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ChapterTwenty-One
Varik frowned as he approached the high column that marked the beginning of the courtyard. Just beyond that was the corridor that led to the temple and the common room. Stopping beside the column, he peered up and down the courtyard. Where was the officer he assigned? They had undergone shift change over an hour ago, but Varik had been restless and decided to take one more round the male should have been within vicinity of his post.
“Swahlik?” He craned his head, listening carefully for any reply either externally or through his implanted com. “Swahlik, report. Where are you? Why are you not at your station?”
His mouth tightening, his scowl grew more foreboding as he stepped into the courtyard. He did not get far down the path before drawing to a stop at the sound of a rock clattering somewhere deeper with the growth.
“Swahlik, are you out there? Report,” he snapped.
The male charged forward, whipping his tail violently, the vibinum-exis fully extended with intent to do severe damage with elongated spines that extended beyond the webbing. Varik’s tail snapped up in a guarding posture and he mentally braced for the impending pain that was slash across it as he drew his plasma rifle. It would not kill the male, but it would be extremely painful and damage the male enough for Varik to engage in his own attack. His lips peeled back from his sharp teeth as he emitted a shrill hiss and lifted his weapon just as the Lorgor launched himself, his tail arching… and then dropping as a muffled blast shot through the air and the male’s head exploded in a shower of blood and brain matter. Varik watched as his attacker dropped unceremoniously to the ground, the inertia causing it to skid in a bloody mess right to the toe of his boots. He stared down at the gruesome remains and slowly lifted his head, his rifle coming up at the sound of footsteps.
“Easy, captain,” Lerix called out, his hands rising in the air, one still firmly clasping a lethal-class blaster. “I am on your side, if you recall.”
“What I recall is you saying that you did not have lethal-class weapons,” Varik bit out, slowly lowering his own weapon.
The infuriating Kadesh shrugged. “I lied. But then Old Betsy here is my only one and I was not going to surrender her,” he added with a grin.
Varik brow dropped in confusion. “Old… Besty?”
Lerix’s smile widened. “My Cara has a thing for old Earth vids called westerns and one of those males had a treasured weapon by that name. I sort of like the idea of having an Old Betsy, so this is her,” he said, giving his weapon a loving pat. “She packs a punch but at least you came out unharmed.”
“That is ridiculous,” Varik muttered, stepping over the remains of his officer. He glanced down at what was left of the male and tipped his head toward the corpse. “How did you know to follow him?”
The Kadesh did not appear to be paying attention as distracted as he was. He wrinkled his nose at Varik’s uniform. “Looks like I did not miss you with that splatter after all, sorry about that. I hope you have a good cleaning system on board your ship.”
“I am fine,” Varik gritted out impatiently. “As to my question…”
“Right, sorry. Well, about that,” Lerix drawled, suddenly smiling cheerfully once more. “I am habitually nosy as my mate says so I decided to wander a bit. Imagine my surprise when suddenly some screaming and crying females came out of nowhere and were heading my way. Naturally, I quieted them down and went to see what the cause of all the ruckus was, especially since one was bleeding a bit—but do not worry, I got her all fixed up with a medi-patch. But imagine my surprise when I see a very upset bloodied prince leaving the temple with this bozo—again to borrow an idiom from my lovely mate. The prince went back into the temple after shouting some orders I could not make out, but I had to pick who to follow, and this guy seemed like the one capable of the most damage so I just…”
“Wait,” Varik snapped as he whirled toward the temple, his pulse pounding in his ears with worry. “There was an injured female, and he was coming from the temple with blood on him and you didn’t stop him?”
Lerix’s smile faded, and his mouth thinned as he gave Varik an appraising look. “Since I had the females, my more immediate concern was with the Lorgor, who was likely sent to grab another female before you arrived. If I am not missing my guess, I would say that good old Prince Gaix is more than just an admirer of the lore of this place. Looks like he is looking to dispose of his human mates in a way that fits with his romantic aesthetic.”
“Stacey… was my mate one of the females you had?” Varik urgently demanded but the male shook his head.
“Not that one. It was just the females that the prince preferred.”
Whirling in a panic, Varik rushed for the doors, calling repeatedly for Stacey on their private uplink. No answer. Of course not. His mate slept like the dead. Nothing wakened her, least of all a comm. He tried to tell himself that it was all that it was as he charged into the common room, his eyes skimming hastily over the sleeping females as he passed them. He noted first the empty spots that were left by the four who had been all over Gaix, but the others seemed occupied… perhaps he had not selected another female yet. She would be sleeping on her mat… her empty mat. His heart bottomed painfully as he stared at the empty space among his female’s companions, unable to believe that she was gone.
“Do not move,” Jornesh growled, and Varik stiffened. Another traitor? And this one least expected. “Drop your weapon, turn around, and back away slowly.”
Gritting his teeth so hard that he was certain that they were about to snap, he dropped his rifle and slowly turned to face his second in command. He was prepared to leap upon the male and fight to the death if necessary—all so that he could save his mate—what he was not prepared for was seeing officer Zarg staring back at him as Jornesh pressed his weapon against the male’s head. His first officer glanced over at him and smirked.
“You can recover your weapon, captain. I was speaking to this scumbag. I caught him sneaking up on you.”
“I was not sneaking,” Zarg immediately denied. “Fahlsh asked me to cover him because he was required to help the prince with one of his mates. She was already gone when I took over his post, but I saw the captain and wanted to ask if she was ok. I thought maybe he had brought her back and was returning her to her mat. I was only worried over the small female, I swear it.”
Varik narrowed his eyes, something primal ripping through him, shredding every bit of reason and civility from him. Gaix hadhismate, and if Lerix was correct, he was trying to reenact the gruesome ceremony of the well of lovers’ tears. The male would die painfully if he harmed her.
“Chose sides wisely, Zarg. Fahlsh will die a traitor for his complicity in the attempted murder of these females—of mymate—at the hands of Prince Gaix. Will you?”
“Your mate?” The younger male’s eyes widened in shock, but he shook his head. “No, captain. I serve you and Lorgoon, and never again Caysta if the gods so will it.”
“Good. See to it that I do not discover otherwise. Now guard these females with your life and comm me on a private channel if Fahlsh returns,” he said, tapping the air above his implant for emphasis and was satisfied when the male nodded in affirmation. “Jornesh, awaken Gewell and get him over here.”
“And Gaix?” his second asked as he lowered his blaster from Zarg’s head and moved to Varik’s side.
“The male had better pray that I do not find my mate dead,” Varik growled, “Or he will suffer far greater in payment for my own agony before he dies.”
