As we will without Arghet.
She nodded, a smile curling her lips. “You are a very worthy mate. I have decided to keep you,” she teased.
He smiled back. “I am grateful. I think I would like to keep Arghet too. There are things I have yet to experience with my mate, and things he should experience with us, andonlywith us.” He refused to allow Arghet even the thought of leaving them. “For that, we might have to leave the tribe.” A place he’d only ever known as home.
“We do what we have to. Together.” She dragged him down for a kiss, then his assassin disappeared.Wait for my signal, then unleash all of your strength. This time, you will not hold back.
I will not hold back. Be careful. I love you.
He felt her amusement, her responding well of love.I know.
And he waited.
***
Arghet’s head hurt. He was groggy but aware enough to know Ackhlen and a few of his Chamra comrades had turned traitor. They’d drugged him, then moved him away from the games. Because he’d woken up just before they’d tele-jumped here. Wherever here was.
He remained on Ussed, but his phelthar had weakened in this large pit. It looked like a giant depression left by a meteor, as the section was large enough to accommodate his entire village. The meteor must have hit long ago, though, because vegetation had begun to grow back among the rock and caves set on the far side of the impression.
A spaceship sat nearby. Too close. He didn’t like the feel of it, the energy in the metallic thing scraping along his nerves. He would have attacked the weak pair guarding him, then gone after Ackhlen and Fehlen, that vile piece ofauhleh,but he had trouble getting his balance. Each time he stood, he fell back, dizzy.
“Stay down, I said.” One of the barbarians kicked him in the face, and his nose popped. Pain followed and blood gushed.
But then a tendril of energy touched him at the same time a creeping vine curled around his waist from behind. The barbarians didn’t see it, content they’d done him damage and that he remained on the ground.
His nose heated, shifted back into place, and hurt no longer. But the burning sensation inside him, as something was squeezed from his blood, felt as if he’d been set on fire.
“Father Sun.” One of he barbarians swore. “Teehl, look.” The pair gaped at him, and he had a feeling they’d spotted the vine. “He’s bleeding all over. But it’s…black?” They moved back, horrified, and called out for Ackhlen and the others.
The burning caused him to scream. Undignified but he couldn’t help it. Ithurt.
The barbarians next to him fell, each with a dart in his throat. They spasmed, then stopped moving. Dead.
Feminine ire, that he’d let himself get captured, consumed him.
He smiled. Raia.
He felt her now, and Skehl as well, very close. He rolled to look into the dense jungle growing along the wall of rock behind him. Growing at an astronomical rate of speed. As he watched, a jungle grew out of stone, and grass formed under his body and crept throughout the crater.
Glowing green eyes appeared in the new forest, then he spotted two sets of fangs from a grinning feline mouth.You’re back, eh? A huff of amusement, and then the cat disappeared, swallowed by the encroaching growth.
“What’s going on?” one of the Earthers asked. “Wait. Who the hell is that?”
Talzec strode into the clearing as if he belonged there. Hell. They’d shoot him before he could defend himself. Arghet had seen the guns they’d positioned around the place for security. As fast as Talzec could move, even he couldn’t protect himself from the speed of laser and pulser fire automatically discharged by the ship’s defensive countermeasures.
Arghethatedalien tech.
Now that whatever had made him dizzy had vanished from his bloodstream, he freed himself from the ropes.
Talzec was challenging Fehlen openly, in front of everyone. To refuse would make Fehlen look weak. But did he care? Consorting with aliens to rape the planet was the work of a traitorous coward.
While Talzec had the attention of most of the crowd, Arghet realized Ackhlen had never taken his focus from his “prize.” The male watched with pleasure as Arghet freed himself from the ropes and stood. The crater continued to turn green with plant life, flowers blooming, the buzz of insects and the chirp of birds arriving.
But they shouldn’t, not yet. It wasn’t safe.
Arghet called out to his mates along lines of energy, and they hurried to overwhelm the many guns placed discreetly around the work area.
Too late.
