The Healer's Kiss: Book Four of the Forced To Serve Series (12 page)

“No, you don’t,” Ania said to him, the image of what Malachi intended blooming fully in her mind.

“I would never do anything to harm you or those you care about.
Trust me
,” Malachi demanded, holding Ania’s gaze until she sighed in defeat.

“Wait,” Dorian said raising a hand, but Ania was already speaking the words of release.

Rena sagged when she felt the invisible restraints lifted.

“You owe me a boon of repentance for causing me unnecessary pain,” Malachi informed her. “I will accept the mild suffering of your physical form.”

“And what would you have me suffer, demon?” Rena countered, her gaze flashing brightly at the neutrality in his. She did not want or need the demon’s sympathy for her plight.

Malachi moved swiftly, swooping down without warning for an invasive kiss. Not having practiced such actions in Conor’s body, his efforts were clumsy and inept, but still enough to send the Norblade male body into a humming state, a vibration clamoring as he made himself release her mouth. Her dazed look of surprise proved too tempting.

“Ever shared a vibration before, my wicked
Angel
?” he whispered irreverently, swooping to her mouth again, even as the jagged, desperate vibration sought refuge in her. The emissary’s surprise at the physical pleasure he forced through Rena’s form swept through every physical cell in his form as well. For a moment, Malachi almost felt ashamed. He had not expected it to feel so—well, it just wasn’t like the usual voyeuristic way he enjoyed bonding.

Rising away from her mouth and her body, Malachi turned to see everyone in the room out of their trances, but also staring at him in absolute shock.

“
What? It was just a kiss
—
mostly
,” he defended, lifting his hands as he glared at them all. “It’s not like I haven’t watched all of you kiss someone. Before you judge my actions with the emissary, remember I have carnal knowledge of several intimidating women on this ship. Two are in this room right now.”

Malachi grinned at his own reasoning until he turned back to see Rena with fingertips pressed to her lips. The innocent act had regret blooming into a flush of embarrassment as awareness of both his vulnerability and hers swept over him.

Worse, instead of feeling more in control of the situation, all he could think about was kissing the haughty female again. And what would it take to make her like it? He had collected his boon in the way that seemed right to him. There was no lasting harm in what he had done to her. Nothing to merit ending up in demon oblivion, he reassured himself, realizing his bonding urge for her was only going to be more tormenting now.

Malachi’s voice was soft, but from the way she stared at him in shock still, his sincerity level was not high enough to reach his eyes. “If I was capable of regret, I might actually feel some right now. But I’m simply not emotionally programmed for it. I suppose that means I await your retribution.”

He walked stiffly to the side of the room.

Rena dropped her fingers from her mouth and stared at the demon. The pleasurable sensations now coursing through her physical body bound her to it even more. Ironically, the demon’s actions had exacted a level of revenge that he must never know about, since because of her vow to Ania, she might not be able to stop him from further actions. She vowed to keep her distance and not let him learn of his effect on her.

Ania shook her head to clear it of the image of Malachi passionately kissing a creature who had sent him to the floor mere minutes before. Males, she thought fondly, turning to her own irrational mate with a soft smile.

“Liam? Now that she is recovered, you and I need to go with Rena Trax to our quarters to discuss something in private. You no longer need fear her actions. The emissary and I have reached an accord about using her power. She seems to have none over me. However, the important thing right now is that her intentions are not to cause any more harm.”

Synar walked to his mate and stared into her gaze. “Business in a moment. Are you well, Ania? Do not lie to me.”

Ania patted his shoulder and ran a comforting hand down his arm. “Yes, Liam. I am well—better than you can imagine. We all are. Thank the Creators for their intervention.”

“Just what the hell is going on here?” Gwen demanded as she got over the shock of seeing Malachi kissing the dangerous female.

Seconds later, her thoughts scrambled as she was swept up in arms that clutched her tightly. Her mate’s concerns and fears threatened to take her under as he trembled in her arms.

“Zade, turn me loose. Damn it—that’s a freaking order. What is the matter with you? We’ve got real problems here,” Gwen exclaimed, trying to push away, but he wasn’t letting her.

Rena laughed out loud at the Siren’s extreme relief to find his mate lived, but it also immediately evoked shame in her. True, her head was still spinning from the demon’s kiss, and yet her gaze swept the room in wonder. All those she viewed hated and distrusted her now despite the healing light she brought with her. Instead, they completely trusted the demon host female who was obviously battling with the darkness she had brought into herself.

Shaking her head, she turned to Seta, waving her hand as her physical sibling started to rise. Seta immediately fell back to the bed unconscious, still unaware of all that had happened. Rena hoped to constrain what Seta knew until she had acquired the amulet. It seemed more compassionate to do so.

Chiang bent to check the new lieutenant again as the female’s head hit the pillow, eyes rolling up. He was still not sure what was going on. One minute he was examining the patients. The next he felt a numbness. Then he came back to awareness while Rena Trax was talking. He still couldn’t believe Malachi had kissed her.

“She is fine, Doctor—merely sleeping,” Rena said to him, sliding off the adjacent medical table to stand. She bowed her head to Captain Synar. “Ania Looren has convinced me that I chose an incorrect path to achieve my ends. My apologies if I frightened you or your crew. I wish now to try a different path.”

“Was Dorian correct? Are you an emissary of the Creators?” Synar asked, using the term Dorian would have used.

Rena nodded. “Yes. Dorian Zade is correct about many things, I imagine. He is also how I found you at last.”

Dorian finally let go of Gwen to round again on the strange female who had shaken his beliefs. “What do you mean? We have not met according to my recollection.”

“Actually, we have. You recently traveled in spirit form to consult with the Creators about recovering your memories. I was the closest emissary nearby to assist, so you came to me. You told me what I wanted to know, and in exchange I gave you your memories back as you desired, or at least all that existed. The drugs they gave you during your captivity had a very negative effect on your energy as well as your body,” Rena explained.

“So you’re saying those five hours Zade was meditating and passed out in a healing trance, he was somewhere in spirit talking to
you
?” Gwen exclaimed.

“Yes. Emissaries are charged with answering the spiritual calls of the devoted who are asking for help, but rather remarkably your mate ended up helping me in return. It is the way of the universe to foster such favorable exchanges,” Rena said with a smile, walking to Dorian. “May I give you another gift as a way to make amends for frightening you about your mate? I swear by the Creators that I will not harm you in doing so. I merely intend to build a small bridge in your mind which will provide you access to something you seek.”

Dorian stepped away from Gwen a modest distance and nodded. Just like he’d wanted to hear Malachi’s side of his experiences at the mercy of the Creators, he now wanted to know what this creature knew as well.

Rena smiled and placed a hand on each side of his forehead. Moments later Dorian inhaled and swore in Siren, his face flooding with embarrassment worse than Malachi’s had moments before.

“Thank you for the gift,” he choked, the words hard to get out as the memories rolled fast and hard, and very, very, very explicitly. He refused to look at his mate. He didn’t dare.

Rena bowed her head respectfully to him. And then she offered the same courtesy to Gwen. Dorian bowed to her, keeping his gaze fixed on the Ethosian’s approving smile. Then she walked calmly past them both as she left Medical, followed closely by Synar, Ania, and Malachi.

When they were gone, Gwen turned to Zade and saw him looking at her with an expression of pain on his face. “Okay. Give it to me straight and don’t spare the details. What the hell did that bitch do to you?”

“She unlocked the memories of our mating week. I remember now, Gwen. I remember everything. Why would you let me take advantage of you in such a crude manner? You repeatedly left your duties for me.”

“Raging fires of Helios, how many times are we going to have to have this conversation?” Gwen asked in return, laughing at his true remorse. She studied her attractive mate for a couple heartbeats before smiling. Good thing it was something so benign. “I let you do it then for the same damn reason I still do.”

Dorian pulled her into his arms and hugged her hard. He wanted her so badly it was a pain all over his body. First he needed to fight the fear that she might have died, and now there was the true knowing that she wanted him as every Siren male dreams his mate will. “I feel like I’m always starting over with you. Your capitulation was greater than anyone explained.”

“No one knew what we did, you big dummy. Do you think I went around bragging about our every bonding experience?” Seeing no one but Chiang to witness, Gwen slipped her arms around the man she craved like no other to whisper in his ear. “No female could deny the perfect mate no matter how many times a day he made his demands known.”

“Sweet Joy,” Dorian whispered roughly, touching his forehead to hers. He didn’t dare show affection yet. Chiang would end up with an education in Siren domination. “I long to be worthy of those words.”

“Good. I like a humble male. You know, Zade, that spiritual stuff you devote yourself to makes for one hell of an adventure. Between you and Ania, your deities are keeping us all busy. Now the Liberator has a demon putting inappropriate bonding moves on one of their freaking angels. You’re going to have your work cut out for you counseling Malachi. He’s going to be a tougher sell on restraint than Chiang.”

“Chiang is just glad the demon’s attention is directed to someone other than—” Chiang looked up from examining Lieutenant Trax and straight into Gwen’s and Dorian’s knowing gazes. Chiang could only shake his head as they laughed at him.

“Don’t you guys have a room?” he grumbled, seeing Gwen wrapped around the Siren male. Lucky bastard. He couldn’t even imagine Boca being half that willing. “Go to your quarters and be grateful your bed is big enough for two people.”

“What are you complaining about now? Boca’s too tiny to require much room. I’m surprised you don’t make her sleep on top of you,” Gwen teased, tugging on her dazed mate’s hand and guiding him out of Medical.

After everyone had left, Chiang decided to trust Rena Trax’s statement about the demon in the new lieutenant not causing any harm. He walked to the com port on the wall to contact a senior medic to come watch over his patient so he could be with one who needed him more.

When the medic arrived, he pulled up a chair and portable desk next to the patient to do some reports.

“Call me if she wakes up or there’s a problem,” Chiang ordered, pocketing some pain relievers before heading back to his quarters.

Chapter 8

“Hey, slow down. What’s the big rush?” Gwen asked as she laughed at her mate’s hands making quick but unsteady attempts to undo the buttons on her shirt. He was usually a lot smoother about undressing her, mostly because he got a lot of practice.

The cool air in their room hit the exposed parts of her bringing momentary relief from at least a little of the enormous heat her Siren mate always generated in her.

“
Dorian
? Hey, Big Guy—talk to me. I feel the trembling in your hands. Are you okay?”

“The being in Rena Trax—”

“The so-called angel?”

“Okay, yes—the
angel
,” Dorian bit out the term. “She froze you. When Ania pulled me out of the stasis state, I opened my eyes to see your still, unmoving form near me. I thought you were dead. I would have killed her if Ania hadn’t stopped me.”

“Well, as you can see, I’m perfectly fine except for worrying about you. It unnerves me to see you like this again. I don’t like it when you’re vulnerable,” Gwen said more softly.

“Vulnerability is the other side of great strength,” Dorian reminded his mate, sighing and putting his forehead against hers. “Thinking I had lost you was bad enough, but now to know that I abused you when we first mated. . .I feel totally unworthy to touch you now and yet if I don’t I will absolutely go mad.”

Laughing and trying not to be unkind about it, Gwen pulled his hands from her clothes and tugged hard to bring his body flush against hers. “Well, I don’t remember the stasis state, but thanks for looking out for me. For reasons I haven’t figured out yet, I’m not really worried about Rena Trax. Maybe it’s Ania’s energy reassuring mine. She’s not going to let that being control us.”

“Indeed—that is a profound truth,” Dorian said softly. “Ania restrained her and then freed me so I could help.”

“And Malachi—I still can’t freaking believe he kissed that female and gave her a big—” Gwen snickered against Dorian’s hand as it covered her mouth.

“I may not be feeling compassion for the entity, but it is probably not wise to speak disrespectfully—just in case there is negative energy in your words,” he advised.

Gwen laughed softly but nodded so her mate would pull his hand away.

“All I’m saying is that claim of hers to be—an emissary of the Creators, angel, or whatever—seems questionable to me. Rena Trax didn’t look like anything but a regular female when she hit the floor. But if she’s as special as what you believe, then I can’t imagine what kind of brass bonding equipment Malachi must possess to risk doing what he did. If Rena Trax had been like one of the avenging angels of Earth lore, she probably could have just poofed him right out of existence.”