Valan's Bondmate (2 page)

"Valan?"

Glancing her way, he frowned at her pouting face and pulled on his boots. He'd made sure she knew their arrangement was short term. He took care of her and in exchange she took care of his carnal needs.

Morna crawled up behind him and ran her hand down his back then around to his chest. She tapped the object in his pocket. "What’s this?"

He pulled out the jewelry box and flipped open the lid. Rare Xentian gems blazed in the light and threw colorful beams on to the walls.

"Oh," Morna squealed, grabbed the necklace and jumped from the bed. She hurried to the mirror and fastened the chain around her neck, stroking her fingers over the stones before she turned back to him. "How does it look?"

He focused on her. She was naked wearing only the diamonds. He felt nothing. For weeks he’d forced himself to visit her bed but the fleeting relief he found was no longer worth the effort. It wasn’t just his body’s need to cool the fever in his blood but his heart’s desire for a mate and children of his own. A Zarronian mate—not a Wrothian, he reminded himself. He yearned for a strong son to teach the warriors’ way and a beautiful daughter to protect but he wasn't sure he wanted either if they were tainted with Wrothian blood.

Morna moved back to the bed. She picked up the box and shook it. "You didn’t get the earrings?"

He slid his fire sword into the sheath on the back of his vest. "No, I didn’t get them. If you want them tell the store owner I gave you permission to purchase them with my credits as a farewell gift."

Morna slinked toward him with a pout on her face. "Where are you going? This is our last night to be together before you leave for Zhang." She reached out and touched his chest.

He caught her hand and forced it to her side before he released it. "My father is expecting me." He walked out of the room, his mind already on the journey ahead of him.

***

Zhang

Lia ad-San walked with the other women toward the village square. They moved slowly, dreading the punishment they were required by Wrothian law to witness. She let other women pass her, staying at the back of the crowd. The punishment of one of Gorm ad-Jai's women was a weekly event. This week’s punishment was to a pleasure-giver who accidentally spilled a few drops of ale on him. The previous week another woman didn’t show him the respect he believed he deserved. Gorm was a pig who deserved to be castrated and hung in the village square. But, none of the other warriors, including her sire, would take the chance of earning his hatred.

In the square she found a place at the outer edge hoping the taller women would block her view of the whipping post. Unfortunately, she could still see it through gaps between the groups of scared women and moved a few feet to the side. Still, being back there was better than being caught at the front of the gathering. She'd made that mistake once when she was younger. The memory of the horrifying cycle stayed with her and still gave her nightmares.

A gust of dry wind swirled causing her cloak and her long red hair to billow around her. When it lifted her gown she grabbed it then fought to control her hair. The wind calmed for a moment and she took the opportunity to pull the hood over her head and hold the front closed. When she looked up her friend Minda sent her a small wave and joined her.

"I didn’t think you’d be here this cycle, Lia. Wouldn’t your sire give you permission to miss the punishment?"

"He said my absence would offend Gorm."

"Everyone in the village is shocked by the agreement between your sire and Gorm. I saw Ciryl ad-Pry at the market and she said even her sire, as horrible as he is, refuses to do business with him."

"I know. My mother begged Selik ad-San to choose another master for me but he refused to change his mind." Lia glanced around and made sure none of the other women could hear them. "Tamar ad-Lin made an offer for me last week. He promised twenty percent of his trading credits for the next five annuals but my sire refused the proposal."

Minda’s eyes widened as Lia related the huge sum. "But, why? No owner or sire would turn down such a sum for a mere female. Tamar ad-Lin is one of the nicest owners and he'd allow you to be a child-giver." Her voice grew quiet. "Everyone knows females don’t live very long if they belong to Gorm."

A shudder of fear shook Lia. "I’m so scared of him, Minda. I don’t know what to do."

Minda placed a comforting arm around Lia’s slender shoulders. "If we could get you to one of the villages on the dark side of the planet maybe a nicer warrior would claim you."

"I wouldn't care if he was a farmer or a shop keeper as long as he didn’t want to harm me." She hugged Minda, and forced a smile to her lips.

Lia felt a rush of excitement for the first time in months. "I might be able to make it to the dark side if I could find someone to help me get there." She squeezed Minda's hand then turned away. She’d tried to fight her fear of Gorm but how could she when he constantly threatened to harm her and told her in explicit detail what he planned to do when she belonged to him. Many of the owners, her sire included, preferred to carry out punishments in the privacy of their own homes, but others like Gorm enjoyed showing their power and cruelty to the village.

The bell stopped ringing and a veil of tense silence fell over the crowd. As the seconds stretched into minutes they shifted and grew more anxious. Startled gasps filled the square when the gate of a nearby home flew open with a loud screech. Two guards emerged, forcefully dragging a young female between them. She struggled and pleaded with them as they pulled her toward the whipping post. Her owner, Gorm ad-Jai, followed. Sweat ran down his grotesque body and puffs of dust flew into the air with his heavy steps. He scanned the crowd of women and she knew he was looking for her. She shivered with revulsion and turned away while she pulled her cloak tighter around her body.

One of the guards held the woman tightly while the other bound her to the whipping post. Gorm stood several feet behind her. He unfurled the whip he carried allowing it to fall into the dust before he turned to the crowd. "This pleasure-giver will receive twenty lashes." At Gorm’s signal one of the guards stepped forward and ripped the gown from the bound woman's back, revealing healed scars from past whippings. Gorm snapped the whip in the air by her terrified face and laughed when she screamed. Without further warning he began the punishment, smiling cruelly when the first red welt appeared on her back.

Lia and Minda clung to each other as the sound of the whip on tender flesh and the screams of the victim filled the square. Lia squeezed her eyes shut but tears still escaped. Some cycle soon it would be her screams the other women endured. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the punishment ended and the crowd hurried away. The other women of Gorm's house freed the unconscious victim from the restraints.

Lia grabbed Minda's hand. "Let's go before Gorm catches me."

They only got a few feet before a heavy hand landed on Lia’s shoulder and spun her around. Stumbling, she caught her balance when Minda held onto her. Gorm stood in front of them. She felt Minda tremble and then send an apologetic smile before she muttered a quick farewell and fled. Lia stepped back from Gorm, waiting for his next move.

Jerking her against him, his fingers dug into her tender flesh. Deliberately, he brushed the bloody whip over her white cloak leaving behind a bright red stain. "Soon, you'll be mine and you’ll pay for insulting me."

Forcing herself to hold still, she bit her lip to keep from screaming. She refused to give him the satisfaction.

"Before I’m through with you, Lia ad-San, you’ll beg for mercy." He threw her away from him then roared with laughter when she fell.

Climbing to her feet, she turned and ran home. Latching the gate behind her, she surveyed the courtyard. Usually the serenity of the bubbling fountain and the scent of flowers soothed her. Not this cycle. Frightened, she hurried into the house and rushed to her mother, Nessa, who waited in the open doorway of her chamber. Lia hurried into her comforting arms.

"Oh, Mother, it was horrible. The poor woman screamed and begged for mercy but Gorm wouldn’t relent. He enjoyed whipping her." Lia couldn’t keep the tears from her eyes. "Please, talk to my sire again about Tamar ad-Lin’s offer. Please."

"Hush, Lia. You know it's too late." Nessa glanced around, and then pulled Lia into her chamber and closed the heavy door. "You mustn’t let the others hear you. If word of your disobedience gets back to Selik your punishment will be harsh."

Lia lowered her voice. "I could get to the dark side of the planet where Gorm wouldn't be able to find me."

"How many times have I tried to escape and failed? And, my mother before me? It can’t be done, Lia."

"I could go to Tamar ad-Lin and ask him to help me."

"Gorm would destroy him and every person in his household. Do you want their deaths on your hands?"

"No! I couldn’t bear that." Lia wrapped her arms around her waist. "I'm so scared."

Nessa smoothed her hand over Lia’s hair. "You still have almost thirty cycles to win his favor before he claims you."

"I can’t. You know I can’t. Any other owner I would have accepted, but I can’t accept Gorm."

"Soon he’ll take your sire’s place on the Tryad. This trade will assure us of Gorm’s protection and goodwill. You must accept him." Lia began to protest again and her mother released her. "I've done you a disservice. I should have punished you the first time you showed disrespect toward Gorm. Now, you've angered him and he intends to punish you."

"He intends to kill me. He's said as much."

"Listen to me, daughter. Gorm will punish you and it will be harsh, but you must accept it. Afterwards you must convince him you’ve accepted and honor him. If you do he will soften towards you." Nessa framed Lia's face with her hands and stared into her daughter’s eyes. "Do this for me. I beg you."

"Even if I live he won't allow me to be a child-giver."

"But you will be alive." Nessa hugged her.

"Mother…"

"I want you to go to your chamber and think about what I’ve said. Later, when you’re calm you’ll understand you must do as I've advised."

Discouraged, Lia moved to the door. Before she left the room she looked at her mother. "Somehow I will escape him."

***

Valan unwillingly turned the command of his starship, the Invincible, over to Cam before leaving the bridge. As he walked, he reviewed his plans for tomorrow’s raid on Zhang. Reassured nothing was overlooked or forgotten, he allowed himself to think about what awaited him in his quarters. Standing at the elevator, he caught his reflection in the doors. A shimmering blue mist rose from his skin and silver flames glowed in his eyes. Both signs of his rising fever and approaching death. 

The ship's doctor and his mentor, Borg Veeson, reminded him earlier the Council ordered the older warriors be given ZL3 the night before the raid. But they didn't give any justification for the order. He detested the drug. It made him feel out of control. On other trips Morna accompanied him, but the Council ordered all kourtisans be left behind this time. He didn’t care one way or the other. His fever reached a level where even sex no longer cooled his body. 

The Council finally allowed the Educators to hold classes concerning the bonding process, but his warrior's instinct warned him they were withholding vital information. His efforts to put his suspicions to rest only increased when he discovered the educational vids pertaining to bonding were destroyed or locked away. Instead the Educators gave well thought out lectures without allowing questions. He hadn't approached the older warriors who'd lost their mates.  He already knew they wouldn't answer his questions either, even his father and Borg refused. A fact that doubled his suspicions as the two old rogues were always more than eager to cause trouble when given the opportunity.

He stopped outside his door, hesitating before slapping his hand over the door’s opening mechanism. It slid open, and without a word to the older man waiting for him, he strode to his desk and sprawled in the large chair. 

"Good evening, Valan." Borg smiled. "How are you?"

Valan sent him a death stare. "I want an explanation for the Council's orders."

Borg tut-tutted as if he was a rookie cadet instead of a starship commander. "That bad, huh?"

Sighing, Valan acknowledged it was nearly impossible to intimidate a man who'd helped bring him into the world, and resigned himself to the inevitable. "Let’s get this over with."

Borg grinned and prepared the injection. "I wasn’t sure you'd actually put in an appearance."

"These are my quarters. I had to show up sooner or later."

"Actually, your father and I made a little wager on whether or not you would."

"And, now that I have, will you win or lose?"

"Because of your unpredictability, I’ve lost a very tidy sum to Eirik."

"Good. I wouldn’t want to think this was totally painless for you or my father." He tipped his head to the side and Borg placed the injection gun against his neck followed by a hiss and burn of the freezing cold mist as it entered his system. 

Borg repacked the med-box and moved toward the door. "You know the process."

"You didn't answer my question." Valan watched Borg.

Borg waved his hand over the opening mechanism and the door slid open. "Try not to be too angry with your father and the other council members. This is really the only way they could insure the Wrothian females’ safety."

"How can a drug induced fake hell that fools me into believing I've found my mate possibly spare her?" Crossing his arms over his chest. "All this does is increase my rage."

"A circumstance the Council was willing to accept."

Borg's words didn't make an iota of sense. Determined to learn something, Valan rose from the chair. "I'm ordering you to tell me everything you know about bonding, Dr. Veeson."

Borg shook his head. "The Council already ordered me to remain silent."

Valan pressed on anyway. "I was told a warrior could sometimes sense his mate. Is that true?"