Wray (17 page)

Standing just inside the cave’s entrance was
a male unlike any Kim had ever seen. He wasn’t as tall as Wray but
he wasn’t much shorter. He was as muscular as Wray but with a skin
tone closer to Kim’s own than a Tornian. She might have mistaken
him for human if it weren’t for his glowing eyes and the wide strip
of black hair running down the center of his head with strings of
beads running through it. He must be a Kaliszian.

“What do you mean ‘at risk’?” she
demanded.

"Unprotected, non-Tornian females are
considered available to any Tornian Warrior under Tornian Law."

“What?” Kim’s eyes flew to Wray knowing the
male had to be wrong but she saw the truth in his eyes. “You allow
them to rape who
m
ever they want and you
don’t punish them?” Kim didn't try to hide her shock or her hurt
from Wray.

“I have never abused a female!” Fala growled
at Kim.

“Really!" Kim felt her anger begin to build
as she looked to Fala. "And just what do you call what you were
going to do to
me
!” she demanded.

“
You
are not Tornian and are therefore
nothing more than a vessel the Goddess has created for her blessed
warriors to use until a compatible female is presented. It is not
abuse to use a vessel.”

Kim’s mouth opened and closed at the
warrior’s tirade. She wasn’t sure what shocked her more that he
truly seemed to believe what he was saying or the fact that no one
corrected him.

“You can’t possibly agree with him.” Kim
demanded her eyes returning to Wray.

“It is not something you should ever have had
to concern yourself with Kim." Wray glowered at Fala. "Once we are
on the Searcher
,
I will explain it to you
and you will understand.”

“Understand? What’s there to
understand
,
your
Majesty
?" Kim
questioned, letting him know, she knew he’d lied to her. "Your
warriors are nothing but a bunch of rapists, no better than the
Ganglians.”

“How dare you insult me
,
you
worthless
female!” Fala rose to his feet,
enraged. Not only had this female marred his face, not only had she
put him on his knees before his Emperor,
now
she insulted
his worth by saying he was the same as a Ganglian! This he would
not tolerate and he moved towards her.

“Unless you wish to join the Goddess this
day
,
Fala, I would not move.” Wray’s
quietly spoken words froze Fala in his tracks, for they were full
of a barely controlled rage that had every male in the room
tensing, waiting for him to explode. “Leave! Both of you! Now!”
Wray ordered.

Kim watched as the males quickly bolted
towards the cave's entrance at the Emperor’s order, but not before
they gave her a look that said they would make her pay for
this.

Kim looked to the light-skinned male for
several minutes, assessing him. He'd been the only one willing to
tell her what was going on. The only one willing to tell her the
truth.

“Who are you?” She demanded.

“I am General Treyvon Rayner.”

“You’re Kaliszian.”

“Yes.” he nodded.

Kim's disillusioned gaze returned to Wray,
who was watching her intently as she spoke to Rayner. She still
couldn’t believe he’d just let those males go after what they’d
done to her, after what they’d said to her.

He’d told her that Tornian males had honor,
that they were worthy. How was what Fala and Gyula done been
either? From the moment she’d woken, he’d started to work his way
into her broken heart. He’d started healing all the damage done by
the Ganglians with his attention, with his caring and with his
understanding. Now she realized it was all a lie.

He had led her to believe he was just a male,
a warrior like any other, nothing special, at least not beyond what
she felt for him, but he
was
more, he was the Emperor. His
patience and caring had touched something in her that she had
thought the Ganglians had killed… her dreams. Her dream that
someone could love her even with all her faults and failures and
Wray had seemed able to do that. When she had doubted herself, he
gave her his belief. When her strength had failed, he’d given her
his. When she’d cried, he’d held her.

So what was she supposed to do now that he
supported all that had tried to destroy her?

Wray watched Kim intently as her every
thought traveled across her face. He knew she was upset with him,
knew that she didn’t understand why he hadn’t killed Fala and Gyula
for attacking her. There was so much he should have told her before
Veron arrived, but he hadn’t, he hadn’t wanted anything to intrude
on their
time
together.

She’d willingly given him so much. More than
she realized with her caring, with her gentle touch and with her
kisses. He had never experienced any of them before and hadn’t
wanted them to end. Now he could see that was a mistake.

Kim had relied on him to tell her what she
needed to know to survive in his universe and he’d failed her.
She’d told him how she felt when he hadn’t told her he had cleansed
her and he hadn’t listened.

“Kim.”

“Our entire time together was a lie,” Kim
whispered, her eyes full of betrayal and hurt, “from start to
finish. Every touch… every word… I am such a
fool
. I
believed
you when you said your males had honor because
you
told me they did. Where’s the honor in what happened
here today
,
Wray?!!” She gestured to the
marks in the dirt left by her struggle with Fala and Gyula. “Where
is the honor in lying about who you are, your
Majesty
?”

“Kim…” Wray took a step towards her.

“Don’t!” Kim ordered harshly, taking a step
back. “Do you treat females the same way Tornians do?” She asked
her gaze returning to Rayner.

General Rayner’s eyes traveled over the small
female that not only stood up to the Emperor but dared to defy him.
He had never seen one such as her, not in the color of her skin or
her hair. It was obvious she wasn’t Tornian, especially after the
way the warriors had attacked her but what was she?

“No.” He realized he had yet to answer her
question when she raised a regal eyebrow at him. How was that
possible? She stood before him a tiny thing wearing clothing that
wasn’t hers, covered in dirt with her hair in disarray around her
and still she managed to appear royal. “Kaliszians have more than
enough females to satisfy our males. We do not need to force our
attentions on one.”

“Yet you allow Tornians to, in your own
space.”

Rayner stiffened at her implied insult. “Had
I arrived first it would not have been allowed. I offer my regrets
on behalf of Emperor Liron.”

“Who is that?”

“He is the Emperor of the Kaliszian Empire.
When we were informed that the Searcher had been attacked and that
the shuttle carrying Emperor Vasteri had crashed on Pontus, he sent
me here to assist in the search.”

“Vasteri…” Kim realized Wray had told her he
was the Emperor, if she had been listening. He’d announced that he
was Wray Vasteri and later told her that Wyck Vasteri had been
named Emperor. She just hadn’t put the two together.

“And you have my thanks.” Wray nodded to the
male. “Now we need to get Kim onto the Searcher.”

“Emperor Vasteri.” The male nodded back.

“No.” Kim said looking back to Wray. “I’m not
going with you.”

“What?” Wray’s eyes latched onto Kim’s and
his heart constricting when the eyes that met his had no warmth,
had none of the caring that had always been there.

“I’m staying here. Where I'm not considered a
'vessel' to be used at a male's whim. Where I’m not something
considered 'unworthy' of protecting.” Kim spit out and watched Wray
pale as her words struck him.

“If that is your wish then you shall have the
protection of the Kaliszian Empire, my vow.” Rayner replied.

“Thank you.” Kim said, forcing her eyes away
from Wary even as her heart protested. She tried to smile at
Rayner, but found she didn't have it in her.

“No!” Wray roared. Kim's words had frozen him
in place with a pain unlike any he'd ever experienced before. She
couldn't really believe that he thought her 'unworthy' of
protecting, that he wouldn't protect her with his life, but her
ready acceptance of another male's vow told him that she did. He’d
lost her trust. Her love. This he would not allow. Couldn't allow
and survive. She was his and he would stop at nothing to keep her.
“You will not grant her sanctuary
,
General. If you do your people will pay the price.”

Kim’s head whipped around at the cold
ruthlessness in Wray voice and
found
his
eyes were just as hard and cold. Gone was the gentle, caring male
she’d come to know, before her stood a ruthless Emperor.

“You threaten me?” The General growled at
him.

“I promise you." Wray told him in a deadly
quiet voice. "If you grant Kim sanctuary I will stop all food
transports to the Kaliszian Empire.”

A stunned silence filled the chamber at the
Emperor’s declaration and even the luciferins seemed to go still in
shock.

“You can’t do that!” Rayner denied
aghast.

“
I
am Wray Vasteri, Emperor of the
Tornian Empire, Protector of the civilized planets.
I
control what leaves my Empire.
I
control who we
support.”

“My people will starve…”

“It is your choice.”

Kim watched Rayner look from Wray to her. His
eyes were filled with anger and regret and she knew what he was
going to say.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot offer you sanctuary.
I cannot put you before the needs of my own people.”

Looking into the General’s eyes Kim could see
he truly did regret refusing her, but she also saw his resolve. He
would not save her.

“I see why the Goddess continues to withhold
her blessing from the Kaliszians. You are no different than your
ancestor, putting your own wants before that of an innocent.” Kim's
quiet words had the General flinching, for their truth cut deeper
than any Tornian blade.

“Come
,
Kim.” Wray
said, moving to take her arm.

“Don’t touch me!” Kim jerked her arm away,
rounding on him. "Ever! You,
Emperor Wray Vasteri
, deserve
everything the Goddess has done to your people!” Turning, she went
to move past him

Wray's jaw tightened at her insult and every
male expected him to lash out at her instead he stepped in front of
her causing her to look up at him in surprise. "Perhaps we do, but
I will not lose you
,
Kim." He told her in
a low voice so full of pain that Kim felt it in her soul. "You mean
too much to me." Slowly he stepped to the side and allowed her to
walk past him.

Rayner tensed when the Emperor stepped in
front of the little female
,
stopping her.
He knew her words had cut the Emperor just as deeply as they had
him, for they were the truth. A truth, neither male could deny, but
for her to say them to
him
was one thing, for her to say
them to the Emperor... did she have a death wish? Yet she had shown
no fear as she faced the most powerful male in the known universes,
her only reaction was for her brilliant green eyes
to
darken before the Emperor let her pass. Rayner
discovered he couldn't let her leave. Not like this.

Wray turned and followed Kim because no
matter what she said, no matter how much he deserved her disdain,
she was his and he would make sure she was protected. When Rayner
stepped out in front of her, causing her to stumble, he immediately
steadied her.

“I cannot let you leave,” Rayner stated his
hand moving to the blade sheathed on his forearm, ignoring the
Emperor’s low growl. “Not until I’ve done what I
can
to
protect you.” His fingers quickly removed the sheath and presented
it to her. “It is not much, but with it you may be able to protect
yourself.” Rayner found it difficult to maintain eye contact with
her as she just stared at him.

To his surprise, instead of reaching for the
blade, she slowly raised her arm and held it out to him. Carefully,
he attached the sheath to her upper arm finding he had to wrap the
straps around her arms several times before it would fit.

“I wish I could do more.”

Kim looked up Rayner. He was the first male,
besides Wray
,
that had truly tried to help
her. He didn’t have to. He didn’t know a thing about her. Didn’t
need or want a thing from her. He wasn’t like his ancestor and it
shamed her that she had said he was.

“Thank you.” She said softly. “I will pray to
the Goddess that she blesses you and your people.”

Kim paused at the base of the cliffs as she
looked across the valley to what she assumed was a shuttle. Next to
it was the tangled wreckage of another ship, blackened and
partially covered by sand and dirt. How had Wray been able to get
her out of that? Looking over her shoulder, she found Wray directly
behind her, his eyes on her, not the wreckage.

“Let me carry you
,
Kim.” Wray asked again
,
his eyes pleading
with hers.

Instead of answering, she turned and started
towards the ships. Growling his frustration
,
Wray followed watching helplessly as she carefully
picked her way across the valley floor.

As they neared, Wray moved to her side,
ignoring her angry glare. He wanted his warriors to know she was
under his protection, there would be no more males thinking she was
available.

Kim stiffened next to Wray as suddenly every
male turned to look at her. Her hand twitched and she wanted to
grip the blade on her arm, but she refused to let these males see
they intimidated her. Returning their gazes
,
she saw shock in some eyes and curiosity in others,
apparently they were unused to a female looking them in the
eye.