darknadir (55 page)

* * *
Day 38

Brynne awoke early to the knowledge that Dzaka and Kashini had been kidnapped and Father Lijou and Master Konis were on their way to see him. Banner was to report to Garras at the training hall as every able-bodied person was staking out the estate perimeter and the monastery hill itself.
The name Kezule filled Keeza with terror, but she didn't know why.
"Stay upstairs," said Brynne as he left their bedroom. "Between Father Lijou and Master Konis, very little happens on Shola that they don't know about. I don't want them recognizing you before we know more about your past."
She nodded, ears invisible in her halo of tabby hair.
Jurrel was letting them in as Brynne left, and their voices drifted up the stairs to her.
"Brynne, Father Lijou says you might be able to contact Dzaka. Something Derwent taught you. Would you try for me, please? I need to do something while we're waiting for Garras and Ni'Zulhu to report back to us."
"Of course, Master Konis. There was no need for you to even ask," replied Brynne.
"There's no guarantee it will work, Konis," warned Lijou as they left the hall for the den. "Brynne said he can see, that's all."
Keeza's senses began to spin as the voices triggered more images from her subconscious. She clutched the doorframe as colors, scents and images exploded in front of her eyes, transporting her back to the military facility at Shanagi.
Tall, green-skinned, his oval head totally hairless, the Valtegan Kezule had gone to the feeding cage where a terrified chiddoe squealed frantically as it tried to dig its way out. She'd watched as he'd taken the helpless creature out and with a single, quick movement, snapped its neck. Then he'd turned to the concealed viewing window and begun to dismember it before returning to his table. She'd watched, fascinated and horrified, as he'd skinned and eaten it. She'd shuddered then, and she did so again.
The Brother had taken her to another room, one where the males whose voices she'd just heard waited for her. They'd spoken softly to her, and done something to her mind.
Her head was pounding but the images didn't stop. She remembered Kezule's protuberant slitted eyes regarding her dispassionately as he handed her a plate of scraps.
"You may eat," he'd said.
She had, ravenously, her face and body still aching from the beating he'd given her the day before for trying to steal his leftover food. She could still smell the stench of the fresh blood and taste the raw flesh.
Memories were coming faster now, flashing before her eyes like a kaleidoscope of her life. Kezule taking her arm and sinking his teeth into it with great deliberation, telling her to watch him while he slept. Him waking, too weak to eat, needing her to feed him gobbets of raw meat. The blood had run down her arms, soaking into her pelt. The smell of the blood had made her hungry, but he needed the food more than she did now. In the shower, she'd sluiced the dead and flaking skin from his emaciated body, a body that was as smooth and hairless as his head. It was the first time she'd seen him unclothed. He was featureless, no sex, nothing. She'd lain with him then, after wrapping him in all their blankets for warmth. She'd felt the need to protect and care for him. He was hers, her male and beautiful in her eyes.

* * *

She moaned, slipping down to her knees, but it wasn't over yet. An alarm had gone off and the guards and medics had come. She'd crouched over his unconscious body, protecting him from her own kind. Then suddenly, he'd awakened, grabbing the male medic by the throat. Blood had fountained everywhere, spraying the female, the walls, the ceiling. She'd gone for the guards then, while they looked in horror at Kezule. One she kicked, hearing his neck snap, glad that he could no longer threaten her male. The other she'd shot, holding the neural stunner on him till he died in agony, his screams meaning nothing to her in her greater need to protect Kezule.

* * *

The race through the building with their hostages, the escape to the aircar, and the flight out of the city to the forest clearing where they landed, his killing of the telepath, all flashed before her eyes. Sick and feverish, convinced she was dying, she'd headed into the forest with him, then he'd turned on her. It had been him. The male she'd fought, who'd raped her, had been Kezule. And now he was here.
She pulled herself up, and returning to the bed, reached under Brynne's pillows for his pistol. The two males she'd heard talking, they were the ones who'd put her in with Kezule.

* * *

"I forget myself," said Konis, turning to Brynne and holding his hand out in greeting.
Brynne had no option but to reach forward, touching fingertips briefly with him, knowing the Clan Lord would notice his cut palm and know he was now life-bonded. He'd want to know who she was. He could feel how tight a rein Master Konis was keeping on his emotions; none of them needed this distraction right now.
"A marriage cut?" Konis held his hand, looking from the small healing wound to Brynne's face. "This is unexpected. You have my best wishes, Brynne. I thought I sensed a new presence on the estate. I wish it had been Kezule I'd sensed!"
"My congratulations, too, Brynne. Do I know her?"
Brynne was unable to answer. He stood there, swaying slightly, his eyes blank as his mind was flooded with Keeza's memories.
"Brynne?" asked Lijou, face creasing in concern as he put a hand out to steady him.
"She's been ill," stammered Brynne, putting a hand to his aching head as his mental link to Keeza abruptly ceased. "Later, you'll meet her later."
The door behind him opened and, as he was about to turn around, Konis spoke.
"Stay very still, Brynne," he said quietly.
He spun round, knowing it was Keeza. He hardly recognized her, everything about her was different, from the way her tail swayed lazily to the set of her ears, and the gun pointing directly at him.
"Get out of my way, Brynne," she said, her voice firm and determined.
"No," he said. "This isn't the way, Keeza. There must be a reason. Ask them."
"Oh, I intend to," she said with a small, mocking laugh. "Move aside!"
"No," he said, taking a step toward her.
She sidestepped him, aiming at Konis. "Don't interfere, Brynne. I don't want to hurt you if I can avoid it, but if I have to, I will. I want them to tell me why, what justification they have, for doing what they did to me."
She was on the edge of sanity now, Brynne could feel it, could see the hand that held the gun trembling slightly. It would take very little for her to kill again. He had to stop her, before Jurrel did.
Simultaneously, he reached out with his mind as he leaped at her, grabbing her arm and pulling it and the weapon down. From behind her, Jurrel launched himself forward, but before he contacted them, a single, muffled shot rang out.
For a frozen moment, Brynne and Keeza stood face-to-face, then Jurrel's attack felled them both. The gun went flying from Keeza's limp fingers to slither across the floor, landing at Lijou's feet. Stooping, he picked it up, training it on the three figures on the floor.
Brynne slowly sat up, gathering Keeza's still form into his lap and looking over at Konis and Lijou. Jurrel rose, and meeting Lijou's gaze, left the room at a run, heading for the medikit in his room.
"I don't care what she's done, she's my life-mate!" Brynne said angrily. "Why? Why did you put her in with Kezule? What the hell were you thinking of?" He felt cold, was starting to shiver. Sweat was beginning to run down his back, soaking his robe. "She's a gene-altered telepath, dammit! How could you do that to her? You made her what she was, made her a killer!"
The room was beginning to spin, he was having difficulty staying conscious. "She's my life-mate and she's pregnant with our cub," he mumbled as he felt himself beginning to fall. "You can't take her from me."

* * *

The team, commanded by Garras and Ni'Zulhu, that entered the upper chamber was composed of those Brothers picked by Kaid as bodyguards.
"He's closed the blast door," said Rulla quietly into the mouthpiece of his headset from his forward position. "He's sealed in tight as a demon fish's arse."
"Fan out," said Ni'Zulhu. "Keep low. There's two-way vid cameras in the cavern, linked into the lab."
Keeping close to the far wall, Meral headed for the kitchen area. "He's taken the generator and emptied the food stores here," he whispered into his wrist comm.
"Sick bay's gone, and the heater," said Lasad.
"He's taken anything of use," said Ni'Zulhu. "At least they've got the basics."
"Not Kezule," said Garras, covering his mouthpiece. "He needs raw meat."
They exchanged looks as Garras' wrist comm began to buzz. "That's him," Ni'Zulhu nodded. "Answer him."
Moving his mouthpiece out of the way, Garras activated the tiny vid unit. "Release the hostages, Kezule, then we'll talk."
"This child has needs. Provide them or not, it matters little to me," the Valtegan said, then the line went dead.
A faint commotion came from downstairs, then the cavern and tunnel lights came full on, blinding them all.
"What the hell's going on down there?" Ni'Zulhu demanded of his people as the noise grew closer. "And who put the damned lights on?"
"It's the Clan Leader," came the reply. "She's on her way up."
Ni'Zulhu looked at Garras who shrugged. "Take cover and maintain your current positions," he ordered, signing off.
Her blue robe flaring out behind her, Rhyasha, followed by Mnesu, marched to the mouth of the tunnel where Ni'Zulhu and Garras were crouched. "Why are you creeping around in the dark?" she demanded. "You're supposed to be rescuing my grandchild and Dzaka, not playing some childish game of Hide!"
Garras blinked, taken aback by her verbal attack. "Hide?"
She reached down and hauled him to his feet. "You know damned well what I mean!" she hissed. "Now, what does this— creature— want?" She punctuated her words by poking him repeatedly on the chest.
"Clan Leader, with respect, you're interfering with our..."
"Garras, find out what he wants! I will not risk Kashini's life, or Dzaka's!"
"Clan Leader, we can't negotiate with him..." began Ni'Zulhu.
"Can't?" she demanded, turning on him. "
Can't
? You will do what I tell you! If you don't, I will take charge myself!" She reached for his headset and only Garras' hand snaking out to catch hold of her prevented it being ripped off Ni'Zulhu's head.
"Your pardon, Clan Leader," said Garras, letting her go hastily as she turned a vitriolic look on him. "You'll break it if you pull it about like that."
"Find out what he wants!"
Ni'Zulhu activated his wrist comm this time. "What do you want, Kezule?"
"The three Aldatans who brought me to this time. When they come to me, then the child and the one called Dzaka will be released."
Ni'Zulhu glanced sideways at Rhyasha as he answered. "They're missing in action, Kezule. Their craft's disappeared. Likelihood is they're dead. Give yourself up now, before you make the situation worse."
A short silence. "You lie. I will wait for them. I wish to return to my time, that's all."
Rhyasha's ears had flattened in extreme distress. "My granddaughter for my son and bond-daughter?" she whispered, putting her hands to her face. "How can I trade one for the other?"
"They can't return you, Kezule," said Garras, activating his own comm. "They sealed the way back."
"Enough talking! I will wait for them. Meanwhile, this child has needs. You can hear her."
In the background, they could hear Kashini howling in distress.
Rhyasha grasped hold of Garras' arm, pulling his wrist unit up to her mouth. "If we gather what she needs, how will we get it in to you?"
They heard a hiss of anger. "Can you Sholans not control your females?" Kezule snarled. "Fetch me your leader, I will talk to him or no one!" Again the line went dead.
Stunned, Rhyasha let Garras' wrist fall from her grasp.
"Clan Leader, their females are feral, not sentient," he said gently, putting an arm round her shoulders. "When your son brought him to our time, he nearly killed a female medic for touching him. He won't deal with you. It has to be one of us. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is."

* * *

Dzaka had listened to the exchange anxiously. He knew the situation right now was volatile, so volatile that Kezule might kill either him or Kashini in anger. He had to get him to listen to Rhyasha.
"General, she's the one you want, the leader of the family," he began. The rest of what he was going to say was cut short as Kezule spun toward him, landing a blow on the side of his face.
"Be silent! You will speak only when told to do so!"
Dzaka's head rocked on his shoulders, pain lancing across his cheek as one of the Valtegan's claws grazed him.
"Females run the families on Shola," he said in a rush, lifting his head to look up at him. "She will give you what you want."
"Females should be kept in the breeding rooms, not allowed to meddle in the affairs of males!"
"We males are the warriors," said Dzaka, locking eyes with him as Kezule drew his hand back to hit him again. "We fight. Our females bear the cubs and tend the families, not us. Deal with her and you'll get what you want. She's the cub's grandmother. Or deal with our warriors."
The Valtegan hesitated.
"You heard her. She asked what you needed. The male refused to talk. Your choice, General."
Kezule let out a hiss of pure rage. "I will not deal with females!"
Dzaka shrugged and looked away as if it didn't matter to him. Inside was another matter. Fear gripped his heart and stomach with cold talons, making him think he'd black out. His life and Kashini's hung in the balance right now, and the cub wasn't helping as she squalled loudly in terror.
Kezule threw back his head and roared in rage. It was a sound so alien it sent shivers down Dzaka's spine and silenced Kashini.
"You will talk to her!" he snarled. "I will tell you what I need."

* * *

"Clan Leader?" The voice was quiet and almost went unnoticed as Garras was leading Rhyasha out of the upper chamber.
"Dzaka!" Rhyasha stopped dead and grabbed hold of Garras' wrist again. "What do you need?"
"Kashini's things— her old blanket that she chews, clothes— the nurse knows." He sounded tired and in pain. "Her food, too, and extra bedding."
"What about you?"
"Food for Kezule," he said in a rush. "Chiddoes, live and caged. At least four a day. For Vartra's sake, Rhyasha, don't let them stop his food supply!" His voice tailed off as the comm was taken away from him.
"Sholan female!" The voice was sibilant, the tone peremptory. "You will do as I say or I will kill this male, piece by piece. I can see the cavern on a display screen. Put the items on a wheeled pallet, with a rope at one end. Have one person where I can see him on the screen throw me the rope, then it will be pulled in. I am armed. If you try to shoot into the opening, the child or Dzaka will likely be hit, not me. Give me your word that you'll not attempt to attack me or force your way in."
Garras attempted to snatch his wrist away from her but she increased her grip, clamping her claws into his hide.
Ni'Zulhu grabbed for her, only to have his ear boxed severely by her other hand.
"Yes! You have our word!" she said.
"Rhyasha!" exclaimed Garras. "Dammit! You've no right to..."
"This is
my
estate,
my
Clan and
my
granddaughter, and you tell me I have no right? You will honor my oath, Garras Janagu!"
"You have given your word, Sholan Clan Leader," said Kezule. "Do not let your soldiers make a liar of you." The connection went dead.
Rhyasha looked at Garras. "Live chiddoes?"
"They eat freshly killed raw meat," said Garras. "Go and get the things you need, Rhyasha," he said gently, freeing his wrist from her unresisting hand. "We'll honor your oath, I promise. I'll see to rounding up a supply of chiddoes if you can get the grain for them organized."
She nodded, a glazed look coming over her face. "They'll need water. And Kashini's toys."
Garras gestured to Mnesu who came forward to take the Clan Leader by the arm and lead her back down the tunnel.
"We're not keeping it," stated Ni'Zulhu as soon as she was out of earshot.
Garras looked at him. "Oh, yes, we are," he said. "Does each one of us have to make a separate agreement with Kezule before it's honored? This is my Clan, too, and I'll not have us break our word, even to a Valtegan. Did you hear Dzaka's voice? Dammit, Ni'Zulhu! He's not that easily rattled, I know him! If you want to think of starving Kezule out, just remember, he's got quite a large supply of fresh meat in there with him, in the shape of a cub of three months and an adult Sholan. And as he said, he doesn't need to kill them to get it," he snarled.
Ni'Zulhu looked shocked.
"We play it straight, do you understand me? Let's just get through today safely."