The Healer's Kiss: Book Four of the Forced To Serve Series (26 page)

“So it is true then? Conor Synar found his demon?” the first guard asked, grabbing Boca’s arm and throwing her forward.

Chiang growled. Boca reached out a hand but pulled it back at his frown. Ignoring Boca, Chiang looked at the guard. “Soon you will wish you had heeded my warnings to leave her alone.”

Both guards just laughed as they pointed to the gate and a path through it.

Chapter 16

When Chiang was brought before Orem Sel, the Lotharian ruler was not any more respectful than his guards, who openly gloated at Chiang’s growing frustration. Soon it was obvious that there was nothing he and Boca could do but go along with Orem Sel’s plan to entertain himself at their expense. In the few minutes they had been in the ruler’s main hall, Chiang had gone from hoping to convince their host of their ruse to just hoping they both lived long enough to be rescued.

He walked to where Boca stood panting. He could tell she was exasperated from fighting off the guards who had continued to harass and mock her on their walk. They had tugged and torn the remains of her top until it now hung in tatters, leaving her covered only by her hygiene straps. Chiang growled as he passed the guards but did not glance at the males he wanted to kill, especially the one that made no effort to disguise his lust for her.

Their next move would either convince Orem Sel of their ruse, or get him killed and Boca captured again. He looked at the leering male who had torn her clothes from her, unable to keep the pure hatred he felt from his gaze. One way or another that particular male was going to die. It was going to either be at Boca’s hands or his.

“Our host is insisting to see you fight as fiercely as his guards say you threatened to do. They are both willing to take you on because they hope bonding with you is to be their reward. He says you may choose weapons from any male in the room, but I will have to collect them for you,” Chiang ordered. “This is Orem Sel’s warped way of letting you restore your own honor. I regret not being able to talk him out of it.”

Angry to once again be at the mercy of such selfish males, Boca’s gaze took in the room and those watching. Then she met Chiang’s concerned gaze and all anger fell away. In its place was a resolve to do what she could to help save them. If Orem Sel wanted to see her kill his guards, then raging fires of Helios, she was more than ready.

“Fine. I want to fight them anyway. Find me a pair of knives or scythes. I care not which blade.”

“Knives? To fight against guards with laser stunners?” Chiang asked, incredulous over her choice.

“Yes—if you want me to survive,” Boca said flatly. “I am not good with firing weapons. I am well trained in knives. You want me to trust you? Then trust me in this.”

Chiang arched an eyebrow, but seeing her confidence about the matter, walked to a male on the other side of the room. He took out a small pouch and held it out to the man.

“I offer Rylen incense for your blades. Even the smallest amount will turn the most reluctant female into an adoring mate for a time.”

He looked back over his shoulder at Boca.

“If this goes well, I will have her gratitude. If it does not and she dies, I still won’t have need of it this evening. Fair barter, I would say.”

The Lotharian male who owned the knives smiled in agreement. “Aye. Fair barter, Greggor. If you lose, I might even loan you a female for the evening. I’m happy you chose my blades. They have not seen much blood lately. I am sorry it will be your female’s. She looks like a screamer.”

Chiang smiled at his crude joke, forcing himself to bow his head. “That is a generous offer about sharing your females. I am a male of great needs.”

The smiling Lotharian held out the two fighting knives to be inspected, and at Chiang’s nod, laid them in his hand.

Chiang passed over the bag and made himself smile as he walked back to Boca. Turning the knives over, he presented the handles to her.

“Kill the one that ripped your clothes first. If you don’t, I will break him in half eventually. His death is needed, but allow the other to live. Restrain him, and then I will restrain you,” Chiang whispered. “I trust you to survive this. Trust me in this ruse.”

Boca took the weapons, met Chiang’s gaze, frowning as she tightly nodded her acceptance of his plan.

Chiang quickly walked away to take his place next to Orem Sel again.

“I really hope you don’t like the guard who assaulted her,” he said stiffly, finally looking at the smirking bastard, who just shrugged. No doubt Orem Sel was looking forward to the death of one of his own, but probably also thought Boca would die in the attempt. “I ordered Boca to kill him. No one humiliates my mate but me.”

Orem Sel smiled at the announcement. “If you had told my guards she was your mate in the beginning, this might not have gone so far. They said your mate was extremely disrespectful to them. Lotharians do not allow females this type of rebellious behavior. It tends to be too contagious.”

Now it was Chiang’s turn to shrug. “Let’s just say my employer—”

“
Conor Synar
?” Orem Sel asked.

To Chiang, the mention sounded like he was uninterested. Could it be that Orem Sel didn’t need Conor’s services? The frustrating male had given nothing away so far. Perhaps the captain’s information was faulty.

“Yes. Conor
doesn’t like talk of mates and so on. He thinks a preference for one woman is a weakness, even though he keeps several for his exclusive use,” Chiang said sharply, fighting not to glare as he watched Boca walking in a tight circle as she got used to the feel of the strange blades in her hand.
Let her be as talented as Gwen and Ania think she is
, he prayed.

The male that had tried initially to strip her laughed as she walked. He pulled out his laser weapon, dialed a setting on it, and then looked up.

Seeing his neck exposed at last, Boca threw the first blade with deadly accuracy. It pierced his throat, the tip protruding from the back. He dropped the unfired laser weapon as he fell backwards to the floor, gurgling as he drowned in his own life force.

Chiang saw three guards lift their laser weapons and point them at Boca, dropping them only when Orem Sel waved them down.

Boca walked slowly over to the struggling guard and stomped her bare foot on the handle driving it through his throat more until he stopped struggling. Then she calmly leaned down and yanked the blade back out. Chiang watched her wiping it off on a strip of torn cloth that had once covered her shoulder—and his family’s mark. The gleaming outline of it was visible even from where he stood.

“Your female kills with no remorse,” Orem Sel said, rubbing his chin. “That must make bonding with her an exciting risk to take.”

Chiang laughed, not having to work very hard at this response. “Boca is very exciting. Who do you think taught her to fight? If you wish, I can stop her before she kills the other one. I am mostly appeased now. There is no reason for the next one to completely die. He ceased his actions when he saw my mark on her. The first one sealed his death when he laughed at me.”

Orem Sel shook his head. “No. Let her fight him too. I find her coldness fascinating. Perhaps death need not be the final result though. I don’t want the rest of my guards thinking they will be used for sport. That is a weak way to die and only suitable for disobedient females.”

Chiang narrowed his gaze but showed no expression as he lifted the remote. He watched Boca start across the floor to the second guard, blades rolling in her hands and the first guard’s life force staining the clothing left on her. When she felt the collar go off, she lifted hands to it, bringing the deadly blades close to her own face.

Chiang saw her fall to her knees, and heard her call out loudly, but her gaze remained locked on the second guard, who was now grinning. Good, Chiang thought. She was handling it.

“Fight—but do not kill this one,” he commanded loudly.

He saw Boca glance at him over her shoulder as she climbed unsteadily to her feet. His gut was knotted with tension, but he made himself focus on the mark on her shoulder—his mark. His female. Not a responsibility, but a partner, he thought, willing her all the strength she needed to fight the guard.

As if she were aware of his wish to help her, Chiang watched Boca straighten her back. He would thank Malachi for the mark when they returned. Then he was going to take one giant swing at the demon, penalty or not, for forcing such a thing on Boca, who he knew had been as surprised as he was at what was there.

Pulling his thoughts back to the present, Chiang focused on the fight. Boca stopped a short distance away and waited for the next attack. The second guard pulled a fighting blade from his belt and began to walk around her slowly. She turned when he did, keeping her gaze focused. When the guard struck out, he sliced her arm before she could evade. Boca looked at the thin line briefly, watching it bleed for a moment, before swinging her gaze back to the guard’s gloating one.

When he lunged a second time, Boca jumped, kicked the knife from his hand, and then tripped his legs out from under him all in one continuous move. Once the guard hit the floor, she ran past him, sweeping low to pin one of his arms to the floor using one of the blades she held.

His scream of surprise echoed through the room as he realized his arm was pierced through and that he couldn’t free it without further pain.

Using a spin to kick and move the other arm to the floor, Boca raised the second blade high before planting it above the struggling male’s other wrist.

While he called out in agony, a stoic Boca walked to where the guard’s single but much larger blade had dropped. She swept it from the floor to her hand with a flick of her toes. She held it up to the light, inspected it, and then slipped it gently into her torn skirt band. She walked to him chin up, the room silent with the exception of the second guard’s cries of pain, escalating demands for help, and scathing names for her.

Never looking at Orem Sel, Boca slipped the blade from her skirt, lifting it to her palms, and offered it to Chiang with a bowed head.

Chiang stepped to her, took the blade, and then caught her chin, pulling her up to him by it for a relieved kiss. When he let go and she fell back to her toes, he stared at her hard. “Kneel and put your face on the floor. You just killed a servant of our host. I need to discuss this appalling situation.”

Boca glared at Chiang without the need to fake much, but did as he ordered, stretching her hands over her bowed head. When he was satisfied with her compliance, Chiang turned and offered the blade to Orem Sel. “It will be a while before your guard will have need of his blade again. What would you like to do with it?”

Orem Sel waved at the blade with his hand. “Keep it for a souvenir of your visit and proof of my sincere regret to have treated you so poorly.”

Chiang bowed his head. “I don’t know of what poor treatment you speak. You are a gracious host, Orem Sel.”

“And you are an admirable male for having tamed such a dangerous female. Please tell your employer that I regret that my guards gave you such an unpleasant welcome to my kingdom,” Orem Sel said. “Why don’t you retire for the rest of the day, Chiang of Greggor? I’ll have food brought to you and your exciting mate. Let me make things up to you.”

“I accept your offer. When I contact Conor I will be happy to convey your—gracious welcome—and encourage him to come see for himself,” Chiang said, watching Orem Sel bow his head slightly.

Chiang didn’t think Orem Sel was buying their story for a minute, but there was little more he could do. Every instinct was warning him that the Peace Alliance had badly underestimated the treachery of the rulers on this planet.

He turned then and spoke loudly to Boca. “Up. You have rested enough. Be grateful our host is in a merciful mood.”

Boca pulled her body back upright, sparing Chiang one hateful glance before shifting her mental venom to the still-seated male who smiled back knowingly.

“Boca,” Chiang said. “If you say anything rude to our host, you will be punished.”

He watched as Boca immediately dropped her eyes and hung her head.

Out of the corner of his eye, Chiang saw Orem Sel motion two guards forward even as he smiled. Hoping to convince them that they didn’t need company for the evening, Chiang pulled a leather wrist restraint from the vest he wore. “Hold out your wrists, and I want both. No rebellion like last time.”

He was grateful that Boca kept her head bowed as she meekly lifted both her hands. He didn’t want her to see his concerns, which as large as they were, he knew she would read flawlessly in his energy. As soon as they were alone, he was calling the ship for help.

Chiang fastened the restraints, knotting the cord slowly and double-checking to make sure it was secure. When he heard Orem Sel laughing at his precautions, Chiang spared a glance at the male and smiled before returning his gaze to his task.

“I said my mate was exciting. I didn’t say she was safe, especially after a fresh kill,” Chiang declared, elated when Orem Sel laughed harder.

“I find you and your fighting mate quite amusing Chiang. You would probably find me a more rewarding employer than your current one,” Orem Sel said.

Chiang snorted. “Do you think you’re the first customer to make me such an offer? I am both healer and mercenary. However, I cannot consider other offers until my debt to Conor Synar is paid. Now that he’s taken on a demon, there is no leaving his employ.”

“I imagine not,” Orem Sel said. “Well, look me up if he ever releases you.”

Chiang nodded, ending it on a bow of respect, his hand tugging on the wrist restraint as he dragged Boca along with him, hoping it was to safety.

“See that Chiang and his mate are installed in the Elerin suite. I’m sure they will enjoy the accommodations there. When Conor Synar arrives, he can have the adjoining room,” Orem Sel said.

The guards walked ahead and out of the main area. They all walked for a considerable distance down several long corridors and past many rooms. When they stopped, it was in front of a set of ornate double doors. One of the guards pushed them open, and then both stepped aside to let Chiang lead Boca into the room. Once they were inside, the guards closed the doors behind them with a definitive click that Chiang knew meant a lock was being put into place. That meant there would be no roaming around later unless they wanted to risk everything.