Zealot
Authors: Cyndi Friberg
Zealot
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Copyright © 2015 Cyndi Friberg
Cover art by Dar Albert
Editor: Mary Moran
Electronic Book Publication, November 2015
Trade Paperback Publication, November 2015
Edition One B
With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author, Cyndi Friberg.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
Praise for
Beyond Ontariese
Taken by Storm
“
Taken by Storm
had it all—tense action, suspense, erotic sex, humor and a wildly imaginative plot.”
~
The Romance Studio
“Unplug the phone and put the kids to bed; once you start reading
Taken by Storm
you won’t want any interruptions!”
~
Fallen Angel Reviews
“For a story that will delight, entertain, and keep you on the edge of your seat, I highly recommend
Taken by Storm
and award it RRT’s
Perfect 10
.”
~
Romance Reviews Today
Operation Hydra
“I highly recommend
Operation Hydra
…
it’s one of the best science fiction romances I’ve ever read
. Perfect 10!
”
~
Romance Reviews Today
“Outstanding! This segment only whetted my appetite for more. The heat between Kyrsta and Trey could cause a nuclear meltdown.
”
~
Simply Romance Reviews
City of Tears
“WOW!
City of Tears
by Cyndi Friberg is one amazing blend of science fiction at its best and romance at its hottest…”
~
eCata Reviews
Zealot
Cyndi Friberg
Battle Born, Book Three
:
When a man claiming to be an alien walks into Indigo’s wellness emporium, she isn’t really surprised. She was raised on stories of a fierce alien race that secretly interacts with humans. Still, hearing the stories and coming face-to-face with an alien are two very different things.
Zilor Nox is sent to Earth to recruit a psychic healer, but he finds so much more in Indigo. She’s wild, passionate, and genetically compatible with him—as well as seventy-three other warriors. He wasn’t looking for a mate, but now that he’s found her, he has no intention of letting her go. And there’s no way he’s losing her to one of her other suitors.
Indigo has spent most of her adult life downplaying her abilities, so when Zilor offers her the opportunity to help Chandar, a woman crippled by years of abuse, Indigo doesn’t hesitate. But shortly after Indigo and Zilor leave Earth the “mating pull” ignites and neither can think of anything but indulging the fire. Even after the passionate interlude, Indigo insists her only purpose for leaving Earth is to help Chandar. Zilor is just as determined to prove they are destined to be together. Unfortunately, there are seventy-three other warriors with exactly the same goal.
Table of Contents
“You want to do what?” Danvier looked up from his half-full plate for the first time since Zilor entered the cabin with the tray of food. They were aboard the
Crusader
, a mid-size Rodyte fighter currently concealed inside Earth’s moon. Danvier had been so worried about his sister, Chandar, and so riddled with guilt, that he’d barely left the room since their arrival two days before. Zilor understood his need for solitude, but it couldn’t go on indefinitely. It wasn’t healthy, it wasn’t helpful, and Chandar desperately needed their help.
“Raina called Indigo this morning, but the conversation didn’t go as Raina expected,” Zilor told him then laughed. “That probably made no sense to you.”
The past few days had been particularly hectic. Zilor and Danvier rushed to Earth from Rodymia, their home world, desperate to rescue Chandar from her tormentors. They’d expected a few hours, perhaps even a day to acclimate to the new situation before the mission began, but an opportunity developed before they’d even located their new quarters.
The rescue mission had been a success. Chandar was now safe, but her emotions were shattered by two years of abuse and her mind had been damaged by her captor’s clumsy attempt to wipe her memory. She needed a healer, someone capable of mending not just physical, but emotional injuries.
“I’m still sleep deprived,” Danvier warned. “Start over and use small words.”
Zilor slipped onto the chair across from Danvier and tried to encapsulate a four-hour meeting into succinct facts. “Raina is Kotto’s mate. Indigo is her cousin.” Kotto Tarr commanded the ship, but neither Zilor nor Danvier were technically part of his crew. They were on special assignment and answered directly to the rebellion’s leader.
“I’m with you so far.” Danvier picked up his mug of
civata
brew and took a sip of the fragrant beverage. With a strong, nutty flavor and an even more stimulating effect, the hot drink was the Rodyte equivalent of coffee.
“Their mothers are identical twins,” Zilor continued, “so it’s more than likely Indigo has the protein marker.”
Sudden interest sparked in Danvier’s eyes. The all-important protein marker. Zilor knew what the marker meant, but he had no idea how or why some microscopic speck in a female’s blood could reveal so much about her. Females with the marker were human/Rodyte hybrids and only hybrids could survive the transformation needed to free the magic inside battle born males. The transformation was triggered by the mating bond, so each eligible female had to agree to bond with a battle born male. In return they’d receive a longer life, better health and the chance to interact with a race of beings far more advanced than their own. Locating, and eventually recruiting, these females was the primary reason for the battle born’s presence on, or should he say near, Earth. But there was still much to do before the rebel leaders were ready to make a formal announcement.
“Is Indigo aware that she has alien blood?” Danvier asked then continued eating.
“It’s possible, though not probable,” Zilor said. “Their maternal grandmother is a descendant of Rodyte refugees and she was also the captive of a Rodyte warrior. She was very vocal about what happened to her, but her family didn’t believe her wild stories.”
“Typical.” Danvier speared a piece of fruit with his fork as he asked, “If it’s almost a sure thing that Indigo has the protein marker, why don’t you just grab her and bring her back here?”
“If she’s just a potential mate, all of this can wait until Lunar 9 is operational,” Zilor explained. Renovating the outpost was the primary focus for the
Crusader’s
crew and they were making remarkable progress. “Everyone agrees that having unmated females on the ship is too disruptive. But Indigo also claims to be a psychic healer. It’s that claim we need to verify.”
Danvier paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. “She might be able to help Chandar?” Hope warred with regret, making Danvier’s expression heartrending.
Chandar was a female harbinger, a treasure beyond price. With varying degrees of clairvoyance and prophetic abilities, harbingers were always coveted. Females were stronger than males and those born with their abilities, as opposed to those genetically altered, were even more powerful. Chandar was organic and female, so she’d been awarded by their planet’s ruler, bestowed on one of his favorites like a parcel of land. And so began her two-year sentence in hell’s outer ring.
“Has Indigo worked with victims of violence before?” Danvier’s expressionless mask dropped back into place. He was also an organic harbinger, nearly as powerful as his sister, which was part of the reason he was so haunted by her abuse. He should have
seen
the danger, should have been able to protect her from harm.
“That’s what Raina was trying to find out this morning,” Zilor told him, “but Indigo was downright hostile.”
“Why?”
Zilor made a face. Complications were frustrating, but it took more than an unforeseen twist to deter Zilor from his chosen course. “Apparently, Raina left a message for her mother explaining that she would be out of town for a few days, but the mother never received the message. So the mother called Indigo terrified that something horrible had happened to Raina. A family tragedy has made everyone overly sensitive about that sort of thing. Anyway, when Raina called this morning, Indigo was too busy lecturing her about her selfish and inconsiderate behavior to answer any of Raina’s questions. Raina said she’d give Indigo a day or two to calm down and then call again.” Zilor waited for Danvier to meet his gaze before he added, “I don’t think we should wait. The situation with Chandar is too volatile.”
“So we fly the
Phantom
to Indigo’s location, then what?” Danvier pushed the tray aside. “Garin has made his expectations clear. Every female must participate willingly. No exceptions. And everyone must sign the six-month contract and agree to the nondisclosure clause before they’re allowed access to any of the ships or off-world facilities.”
General Garin Nox was Zilor’s oldest brother and head of the rebellion. There were certain things the Nox brothers could get away with because of their connection to the general. Disobeying a direct order was not one of them.
Zilor rubbed his chin as he plotted. They needed something dramatic yet focused. Most of all, it needed to be definitive. “You can pretend to mug her and I’ll rush in and rescue her. I’ll hibernate my medi-bots and allow you to injure me. Then we’ll see if she uses her powers to help me.”
Danvier scoffed, but amusement gleamed in his silver-ringed eyes. “Why don’t I play hero while you terrorize the fair maiden?”
“Because even in jeans and a T-shirt, you’re going to stand out in any crowd.” Zilor motioned toward Danvier’s long sliver braid. The length of a harbinger’s hair signified the accuracy of their predictions. If a harbinger didn’t produce at least one verifiable prediction each year, they were required to cut their hair. Danvier’s hair had never been cut. Even braided, it easily reached his hips. “The only hope we have is to cover you in some sort of cloak and that will make you look sinister.”
“Fine,” the harbinger grumbled. “You play hero—as usual. No one would believe you capable of evil anyway. You’re too damn pretty.”
Zilor ignored the urge to glare. Females found him attractive. They always had. He was the first to admit he enjoyed the attention, most of the time, but his symmetrical features and larger-than-average frame could also be a hindrance. Other males often found him threatening or refused to take him seriously. He spent way too much time and effort proving himself to others when all he really wanted was to be judged by his actions rather than his appearance.
“Or I can just talk to her, explain what’s going on and ask for her help.” Zilor shrugged with an indifference he didn’t feel. He really needed a chance to work off some aggression and even a pretend fight would be better than nothing. “All Indigo really needs to know is the nature of Chandar’s injuries. If Indigo can’t help, then there’s no reason to involve her right now.”
Danvier thought for a moment then shook his head. “It’s almost a given that she has the protein marker, so it’s only a matter of time before she’s involved. As for her power, or lack thereof, she might not be honest with a stranger. I think we need to test her.”
“I’m so glad you said that.” Zilor stood so fast his chair toppled. He deftly righted it just before it hit the deck. “If I have to sit through another meeting, I’ll go insane.”
“Speaking of which, how was all of this left during the briefing? Do you have permission to go after her?”
“You know how I feel about that subject.” A mischievous smile spread across his face.
Danvier shook his head with a soft groan. “You’d rather beg forgiveness than ask permission?”
“Exactly.” Zilor could barely contain his enthusiasm. He loved challenges and challenges involving attractive females were his absolute favorite.
“One of these days your motto is going to land us both in the brig.”
“Maybe, my friend, but today is not that day!”
* * * * *
“I don’t like leaving you here alone.”
The worry in her mother’s voice made Indigo smile. She might have left childhood far behind, but part of her mother would always see her as a little girl. “The crisis with Raina was a false alarm. There’s nothing to worry about.” She came out from behind the counter and took her mother’s hand. “I’ve been closing this shop for seven years and there has never been a problem.”
“It just doesn’t feel right.” Laura shook her head and the silver strands threaded through her short auburn hair shimmered.
Indigo had learned to trust her mother’s
feelings
a long time ago. Sometimes Laura would see specific images, but more often it was just an impression, an undefined foreboding that wouldn’t let go. “We can close up early. Monday nights tend to be slow anyway.” Their regular customers knew Holistic Wellness Zone was a family-owned business. An occasional deviation from the established schedule wouldn’t drive them away.
Laura closed her eyes and stilled. Indigo had seen her mother do this countless times before, but she still wasn’t sure exactly what happened when her mother started drifting like this. Laura had tried to explain what it felt like, but Indigo wasn’t sure she’d ever understand something she couldn’t experience for herself. Laura called it scanning. It was a concentration technique, a sort of external vision quest.
“Anything?” She waited until her mother opened her eyes to ask.
Laura shook her head. “I guess I’m still unnerved by Raina’s disappearance.”
“It was all a misunderstanding,” Indigo reminded. “She never really disappeared.”
“I know, but anything that upsets Lynette upsets me.”
Lynette was her mother’s twin sister and the two had always been incredibly close. “Raina called her mom as soon as I finished reading her the riot act. If Aunt Lynette can forgive her, we should too.”
“I will.” Laura’s chin came up and annoyance flashed in her light brown eyes. “Just not yet.”
Indigo smiled then cringed. “Mom, I can’t close early. Pam Winstrom is going to swing by about six forty-five to pick up her order. She called ahead and paid over the phone so she can just grab the package and go.”
“Pam’s a great customer.” Lynette sighed. “You’re right. You have to stay.” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable with the outcome. “I’ll reschedule with NuetraCourt, then I can stay here with you.”
“Absolutely not. It took us five months to get this appointment. We are not going back to the end of the line.” She paused and searched her mother’s gaze. “Unless you’re sure there’s a reason and it doesn’t sound like you are.”
“It’s just a faint warning. I can’t make it more distinct.”
“Then go. Call me as soon as the meeting is over and let me know how it went.” NuetraCourt produced several of the most popular dietary supplements on the market. If they could land a distributorship, it would be a serious coup for their store.
“All right.” Her mother gave in with a dramatic sigh. “I’ll turn my phone to vibrate, but I’m not turning it off. If there is anything unusual, text me. Anything at all.”
“I will, but there won’t be. You’re just wigged out because you’re in a business suit.”
Laura looked down at her uncharacteristic outfit and laughed. “You might be right. This feels so strange.”
“Oddly enough, you look really nice. They’ll have no idea that they’re dealing with a hippie.”
A musical laugh revealed her free spirit even if her conservative outfit didn’t. “Mimi was a hippie. I’m a product of the New Age movement.” She winked and her smile turned knowing. “A star child to the end.”
On the surface, her mother referenced the 1970s, Ziggy Stardust and
Dark Side of the Moon
. But Indigo understood the deeper meaning, the truth they acknowledged yet seldom spoke about. If her grandmother’s stories were true—and Indigo and Laura both believed they were—Laura’s father had been a Rodyte, a ruthless warrior from a distant star system. The tragic part was, Mimi had passed away before Laura’s gift engaged, so Mimi died thinking no one believed her, that everyone thought she was lost in her own delusions.