxed against him.
“I appreciate the offer. We would be happy for the transportation to somewhere safe but neither my brother nor I can return to Earth. As you can imagine, E
vetta and Hanine would stand out and I won’t leave her,” Ben said in a quiet, determined voice.
Carmen’s lips curved into a small smile. “I know exactly how you feel. Let’s take a look at your brother,” she said.
Ben turned and walked out into the other room. There was another narrow bed along the wall and a pale, sweaty male lay on it. He opened his pain filled eyes to stare at her. Hanine was using a damp cloth to wipe his forehead. He had a bloody bandage wrapped tightly around his chest.
“Please, help my husband,” Hanine said slowly. “He is in much pain.”
“I’ll see if I can help,” Carmen said gently. “I will need to contact my friends. He will need more than I can do.”
“No!” Hanine said, rising to stand in front of Aaron. “You help! You are same as him! You know how to fix him.”
“I’m not a healer, Hanine,” Carmen said gently. “I will do everything I can to help him, though. Please, trust me. I would not hurt you, your sister or Aaron and Ben.”
Carmen knelt down next to Aaron when Hanine finally stepped to one side. She brushed her hand over his forehead. It was hot. He was running a high fever. She moved her hand down to pull the bandage back. A ragged hole in his side showed he had taken a deep cut to his right side. It was about three inches long and she would guess almost as deep. The edges were red, hot and swollen and a light puss oozed from the wound.
“It’s infected,” she said as she pulled the cover further back.
Please, you have to help him, she said softly to the gold bands around her wrists.
She felt the bands shiver in denial. They did not want to help those who had taken her. She saw the image of Harvey coming for her.
Please, he is like me, she begged. They only took me because they were desperate. I would have never known about them otherwise. We have to help them. Please, for me.
The gold sent a sharp heat of unhappiness before it slowly dissolved and flowed onto the man laying stiffly on the narrow bed. It moved rapidly over him, cleansing the wound and drawing out the poison before it reformed just as quickly and wrapped itself back around Carmen’s wrist with a shake.
The wound wasn’t healed but the infection was drained and the skin didn’t look near as angry. She picked up a clean piece of cloth and laid it over the wound. She turned to Hanine who was watching her with doubt and worry clouding her dark eyes.
“It is too small and his wound is too bad for it to heal it completely. It was able to draw the infection out and clean the wound. He needs additional healing that my symbiot can’t do,” Carmen said, standing up and turning to Ben and Evetta.
“No!” Hanine said, drawing her laser sword. “You make it heal him! I want him healed!” She cried out angrily.
“He is too badly injured for it to completely heal him,” Carmen insisted as she stared into the wild eyes of Hanine. “Hanine, I know what it is like to lose someone you love. If you let me contact my people he can survive. Please, it is the only way.”
“It is a trick,” she said, raising her laser sword. “You can heal him if you wanted to but you think to trick us and turn us in. My husband will not die!”
“Hanine,” a weak voice whispered. “She is right. I could tell it did what it could, love. Trust her,” Aaron said, looking up at his wife. “For me…. for us. Trust her.”
Before Hanine could reply the door to their small, dingy apartment shattered and a very furious golden Werebeast stood in the doorway. It reached out, wrapping tentacles of gold around Hanine’s arm that held the sword up over Carmen and pulled her roughly toward it while another section of gold flowed to form a shield in front of Carmen.
Aaron roared out weakly from where he was lying. Ben thrust Evetta behind him, ignoring her cry of outrage as her sister was pulled down and under the huge gold Werebeast. Moments later, Cree and Calo stormed into the room with their laser swords and pistols drawn. Cree raised his arm to fire at Ben.
“Cree! Don’t you dare!” Carmen yelled out at the top of her lungs. “Harvey let Hanine go right this instant! I mean it. NOW!” She yelled out angrily.
Cree paused but didn’t lower his arm. Harvey had his mouth open, ready to pierce Hanine’s throat with the dagger-like teeth in his mouth. The tips of two of his teeth had drawn just a small amount of blood as Hanine struggled fruitlessly under the mammoth creature.
“Calm down,” Carmen said in a sharp voice. “Harvey, let me out.”
The gold shield around her slowly dissolved, reforming into several small flying dragons that hovered around her like gnats around a piece of ripe fruit. Carmen shook her head in aggravation but didn’t say anything knowing that the gold symbiot was just trying to protect her. She took a step toward where Hanine now lay quietly on the floor.
Carmen shooed Harvey back as she reached her hand down to help Hanine off the floor. “This is Harvey,” she said as Hanine moved slightly behind her in an effort to get away from him. “Those two are the Bobbsey-twins, Cree and Calo. Don’t worry about which is which. They answer to either.”
“So help me, Carmen,” Calo muttered in a dark voice. “What in dragon’s balls is going on and why are you protecting a couple of Marastin Dow scum?”
“Shut your mouth,” Ben growled out, taking a step toward Calo. “That scum you are talking about is my wife and my brother’s wife!”
Cree whistled under his breath. “You mated with one of them?” He asked with a raised eyebrow looking at the two slim, purple women in surprise.
“Yes,” Ben said through gritted teeth. “I don’t give a damn what you think about it. If you can’t be polite to her then keep your mouth shut or I’ll shut it for you.”
Calo looked on in amusement. “You look like a good breeze would knock you out,” Calo said with a twisted grin. “Carmen, do you want to explain why Cree and I shouldn’t kill them?”
Carmen put her hands on her hips and tossed her head in challenge. “Because if you do, I’ll have to kick both your asses and then I’ll let Creon know you upset me. I think he might just kill you for that alone,” she retorted sarcastically. “Evetta and Hanine saw me and knew I was human like Ben and Aaron. Aaron needs immediate medical attention. They thought I could help him since we are the same species. Now, quit being such an ass and help me get them back to the Horizon.”
“You realize that the Marastin Dow are not to be trusted,” Cree said skeptically looking at both women.
Carmen flipped her middle finger up at Cree. “Go to hell, Cree. I trust them. If I categorized every Valdier the same way you are the Marastin Dow I wouldn’t trust any of you.”
“You are comparing a Valdier with a Marastin Dow in the same breath?” Calo asked in disbelief as he sheathed his sword and his pistol. “There is no comparison!”
“Yeah?” Carmen asked as she folded her arms across her chest. “One word…. Raffvin.”
Both men blanched at the name and muttered a few unpleasant words under their breath. “Fine, but you get to explain this to your mate and Ha’ven when they find a couple of Marastin Dow sc… females on board their warship,” Calo growled out looking at Ben who took another threatening step toward him when he almost insulted his wife and her sister again.
“This has to be the strangest voyage I’ve ever been on,” Cree muttered under his breath before he called the Horizon and warned them to prepare for some new passengers.
“We need to get him to the Horizon without drawing too much attention,” Carmen said in a voiced filled with worry. “Ben and Evetta are worried there might be some Marastin Dow still looking for them.”
“Hanine has that covered,” Evetta said quietly before she nodded to her sister. “Take us to their docking bay, Hanine.”
Hanine lifted a computer slate into her hands and touch a series of commands. “Hold on,” she said with a smile before she brushed her finger over it again.
Carmen’s last thought was, so much for avoiding beaming anywhere while she was pregnant as everything shifted around her and f
aded.
Chapter 17Later that night, Carmen sat on the bed trying to learn the Valdier language from an information slate Calo had gotten her but she was having trouble concentrating. Aaron was doing much better. Tandor had assured Hanine her husband would fully recover. Carmen had giggled when Hanine had thrown herself into his arms and sobbed. He held her, awkwardly looking around at the small group for help. None of the Valdier had ever seen a Marastin Dow act with such joy and relief before. Ben had wrapped his arms around Evetta and held her tightly as they both cried with relief. It had taken a while for Carmen to convince the security officer on board the Horizon that none of their new passengers were a threat. He didn’t believe her until he saw both women sobbing uncontrollably in the medical unit.
Her mind drifted to Cal and his grandson. Zuk had made sure both were safely returned to the Horizon. There was something strange about the boy but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Maybe it was his age. He had sat away from everyone and didn’t eat much. Harvey and the other two symbiots had stood guard as if knowing he needed extra protection or support. Carmen thought back to Samara, the girl who worked with the horses at Trisha’s dad’s ranch. Animals reacted the same way with her. They seemed to know that she preferred their company to humans. Ariel was like that to a certain extent. Carmen suspected animals just knew Ariel was a sucker that could be conned out of anything when it came to them.
She smiled when she heard Creon enter their living quarters. She slid from the bed and walked to the door. He was deep in thought and didn’t realize she was watching him. She saw him wince in pain as he removed his sword sheath strapped across his back. She hurried forward and helped him remove it without saying a word. He paused to look down at her bent head as she focused on undoing the fastenings holding it on.
“I missed you today, mi elila,” he said huskily, brushing her hair behind her ear. “You have had a very exciting day from what I have heard,” he added gruffly as he touched her hair. It was getting longer and slid easily through his fingers.