Freed By the Alien Prince by Tori Kellett
Chapter Seventeen
N’ameth was awake and wondering how many other mistakes he had made. Lam’saak? Lam’saak was a traitor? How had everything gone so horribly wrong. He had always tried to live up to his brothers’ examples. He’d stopped trying for his sire’s love pretty quickly, then simply hoped for respect, but the older he got, the more he realized his sire didn’t warrant any of either and transferred both to his brothers. Zak was making a great king, and N’ameth had to get out of this mess to help him.
He knew hadn’t dreamt Lam’saak had been there. They’d drugged him, and if he hadn’t seen the bitterness on Lam’saak’s face, he would have been willing to accept that he was hallucinating. But he recognized the defeated look in Lam’saak’s eyes. He had seen it himself in the mirror every time he returned from a search without Razorr.
Why?
They’d obviously all been fooled, and he would bet Tee’a was right that Xar’ta hadn’t succumbed to his abilities at all; Lam’saak had been feeding him information and vice versa. Were there really so many Ishtaans that hated them? Although that was naïve. The Ishtaan people had gotten nothing but contempt and cruelty from their sire and grand-sire for over a hundred cycles. Why should his people feel N’ameth and his brothers would be any different?
He heard a noise as the door opened. Three guards silently pointed blasters at him. Xar’ta walked in, and N’ameth hissed in sudden pain as Sascha was flung into the room, sprawling on the floor. N’ameth jerked his chains, trying to get to her, even as his heart sank. He’d thought she was safe.
Xar’ta yanked Sascha toward him, ignoring her gasp of pain. He gripped her hair and licked a swipe up Sascha’s cheek. She shuddered violently and struggled to get free, but he just laughed and threw her back to the floor. They all exited quickly, and the door slid closed. N’ameth yanked on his chains, desperation giving him strength, and they moved. He pulled again, and they came out of the wall. He was on the ground and gathering Sascha to him in seconds.
“Sas’ka, my love.” Sascha raised her beautiful brown eyes and flung her arms around him. “How are you here?”
“Because we were idiots,” Sascha choked out and clung to him. He pressed a kiss to her hair, wishing for so much more but unable to hope.
“We?”
“Rachel’s next door. I thought they were just separating us.” She shuddered again. “I should be scared out of my wits, but I’m just too happy to see you.”
N’ameth dropped his mouth to hers at the same time as she reached up. Their kiss was desperate, urgent, needy, and he burned for so much more, but not here. He had to work out how they could escape.
Because the ground was hard and cold, he eased her onto his lap so she was sitting across him. “Tell me what happened.”
N’ameth didn’t know whether to kiss her or strangle her when she was done. “I’m ashamed.”
Her eyes widened. “Why?”
“Because I should hate that you’re here and in danger, and I do, but at the same time, I can’t believe how incredibly good it is to hold you.” Sascha buried her head in his neck. N’ameth raised her chin with the tip of his finger and stared into her pain-filled eyes.
N’ameth captured her mouth once more as his heart beat so loud he could practically hear it. He put everything into the kiss. He had lain with other females, but it had been a fleeting connection, and he had never kissed them. Kissing was too personal. You couldn’t hide anything in a kiss. He hadn’t even been interested in his own Dula and knew he would never get enough of kissing Sascha.
She broke away and wrapped her arms around him meeting his gaze. “I love you. Just you. I should have listened to my heart all along.”
N’ameth’s heart swelled so much he wondered if his plates could contain it.
“Where are we?”
“Near the camp. They had hell-cats, but we were only a few minutes away.” He closed his eyes in disgust. They had been that close all this time.
“Do you think there are cameras?”
He looked around the small damp space. “No.”
“I told Lam’saak where the mine is in general terms only.”
N’ameth smiled. “Is there anything you can’t do?”
“I don’t understand how Xar’ta missed the lilies.”
“I can. The flowers only bloom one day, and when they’re not flowering, they look like weeds. The miners never went beyond the camp, and I doubt if Xar’ta cared. It was more likely P’anchta knew,” he acknowledged.
“What are we going to do?” Sascha whispered in his ear.
“I don’t understand why they have us. I could understand killing me, but they obviously want leverage.”
“We kind of walked right into it though.”
“Lam’saak was obviously on his way to meet them, and he would think himself very lucky to get you too.”
“Do you think it was the same people who tried for Callie before? Who helped your sire?”
N’ameth shook his head. “I don’t think they have the powerful ships that came before. If they had, they would hardly be bothering to do this. It would have been easy for Lam’saak to bring weapons to the camp when he was bringing all the mining equipment.”
“How did you even get here?”
N’ameth sighed. “The same way you got onto our ships, but they won’t have a cellular transporter down here. It would have to have been a ship that transported me there and then down here.”
“Beam me up, Scotty,” Sascha whispered dryly.
N’ameth looked at her puzzled. “Who is this Scotty?”
And in the middle of everything, even though it was shit, they were together and he was alive, so she grinned and deflected his question with another kiss.
They sat in silence for a while. Sascha just buried her head in N’ameth’s neck and breathed. After a moment, he got up and lifted her to sit back down on the small cot in the corner. She didn’t let go once, just nuzzled closer, and he loved it. He looked around the cold, dark space. They were definitely underground. Byatt torches not requiring any power lit the walls. He wasn’t surprised they were in one of the many caves near the mining camp. Not surprising as Xar’ta was here and would have had years to scope out the area.
After a while, Sascha lifted her head. “Do you think they will bring us any water?”
The door opened before N’ameth got the chance to open his mouth. It was Xar’ta. He imagined Lam’saak would be busy at the palace convincing his brothers he was indispensable. Probably helping to organize the search party.
Four guards rushed in behind Xar’ta. Two N’olaans he didn’t recognize and assumed they had come posing as miners, and two of his sire’s guards he had never much cared for. They were lazy and dishonorable, and even though Zak would likely have released them as he would never trust them to wear the uniform of Ishtaan again, he assumed they didn’t want to return to their villages as poor farmers. He didn’t think for one moment Xar’ta inspired loyalty. It was greed, pure and simple. Three guards quickly overwhelmed N’ameth, and even though he struggled, when one grabbed Sascha and held a blaster to her head, he stilled immediately.
Xar’ta laughed and put his own blaster in the holster. “I wanted to give you the chance for a small reunion, before Lam’saak claims his mate and you are executed, because I’m generous like that.”
N’ameth yanked uselessly at the hands holding him, but he couldn’t do anything to risk Sascha.
Sascha struggled, but she was helpless to break free. “I will never mate Lam’saak.”
Xar’ta snorted. “That’s unfortunate. Because I’ve got a lot of hungry warriors wanting a piece of female meat, and at the moment, that’s the only thing keeping you from being passed around.” He smirked. “At least you’re not as difficult as the female next door, but she’ll soon change her mind when she’s cold and hungry. By then I’ll look like a seven-course feast, and speaking of which, as Lam’saak’s future mate, you are allowed to eat.”
He beckoned behind him, and Sascha glanced at the metal barred gate they had walked through and froze. The small boy who brought in some protein bars and a jug of water didn’t look her in the eye, just placed the things on the ground in front of them. He glanced fearfully at Xar’ta, and Sascha saw his bruised cheek, split lip, and shaking hands. What was Kash’ta doing here?
Xar’ta waved a hand at him, and Kash’ta cringed. “This cave rat was captured hanging around the stores this daylight.” Xar’ta reached out and pulled him close, putting an arm around the boy. “He’ll do for entertainment.”
Sascha covered her mouth with her hand. She was either going to be sick or scream.
N’ameth yanked on the guards holding him, but there were too many. “I am going to rip out your heart, vescht, with my bare hands.”
Xar’ta just looked amused.
One of the guards pulled out a blaster and aimed it at N’ameth while Xar’ta and the others left. The gate clanged shut behind them, and Xar’ta dragged Kash’ta with him. At the last second, Kash’ta looked back at Sascha and met her eyes. It was only a fleeting glance, but Sascha saw the plea in them.
“You know him?” N’ameth whispered, and Sascha nodded.
“He’s the boy from the tree. The one the girl said they were looking for.”
“They’ll miss you soon at the palace, if they haven’t already.”
Sascha thought about the guards and knew they would have been missed nearly immediately. “It would take some time to check the whole palace.”
“And Lam’saak might lead them in the wrong direction.” N’ameth took her face in his hands. “They brought some water. Why don’t—”
The ground shook as huge explosion outside drowned out whatever N’ameth was going to say.
Sascha gripped N’ameth’s hands as they heard shouting and blaster fire from outside. N’ameth immediately put her behind him as they heard running feet outside the cell.
A moment later, it swung it open, and Sascha shook with relief. “Kash’ta. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
Kash’ta looked at her in confusion and then to N’ameth. “She’s worried you’re hurt.” And Sascha understood immediately. N’ameth was speaking in Ishtaan, but her translator was doing its job.
Kash’ta held his hand out for her, and she immediately grasped it. That took no translating. They rushed out of the cell and passed the second locked door, but this was a simple barred gate. Rachel immediately ran over, she had dried blood on her cheek, a swollen lip and a black eye. Sascha rattled the cell door. “We need to get this open.”
Kash’ta shook his head. He clearly only had a key for the one door. N’ameth clasped the bars of Rachel’s cell and pulled. He strained, every muscle in his biceps prominent. Veins stood out beneath his skin. He took a breath and relaxed. Then he tried again, just as a shout was heard from down the passage.
“Go,” Rachel yelled.
“Absolutely not,” N’ameth grunted and clasped the bars again.
“Go. You can’t come back for me if you’re not free.”
N’ameth grunted and heaved, then staggered back as the door swung open. Rachel was out instantly and following them. They paused at the tunnel entrance, and Sascha tried not to stare too long at the mangled remains of three of the guards. N’ameth bent and helped himself to the blasters and handed Rachel and Sascha one each. Sascha gripped hers tightly and nodded, then ducked quickly as blaster fire took out a chunk of rock just a little too close to her head.
“I can’t see Zak or any of our warriors,” N’ameth whispered.
“So who’s firing?” Sascha asked in confusion just as two guards aimed at a figure who dashed in between the trees. The girl. “N’ameth.” Sascha clutched his hand. “It’s the children.”
“They’ve come for me, but I came for you,” Kash’ta said and gazed at Sascha. Without waiting, he ducked out of the entrance and ran to the trees, narrowly missing the blaster fire.
“Shit,” Rachel swore, giving him cover fire, but that only succeeded in confirming their position.
“We can’t do that,” N’ameth growled in frustration, and Sascha understood. They were too big of a target. “I’m going to fire, and I want you two to run.” He tightened his hold on the blaster. “We’re pinned down, and if the children really did come for Kash’ta, once they have him, they won’t stick around. We have to go now.”
“No,” Sascha hissed, heart hammering. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”
N’ameth clutched her hand. “Do you love me?”
Her eyes stung, and her throat tightened. “You know I do.”
“Then you understand that I can’t let you get hurt. The thought of Xar’ta being anywhere near you rips me to shreds.” He thumped his chest. “Here. You are my life.” He glanced at Rachel, and she nodded, tightening her hold on Sascha’s arm.
More gunfire erupted and they quickly hit the floor. It seemed like every blaster was trained on them. Sascha covered her head with her arms. She didn’t want to die, but there was no way she could let Lam’saak have her either.
“Xar’ta!”
Sascha jerked in horror as N’ameth’s voice boomed out. The blaster fire stopped immediately. His gaze fell on Sascha and held it, even though he spoke to someone else. “I will surrender myself on the condition you let the females go.”
“No,” Sascha whispered. “You can’t.” This time, she didn’t even try and stop the tears.
“You’re as pinned down as we are, Xar’ta,” N’ameth shouted. “We have warriors who will cease firing at you on my order, but if I am killed, they won’t stop until you are all dead.”
It was a gamble. He was making it sound like the warriors from the camp had found them, when in actual fact it was the children. If Xar’ta knew he was being deceived, they wouldn’t stop firing until he killed them. And for all Sascha knew, the children might have already left.
“Prove it,” Xar’ta snarled. “Surrender yourself and I’ll consider it.”
“It doesn’t work quite like that,” came another voice that shocked them all. Voren? Voren was here. Sascha shot a delighted look at Rachel as Xar’ta swore. One of his guards also swore and stood, tossing his blaster on the ground. Two more followed.
“It’s over, Xar’ta,” N’ameth said, and then everything seemed to happen very fast. Xar’ta shouted obscenities at the top of his voice and rose, firing his weapon right at N’ameth. At least ten blasters all fired back, and Xar’ta’s body jerked in a hail of blaster fire until N’ameth shouted to stop.
“Well, if that wasn’t suicide by cop, I don’t know what was,” Rachel said dryly, and Sascha closed her eyes in sheer relief. It was over. Q’at, G’oresh, and Cezar leapt from the bushes and quickly disabled Xar’ta’s men. Voren grinned, holstering his weapon, and stepped out. N’ameth stood as if he was going to Voren, then swore and turned back.
“Stop. We don’t know where Lam’saak is or even if Voren knows. Stay in the cave.” Sascha nodded and stepped back. N’ameth raised his blaster again and walked out of the entrance. Voren ran toward him, and Rachel hunkered down with her weapon still trained on the entrance. And then, just as Sascha was going to follow him, she felt an arm grab her throat so fast she stumbled. Just as quickly, three blasters were trained on her.
And Lam’saak.
N’ameth, Rachel, and Voren held very still, but so did Lam’saak. He’d been so quick, he’d even yanked her back into the shadows.
“Don’t be foolish,” N’ameth said quietly, but the deadly tone in his voice fooled no one.
“Oh, I think this is the antithesis of foolish. I have nothing to lose, and I intend Sascha here to be my guarantee that I will get to my pickup point.”
Lam’saak bent down and whispered to her. “And don’t try anything. If you so much as stumble, I will shoot you in the head. I’m better than Xar’ta, and I’m fast enough I can take Rachel as well.”
“You can’t seriously think we will let you leave?” Voren snarled.
Sascha couldn’t see Lam’saak’s expression, but she knew what desperation was when she heard it. He wasn’t going to let her go. He had nothing to lose.
“Kill him,” she shouted, and all three faces jerked in astonishment. “Kill him. He won’t let me go.” Lam’saak snarled and pressed the weapon at her temple. “Kill him,” she yelled, and he lowered his arm a little as if trying to get a tighter hold on her. He was convinced she was going to try something.
He’d be right.
As soon as he lowered his forearm enough that she could bend her head, Sascha opened her mouth and bit down hard on the arm in front of her. He yelped, rearing up, and the single blast that left Voren’s gun flung Lam’saak back about eight feet.
N’ameth raced to her while Voren and Rachel went to make sure Lam’saak was dead. He clamped his hands around her shoulders and shook. “You idiot. He was holding a weapon to your head and you bit him.” N’ameth got loud. Very loud. Railed at her. Called her lots of names Sascha’s translator didn’t even attempt to sort out, and she just stood and let him until he seemed to run out of words. Then she was practically crushed to his chest and kissed to within an inch of her life.
She didn’t mind that part.
Rachel nudged her, grinning, and she returned her look with a shaky smile. Then she did something she’d never done in all her thirty-three years. One minute she was listening to the shouts and chaos around her, and the next, her knees had given way. She heard N’ameth swear again, and she thought he picked her up. She was flying anyway.
