Lord of Capra (21 page)

You are more than
capable. The difficulty is with your mate. I do not believe Drake can defeat an
abomination by himself. He is swift, but he does not have your speed or
strength. However, you will need him to help destroy the creatures. I fear he
will not be content with that role. You know how protective your mate can be.

“What’s wrong?”
Drake stared at her from the doorway, concern evident in his expression.

“Nemesis has heard
reports about possible creatures on a planet called Vergon. It’s near Proteus,
in Tauran space. And where there are creatures—”

“There are abominations.”
Drake finished her sentence, his expression grim.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Nemesis streaked
toward Vergon. Her pilot was just as determined to reach the planet in record
time as she was. They closed the distance at top speed while an argument raged
in the control room.

“I don’t care what
you think, Nemesis! I’m staying with her!” Drake directed his protests at the
ceiling, fangs extended, eyes flashing bright blue.

“Only until the
creatures are destroyed,”
Nemesis stated stubbornly. “You will only
distract Evana with your presence when she fights the abomination.”

“What if there are
two or more of them? She’ll need my help.” He wasn’t giving up easily.

“Drake, you are not
fast enough to defeat an abomination. Vergon is a desert planet with one river
that flows through a broad valley. It is the only location where humanoid life
can survive. Since there are no large bodies of water, I will know where the abomination
or abominations are located at all times. It is possible I may need to protect
you from one.”

He knew Nemesis
would “protect” him by whisking him from the planet’s surface. His frustration
over being too slow was laughable most of the time. Right now, he hated being
unable to fight beside his mate against her greatest enemies. It went against
his every instinct, and he felt like killing something. Of course that could be
his vampire form thinking for him.

“If there’s more
than one, you have to let me help her, Nemesis,” Drake grumbled.

He worked hard to
bring his anger under control. Wasting his energy wouldn’t help his mate one
bit. His fangs retreated halfway and he closed his eyes, willing them to cool
off. He relaxed and his muscles lost their hardness as the transformation
ebbed. Once he opened his eyes again, he was back in control for the most part.
His partially extended canines were the only evidence indicating he didn’t
agree with the ghost ship’s plan.

“When the abomination
shows itself, I fear you will let your desire to protect Evana distract you
from fighting. If you should break her concentration in any way, the abomination
would have an opportunity to kill her. She can fight and destroy two of them by
herself, but you must not interfere. Perhaps there is only one this time.”

“You’re sure the
pregnancy won’t slow her down or make her too weak to fight?”

“In her enhanced
form, she is as powerful as always.”
Nemesis didn’t give him time to ask
his next question. “And the baby will be safe as long as you do not distract
her.”

Drake scowled at
the ceiling. “You better retrieve her before anything happens to either one of
them,” he warned.

“Beloved mate, do
not fear. I will not lose her.”

Better not,
Drake thought
silently.

The view screen
caught his attention. In the center, a bright star grew larger with each
passing moment. Once it filled half the screen, the view shifted as Nemesis
changed course. A small red dot came into view. It too grew larger until he
felt the shift in power transfer indicating Nemesis had dropped to sub-light
speed.

The pod cover slid
open. He smiled in appreciation as his naked mate pushed herself to a sitting
position. His breath caught in his throat, making it impossible for him to
speak as he admired her. Dammit. Would she always take his breath away?

*

“We’re thirty
minutes away from orbit.” Evana leapt from the pilot bed and hurried to
retrieve her goblet. She swiftly downed the contents, then set the empty vessel
back into its niche. It disappeared instantly.

She joined her mate
in the center of the control room and studied the world on the screen. Nemesis
was occupied with scanning the planet for their enemy. Drake’s strong arm
encircled her waist, and she sighed contentedly as he pulled her close. He slid
his large hand down to cover her belly. Evana couldn’t suppress a gasp when the
small life inside her fluttered.

Drake glanced down
and caught her shocked expression. “Did you feel that?”

Evana nodded. “Stronger
every day,” she whispered. His answering chuckle boosted her happiness, but she
didn’t miss the concern he tried to hide behind the tenderness gleaming in his
eyes. “I can do this, my love.” She tried her best to reassure him. She knew he
and Nemesis were fighting about her safety.

“I detect one abomination
and many creatures.” Nemesis announced the results of her scans.

“Many? You don’t
have a better count?” Drake snapped irritably.

“They are located
in a small area, very close together. I estimate their number to total three
hundred, more or less.”

“That’s many,” Evana
commented, and before her mate exploded, she grabbed his arm and put a finger
to her lips. His twisted in a snarl and he rolled his eyes, but thankfully kept
quiet.

“Pilot, you need
help to destroy so many creatures. I have located a likely source. Please study
the diagram on the view screen.”

“Oh, goodie. She
has a map.” There was no mistaking the sarcasm in Drake’s tone.

“The abomination is
located within the largest city, which is surrounded by a twelve-foot high brick
wall, one gate to the east and one to the west.”
A point on the map
glowed, indicating the city. “All the creatures are gathered there. I believe
the city’s inhabitants are trapped within the walls and are being held there
until all are slaughtered or turned. It appears the abomination is building an
army of creatures.”

“That’s new,” Evana
mused, perplexed by the actions of her enemy. “Are they getting smarter?”

“Unknown. A
coincidence perhaps, but your blood will lure them out of the city.”

“And the help?” In
response to Drake’s question a different point on the map glowed.

“This is a small
village a few miles from the city. My scans indicate several of the inhabitants
are of the warrior type. There are about twenty males. The others are Tauran,
like the inhabitants in the city.”

“I can try to
enlist their aid.” Evana thoughtfully studied the map.

“Not without me,”
her mate stated. “You’re not walking into a group of barbarian types by
yourself.”

“Agreed,” Nemesis
said. “From the information I have collected, Tauran warriors enjoy fighting,
but they can be very unpredictable. Apparently, they must agree with a cause
before they will fight.”

“Wonder why they
don’t live in the city?” Evana’s curiosity prompted the question.

“Maybe they don’t
like the city folk,” Drake offered.

“Whatever they may
think of the “city folk” is irrelevant. Their village will be the next target
for the abomination. The warriors will help. They have no choice.”

“Good point,” Drake
agreed.

“At this moment, my
scans indicate the warriors are gathered near the edge of a forest located a
couple miles from the western gate of the city. There are several Tauran males
with them, and most are near a roadway leading from the western gate through
the forest. I suspect they are waiting for sunrise.”

*

Studying the map
intently, Drake had an idea, but he needed more information. “Nemesis, how much
time do we have before sunrise?”

“One hour and
seventeen minutes, Galactic Standard.”

“So we can wait
until then?”

“Of course. It is
the preferred time to fight them as the sunlight weakens their eyesight.”

Perfect
, he thought. “I
believe the warriors know the city is too fortified for them to take. And they
seem prepared for an attack, using the forest for cover while they wait. I’ve
got a hunch they’re expecting the creatures to leave the city at some point. Why
don’t we give them what they’re expecting? If you place us on the road a few
yards closer to the city, our blood will draw them out sooner.”

“Shouldn’t we make
contact with the Taurans first and enlist their aid?” Evana asked.

Drake ignored her
suggestion. “Nemesis, once we’re on the surface, how long do you estimate it’ll
take before the creatures attack us?”

“The wind will
carry your scent to them immediately. It will take a few minutes, perhaps five
to ten, for them to be affected and drawn away from their kills. Count on no
more than fifteen minutes before they emerge.”

“Not enough time to
contact the Taurans. The creatures would be upon us before we could convince
the Taurans to trust us. And the last place we want to fight them is in the
forest. The cleared area is a better battleground, especially for fighting an abomination,”
he surmised.

“What if they won’t
help us?” Evana asked.

“The Taurans may
decide you are the enemy and attack,” Nemesis warned.

Drake had already
considered the two possibilities and had quickly dismissed them. He just had to
convince the two females he was right.

“We keep our backs
to them and our weapons drawn, showing we’re prepared to fight their enemies.
They’ll join us. I know they will,” Drake assured them. “It’d be dishonorable
for them to not help us.”

“How can you be so
certain?” Nemesis didn’t sound convinced.

“I’ve read some of
the data you’ve compiled about these guys. It talks about how the warriors have
a strict code of honor and how they pride themselves on their battle skills. Do
you think they’ll sit idly by as two humans, one a pregnant female, show up
unexpectedly and take a stand against their enemy? I wouldn’t.” When he got no
response from his mate or the ghost ship, Drake added, “Hell, if the whole plan
goes south then Nemesis can pull us out and we’ll try something else.”

“Agreed,” Nemesis
stated.

Evana didn’t say
anything, but he noticed her staring at him strangely. “So we have a little
over an hour to wait.”

“Yes.” He shifted uncomfortably
under her scrutinizing gaze. Suddenly, he knew exactly why she evaluated him so
carefully. He’d felt it rise within him when she drank from the goblet earlier.

“You’re hungry.”
Spoken at a whisper, her voice trembled, laced with need.

“A little,” he
admitted.

The smell of her
sweet arousal was almost unbearable. Perhaps she’d allow him take some of her
blood without the passionate lovemaking that always preceded or followed the
act. Just the thought of biting and feeding from her made him hard instantly.

“People are dying,”
he choked out. “How can we—”

“Yes, it’d be
insensitive for us to—”

“Very
inappropriate. We’re not barbarians.” He tried to convince himself that
throwing his mate to the floor and savagely taking her was out of the question.
To make matters worse, his fangs lengthened in preparation.
Crap.

“Pilot! Prepare
yourself and your mate for battle. He needs strength. And you must take more
elixir before transporting to the planet.”

Nemesis’
announcement must have startled Evana since she practically jumped into his
waiting arms. “We should hurry!”

“Best idea I’ve
heard so far.” He growled in anticipation as he walked toward his mate’s
quarters. The door slid open just in time, allowing them to pass through. If
Nemesis had an objection, she didn’t put it in words that he could hear. The
door snapped shut behind them.

Chapter Twenty-Five

A lone Harthian
fuel transport, unmanned and heavily armed, moved at a steady lumbering pace
away from the third moon of Proteus, accelerating gradually until finally
reaching its top speed, a sub-light velocity just below light speed. Its only
purpose was to provide fuel for ships traveling the outer trade routes. A great
convenience for vessels that had the proper authorizations and codes along with
the correct amount of credits required to make a purchase. At the moment, it
cruised along a minor route that would pass close to Capra by a few hundred
light years. For the wraith shadowing alongside, it was near enough to suite
Bayal’s purposes.

Hiding from the
cursed ghost ship’s scans and always staying beneath her notice rankled Bayal
more than his insufferable pilot ever could. His insane hatred for Nemesis
filled his thoughts constantly. Soon he’d destroy her. He yearned for nothing
else as it would prove to his creator that he was worthy. Lilitu could make him
more powerful if he pleased her. He’d become the strongest and most feared
wraith in the known universe.

Bayal counted the
hours since his departure from Vergon along with his sighting of Nemesis as she
streaked toward the planet and his doomed creations. He calculated the timing
to the exact second. Her arrival would be just before sunlight reached the
valley. It wouldn’t be long now before he ordered Grendhal to the pilot bed so
they could leave the protection of the transport.

How delicious it
was to imagine the ghost ship’s reaction when he finally revealed himself by
jumping to light speed. She’d immediately detect him and calculate his course.
Her precious planet, Capra, targeted once again. Nemesis would be outraged,
wild with concern and perhaps even a little careless. Bayal warmed to the idea
that he might finally, at long last, have the perfect plan to destroy her.

The past five years
of hiding had tried his patience. Now it’d been worth every day. After a few
months of exploring, he’d left his pilot on a remote, unimpressive world of
humanoids with instructions to blend in with the natives and cause no problems
that would alert Nemesis to his presence. Afterward, he’d journeyed to the outer
edge of the system and had settled into orbit around the distant star. He’d
drifted into a light hibernation, just deep enough to build his strength while
staying aware of his surroundings and checking on his pilot’s safety. Grendhal
was an important tool in his quest for more power and he didn’t want to lose
him just yet.

Bayal recalled his pilot’s
objections about being left behind and wished he had the ability to laugh.
Grendhal had asked how he’d survive without the elixir. The dull wit had even
begged to stay with him. His pilot was tiresome. The fool had no idea he could
live off the blood of the inhabitants.

Grudgingly, Bayal
had given him instructions. Take only enough to survive, do not kill your prey
or turn them. It was so simple an abomination could be trained to follow the
rules, given enough time and practice.

The only thing
Bayal had not counted on was pilot hunger. That had been something new he’d
never encountered. In the end, it’d worked in his favor. Grendhal was
weak-minded in so many ways.

The time had come.
Bayal opened the pod cover
.
“Enter!”

*

Grendhal obediently
arose from the cold floor where he’d been resting. Without comment, he
stretched his powerful lithe body, uncurled his tail and spread his leathery
wings out before folding them around his shoulders so he could recline
comfortably. He crossed the room with graceful strides and entered the pilot
bed. His reflection in the underside of the cover was void of emotion as it
slid closed, encasing him within the pod.

Once Bayal filled
him with energy, Grendhal dutifully sent it outward and they jumped to light
speed. This wasn’t his first trip to Capra, but he hoped it’d be his last.

Mindlessly, he
performed his piloting task as he’d been doing for ages. This time he did so
not because of threats to his existence, but because of Bayal’s threat to kill
his mate and their newborn daughter. Hatred for the wraith consumed him.
Grendhal knew there was no other choice. When he faced the Pilot Evana, he’d
kill her to protect his family. He’d slaughter her willingly, without any
encouragement or mind control from Bayal, and he hated himself for it.

He’d found a haven
of peace and happiness on the small world where Bayal had stranded him. For a
few meager years, life had been worth living. Now Grendhal missed his mate, the
beautiful, golden-haired humanoid who’d taken him in, given him a home and
trusted him with her heart. She’d even loved him in his true form, which he’d
never shifted to unless they were alone and hidden within the walls of her
dwelling. His mate had described him with one word—beautiful.

When he’d first met
her, he knew in an instant that if he fed from her, he wouldn’t be able to
stop. Pure instinct had driven him after that realization. She was his, and he’d
given her his blood several times before making her his mate.

Remorse filled him
as he brought to mind her tearstained face, so full of pain, when he’d been
forced to leave. He’d failed her. She’d thought he’d betrayed her, that he’d
abandoned her and their child.

At first, when
Bayal had returned for him, Grendhal had been surprised to discover he could
thwart the wraith’s attempts to control him. If his thoughts were centered on
his mate along with his desire to love and protect her, the wraith wasn’t able
take over his body or control him. Sadly, he’d not been able to protect his
mate from Bayal.

The presence of his
blood in his mate had given the wraith the perfect weapon to use against him. A
short demonstration of how much pain Bayal could inflict upon her had been all
it’d taken for Grendhal to admit how helpless they were.

After he’d
immediately capitulated and had allowed the wraith to take him from the planet,
he’d known he’d never see her or his child again. If he did, it’d mean Bayal
intended to kill his family just for the pleasure of torturing him. He’d have
to do exactly as Bayal instructed or the ones he loved would suffer a horrible
death.

Grendhal hoped his
mate would remember the instructions he’d given her long before their child had
been born. He’d urged her to go to the spaceport and board a passenger
transport heading toward the outer worlds of the Alliance if anything happened
to him. Flee as far away from their home as possible was his warning. By the
Fires of Zlenthor, he prayed she still trusted him enough to run.