Lisia's Journey (18 page)

I‟m not going to break it.”

“Then let‟s go. The
Shi’an
wants us back before the sun sets.” Hale turned and led

the way deeper into the forest.

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Rebecca Airies

Lisia was a little relieved to hear that. She didn‟t know if she could resist the urge

after dark. Normally, she‟d be furious at the additional restriction, but not this time.

This time, she‟d have probably asked to start back early. She loved being outside and

having the freedom to roam, even with guards. There was only so much temptation she

could withstand.

They walked through the forest, staying off the well-traveled paths. Lisia enjoyed

the wending journey around bushes and across a rocky shallow portion of the river.

They stopped for a moment beside the gently running, cool water. She stretched her

arms over her head and let her eyes wander around the area. Purple and yellow flowers

dotted the bushes near the river. Along the grassy banks and anywhere the sun could

find a path through the leaves, bright coral-colored flowers dotted the ground.

“It‟s time to head back now.” Hale‟s voice seemed loud in the silence of the smal

glade.

Lisia fell into step behind Anna. She was a little sad to be heading back. She wasn‟t

satisfied with the walk. She wished she could run through the forest, hunt and romp

until her lungs burned and the wild side of was thoroughly exhausted. The darkening

forest called to her. She resolutely looked at the light brown fabric of Anne‟s shirt.

A sharp sizzling sound brought her head up just in time to see Hale crumple to the

ground. She heard a thud and whirled. Dallan sprawled on the ground, unmoving, too.

Men burst out of hiding and started running toward them. Lisia‟s heart slammed in her

chest. She started to turn and run before she recognized the men in the dark, mottled

clothing. Stopping, she stared in awe as her brother and other men from her clan ran

toward her.

“Drake… What…” She looked at the two unconscious men and then back to her

brother.

A fierce scowl pulled his lips tight and she could see the tension in his body as he

came toward her. When he got close to her, she felt his anger. He stopped in front of

her, his eyes running from her head to her feet. His fingers wrapped around her wrist.

“It‟s time to go, Lisia,” he said tugging on her arm.

“I can‟t go, Drake. I told you that I was committed.” She shook her head.
Asaen
, he

was here to rescue her and it wasn‟t even necessary.

“You‟re not committed to anything. You‟re coming with us, Lisia. Don‟t argue.” He

looked over and let his eyes settle on Anne and Renee who were staring at him with

open-mouthed astonishment.

“Dammit, Drake, I gave my word. I did agree and I‟m not going to stomp all over

my honor and back out of it.” She jerked at her hand, trying to free it.

It had no effect whatsoever on her big blond-haired brother. He still held her hand.

She growled. The thought of leaving sent a shaft of pain and panic through her. She was

getting damn tired of no one listening to her. Twisting her wrist, she knew she had to

make him listen to her before the overprotective lug started a fight.

“Did he force you to accept him?” Drake asked baldly. His hand cupped her cheek.

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Lisia’s Journey

“There…was some coercion.” She grimaced and sighed. She wasn‟t going to lie to

her brother about it. He could probably guess just how it had happened. There was no

use trying to make something up to appease him.

“He‟s dead. You won‟t have to worry about being married to him.” Drake‟s hand

fell to his side and clenched. His voice had a distinct growl.

Lisia felt her eyes widen. She shook her head, amazed that her brother had gone

from brooding and angry to furious enough to do bodily harm in the space of a breath.

Putting her hands on his arm, she tried to think of a way to calm him down. The only

thing she could think of was to show him that Jarritt was a normal man.

“Are you going to tell me that women always specifically say yes before anything

happens on Deshra? That they‟re never pressured or rushed into the situation by males

intent on claiming a mate?” She folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot.

He frowned. “What difference does that make? Other women aren‟t my sister.”

She fought a smile. “If it‟s acceptable for others, you can‟t get angry when he did

the same thing with me. He didn‟t take me from my home. I came here and was

without protection from family or other
Aridi
. Just because I‟m your sister doesn‟t mean

the normal rules don‟t apply to me.”

“You should never have been in this situation.” Drake‟s muscles tightened and

bunched making him look larger and his expression was so hard she knew he wanted

to hit someone.

“I‟ll admit that if you‟d gotten here a few days after I arrived, I would have wanted

you to get me off this planet as fast as possible.” She smiled a little and shrugged. She‟d

have happily left with him at one point.

“You were coerced, Lisia. Off this planet, what you said doesn‟t matter. I‟m taking

you up to the UDA ship in orbit. A neutral area where he‟ll have to take your answer

whatever it is.” Drake glanced at her.

She drew in a sharp breath. A choice just because she wasn‟t on the planet. She‟d

never thought it would be that simple.

“You tell your
Shi’an
that Lisia will be up on the UDA ship and we‟ll be waiting.

This time, she‟ll have a choice. If she doesn‟t choose him, I‟m taking her home.” His

eyes swung to the two women gawking at them.

“This isn‟t going to work, Drake.” Lisia shook her head. This would only infuriate

him. Jarritt wouldn‟t give up his claim even if she decided to walk away from him. Not

that that was going to happen. She loved him and wasn‟t about to leave him. She

wanted a lifetime with him.

“You don‟t know what I have planned, Lisia. Just be patient and come on.” Drake

took a step and tugged her along with him. “I will carry you if I have to.”

“You know this is going to cause trouble. How would you feel if this happened at

home?” She paced along beside him. There was going to be a fight. She had no doubt

about it.

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Rebecca Airies

“We‟ll find out. I have a feeling your Jarritt is a lot like me,” Drake led her deeper

into the forest.

Lisia shook her head. Her brother wasn‟t going to listen. She knew him well enough

to know he was trying to prove some point but she had no idea what it was. Well, other

than Drake wanting to prove that Jarritt couldn‟t stop him if he really wanted to take

her out of the galaxy.

“You said you would have left if I‟d come earlier. You don‟t want that now? I don‟t

care about any promises you‟ve made. I need to know how you feel. Do you want to be

with him for the rest of your life? If you don‟t, I‟ll get you off this planet, out of this

system and he can rage about it all he wants. Just tell me.” He gave her hand a

reassuring squeeze.

“I want to be with him Drake. Everything‟s happened so fast, but it‟s right. I feel so

much for him.” Lisia thought about Jarritt, hoping her brother would feel how much

Jarritt meant to her. She wanted to make a new life with Jarritt.

“How did you get down here without someone knowing? The new sensor

equipment should have revealed any shielded vessel.” Her breath puffed out in fast

pants as he hurried her through the forest.

“We‟ve been using those sensors in our sectors for months. Of course, we know

how to get around them.” Drake shook his head and laughed as if the answer should

have been obvious.

“And how to strengthen them.” Maxim, another of her brothers ran over and

hugged her. “It‟s good to see you again, Lis.”

“Do you know what he‟s planning?” She looked pointedly at Drake.

Maxim nodded. “Drake knows what he‟s doing. Trust him. Your man needs to see

things from our point of view.”

Frickin’ male posturing. That’s all it was.

* * * * *

Jarritt looked up at the darkening sky. Hale and Dallan should have called a halt to

the group‟s walk and turned back to the holding by now. Even with the guards, he was

nervous about her being out in the forest. The pirates were still free, still a threat. He

didn‟t want to lose her.

He heard breaking twigs and the sound of running footsteps. He tensed, his hand

on the stunner at his hip. Anne burst through the bushes. She didn‟t look scared. She

looked angry and determined. Her eyes looked over the groups of people almost

frantically. When she spotted him, she ran toward him. He waited, worry beginning to

build. She‟d been in the group Lisia had accompanied. Where were the guards? Where

was Lisia? Fear slammed through him followed by a rush of anger. She wouldn‟t die.

He wouldn‟t let her.

“Where is Lisia?” He stepped forward aggressively.

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Lisia’s Journey

“Taken. A man named Drake. He said he‟s taking her up to the UDA ship and that

they‟ll be waiting there. He said she‟ll have a choice this time and if she chooses, he‟ll

take her home.” Anne dragged in huge gulps of air.

“How did they get down here without us knowing about it? Jarritt gritted his teeth.

“Those sensors are supposed to tell us when someone enters the atmosphere.”

The woman shook her head, but Jarritt barely noticed.

He clenched his fists. Her brothers would be lucky if he didn‟t rip them into pieces.

Fury pounded through him, but underneath it fear and doubt nibbled at the edge of his

mind. She could choose to go with her brother. He‟d pushed and used every trick he

knew to get her to agree to be his. She wanted him and felt more than affection for him,

but he didn‟t know if she was ready to admit it. He stiffened and shook his head. She

was coming home with him and that was final. If he had to, he‟d go through her

brothers and the other
Shi’an
to get her.

He stormed toward the
marrohl
where Lieutenant Commander Carson should be by

now. He wanted to know if the man had known that her brothers had arrived. Jarritt

noticed Arik walking down the street and waved him over. Arik immediately joined

him.

“Is something wrong,
Shi’an
?” Arik asked.

“Lisia‟s brothers have arrived and have taken her off the planet. Send men into the

forest to get the two guards and the woman who stayed with them. I want you with me

when I go up to the UDA ship to get her.” Jarritt looked over at Arik.

Arik nodded. “I‟ll meet you at the shuttles,
Shi’an
.”

“I‟ll be heading there as soon as I have a few words with the Lieutenant

Commander.” Jarritt looked toward the
marrohl
.

Jarritt walked into the
marrohl
. He immediately spotted the red-haired commander

walking toward him. The man looked tired and worried. Commander Carson exhaled

heavily as he came to a stop in front of Jarritt. He held up his hands before Jarritt could

say a word.

“I found out that Drake had arrived only moments ago. They just notified me. I was

coming to talk to you.” The Lieutenant Commander shook his head and sighed. “I

wouldn‟t have thought Drake would take her off the planet.”

“He‟s her brother. How did they get onto the planet without us knowing? I thought

your sensors worked.” Jarritt crossed his arms and waited for the man to answer. If

those damn sensors couldn‟t even stop an overprotective brother, they had no chance

against the pirates.

“Those shields originated in the galaxy Lisia comes from. Drake and the other
Aridi

always tweak the technology. It doesn‟t surprise me that they know how to get past

them.” The Lieutenant Commander shrugged. “I‟ll go up with you,
Shi’an
. Drake does

listen for the most part.”

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Rebecca Airies

“No need. I won‟t have any problem making him understand how I feel.” Jarritt

turned and started out the door.

“I‟m coming. I‟ll be able to keep the UDA soldiers out of it if the situation gets

loud.” The Lieutenant Commander stepped up beside him.

Jarritt didn‟t argue. He wasn‟t going to waste the time debating with the man.

Jarritt led the way out of the
marrohl
. The walk to the shuttles seemed to take forever.

He knew that Lisia would be on the ship. Still part of him worried that she‟d be gone

and he wouldn‟t be able to find her. The cat inside him roared and raged. He felt claws

pushing at the nails of his fingers. He‟d fight to keep her.

By the time the shuttle lifted off, his fury simmered. He wanted to get his hands on

her brother for even daring to think about taking her away from him. Walking through

the light yellow halls of the large ship, he kept an eye out for Lisia or her brothers. He

felt Lisia‟s nervousness as the UDA soldiers stopped in front of a door. The door slid