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THEIR SHORT JOURNEY through the remainder of the ravine ended on a plateau in front of the same set of caves Ross had viewed on his scanner. It was a good thing they’d encountered the Torak before entering the caves. Without him announcing their arrival to his clan, things could have gone very differently. Talia was certain the group of men holding spears and guarding the entrance would have attacked them before they’d made it inside.
When Torak’s men had surrounded them in the ravine and she’d seen the primitive construction of their spears, then heard that the clan lived in caves, she’d assumed they were a simple race that survived off the land. Her suspicions were confirmed the minute they were led through a small tunnel and into a huge cavern.
A comfortable warmth surrounded her as soon as she walked into the expansive room. The source of the heat was a fire blazing in a large pit edged with rocks and situated in the center of the floor. She lowered her hood and undid the front of her coat. There were two holes in the ceiling, approximately five feet wide that provided an escape for any accumulating smoke. Off to one side, Talia saw a clear waterfall splashing over boulders and filling what appeared to be a naturally formed pool.
Glancing to her right, she noticed a group of women. They were all taller than her, some almost as tall as the men. Their legs were covered with similar fur leggings, and they wore thin strips of leather banded across their chests, barely enough to conceal their breasts.
Judging by their reactions, she didn’t think they got any visitors. It wasn’t hard to miss their harsh stares or the protective way they reached for their children, pulling the older ones aside and snatching the younger ones off the ground.
One of the men from the group who’d escorted them appeared from an adjoining tunnel with another man. The second man, even bigger than Torak, entered the room with a powerful, confident stride, leaving no doubt that he was their leader.
He exchanged some words with Torak that she couldn’t hear, then walked toward them, stopping directly in front of Dolok.
“You are the one who leads. The one they call Dolok.”
“Yes,” Dolok said.
“I am Soren.” He waved his hand toward the others in the room. “These are my people. We are the deltoirra clan.”
Dolok turned to each member in their group and introduced each of them by name. There were very few men who could intimidate Talia, but the chieftain was one of them. He was an imposing man, and coming under his scrutinizing gaze was unnerving.
“Torak tells me you are here searching for Tremaine. Is this correct?” Soren asked.
Dolok nodded. “He has committed many crimes against many people. We plan to return him to our planet for punishment.”
Soren crossed his arms, the bare muscles bulging. “I am afraid I cannot allow you to go after him.”
Talia gaped at the man, certain she hadn’t heard him correctly. She realized she had when Ross took a step toward Soren. “Can’t allow...what...why not?” His voice escalated with each word. “He’s a killer, and we...”
The men behind Soren, the ones still holding spears, tensed and lowered their weapons, viewing Ross as a threat. Soren held up a hand to keep his men from advancing.
“Ross,” Dolok growled. “Stand down and remain calm.”
Ross flashed Dolok a challenging glare but didn’t argue. His anger was understandable. Talia wanted answers too, but not at the expense of someone’s life. She was glad when he heeded Dolok’s command and took a few steps back to stand next to Gedrin.
Dolok returned his attention to Soren. “My apologies. Please explain why you refuse to allow us access to Tremaine.” His tone was respectful, diplomatic, yet demanding. The way the two men stared at each other, the tension swirling around them was so thick that no one in the room dared to move.
Finally, after what seemed like hours but was barely a minute, Soren rubbed the back of his neck. “Tremaine took some of our mates, my beloved Elara included. He stated that he will kill them if we do not do what he requests.”
“What has he asked you to do?” Gedrin asked, even though they all knew the answer had something to do with the missing colonists.
“He requires males for his fights. When someone dies, he makes us replace them by taking human males when they hunt in the lands surrounding the colonies.” Soren closed his eyes, then took a deep breath before opening them. “It is not something we enjoy doing. We have no choice.”
“I hate to ask, but how do you know your mates are still alive?” Talia asked, knowing it wasn’t the first time Tremaine had lied, given someone false hopes to get them to do what he wanted. Life meant nothing to the bastard, and she hadn’t thought she could despise the man any more than she already did.
She’d been wrong.
“We are allowed to see our females once every cycle,” Soren snarled.
“Isn’t that like thirty days?” Lexa turned to Talia for the answer.
“Close. The days are shorter here, and the revolution is comparable to twenty-five Earth days.”
“That’s still a long time.”
Yeah, it is. “How long has it been since you saw her last?” Talia asked.
“Almost a full moon cycle has passed,” Soren said.
That would have been around the same time Anna’s father disappeared. At least now Talia knew who was abducting the missing men. If the deltoirra were as good at hunting as she thought, it would explain why no one had found any traces of them. “When are you scheduled to see them next?”
“We are expected to deliver new males for the arenas to him by midday tomorrow,” Torak said.
“Which will include you and your males.” Soren motioned for his men to aim their spears at their group again.
“I do not understand. Please explain,” Dolok insisted.
“You are big, strong, and should last longer in the fights. I am hoping to trade you for our females.” Soren glanced at Talia and Lexa. “Rest assured no harm will come to your females. They will be well cared for. We have unmated males who would be happy to take them as mates.”
Corran wrapped his arm around Lexa and pushed her behind him. “No one is touching my mate.”
Talia didn’t have time to ponder the information before Dolok released a loud, feral growl. He took her hand and tugged her to his side.
If the deltoirra had been technologically advanced, Talia was certain they wouldn’t be having this conversation. Soren would have already found a way to stop Tremaine and rescue their women. It was clear they needed each other’s help. She wanted to avoid any blood being spilled and hoped the plan formulating in her mind worked.
“Wait!” Talia yelled, then eased out of Dolok’s firm grip. She took a nervous step toward Soren. “What if I told you there might be a way to get your mate back and stop Tremaine at the same time?”
Soren signaled his men to hold their position. “I am listening, female.”
#
TALIA’S PLAN HAD BEEN sketchy, filled with risk, and she’d been afraid Soren wouldn’t agree. Once she’d given a brief outline of her idea, even Torak had agreed it had merit. The first step in building trust with the deltoirra was when they turned over their weapons, coats, and travel bags for safekeeping.
From that point, the tension between the groups dissipated. She’d taken a seat and let the men take over, listened to them fine-tune the details, giving her opinion when she thought it was necessary.
She observed the interaction between Dolok and Soren, was impressed by their leadership abilities and the way they both negotiated terms without being overly invasive. She’d also noticed that some of the men and women from the clan appeared to be more relaxed with their presence, circled close by, and listened to their conversations. They’d moved to an area away from the main cavern, farther from the entrance to the caves, and she couldn’t tell if evening had descended. By the time they’d finished, Talia was mentally exhausted and hungry, and she guessed that a few hours had passed.
During their discussions, Talia learned that the women in the clan could fight and hunt as well as most of the men. Ever since Tremaine’s arrival and after some of their women had been abducted, Soren wouldn’t let any of them venture far from the caves. He didn’t trust Tremaine or his men and refused to let anyone else be taken.
With the overprotective attitude Soren shared with Dolok, she’d been surprised when he assigned Lexa and her a part in the rescue. Even more shocking was how readily Dolok agreed, then offered suggestions on how they could be useful.
Talia wasn’t sure if he did it to prevent another argument, or if he was worried that one of the men from the clan would try to take her as a mate if she was left behind, or if he didn’t want her out of his sight. Whatever his motivation, she’d be getting what she wanted. She’d have access to Tremaine’s vessel to do what she’d come here to do.
When they discussed the best way to transport Tremaine and his men after they were captured, Talia refrained from giving her opinion. If things went according to her own plan, Tremaine wouldn’t be leaving the planet unless he was a corpse. Talia had spent too many years searching for him. She wasn’t willing to take the chance that he might escape and be able to destroy more lives. She’d made a vow to her mother on her deathbed to make him pay for his crimes. And it was a promise she meant to keep.
The smell of freshly cooked meat, something she hadn’t had in a very long time, wafted through the air and tempted a rumble from her stomach. It was a loud reminder that the dried fruits she’d had out of a synthetic pouch before leaving the transport was the last thing she’d eaten.
Soren grinned at Talia, then got to his feet and sniffed. “I believe the meal our females have prepared is ready to eat. Come, you are my guests and will dine with us.”
Talia had also been watching Lexa and needed some questions answered. She didn’t know if she’d get the chance to talk to her once they joined the larger group in the cavern. Once everyone was standing and heading to the eating area, Talia hung back and waited for Corran and Lexa. She grabbed Lexa’s wrist and gently tugged her away from Corran. “Do you mind if I speak with my sister alone for a minute?”
“Lexa, I will wait for you inside.” He smiled and walked away.
Talia didn’t miss her sister’s long sigh or the longing in her eyes as she stared at Corran’s ass. “Okay, let’s have it. How long have you known that you were Corran’s mate?” And how long have you been having sex with him? Since sounds in cavernous areas echoed and Talia didn’t want their conversation to be overheard, she made sure to keep her voice low.
“He told me we were mates the day after he arrived.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Talia asked.
“At first, I wasn’t sure if I believed him.”
“What changed your mind?” Talia wasn’t totally convinced there was something to the whole mate-recognition thing.
A flush rose on Lexa’s cheek. “He kissed me and... Let’s just say the man knows what he’s doing.”
“And once you did believe him, why didn’t you say anything?” They’d never had secrets, and it bothered Talia that her sister had kept something this important from her.
“I knew you’d think I was nuts or tell me to stop believing in those old Earth fairy tales I read when we were growing up.”
Talia rubbed her forehead. “Which is why you were doing the research...” It finally dawned on Talia why Lexa had been so adamant about sharing the information.
“Yeah.”
Talia hesitated before asking, “Am I Dolok’s mate? Did Corran say something to you?” Even though Talia had been fighting their attraction, a part of her wanted to believe it, to hear her sister confirm that she was somehow his match.
“I see how he looks at you and how protective he acts around you. But truthfully, I don’t know...not for sure. And no, Corran didn’t say anything. He wouldn’t even if I asked him. They’re honorable that way.” Lexa nervously bit her lower lip. “I was kind of hoping it was true. I thought if I planted the seed, you might be more acceptable to his advances and give him a chance.”
Lexa rubbed Talia’s arm. “I’m sorry I don’t have any answers for you.”
“Don’t be. It doesn’t matter.” Even though it did, and Talia hated the uneasy feeling surging through her, leaving behind a wave of disappointment. “I need to stay focused on the mission.”
Talia pushed away all thoughts of Dolok, then pulled Lexa into a hug. “I can tell you care about Corran, and I’m happy for you guys.” It gave her a small sense of relief knowing that Lexa had Corran. If things went terribly wrong with their plan tomorrow and something happened to her, Talia wouldn’t have to worry about her sister being all right. She trusted that Corran would take good care of her.
“Really?” Lexa asked.
“Really. Now let’s go get something to eat, because I’m starving.” Talia stepped away from her sister, intent on finding the rest of their group.
Lexa placed her hand on Talia’s arm. “Talia, wait.” She appeared troubled and rapidly blinked as if she’d been about to cry.
“What is it? Is something wrong?” Talia asked.
“It’s... I’m worried about you.”
“You shouldn’t be, because I’m fine.” Talia didn’t handle her sister’s tears well and wasn’t in the mood to continue their discussion about Dolok. The man didn’t have any problems telling her what he thought. Surely, if he believed she was his mate, he would have said something already.
“I’m concerned about what will happen tomorrow with Tremaine. About what you’re planning to do after we find him.”
Lexa had always gone along with everything Talia had chosen to do to find Tremaine. In all the years they’d been searching, Lexa had never asked, and Talia had never shared her true plans for him.
“I want to stop him as much as you do, but...” Lexa hugged her chest. “I want you to let the hunters take care of him.”
“What about the contract with Trask?” Talia asked.
“We both know it’s not about the money. It’s about getting revenge for our parents.” Lexa swiped at the tear trickling down her cheek. “You can’t save the world, and you can’t keep blaming yourself for what happened to Mom.”
Memories of that terrible night surfaced, and Talia could feel the familiar pain building in her chest. “If I’d done something, had gone after Tremaine’s men...” She remembered hearing her mother’s screams, but she’d been too terrified to do anything about it. She’d stayed with Lexa, done as her mother had asked, kept her sister hidden, kept her safe.
“We were kids. What happened to Mom wasn’t your fault. There were too many of them, and you couldn’t have stopped them.” Lexa pulled Talia into a hug. “I’m alive because of what you did. It’s what Mom wanted. Don’t ever forget that.”
Lexa was right, Talia couldn’t change what happened, couldn’t stop her father from being taken, couldn’t stop her mother from being attacked. She wasn’t that helpless child anymore. She could, and would, do something about it now.
Talia hadn’t cried since her mother’s death, and she wasn’t going to start now. “You need to stop worrying. Everything is going to be all right, to work out the way it’s supposed to.” It was enough of a concession to wipe the concern off Lexa’s face.
“Good, then after we’re done here, would you consider getting out of the business? Maybe think about finding some happiness for yourself?” Lexa smiled. “I want to settle down, have children. I don’t want to chase the bad guys anymore. Corran showed me a virtual of Tarron. It’s a beautiful planet, and I think we could all be happy there.”
“I don’t know if...” The idea, the hope of having a family of her own, was something Talia dreamed of but never talked about with her sister. The events of their past were constant reminders of what she’d lost and what she needed to do.
Lexa wrinkled her nose and squeezed Talia’s arm. “Just promise me you’ll at least think about it.”
“Okay, I’ll think about it.” Talia forced a smile.
“I almost forgot. If you find out that Dolok is your mate and he tells you he wants to claim you, say yes. Trust me when I tell you, it will blow your mind.”
“Claim? What the hell are you talking about?” Talia wished she’d paid more attention when Lexa was trying to explain things about mates to her back on the transport.
“Sorry, no time to explain.” Lexa tipped her head to the side. “It looks like the big guy is getting antsy.”
Talia turned to follow the direction of Lexa’s gaze. Dolok was standing near the entrance to the main cavern, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. The man was all kinds of sexy. The way he possessively stared at her, branding her with his eyes, had her heating from the inside out.
Lexa chuckled and grabbed her hand. “Come on, before he decides to do the caveman thing and toss you over his shoulder.”
Would he carry her off? Would she mind? Talia groaned and let her sister drag her toward Dolok. She wanted to throttle Lexa for bringing up the topic of claiming, then refusing to answer her questions.
“All yours.” Lexa smirked, then gave Talia a slight push in Dolok’s direction.
Talia watched her sister saunter across the room and take a seat at the table next to Corran, where he was having a discussion with Ross. She turned her attention to Dolok and smiled. If only it were true.
