I’m swept into a huge hug, pressed against his muscular form in such a way it plays havoc with my insides. It causes another deep rumble in his chest too.
“We can track them,” he says. “The collar.”
“The collar?”
“The Ulep were the ones who took me. There will be a signature from the collar which can be used to track them.” He laughs.
“And where is the collar?”
“It’s in the hold, with the Ntahal. I don’t think they’ll mind if I retrieve it,” Deus says, letting me go.
I miss his proximity, but he’s already running back onto the ship, and I hear the sound of his boots as he disappears inside.
It’s not long before he’s back, holding something which doesn’t look anything like a collar.
“I might have stepped on it,” he says with a shrug and a flash of fang.
“Stepped on it?” Darax growls from behind me. “It looks like you landed your ship on it.” He takes it from Deus’s hand. “What is it?”
“It’s the collar the Ulep tried to use to control me.” Deus holds up a small black stick about the size of a remote control. The collar makes a fizzing sound, and Darax snarls at it before handing it back to Deus.
“A control collar,” Driok rumbles as he joins Darax. “Haven’t seen one of those for a while.”
“Deus says the Ulep used it on him.”
“The Ulep are gone,” Driok snarls.
“No, they are not,” Deus responds. “Not all of them. If you don’t believe me, ask the Ntahal in the hold.”
Driok narrows his eyes. “I would not have allowed any of them to remain in this galaxy.”
“I’m sure you would not,” Deus responds. “But it’s entirely possibly they ignored you.”
Driok makes a noise in his chest which sounds like a chainsaw firing up. Darax puts his arm out, holding the big, dangerous warlord back.
“Don’t bother with a fight. My brother makes it his life’s mission to get under everyone’s skin,” he says in a resigned tone.
“Only yours, brother.” Deus grins at him.
“Any Ulep left in the galaxy must be dealt with,” Driok says.
“They must, and I will.” Deus turns the collar over in his hand. “But first we need to deal with the threat on Vorostor.”
“What threat?”
“We couldn’t risk the comm,” Darax says. “But Deus was taken directly from his sector to the Ulep. The only way that could have happened would be if there was someone on the inside.”
“If there was, I would know,” Driok says.
“But if you didn’t know what to look for…”
“My scanners are sophisticated, as is the defense system which protects Vorostor. Nothing can get through,” Driok responds, his claws extending.
“Then get Dante to check the collar for the DNA signatures of all who have been in contact with it, and cross reference them with anything you find on Vorostor,” Deus says, holding out the collar. “If there’s nothing, you can have my sector. I will leave the planet and not return.”
“Tempting,” Driok growls.
“Deus!” I have hold of his hand. “What are you doing?”
