Fantasy Warrior (17 page)

“I won’t leave him,” she muttered aloud. The words sprang from a place deep within her very soul. She didn’t question them.
Mine.

Thoren gently touched her shoulder, breaking her concentration. “Tell me what troubles you,” he said.

In desperation, Pam looked at him. “I can’t leave without Kord,” she told him. “He’s mine! I won’t go unless he goes with me.”

Thoren’s brows lifted in surprise and then he shocked her by saying, “I’m here to help you.”

Morshant rushed back to them in a huff. “This is crazy. You can’t take Kord.”

Thoren snarled and rounded on the male. “If she wants him, you’ll help her take him.”

“He’s my mate,” Pam said. Suddenly, the full meaning hit her like a bolt from the blue. “Don’t you understand?” She grinned. “He has to come with me!”

Thoren nodded.

“You two have lost your minds,” Morshant said. He glared at Thoren. “Tell her she has to go. We all agreed. It’s the only way.”

The warrior scowled. To Pam’s surprise, he shoved Morshant against the wall and removed something from the shocked male’s belt. He kept him pinned there while he showed it to her.

“A hand stunner. Not as powerful as the larger ones the guards carry, but it might be useful.”

“Let me go!” Morshant demanded. “I can help.”

“About time,” Thoren snapped before releasing him. “What’s the plan?”

The smaller Tauran took a second to straighten his rumpled uniform before he smiled slyly. “We find a way to get Kord on that shuttle,” he stated.

“Brilliant strategy so far.” Thoren sneered.

Morshant rolled his eyes and sighed. “First, we’ll have to get to the shuttle, then contact the captain,” he explained. “With enough persuasion, he’ll release Kord.”

Pam grabbed the stunner from Thoren, and said, “I’ve got an idea. You two just play along, okay?”

She pointed the gun at them and they backed away. Thoren’s expression was priceless. From the look on his face, she could tell the warrior truly believed she intended to shoot them. On the other hand, Morshant’s knowing smile led her to believe he’d guessed her plan.

Pam motioned to the end of the hall. “Shall we go?”

“Uh, before we do that.” Morshant stalled and pointed to the gun. “You might want to let me deactivate the safety feature, just in case you need to shoot one of us to prove you’re really serious.” He jerked his thumb toward Thoren and gave her a wink.

The warrior grabbed him by the throat and squeezed. “Now, give it to him. If he’s lying, I’ll break his neck.”

She quickly handed over the weapon before Thoren choked the other man into unconsciousness.

Once the gun was returned, she said, “I don’t think that was necessary.”

“Certainly not,” Morshant croaked. “Trust me. I want to help.”

“Then move!” Thoren shoved him down the hallway.

Pam had to run to keep up with them.

* * * *

Kord sprang to his feet the second the picture swirled to life on the view screen. Twelve guns followed his every move, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was the image of his mate. She stood on a loading ramp close to the shuttle’s entrance. It took a moment for his mind to believe what his eyes were actually seeing. He ignored Captain Bane’s harsh curse.

Pam held a stunner to Morshant’s head while Thoren restrained him.

“Send Kord to the shuttle! His mate has refused to leave him behind,” the warrior demanded.

General Jernick slammed his fist on the table, and ordered, “Release Lt. Morshant and put her on that shuttle or I’ll shoot Kord, and it won’t be with a stunner!”

“Not a good solution,” Pam yelled. She backed away from both men. Then, in a shocking move, she aimed the weapon at herself, right beneath her jaw. “I hear this is fatal if fired at this range.”

Thoren’s anxious whisper came over the speaker. “Don’t do that, little one. This is not how we planned.”

Kord jerked around to glare at the captain. “That weapon is armed. Let me go to her before she kills…”

Pam’s next demand silenced him. “If you don’t send him right now, you’ll be sending me home in a bag!”

Kord growled at the sight of her finger poised over the trigger. He had to stop her before she accidentally shot herself. If it weren’t for the guards and their weapons, he would’ve already left.

“Captain!” Urgency drove him.

Bane grimaced. He gave Kord a defeated nod, then answered, “He’s on his way.”

As Kord dashed for the door, the general called after him. “Your brothers are counting on you. Don’t let them down!”

Kord raced along the corridor, shoving unwary Taurans out of his way as he headed for the shuttle bay. The only thought racing through his mind was that his mate wanted him! He didn’t know what awaited him, but he’d face it for her.

He burst into the enormous room and ran straight for a group of spacers and soldiers gathered around one of the shuttles.

“Move!” He roared for added emphasis, and the crowd parted.

He stormed the ramp and came to a sliding halt the second he saw his lovely mate aim the stun gun at him.

“Pam, don’t…”

“Get inside…” She looked puzzled, then glanced down at where she’d pointed the weapon. “Oh!” She frowned before she quickly turned the stunner back on herself. “Hurry so we can leave,” she urged.

Kord gave his partner an uncertain look, but didn’t hesitate to rush into the ship. He heard her footsteps following close behind him while Thoren and Morshant brought up the rear. Once inside, the lieutenant scrambled past them and rushed to the cockpit.

“Take off and alert Commandant Tram that we’re on our way,” Morshant ordered before turning around.

Kord caught his mate as she jumped into his arms. He lifted her so he could look her straight in the eyes. “Never aim a weapon at yourself,” he scolded.

“You’re going to lecture me? Now? After we went to the trouble to take you—”

Kord crushed her to him and kissed her soundly. He didn’t care if anyone watched, and she didn’t seem to mind either. She wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him. After a long moment, they broke away to catch their breath.

“You’re mine, Kord. I love you,” she panted. “I think I know how we can be together, always, if you’ll stay with me.”

“I’ll never leave you.” Kord didn’t care what she had in mind as long as they could be together. Pella could wait. She was his life now. “Wherever you are is where I want to be.” It was a vow he sealed with another long kiss.

Chapter Thirteen

Pam spent the first few minutes of the trip sitting on Kord’s lap, enjoying the protection of his arms. He held her close while she outlined her plan. It was actually simple, but there were two possible outcomes. The one she hoped for would allow them to live on Earth. The other might force them to stay on one of the Alliance ships, but at least they’d be together.

A commotion coming from the front of the cramped interior caught their attention. Thoren, followed by Morshant, rushed forward. Before they reached the cockpit door, it swung open and the pilot stumbled out. He grabbed the warrior for support and Thoren reached around to help him. At that moment, the unthinkable happened.

The pilot drew a hand weapon, jammed it into the warrior’s gut and fired. The sound reminded Pam of the weapons she’d heard in Key West. To her horror, Thoren stiffened, then dropped to the deck, motionless.

With a roar, Kord lurched to his feet. He shoved her behind him as he rushed the pilot. The weapon fired again, making the same awful sound. Kord staggered backward and then fell to the floor, taking her with him. She landed flat on her back with him on top her.

Pam struggled to move, but Kord pinned her down. The weight of his head and shoulders pressing on her chest and abdomen made it hard to breath, and she couldn’t move her hips or her left leg. Only her right one, shoulders, arms and head were free. She heard voices and shifted her upper body just enough to locate the source. What she saw spiked her fear to an all-time high.

The pilot pointed his weapon at Morshant, who had his hands up, arms spread wide. They stood a few steps away from her and argued. She could see them clearly, and from her vantage point, it didn’t look good. The armed male seemed intensely agitated, but he held the stun gun steady.
Stun gun?

Yes! She’d never returned Morshant’s stunner to him. She’d slipped it into the right front pocket of her trousers before jumping into Kord’s arms. If she could only grab it…

Pam reached down her thigh. Her fingertips barely skimmed the top of the pocket. The weight of the weapon resting on her thigh let her know she was close. She paused to see if the pilot had noticed her movements. It seemed he was too busy concentrating his threats on Morshant to worry about her.

“I’ll enjoy slitting your throat even more,” the male said. “Warriors should be exterminated like vermin, but you’re worse than them. You want to help these beasts find mates to breed with. The empire doesn’t need your kind either.”

“Think about what you’re doing, Dillen. This isn’t like you.” Morshant kept his attention focused on the pilot.

“How would you know what I’m like? You and the captain are too busy plotting with the general to pay any attention to the crew. I was chosen for this mission before we ever left Pella. The reformers have faith in me.”

The male brandished a large dagger of some kind. Pam didn’t see where he’d kept it hidden, but to her it resembled Kord’s blades. Was it possible to make a knife from a warrior’s arm weapon? The very idea sickened her, and Dillen’s gloating made it worse.

“When I’m done, it’ll look like Kord went into a rage and killed all of you, including his mate. Afterward, the humans won’t trust us or the warriors. They’ll reject their proposal. It’s best this way.”

“Put the blade away. There’s no need to kill anyone. Settle down and let’s talk about this. I always thought the reformers agreed with the council and the enforcers on this issue.” She guessed Morshant was stalling.

Dillen’s cold answering laugh renewed Pam’s determination. The man was scary nuts! She strained to reach inside the pocket. Her nails scraped at the edge of the gun’s metal casing. Her shoulder felt as though it was about to slip out of the socket. She grabbed Kord’s neck with her left hand and pulled while she quietly squirmed to free her upper body by a few inches. She wrapped her fingers around the weapon.

Once she had it, she took another look at the men. The pilot had backed Morshant against the side bulkhead. Although the lieutenant hadn’t stopped talking, his attacker didn’t seem to notice. She estimated they were separated by about five feet, and Dillen’s body was slightly turned away from her. Perfect. He couldn’t see her.

Pam slid the gun out of her pocket. She took a quick glance at it to make sure her finger was poised above the correct button before she took aim. She concentrated so hard on holding the weapon steady she barely noticed the sound of the earsplitting discharge as she fired. Dillen fell to the deck.

“Enough!” Morshant yelled as he dove to the side. “Stop firing. He’s down!”

Pam dropped the gun, and shouted, “Help me!”

* * * *

Kord woke to the sound of his mate’s voice calling his name. He opened his eyes and saw her face above him. She seemed worried. He tried to touch her face and realized he couldn’t move. Memory returned in a flash. Instinct urged him to attack Dillen and rip him apart, but all he could do was blink.

“Don’t worry. Everything’s okay,” she said. “Morshant says you’ll be able to move in a few minutes. Just stay calm. We’re almost at the Alliance ship. I stunned the pilot, and he’s in shackles. Thoren is still out, but he’s not hurt. Relax. I’m right here.”

He tried to do as she said, despite the fact he wanted to know more than what she’d told him. He swallowed and was relieved to feel his tongue move. It was a sure sign he’d recover very soon. After all, this wasn’t the first time he’d ever been stunned.

“The other pilot is dead. We’re pretty sure Dillen killed him before he attacked us. Can you talk to me? Say something?”

“Lovely,” Kord said. He smiled at her surprised reaction.

She frowned, then shook him. The slight movement made him aware of his surroundings. He was flat on his back, and she had his head propped in her lap while she sat on the deck. Just as he expected, feeling returned to his body in a rush.

He quickly sat, turned to her and took in a deep breath. “You were frightened,” he said.

“Of course! I was scared spit less! That crazy pilot shot Thoren, then you. You fell on top me. I could barely breathe. He was gonna kill all of us until I shot him.”

Kord grabbed her and held her close. Failure to protect his mate gnawed at him. He’d almost lost her.

“I should’ve been the one to save you, not the other way around,” he said and glared at the unconscious pilot. “I should kill him.”

“No! Please don’t,” his mate pleaded.

She clung to him as he shifted her onto his lap. Suddenly, she leaned away and lifted her hands to his cheeks. She gently cradled his face between her soft palms and brought her mouth close. At first, her lips brushed his in a soft kiss. In an instant, it turned heated.

A definite throat clearing sound cooled their passion. Morshant stood in the cockpit’s open doorway.

“We’ll be there in a few minutes. It’s time to strap in. I can buckle Dillen into a seat, but I’ll need some help with Thoren.”

Kord nodded and rose. Once Pam was secured, he and Morshant dragged Thoren into a seat and then buckled the restraint. Afterward, he settled down next to her and fastened the safety straps.

On his way back to the cockpit, Morshant said, “I’ve recorded a report if you want to review it. Captain Bane is the only other person who’s seen it, and he wants us to pretend this never happened. As soon as Thoren and I return to the
Defiance
, Dillen will be placed in an interrogation unit in medical. Right now, the captain is turning the ship inside out looking for other reformers. I’m not sure what he’ll do next, but he thinks it’s best if you stay somewhere else with your mate now that we know someone wants to kill her.”