GalacticFlame (7 page)

He kissed her again, tentatively though this time, as though
feeling her out. He drew back, ever watchful. “You have nothing to fear. We
don’t plan to confront any
caltronians
—not tonight.”

There was that at least, one less worry to fret about.

She nodded and he said, “I need to get to the supply
donya
.”
He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. “Get some rest. I’ll be back as
soon as I can.”

She didn’t have the strength to cry, though great sadness
welled in her soul as she watched him stride purposefully away and wondered how
long it would be before he looked at her with disgust and bitter resentment.

Minutes later she was still standing alone, while everyone
else had been all too eager to help Trasean and Auron do whatever it took to
find their intended. Everyone but her. Bloody hell, she must look like the
worst kind of selfish bitch.

“You don’t want them to find the Earth woman, do you?” a
thin voice asked.

So she wasn’t alone. She should have known better.

Eden turned and faced Sala, the sly awareness in the other
woman’s eyes telling her the mental cogs were spinning fast. Yet, even after
all Eden’s lies—perhaps because of them—she couldn’t deny the truth.

“No, I don’t,” she conceded.

Sala’s smile was one part malice and two parts satisfaction.
“Then we’ve got one thing in common.”

I doubt that.

“And why wouldn’t you want another Earth woman found?” she
asked.

“Because I’ve been the lucky recipient of more than one
man’s affections since my intended’s death, and, frankly, I don’t want to lose
that.” She glared. “It’s bad enough I’ve lost Genesis to you. I don’t want to
lose anyone else to some other lucky Earth bitch.”

“Yet you’re free now to choose whoever you want.”

“You mean free to choose those who want me in
return…permanently.”

Oh dear lord.
Had the jealousy eating Sala from the
inside out caused the almost manic sickness that shone from her eyes?
Undoubtedly the same sickness that caused Auron and Trasean to withdraw, along
with lord knew how many other male lovers.

“You know,” Sala’s speculative gaze raked over her, “you and
I could work together to make sure they don’t find her.”

Despite the deep reservations screaming at her not to be
suckered in, hope flickered within. With Sala’s help there’d be double the
chance of saving Aline. Sala had local knowledge and was beyond prepared to take
risks.

“How so?”

Sala stepped closer and Eden had to force her legs not to
backpedal. The woman whispered in an undertone meant for her ears only. “The
men will be leaving shortly…but not if I scream my lungs out that a
caltronian
is lurking nearby.”

Eden’s breath stalled in her throat when the temptation to
go along with the idea beckoned, as though the apple for Eve. The scheme was so
despicable it just might work.

Think of Aline.

Except she was no longer exactly sure what Aline really
wanted. Yes, she’d seen terror on her sister’s face on more than once occasion
when she’d found her alone and staring into space, but she’d also caught her
more than a few times with a dreamy expression on her face.

Eden bit her lip. Deflated emotions left her flat, uncertain.
Had she ever really been certain.
Fuck.
Had she unwittingly sabotaged
her sister’s chance at happiness from the moment she’d laid eyes on Genesis?

“What about tracks?” she asked. “I’m sure they’ll soon
discover there are none.”

Sala arched a brow and lifted an upturned hand to indicate
their surroundings. “The desert breeze has picked up, covering any prints they
might wish to find.”

The
mallakwats
trotted around the corner of one of
the
donyas
, making snuffling noises in their throat as though communicating
to one another. They stilled, ignoring her and Sala and seemingly alerted by
the commotion and haste of the people just out of their vision.

Sala raised a hand and pointed toward the horizon, her
nostrils flared and her eyes fierce. “Go!
Merleshta caltronian
!”

Their eyes swiveled to Sala, attentive and wide. Round ears
flattening to their skull and their fur rising, they spun around and bounded to
where she’d pointed, silent predators.

Before Eden had a chance to think things through, Sala
released an ear-splitting scream.
“Caltronian!”

The males came running from the direction of the supply
donya
,
gathering and herding all the women and children before them in protective
formation.

Genesis sought out Eden, desperation stark in his eyes.
“Thank the Gods!” he growled, pulling her into his arms. He looked down. “Are
you okay?”

She nodded jerkily before her voice cracked, “Yes.”

He kissed the crown of her head before his focus swung to
Sala. The other woman’s face was tearstained and frightened, a sight to behold.
She was the consummate actress.

Better than me?

“Sala, are you sure?” Genesis asked.

Her eyes widened dramatically. “Of course I’m sure!” She
swiped away her tears and pointed at Eden. “She saw it too.”

Eden stiffened. The bitch really was putting her in it,
giving her no choice but to either deny it now or go along with the scheme.

Genesis’ voice gentled as his gaze returned to her. “Is that
true?”

She bit her bottom lip. “Y…yes.”

The
mallakwats
chased it that way.” With a delicate
shudder, Sala pointed to where she’d sent the camp guardians.

Genesis didn’t bother masking a frown. With a slow nod he
said, “All right. Men, we’ll go after the beast first. We can’t take the chance
that the rogue won’t attack our women and children while we’re gone.”

Trasean and Auron stared at Sala before they swung their
hard, brilliant gazes her way. Eden resisted squirming. She was in too deep to
try to get out of it now. Their thoughts imperceptible, they nodded assent.

Genesis swiped a hand over his face. “My
donya
is the
safest place. The shields will help protect everyone from possible attack.” His
voice rose as he took in the women, the children, “
Sheehar
will take you
all into the
donya
, the shields will open for her.”

Eden swallowed.
Will they?

“We must go and hunt the rogue
caltronian
,” Genesis
said to her in an urgent undertone. “Eden I trust you will take care of our
people.”

She nodded, almost numb to the guilt and pain created by his
blind trust. “Of course.”

The men strode to their
cercannes
and swung a leg
over the seat’s, adjusting and checking their gun-like weapons even as Eden
turned and gestured for the remaining women and children to follow her to
Genesis’
donya
.

The shields magically parted as she approached, and she
froze for a couple of seconds, her thought processes trying to take it all in.

“Don’t look so bloody surprised,” Sala whispered angrily,
obviously insulted by her good fortune in snaring a prince.

Katy put a hand on Eden’s forearm. “Is everything okay?”

She nodded. “Yes.”
No!
She forced a smile. “Of
course.”

Sala marched to her other side and squeezed her arm. “I
think its best we go into the interior rooms…Princess…where the surrounding
shields will better protect us.”

Eden’s mind spun. Was she really going ahead with this? Was
she really going to defy these people? Defy her intended? Sala couldn’t be
trusted, even with her motivation to keep her lovers away from their intended
Earth women.

She had no choice but to go ahead with Sala’s plan. It
wasn’t just about her sister anymore, it was about keeping Genesis. She
couldn’t lose him. He was her everything, her world, no matter where they lived
in the universe.

“This way everyone,” Eden instructed hoarsely, all too aware
how blindly they followed their supposed princess.

They trusted her. They’d all despise her if they ever
learned the truth.

Once everyone was in the bathing room, Sala took her arm
once again and led her back toward the hanging shield that was their exit,
tossing loudly over her shoulder, “Princess, I need to speak to you.”

Eden hesitated. Once she stepped through the shield, the
women and children would be stuck inside. She glanced at Sala’s maniacal face
and realized that was exactly what the other woman intended. But at least
inside the women and children would be safe. She wasn’t letting them or Genesis
down.

She had to do this, or live forever in regret for what might
have been.

Chapter Six

Eden stepped through the shield and didn’t look back.

When Sala threw her an approving grin, she resisted the
impulse to turn right back around and leave the other woman to her own devices.
Instead, she broke into a run with Sala the moment they exited the
donya
.

At the handful of
cercannes
ahead, Sala motioned
toward one and said, “You’ll have to ride with me.”

Eden nodded and climbed behind Sala on the much smaller
cercanne
that was obviously modified for an Earth woman’s smaller frame. She’d yet to
learn how to ride one and she wasn’t about to try it out right then.

She looked back at camp. Her belly somersaulted with anxiety
and guilt.

Too late to back down now, even if I wanted to.

She turned away. Stretching her legs out, she placed her
feet into the stirrups, trying not to think about how awkward the position felt
in comparison to the highly sensual experience when riding pillion with
Genesis.

Sala didn’t seem to notice, she rode the
cercanne
as
if she was an out-of-control novice, flat out and fearless. Eden’s heart was in
her throat much of the ride, but it turned into exhilaration as much as fear.
For a little while at least, it seemed all her troubles were left behind.

The tie in her hair abruptly gave way in the wind and her
hair streamed out behind her. She looked over her shoulder, past her whipping
red tresses at nothing but red sand and more red sand.

Despite the intense heat, a sudden shiver slid up and down
her spine. She was in the middle of a desert on a world she didn’t know, with a
half-crazy woman she didn’t trust.

A wild laugh burst free. Practical, diligent, unassuming
Eden had just slipped over the edge. No. She’d teetered on that brink the
moment she’d opened her mouth and said she was Aline, then crossed it
completely once Genesis had taken her into his arms and made her a woman.

As the mountain loomed ahead, determination grew within,
blooming as though a beautiful weed in a scraggly, dry garden. Yes, she might
just be doing the wrong thing, but it was for all the right reasons. She was
finally taking control of her destiny—good or bad—and following her heart.

Sala leaned forward, her manic laughter ripped away into the
wind as the
cercanne
thundered along the flat ground, toward the gentle
creatures that would carry them up the mountain.

An eternity later that was undoubtedly little more than a
handful of minutes, Sala pulled the bike up close to the herd of
bolishtas
.
“Here we are.” She glanced pointedly at Eden’s feet, then into the empty
distance behind them. “We’d best hurry.”

Shit
. She hadn’t thought about anything practical
like her next to useless feet.

Eden was only glad she’d taken note of the commands Genesis
had used on the
bolishta
they’d rode. Indicating Sala ride closer to the
one beast she half knew and trusted, she commanded,
“Karsh.”

The
bolishta
immediately kneeled beside them, its
ears flicking back and forward as though listening for further commands. It was
remarkably easy then for Eden to clamber ungracefully from the
cercanne
and onto the
bolishta’s
back, her feet staying clear of the scorching-
hot ground.

Sala shook her head, a glimmer of a smile breaking through
her bitterness. “Not just a pretty face.”

“Unct,”
Eden ordered. And as the beast climbed to its
feet she shouted,
“Merdee,”
looking toward the mountain so the
bolishta
knew where she wanted to go.

Sala wheeled the
cercanne
back around from where
she’d come. “Good luck!” she called out.

Eden looked behind her, causing her mount to swing that way
too. “You’re not coming with me?” she asked hoarsely, a sick knowing filling
her belly that she’d been well and truly duped.

“I’ll take my chances at camp,” Sala yelled back, her grin
totally distorted with glee. “No one will ever think you’ve come this
way…especially when I tell them you were taken by the
caltronian
we
both, ah, saw earlier.”

Eden couldn’t do anything more than stare at the woman who
gave her a half wave and rode fast back to camp. No wonder the bitch had ridden
here like a mad woman chased by demons, she hoped to return to camp before the
men did!

She wasn’t sure how long she stayed, staring as the bike
became a distant speck with a trail of red dust disintegrating behind it, but
for long moments she sat on the
bolishta
staring into nothing but
redness.

Her mount grunted, dragging her back to reality. Seemed even
the most gentle-natured creatures could become impatient. “Okay,” she said
aloud, “Let’s go.”

Looking toward where she wanted to head, she commanded
again,
“Merdee,”

She had two choices here. One, try to find her way back to
camp and hope like hell she didn’t completely lose her way, which was more than
likely. Or two, head up the mountain and disable the transmitter before the men
gave up searching for her—by which time she’d possibly be dead anyway from
dehydration.

She shivered, thinking back to Genesis’ earlier words.

Occasionally a rogue male will be chased into the desert
by his competition in the mating cycle, which is bad news for the rogue if it
isn’t able to return with a few days at most. Its only source of pure,
drinkable water is what little there is that runs off the cliff face up high.

Better to face a
caltronian
head-on than die doing
nothing except wondering.

As the
bolishta
walked toward the base of the
mountain in its long, swinging gait, Eden’s eyes skimmed over the extensive
garden. Her mount was trained to sit, if she could get it to walk beside some
of the plants Genesis had told her about, she just might have half a chance of
survival.

Minutes later, with handfuls of plants stuffed down the
front of her dress and a jellied stalk hanging from her mouth as she sucked at
its almost impalpable moisture, she directed the
bolishta
toward the
gently sloping base. She looked up. It wouldn’t be gently sloping for long.

Genesis had said the journey would take something like five
Earth hours. And though the three suns would make it beyond unpleasant, she was
suddenly glad she wouldn’t be faced with nighttime darkness. At least she’d
have a chance at seeing the bearlike predators that would attack and kill her
if given half a chance.

If I don’t suck on too many of these damn plants.

But with the sun beating mercilessly on her head, she knew
sucking the moisture from the jellied plants was imperative to staying
hydrated, as long as she didn’t overthink its bitter taste.

She only hoped the
bolishta
was more like a camel
than a horse and didn’t need to be hydrated in any hurry.

The ground had long since steepened and became claylike and
rock hard. Her mount’s hooves rang out sharply, but its pace didn’t waiver, if
anything their speed had picked up, the
bolishta’
s power all too
apparent as its legs pushed up the mountain in a seemingly effortless stride.

Long grasses, shrubs with mulberry-type berries and an
occasional tree dotted the incline. She looked over her shoulder. The desert
below was breathtaking, the
bolishta
herd she’d left behind already
little more than specks.

There was no sign of a search party, no sign of Genesis. She
blew out a breath, uncertain if she was alarmed or relieved. Not that she
expected anyone to come looking.

Sala could be relied upon to give a convincing performance.
If the woman had been born three or four decades earlier, Eden had no doubt
she’d have been a phenomenal actress, perhaps a star on Broadway.

When her mount began to turn in the direction Eden peered,
she quickly faced the other way, toward the upward sweep of the mountain and
the seemingly never-ending and insurmountable climb.

Even the girth of the mountain appeared endless. Little
wonder the
caltronians
had so much room to roam.

The land abruptly went vertical. She looked up, her throat
tight. She couldn’t go around. This whole section of the mountain appeared to
be a wall of steep rock. Her mount abruptly leaped. She yelped, before her
teeth clamped back onto the fleshy plant she’d dislodged. She squeezed her eyes
shut, hugging the
bolishta’s
neck, her legs clinging tight.

To topple off now meant an agonizing, certain death—if the
fall didn’t kill her first.

The
bolishtas
hooves no longer rang out, instead the
rasping clack of its many talons hooking into the rock and then releasing in a
weird suctioning sound, filled her ears.

The undoubtedly life-saving plant hung precariously from
between her lips. She closed her mouth and sucked a big mouthful of its liquid,
swallowed and then spat the remaining pulp out.

She only prayed her vision wouldn’t fade into blackness any
time soon.

It was the least of her concerns right then. The
bolishta
grunted exertion, its whole body trembling. Eden’s eyelids flicked open, heart
freezing in her chest as she looked up at the rock wall that stretched
seemingly forever. No, not forever. She could see the lip high overhead.

But they’d never make it. Her mount was already laboring,
its seemingly insurmountable strength tested to its very limits. She wasn’t
even sure how much longer she could hold on. Her arms and legs, which were
locked around the
bolishta
, were going numb. Weak.

She clenched her teeth, grappling her amazing mount and
urging it on. She didn’t want to die now, not like this.

Genesis mightn’t know it yet, but in the brief time she’d
known him her feelings for him ran deep…extraordinarily deep.

She’d seriously robbed her sister of an incredible and
worthy partner. She let out a half-sob. None of that mattered anymore. She’d
come too far now to simply give in. She’d die, literally, before allowing Sala
to win.

She couldn’t leave behind Genesis without a fight.

The
bolishta
lurched upward with a heavy groan and
suddenly they were on more level ground.

Thank you, God.

Arms and legs still shaking from the strength needed to hang
on, she kissed the
bolishta’s
neck, smiling at its immediately quivering
lip before she took a deep breath of the faint, sweet-honey aroma that seemed
to be a part of the air. Knee-high, fire-red grass grew profusely. Trees were
all around them, tall and uniformly graceful with their red-tinged bark and
reddish-pink leaves that appeared as fragile as tissue paper.

Her eyes widened, taking in many of the tree trunks with
their deeply scored barks.

Caltronians
. It had to be. She was in their territory
now.

Her mount’s ears abruptly flattened, its head up and
nostrils flaring as it scented the air.

Fear skittered up and down Eden’s spine—just as the most
ferocious snarl echoed as if gunshot around the woods, followed by another
.
“Karsh,”
she whispered urgently to her mount even as two crimson-furred
caltronians
rolled down the slope ahead, locked into combat with their coats bristling and
huge jaws snapping.

The
bolishta
sank to its knees without a sound, but
its sides heaved and its body trembled. Eden didn’t have the capacity to calm
her mount, right then she had eyes only for the two giant predators ahead.

Fucking hell.

When Genesis had spoken of the breeding cycle she hadn’t
expected this. But Sala obviously had. A bitter smile pulled at her lips. She’d
played right into the other woman’s hands.

The monsters—for that was what they were in her mind—were
after blood. Clearly these two were males fighting over a female. One of them
shook free and clubbed the other along its broad head with elongated claws as
long as sabers. Flesh splattered through the air along with blood before the
injured
caltronian
lumbered to its feet, shaking its head and clearly
disorientated.

When the victor opened its jaws with huge, razor sharp
teeth, the other roared with bleak rage before swinging away and retreating
with surprising speed. The winner gave chase, its fierce snarls and the other’s
pained growls echoing for some time, but growing more distant by the minute.

Eden leaned forward and hugged the terrified
bolishta
,
before checking out their makeshift hideout with a frown. The grasses only
barely covered them, they had to leave while they still could.

“Unct.”
Her mount rose to its feet.
“Merdee.”

As the
bolishta
walked obediently ahead, she rubbed
between its ears, so very grateful to the animal. “I’m going to have to give
you a name,” she murmured aloud, smiling again at its quavering lips, despite
the fear still causing her heart to beat as though a drum in her chest. “But
are you a girl or a boy?”

They passed by a tree with its deep score marks. Red sap
oozed from the trunk and the plant lover in her couldn’t help but wonder for a
moment what beneficial properties the sap had, if any.

The
bolishta
continued upward with its long swinging
gait, apparently rested and, now that the
caltronian
threat had passed,
apparently eager to get the climb over with.

“I think I’ll call you Simon.” She stared thoughtfully at
the animal’s ears that swung back and forth, always listening. “Simone if
you’re a girl.”

The following few hours were thankfully uneventful and quiet
going. Eden kept alert to any sight or sound of more
caltronians
as did
Simon, going by his flickering ears and constantly moving eyeballs.