Stardust (20 page)

“
Because fate has so decreed.
”
Darvek used the silken length to pull her toward the bars. His words filled her with such a
feeling of longing she felt her body shuddered.
“
I wish it were more,
”
Darvek whispered as he bent to kiss her lips.
“
I wish my arms could hold you and warm the coldness of your skin.
”

Selina moved her head, evading the touch of his lips. She could not allow a man such as this to touch her. He would become tainted by her past.

“
Why do you shy away?
”
His finger raised her chin but she would not meet his eyes.

“
I am not worthy of such as you.
”
She felt his great body shudder at her words.
“
You should not even look upon me.
”

“
Who did this to you?
”
he asked as he soothed the large bruise upon her cheek.

Her hand rose to touch the tenderness left by Bartok
’
s anger.
“
It is not important.
”

“
Did Bartok raise his hand against you?
”

She did not answer.

“
Why?
”
His eyes willed her to answer.

“
I did not find pleasure at his touch.
”

He pulled her close. Unmindful of the bar
’
s steely presence, he molded his body to hers, kissing her deeply.

Selina pulled away.
“
Why do you taunt me so?
”
she whimpered, fingering her tender lips. His eyes were darkened with passion, but it was a passion such as she had never seen. She turned away, unable to stand the powerful force of his gaze.

“
Do not go.
”
His hands closed tightly around the prison bars.

“
I will return.
”

Selina made her way to the end of the long hallway. In the corner stood a guard, one she had never seen before, and she cursed the fates. With another she could have made the promise of passion, with this one the act of oneness might have to be fulfilled. She struggled to suppress the shudders of revulsion that raced through her body. In a brief moment of time her life path had been altered. She no longer felt the strange, powerful pull of pleasure to mate with any male. She wanted only one male now.

“
Why have they put so handsome a one as you in such a lowly place as this?
”
she whispered seductively as she neared the guard. She slipped the silk from her shoulder, baring smooth, tanned flesh.

“
Halt,
”
the guard called, pointing his weapon at her approaching figure.

Selina did not stop.
“
You have nothing to fear from me. I am but a lowly servant female, come to give you pleasure.
”
She could see his body
’
s instant response to her presence.

The guard lowered the weapon and reached to pull her close.
“
It is about time they sent me a female,
”
he growled.

She lifted her hand and touched his cloth covering.
“
My,
”
she said admiringly.
“
You have been without companionship a long time. I am a lucky female this night.
”
She moved her hand below his waist as if to touch him then drew back teasingly.
“
I will prepare us a pallet, my master.
”
She bowed her head in s
ubmission. Selina could see
the foolish male could barely control his lust. She touched his waist again.

“
Yes, female. Prepare us a place to mate immediately.
”

She hurried away, clutching the stolen cell key in her hand. With trembling fingers she inserted the key in the rusty lock of the cell that held the king and the warrior.
“
Come quickly,
”
she urged.
“
You must hurry before the alarm is sounded.
”

Darvek ushered King Jalon and Queen Lalona out of the cell and reached for Selina
’
s arm as he turned to go.
“
You must hurry as well.
”

She shook her head.
“
No, I cannot burden you with my presence.
”

Before
Darvek could react, the whithered
figure of Saatan clambered down the stairs toward Selina, his fist raised.
“
You will not betray me, whore. I am Saatan, the true Lord of Palermos!
”
He lunged forward, the object in his hand plunging deeply into Selina
’
s back.

Selina felt the sharp sting of pain seconds before darkness enveloped her. As if from a great distance she saw the anguished pain upon her warrior
’
s face. She wanted to reach out and touch him, to comfort him in his time of need. But she could not. A slow lethargy filled her useless body and she passed into the unknown world.

Darvek caught Selina
’
s lifeless body as she fell to the floor, his tears of anguish falling upon her warm skin.
“
No, no!
”
he cried hoarsely.
“
You cannot leave me now.
”

Saatan looke
d at the silver encrusted stone which
had hung from his neck for many moons, now embedded between Selina
’
s shoulders. Again he felt a great power surge through him. He turned to the two figures standing behind Darvek.

“
Jalon,
”
he sneered.
“
Did you think to escape from me, old friend?
”

“
Saatan,
”
Jalon said, his voice hard.
“
We have no quarrel
with you. Bartok is the one who
imprisoned us. Let us be on our way.
”

Saatan laughed.
“
No quarrel with me? Did yo
u think I would give up my life
long
-
”
Without warning he fell to the floor, no longer conscious to the world around him.

A dark figure detached itself from the shadows.
“
Come, follow me.
”
A pale, white hand motioned the group forward.

King Jalon knelt beside Darvek, placing a hand upon his shuddering frame.
“
We must leave now,
”
he commanded softly.

Darvek
’
s eyes filled with tears.
“
How can the gods be so cruel?
”
he demanded of his long time friend.
“
What have I done to receive so harsh a fate?
”

“
Bring the young one with you,
”
the figure whispered, disappearing through a small opening in the wall. Obeying instinctively, Darvek picked up Selina
’
s lifeless body in his arms and followed his king into the darkness.

Aurora walked behind the women in white as they led her deeper into the ground. She felt Talena wiggle and was not surprised when her head popped out.
“
Where are we?
”
the turin hissed.

“
I do not know,
”
Aurora whispered.
“
We appear to be the guests of some form of creature shaped like a snake and yet, the women before me are as Palermonian females.
”
She shook her head in confusion.

“
Snake beings!
”
Talena screeched.
“
What forsaken planet has the wretched warrior landed us on?
”

“
It is not Darton
’
s fault. Krossos was the nearest planet. If we had not landed, we would have been vaporized in space. We were lucky Darton knew of the place. We canno
t criticize him for
the perils we might face.
”
Aurora defended her lover staunchly.

Talena turned her blue eyes, bright with reproach, to the face of her mistress.
“
We should have taken our chances with the Sybortron, if you ask me.
”

“
Well, no one
did
ask you,
”
Aurora whispered.
“
I too would have taken our chances with the mechanical one, at least then Darton would have been by our side.
”
Her heart feared Darton had been hurt by the great land quakes. Why else would he not be here with her, rescuing her from a fate she knew not of?

“
Who do you talk to, dear?
”
Somora turned around, her gentle eyes curious of Aurora
’
s mumbling.

“
No one,
”
Aurora said, pushing Talena back within the folds of her seka.
“
I am curious of how you came to be underground. I have no knowledge of such a race of beings.
”

Somora waited until Aurora had joined her then resumed her sedate pace.
“
As my son said, we have experienced the hand of Saatan. At first he was eager to trade with us. We shared the Regilus and medicine in exchange for his superior flight knowledge. Then, with no provocation, his mighty starships bombarded our planet with fire, killing our lush green valleys and drying up our streams. We came underground hoping to escape the intense heat. He stormed the caverns of our mountain, searching for what we did not know, until the planet started to die from within. Saatan had taken our life stone. But even that was not enough for the evil man. His wizard cast a spell upon our warriors, making them the creatures you see today.
”
She shook her head sadly.
“
My son was once a handsome warrior, ready to take his place at the side of his father, ruler of Krossos.
”

“
Can the spell be altered?
”
Aurora asked, pity for the planet and its people seeping into her heart even though they held her captive for the moment. She did not allow herself to dwell on what might, at this very moment, be happening on her own planet. Her anger mounted, but there was nothing within her power to stop the hand of fate. If she had stayed, h
er fate would have been sealed –
surrender to Bartok
’
s demands or face termination. Her choice had been clear.

Somora nodded.
“
There is one way, but I fear Slamock is too proud of a male. His mind is clouded to the thought.
”

“
Why would Saatan need your life stone?
”
Aurora questioned.
“
Yulon is a plentiful planet filled with much magic.
”

The two younger women opened a door and Aurora followed Somora inside a beautiful chamber. The walls were solid white and a large steaming pool filled the center. Females of all shapes and sizes in various states of undress walked among the smooth marbled pathways.

Immediately Somora begin to disrobe.
“
Why would Bartok come to your planet of Palermos? His home planet, Argon, is filled with much magic as well.
”
She indicated Aurora should strip.

“
King Jalon refused to bow to Bartok
’
s barbaric demands for fuel,
”
Aurora answered. Slowly she unbuttoned her seka. How was she going to explain Talena
’
s presence?

“
Exactly. Bartok is a barbarian. He has no thought or reason to his actions besides pride and greed. The same with his uncle.
”
The older woman became aware of Aurora
’
s slow movements.
“
What is wrong, my child? Do you not wish to bath within the Pool of Delight? It is most refreshing.
”

Aurora did not know what to say. She had no wish to offend Somora, but she could not put her friend at risk. She shook her head.
“
I will wait here until you are done.
”