CarnalPromise (11 page)

Drakkar knew what he meant. How many times had Jinn already
slipped from his grasp when he’d thought he’d had her? And if she got free?

A shiver gripped him at the idea of Jinn roaming the galaxy,
pursuing a known killer alone. “I know.” He glanced up. His eyes met Rurik’s
cold ones in understanding. “So what are you saying?”

“We have to give her something to placate her. At least
until I can nail Craddock. Otherwise she’ll wait for a weak moment and pounce.
Then she’ll be gone and this time we might not find her before Craddock kills
her.”

Drakkar read the fear in the man’s face. The dread in
Drakkar’s chest said the same. “You know her better than I. What do you
suggest?”

Rurik huffed then paced some more. “It has to be something
good, something that will challenge her and buy us some time.”

“She still wants to be a warrior,” Sophos said. “Isn’t there
some way she can prove herself to you?” She stared at Drakkar but then added as
she glanced at Rurik, “To you both?”

The headmaster shifted his stance. Silence reigned for a
moment then a calm but firm mask fell over Rurik’s face. He paced again, this
time more slowly. Drakkar tried to think of a solution of his own but the
movement of the Svendian distracted him. The steps the man took were steady,
taut, yet filled with a power that came from a brilliant, focused mind. Drakkar
could see him then, in command of his starship, readying to do battle.

A deep chill seeped into Drakkar, one that froze through to
his bones. Looking at Rurik, Drakkar now knew exactly what he had faced.
Drakkar read the steel determination in the man, the brilliance and quickness
of thought. Any regrets Drakkar had for his past actions on the field of valor
fled, knowing that this man, too, would have done anything to win.

Understanding this only cemented Drakkar’s desire for the
peace. Although he would always do what was needed for his people—even face
Rurik in battle again, he would avoid the fight if there was any possible way.
And right now, there was.
The peace.
It had to be made official. Jinn
had to come with him, bond with him in the ancient rite. Period. He would not
risk his people again.

Rurik cleared his throat. “Captain.” His tone heralded a
turn to the talks. Drakkar’s keen senses went on alert.

“Your people accept fertile women as warriors.”

Drakkar nodded, keeping calm though a storm raged within
him. He stood straighter, combating Rurik’s war stance with his own, letting
rational behavior, the only thing that had been effective against the main
strategist of the Svendians, reign. “But she has taken a binding oath to your
people. Even if she recants it, she is going to have a hard enough time being
accepted as my mate after this war. No one will trust her to be a Vulgarian
warrior.”

Rurik smirked. “I’m not asking your people to do so. Not
exactly. But she could be a specialist, one sent on particular missions for the
good of both our people. She’d be the best tracker you’ve ever had.”

“What?” Drakkar closed his mouth before he said something
that might be misconstrued. “I
do not
want her to be a warrior.” He’d
clipped his words, the thought straining his ability to remain passive. “In all
that’s holy, what would make you think I could let her do that? You said
yourself she would only use the status to get away and hunt down Craddock. I
don’t trust her
not
to find him.”

The lines around Rurik’s eyes grew deeper, highlighting the
cold gleam in his icy blue stare. “I didn’t mean that you should right away and
it is gratifying to know that you don’t want her to soldier any longer.
However, you have to at least let her try.”

“No, I don’t.” Drakkar stood tall and crossed his arms,
readying to beat the stupid son of a bitch if he had to.

Rurik’s face grew placid. “Make her earn it.”

“What?” His comment threw Drakkar off guard.

Rurik stepped closer. “I don’t want to fight you again, Drakkar.
You’re the finest and damnedest leader of men I have ever come across. We need
this peace. Both of us. Not just our people.” His eyes grew weary. “Jinn needs
it too whether she sees it or not.” His lips thinned. “I would not have picked
you for my sister. That’s the truth. But as it stands, I don’t think there is a
better man for her.”

Drakkar relaxed, believing him, yet was still unsure as to
his meaning. “What are you suggesting?”

Rurik huffed. “A condition where she can prove to you that
she can protect herself.”

The unease seemed to seep through the pores on Drakkar’s
body. The fine hairs on his neck stood on end. “Which is?” he threatened in a
whispered tone.

“The Warrior’s Way.”

“Hell, no.” The Warrior’s Way was the most serious training
they had for combat soldiers.

“Drakkar, how many of your lunar cycles does it take?”

“Several,” he snapped.

“Exactly. And has a woman ever passed it?”

Drakkar’s mouth went dry. Technically, there had been only
one, until Drakkar destroyed that for her. Drakkar squeezed his eyes shut and
rubbed them until he forced the image of Anya away. Now was not the time to
remember his first thought-to-be love.

“No,” Drakkar raised his head, forcing his boiling rage to a
simmer. “But it’s dangerous. Men have died in the trials. Why would you want to
subject your sister to that?”

Rurik nodded. “It has to be a severe challenge, something
her ego won’t let her refuse. Besides, she needs to believe we’re serious. I’m
afraid she’ll see through a weaker attempt and may not agree at all, thinking
she can play us for more. But if you don’t make it hard enough, knowing her,
she’ll succeed out of pure spite. We’ll only get one shot at this before she
figures out what we’re doing. The test we offer needs to be so difficult that
she won’t pass, yet long enough to keep her occupied. Then odds will be in our
favor and you will have what you want. We’ll make it her only option if she
wants to be a warrior. It’s either that or you take her to this remote place
and pray that you can hang on to her before I get Craddock.”

Drakkar bristled. Most men could hardly complete the
training, much less make it to the final stage, and then the last real trial
would cripple them. “You don’t know what you’re asking. You haven’t been
through it.”

“True, but I do know that your special forces are far
superior to ours, and the Warrior’s Way is one reason why. She knows this as
well. She will believe this if you ask it of her.” He stepped closer, meeting
Drakkar eye to eye. “I know it’s dangerous but I trust you to find a way to
keep her safe,” he rasped as in his eyes, a sadness grew. “I don’t know of any
other way.” His swallowed visibly. “At the first sign she’s getting into
trouble, pull her out. She fails then and you have what you want.”

Drakkar hated the idea. Besides being underhanded, there was
a risk, however small, that she could succeed. But he couldn’t think of
anything else. Rurik was right. Still, he had trouble accepting that fact.

“Drakkar,” Rurik whispered, “I know you were one of the few
to truly complete the trials. You know where she will fail. She’s stubborn. You
know she won’t quit on her own. You must protect her then when she does fail
perhaps she’ll see reason and realize that she can’t confront Craddock on her
own.” The headmaster scowled and inhaled deeply. “On his own, Cassius is as
deadly as any of your special teams. You know that.”

Drakkar shuddered inside, knowing that all too well. Cassius
was, after all, half-Vulgarian. “Protecting her isn’t that simple.”

Rurik nodded. “I understand but we either take the risk now
to buy ourselves some time or she will surely come to an end pursuing Craddock.
She almost had him this round. I’m sure of it.”

Drakkar grimaced, knowing that statement to be only too
true. “And if the training ends too quickly?”

Rurik’s frown deepened. “Find a way to keep her in the trial
until it’s too risky, unless I find Craddock first. Otherwise, you’ll have to
find something else to occupy her.”

Drakkar grimaced. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

Rurik’s huff sported a sardonic edge. “As a mate I know what
I’d do with her.”

Drakkar scowled, the sexual reference being all too clear.
“That’s what I’d rather be doing to begin with.”

Rurik chuckled. Drakkar couldn’t help but lift a corner of
his mouth in a mocking gesture but then seriousness overtook him as he thought
this issue through. “She must agree that if she fails, she remains with me on
Vulgaria as my mate, doing some profession I approve of.” He looked at Sophos.
“It has to be explicit. She’ll get around this plan if it isn’t.”

“Agreed,” Rurik nodded.

“Posh,” Sophos tsked as she rolled her eyes and crossed her
arms. “You men…” She shook her head in disapproval. “All right.” She rested her
hands in front of her again. “I will approach her with your conditions but I
insist, Drakkar, that you give your word that you will make this test fair. I
will not allow this otherwise.”

Drakkar regretted having to agree but he nodded, knowing
there was no other way.

“Good,” Sophos released a breath through her parted lips.

Rurik and Drakkar moved as one to enter but Sophos raised
her hand to stop them again. “There is one thing more.”

“What more could there be?” Drakkar barked.

Sophos stood unfazed then looked at Drakkar before she
spoke. “Jinn wants you both to stay on the infusions. At least until the issue
of her future is decided. She does not want her thinking clouded by passion.”

“Damnation,” Drakkar cursed. He had hoped that this little
item would be overlooked. With the need driving her, she’d be distracted,
giving him an opening to convince her she didn’t want to be a warrior. “Why?”
he finally bit out, stiffening with unrelenting frustration. “She isn’t
suggesting we remain apart, is she?”

Sophos shook her head. “She didn’t say she wouldn’t have sex
with you. She just wants a clear head to think this through. I believe this is
a reasonable request,” she said, arching a dark yet delicate brow, “especially
since you’ll be apart anyway when she goes into training.”

Drakkar released a half growl, half sigh and rubbed his face
with his palm.

Rurik slapped him on the back and squeezed his shoulder.
“Faith, man.” Humor resounded in the headmaster’s voice. “We’ve come this far.
You cannot let a little thing like the lack of sex hold you back now.”

Drakkar leered at him, narrowing his eyes in a mocking
disdain. “You know, for a future brother-in-law and a man who wants to see this
through, you are one sarcastic sonofabitch.”

Rurik only threw his head back and roared.

Jinn listened to the banter between Calixte, Khariton and
Hunter on the cultural-based sexual differences of their respective planets,
trying to distract herself, but nervousness got the better of her. She sat
there, waiting for either the death knell or the commuted sentence that she
knew would come. She hated the inactivity, especially when she had other things
to do.
Like find Craddock.

The door cracked open. Jinn jumped to her feet to do battle.
They might beat her in this but they wouldn’t find her weak. That was for damn
sure.

Sophos led the men in. Neither of them looked particularly
happy. Maybe that was a good sign?

Sophos smiled. “I hate to keep shuttling the rest of you but
if we could…”

“Don’t, Sophos,” Drakkar grumbled. “I want as many witnesses
to this as I can muster.”

“As you wish.” She arched a brow at him then turned to Jinn.

The look Sophos shot Jinn scared her to hell. She wanted to
scream. To run away. But she was caught. She had never been this beaten before.
Holding her breath, she stood as tall as she could and waited for the ax to
fall.

The intrinsically feminine sound of Sophos clearing her
voice only made Jinn’s anxiety peak.

“Yes?” Jinn crossed her arms in front of her, impatient and
in defiance to whatever the men had devised.

Sophos sighed then pursed her lips. “Both Drakkar and your
brother have given consideration to your wishes.”

Jinn huffed. “Barely, I’m sure.”

Sophos dipped her chin and stared pointedly at Jinn from
under one of her perfectly formed brows, chastising her. “Not true.”

When she lifted her head again, it was the negotiator, not
the friend, who remained securely in place. Jinn steadied herself.

The tone of Sophos’s voice rang clear and confident. “They
are concerned about you, about this need you have to find your uncle. Your
brother has already assured me privately that he will not relent until the man
is found. It is required that this be acceptable to you. Even so, you have
stated that you will not give up your warrior status, a position you have
worked hard to attain. As you know, neither Drakkar nor your brother wish to
accept this.”

Jinn snorted, briefly interrupting Sophos’s exposition.

“You have also stated that you want time to examine what
kind of life you would have with Drakkar before you bond with him, and that you
require both you and Drakkar stay on the infusions until you have decided,
without coercion or interference from either Rurik or Drakkar. Is that not
correct?”

Jinn nodded. “It is.”

“You are also aware that, in order to be effective, the
peace treaty between your two peoples includes the specific rite of Drakkar and
you bonding.”

Jinn shook with rage at that and rolled her eyes to stare at
the ceiling.

“Is that correct?” Sophos iterated.

“Yes, I understand that these two believe that. However it
doesn’t mean that I agree.”

Sophos nodded. “That is also understood by all parties.” She
swiveled from one side to another to look at both men who stood behind her. “Is
that correct?” She addressed them.