Lord of Capra (26 page)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Drake didn’t know
how long he screamed or if he ever stopped to take a breath. His suffering
became one long extended nightmare. He called to every god he’d ever heard of
and made up a few more, praying for death to end his torture. He couldn’t
recall when he actually stopped screaming. What he did remember was the quiet
that came upon him when his pain unexpectedly ceased.

He was enveloped in
total darkness with no awareness of his body. If he had to describe anything
about how he felt at that very moment in his existence, he’d have said total
sensory deprivation. There was no air to breathe even if he felt inclined to
try, which he didn’t. And there was no weight pulling him in any direction.
Gravity didn’t seem to exist. Direction had no meaning either. Where would he
go? However, in the midst of his apparent non-existence, there came a sound. A
male voice, deeply masculine and powerful, spoke to him.

You are my chosen.
He “heard” the
words in his mind.

Who… He tried to
form a question, but had no ability to speak. The voice seemed to understand
his difficulty and answered.

I am Justice,
it told him.
I
can give you death, immediate and painless. Or I can give you life, if you join
with me as my pilot. The choice is yours. Decide now.

It was just another
decision to make. Simple.

Life, Justice, I
choose life with you,
he thought to the entity.

Drake regretted his
decision in the very next instant. If unbearable pain was what he’d previously
experienced, then the choice to join Justice was a thousand times worse. There
were no words or ideas to describe what he felt.

His body returned
and it burned, melting to liquid form from his feet to his head, reducing him
to primal matter. The intense agony seemed limitless. Thankfully, he soon lost
his mind.

* * * *

The pod cover slid
open and Evana scrambled from the bed. Weak, she fell over the side and landed
on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Pilot, you must
drink. Renew your strength. Quickly, Evana. We do not have much time. There are
many things you must do before we can leave.”

“No, Nemesis, I
have to go to him.” Evana struggled to her feet and stumbled on shaky legs to
reach the elixir that would revive her. She grabbed the full goblet and choked
down the entire contents, drinking and crying simultaneously.

“Your mate is not
on the surface, Evana. He is with Justice now.”

“What do you mean,
Nemesis?” She held her breath, daring to hope.

“There is always a
choice, pilot. Drake has chosen life. The transformation has begun.”

“He lives!” Relief
flooded into her. Drake was alive and with…Justice? “Nemesis, who is Justice?”

“My creation.”

Creation? Evana
glared up at the ceiling. “You created a wraith? I thought all wraiths were
evil and had to be eliminated!”

“Justice is my
child. I created him for Drake. How can you believe he is evil?”

“You should have
told me, Nem.”

Now that she knew
her mate lived, Evana felt betrayed and hurt that her ship hadn’t confided in
her. She wiped her face, brushing the tears from her eyes.

“Pilot, I feared
you might not want your mate to become like you. You shared a special bond with
him before Justice. Now he will not be dependent on you. I cannot sense him. He
no longer carries the mark of your blood, but he lives.”

Evana hadn’t
considered how Drake’s change might affect their relationship. Would he still
want her? Or would he reject her now? Nemesis had chosen a solitary existence.
Except for Grendhal, Evana had never met another pilot. How was she supposed to
act? Were they destined to be enemies?

No.
She couldn’t see
that happening. She loved him. He was her mate. And no power in the universe
would stop her from reclaiming him, keeping him, not even a wraith named
Justice.

“He’s mine,
Nemesis.”

“Then we must
prepare. Go to the surface. Check on Suri and any others the Pilot Grendhal had
contact with. Heal them if they are injured. Assure the people they are safe.
Tell them we will return in a few months’ time.”

“We’re leaving?”

“Yes. I do not wish
to miss Justice’s first flight with his pilot. I anticipate an exciting
journey.”

Evana couldn’t help
but smile. Nemesis already showed signs of being a proud mother. Justice better
not let her down.

* * * *

She found Suri
unconscious on the floor in the bedchamber. Her friend took even breaths and
her heartbeat was strong. Evana roused her and waited nervously while Suri
opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. The native woman’s eyes widened
in fear as she focused on Evana, apparently remembering what had happened.

“My lady, he wasn’t
your consort. He wasn’t Drake! He was…he changed into…me!” She started to
panic.

“Everything is
fine, Suri. You’re safe,” she quickly assured her. “The evil one is gone. He’s
dead. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Suri sobbed. Evana
used her strength, lifted her and placed her onto the bed. “Did he injure you?”

Suri shook her
head.

“You’re sure he
didn’t harm you in any way? The babe?” she prodded.

Suri grabbed her
stomach, ran her hands over her swollen belly and nodded. “It’s all right. I’m
fine. The babe is safe.”

She breathed a sigh
of relief
. Thank the goddess
.

“Do you know if he
hurt anyone else?”

“I don’t know. I
heard you calling and then—”

“Don’t, Suri, don’t
think on it. I’m thankful you’re unharmed.” She grasped her friend’s hand,
trying to reassure her.

“Suri!” A masculine
voice called from downstairs.

“It’s Ronnan!” Suri
sat upright and tried to leave the bed.

Evana gently pushed
her down, and shouted, “We’re up here!”

A few moments
later, Suri’s consort was at her bedside, hugging her. Evana backed away and
gave them a few seconds of privacy.

Before she could
ask if he knew of anyone who might have been injured by a stranger, Ronnan
turned to her, and said, “My lady, the healer from the north township was on
his way to the settlement delivering herbs. He found Garth alongside the road
and brought him to our own healer. He has a deep head injury. Our hunters found
the trail where he crawled out of the forest. The healers aren’t sure if he’ll
live.”

“Is he the only one
you know of who’s been injured?”

“Yes. We’ve not
heard of any other accidents. What happened, my lady? Garth was alert for a few
minutes, but the story he told didn’t make any sense. The healers think he isn’t
in his right mind.”

Evana nodded
solemnly. Bless the people. They just naturally believed anything that hurt
someone was accidental. They had no idea other beings could be cruel, murderous
or evil.

“Ronnan, is your
apprentice with you?”

The stable master
nodded. “He’s outside, waiting for me beside Garth’s cart.”

“Good.” Evana held
out a small vial to him. “Have your apprentice take this to the healers. It’ll
cure Garth. Tell him he must drink every drop. And let Garth know that the off worlder
who injured him has been destroyed.” Ronnan nodded. “Afterward, stay with Suri
until she’s ready to go home.”

“Yes, my lady.”
Ronnan placed a gentle kiss on Suri’s forehead before rushing out the door.

Once they were
alone again, Evana sat on the bed beside her friend. “Suri, I must leave for a
time.”

Her friend’s dark
brown eyes immediately filled with tears. “I’ll never see you again?”

She shook her head,
which was the wrong thing to do at that moment. It sent Suri into sobs of
anguish.

“No! I mean yes!
You’ll see me again. Soon!” She tried to quiet her friend. When Suri’s wails
quieted, Evana hugged her. “Very soon, Suri. I don’t want to miss the birth of
your next babe. Remember our promise? We help each other.”

Suri nodded and her
tears subsided, obviously comforted by Evana’s words.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Air.
His first
sensation was of air filling his lungs, expanding his chest as he took a deep
breath, then another. Drake detected his body again. There was no pain. He
thought his eyes were open, but all he could see was darkness. Something
brushed against the skin of his outer thigh. His entire body jerked in
response. His heart pounded, adrenaline rushed through his system, as he tried
to react to…his own hand. He clenched both, thankful he still could.

Fully aware of his
body now, he realized he was naked, resting on his back. He was able to move
his arms and legs just enough to discover he was enclosed in a box-like
container. His first guess, morbid as it might seem, was a coffin. Then his
mind expanded with details of his new existence. He was in a pod, a pilot’s
bed. And he wasn’t alone.

“Justice?” He spoke
the name and mentally called to his wraith. It was a strange sensation, and was
even stranger when Justice answered.

Drake, prepare.

For what?

He heard and felt a
change in the vibrations surrounding him. There was something familiar about
it.

Pilot, I hunger for…

The first blast of energy
shot into him. Not knowing what to do, Drake absorbed it, held on to it and then
let it flood his system. It felt good. The second one came at him, filling his
body to overflowing. He couldn’t contain it, had to release it, expel it
somehow, somewhere.

Feeling as if his
body might explode into millions of tiny pieces, he surrendered and let loose
his hold to allow the energy to flow outward. Drake felt it impact a barrier,
felt the wraith’s form accelerate. They streaked through space, away from Capra,
toward an unknown destination. He didn’t care where, and he could sense Justice
didn’t give a damn either.

Justice fed,
ravenously consuming the dark energy as he funneled the majority through
Drake’s body. In turn, Drake kept the force of it pushing against the wraith’s
barrier, keeping them racing across space faster than the speed of light. The
power flowing through him was euphoric, better than any drug he could have ever
imagined. In an instant, he’d become a dark energy junkie, addicted.

Suddenly, the flow
stopped. Their speed dropped to sub-light. Like a heroin addict going through
withdrawal, Drake bellowed, “Justice!”

Passed through the
filament. Must locate the next one.

An energy wave came
at him again. It was just an “oops” moment for the neophyte wraith.

* * * *

Aren’t they a bit
jerky?

Evana had been
holding in the question for at least twenty-four hours. They followed the
wraith, keeping a safe distance from him. The stop and go progress Justice
exhibited made her curious.

They are like newborns,
taking their first breaths, their first steps. It will take some time for them
to bond. Once Justice can maintain a steady supply of energy, Drake will learn
to balance the flow properly, exactly the same way you did when you first
became my pilot.

Can you contact
Justice?

That would not be
wise just yet. It could disrupt their bonding. Right now, Justice is unaware of
our presence. He focuses his probes ahead of him, not behind. After they are
more proficient as pilot and wraith together, then he will realize he should
check his surroundings more thoroughly. In the meantime, we will follow and
protect them.

You are a good
mother, Nemesis
,
Evana teased.

Perhaps, but I am
curious to see whose will is stronger in their partnership. Justice and I have
the same moral code. I do not believe Drake will be able to alter his
allegiance. However, your mate is very strong willed and demanding. The
relationship they develop will be interesting I think.

What about your
relationship with Justice? Do you think of him as your child or just a
creation?

At this moment, I
think of him as both my child and creation. Over the next few weeks, his power
will increase and then I will feel differently.

Differently,
Nemesis? In what way?

He will become a
potential adversary.

Adversary? As in
your enemy, Nemesis? Like Bayal?
Evana couldn’t believe what she heard.

Yes, if he refuses
to submit to the joining. Unlike Bayal, I will allow Justice the chance to
leave this galaxy. If he refuses, I will destroy him.

Nemesis, Justice
has my mate. Remember? How could you do that to your own child?

Calm yourself,
pilot. Justice will not refuse the joining, neither will Drake. He is your
mate.

The ghost ship was
impossible sometimes.

* * * *

After three weeks
of piloting, Drake was familiar with the routine. Twelve or so hours in the pod
before a few minutes reprieve to take nourishment. Then he returned to the
pilot bed. They were finally becoming a team. The last session was their best.
He believed they’d reached their top speed, and Justice agreed.

He swirled the
liquid gold elixir about, keeping a tight hold on the goblet. He inhaled
deeply, taking in the aroma before he tilted the cup to his lips and swallowed
the last mouthful. It smelled almost as good as it tasted. His body was energized
instantly. His hunger abated completely. Nothing was more satisfying.
Except
Evana
, his memory reminded him. Instantly, his fangs grew longer. He was
getting used to the reaction.

During the first
week of his new life, he hadn’t thought much about her. There hadn’t been any
free time for reminiscing. Once he’d become more proficient as a pilot, his
thoughts wandered back to her, especially when he wasn’t in the pod.
God.
He missed her so much it hurt. They’d never been separated for so long.

“Justice?”

“I am ready, pilot,”
Justice answered immediately.

Drake lowered
himself into the pod, but before he relaxed, he asked, “Justice, is Nemesis
still following us?”

“Yes. She paces us.”

Good
, he thought
silently. It helped a little to know his mate was near, even if he couldn’t
touch or speak to her.

“Ever since I
discovered her, she has stayed close, but her silence is unsettling.”

“Maybe you should
try talking to her?” Drake thought his idea had some merit.

“No. I believe that
would be disrespectful, maybe even dangerous. My instincts tell me I should
wait for her to make first contact.” Justice paused for a few seconds while
Drake waited impatiently for the pod cover to close above him. “I am changing
course. We will go back toward Capra,” the wraith announced.

An instant later,
they were heading home. Nemesis’ reaction was unexpected. Without any warning
or acknowledgement, she sped past them. For a time, they matched her speed. All
too soon it became apparent to Drake they were no match for the ghost ship and
her pilot. Nemesis seemed to soar with little effort through the dark maze of
filaments.

They made it look
so easy.
Showoffs.
Are they just going to run off and leave us out
here?

Actually, she is
teaching me how to thread the filaments to better fit our desired course. Yes,
so simple
.
Our speed will increase, especially when you learn how to maintain your
focus on the energy transfer to keep the level in balance.

Great. I’m the weak
link.

Do not be
discouraged, pilot. In time we will be almost as swift as they are.

Almost, huh?
Drake had to ask. “Almost”
sounded like a challenge.

I am wraith, not
powerful like my creator.

You’re powerful,
Justice. And don’t let her tell you any different. Just because she’s bigger
and all bad-assed strong, don’t believe everything she says.

Justice responded
by sending him a massive wave of energy. Drake suspected the wraith was just
trying to shut him up.

Redoubling his
efforts to “maintain focus,” as Justice had suggested, he tried to keep his
mind blank. It was impossible. A thought or two just crept in. He couldn’t help
thinking about the fact that Nemesis had gone off and left them behind. He was
actually a bit surprised and even hurt. How could she just leave them all alone
in the middle of…

Justice, where
exactly are we?

We are deep inside
the area of space the E’Laysian Empire has claimed.

Never been here
before.

He sought out the
connection in his mind they shared. It allowed him to “see” what the wraith
observed. Darkness, of course, but there were stars, the patterns of which he
couldn’t begin to unravel. Nothing looked familiar.

Ahead of them
stretched the black tunnel of the filament they followed. Stars blended into
swirls of light near the edges, a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of color while they
traveled faster than light. At the very center, he could see a tiny starburst
of color, invisible to anyone other than the wraith. It was Nemesis, leading
the way.