No Rules (19 page)

“That's the reason?” Alison scowled. “I don't understand why you hate it so much.”

His eyes seemed to glow, absorbing the firelight. “Are there not things you do not like about yourself? Things that others say they find attractive but you would be rid of if you could?”

“Well . . .” She made a disgruntled sound and cast him a dark look. “You win.”

He smiled but his expression sobered. “It isn't a game. My ability has decimated my family and apparently this world as well. We are in danger because of it. No amount of additional pleasure or usefulness is worth that price.”

She saw his point but refused to concede the argument. “It's not about sexual gratification or the ability to be in two places at once, though I appreciate both. It's a part of who you are, what makes you unique.”

“You are wise tonight,” he murmured, his hand stroking her unbound hair.

“I have my moments.” Closing her eyes she leaned into his touch. Everything about this man drew her like a moth to a flame, ever closer to her destruction. And what was more, she didn't care.

He drew away abruptly and stood. “I'm going out for a little while. Do you need anything before I depart?”

“What?” Opening her eyes, she craned her neck to look up at him. “Did I do something wrong?”

His features softened. “No, lovely. I just have to go.”

The words were so sudden, so final. Fear compressed her lungs. “Are you coming back?”

“Of course.” He gave her a puzzled look. “I'll only be gone a few hours.”

Don't be clingy, Alison. Men hate that.
You
hate that.
Closing her eyes again, she fought for composure. “Yeah, we're fine. See you later.”

He bent and kissed Ari's forehead. “Be good, ladies.”

“No strange men or kegs of beer. Got it.” The flippant words were hollow.

It was probably just hormones making her antsy. That, combined with the precariousness of her situation here. Daton Five was one big disaster waiting to happen.

Anyone would feel unsettled in her shoes.

But as she tucked first Ari and then herself in for the night, she couldn't help eyeballing the door, wondering what was so compelling that drew Fenton away from them for the night.

Sleep eluded her. She tossed and turned, rose and paced the small confines of the room. This was what she'd wanted, right? Insight into whether or not Del would still want to be with her if not for the sex. Well, she was here and though he'd said some sweet things, he'd left quickly.

Scowling at the fire, she thought over their conversation. He had departed suddenly, almost as though he had somewhere to be.

Why didn't he tell her where he was going? He couldn't be out in this cold just walking all this time. It had been over an hour since he'd left. But where could he have gone at this time of night? The patrollers had eased their vigilant watch over them, thanks to her newfound relationship with Gwella, but he was limited to the enclosure, as the helcats prowled just beyond the structure.

A shiver raced down her spine. What if he'd left for good, afraid she'd tell Gwella about his phase split? As soon as that idea occurred she dismissed it. Never in a million light-years would he leave Ari behind. And it wasn't his style to sneak off into the night without a word of good-bye. Del Fenton might not be sentimental but he was honorable.

They had food, clothing, shelter, and a decent place to hide. She doubted the assassin would look at this planet anytime soon, so it couldn't be about him. What, then, would compel him to leave them alone at night?

Whirling to face the door, her lips parted as she sucked in a pained breath. She'd refused his sexual advance, thinking they could spend time together with their clothes on. It had been nice last night when he'd just held her. But maybe he wanted more than to talk and snuggle. He was a man, after all, and men got stupid about their needs.

He made her promise him exclusivity, but he had never vowed to be faithful in return. She'd said no, so he went looking elsewhere. It made sense, too much sense for her to ignore.

Ari, oblivious to Alison's turmoil, let out a soft sigh. Alison looked at the baby and her chest welled with resentment. How dare he stick her on babysitting duty when he went to tap some other woman's well? If he expected to find her sitting here waiting for him to waltz in after getting his rocks off with some patroller tramp, he had another think coming!

Bundling Ari back up, she opened the door, intending to head to Gwella's cottage. The matriarch of this colony would understand. She'd ask for separate living quarters.

With the baby strapped to her chest, Alison left the hut. She hadn't counted on how dark it was with no firelight or stars overhead. She'd almost changed her mind when the sound of male voices carried across the night.

“That alien breeder and Dani . . .” They moved out of hearing range.

The only alien breeder she knew of was Del. She remembered Dani, Gwella's warrior daughter. Could those two men have seen them together?

Her drive for answers compelled her to follow them before she could think better of it.

T
he men of Daton Five trickled into the cavern slowly, a few at a time. He'd scoped out the training area earlier. The terrain was flat and a few stalactites jutted from the overhead ceiling, but otherwise it was a large, open space, perfect for practicing combat techniques. Scanning the gathering crowd, he waited for Dani to introduce him. The names and faces blurred together in the sea of eagerness.

In his time on Hosta, Fenton had seen all sorts of men, all with different abilities both physically and mentally. It was his job to suss out the weaknesses, break them down so he could begin the laborious process of building them back up into soldiers. Many of the men he'd trained had resisted, but he'd always found a way to push them where he needed them to go.

The men before him were both ready and willing to learn all he had to teach them. They led physically demanding lives, and all seemed to be fit physically. But the biggest advantage they had was that they were fighting for their loved ones. In his experience there wasn't a more compelling reason to fight.

Dani whistled shrilly, the sharp sound bouncing off the granite walls. As the only female in the room full of men, she stood a foot shorter than all, yet she easily commanded attention.

“All right, boys. You all know why you are here.”

“To learn to fight!” one shouted, and a chorus of cheers went up.

Dani held up a hand, waiting for them to settle down. “Be aware that this is not an officially sanctioned endeavor. If the empress finds out, the consequences for insurrection will be severe. You must tell no one of this, not your lover, your mother, or your children. It is for their protection we are here, even if they cannot accept it. Might even punish us for it.”

Fenton watched the men watch Dani. They respected her, trusted her. She had more to risk than any man here, her position in the militia already secured. She could lose her lover, her mother, and her future, but she believed in them enough to be here anyway. She believed in them, and her actions backed up her convictions.

“Now, I am turning your instruction over to Fenton. He was a soldier on his world.”

All eyes fixed on him. He nodded once to Dani, then stepped forward. “Once a soldier, always a soldier.”

“Not on Daton Five,” a large man crowed from the left. “You're a breeder, just like us.”

A few nervous chuckles moved across the crowd. Though he hadn't planned on a demonstration, one couldn't hurt. Slowly he turned and made his way through the crowd until he stood toe-to-toe with the man who'd spoken. “Are you addressing me?”

Dark eyes narrowed. “Yeah, what of it?”

Keeping his posture loose, Fenton stared the other man down. “You will address me as Commander Fenton or sir. Understood?”

“What if we don't?”

The insolent words had barely left his lips when Fenton's leg whirled out. With a quick spin, he took the other man down like a felled tree then planted his boot on his chest.

“Then we'll have a problem. What's your name?”

“Ev.” The man struggled but couldn't dislodge the boot on his solar plexus.

Fenton leaned down. “Do we have a problem, Ev?”

Those eyes met his again. “No, sir.”

Fenton nodded once, then raised his voice to address the crowd. “Alright, everyone. Learn from Ev's mistake. You will respect the chain of command. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” The words were fired back at him in a chorus.

Though he was pleased, he was careful not to let it show. Releasing Ev, he helped the other man regain his feet. “The first thing you need to learn is how to move like soldiers. You are strong but clumsy. Brute strength is almost worthless on a battlefield if you don't know how to move. No wasted motion, every muscle strong, but fluid and intentional.”

Hopping up on a flat rock, he demonstrated some balance poses, flowing from one form to the next. He stopped and stared down at them. “What are you wasting time for? Let's move.”

He demonstrated again and the men followed him. Their successes varied greatly, but after twenty minutes, all had the forms memorized, if not perfected.

“Practice these exercises whenever you can. It will increase your stamina.”

“Never had any complaints there,” a man in the back hollered. A few others laughed nervously, but most waited to see what Fenton would do.

“Do you think this is a joke? Do you think I'd rather be standing here sweating in this dank cave with you than at home with my woman? I'm doing this so we don't all die. And that's what will happen if you don't shut your damn mouth and learn how to defend your village.”

Only the sound of water dripping broke the silence.

“Now pair up. We're going to practice grappling and throws.”

Over the next few hours Fenton moved between pairs, adjusting stances, giving pointers and, in a few instances, praise. The thud of big bodies hitting the floor, along with male grunts of pain and frustration, filled the space. They worked tirelessly, falling into line faster than he could have hoped. They knew the risks, knew what was at stake, and they were determined to succeed.

“You know what's out there,” he told one of the younger males who had lost against every opponent he'd been pitted against. “You think the helcats are going to give you a breather?”

“No, sir.” The boy wheezed and lunged again. There was a dull thump as his opponent flipped him, but he got up faster, circled. He'd be bruised to hell by morning, the hard cave floor completely unyielding. Fenton actually preferred it that way.

“Wait for your opening. Keep out of range until you see it. Remember to move your feet, not just your shoulders. A helcat can cut you off at the knees as easily as at the neck. Both will render you useless, and I have no room for useless.”

The boy charged again, this time ducking his opponent's fist by feigning right and taking the other man to the ground with a center strike. The bigger man tapped out.

“Excellent.” Fenton clapped the young man on the shoulder. “What's your name?”

“Dav.” The boy had big hazel eyes, very similar in shape and color to Alison's.

“I like your courage, Dav. Practice your forms and you'll be unstoppable.”

Dav looked down at his gaunt frame. “I'm not as big as some of these guys.”

“Neither are the patrollers, yet they are in charge. Why do you think that is?”

“The chem whips?” Dav asked.

“Partly. But more so because they've been taught how to assess a situation, neutralize threats.”

“That's right.” Dani joined their conversation. “And we were taught how to do it, Dav. It's a skill, and skills can be learned, mastered. Learn how to use your body, and it will be your ultimate weapon.”

The boy flushed a brilliant red. “Yes, ma'am.”

“I think he has a crush on you,” Kel teased.

“Do you blame him?” Dani raised an eye.

“No,” the big man whispered. “I've had a crush on you since the moment I first saw you.”

They shared a look so intimate, Fenton actually felt heat creeping up his neck. He thought of Alison, waiting for him back at the hut all warm and soft, and he had to turn away to keep from humiliating himself with his budding erection.

“Wait,” Dani called out to him and he looked over his shoulder at her, discreetly adjusting himself before he turned to face her.

She jogged to his side. “I might be able to procure some weapons for them to practice with, if you think they are ready.”

Fenton thought it over. “Some, like Kel, are. Others need to build their confidence and awareness before I would feel secure arming them.”

“We could split them into two groups. I could do weapons training with the advanced students while you continue your work here.”

Fenton nodded. “Sounds good. Should we meet again tomorrow night?”

A small scuffling noise from the mouth of the cave drew his notice. Craning his neck, he peered around the corner but didn't see anyone. Probably a bat or some other cave-dwelling creature. The patrollers wouldn't lurk, but rather charge in bashing skulls as they went.

“I'm not sure that's wise. We don't want to rouse any suspicions.”

Del understood her concerns and voiced his own. “We don't know how much time we've got either. If we're discovered it all comes crumbling down. I don't know how much longer I can lie to Alison. She deserves better from me.”

 

Alison grit her teeth. She wanted to storm in there and smash his handsome face. She sure as hell did deserve better than a cheating, no-good, scum-sucking, phase-splitting jackass who couldn't keep his dick in his pants.

Seeing Fenton with Dani was difficult enough, but it was the fact he had an obvious hard-on, in spite of the room full of men told her everything she needed to know. She considered storming in there, handing Ari over to him, and spitting on the little man-stealing patroller bitch.

But she had to be careful. Dani was next in line and she'd spent too much time shoring up her position with Gwella to do something rash and get herself banished. Right now she needed to get away, clear her head so she could think. So many things didn't add up. Like, why was there a cavern full of men here? What did they have to do with Del's affair? She'd arrived late, having lost her way in the tunnels and having to backtrack. The breeders looked sweaty, but she had no idea what they'd been doing to get that way.

Carefully, she moved away from the entrance to the cave as Del turned to address the men. She wanted to hear what he was saying, but she had a feeling they'd be leaving soon and the last thing she wanted was to get caught. The only thing going for her was the fact that she knew about Del and Dani but they didn't know she did. If they busted her, all bets were off.

Ari fussed, clearly uncomfortable after spending so much time in the harness. “I'm sorry, sweet baby,” she crooned softly. Looking up, she saw a fork in the tunnel ahead. Crap, had that been there before? Her eyesight sucked in this kind of dark, and the small, glowing bioluminescent from Ari's carrier barely made enough light to see five feet ahead. Which way was the way out?

Taking a deep breath, she picked left. Though she hoped she'd made the correct turn, there was no way to be sure. Her guts churned with anxiety. Maybe she better go back.

The image of Del and Dani, the beautiful, competent warriors, made her push onward. The hard-soled slippers she wore slid on some wet rock, and she steadied herself before falling on her ass.
Gotta be more careful.

The air was damp and cold, seeming to cut right through her clothes. Ari's fussing turned to wailing as she struggled to free herself from the carrier.

Unwilling to continue on listening to the little one scream, Alison stopped and sat on a large, flat rock.

“Ssshhh, it's okay.” She took the baby out of the carrier and tried to comfort her.

Red-faced, Ari went stiff as a board, her mouth open, tears rolling down her cheeks. No amount of rocking or singing could calm her. Alison put her over her shoulder, tried to rub her back in a soothing motion, willing the little one to calm down. A brief moment of silence and then Ari emptied the contents of her stomach all down Alison's back. She'd made herself sick.

Ignoring the mess, Alison laid her out on her carrier and placed her chilled palms against the baby's forehead. Her skin felt hot to the touch.

With a jolt, Alison realized how selfish she'd been. Ari was sick and she had no idea what was wrong with her or how to help her. Several unmarked vials were stowed inside her carrier pack, but with no labels, Alison didn't know what they did or if they could help the baby.

To hell with her shattered pride. Picking Ari up, she promised her she'd only be in the carrier for a little while longer, which didn't faze the screaming child one bit. Carefully, she strapped the little girl in and donned the pack before retracing her steps.

Disorientation grew as she walked farther and farther, with no sign of the tunnel she'd taken. With so little visibility, she couldn't keep track of landmarks.

Ari's caterwauling should have caught someone's notice by now. She stopped, tried to listen for the sound of voices, but beside the baby's angry diatribe, there was nothing.

They were lost.