DarkRevenge (14 page)

“You thought I was sleeping with this woman and she was a
spy?”

Alex nodded. “Even if I doubted my brother, I saw you with
my own eyes. When you didn’t admit it, I thought you were lying.”

“The last thing I remember about that night is leaving my
quarters to meet one of my men. I don’t remember meeting Samara.” He shook his
head. “I didn’t tell anyone I didn’t remember. What would be the point? I don’t
expect you to believe me, Alex, but you were the only woman I ever wanted. Then
and now.” He released her and strode up the trail.

She closed her eyes. The Judge had said they didn’t have
three months. Or even three days. How were they going to find a way through the
maze of their past?

Hands jammed in the pocket of her uniform and her head down,
she followed Tory along the path. Suddenly, all the beauty of the falls and the
fresh smell of the trees around them made her heart clench. Tears pricked her
eyes. Damn it. Why couldn’t she have just gone with him? She loved him, even
then. But she didn’t trust herself. And now, she had to face the possibility of
a mating with love, but no trust, because of her mistakes. Maybe love wouldn’t
be enough.

No way she’d let that happen. Somehow, she and Tory would
have to fight it out. For their future. She wasn’t going to give up just
because she’d been young and stupid. Besides, this mating was permanent.

“Tory, wait,” she shouted and quickened her pace.

Something slammed into her and her skin crackled and burned.
Pain shot through her muscles and she convulsed uncontrollably. Her vision
blurred and the blue sky darkened.

Then, darkness.

* * * * *

Tory heard her shout and turned around in time to see Alex
fall to the ground. Shit. Luckily, the Ardasians had allowed him to carry his
disintegrator. He drew it and sprinted toward Alex. If anything happened to
her… He wasn’t going to let that thought stop him. He leapt forward, his
murderous yell echoing among the trees.

Two men dropped from the ridge above him. The way they
moved, the way they crept along the path, betrayed their training. These had to
be Teran One Black Ops. Soldiers trained in covert missions. Tory recognized
the style of attack. Tory stood over Alex’s body. She was too still. Had they
killed her? He fired on the first man and missed. The stunner blast ripped up
the dirt in front of him and he got off another shot.

The soldier crumbled into ashes. The second man whipped out
a second weapon and Tory dove to the ground to avoid another blast—this time,
from a disintegrator. The tree behind him tumbled and disappeared into small
particles that floated in the air. Tory rolled to his right and fired twice.
The first missed. The second didn’t.

The second man blew away in the wind.

Adrenaline pumping, Troy grabbed Alex and lifted her over
his shoulder. Limp and unresponsive, she was dead weight. He didn’t want to
think what that might mean. He just ran. He slipped and stumbled down the path
and to a place he knew was out of sight and deserted. A small cave opening
covered by brush, virtually invisible unless a person knew where to hunt for
it, hidden by a cliff overhang and shadows. Neither side of the gorge could see
it easily. It was close to the falls and the noise of the water against the
rocks drowned out any sound so they wouldn’t be heard, either.

He ducked inside, ignoring the droplets of water that hit
him and the roar of the falls. Inside, he lay Alex down gently. In the muted
light from the entrance, her face was gray and lifeless. His blood froze in his
veins. She couldn’t die on him. Not after all they’d been through. It wouldn’t
be right. He had waited five years for her, for this mating, for their chance.

With a jerk, he tore some material from his shirt and held
it outside the cave until the mist wetted it. He wiped the dirt away from her
white face and tried not to shake. His insides were jelly. He was terrified
that she was dead but too scared to confirm it. His fingers fumbled as he
reached for her carotid pulse.

She was alive.

He was dizzy from the relief. He rubbed his hand over his
face and now, he was shaking all over. That could have been it. In one careless
moment, she could have been wiped out of his life. Those fucking assholes
weren’t going to let her live. But he wasn’t going to let her die.

Her lashes fluttered and those glorious golden eyes peered
at him. He’d thought he was never going to see her again. He wanted to snatch
her into his arms and kiss her. He wanted to whisk her away to the ends of the
universe so no one would ever get a chance to hurt her again.

“Tory?” A hoarse croak never sounded so good. “What
happened?”

“Teran One Black Ops,” he said softly. “Apparently, they
found us.”

She winced when she tried to sit up and he gently kept her
still.

“I should have expected it.”

“Bullshit.” She pushed his hand away and sat up. “Why would
you expect them to attack us on Ardarsia?”

“Deniability.” He bit the word out. She’d know what he
meant. If they were killed on Ardasia, the government on Teran One would have
an easier time denying involvement. Outside of Teran space, no one would
question the death of a known criminal and a rogue commander.

“Why didn’t they kill me?” She clutched her head and moaned.
“Though at the moment I almost wish they had.”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, Tory, you told me they’d send assassins after me, not
you. Right again.”

He didn’t like the hopeless tone she had. “Knock it off. We
don’t know what they wanted.”

“I’m sorry, Tory,” she said and turned her head away. He
gripped her chin and forced her to face him. Tears stained her cheeks and a sad
droop to her eyes made his chest tighten.

“For what,
Saria
?” he said gently. “Any wrongs
between us are wiped away by our mating.” He kissed her. “You committed to it.”

“But we could have been—” she choked. “We could have had—”

He interrupted her with another brush of his lips. “What’s
done is done.”

“Do you think we could…” She blushed. It was such a feminine
response, so sweet. Tory’s heart did a flip.

His hands cupped her face. “Yes, Alexandra. I think we
could.” Whatever she wanted.

Her hands reached up and clasped around his neck. She pulled
him closer and pressed her lips to his. He swept his tongue inside, warmth
spreading through his chest. It didn’t matter that they just made love on the
shuttle. It didn’t matter that the cave was littered with sharp rocks and
someone probably waited to kill them.

All that mattered was the touch of her mouth, the sweet
taste of her breath, the slide of her hands over the small hairs on the back of
his neck. Everything else could go to hell.

When she moaned, his arms wrapped around her and she clung
to him like a vine.

Tory.
Jezar’s voice broke through the sexual haze.

Not now.

We’re on our way to you. I thought I’d warn you
.

“Shit,” he muttered when he tore his mouth away from hers.
“We’re about to have company, dear heart.”

“Jezar?”

“Good guess. We’re connected enough that the intensity of
those moments I thought you were dead would have gotten through.” He sighed.
“Sorry about that.”

She grinned. “I’ll make you pay later,” she murmured against
his lips. She brushed his mouth with her tongue and shoved him away. “Help me
up. Let’s go greet our rescuers.”

He flicked tiny rocks and dirt from his pants when he stood
and hauled Alex to her feet. She was a little unsteady, but seemed fine. They
crept out of the cave and peered up the trail.

Jezar and, surprisingly, Tesia stood on the trail, weapons
drawn. Tory waved at them and climbed up to the ridge trail. He turned and gave
Alex a hand.

Tesia stared at them. “You both look like shit.”

“Thanks,” Tory shot back. “I figure we look pretty fucking
good for a couple who survived Teran One Black Ops.”

“Jezar said Alex was dead.” Tesia glared at the Ardasian,
who only looked amused.

“I said Tory believed she was dead,” Jezar corrected her. “I
was afraid he would…be rash.”

Tesia rolled her eyes. “Rash? If you loved someone and they
looked dead, how would you react?”

Jezar raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know. I’ve never loved
someone.”

“Pretend,” Tesia snapped.

“As fascinating as this interchange is, I think we should
go,” Tory interrupted.

Jezar had no intention of letting it drop. Tory wondered why
Tesia’s comments rankled the Ardasian. He guessed that she was only biting at
Jezar because he had worried her. Of all people, she might have an inkling of
Tory’s connection to Alex. It would concern her that Tory had lost his mate and
she didn’t like to be worried about the people she cared about.

The Ardasian’s gaze narrowed on Tesia’s face. “When the
occasion arises and someone I love appears dead, I’ll make a note of my
reaction. How is that?”

Tesia glared at him. “You’ll probably make a vid of it. For
study.”

“Children—” Tory tried to interrupt them again.

“What?” they both snapped. Jezar’s mouth was a thin line and
Tesia’s face was flushed. What was with these two?

“We need to get back to the ship,” he ordered.

“Did you see Kera?” Jezar asked.

Tory shook his head. “It may be too dangerous now.”

“It may be too dangerous not to,” Jezar pointed out. Damn
it, he was right. Kera had confirmed sketchy information from Tory’s sources on
Teran One before. And she was absolutely trustworthy. Unlike his sources.

“I’ll go. Take Alex back and I’ll join you when I’m done.”

“No,” Alex snapped. “We go together. I’m not leaving you
here.”

Tory sighed. “Fine. We’ll all go. Maybe there is safety in
numbers.”

Alex muttered something under her breath and Tory narrowed
his eyes. “What did you say?”

Jezar answered. “She said ‘There’s no fucking way you’re
going to see some Ardasian woman without me.’ I believe those were the words.”

Alex glared at Jezar. Tory hid his smile behind his hand and
started up the trail.

Something has changed between you.
Jezar sounded
genuinely curious.

I believe we are now a team, on the same side.

It’s more than that. She is protective, jealous,
connected to you.

Tory decided to have a little fun with Jezar.
Why don’t
you ask
her?

His smile dropped away when Jezar was totally silent. He
wouldn’t.

Would he?

Do you want to know what she said?
Jezar’s amused
tone irritated Tory.

No. If she hasn’t said it to me, then you shouldn’t
.

I don’t agree.
Jezar’s tone was firm, unshakable.
She
loves you very much, Tory. But she doubts your feelings for her. Yet I know you
waited for her, planned for her, thought only of her.

She knows that too.

Then why does she doubt?

Women on Ardasia don’t doubt a man’s love? Are you sure
you’re genetically related to us indecisive human beings?

I suppose it would seem odd to you, but Ardasians, when
they reach the level of intimacy you and Alex have reached, share their thoughts
and don’t doubt each other. You’ve told Alex that you love her. Doesn’t she
believe you?

Tory struggled for the right words.
You know how a small
plant struggles to the sunlight? It’s tossed on the wind, bowed by the rain.
Some new plants don’t make it, even though they have all they need. Love can be
like that. It has to survive storms.

Very poetic
.

Tory snorted and Tesia, who walked beside him, socked him in
the arm. “Stop having private conversations no one can hear. It’s rude.”

“Doesn’t he talk to you, Tesia?”

“No. I won’t let him,” she said firmly and strode ahead of
him, alert and watchful.

She is afraid of me.
Jezar seemed hurt by this.

Why?

I don’t know. I have…respected her wishes and stayed out
of her mind
.

Tory shot a curious glance at his friend. Normally, he’d
give him a bad time, remind him of the times Tory had told Jezar to get out of
his head and he hadn’t. But something in the way he referred to Tesia made Tory
keep his mouth and his thoughts shut.

Instead, he changed the subject. “How did the two of you get
here so fast?”

That didn’t seem to be a better subject, since Tory noted
Tesia’s lips tightened and Jezar’s face had a blank expression. “We borrowed a
hovercycle. I sent a mental message to the owner to come get it when we arrived.”

“You stole it,” Tesia snapped.

“I appropriated it and returned it,” Jezar said tightly.
“And that’s not what bothered you about our bike ride.”

Tesia’s inhaled with a sharp hiss. “You promised to stay out
of my mind.”

“I didn’t get that from your mind,” Jezar said.

“What does that mean?” Tesia seemed incensed.

“Ardasians can read body language too,” he replied.

“I am not having this conversation with you.” Tesia shut her
mouth and strode ahead of all of them.

“You’re poking a tiger,” Tory mused, his gaze following
Tesia to make sure she was all right.

Jezar glared at him. “She lies to herself and to me.”

“Maybe so, but pointing it out isn’t going to win you
points.”

His friend’s expression was bleak. “Don’t I know it.”

No more Teran One goons greeted them as they reached the top
of the falls and crossed the bridge. Tory noted that the hoverbike Jezar and
Tesia had used to reach the falls was indeed gone. The hovertaxi Tory and Alex
had used was still waiting for them, though. Alex gave the falls one long look
and sighed before she allowed Tory to take her hand and lead her back to
civilization.