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With an arm thrown over his face, stretched out on his bed, Venik found it hard to sleep. Candles as tribute for Ghizu burned where he’d offered his prayers, their heavy scent doing nothing to dispel his nerves. Dawn and Sevanti had been missing for several horas and new information had come to light.
Security found electronic records hidden on a capture drive in Pilan’s quarters. The information proved he worked with the purists but they still searched for specific names of any others he may have had a connection to.
Frustration burned Venik to the core. The signal on Dawn’s tracker had stopped transmitting right after they discovered the name of the ship Yon had used to leave. The Renegade.
Currently Niah from the Black Stars’ technical and security team along with one of the nav officers were working together to try and triangulate where Yon could be headed. Continuous alerts blasted across the airways and he was officially listed as a wanted criminal for the assault and abduction of a military official.
Terror unlike Venik had ever known wracked him from the inside out. Thinking of Dawn suffering in any way under the hands of someone like Yon tore at his stoic reserve. He couldn’t be calm and rational when his indira was involved. Being gagazi meant the giving of his hearts and right now both pounded in fear at the idea of Dawn in danger while he could do nothing but wait.
His wrist comm buzzed and Venik ignored it. He’d only left the bridge a short time ago to give his mind a much needed break. As the search continued, he couldn’t afford for something to slip by or to miss an important clue.
The comm insistently buzzed again. Opening his eyes to see the contact ID, Venik froze. The four numbered sequence was one he’d memorized the day he received it. He tapped the screen and a miniature holo of Dawn in a blue light appeared.
“Venik?”
“Dawn!” Venik shot straight up in bed. Relief made him dizzy. He pressed a hand to his fore ridges. “Where are you? Are you alright?”
Tears welled in her two toned eyes. “I can’t understand you when you speak Vassi. You have to use English.”
Rage inducing fear took over as Venik easily switched to her language. “What happened, Dawn? Why can’t you understand me?”
“It’s...it’s not important right now. I can explain everything later.”
The answer wasn’t good enough and only increased his ire. Venik studied her image to figure out what was going on. She wore the same thing she’d had on when he last saw her. Other than her hair in disarray and her quivering mouth, she seemed fine.
Shoving his feet back into the boots at his bedside, he said, “Tell me where you are and I’ll be there.”
She shrugged appearing far more calm than he’d expect. “I don’t know. I kinda hoped you could track me and find out with the comm.”
Venik raced from his rooms, going to the nearest lift to reach the bridge. “Stay with me. I’m going to see if navigation can pick up the signal.”
Holding his arm aloft, he devoured every inch of her face. In this little frame of time since she’d been taken, he missed her. Wanted her within reach so he could hold her tight and see to her safety.
Venik had to remind himself that Dawn was strong and a fighter. She’d get through this. He’d make sure of it. Exiting the lift the moment it stopped, he turned right and strode onto the bridge drawing the attention of the nav officer Stavo, and Niah. Both turned at his approach, their gazes going to the holo of Dawn on his comm in surprise.
“Trace Dawn Reavers’ signal again, Stavo,” Venik ordered.
Stavo spun in his chair, hands flying over the holo screen at his station. Niah gazed at the bluish glow surrounding Dawn’s image and Venik felt a momentary twinge of discomfort. Niah would learn soon enough that his relationship with Dawn had advanced since they’d last spoken.
“Did they find us?” Dawn’s worried voice asked.
“Not yet.”
Her expression took on a downcast look. Venik couldn’t stand it. He felt powerless and it wasn’t a sensation he was used to.
“Someone is coming,” a voice warned through the comm device. “You should end your call now. Better yet, destroy the device before they discover you have it.”
Tensing, Venik leaned forward in his chair and stared at the holo. He couldn’t see who’d spoken. It wasn’t Sevanti. The voice held a smooth toneless note. “Who’s with you?”
“Now?” Dawn looked to the side. When she looked back to Venik again, the first signs of true fear stirred in the golden brown depths of her eyes. “Venik, I have to go. Hopefully, you’ll be able to pinpoint our location. Sevanti’s fine. They beat him up pretty bad, but he’s okay.”
He was stuck on what the unknown individual had told her. Venik’s hearts beat in triple measure and his palms grew clammy. Making his voice as hard as possible, he said, “Do not destroy the comm, Dawn Reavers.”
Her brows crinkled. “I don’t want Yon and his men to know I had a way to contact you. They might change direction or, worse, hurt Sevanti as a way to strike against you.”
Everything she said made sense from a tactical standpoint. Except, history wouldn’t allow for Venik to be rational about something this important. Fear she wouldn’t listen caused his skin to prickle.
Unmindful of those on the bridge, he begged in a low voice. “Don’t destroy your comm. Don’t take away my only means of connecting with you. Dima did that and it was the last time I spoke with him. My brother died alone and I had no way of telling him I was there by his side every moment until the end.”
“Venik,” she whispered his name and it killed Venik inside to know she understood the level of his grief.
“Keep your comm. Hide it wherever you had it before, indira,” he pleaded.
Still watching and listening, Niah flinched but Venik couldn’t worry about her feelings. Dawn bit the curve of her bottom lip. “I’ve gotta go. Someone’s outside the door now.”
Muting the growls crawling up his chest, he held her stare. “Your comm, Dawn. Please.”
Her gaze softened. “I won’t destroy it. I’ll keep it so you can find me.”
Letting her end the call killed Venik. “Be safe and know that I’m coming,”
“I know.” Dawn’s pebbled teeth flashed and his chest tightened. Moments later, the holo blinked out and his hearts stuttered from the loss of her bright smile.
“Is everything alright, Commander?” Niah asked hesitantly.
He cleared his throat. Dawn was counting on him. She’d done her part and now he needed to do his. “Yes. Do we have a trace, Stavo?”
Stavo tapped a section of the holo star map and expanded the screen with his fingertips. “I have the lom’s signal. Here, Commander. The signal came from here. She is two horas away if we travel at max speed along our current trajectory.”
Venik steepled his fingers. “Get us there as soon as possible, Stavo. Hyperjump if you have to.”
Sudden pressure from the Black Star increasing speed forced Venik to lean back in his chair. He stared out the main view screen and the black expanse beyond.
“Incoming message,” the Senior Comms Officer called out.
“Sender?”
The SCO turned in his seat. “It’s...it’s Yon, Commander.”
Venik’s upper lip peeled back and a low growl rumbled forth. “Accept.”
“Greetings, Commander Avar.” Yon’s grinning face took up the holo screen. “I’ve been excited to talk with you.”
“And now you have my full attention, Yon,” Venik drawled.
Rubbing his hands together with a pleased look, Yon said, “I thought I might. On the Black Star they still treat you like a hero but the rest of us know the truth.”
As if bored, Venik sighed roughly though inside, he went on alert. Yon had to be calling for a reason. He only hoped it wasn’t because he’d discovered Dawn’s wrist comm. Had she managed to hide it sufficiently? “I can’t imagine you think to get away with this when you abducted the High Commander of a battleship. What do you really want?”
“I want Vassi to stay pure!” Yon bellowed, fore ridges straining. “I want them to avoid the unnatural desires you encourage with your illicit relationship with that human female.”
“There is no illicit relationship with the human,” Venik declared and leaned forward. Nothing about his connection to Dawn was wrong. He was gagazi and his hearts would forever beat for her. Yon couldn’t change that and no Vassi’s judgment of them would turn him away from her. “You will end up spending the rest of your life on a prison colony for a mistaken belief. Let them go.”
Yon’s breath sawed in and out, fury and retribution practically poured from him. Venik held in the rest of what he wanted to say. He couldn’t afford to anger Yon further and risk Dawn and Sevanti’s lives.
“She must die. It’s the only way to stop her filthy perversions from spreading.”
Horror filled Venik at the hate filled declaration. Yon grinned and abruptly ended the communication.
***
After ending her conversation with Venik, Dawn hurriedly shoved her wrist comm into her pocket again. Sohan faded back into the corner and the door opened. The guard didn’t meet her gaze. Pilan entered behind him. The guard held a tray in hand covered in implements and pushed a long table inside.
“What’s all of that?” she asked, backing away. There was no sign of Sohan and instinct warned her not to mention him.
“Yon promised to let me see what else is broken.” Pleasure and evil gleamed from his gaze.
“Well, that’s not happening.” Not today, not tomorrow and not as long as she had breath in her body.
Pilan shot her. Dawn hadn’t expected it and looked at the dart sticking from her shoulder then at the projectile weapon in his hand. She hadn’t noticed him going for a gun of any sort.
She ripped out the dart, ignoring the icy cold sensation rushing through her veins. “What did you do?”
“Hold her,” Pilan told the Vassi guard who’d come in with him.
He hesitated and eyed Dawn. “Should we do this? Didn’t Yon say the Commander was gagazi for her?”
There was that word again and Dawn didn’t have a clear understanding what it meant, but if it gave her some advantage, she’d use it. “I’m sure you know Venik doesn’t take lightly to any who act against him.”
At her words, the guard rubbed his three fingers together and glanced at Pilan. “Ghizu only shows those who are highly favored a gagazi. I don’t want to go against the spirit of our ancestor.”
“She’s not the Commander’s favored gift. She is an interloper. If this goes on, others may follow. Pain seekers! Vile perversion lovers!”
Dawn lost the rest of Pilan’s rant as he grew overcome and agitated, slipping into the Vassi language. The guard disagreed with whatever he said and pointed to Dawn. Pilan argued something else, spittle falling from his mouth with his ferocious argument.
Sighing, the guard looked at her and his black gaze was drawn. “Please rest yourself on the table, lom. I don’t wish to hurt you.”
Instinct urged her to fight but how far would she get? Hell, she’d figure it out. Slowly, Dawn made her way to the table and eased her hip on the side. Pilan growled. “Hurry before the sedative takes effect.”
She brought her legs up, watching all the while for her moment to get away. There was also the slim chance the guard might help. And Sohan. She couldn’t forget about the energy alien.
Dawn stretched out on the table and drew in a deep breath. “Please don’t do this. You’re a medic. You help people.”
Pilan paid her no heed and selected a shiny long blade and turned toward her. He flicked a switch and it began to whirl and vibrate.
Dawn’s breath hitched. “Sohan! You said you’d help, you bastard!”
Moving closer, Pilan’s dark look held her still. “I don’t know who you’re talking to but the sedative will numb you. Too late of course but you’ll get some relief after I have my way.”
Dawn prepared to heave from the table and drop kick him in the face when the tray holding the implements went flying in the air. Spinning about, Pilan lowered his arm and the surgical knife. “Wh—?”
The guard moved quickly to Dawn’s side. “Come.”
“Stop. I’m about to cut her open and see what the former Commander finds so interesting about her.”
Blocking Pilan’s attempt to reach her, the guard helped Dawn from the table. “This is wrong, Pilan.”
“Noo!” Pilan raised the surgical knife over his head and ran for Dawn.
She pushed the guard aside, caught Pilan’s forearm and twisted. The bone cracked and he screamed, dropping to his knees. The guard caught Dawn about the waist. “That’s enough. You’ll draw the attention of the others. I’ll escort you to the cell until Yon says what’s to happen next.”
It took everything in Dawn to let go. She edged around Pilan and drew closer toward the door. Pilan panted in obvious pain as he stared but made no move to stop them. Outside the door, the guard slid the bolt, locking it. She eyed him askance.
He avoided her gaze and cleared his throat. “Only until I can return and try and calm him.”
“Help me and my friend get away,” she pleaded.
The answer was on his face as he shook his head in denial. Dawn didn’t thank him for locking Pilan up. He was a part of this and had to know his actions were wrong.
They traced their steps back to the room where she’d been held earlier with Sevanti. She followed the guard and kept her silence as he led her to her original cell. Breath lodged in her throat, Dawn waited until he opened the door and gestured her inside. As soon as she crossed the threshold, he slammed the door behind her.
Sevanti rose from his seated position on the floor. “Are you injured?”
Not sure what to make of what just happened, Dawn wiped at the nervous sweat buildup on her brow. She lowered her voice and whispered, “I’m fine. I was able to get in touch with Venik and he said they’ll track my signal and he’s coming for us.”
“This is good. Very good. It means he’s on the Black Star.”
Now that he mentioned it, she did remember Venik sitting in a high back silver chair with red padding when they spoke. “How long do you think it will take?”
Sevanti grunted and propped a shoulder against the wall as he thought. “Depends on how far we are from Regin IV. Not long I would guess judging by the condition of this old vessel. It can only travel so fast.”
“Pilan, he...,” Dawn broke off on a tremor. The sedative had spread and her lips grew numb. Sevanti eyed her in concern. She brushed back the tangles of her hair and breathed deeply. The fear of what the medic wanted to do to her played out in her mind. Being dissected alive shook her to her core. “He wanted to cut me open. He used some drug on me.”
Pushing away from the wall, Sevanti approached and touched her shoulder. The intensity of his gaze increased. “What?!”
“Pilan was going to cut me open!” she cried out.
“Do you feel dizzy or lightheaded?”
Knowing there was nothing he could do, Dawn lied. “I think I’m okay for now.”
She wasn’t sure for how long though. By the way Pilan acted, she assumed the drug to be slow working.
“Dut! Curse him for his part in this. Stay strong, lom. We will get out of this. I promised my friend Venik I’d take care of you and I will protect you with my life.”
If Yon separated them again, Sevanti might not be there to do anything about it. Dawn exhaled softly. They had to get out of here. “Yon’s not sane and neither is Pilan. I don’t think they’re going to wait or keep running from the authorities. They won’t stop until I’m dead or they strike out against Venik by torturing me.”
“I won’t let them do that,” Sevanti vowed.
Dawn cleared her throat and tried to think of something else. “What does gagazi mean?”
“Venik didn’t discuss it with you?”
She shook her head. “Venik and I only agreed to be together recently.”
The corner of Sevanti’s lips curled up. “Then I think you’ll like the history behind it. It starts as a love story. Ghizu was a great leader and believed that love was the strongest weapon a soldier could wield. As a war-faring people, you can understand why that didn’t necessarily go over well.”
Dawn snort laughed.
“As the story goes, Ghizu was due to fight the biggest battle of his life. He was outnumbered against by an entire army. But what no one knew was that he became gagazi for the daughter of the general wekkis before. On the day of the battle, Indira showed up and stood before the invading force. She cried and begged her father not to harm the one she loved.
“The general favored his daughter highly and backed down. A treaty was reached and the two warred no more. For the Vassi, it is considered a gift from our ancestor, Ghizu, in the spirit realm if you find the one you mate lock with.”
“Mate lock,” she mouthed the term under her breath. “Does this mean Venik loves me?”
The hand at her shoulder tightened. “I think that’s something you’d want to hear from Venik himself.”
Sevanti was right. She’d rather hear those words for the first time from Venik. “Indira means treasure.”
Sevanti inclined his head.
“That’s where the endearment comes from? Ghizu’s mate lock.”
Chuckling, Sevanti said, “Not his mate lock. Ghizu’s mate who he was mate locked for. He considered her his treasure and the strongest weapon at his disposal because she helped him win that day. We revere and worship him for what he taught us.”
Before she could ask anything else, Yon stormed in, nostrils slits flaring. “Venik will be cured of his obsession with you! No other Vassi will fall under your evil spell.”