Roark
Angry, I slammed my fist against the wall.
“Is everything alright?”
I turned. Zorvak stood behind me, arms crossed, waiting until I had finished speaking with Natalya.
“She escaped and is hiding out somewhere on the space station.”
“And she will not tell you where?”
“No.”
And that frustrated me to no end. Irritated at the situation, I should have thought rationally and took my time, maybe even got to know her first. I liked Cami well enough, and the interactions between Zorvak and her were intriguing, but this…female…would not listen to me, and it left me wondering if I’d made a huge mistake.
“She is Human?”
“Yes.”
Zorvak chuckled. “If she’s anything like Cami, then she is stubborn.” Cocking his head slightly, he added, “Come, I need to check on Cami. Maybe she will have an idea how to handle the female.”
Heading across the space station, Zorvak lowered the hatch and entered first. Cami ambled through holding a cup to her mouth with both hands, the steam wafting up in her face. No doubt she held the disgusting idea of cofa. She lowered the cup and Zorvak dropped a quick kiss on her lips. She smiled up at him and I quickly looked away.
“You should have woken me,” Cami chastised mildly as we headed to the galley.
“Nonsense. Did you wish me to fight everyone who stared openly at you?” Zorvak countered.
She took a sip and shook her head. “You are way too overprotective.”
Every nerve ending tingled with the need to find Natalya, to bring her onboard so I could protect her. It took all of my willpower to remain still and appear calm.
I wanted to ask Cami, make her tell me how to get the female to trust me, but I couldn’t. It was up to Zorvak to broach the subject with his bond mate.
Cami set the half-empty cup on the table. “Did you get the supplies?”
“No,” Zorvak replied, his eyes shifting briefly to me. “We had a little…encounter.”
“And what exactly does that mean?”
Zorvak’s eyes flicked to me again and I stepped forward. “That means, I saw another Human and checked for Compatibility.”
Anger covered her face and she stepped forward, placed her hands on my chest and shoved.
“You son of a bitch!” she yelled. “You did it without her consent!”
Zorvak grabbed her wrist. “Calm down, ji’si. I did the same to you.”
Her eyes were wild as they quickly shifted between Zorvak and myself. “That’s different. You were being held prisoner and had to do it.”
“And the female was also a prisoner,” I added.
Cami inhaled deeply and stepped backward. One hand threaded through her hair. “Shit! Who has her?”
“I just found out she escaped, but she will not tell me where she is.”
“She doesn’t trust you,” she said, punctuating every word with anger.
As much as it pained me to admit it, I replied, “No, she doesn’t.”
Cami crossed her arms and started pacing back and forth. “Makes sense. If someone held her prisoner, she would be very reluctant to trust.” Her eyes shifted to Zorvak, almost as though remembering something. “Especially if it’s a demanding voice inside her head.”
If the female would listen to reason, there would be no demanding. Instead of voicing it aloud, I held my tongue.
“Wait!” Cami shouted. “How could there be another Human here? What was her name?”
She looked expectant, but I did not want to share the information. I needed time to get to know the female, but if another Human was here, Cami probably knew her. I could not keep that information from her.
“Natalya.”
Cami’s shoulders slumped in obvious disappointment.
“You do not know her?” I asked, a little surprised.
She gave a quick shake of her head. “But I should.” Her eyebrows drew together. “Unless they launched another ship after ours, which is possible. I made team one, but there were others.”
“So, it is possible you know do her?” Zorvak asked.
“Maybe,” she replied, eyes squinting. “But…” She shook her head. “I don’t remember anyone with that name.”
“How do I get her to trust me enough to show herself, or reveal her location?” It pained me to ask, but time was quickly dwindling. This mission had to be a quick trip.
Cami speared me with an incredulous look. “How about telling her the truth?”
“I have.” The words came out more forceful than I wanted.
“I bet you also ordered her around, growled a little. That’s what Zorvak did to me.”
“I was not that bad,” Zorvak interjected defensively.
“Um, yes, you were.”
“What else do I say to get her to trust me?” I pressed.
“If you bonded with her, she is probably finding it difficult to resist the pull. At least the desire to speak with you. I know I felt connected to Zorvak, and he was an ass.”
Zorvak grabbed Cami’s hair near her scalp, forced her head back until they were nose to nose. “Female, you love my ass.”
She grinned. “You know I do.”
I turned away, leaving them to whatever they were about to do. I did not want to watch their back and forth playful exchanges, not when Natalya was out there alone and unprotected.
Closing my eyes, I relaxed as the strands of the bond stretched, mingling with the fibers of her own. If I could trace those strands and find her hiding spot…
Heading out toward the space station, I stepped off the ramp onto the busy passageway. Some peddlers with stands yelled out, “Get your nutrient packet here!” Others sold various trinkets; anything to earn credits.
I remembered a time when Ulaya was driven by credits. People lived in poverty; some froze from the harsh winters, others died from lack of food. The ruling family passed a law which gave everyone what they needed: a dwelling, food, all the essentials to survive, but you could take a job to elevate yourself and earn additional credits to purchase luxuries.
Dwellings were given according to position of importance. As Captain of the Royal Guard, I took Zorvak’s prior dwelling, the top floor of a high-rise building, close to the mansion.
Mother and Father were happy living day-to-day on what the ruling family handed out, but I wanted—no, I craved—more. Growing up on the outskirts of the city, I always watched with envy as the royal guard patrolled the grounds. I knew that someday, that would be me.
Focusing on the bond, I navigated through the hordes of people, trying to hone in on her location. A transport ship unloaded, flooding the passageways with more people, making it more difficult to push my way forward.
Natalya?
I waited a few moments and then tried again.
Natalya?
When she didn’t answer, my heart rate increased with worry. What if something had happened to her? Focusing inward, I felt the bond pulse between us.
Natalya, answer me!
I am tryiiing to sleep!
Tell me where you are, and I will make sure you can eat, shower, and sleep in a comfortable bed.
Is that before you sell me off or kill me?
Closing my eyes, I took a breath and blew it out slowly. I didn’t have the time or patience for this…this stubborn female! She needed to trust me. Taking Cami’s advice, I decided on a more open approach.
The other Human female said that she most likely knew you. That you were on one of the Earth space missions.
I felt her surprise. One of?
Yes. She thought that Earth sent more ships into space after hers. If you tell me where you are, I will take you to her.
Silence.
Tell me where you are.
Let me think a minute.