Chasing Dare (26 page)

“Look to the far left… now all the way across the front.”

Everyone stared across the dimly lit field, the sound of repeated pops drifting on the wind before another dark form fell and hit the ground.

Everything became quiet, even the wind stilled as the Valendrans watched dark forms converge on the fallen.

Dare listened intently to the unfamiliar voice, repeating the same statement, using the generic Shengari’ path in her mind and looked to Balduen, Dread and Viper to make sure they were hearing the same shocking thing.

“There is no harm in doing it. We can still get him if they don’t.” Dread said to Balduen and Dare as Viper climbed onto the porch roof and took up a sniper position.

“What the hell is going on? What the hell just happened?” Jax was just as stunned as everyone else and didn’t trust that she had actually witnessed it.

Balduen didn’t answer and just walked to the barn. He returned a few minutes later with Brak. His hands were tied behind his back, and a rag tied tightly to his mouth; he fought Balduen’s strong hold until he saw the men across the field.

“What are you doing?” Reven asked in surprise, grabbing Balduen’s other arm.

“We’re ending this.” Balduen said through gritted teeth. He walked Brak to the edge of the field and pushed him violently forward.

“Go, they want to trade you for the lives of the elderly couple.” Balduen watched angrily as Brak looked at the Valendrans one more time before turning and running across the field towards his people.

“I got him.” Viper said from the roof, staring down the sight of his rifle, finger on the trigger.

Brak ran full out, not wanting to give the Valendrans a chance to pop him in the back like the cowards they were. It wasn’t until he got closer to his people that he saw one of their captains leaning down with a light stone held to the body of a dead Relian. In moments, the stone had turned the flesh to dust, and he watched blankly as the wind picked up the dust and blew it away.

His steps slowed until he was walking as he saw dozens of Relian bodies being dusted. He looked up as Grai’s sniveling little brother headed toward him at a swift pace. He could have thought of a better person than the annoying brat to ensure him safely to the camp, but would take what he could get. What had happened here, he wondered, did the Valendrans kill this many before help arrived?

“Your failure as a Relian is only surpassed by your failure to follow orders. She was not to be harmed. We can accept no rogue’s among our people.” Traze said with disgust before raising his weapon to Brak’s shocked face, and pulling the trigger.

Holding his own light stone to Brak’s body he waited until the stone dissolved the flesh into dust before standing and facing what he knew had to be the stunned Valendrans on the other side of the field.

He bowed with a dramatic flourish and sent one last message through the Shengari’, before following his brother and their men into the transports.

“What the hell just happened? Anyone?” Jax asked turning around to face Dare, Balduen and Dread.

“They wanted Brak in exchange for Tom and Rose being left in peace.” Dare said woodenly, still staring across the field in surprise.

“They just executed a couple of dozen of their own men, including Brak! It had to be more than that! How do we know they aren’t coming back?” Jax was beyond irritated. She hated when things didn’t go as she planned or expected. And nothing about this entire mission came close to going right.

“We can explain later, but I do not believe they will return.” Dread assured her as Viper climbed back down from the roof.

“You should be ok now; they won’t come back. Thank you so much, for everything. You are amazing.” Dare sniffed as she fought her tears and hugged Rose tightly to her.

“Child, you don’t worry none about me and Tom here. And you and Baldy come back any time, you hear?” Rose pulled away from Dare’s hug and patted her hand with a kind smile.

‘Baldy’? Reven mouthed to Balduen with a huge grin. Yeah, he was never going to let him live that one down; he thought with a smile, glad the young man was back safe.

Jax stood around looking frustrated and pissy, while Balduen and Dare said their good-bye’s to the elderly couple, then followed behind them into the transport. She couldn’t help but smile for her friend when Balduen kept her hand and his and her body close to him. It was hard not to notice the happiness on Dare’s face.

Jax just hoped that the future would be kind to them and the child she carried.

*****

The welcome home had been a bit more of a strained event than Dare had hoped it would be. As excited as her father was to have her home, he showed the same amount of enthusiasm in ignoring Balduen existed.

When she’d begged to be allowed to rest before going through debrief, everyone had readily agreed it would be fine. Until her father found out that she had planned on taking Balduen into her quarters with her. It had taken her twenty long minutes to convince her father that whether he liked it or not, Balduen was not only there to stay, but her mate. And she had no intentions of pretending otherwise.

He’d turned such a dark shade of red, even the Valendran doctor, Amun rushed to check on him. Not that it did any good since her father had only stormed off.

Luckily, for her and Balduen, the Valendran leader had not been nearly such as asshole as her father had been. Not only did Ivint welcome her, but appeared to be truly happy that she and Balduen were together. She had a lot of catching up to do on everything that had happened while she had been gone, it appeared Balduen did as well.

All of that needed to wait though, she hadn’t been kidding when she begged for rest. She was absolutely exhausted and honestly didn’t think she had ever felt so tired in her life. She shuffled down the familiar hallway of the Knoxville warehouse, leading Balduen to the room that was assigned to her and hoping that the bed would be set up at least.

Finding the room, she opened the door and stood back while Baldy went inside first and looked around. She smiled to herself as he checked the closet and small room to make sure it was safe. Feeling satisfied he pulled her into the room and gently pushed her back onto the bed.

Dare was so tired she didn’t even fight him as he pulled the folded bed clothes from the bottom of the bed and grabbing the comforter, he pulled it up to cover her before sitting on the side of the bed.

“Are you well?” Balduen asked with concern, gently stroking the back of her hand.

“I’m just really tired right now, Baldy. That’s all. It’s been a pretty exciting day, and I think my body ran out of adrenaline.” She gave a weak smile at her own joke hoping to alleviate his concern.

“Will you be safe here while I brief the High Councilor and the others?” Balduen gently brushed the stray tendrils of hair from her face as he asked, not wanting to leave her. However, he knew he needed to get this over with. There was much for him to answer for, and he preferred to do it without Dare if possible.

“I will be fine, Baldy. Stop worrying and get your debrief over with. I’ll be here when you get back. Can you find your way back?” Dare didn’t want him to go, but knew she was going to fall asleep very soon and would rather he be done and there when she awoke.

“I would find you anywhere. No matter what. You know that don’t you?” Balduen knew that they hadn’t had much time to speak privately, and he had a lot to tell her, although now wasn’t the time he didn’t want to leave her without her knowing how much she meant to him.

“And I would find you. So don’t let them keep you too long, I prefer you with me.” Dare reached out and grabbed his hand, kissing it lightly she gave him a small smile, hoping to convey to him how much he meant to her.

“Rest now. I will return soon.” Balduen reluctantly released her hand, headed to the door and closed it lightly behind him and faced Dread.

Dread nodded toward the end of the hall, and both men walked silently away from Dare’s room before speaking.

“She is well. The young ones exhausted themselves and her; she will be fine once she has a chance to rest and recover her energy.” Dread said nothing more and continued walking with Balduen in silence.

“Why? Why did they kill their own like that and let us go?” Balduen knew the answer, was afraid of the answer, but needed confirmation that he was right.

“You heard it as well as we did, Balduen. They think the child is Relian; they are protecting her in order to protect the child they think she carries. And I believe we all know what they meant when they said they would see us again soon. They will come for the child. They will come for her. Even if they find out she no longer carries their child, if they know of the beast, she still carries, it will give them hope to keep trying. If not with Dare, with another like her.” Dread spoke as honestly as he could to Balduen, knowing he needed answers. He needed to know what he, and Dare were facing.

“That is what I feared as well. I will take her to Valendra if I must, to keep her and the baby safe.” Balduen swore with determination and a little irritation. The few Valendran warriors they had passed in the hallway had given them a much wider berth than normal.

It did bring a grin to his face to note that the hybrid and gifted women and even the children had not treated him and Dread any differently than they had anyone else. Other than an obvious curiosity, they were polite, but very reserved and never went out of their way to initiate conversation.

They stopped in front of the conference room that was currently blocked by several Valendran guards whom Balduen was unfamiliar with and waited for the guard to inform Dare’s father and Ivint; he arrived with Dread.

Balduen spoke to Dread through their bond, not wanting the warriors to hear him.

“How do you do it? How do you pretend not to notice how everyone acts around you? Us… how they’re keeping alert, like they are expecting us to go on a rampage.”

“Reach out with your senses. What do feel? See? Hear?” Dread asked calmly. Balduen could sense his curiosity in what his answer would be.

Focusing on Ibix and their bond, he tapped into his heightened senses. When he felt connected, the first thing he sensed was fear. The three warriors were scared. Of he and Dread. He could smell their fear, hear their increased heart rate, see the slight tremors in their hands as they kept them close to their weapons.

“Damn Dread, they are scared to death of us. How do I fix this?” Balduen asked, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that his own people feared him so greatly. He didn’t understand it; he was in complete control, and there was nothing to fear.

“You cannot, my friend. And that is the first thing you must learn. It is natural to fear what you don’t understand. It is unnatural not to try to understand that which you fear. You cannot control what they think, you can only show them they are wrong.”

Dread knew Balduen was going to have a hard time trying to convince his people he was not a danger to them. He needed to be prepared for the difficulties to come. Dread would do his best to assure Balduen was well assimilated if possible. If not…, then he was willing to offer he and Dare refuge on Tezaria until their people came to their senses.

“You can go in now.” Balduen almost winced when the two guards swung the double doors open and stepped back before gesturing them inside.

Balduen had no sooner gotten through the door when he was enveloped in a bear hug.

“Damn you got big! You still an ugly jerk though! But, I’m damn glad you’re back.” Balduen blinked back the light misting of tears as Niklosi let go of him, but patted him on the back with a big welcoming grin on his face. Balduen was floored by his friend’s loyalty to him. His actions certainly wouldn’t make him popular among those that were afraid.

“I have missed you greatly man. I am glad you are still here to make me look pretty every time we’re in a room together!” Balduen teased back, blinking his watery eyes, he nodded his head in silent thanks to his friend for his support. Niklosi led him to the table and sat next to him as Dread took the one on his other side.

Looking around the table, Balduen saw Reven grin and nod and was hoping that he was at least one more person he could count on. Ivint was always a mystery, so he wasn’t going to try to interpret his facial expressions. The far end… yeah he was Dare’s father.

Even without the red face from his anger, his scent, slightly similar to Dares told him who the man was. There was also a much younger man whom he knew must be Dare’s brother, the woman from the rescue, Jax. Amun, the doctor on the ship Adaria and three others that he did not recognize.

“Balduen, I will try to get this over with as quickly as we can so you can go back to your mate.” Ivint said, ignoring the snort from Banatar.

Everyone started throwing questions at him at once, until Ivint whistled loudly to get everyone to be quiet.

“I know that we all have questions for him, and not all of them have to do with their capture and escape. We need to leave those questions behind and focus on the safety of those not only in this compound, but those in other locations. To that end, we need to know if we are compromised. So Reven and I will direct the questions for now.” Ivint said to the frustration of those at the table who were more interested in Balduen and Dare’s bonding with their beasts.

“Tell us about how you were taken and how you were kept.” Ivint encouraged Balduen gently.

Balduen tried to ignore the anger pouring off of Dare’s father in waves and concentrated solely on remembering every detail of what happened the moment he saw Dare in downtown Knoxville the day they were drugged and taken.