V'hor's Nestmate Read online

  ***

  Vee wanted to race, but forced himself to appear unconcerned and methodical as he led Eva through the tunnels. The general atmosphere of The Pit was upbeat. The payout and the success of all three matches today contributed to the buzz of excitement. Hi win secured the deal. There would be a lot of credit spending as those on Trios celebrated their good fortune tonight.

  All of which worked for Vee since Vanquish would be disappearing over the next few days while he returned with Eva to Enotia and the real fighter could be sent back to resume his life.

  Tapping the comm in his ear, Vee guided Eva toward the unattended exit Bane had already cleared. “I’m on route to the shuttle with Eva.”

  She glanced at him in confusion. Another squeeze of the delicate fingers folded in his and she remained silent.

  “Waiting and ready,” Rydak responded.

  Vee went straight to the point. “Mission status?”

  “Complete and successful. Bliss recovered before any chance to depart and Grutak has been taken into custody by appropriate law authorities.”

  Relief blinded Vee for a second then he regained control. “Good.”

  “Bane and Khane?”

  Silence on the comm followed by two distinct clicks.

  “Delayed,” Vee said in response to the clicks from his teammates. “Mannid attempted to take Eva back.”

  “Are you clear to return or do you need assistance?”

  They were already risking discovering with Khane and Bane. The longer they stayed the more risk the presence of Jutaks would be noted. “Cleared.”

  “Trackers show Bane and Khane now on the move,” Uri reported.

  Vee neared the exit Bane had specified on his comm the moment he’d being cornered by Mannid.

  “Vee, is everything okay?” Eva’s voice trembled as she asked the question.

  He muted his comm and ran his free hand through his sweaty hair. The door was just ahead. “Everything is fine. I have friends waiting at a shuttle prepared to take us away from here as soon as we arrive.”

  “Is that who you’re talking to now?”

  There was no need hiding it any longer. Vee shoved the heavy door open before answering. “Yes. I have a comm and mic connecting me to them.”

  In the bright sun of the outdoors, her sudden grin gleamed at him. “I’m glad you’re not talking to yourself. The last thing I need on my mind is to worry about your sanity in addition to everything else.”

  Amazingly a chuckle rose from Vee’s chest. He was on the verge of teasing in return when Khane’s voice cut across the comm. “Mannid sent a team of his security after us. Not sure they want us to leave.”

  Though humor laced Khane’s voice, Vee sensed the worry underneath. He stopped Eva outside the facility and turned back toward the door. There was no way he’d leave his teammates. He swung his bag down from his shoulder and let Eva’s hand go to pull out his weapon. She gasped, but he kept his gaze focused on the door.

  “We’re taking fire, but we’re in the final tunnel.” Rough pants intermingled with Khane’s words.

  Right after he spoke, the comm exploded with the sound of laser fire.

  “Team Three, check in!” Rydak blasted the order.

  “I’m clear,” Vee snapped, impatience tearing through him.

  “Assistance if you have a free minute, Vee.” Khane’s tone was less cheerful.

  “Fuck,” Vee snarled, grabbing Eva’s hand to race back inside. “On my way.”

  “Where’s Bane?!” Rydak questioned.

  A pause and Khane’s rasping response came along with pounding footsteps. “He sent...me...ahead. Fuck, fuck! There’s more of them.”

  “Bane, report! Now!”

  The comm silence was deafening. A feeling of dread washed over Vee as he dragged Eva down the familiar curving hall. “I’m five minutes out!”

  “No time, Vee. Too many,” Khane hissed. “I’m almost on you.”

  “Bane, report!”

  Vee paused his hectic pace, worry breaking through his wall of reserve. Standing in place, muscles locked, he waited for his friend and teammate to confirm his safety.

  “Bane?” Rydak was calm, his voice almost without emotion, but Vee knew. Rydak felt more than all of them and this situation just went from tense to fucked.

  Another round of laser fire, louder than before as the fight drew closer.

  “Bane!” Vee snarled, compelled to move forward again

  Eva reached up to cup his shoulder. “What’s going on, Vee? Shouldn’t we leave?”

  It was hard to miss the thundering steps storming in their direction. Mannid was on his way along with several fighters and security. Ahead of them, weapons blasted back to back in a staccato rhythm. Each sound echoed off the hollow tunnel walls.

  Protect.

  He had to get Eva out. Never before had he been pulled between duty and emotion. “Bane, check in now. Where are you?”

  “I-I’m hit. Took...them a-all down. Mannid not—here” The response was garbled, but the familiar voice had Vee drawing a ragged breath.

  “Got him. Coming through,” Khane said.

  They burst around the corner, moving at top speed. Khane had a hold on his weapon and an arm wrapped around Bane’s waist as he half-dragged their teammate forward. Blood left a bright red trail behind them.

  “Print code deactivated. Shoot anyone coming after you.” Vee handed his laser to Eva. Next he rushed forward and hooked his arm on the other side of Bane’s waist. Eva ran behind them and they made their limping way toward the door.

  “Uri’s moved the shuttle closer. Engines running. Evac The Pit and head to the right. Abandoned field a short run from your current location at a brisk clip.” Rydak snapped instructions in a low rumble.

  Vee angled his shoulder toward the door, slamming it open. He, Khane and Bane flew through without slowing. Eva squealed then the hushed pfft pfft of his laser followed.

  “Wait!” she yelled out.

  Vee turned to see her pick up a long bar from the ground and shove it through the curved handles of the door. It wouldn’t hold, but every extra minute counted. She spun back around and awkwardly cradled his laser in her arms. Vee had never seen a prettier sight. In rumpled clothing, hair mussed, she held his laser in one hand and the cheap knife he’d acquired in the other.

  His chupaja. The longing to claim her as his nestmate rose.

  Soon.

  Chapter 16

  Panting, Eva ran behind Vee and his friends, knowing her life depending on all of them getting out of here. There would be no second chances. No sex slavery. Eva realized this with a certainty she couldn’t explain. Mannid would kill her if he caught them.

  Thighs burning, she ran faster than she ever had in her life and still struggled to keep up with the two men dragging Bane between them.

  He didn’t look good. Not at all. Blood ran in a steady stream from a wound she couldn’t see but his black pants appeared damp in places. He held on to his friends with strong arms braced on their shoulders, but there was no missing how he staggered along.

  “Eva!”

  Familiar. Cold and filled with cruelty.

  They all stopped on a lurch. Mannid stepped in front of them from around the corner of the building, wearing a gloating smile and holding a black and silver large weapon aimed in their direction. “I separated from my security team in case you managed to get away from them. Guess I was right to do so.”

  “Let us go, Mannid. It’s over,” Vee calmly asserted.

  Mannid gazed over at him. “I was hoping the little shock bomb surprise at your place would throw you off and yet you showed for the match with Jolox with no concern.”

  “I wouldn’t have missed the rematch because we had a deal.”

  Mannid laughed. “I had lots of deals. Did you know about the one I had with Jolox? I offered him Eva in exchange for destroying you in the arena.”

  Trembles made Vee’s laser rattle in Eva’s grip. “Why, Mannid?
Why can’t you just let me go?”

  Brows lowered, his snarling response raised the hairs on Eva’s head. “Because you’re mine. You belong to me and I refuse to let this...this lowly fighter take what’s mine.”

  Eva wanted to scream in fury. He was crazy. Certifiable. That was the only explanation. “You can’t own people.”

  Mannid snorted, his gaze dripping with pity. “I bought you, Eva. That says I own you. I can do what I want with you, including kill you.”

  Time slowed. Eva had watched this scene play out many times in his home. Killing without mercy those he felt wronged him. There would be no pleading for her life or the others. His hands shifted on the weapon, fingers curling and uncurling. Eva couldn’t move to save her life. Mannid’s intention was clear. Death stared at her from maniacal eyes.

  “Down, Eva!” Vee yelled, the three men moving in separate directions.

  She heard the words, but her body refused to obey as she watched in sick dismay. Vee’s knife flew through the air, spinning handle over blade. It struck Mannid in the throat. The gun jerked in his grip. Eva was upright long enough to see him choke, eyes flared wide before Bane reached her on a tackling run. Eva’s head slammed onto the ground, bounced for good measure.

  “Are you hit?” Bane asked, glazed black eyes peering down from his position above her.

  Stars swirled in her vision. Aside from his heavy weight crushing her chest, she didn’t feel hurt. Eva tried to answer, but shook from head to toe.

  “Eva!” Vee slid to his knees beside her, hands carefully rolling Bane to the side. “Are you hurt?”

  “Don’t think so.” Was all she got out before Vee clasped her close, pressing her face to his chest. Bane stayed on his back next to her.

  “Always the hero.” Over Vee’s shoulder, Khane joined them, stretching a hand down to Bane. His smirk fell at the lack of response. A deep frown settled into place as he dropped to his knees. “Vee, over here.”

  Vee set her to the side, his tanned features pale. He slid closer to his friend. “Bane, were you hit again?”

  “Yes. Lower back.” A rough inhalation. Pain bracketed his mouth, but his eyes burned with vitality. “Tore open the one on my upper thigh too. Fuck. Think he got my other thigh as well.”

  “Take that side, Khane, I’ll take this one.” Vee moved to heft his friend up.

  When they had him upright, his legs slumped not supporting his weight. Something was wrong. Both men glanced down. “Bane?”

  But the blond giant’s head fell forward and his eyes closed on a pained exhalation.

  “I’ll carry him.” Khane lifted until he had Bane slung over the back of his shoulders, dangling legs and arms in a firm grip.

  Vee tapped his ear, signaling those at the other end of his communication device she assumed. “Rydak, Bane is injured and unconscious. On our way. Have Uri prep the medical kit and contact Dr. Maku. It’s bad.”

  Fortunately they didn’t encounter anyone else on their trek. In an open field oddly standing out, the silver shuttle came into view. A ramp lowered at their approach and a tall, lean blond dressed in a black uniform came down in a steady lope.

  Eva stepped closer to Vee, but he didn’t seem concerned. Steel gray eyes took in their approach. When the newcomer reached them, he touched a hand to Bane’s slack face. After a moment he removed it and slid on a black glove. “Hurry! We don’t have time to waste.”

  Inside, another blond joined them, this one with blue eyes. “What happened?”

  “Mannid shot at the Earth woman and Bane took the hits.”

  Khane’s blunt recital left Eva flinching. The lean blond snapped out orders and all of the men jumped into action. Bane was harnessed into a black seat, his body tilted to the side from his unconscious form. Someone she wasn’t sure who, jabbed a needle in his arm.

  Vee directed her to another seat and locked a harness into place across her chest in an X formation before taking the seat beside her. He linked their fingers together.

  “Where are we going?” It seemed like the wrong time to ask, but Eva needed to know.

  “My home on Enotia. I can better explain everything when we get there.”

  She nodded and leaned her head back on the seat. No more Mannid. It was almost anticlimactic, yet Eva’s pounding heart claimed otherwise.

  ***

  Torkel greeted them as soon as they raced through the entrance of their home. Uri had notified him of the events on route. Vee didn’t have time to reassure Eva. The hover car ride had been rough with Rydak, eyes clenched closed, keeping a hold on Bane in a half cradle on his lap. He’d removed both gloves and had to be in excruciating pain due to his empathic gifts, but he never once let go.

  “Get him to medical!” Torkel yelled.

  Speed was of the essence. Khane took most of Bane’s weight, carrying his lower half, but Rydak kept one hand wrapped around Bane’s throat and his upper half. “We’re close to losing him. He’s calling to his maman.”

  Vee didn’t question how that was possible when Bane hadn’t spoken a word since passing out. Still if Bane was telepathing his maman things weren’t looking good. He was the strongest Jutak with an unbreakable will. Vee had seen him scale a building one handed while wounded.

  But a Ceraton only summoned a family member when they wanted to impart their final death words to a loved one.

  They reached the medic center en mass. Other Jutak members came in to line the hall, watching with intense stares.

  “Put him under now, Maku!” Torkel called when they ran through.

  Bane was lowered onto a medical bed, the white sheets soon saturated in red. Dr. Maku, the team medic, ripped Bane’s shirt down the middle baring his torso. His pants suffered the same fate and all of them gaped. Both of Bane’s legs were a mass of gaping bleeding wounds. Destroyed. It was a wonder he’d been able to run at all.

  Maku muttered under his breath, keeping a constant dialogue with Torkel. Vee wasn’t close enough to hear much of the conversation. The lights rimmed around the bottom of the bed glowed an alarming red. Eva clung to his hand, reminding him she’d been injured as well. “Do you need assistance?”

  She gripped his forearm with her other hand and shook her head, eyes never leaving Bane’s prone form. “No. I want him to be okay. He saved my life.”

  And Vee would forever owe him for that.

  Torkel turned toward them with a grim glare. “Bane’s in bad shape. Maku’s going to put him in stasis while working on his injuries. Rydak did his best to ground him on the way here. But...”

  His words died off as Maku’s assistant, Laia, injected a blue liquid directly into Bane’s chest.

  “Vee! The other guy!”

  Eva’s cry pulled Vee’s attention from his friend. Rydak fell back into the wall behind him then slid down to the floor, legs sprawled. Torkel was at Rydak’s side immediately. “Get my sister in here!”

  It was Arak the half-shifter who took off running. Torkel gathered Rydak in his brawny arms and stretched him out on another bed. Rydak shoved his hands away. “No touching.”

  Torkel pulled back instantly, his face a mask of fury. “Maku!”

  Splitting his energy efficiently, Maku slapped an injector to Rydak’s arm and his Team Leader’s eyes drifted closed. “Unless he seizes, he’ll sleep it off. Foolish, stupid, hard headed—”

  His rant fell silent when Torkel glared and snapped, “Maku! Now is not the time.”

  Maku’s lips firmed. “Everyone out! I can’t work with this many bodies crowded in here.”

  They all made their way out, but no one left the hall. Every member of the Unit Torkel had assembled when he first became Unit Leader gathered outside the medic room and stayed.

  “Are they going to be alright?” Eva asked.

  Ignoring the stares turned their way, Vee pulled slowly until he had Eva flush against his front. “Maku is our team medic. He will do everything possible to make sure they recover.”

  “Team medic? I guess
that’s all a part of the stuff you need to explain to me.”

  Regret coursed through Vee. This had to be an upheaval to her. “If you still wish to go to your original location from Earth’s program after matters are settled here, I will gladly take you there.”

  It hurt him to offer the option, but being her nestmate meant making sure she was happy and safe. It was his duty to see that she achieved both. Even though the thought of letting her go left him cold.

  “That’s not a possibility any more.” She quirked a brow. “Now’s a good time as any to tell me who you really are, don’t you think?”

  Vee winced at her arched tone and cupped her hips, snuggling her tight to him in case she got angry at the truth. “I am not an arena fighter at The Pit.”

  She didn’t immediately separate which he took as a good sign. “Who are you?”

  The heat of his teammates’ gazes burned Vee’s back, but he focused only on Eva. “I’m a Jutak warrior based on Enotia.”

  “Jutak warrior?” Puzzlement furrowed her forehead. “I have no idea what that is.”

  Vee didn’t get to explain further as they were gradually joined by a group of women rushing in, Chosens to his friends lucky enough to find a special connection.

  Faye with her dark hair and brown eyes went straight toward Torkel who enfolded her in his arms. Her curvy form appeared diminutive next to his large frame. Blonde haired, blue eyed Sylvie came with her son Raze on her hips. She nibbled her bottom lip, glance searching for Arak no doubt.

  “He went to get Lissi,” Uri supplied and her shoulders eased.

  Kyele’s stance against the wall allowed him a perfect view into the window of the medic room as his green eyes watched Dr. Maku work between Rydak and Bane. Lissi, Rydak’s Chosen, came in running with Arak.

  “Where is he?” she asked, gaze frantic.

  Vee pointed and she burst through the door without further word. Inside, she grabbed a chair and pulled it beside Rydak’s bed. Her lips moved, but none of them could hear what she said through the secured walls. Rydak’s lashes fluttered, his eyes opening the moment she stroked a hand down his bare arm. The contact didn’t affect Rydak’s empathy as it did when he was touched by others. Lissi leaned down and kissed his brow and the corners of his mouth curved up.