Alien Mine (Zerconian Warriors Book 7) (9 page)

“Commander?” Jaxan approached. “There’s a group coming this way.”

“Who? Nerifs?” Darac asked, turning.

He shook his head. “I don’t know who they are, but they’re flapping a white flag.”

“Is the leader a large man with long, dark hair. A patch over his right eye?” Rye asked.

Thor noticed that Lucy stiffened when Rye asked that and he wondered what was going on. She seemed to be holding her breath as Jaxan nodded.

Rye stared down at Lucy. “I didn’t sense anyone following us. How did he find us?

“How many?” Darac asked.

“Only three. They seem to be waiting for us to now approach them.”

“They’re here for me,” Lucy said. “Husan wants me.”

“Want you? Why?” Thor asked.

Wide, blue eyes stared up at him. “Because he owns me.”

Lucy couldn’t breathe as she followed Thor into the small clearing where Husan and three of his men stood waiting. After a brief debate, they’d decided the best idea was to speak to Husan. She knew Thor was buzzing with unanswered questions. But they didn’t have time for her to tell the whole, gory story.

But she could feel the tension emanating from him as moved forward.

He turned back briefly to look at her. “Stay behind me.”

God, did he not think she would love to do that? To have him protect her? But he had no idea what he was up against. Husan was evil. Devious. He was a killer.

Rye moved forward. “How did you follow us?”

She knew Rye was blaming himself. But Husan had his own way of getting what he wanted.

“Theo is very good at following scent.”

Theo? She was still alive? Lucy thought she was dead. Husan told her she was dead. God, and she’d believed him. What a fool she was. Stepping to the side of Thor, she studied the people with Husan. There, behind him and to the left stood a hunched figure, dressed in a drab coat. Her face was hidden by her glorious red hair and the hood of the dark cloak.

Poor Theo. Her situation was similar to Lucy’s. Except Lucy had a guardian angel in the form of Rye, though she’d never tell him that. He was more like an anti-hero.

But he was her guardian angel.

Thor turned and scowled at her. Right, stand behind him.

Sir, yes, sir.

But she moved back. Best to keep the beast contained. Thor’s eyes had glowed red from the moment she said that Husan owned her and they hadn’t yet bled back to normal color. She knew he was barely keeping himself under control, could see it in the stiff way he held himself, the shortness in his voice when he spoke to her.

Strangely she didn’t feel intimidated or scared.

“What do you want?” Darac asked abruptly.

“You are in charge?” Husan asked, turning to Darac.

“I am.”

“I have no fight with you. In fact, I believe I can help you.”

“How can you help us?”

A calculating look came over Husan’s face. Oh no, this was not good. Not good at all. “Your people are being held prisoner by the Nerifs.”

“What do you know of that?” Darac asked, going still.

She peered around Thor’s wide shoulders to study Husan. He stared right at her, as though he had been waiting for her to look at him. She stared into his dark eye. She couldn’t go back with him. She wouldn’t.

“I know that the King is keen to offload them to whoever pays him the most. Right now, the only people touching that offer are the Coizils. But I could make an offer. The Nerifs need never know that we work together. I buy your people and bring them back here to you.”

“What do you require in exchange?” Darac asked.

He turned that gaze back to her and she shivered. No. Just no.

“In return, you give me back my property.” He pointed right at her.

Her breath stopped. Time stopped. The edges of her vision went dark.

“You cannot have her,” Thor told him.

Husan just smiled. “Perhaps I will give you time to think on my offer. You have two hours. I will return then. To collect my property.”

Thor wished he could wipe the smug smile from that asshole’s face before he turned and left. Spinning, he watched as Lucy caved in on herself, cupping her elbows, she hugged herself.

“Lucy? Lucy?” he asked, worried about her.

She didn’t look at him, instead she stared at the forest where Husan had disappeared. She whispered something he couldn’t hear.

He leaned closer, so close he almost touched her.

“I can’t go back. I can’t go back.”

She was terrorised and he wasn’t having it. He couldn’t take this.

“Lucy, you are never going back. Lucy, can you hear me?” He grabbed her arms and shook her gently.

“Thor—” Darac stepped forward.

Thor turned and growled at him. “Stay back.”

“Lucy, look at me.” He waited patiently until she raised her pale blue gaze up to meet his eyes. “You are not going with him.”

Whatever this man was to her. Whatever he had done to her, must have been horrific because she was terrified.

“But, it’s me for them. To free them. To free Mila and Koran. He wants me. He owns me.”

“No, no he does not owe you. He cannot have you. You are mine.” It was a barbaric statement. He didn’t mean that he owned her. He wasn’t Mortef. He didn’t claim her as his property.

He claimed her as his mate.

Without thinking it through, just knowing he couldn’t wait any longer, he pulled her against him and kissed her. As soon as he touched her, he felt the rightness in his chest. That ache eased somewhat, the tension unravelling just slightly. He kissed her like a man starved for affection who didn’t know when his next meal would arrive.

As he pulled back, he felt her slump and he caught her slight weight up in his arms. She didn’t weigh more than a child and fear for her had him frowning. As soon as they were safely back on the ship, he would ensure that she took ate better and got more rest.

“Is she all right?” Rye gave him a suspicious glare.

Darac nudged him back as Thor growled at him. He knew Rye was no threat to Lucy or to him. But right now, he didn’t want anyone close to his mate. His possessiveness was in overdrive.

“She is fine. It is due to the mating that she fainted.”

Rye grunted. “Took you long enough to claim her.”

“I only hope she understands why I did what I did when she awakens.”

“Don’t bet on it.”

Lucy woke up with a yawn. Wow, she felt so warm. And that scent…it surrounded her, making her feel safe and almost happy. She opened her eyes and stared into straight at a wide, muscular chest.

What the hell? Where was she?

“Shh, just lie there. Everything is okay.”

Who? Oh my God, why was she lying in Thor’s arms? She looked around her. In the middle of the forest? Did she fall asleep on him? Please don’t tell her she’d fallen asleep on him. What if she’d snored? Maybe even drooled a bit.

She swiped at her chin. No drool. Thank God. The Earth wouldn’t need to open up and swallow her just yet then.

“You are wiping your chin again.”

Again? Oh yeah, she’d checked to see if she was drooling that time she’d seen him without his shirt on. Now that had been a drool-worthy moment.

“What is going on?” Thor sat on a log in a small clearing, with her on his lap. She glanced around, spotting Rye and Darac speaking together on the other side of the clearing.

“Everything is going to be fine. You will let me handle Husan Mortef.”

Husan? What did he have to do with anything? How did Thor know…oh shit. It all flooded back. Seeing Husan in the palace. His ultimatum. Her for Koran, Mila and the others. Of course Darac would take that deal. How could he not? One life for ten others. It was a no-brainer.

Except how could she just let herself be handed over to Husan? She couldn’t.

She stiffened. “You kissed me.” How could she have forgotten that kiss? It had blown her mind. Had she fainted during the kiss? Why else would she be lying in his arms? Jesus, what was up with that? One kiss and she fainted away? Was he that good?

Yeah, he was.

“I did. I apologize.”

He apologized? What the hell did that mean? Did that mean he regretted it? How embarrassing. Now would be a good time for the Earth to swallow her hole.

“Put me down.”

“What?”

“Put me down. On the ground.” She stared around her, but there was no one close by who could hear them. She struggled against him.

Thor just tightened his hold.

“Lucy—”

“Look, I get it. You regret kissing me. No problem. We can forget it ever happened. Go our separate ways. But to do that. You have to separate yourself from me. So if you could just let me down then we can go about pretending that never happened.”

There was silence. He didn’t move.

“Thor?”

“I do not regret the kiss. That is not the reason I apologized. I will not forget about it.”

“Then why did you apologize?”

“Because I said I would wait. I started the mating process without your permission.”

“I told you we’re not mates, I…” she trailed off, thinking furiously. “I fainted.”

“Yes, after we kissed. The mating process has begun. I can feel it. You are my mate, Lucy.”

“You claimed me.”

“Yes.”

Her mind reeled at the possibility of actually being his mate. It seemed so unreal, so unlikely. She didn’t want to be mated, right?

Now she wasn’t so sure.

If it could be anyone, she would choose Thor. He was the one who made her heart race and her body tremble. Her body heated in his presence and he filled her dreams.

“What about the fact I can’t have children. Doesn’t that make you sad?” For the first time, she truly mourned the fact she would never have a child. Before now, she hadn’t even wanted to bring a child into her world. But now everything had changed, her world had turned on its end and the fact that she’d been robbed of the ability to have a child no longer seemed a blessing but a deep curse.

“I told you, it does not matter to me.”

“Really? You don’t want children.”

He grew silent, obviously thinking. “I love children. I would especially love our children. But you are my mate. Without you, I have nothing. I am nothing. You are more than I could ever have hoped for. If we never have a child, I will still consider myself the luckiest being in the universe.”

Wow. Okay. She sniffled. “Why did you kiss me? I mean, why at that moment?”

“He cannot have you. You are mine.”

“So you do want to claim me. Own me.”

“No. Never. Just because you are my mate, does not mean I own you. Or it does, but you own me just as much. I am not like Mortef.”

She knew he wasn’t. He was kind and generous and giving. “Did Rye tell you about him and me?”

“No, but you will, won’t you?”

Lucy glanced around to find Rye and Darac were still speaking. Rye appeared angry as he gestured. “What are they arguing about? Is it about me?”

Thor glanced over at the two men and gave her a squeeze. “Do not worry. You are not going with Mortef.”

“But what will we do? It’s my life for Mila, Koran and the others. How can Darac refuse his deal?”

“Because I will not risk your life for theirs. I didn’t agree to you going in with Rye. That was too dangerous. I definitely will not give my permission for you to go with Mortef.”

“What if I want to?”

Umm, say what now? She glanced around, looking for the person who’d said that because it cannot have been her. Had that kiss muddled her mind?

Thor leaned back so he could stare down into her eyes. His eyes flashed red. “You wish to go with Mortef. You do not wish to remain with me.”

She let out a deep breath. “It’s not as easy as that. It’s not as simple as him or you.”

“Yes, it is,” he replied stubbornly.

“No, you don’t understand. I don’t want him. I hate him. Detest him. He bought me. He used me as his slave. He had me beaten to the point that I nearly died, that I sustained irreparable damage to my reproductive organs. He is the reason I cannot have children.” She closed her eyes. That beating had broken her. Before, she’d still been defiant, still had hope, but he had shown her that he owned her. That he could do whatever he liked without repercussion.

Thor muttered something under his breath, his body practically vibrating against hers with fury.

“If Rye hadn’t rescued me, I would be like poor Theo. His slave. His prisoner to be used as he saw fit. How could you possibly think I would want to go with him?”

“His slave?” Thor asked in a low voice.

She rubbed at her eyes. God, she was so tired. Why had she come here? She could be safely back on Zerconia. Instead, she was stuck in the middle of her worst nightmare.

“Remember I told you about Ricardo selling me? Well, it was to Husan.

“Then how can you want to go with him?”

“I don’t want to. I want to go home. Back to Zerconia where I felt safe. I-I want to stay with you. She snuck a glance up at him. “I never imagined myself mated to someone. I thought I would remain single forever. I didn’t want to trust anyone again and be let down horribly. But you wouldn’t give up, you kept bringing me food or offering to help me. And I started to wonder, started to think maybe I could trust you, maybe you were exactly as you appeared.”

“I am. You can.”

She stared at him through blurry eyes. “I know. You’re the best person I know, Thor. Even though I’m not magically cured of my trust issues, if there is anyone I could let my guard down around, it’s you. When you said I was your mate, I figured you had to be wrong, because I couldn’t have children. That as soon as you discovered that you would back away. So I didn’t tell you straight away because selfishly I wanted to hold onto the dream a bit longer. And now…” she sobbed and he held her tighter. “Now that dream become real and at the same time becomes further out of reach. God, it’s not fair.”

“You will not go with him.”

“How can I live with myself if I don’t? How can I be happy knowing I sacrificed Mila and the others?”

Thor shook his head. “I will not let you do it.”

“Thor.” She placed her hand over his. She could scarcely believe she was sitting here in his arms. That he’d kissed her. That he wanted her. That he was her mate? Was she dreaming?

“No. I refuse to allow it.”

She should probably have protested his high-handedness. His belief that he got to be the boss. But she knew he was simply worried about her.

She was worried about her too.

“Thor, you know I must do this.”

“No. I will not risk you. This will not happen.”

Standing, he placed her on her feet. Facing her, he placed his hands on her shoulders. “Hear me. I will always put your safety first even if you will not. I will see to your protection and your health as is my right and privilege as your mate. You will not place yourself in danger. I forbid it.”

All right then. Seemed like that inner caveman was totally taking over.

A weird squealing noise caught her attention and she glanced up. “No way. Seriously?”

“Lucy?”

She shook her head with a laugh. “I think I’m losing it because I swear I just saw a pig fly.”

***

“You have made a mistake.” Husan’s voice was cold. She knew first hand that the angrier he became the colder he became.

She shivered, remembering being on the receiving end of his ire. How he could look so calm as he ordered Lor, his enforcer, to punish her when she hadn’t done something to his satisfaction, or been the bearer of bad news.

Husan liked to blame the messenger.

Darac had just delivered the message that they wouldn’t be taking up Husan’s offer. To say Husan was displeased was an understatement. She was glad that Thor insisted she stand back with him, from a viewpoint where they were well hidden behind some vegetation. She had half-expected Husan to attempt to take her anyway. But it looked like he didn’t want to get into a fight with the Zerconians, maybe because he didn’t have the back-up. Husan only fought when he knew he could win and he never dirtied his own hands.

“We will rescue our people on our own.”

Husan smirked. Her heart stilled. Oh shit. “That is going to be hard. Considering I have purchased them and they are currently enjoying my hospitality.”

Darac let out a low growl. The chilling sound made her shiver. Thor clasped her close, but even he couldn’t warm the chill that had settled into her bones.

“What do you want with them?” Darac asked. “They are of no interest to you.”

“They were my bargaining chip. Now, I believe they’ll fit in well amongst my other slaves. The men are well-built, they should last at least a few years in my mines. So hard to find decent slaves that last longer than a few months.”

“We will get them back and you will pay for this,” Darac vowed.

“There is a way to end this peacefully. Return my property to me and you can have your people back. Otherwise, I will make use of my new slaves as I see fit. I’ve never had an Empress as a slave before. It shall be an interesting experience.”

The Empress was still alive. Oh God, how would Dex feel once he learned they could have retrieved his mother, but didn’t. Because of her.

Guilt ate at her. This wasn’t right. She couldn’t live with herself, thinking about Mila, the Empress and the others in Husan’s grasp. She never wanted to return to him. Had sworn to herself that she would take her own life before that happened. Yet, she found this was an even worse situation to be in.

At least she knew how to survive in Husan’s hold. She knew what his trigger points were. She had a better chance of surviving his rages than Mila or the Empress, who everyone knew wasn’t all that tactful. Husan would enjoy humiliating the Empress just because he could. He would break her. Break them all.

She was worth something to him. Or what she could do for him was. It sickened her, she hated herself for what this was going to do to Thor, but she knew what she had to do.

She had to go to him. She had to swap herself for the others.

But what about Thor? Zerconian warriors couldn’t survive without their mates forever. Eventually, they went mad. It had happened with Darac, only Willa pulled him back from death.

How would her sacrifice affect him? She couldn’t risk Thor’s life.

So she would have to find a way of getting back to him. She would have to be smart about this. Have a plan. But what? How the hell was she going to do this?

“Let us go back to the shuttle,” Darac told them as he approached. “We need to get back to the ship and update Dex. Then we form a plan to get our people back.”

***

“All right, tell me everything,” Willa demanded as Lucy opened her door and she stepped inside, followed by Norman who gave Lucy a sloppy lick on the hand.

“Come on in,” Lucy said sarcastically. Normally, she wasn’t so short but she was stressed out. After they’d arrived on the ship, Thor had escorted her to her rooms then left with nothing more than a kiss on her forehead and a promise to be back.

She’d spent the last two hours pacing her room and trying to figure out what the hell she was going to do.

“I will.” Willa just grinned. “No one is talking to me. Darac told me he had to update Dex and he’s been locked up in the conference room with Thor and Rye ever since. All I know is that you went to get Mila and you all came back empty handed, so spill.”