Sedrik’s com-bots vibrated, drawing him from much-needed sleep. He wasn’t sure what time he’d returned to his cabin the night before, but Rebecca had long since given up and gone to bed. So he undressed and slipped in next to her. With her soft warmth pressed against him, he quickly followed her example and surrendered to sleep.

And now another interruption. With a frustrated sigh, he identified the caller and activated his end of the connection. “This better be important, Tyrale. I’m exhausted.”

“Understood, sir, and I wouldn’t have bothered you if it were something I could handle.”

His first officer could handle just about anything, so Sedrik carefully disentangled himself from Rebecca and began dressing as he asked, “What happened?”

“Tracker team nine investigated one of the addresses Rebecca gave us and hit the jackpot.”

“They found Big Jim?” He glanced toward the bed, afraid his sudden surge of excitement would awaken his mate. Luckily, she slept on, peaceful and secure.

“Yes, sir, but there were complications. He was… The Evonti… They’re in main medical. Dr. Mintell can explain exactly what happened.”

It wasn’t like Tyrale to be evasive. “Is Jim alive?” He finished dressing as fast as he could.

“He was when I left the clinic, but Dr. Mintell isn’t hopeful.”

“Understood. I’m on my way.”

“Very good, sir. I’ll inform Dr. Mintell. Tyrale out.”

Sedrik paused to make sure Rebecca was still asleep, then hurried toward main medical. There were very few physical “complications” Rodyte technology couldn’t regenerate. It should only be a matter of time before Jim could be questioned. Then why the doom and gloom from Tyrale? Sedrik lengthened his strides, nearly jogging in his haste to find out.

Main medical was unusually quiet. One of the medics motioned Sedrik toward the regen units in the adjacent room. Dr. Mintell stood beside one of the tubular devices speaking with Kaylar, the ship’s lead investigator.

Mintell noticed Sedrik approaching and turned toward him. “Don’t get your hopes up, sir. The damage to Jim’s brain is extensive. Even if he survives regeneration, it’s doubtful much functionality will be restored.”

Locking his hands behind his back, Sedrik looked at Kaylar. “What happened? Where did the trackers find him?”

“I sent a team to each of the locations your mate gave us. Jim was found at the L.A. address.”

“Most of L.A. is a shambles,” Sedrik said. “That address is a pile of debris.”

“He was in a basement room under what was once an office building,” Kaylar explained. “The raid interrupted a team of humans attempting to repair an Evonti portal. They’ve secured the area, but need to know what you want done with the portal.”

The portal was important, but he was more concerned about the confrontation itself. “Were there any injuries? Where did the trackers take the other humans, the ones working on the portal?”

Kaylar winced, looking almost guilty. “One of the humans shot two of his own team members, so the trackers had to take him out. The last two had some sort of seizure that killed them both on site.”

“The Evonti had implanted some sort of control device in their brains. The seizures were remotely triggered,” Mintell told him. “Jim has an even more invasive set of implants. I shudder to think of their capabilities. I’ve never seen anything like them.”

The Evonti had murdered their mind-slaves to prevent secrets from falling into the hands of their enemies. Sedrik shook his head sickened by their ruthlessness. Clearly human lives meant nothing to the Evonti. Would they have been so heartless if the engineers had been Evonti rather than human? “If they killed all the others, how did Jim survive?” Sedrik wanted to know.

“Each tracker team also has a medic,” Kaylar told him. “The medic on team nine is one of our best. When he saw Jim start to seize, he bio-streamed Jim into the stasis chamber on their ship. That’s the only reason Jim is still alive.”

Mintell didn’t look nearly as impressed. “It was a smart move, but he only postponed the inevitable. Jim has had multiple strokes. There is damage in every region of his brain. My prognosis is guarded at best.”

“Understood. Com me when the cycle is complete.”

Mintell nodded once then turned back to the control matrix on the regen unit.

Kaylar followed him as Sedrik walked out into the main treatment area. “General, I know it’s your preference that we destroy every portal we find, but we really need to figure out how they work and what they do. I’d like permission to confiscate this one rather than destroying it on site.”

“Was the cave portal destroyed?”

“Of course, sir. Your orders were quite clear.”

“And what did you find in Riverside?”

Kaylar shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his voice starting to tense. “We’re pretty sure it was another portal, but the room was badly damaged by the blast used to open the door.”

“Then you were unable to gather any more information?”

“Correct, sir.”

Sedrik sighed. It would have made more sense to study one of the others and destroy this one. Apparently, that wasn’t an option. “Can it be disassembled and transported here?”

“Before we’re discovered by humans?” Kaylar asked with a meaningful look. “Unlikely.”

Damn it. Kaylar was right. They couldn’t just take what they wanted and fly away with it. That was called plundering and they weren’t Outcasts. “I’ll contact our liaison,” he put sarcastic emphasis on the title, making it sound insulting. He had nothing against Morgan Hoyt personally. She was smart and generally fair, but her “assistance” had been forced on him after the L.A. disaster and her involvement often complicated situations rather than simplifying them. “I’ll see if Director Hoyt can secure the appropriate permissions.” Gods how he hated bureaucratic kaunashit. Informing humans at this point would just slow things down.

“The trackers have secured a perimeter,” Kaylar told him. “I’ll make sure that’s all they do. Let me know once you’ve worked things out with our liaison.” He echoed Sedrik’s sarcastic tone then inclined his head and departed.

Seeing no advantage to postponing the conversation, Sedrik went to his office and contacted Morgan Hoyt. He’d been given her private cell phone number, so she picked up immediately. “This is Director Hoyt. What can I do for you General Lux?”

“One of my tracker teams stumbled across an Evonti portal while they were pursuing a fugitive. I need immediate permission to disassemble the portal and bring it to my ship for study. Time is of the essence, Director. I’m sure you understand.”

“Where was this portal found? I need to know whom to contact.”

He cringed, knowing she wouldn’t like the answer. “Los Angeles.” He listed the address.

As expected, her soft laugh was humorless. “You do like to complicate my life, don’t you?”

“It’s not intentional, but I understand your quandary.”

A long pause followed. He could almost picture her tense expression, lips slightly pursed, eyes narrowed. “This could take some time. Do you still have men in the area?”

“They’ve secured a perimeter and I’m not pulling them back,” he insisted. “This find is too important.”

“I understand, but I’m not sure the governor will. California wants to change their state moto to ‘Earth for humans and only humans!’ Sound familiar?”

The battle cry had been popularized by the Resistance Force. “Then go over the governor’s head. L.A. was not our fault and we’re the only ones with any hope of defeating the Evonti. I don’t have time for political games, and neither do you.”

She sighed, but the breathy sound conveyed determination rather than defeat. “I’ll get to work on this as soon as we end the call, but you cannot start disassembling the portal until you hear back from me. Do I have your word on that?”

“Unless the situation changes significantly, you have my word.”

“I’m not sure I like the stipulation, but I’d rather move forward than argue. Guard your find, but do nothing else. I’ll get back with you as soon as possible.”

Without responding to her promise, he ended the call.

* * * * *

Sedrik still looked tired when he returned to the cabin a few hours later. Rebecca knew he’d slipped into bed with her sometime during the night, but she couldn’t remember him leaving again when she woke up alone. Would it always be like this? She knew his work was important, that hundreds of thousands of soldiers counted on his guidance, but their relationship was so new, so fragile. She couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous.

“Would you like something to eat?” she asked as he crossed the room, gaze fixed on her. “My com-bots are starting to work, so I can operate the nutri-gen.” She’d showered and dressed in one of the casual outfits Lily had scrounged for her. A cross between a running suit and scrubs, the simple garments focused on comfort rather than fashion. Lily had muttered something about Rodytes preferring females in dresses, but Rebecca was just thrilled to have clean clothes. Sedrik, on the other hand, looked handsome and commanding, as always, in his black-and-gold uniform.

“I grabbed something earlier,” he told her. “Have you eaten?”

She shook her head, not willing to admit she’d been hoping he’d return and they could eat together.

“Then show me what you’ve learned.” He motioned toward the kiosk and she happily demonstrated her new skills by printing a veggie omelet, whole grain toast, and civata brew. He carried the tray to the table for her and even pulled out her chair. “I don’t have much time, love, but I didn’t want you to think I’d forgotten about you.” He pressed a kiss to the bend where her neck met her shoulder then sat down across from her and poured the steaming beverage into a mug.

“Have you been searching for Thea this entire time, or have there been other crises?”

His chest rose and fell, though he managed to make the sigh soundless.

“Just spit it out,” she advised. “I’m on team ‘rip the Band-Aid off fast’.”

He smiled, clearly understanding the reference. Then his expression grew serious and he reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “Jim is in main medical, but he’s in really bad shape. He’s undergoing regeneration, but it’s quite likely he won’t even regain consciousness.”

She stared back at him in stunned silence, frozen in time. Her tormentor, her captor—her first love—was on this very ship. She felt so many things all at once that she couldn’t begin to untangle the emotional mess. She wanted to hate him, wanted to be so angry that she’d celebrate his death. But all she felt was an aching emptiness where her past should have been.

“What happened to him?” She tried to convince herself she didn’t care, that she simply needed to know so that chapter of her life could finally close.

“The Evonti implanted devices in his brain. Dr. Mintell is still trying to figure out exactly what they’re capable of doing. However, when my trackers found Jim, the devices caused a series of intense, sustained seizures that resulted in extensive brain damage.”

“Can the damage be regenerated?” Her throat burned and her hands began to tremble, but she couldn’t name the emotions surging inside her. Why in creation should she care what happened to that bastard after everything he’d done to her?

“Dr. Mintell is trying to repair enough of the damage so Jim can answer some basic questions, but the Jim you knew is gone forever. He’ll never be the same, not even close.”

She laughed, a bit of her anger burning through the numbness. “You think I give a damn? Jim deserves everything he’s getting and a whole hell of a lot more. I’m just trying to understand the situation.” Even to her own ears the words were not quite convincing. She might not want to care what happened to Jim, but she did. Some part of her would always love the man he had once been.

“We found him at the L.A. address.” He waited until she looked at him to add, “We might never have found him without your help.”

She was still too upset to accept the praise. “I want to see him. I need to see him.”

He pressed back in his chair, clearly opposed to the suggestion. “Dr. Mintell is going to update me after the regen cycle has completed. If Jim is no longer functional, there’s no reason for either of us to see him.”

She wasn’t sure she agreed, but she’d wait until the doctor knew more before she started the argument.

The food was suddenly tasteless, so she pushed her plate aside and cradled her mug between her hands. As far as she was concerned, Jim Dayton had one purpose and one purpose only, leading them to Abaddon. “Even if Jim is…severely damaged, can you scan his memories? Find out what we need to know?”

His expression grew even more intense, yet his tone remained calm and low. “I can’t do it unless he’s lucid enough to agree. I will not force my way into someone’s mind and take what I want by force.”

“Why not?” she whispered, gaze boring into his. “He did that and a lot worse to me.”

“You answered your own question, Rebecca.” Sedrik came around the table and pulled her to her feet. “Mental rape is still rape, and I will have no part in it.”

She wrapped her arms around his back and pressed her face against his chest as anguish saturated her in its icy deluge. “I thought I was over this.” She fought back a sob, refusing to give in to the weakness again.

“Cry, my love,” he whispered against her hair. “I forbid you to hold it in ever again.”

The order made her smile, which in turn released the tears. Emotions flowed out like pus from an abscess, bitterness, anger and hate. She trembled as her body purged, but Sedrik’s strong arms and unique scent kept her anchored to her new reality. She wasn’t that tortured bird, trapped in a cage, she was free, protected and loved. She had hope in her life, and purpose—and Jim would never hurt her again.

Gradually light penetrated the darkness and she regained control of her emotions. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’ve soaked your uniform, again.”

He eased her back and wiped her cheeks with his knuckles. “You have nothing to apologize for.” He grinned. “You were just following orders.”

A laugh burst from her and it felt so damn good, she did it again.

She didn’t hear the signal, but suddenly Sedrik’s expression tensed. “This is Lux, go ahead.”

It was likely Dr. Mintell she realized and braced for another rush of emotion. But all she felt was curiosity, and resignation. Jim Dayton no longer had power over her regardless of the outcome of his regeneration.

“I understand,” Sedrik said. “We’re on our way.” He looked at her, but his expression was impossible to read.

“Was that Mintell?”

He nodded, then placed his hands on her shoulders. “Jim is conscious, so to speak. Mintell said very little of the damage was repairable. His body is not functioning on its own, but Mintell has agreed to keep Jim alive long enough to see if he’ll agree to a memory transfer. If you still want to see him, we have to go now.”

This would never feel real unless she saw him for herself. Rather than attempting to explain what she was feeling, she pushed her emotions across the transfer link and motioned toward the door. Sedrik led her out into the corridor, then she fell in step beside him. Her heart seemed to beat faster with each step they took.

Main medical looked more or less like a round emergency room, with curtained-off treatment areas and a common clerical station in the center. She only had time for an overall impression as Sedrik hurried her toward an adjacent room. The regeneration units were lined up against one wall. With transparent tops and an enclosed base, the machines were rather unimpressive, until one of the medics activated the control matrix. Like so many Rodyte devices, the regen-units interfaced with the user through a holographic display. The smooth, graceful movements of the medic’s hands were almost like a dance or sign language.

“That’s Dr. Mintell.” Sedrik pointed to an older male dressed in a gray-blue lab coat. His grim expression reinforced his dire diagnosis.

“Get right to the point,” Mintell quietly urged. “He’s deteriorating quickly.”

Rebecca shifted her gaze from the doctor to his patient and froze. Jim was so emaciated he was barely recognizable. It had been over a month since she’d escaped RF headquarters, but the changes in her ex-husband were still shocking.

Sedrik stood beside the tube and Jim’s bloodshot gaze focused on him. “Can you hear me?” Jim nodded. “I’d like to scan your memory. Do you understand what that means?”

“Hur-ry,” Jim’s voice sounded thick and inarticulate. “They’re. Com-ming.” His speech was stilted as if he fought for each word. A shiver raced down her spine as she realized that was likely exactly what was happening. Obviously what Sedrik told her was true. The Evonti had destroyed their spy rather than risk the battle born finding out what he knew.

Clearly confused by the statement, Sedrik looked at Mintell.

The doctor shook his head then moved to the other side of the tube. “You’re safe, Mr. Dayton. No one will harm you here.”

Jim ignored the doctor, keeping his focus on Sedrik. “Scaaan. Now.”

Sedrik closed his eyes, apparently satisfied that Jim was willing. Sedrik’s features blanked and Jim moaned, then his gaze shifted to Rebecca. He mouthed the word “Sorry” then shuddered and closed his eyes.

Her hand flew to her mouth. Had she just watched her tormentor die? Stunned, she looked at Mintell for conformation.

Compassion filled the doctor’s gaze. “He’s gone, miss. I’m sorry for your loss.”

Sedrik came out of his trance with a soft gasp. “I collected what I could, but his mind is—was horribly fragmented.”

“I’m not surprised.” Mintell activated the control matrix and triggered the tube’s privacy shield. “Those implants were woven through his brain like weeds. I’m more surprised that he was able to function at all.”

Sedrik rubbed the back of his neck and rolled his shoulders. The scan had been quick, but it had clearly taken a toll on him. “Were you able to ascertain the implants’ other functions?”

Mintell hesitated, his gaze shifting from Sedrik to Rebecca and back.

“She has more right to know how they affected him than any of us,” Sedrik pointed out. “If you have information, speak up.”

“Yes, sir. It’s an educated guess, but I believe they were controlling him. And I don’t mean just ensuring that he did what they wanted. I mean literally taking him over and using him like a puppet.”

Rebecca stared at the doctor, torn between relief and bitterness. She had hated Jim for years, focused all her anger and bitterness on the person who hurt and humiliated her. Had her hatred been misplaced from the start? This was so confusing.

Sedrik slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “A few of the impressions I picked up support your theory. I don’t think Jim has been in control for a very long time.”

They spoke for a few minutes more, but Rebecca was lost in memories. So often Jim had been calm, almost apologetic. She’d see flashes of the man she’d fallen in love with, then a switch would flip and the nightmare would resume.

“Are you all right?” Sedrik squeezed her gently, drawing her back from the past.

“I will be.” She managed to form a smile as she stubbornly blinked back tears. “This was just more overwhelming than I expected.”

“Understood.” He looked at Dr. Mintell and said, “I’m going to get Rebecca settled. Please update Tyrale.”

“Of course, sir.”

Sedrik thanked him, then led her back to their cabin. “Do you want to rest for a while? I can lie down with you until you fall asleep.”

She shook her head. “I’ll just wake up alone again. I need a distraction.”

Desire warmed his gaze, but he remained a few steps away. “I’ll be happy to distract you, but I need to update Garin and—” He glanced away from her, then muttered, “Hold on a second.”

His com-bots are just as annoying as a cell phone. The thought allowed her to smile and eased a bit of her gloom.

He spoke several sentences in Bilarrian. Her com-bots identified the language, but unless she agreed to more nanites, her setup only translated Rodyte to English and vice versa.

He turned his head and looked at her again. “It’s my mother. She’d like to speak with both of us. Are you up for a holo-com?”

Instinctively smoothing down her hair and adjusting the fall of her shirt, Rebecca nodded. She’d heard so much about Skyla Lux that she felt as if she knew her already.

“All right, Mom, I’m going to switch to holo.” He moved closer to Rebecca, then activated the holo-com.

A life-size image formed in front of them and Rebecca sucked in a breath. Adorned in a casual dress of muted blues and gold, Skyla was even more beautiful than Sedrik’s memories of her. Silver threaded through her dark hair, but her face had only faint lines around her eyes and mouth. And her eyes! Rebecca had never seen eyes so vivid a blue. They were ringed in red rather than purple or blue.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Rebecca said, feeling stupid for staring like a child.

Skyla smiled and warmth made her eyes shimmer. “I wish this were a simple introduction, but that’s not the reason I reached out. I had a vision a short time ago.”

“What did you see?” Suddenly Sedrik was intensely serious. He reached over and took Rebecca’s hand, entwining their fingers.

She looked up at him. Should she be bracing for bad news?

Skyla looked at Sedrik, her expression unreadable. “Everything you need is now in your mind, but you won’t be able to understand it without help.”

His gaze narrowed and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Are you talking about the memories I just absorbed or something more esoteric?”

Skyla tilted her head, shooting him a challenging look. “Have you ever known me to be ‘esoteric’. I am always direct unless my visions make candor impossible.”

“I didn’t mean it as an insult, Mother. Did your vision tell you who I should turn to for help?” He sounded impatient now, even a bit argumentative.

“Why do you think I asked to speak with Rebecca?” She waved her son away. “Go back to work, grumpy bear. We females will figure this out.”

Releasing Rebecca’s hand, he crossed his arms over his chest. “I will not allow you to intimidate my mate.”

Skyla simply ignored him, obviously unimpressed with his “general” face. “Men can be so impatient,” she began with a conspirator’s smile for Rebecca. “Grumpy over there is like a sponge, he sucked up a bunch of random images. I trained him well, so he has the skills needed to sort through the memory stew. However, that could take much longer than you have. I don’t understand the specifics of the Evonti threat, but I definitely sense its escalation.”

“What do you need from me?” Rebecca asked, thrilled to be included yet dreading the answer.

“I don’t need anything. Your mate, however, needs you to go through the images with him. You will provide context, figure out if each image is important or not.”

“I will not put her through that again,” Sedrik insisted. “She has suffered enough.”

A lump formed in Rebecca’s throat, making it hard to swallow. She didn’t want to disappoint either of them, but she really didn’t want to relive her captivity. She’d just begun to heal, to believe that a happy ending might exist for her. When she’d shared memories with Sedrik before, they’d avoided the darker portions of her past.

“If you don’t do it together, you’ll fail.” The finality in Skyla’s voice spread tingles over Rebecca’s arms and the back of her neck. When Rebecca didn’t respond immediately, Skyla turned her intense gaze on the younger woman. “James Dayton is dead. He can never hurt you again. And you are much stronger than anyone allows you to believe, even yourself.”

All Rebecca could do was nod. She was still too tense to trust her voice.

“Lean on Sedrik,” Skyla advised, “that’s what he’s there for. But challenges must be met head-on.”

For a long, silent moment Skyla just stared at Rebecca. Then she smiled and turned back to her son. “You’ve chosen well. I see a long, bright future for you, your mate, and your children.”

Skyla’s image disappeared and Rebecca finally swallowed past the lump in her throat. “‘Children’? Did she say children? And how did she know about Jim? He’s only been dead a few minutes.”

“Her gift is very powerful.” He turned toward her and placed his hands on her shoulders, a pleased smile parting his lips. “And her visions are incredibly accurate. Even so, I will not pressure you to do anything. I understand how destructive those memories—”

She touched his lips with her fingers and shook her head. “Your mother is right. I can’t shy away from this challenge. Hiding in the corner with my tail tucked between my legs is the coward’s way out. I’m not a coward. Jim is dead, and I won’t be intimidated by the memories he left behind.”

 

Sedrik gazed at his lovely mate, awed by her courage and determination. “I will do everything in my power to avoid the hurtful memories,” he assured her, yet he wasn’t sure how effectively he’d be able to shield her. If they were going to interact with Jim’s memories, they would need the transfer link wide open. “You’ve just had a shock. Would you rather I come back in a few hours?”

“No.” She placed her hands on his chest and tilted her head back so she could see him. “That would just give me time to sit here and stress. I’d rather have it all behind me for good.”

Accepting her decision with a nod, he took her by the hand and led her to the sofa, but neither sat down. “We both need to relax and I still need to update Garin.”

“I’ll print us some wine while you check in,” she suggested.

“Perfect.” He raised her hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. Then she headed for the nutri-gen while he requested a private link with Apex General Nox. Sedrik hadn’t indicated that his com was an emergency, so he wasn’t surprised when he was routed to Garin’s message center. By the time Sedrik left a detailed message for Garin and returned to the couch, Rebecca was waiting with their beverages.

They sat side by side and sipped the cool Bilarrian blood wine. She looked at him over the rim of her wineglass. “I haven’t accepted your claim yet, so your mother is being presumptuous.”

“It’s a frequent fault with seers,” he countered lightly. Rebecca might not have officially accepted his claim, but she’d stopped objecting whenever someone referred to them as mates. They both knew it was only a matter of time.

“Do you want lots of children? We’ve never really talked about it before.” Even bringing the subject up was telling. She was moving closer and closer to surrender.

He took a long drink before he answered. “I’m not opposed to ‘lots of children’, if that’s what you want, but I’d prefer two or three.”

“Just like your family.” She paused for a sip as well, her expression soft and dreamy. “As a teen, I always imagined myself with a large family. I was an only child, so I wanted something different for my kids, something better.”

“As I said, I’m not opposed to the idea.” If she’d accept his claim, he’d give her whatever she needed to be happy. If that was a house full of children, he’d gladly provide them. “But I think we need to wait until the Evonti threat is neutralized before we start planning our future.”

Instantly, determination replaced her dreamy expression. “I agree. Your mother just caught me by surprise.”

“She’s good at that.” He quickly drained his glass and they both set them aside. “I’m not sure if that helped me relax or made me sleepy. Are you ready?”

“Not really, but I know this needs to be done.”

He pressed her hand between his as he dissolved the shields at both ends of the transfer link. Her emotions rolled into his mind. Agitated, chaotic, yet resolute, she was trying her hardest to meet this challenge head-on, as his mother had suggested. And he would try just as hard to protect her from the worst of the memories.

“Let’s start out slowly,” he suggested. “I’ll show you an image and you can simply tell me if it’s important, not important, or if you’re not sure.”

“That will work.” She snuggled closer to his side as they began.

He intentionally picked out images he suspected were incidental so they could establish a rhythm. It was unlikely that Jim would have done or said anything concerning the Evonti in front of Rebecca. Besides if she’d been there in the first place, she could just tell him what took place. By avoiding any situation containing Rebecca’s image, he was able to protect her from the worst of Jim’s memories.

They worked quickly and efficiently for a couple of hours, but none of the clear images seemed to contain anything helpful.

“We’re going to have to go deeper,” she whispered when he paused to catch his breath.

“The rest are blurred, out of focus.” That was mostly true. There were only two vivid memories left, but there was no power in the universe that could make him show her.

She opened her eyes and searched his gaze. “You’re hiding something. I can sense it.”

“You don’t need to see the last two fragments, but I’ll explain what they are.” He wasn’t pleased with the compromise, but he didn’t see any other way to follow his mother’s advice and protect his mate at the same time. “For obvious reasons, the last few minutes of Jim’s life on Earth are especially vivid. He knew he was going to die because of what the Evonti did to the others.”

“What others?”

With a frustrated sigh, Sedrik explained, “When we raided the L.A. location the trackers not only found Jim, they found a group of humans trying to repair the portal. But they were mind-slaves like Jim. The Evonti threw a switch in their brains and made one kill two of his coworkers. So the trackers shot him. The last two had seizures like Jim.”

“And Jim watched it happen before they flipped the switch inside his mind.”

Sedrik nodded.

“Why did they murder everyone? That makes no sense to me.”

“It’s ruthless as hells’ icy rings, but it’s solid strategy. By wiping out anyone who can reveal their secrets, the Evonti protect themselves.”

She didn’t argue or ask any more questions about the image. Instead, she moved on. “You said there were two fragments. What is the last one about?”

“It’s more of the same. Jim either saw or was told about a device that keeps the Evonti from being captured. If they know they’re about to be taken prisoner, they have a trigger implanted in their wrist that vaporizes their body. They are determined to remain a mystery.”

“Even at the cost of their own people?” She shuddered and looked away. “You’re right. I don’t need to see that.”

He stroked her hair back from her face and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Do you need a break?”

She shook her head, stubbornness raising her chin. “Show me the blurry ones. Skyla said the answers are there. We have to keep trying.”

Not only were the images blurry, they were filled with echoes of emotions and an oppressive sense of dread. Sedrik had hoped to spare her a voyage through her ex-husband’s tortured mind. He quickly found the least offensive of the images and shared it with Rebecca.

She groaned as the emotions hit her, then her nails dug into his hand when the scene unfurled. Jim lay restrained on a narrow table, but he couldn’t have been more than nine or ten. Three of the Evonti surrounded him, examining him and taking samples while he writhed and screamed. The scene bent and twisted, but Sedrik could see Jim’s tormentors well enough to identify them as Evonti.

“Jim told me he’d been abducted as a child,” Rebecca whispered as the image faded. “Even after you guys revealed your presence on the moon, I’m not sure I ever really believed Jim’s stories. I tried to take him seriously, but it was just so unbelievable. Back then,” she added with a sad little smile.

Many of the other images were similar, so Sedrik dug even deeper. “This one doesn’t seem to make any sense at all.” Needing more contact with her, he pulled her onto his lap and held her against his chest.

She quickly kicked off her shoes then settled into the cradle of his arms. “Go ahead.”

The scene was longer than most, so he fed it to her slowly.

Jim floated through peaceful blackness as if in a dream, but strange, emotionless voices sounded in the distance. The voices conversed in a language Sedrik didn’t understand, but Jim knew enough to pick out random words and phrases. “Arrival”, “habitability study”, “conversion”, and “portal connectivity”. Only by concentrating with all his might was Jim able to pluck the words out of the conversation. The effort made him nauseous and quickly drained his strength. He slipped back into the darkness and the scene ended.

“‘Arrival’ and ‘habitability study’ are pretty straight forward,” Rebecca concluded. “But what are they converting and what does ‘portal connectivity’ mean?”

Sedrik shrugged, though he felt anything but indifferent. “Maybe they were having trouble connecting the portals with their home world or dimension, and ‘conversion’ could refer to all sorts of things.” Without more information, any conclusion was just a guess.

She looked past him, eyes narrowed. “But were those simply the words he was able to understand or did his memory record them because they’re important.” She made an exasperated sound. “Argh, this is so frustrating!”

They went through the rest of the fragments, but nothing else seemed applicable to the current situation.

“Wait,” she cried. “What was that last one? Why did you flash it at me? Let me look at it.”

He sighed. Her image was in the scene, so he’d tried to sneak it past her. He fought back his emotions as he slipped the fragment into her mind. If Jim weren’t already dead, Sedrik would happily end his existence all over again. Even if the Evonti were controlling him, this behavior was inexcusable.

In the memory Jim sat at a desk next to a bed. Rebecca lay on the bed wearing nothing but panties. She was curled up on her side, facing the wall. Soft sobs shook her shoulders and angry red welts striped her back, likely caused by the belt draped over Jim’s chair.

At first, Sedrik thought there was nothing more to the memory, then Jim activated a thin device similar to a datapad. A three-dimensional grid formed above the screen with brighter segments forming a distinct pattern. Jim studied the pattern, tracing it with the tip of his finger.

“Is that a constellation?” Rebecca asked.

“If it is, I don’t recognize it.”

“What else could it be?”

He released the memory and waited until she opened her eyes. “I have no idea. It could be troop movements, the Evonti’s idea of a star chart, or a strange form of entertainment.”

She shook her head and looked away. “Jim’s nightly entertainment was lying on the bed.”

Bitterness and grief flooded his mind, catching him by surprise. She appeared so calm, almost indifferent to the reminder of all she’d suffered at Jim’s hands. “He can never hurt you again.”

“That doesn’t instantaneously make it all go away,” she snapped. “He… I…”

“I know, my love. I’m so sorry.” He didn’t know what else to say, so he stroked her hair and gently rocked her in his arms. All the while he fed her affection and peace.

She allowed the embrace for a long time, absently stroking his chest. When she finally spoke again, her voice sounded distant, almost sleepy. “I’m not sure if knowing the Evonti were controlling him makes it worse or better. Either way, I was helpless to stop it. Always so damn helpless.”

She tried to twist out of his arms, but he wouldn’t release her. They’d come too far, accomplished too much. He couldn’t allow her to re-erect her emotional barriers. “You are anything but helpless with me, Rebecca. In fact, you have all the power.”

Her quiet scoff reached his ears, but her emotions shifted, softened.

“One word from you and I’d be devastated.” He leaned down and nipped her chin, then whispered, “Or I’d be the happiest male alive.”

Despite the warmth spreading through her body, her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “It was never about happiness with Jim. It was about survival.”

“You didn’t just survive Jim,” he reminded. “You outwitted him and ultimately led to his destruction. My mother is right. You’re much stronger than you know.”

She tugged against his carefully restraining arm as anxiety hit her being like a flash of lightning. “I’m not stronger than you.”

“Why does that bother you? Surely, you understand that I would never hurt you, never intentionally harm you in any way.”

Rather than answer, she tried to wiggle off his lap. Her emotions grew even more chaotic.

Frustrated by her hesitation, he laid her down on the couch and pinned her arms over her head. Her legs arched over his lap and his face was directly over hers. He stared deep into her eyes, his mind open, ready for her mental touch. “Are you safe with me?”

Instead of searching for the answer in his mind as he’d hoped, she tugged against his hands and whispered, “Yes.”

He ignored her halfhearted struggles. “Are you safe from me?”

Her brows scrunched together and her wiggling stopped. “What’s the difference?”

“I think you know I’ll protect you from anything that endangers you, but I’m not sure you’ve accepted that I’m no threat to you.”

She licked her lips, gaze darting away then returning to his face. “I don’t want to be afraid. I’m so damn tired of doubting everyone and everything, but it’s harder than I thought to let go.”

Her honesty pleased him. Admitting the truth was the first step toward change. “Could I harm you if I wanted to?”

“Easily.”

“So why don’t I?” Her tongue returned to wet her lips and his gaze focused on her mouth. Gods how he wanted to kiss her.

“It’s dishonorable for a Rodyte to harm any female,” she recited the tenet she’d doubtlessly learned from him.

“True, but that’s not the main reason.”

Mischief gradually lit her gaze and her features relaxed. “You learned how males treat females by watching your parents?” Playfulness crept into her tone and the corners of her mouth tilted up.

“Also true, and also incidental. Why is it impossible for me to harm you, not just any female?”

She knew the answer. He could see it in her eyes, but all she did was smile.

“If you don’t answer me, I’ll have no choice but to punish you.” He raised his brows in challenge.

“Is that so?” Her spirit returned with a vengeance. “What sort of punishment do you intend. I’m not a member of your crew.”

He shuddered in mock horror and she laughed. “I wouldn’t even consider letting any of my men do what I want from you.”

“And that is?”

Without explaining what her punishment would be, he swept her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom.