The Siren's Call (Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance) (FORCED TO SERVE) (13 page)

He finally offered his hand to her, pulling her to her feet, catching her as she weaved. “I’d offer to carry you, but I don’t think I can. They drugged everything I ate and drank. It’s fading a bit, but I’m still doing well just to walk.”

Gwen patted his arm before shifting her gaze to Jordon. “I’ll make it. So you coming with us or not?”

Jordon sighed and climbed over the fence. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Gwen snorted. “I hope so too. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”

She grabbed Zade’s wrist, pushing the com link as she lifted it close to her mouth. His gaze was hot on her as her lips almost grazed his arm, but she made herself ignore the signals his body was sending.

“We’ve found Sarinnea,” she said when Synar connected.

“Good. We ran into complications, but we’re on our way in. Meet me at the shuttle. It’s in the woods just outside the city. The coordinates are in the com unit,” Synar said.

“Heading there now. Jet out,” Gwen said, ignoring the way Zade rubbed the wrist she’d held while he held her gaze. Pulling her eyes from his, she looked at the new group member that she hoped could prove himself useful. “Which way is the city gate, Jordon?”

He lifted his hand and pointed.

“Thanks. Let’s go then,” Gwen said, heading off.

The other three watched her stride off not even glancing back. They looked at each other and then followed.

Chapter 10

Want to set some boundaries before I forget I’m supposed to listen to you? I’m very upset that they captured my host.

Synar ignored Malachi’s question as he studied the two guards.

Gwen said this was a trap for you. Can you be trapped? Be truthful.
He felt the demon mist wavering around him, with Malachi’s vibrations moving against him like a breeze.

Only by you or Ania
, Malachi sent.

Then what the Helios are they trying to do? I’d rather know before we just charge in there,
Synar demanded.
Can you tell what we’re getting into?

Malachi reached out to see if anything had changed now that they were just outside where she was being held. His energy bounced off without penetrating.

No. The metal of her prison seems to be Ceruse. Even a Khalsa warrior can’t curse free of that metal. And I can’t see past the energy signature of it. We’re just lucky there’s only one planet that can provide demon- and Khalsa-proof materials. If it were more common, more than just prisons would be built with it.

Got a guess then about what they might try?
Synar asked, his irritation at Malachi’s ramblings rising along with his impatience to go get Ania out.

It’s a stretch—but they might have another amulet and another master waiting. If they killed Ania’s body while I was in it, I would be free of my contract with her and need a place to go. They might not have accounted for me having a demon master. Or the fact that I would wipe away their existence as if they had never been
, Malachi sent fiercely.
I’m worried about Ania, and I don’t like it, Liam.

The reluctant admission amused him on some level, but Synar felt his energy aligning with Malachi’s in a way it never had. He let himself feel Malachi’s full power, and admitted he intended to use it any way he had to in order to free Ania.

Malachi quivered around Synar as he stood.
I have never felt your acceptance until now. Thank you, Liam.

I mostly don’t care what’s in there,
Synar sent.
I care only about finding her. We will do what we must.

I have never been more willing to serve you
, Malachi sent.

Synar walked to the door of the building, meeting two guards on the way.

“Disable them quietly, but don’t kill them,” Synar said out loud.

The two males listened to his orders to Malachi, looking confused. Then they suddenly dropped. Synar thought they were both lying suspiciously still for merely being unconscious, but he didn’t want to take time to check if the demon had overstepped his orders or not. The time for not trusting Malachi to obey him was done. He had to believe they had an accord in freeing Ania.

Inside the building, there were two more guards with weapons and another one at a desk.

Same thing?
Malachi asked.

“Yes. Leave the one at the desk for questioning,” Synar answered out loud, seeing confusion on the male’s face at first, then fear when the guards around him suddenly dropped to the floor.

He walked to the male and met his gaze. “Where is the female you’re holding as prisoner?”

“She is not harmed, just unconscious,” the guard quickly said, lifting a set of keys from the top of the desk and holding them out. Then he noticed the angry male’s glowing eyes. “I do not wish to die at the hands of a demon.”

“Then you had better hope she still lives,” Synar told him. “Take me to her and tell me how you planned to capture the demon.”

“A master waits for her demon to return,” he answered, caring only to save his life while he could.

Looks like you guessed right
, Synar sent.

Shall I kill your would-be competition?
Malachi asked.

Not just yet. If it can’t be avoided, I would prefer to do it myself,
Synar replied, feeling Malachi quiver at his words.

Just before they got to the cell, Synar pushed the guard to the wall.

“Stay there and remain silent until we finish this. If you try to flee, you’ll meet the fate of the other guards. Do you understand?” Synar whispered.

Seeing his nod, Synar let him go and peered into the cell. The door was open and a large male in robes paced the area. On the table were books that Synar suspected were a matching set to his. Ania was stripped naked and shackled to the wall, both at wrists and ankles. Around Ania’s neck was a demon’s amulet that looked just like Malachi’s—or rather Conor’s now.

Seeing her unconscious form so at the mercy of her captor, Synar’s anger rose to blinding rage, but he tamped it down hard. It took every tiny bit of control he had not to have Malachi strike the male dead where he stood.

Synar walked into the cell, pulling his fighting knife and the stunner from his belt.

“Trying to capture my demon?” he asked the male who turned wide eyes to him.

“Yours?” he asked calmly. “It is mine after today. I have the host body, the amulet, and the words of control. All I need is the demon to show up.”

“How disappointing for you to be visited by the demon’s master instead,” Synar said. “Now free my mate or you die.”

“Your mate? Are you insane? This female carries a demon within her. I don’t know what she told you, but she is not a normal female. There are many others for sale on this planet. I will split the profits with you, and you can buy any female you want, perhaps even two,” he said. “If you kill me you get nothing. Conor Synar has promised a fortune to the one who brings him a demon.”

“Money? This is about money? So Ania was right. Some beings are just too far gone to be redeemed,” Synar said, knowing for sure now that had included his brother. “Sad to tell you, but Conor Synar is no longer interested. So you won’t be getting that great sale after all.”

The male moved quicker than Synar could have guessed, and in a blink had a knife at Ania’s throat while he hid behind her. “Come closer and the female you called your mate dies now. The demon is not here to save her, and you would kill her getting to me.”

“Yes, but if she dies, you would die suffering in ways you’ve never dreamed. If fact, if I see even a drop of life force leave her, you will do so,” Synar said. “Put the knife down and leave. This is your only chance to survive.”

What went through the male’s mind, Synar would never know. He reared back with his knife and stabbed Ania’s body in the back, the knife causing her body to jerk as it penetrated.

“No!” Synar yelled, running forward to embrace Ania’s body. “Malachi.”

The male ran past Synar and out of the cell.

What do you want me to do?
Malachi asked.

“Kill him quickly and return to Ania,” Synar ordered, pulling off his cloak and wrapping it around her naked form. The knife was keeping the wound mostly closed so Synar left it in place. His rage was blinding, but the need to care for her was stronger.

“Guard! Come here and release her now,” he ordered, his eyes broadcasting his connection to Malachi more strongly than they ever had. His mind was with the demon seeking the end of the male who had hurt his mate.

The guard hustled into the cell, calling out in fear as he heard the other male screaming in agony a short distance away.

“Ask me what you wish, just do not send the demon to kill me.” His hands shook as he took the keys from the kneeling male and unfastened the shackles all around.

“What drug has been given to her?” Synar demanded.

“Pentanes. The effects last for three days,” the guard said.

Synar nodded. Once Ania’s body was freed, Synar lifted it gently over one shoulder. She was hurt, and it was his fault for hesitating. He should have just killed the male in cold blood. He should have had Malachi do it. It was the repeating pattern of his life that his hesitation always brought pain to those he cared for.

“Shackle yourself in her place,” Synar ordered.

The guard hesitated a moment, then he did as asked, handing Synar back the keys.

“Do not call out or scream for help. The smallest cry of alarm will doom you,” Synar warned before walking out of the cell with Ania.

Malachi returned and went into Ania’s body without waiting for Synar to order it. Moments later, he came out again.

The knife did not hit vital organs, but when it is removed, the bleeding will be a problem, as well as the damaged tissue. The metal was Ceruse and is quite poisonous to most creatures. I can’t work on her until the knife is removed for fear of causing the bleeding. It is best to attempt the healing onboard the Liberator. I think she should make it until then. I am glad now I made her so strong during our merging,
Malachi sent.

Not answering, Synar walked out of the building and pressed the com button on his jacket. “Gwen? Are you at the shuttle yet?”

“No, we had a bit of problem leaving the city. Zade and I had to take out a few more guards. Good news for you maybe if you’re close behind us,” Gwen said.

“I’m just now leaving. Ania is badly hurt. She got stabbed when we tried to free her,” Synar reported, choking on the words. “Warn Boca. We have to leave the knife in place for now to keep her from bleeding. She’s unconscious.”

“We’ll be watching for you. I’ll have the shuttle ready to go when you get here,” Gwen told him.

“Synar out,” he said, disconnecting.

Liam, I realize this is not the time for a lecture, but you know Ania would have done just exactly what you did if the situation had been reversed. She would not have wanted to kill him at first either
, Malachi sent, pleased more than he wanted to admit when he felt Liam relaxing.
Afterwards though, your mate might have thought of something less lethal than death, yet extremely clever and wicked to punish the entire species of that planet.

Too bad it so sorely disappoints you that I am not as warrior minded as my mate
, Synar sent resentfully as he walked.

His emotions rioting, Synar felt the demon’s compassionate energy pressing on him and almost ordered his silence. Then he thought of the female he carried telling him they were both responsible for the demon’s reform.

Fine.
What do you think Ania might do to a planet full of self-serving slave owners and traders?

Liam, there is no need to hide your disgust of them from me. It is satisfying enough to my energy that the male who threatened you two is now just a few granules of dust to be picked up on someone’s shoes. I felt your desire for his death even as I destroyed his corporeal form.

Synar shook his head.
You know Ania would not have ordered his complete obliteration.

True. Ania seems to prefer to torture and leave a sample behind, but really you and I both know that someone abusing the books of training shouldn’t be running around free anyway. I prefer to believe the Creators may have wanted me to end him. Let’s go with that.

His destruction still came too late to keep Ania safe,
Synar sent.

Ania would tell you that regret changes nothing. She will not die from this wound. I will not allow that happen, even if it means I have to dwell within her and neglect your brother’s body. Her well-being comes first with me as much as it does with you
, Malachi sent back.

Your loyalty is noted, now shield us from sight
, Synar ordered, walking steadily toward the gates of the city, moving past all the uniformed males coming in and out the guard building with dead bodies and scared slaves begging for mercy.