Kidnapped by a Warrior (13 page)

She
wanted to be back in Jakara’s house, playing cards with him and listening to
him tell her about the battles he’d fought and the missions he’d flown. She
wanted to hold him and feel him inside her again. She ached for the taste of
his kisses, and the sound of his voice, deep, sexy, and commanding.

They’d
almost reached the door when the radio on the woman’s jacket sprang to life,
startling Callie. The woman held out a metal baton and stopped just short of
touching Callie’s arm. “
Move,
and I’ll use this on
you.”

She
had no intention of testing the woman’s words. Callie listened to her speak in
the same language that Walton and the other man had used while they were
searching Jakara’s house, and then the woman narrowed her eyes at Callie. She
nodded a few times, said more things into the radio, and then Callie was led
back toward the same door through which they came.

“
Where are you taking me?”

“
Be quiet.”

The
woman led her to another part of the building, and Callie couldn’t help
wondering if her parents and sisters had gone through something similar. She
took several deep breaths as they walked so she wouldn’t start crying again at
their memory. How could they be dead? So much had happened to her in the last
eight months that she was no longer sure what was real, and what wasn’t.

The
only things she was certain of were the way it felt to be in Jakara’s
arms,
and the look in his eyes when he made love to her.
Would she ever touch him again, or look into those dark eyes? Just once … just
long enough to tell him she loved him, too.

****

Jakara
felt like a blood traitor standing in one of the rooms reserved for clients to
look over the girls brought from the holding cells. This was where men waited
to hand-pick the women they wanted to use until they grew tired of them, or
until they sent them back here, broken and terrified to be touched. He had no
place here.

But
Eldon had explained that this was the only way to avoid all-out war. He had the
power to come here and demand Callie’s release, but it would start a chain
reaction that would end only in bloodshed. This was more risky, but in the long
run would do the least damage.

Callie
wouldn’t know Eldon, even without the ridiculous hood, and she wouldn’t
recognize him until he was able to remove his. She’d be so frightened, but
fortunately it would only be for a short time. And then he’d spend the rest of
his life making this up to her.

His
pulse raced as they heard footfalls. This
had
to work. A sour-looking woman dressed in green fatigues brought in close to a
dozen Earth women, and Jakara recoiled at the way they were dressed. Their hair
hadn’t been combed, and it was obvious they were frightened out of their minds.

This
was the fate he’d condemn her to if this plan failed. He and Eldon exchanged a
glance. None of these women were Callie. What if they didn’t bring her? How
would he or Eldon ask for her specifically without tipping their hand?

Finally,
the door opened again, and a second female guard brought her in. As soon as she
saw them she tried to back away, shaking her head. It was all
Jakara
could do not to run toward her and put his arms
around her. The woman yelled at her to behave and stand still. Jakara made
fists with his hands, pinning his arms to his sides.

Eldon
caught his eye and then glanced toward the ceiling.
Jakara
followed his gaze, spotting the camera. He made a show out of moving next to
each of the women, pretending to look them over, but inside he was screaming.
It was important to keep up the ruse, but Callie looked as though she would
faint any second now. His heart nearly burst from pain.

He
grabbed her arm, dying inside at her frightened moan. Her body stiffened, and
then her eyelids fluttered and her breathing became rapid. If he hadn’t held
her up she’d have fallen.

He
glanced toward Eldon.
“This one.”

Eldon
nodded, and the others were herded out of the room. He and Eldon took Callie
out of the building. She barely resisted them, and Jakara knew she must be in
shock. They had to get her someplace where he could reveal himself to her so
she’d know she was safe.

Jakara’s
heart pounded as they approached Eldon’s ship. Would they be stopped? He didn’t
relax until they were inside and he placed Callie in the third chair and
buckled her in. Her eyes were closed tightly, and soft whimpers escaped her
throat. Jakara went to pull off his hood, but Eldon stopped him.

“
Wait until we are safely in the air.”

“
She’s going into shock. Can’t you see how frightened
she is?”

“
Then put her to sleep for the ride.”

He
didn’t want to do that, but it was in her best interests. He strode over to his
flight jacket and pulled a syringe out of the pocket, then squirted half the
liquid onto the floor. It wouldn’t take them longer than an hour to reach Sera,
and there was no hyper jump involved. She didn’t need to be asleep as long as
she’d been when he’d first brought her here.

Just
before he injected her arm, she opened her eyes and looked at him with the most
heart-wrenching plea imaginable on her face. It actually hurt to see the fear
in her eyes. Jakara didn’t care if Eldon disapproved. He would not put her to
sleep without her knowing she was safe.

He
leaned close and whispered in her ear. “Callie, it’s me.
Jakara.
You’re safe. Sleep now. And when you wake, we will be at our new home.” He
heard her soft gasp, and then he pushed the plunger down.

Chapter
Twelve

Callie
opened her eyes and sat up, glancing around. Her mind was still foggy, but she
remembered hearing Jakara’s voice, just before she fainted. Or had he put her
to sleep? Had she dreamed the entire thing? Where was she?

She
stood, looked down at the shift she was wearing, and then gasped as it all came
back to her. The stench of the holding cells, and being brought to that room
where other women cringed in fear and loathing as two hooded men looked them
over like they were nothing but slabs of meat.

Two
of them had taken her to a spaceship, and then…

No
. But she knew she hadn’t dreamed
it. Jakara
had
whispered in her ear
just before she’d gone to sleep. But if that was true, where was he? And who
was the other man?

The
door opened, and there he was, dressed not in combat fatigues but in a tunic
and loose-fitting pants, much like the clothing he’d given her to wear. She
cried out and ran into his arms, not daring to believe he was real but knowing
he was.

“
I knew you’d find me. I knew you would. I never gave
up hope.” She could barely speak. He kissed her hair, her mouth, her face, and
held her so tightly she could hardly take a full breath. But that didn’t
matter. He was real. It was true. He’d rescued her, and she was safe, with him.

“
I’m so sorry, Callie. I’m so sorry you had to go
through that.” He cupped her face. “Did Walton and Logan hurt you? Did they
touch
you?”

“
What? No … no. That other man was Logan?
Your
Section Chief?”

“
Former
Section Chief.”

She
pulled out of his arms to glance at the other man in the room. He wore robes
lined with gold trim, and his hair was long and flowing. His aura screamed
self-importance and wealth.

“
He works for me now.” The man approached her,
holding out his hand. She shook it, confused. “I am Eldon.
A
Regum of the Second Order.
Welcome to your new home.”

She
looked up into Jakara’s face.
“Your friend, Eldon?
But
I don’t understand.”

“
This was the only way,” he said. “If Eldon had
demanded your release, it would have sparked an investigation, and we would
have risked open war.”

“
But you…” She didn’t want to offend Eldon, but she
had to say something. “I thought you were already at war with the Regum? Is
this safe for both of you to have done this?”

Eldon
smiled. “You were right. She is very intelligent. Jakara’s father and I are old
friends. He had no one to turn to, so he came to me and asked me to save you.”

She
cut her gaze toward Jakara again. “You asked for his help?”

“
Yes.”

“And
as for your question on the issue of war,” said Eldon, “had I demanded your
release, no one would have been safe on any of the three planets. The conflict
would have escalated beyond what I was willing to risk.”

Callie
swallowed hard. “I’m confused.”

“
I didn’t tell you everything about Eldon,” said
Jakara. “He is not only an old friend. We have kept in contact. He has the same
views I do, and he works in secret to oppose the extreme faction of Tyranns who
built the holding cells, and are building the compound I told you about.”

“
Oh … But isn’t that still dangerous for both of
you?”

“
Yes,” said Eldon, “but some things are worth
fighting for.”

“
Where are we?”

“
We’re on Sera, in a home on Eldon’s property.”

She
glanced around. “This is where we live now?”

“
Is it not to your liking?” asked Eldon.

“
Oh, no.
That’s not what I mean. It’s
beautiful.” Her thoughts were still fuzzy. “So you were the other man in the
hood?”

“
I was. We had to disguise ourselves because Jakara
could not be seen. He would have been apprehended.”

“
But that means you can’t go home again.” What had he
done?

“
That is my home now,” said Jakara. “I live here with
you.”

“
But what about Lesha?
And all your
things?”

“
Eldon has taken care of that. And Lesha is safe with
friends.”

“
What about your work?
Your
missions?
How could you give all that up?”

“
I haven’t given it up. I’ve merely changed my focus.
From now on I’ll be working behind the scenes, with Regum like Eldon, on
finding a peaceful solution to our differences.”

She
studied his face carefully. “And you’re okay with that?”

“
I am more than okay with it.”

“
I’ll give you two some time to talk,” said Eldon.

Callie
watched Eldon turn to go, and then Jakara let go of her. “I’ll be right back.”

He
and Eldon walked out into the hallway and she heard them talking, but they were
using their own language. When Jakara finally came back into the room, he
pulled her into his arms again and kissed her.

Callie
melted into his embrace. This was
real
.
She was safe, and he’d rescued her.
But at what price?

When
he released the kiss, he frowned. “You’re upset.”

“
Not upset, just confused. I feel as if you’ve given
up everything you believed in.”

“
I have not. I assure you. Eldon and I are part of a
growing group of Tyranns and Regum alike who want to bridge the gap between the
rigid laws of the Regum and the extreme behavior the Tyranns are now
exhibiting. As I’ve said to you before, it was never supposed to be this way.”

“
But a desk job?
On Sera?
And working for a Regum? Jakara, this is everything you’ve spoken out against
since I met you.”

His
gaze softened, and he looked at her with nothing short of love in his eyes.
“This was the only way to save the woman I love.”

“
Oh my God … I love you, too. I love you so much. I
was so afraid.” Everything bubbled up, and she could no longer contain it.
“When Walton and Logan took me, I thought they were going to rape me. But then
they brought me to the holding cells, and I knew where I was. I don’t know how
I knew, but I did. And then when I was in that room with all those other
women,
and you two were in those hoods…”

She
couldn’t continue because she didn’t want to cry again. Jakara held her,
stroking her hair and back, whispering words she could barely understand
through her fear and confusion.

“
That’s over now. I’m sorry we had to do that to you,
but I couldn’t be seen, and for obvious reasons neither could Eldon.”

“
I never thanked him. He helped you save me, and he
risked his life, too. And I never thanked him.”

“
We have the rest of our lives for that. I want you
with me forever, Callie. Will you have me?”