A Forgotten Kitten (Sea-anan Saga Book 2) (36 page)

Hurk McCall swiftly took his seat at the flight control panels. “All right, then. Let’s rock and roll, people.” He turned on the ship’s engines and retracted the sails. Deactivating the Lunistic cylinders, he smoothly switched the ship over to the Sea-anan crystals. “Strap yourselves in, everyone. It’s going to be one hell of a fast start.”

Everyone familiar with the ship’s enormous speed made a mad dash for his or her assigned seats, making the Oceanans wonder if they should continue or return to the familiar White Star. But not Sev. He was already strapped in the captain’s seat.

He thought of his wife while the ship took off. The Sword of Power had revealed Areo’s situation. Naked and chained against the wall of a Braqarian ship, she was being taken to Daehog. Sev was relieved to see that she was alive and basically well, but unfortunately, the gem could not tell him in which direction the enemy had taken her.

None of the prisoners were cooperating, even when threatened with death. They had each stated that death was a better fate than the one that would be bestowed upon them if they betrayed Daehog. Had it not been for Mike’s interference, Sev would have obliged each one of them.

After ten and a half months, they were no closer to discovering Daehog’s hideout. Sev had feared all hope of finding his dear wife before she was handed over to Daehog was gone. To make matters worse, Daehog had sent that morning a second wave of warships to recapture Aaren. In the midst of the battle, the McCall’s Royal Starship had arrived with its cannons blazing. Without much effort, it had sent many of the enemy’s ships and its crew to the after-world. Had it not been for their perfect timing, Sev and the White Stars would have been defeated.

The Barge
landed on the castle’s front lawn with its load of Aaren and Laaren survivors from Sea Base Ten. The newly arriving Seacats had in their possession the Bracelets of Foresight—the sister weapon to the Sword of Power.

The bracelets were made of the purest white gold and magically reinforced to be indestructible like the sword. A sapphire—identical to the sword’s sapphire—was affixed in the center of the right bracelet. Like its counterpart, the gem was magically altered to display a feline’s dilated red iris with a small black dot in the center. Since the bracelet’s jewel was the second half to the sword’s gem, when both weapons were used simultaneous, their combined unique power was unmatched.

Sev was extremely grateful to Onssa that the bracelets had chosen Areo as their keeper. Not only because she had survived her foolish, impulsive act of putting the bracelets on, but because its gem acted like a beacon and it shone brighter the closer it got to its keeper.

Since
The Barge
was the only ship capable of overdrive, Sev filled it past capacity with Seacats and Sea Rangers. Areo had been in transit to Daehog’s planet for ten and a half months on warp speed ten, so he was unwilling to ride a White Star or any other ship of lesser speed. He filled
The Barge
with warriors and prayed that their numbers and their skills were enough to save his wife.

Thursday, the 25th of May

Braqarian Ship

The front door slid open. Areo did not bother to open her eyes. It was the same routine every day. How many months had she been chained to the wall? She had lost track, but it was long enough to erase her fear of the Orions. One of her captors said fourteen months had passed. To add to her surprise, they never once tortured her. She did not consider being threatened and slapped now and then equivalent to the torment her sister Angelica had suffered.

They certainly were not trying to starve her. If anything, they were force-feeding her, since Areo was a rebellious woman. They went so far as to send in a female to assist with Areo’s personal matters. Areo feared the reason why. Sensing they stood before her, she remained still.

“Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be,
Princess.”

That voice!
Areo’s head snapped upward. Her eyes rounded at seeing the last creature she ever thought she would—the lowlife responsible for turning former allies to Daehog’s side.

“Mikkoa.”

The leaf green Iguanid wore no shirt, black leather pants, and light brown leather, ankle-length boots. His black reptilian eyes blinked slowly as he observed Areo’s state of undress. His wicked smile made her blood turn cold then scorching hot.

Ignoring the pain it caused her to move, Areo reached for the Iguanid, but was halted by her restraints. “You sonofabitch! If I get my hands on you, you won’t survive a second time. I promise you!” His insulting smirk wreaked havoc with her nerves.

“I see my handiwork has healed,” spoke Mikkoa into his translator. “There is no scar.” He stepped closer and squeezed her left breast hard. “Perhaps I should mark you in a way that will never heal.”

Areo spat in his leathery face. The spikes that ran down Mikkoa’s back stood on end. He slapped her. Areo’s contempt for him was so great that she felt no intimidation, only hatred. She spat at him once more.

Mikkoa raised his hand to strike her again. An Orion grabbed it before he made contact and rasped something in his native language.

What did he say?
Areo glanced at Mikkoa. She refused to speak to him; therefore, she boldly questioned the Orion. “Why haven’t I been tortured or starved? Why the bloody hell have you been keeping me alive? What do you want from me?”

“You will soon find out,” replied the Braqarian who stood to Mikkoa’s left. Areo noticed he wore a translator around his left ear. “We will be arriving at Daehog’s castle in a few hours. You must come with us.”

Areo anxiously watched them unchain her limbs. “Where to?” They pulled her arms behind her. She swallowed the groan that threatened to escape at the sharp, weakening pain the new position caused her shoulders and wrists.

“You will find out soon enough,” answered Mikkoa, his eyes glinting with evil. “I saved your miserable life. You owe me. And you will not be thrilled by how I intend to collect my payment. You will never again be the obnoxious, spoiled little brat who must always get her way.”

Frightened and angered, Areo lashed out, forcefully kicking Mikkoa in the groin. He doubled over. She immediately kicked him in the face, sending him sprawling onto his back.

The Orion and the Braqarian escorted her away. Their robust laughter could be heard throughout the ship. Mikkoa was left alone to tend to his bleeding nose and throbbing groin. Shortly after they exited the room, someone appeared behind Areo and covered her nakedness with a hooded wrap.

The gesture increased Areo’s nervousness. She was afraid to even guess at what they were scheming. They took her down several endless corridors. She considered the size of the vessel for a moment before her mind drifted off.

Images of Sev going crazy at her disappearance made her clench her jaw.
If I survive, if we ever see each other again, he’s going to kill me.

Her thoughts carried over to Daehog.
Why is the Dominion keeping me alive? What is Daehog up to? What did that traitor Mikkoa tell him that he did not know before?

It hit her.
The gateways! Sea-anan! Damn you, Mikkoa!

Areo fumed as they dragged her into a large, barely lit room. They sat her in the middle of a stone pool. There was a small cascading waterfall built into a sidewall. Steam rose from the glistening waters surrounding her. A Braqarian female roughly washed her hair while two other women silently held her forearms. Areo examined her body. Her skin was turning as red as a lobster’s because of the extreme heat and vigorous scrubbing.

“Watch it,” she snarled. “You’re hurting me, blast it!” She pulled her wrist out of the female’s grasp and was about to hit her with a tight fist when she felt an excruciating pain at her temple. Everything went dark.

When Areo regained consciousness, she found herself back against her favorite wall with an aching head. She groaned.
Mathew’s head must be killing him.
Areo noticed she was dressed in a gown—if you could even call it that—made of black lace. The thread was so fine she feared it would tear if she moved. The gown’s spider-web pattern glittered when touched by light.

Areo could not figure out how the dress remained on her breasts, for it had no clasps that she could see. Somehow, it remained over the buds of her breasts. The darkest part of the web covered her areolas. The sides and valleys of her breasts remained exposed. The material flowed seamlessly down toward her backside, connecting above the V of her derriere. From there the long skirt draped low over her slender hips toward the front, where another dark portion of the web connected above her pubic bone, shielding only the lower portion of her junction.

Even Areo, who liked sexy clothing, felt this so-called dress was too revealing.
Funny, I actually felt better when I was naked. But I think Sev would like to see me in this.
The thought made her smile for the first time since her capture.

Daehog’s Stronghold

Morlon

Daehog sat on his throne, unaware that a fast-approaching band of imperial warriors composed of felines, Mages, and a variety of alien races prepared to storm his fortress. He was feeling quite happy with himself, increasingly certain that he had won the war against the pesky, resilient Seacats and their pitiful allies. In his overconfidence, he had become lax and a bit careless.

By capturing their queen, Daehog believed that the Seacats would not dare challenge the Dominion. Nor would they have the leadership needed to conduct a counterattack. Once the second part of his plan was set into motion, there would be no one left to stand in his way of total domination. The Seacats would have no choice but to kneel down before their new king. Daehog’s body tingled. Never did it occur to him it could be as simple as taking on a lifemate.

To the side of him sat his personal slave Charg. Eight feet tall with sand-colored skin, dark tan bull horns, and green glowing eyes, the powerful Mormoc was obedient and eager to aid his master.

“Thanks to the traitor Mikkoa, I will soon become the sole ruler of two dimensions, Charg.”

Charg tilted his bull-like features sideways in question. He sat on the stairs that led up to the throne.

Daehog noticed his servant’s look and explained. “This female is the ruler of the legendary and mystical realm called Sea-anan. Legend has it that Sea-anan is by far the largest dimension in existence. By making Areo my mate, I will inherit the Bracelets of Foresight, the key to traversing parallel dimensions as well as containing immense power. In addition, Areo is the leader of the toughest, most annoying breed of aliens Guildhall has to offer. With her Seacats under my rule, no race in existence will stand a chance against me, not even those arrogant Mages. These mutant cats have powers far stronger than any of them.”

“I see,” answered Charg.

“My offshoot will inherit those magical bangles”—Daehog smiled and spread his wings in excitement —“along with her unique powers and my superior strength and speed. My scion will be the most powerful being alive.”

“He would be unstoppable,” agreed Charg.

“Enough of this.” Raising his deep voice, Daehog switched to the Orion dialect and called for two of his guards. “Bring the female to me. My male offshoot wishes to be hatched.”

Two Orions standing guard at one of the throne room entrances quickly headed to the stronghold’s docking port. The Braqarian ship that held Daehog’s destiny was about to land.