Chapter 8

 

Light. So much light, all the light, it burned him. It scorched away everything he was, everything he’d ever known, and left him with nothing, only…

Dark.

And unending, falling void.

Any hope he might’ve had that he’d find an end to the dark was extinguished. In his first life, he’d been a reckless warlord. In his second life, he’d been a heartless criminal. And now in this third chance, he’d hurt the very first person he’d touched.

Why did he keep doing these terrible things? Better he kept falling through the void with no end.

But then he woke up.

The cold, hard slab beneath him was colder and harder with every breath. Modern Thorkons might eschew the death penalty, but they apparently had no particular care for the comfort of their condemned.

With a wretched groan, he rolled to his side and sat up. He made use of the nutrition and hygiene utilities—neither particularly inspired—and walked the few paces of his confinement. What would the day bring?

With each step of his pacing, memories nipped at his heels. When he’d first come to himself under the eye of the black hole, Lishelle had been there. Touching her after he’d been nothingness incarnate for so long had been irresistible. Also, he was the God of Beloveds. How could he not touch her?

But he was also the selfish, insatiable Tynan. And the cruel Blackworm. In confused flashes like dreams, he imagined the tired, angry, disgusted glares of the hundred Thorkon girls he’d put to task. And the panicked struggles of the Black Hole Brides who’d lost their lives to Blackworm. All of those faces seemed to crescendo with Lishelle’s devastated expression at discovering whose body he walked in. He wrapped his arms around himself, digging his fingers into his biceps, as if he could rip the skin away, reveal what was underneath…

He should not have bothered with the food packet. If he didn’t eat, maybe he would scatter again into the particles from which he’d coalesced.

That would be one way of escaping his cell.

Of escaping the hell of remembering who and what he’d been.

The goddesses hadn’t been interested in his redemption; they’d sought his punishment. Discovering that the link between lovers transcended even the dominion of the Lightlands had been his one chance to make amends, by sharing the blessing of beloveds with those still living.

Now he couldn’t even do that, locked away from the wedding, hated and feared.

“I would never have believed you’d be so stupid.”

Since the words were basically an echo of the voice in his own head, it took Tynan a moment to realize the sneer had come from outside his cell.

He waited before he pivoted to face the newcomer. Since everyone seemed determined to sneak up on him.

The Thorkon male was dressed in a higher end style, but even through the distance of the barrier, Tynan saw the quality of the fabric was clearly subpar. Not an estate employee, but not a noble guest.

He tilted his head at the unfamiliar male. “Do you know me well enough to say?”

Despite his attempt at humor, the newcomer advanced with a stilted, angry step that implied the barrier was the only thing stopping him from coming all the way into Tynan’s face. “I know you killed my twin. And then had the arrogance to come back here again.”

Tynan studied the other male’s face, but… Nothing. The young warlord he’d been had fought numerous duels to the death, but any siblings of those victims would be long dead themselves, the dust of antiquity. And Blackworm had chosen his female victims from the Earther Intergalactic Dating Agency.

His blank expression seemed to only enrage his visitor.

“My sister, Adria,” the male hissed, “whom you chose as your consort, against her will.”

Tynan closed his eyes. Another wounded innocent the goddesses were punishing him for? Had she looked like this one, flaxen haired, with eyes like the green spears of yili leaves? He couldn’t summon the memory. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

A distant thump on the barrier made him look up.

“I thought I lost you,” the male crooned, menace in his voice. “First to the penitentiary and then to the black hole. I spent the last of my sister’s meager savings to come to spit into the singularity at you, but here you are. If I hadn’t seen you at the bar…” He shook his head sharply, the short plait of his hair lashing. “The gods said to me, ‘Radek, you will have your revenge,’ and now they have finally smiled on me.”

Actually, it was the goddesses, smirking at Tynan, but he didn’t suppose the grief-stricken young male would appreciate the difference. And he wasn’t even going to try to explain that he wasn’t—entirely—Blackworm anymore.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, “for what happened to your sister. And that you cannot have your vengeance since”—he gestured at the wall between them—“I’m currently suffering someone else’s vengeance.” The goddesses’, the duke’s, Lishelle’s…

Was there anyone who didn’t want to see the God of Beloveds dead?

“Oh, don’t worry,” said Radek. “I got you out once, and I can do it again.” His lips twisted. “Spending Adria’s savings to break you out of the penitentiary only to have you disappear almost broke me, but now I have another chance.”

Tynan peered past the angry intruder. Were they letting just anyone into the brig these days? First Lishelle by herself, now this one? As a warlord, he would have words with the duke about station security…

He snapped his gaze forward again when the younger male fumbled a rather large blaster into his hand. That definitely was a security lapse—

Tynan leaped back as the orange plasma spattered across the barrier. He’d morosely wondered about dissolving into his component particles, but he didn’t want to be incinerated by anything besides the caress of the Lady Lishelle who had been his touchstone upon returning to this universe.

“And when I’m done with you,” Radek snarled, “I’ll do to your lady what you did to Adria.”

Tynan stiffened. His lady… Radek had seen him with Lishelle in the tavern. The numbness that had congealed around him while contemplating his many sins melted away in a cold sweat. The enraged male could not be allowed to hurt Lishelle.

But what to do with a wall between them…

Radek let out a cry of frustration as the orange glare sputtered out with the transparent barrier clouded but still intact.

Tynan, though, had some experience with impenetrable obstructions—

He strode to the wall and kicked hard.

The wall, embrittled by the seething energies of the blaster, exploded toward Radek, who cringed back with another cry.

For a split second, Tynan hesitated. He didn’t want to hurt the younger male, so hurt by what Blackworm had done to the sister. And was breaking out of his cell the best way to prove he wasn’t a criminal?

Radek pointed the blaster at him again.

Tynan quickly reconsidered. It wasn’t like he was being given a lot of options.

When the blaster whined a low-charge warning, Radek hefted the blaster like a club and ran forward. Tynan sidestepped easily and gave the younger male a helping hand between the shoulder blades, shoving him toward what remained of the wall. Radek skittered on the pelleted slag left from the blaster and went down to one knee. With more fury than common sense, he popped back up.

Directly into Tynan’s fist.

One blow, carefully placed to the belligerent jaw, snapped Radek’s fair-haired head back.

He went down again. And stayed there.

Tynan shook out his hand with a curse, his knuckles stinging a rebuke.

“Disruption detected,” an overhead voice announced belatedly. “Security dispatched.”

About time. Scowling at the other male, Tynan paced a few steps away. He didn’t remember the younger male or his sister. He didn’t remember who had released Blackworm from the penitentiary. Had Radek paid others? Would they try to go after Lishelle in revenge?

With another oath, he swooped down to grab the exhausted blaster. Instinctively, his thumb switched the dial to ambient recharge.

What was he? A warlord? A criminal? A god?

Unwilling to wait for the pathetic security to arrive, Tynan left his assailant slumped on the floor and strode out of the brig.

What was he?

A lover who would save his lady.

 

***

 

She couldn’t sleep.

But at least now she had an excuse.

Grumbling, Lishelle slid out of bed, pulled on a night robe, and padded to the door of the suite where the comm was buzzing insistently. Why the bodyguard or whoever didn’t just send the message to her dat-pad—

She opened the door. “What—?” She blinked up at Tynan, her pulse skittering like the too-many legs of a mishkeet.

Since he was the reason she hadn’t been sleeping, for a heartbeat seeing him in the portal seemed like a dream come true.

Except she hadn’t been dreaming because she hadn’t been sleeping.

Oh, and except he was locked up in the brig.

While she hesitated as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing—and why she was feeling this tremor of gladness—he reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist.

Before she could do more than gasp, he pulled her out into the hall, almost yanking her right out of her silk headscarf.

“Come on,” he growled. “We have to leave.”

“We?” Only then did she see the blaster in his hand and her erstwhile bodyguard crumpled beside the door. “Tynan! What have you done?”

“I’ve had enough,” he growled, “of being accused of crimes I didn’t commit.”

She slung an incredulous glance at the Thorkon soldier. “Who shot her?”

“Fine, yes, that was me. Stunned only.” He scowled. “She tried to prevent me from seeing you, and she was going to contact security.”

“She was protecting me from you!” Lishelle almost shrieked. “I’m not letting you take me again!”

His fingers tightened on her wrist. “I. Am. Not. Blackworm.” His voice rose with each word until he matched her for volume and insistence. “But his villainy follows me. And now you too.”

“Me?” Shock softened her locked knees, letting him pull her further along the corridor without resistance. “You’re the only one who is a danger to me.”

A danger to her in ways she hadn’t even realized, if the wayward pounding of her heart was any indication.

“Where are you taking me?” She tried to set her heels again, but her bare feet offered no traction on the cold, slick deck plating.

“I’m saving you,” he snarled.

“By abducting me again?” She tugged hard against his grip, but the strength she so admired when they were fucking was an affront to her now.

“I didn’t abduct you before,” he said with exaggerated patience that was clearly not patient at all. “That was Blackworm.”

As if he’d say it enough and she’d finally believe him.

And yet… Shouldn’t she be more afraid? After everything Trixie and Nor had said about the terrors Blackworm had inflicted on them at the edge of the event horizon? What Lishelle dredged up was outrage at his manhandling, not fear. But she’d never been one to let others tell her when she should be afraid, when she should give up. She wasn’t going to start now.

And Tynan—when had he become not Blackworm, at least in her own mind?—had never hurt her. He’d only brought her pleasure…

“Tynan,” she said more calmly. “Where are you taking me?”

“Off the station,” he said. “Blackworm’s enemies aren’t done with him, and they think to hurt him by hurting you.”

“If that’s true, the duke and Captain Nor had assigned me security. I was safe in my rooms.”

He shot her a fulminating stare over his shoulder. “I got you, didn’t I?”

Point to the multiple personality disorder schizophrenic alien, she mused wryly. “If there are enemies as you say, we have to tell Raz and Nor what’s happening.”

Tynan hesitated. “We will, once you’re safe.” He hissed out a breath. “The dukes and captains of this age have grown soft. They would fail against the warlords of my time.”

Seemed like they had failed, considering Tynan was dragging her away. She imagined that was going to piss them off royally. But if there was a threat to the station, the upcoming wedding, and their best opportunity to make their new lives a success, she had to do something to help. She was used to struggle and sacrifice.

Not that she was going to let Blackworm’s ghost or anyone else throw her into a black hole!

While she dithered, Tynan was curtly explaining how Blackworm’s consort’s brother had attacked his cell. Which explained how he got out and how he got the blaster.

“Why didn’t you just wait for security to take Radek into custody?”

Tynan grimaced. “I think the duke and the captain would’ve been more likely to cheer Radek’s attack.”

True enough. And she might’ve joined them.

“But I can’t hurt him, or your duke and captain, not when they are merely confused.” Tynan’s even fiercer scowl told how little he appreciated that generosity. “I need to prove to them that I’m not Blackworm.”

“I imagine that’s going to be tricky,” she snarked. “Since you’re wearing his face and all.”

He glowered at her, looking for a moment very villainy. “You’re going to help me.”

She lifted her chin imperiously. “And why would I do that?”

“Because you know it’s true.”

She couldn’t answer. One, because he was slinging her through the open hatch of one of the delivery shuttles. And two…

Because he wasn’t wrong.

Somehow, she knew he wasn’t Blackworm. Whatever had come out of the singularity, reconstituted in this dimension from virtual particles and quantum entanglement wasn’t the one who had taken her from Earth.

Which didn’t excuse this one from taking her from her new home.

For propriety’s sake, she made one attempt to do an end-run around him for the exit, but his long arm snaked out to block the way, and she rebounded like she’d hit a vertical trampoline.

He caught her before she fell, supporting her so easily with one hand, and deposited her against the bulkhead. She squawked as the cargo webbing wrapped around her, holding her with gentle but unbreakable force. He ignored her ineffectual squirming and strode toward the cockpit.

“Tynan,” she hollered. “You can’t take me off this station. They’ll never believe you aren’t being evil reincarnate.”

“You’ll convince them.”

Oh sure, now someone believed she was capable of the impossible. She heaved against the straps in frustration.

The shuttle wasn’t large, and when she craned her neck, she caught a glimpse of Tynan at the controls.

“Hey, if you are an old-timey lord, you can’t know how to fly this thing,” she reminded him loudly.

“Thorkons have had space flight for millennia,” he shot back. “I led my own army, and this isn’t so different—”

Blaring alarms sounded, cutting him off as the shuttle tilted alarmingly sideways.

“Not much different,” he snarled over the siren noise.

But he was cut off again by a voice from the comm. “Attention, unauthorized shuttle pilot. You are not cleared for departure. Repeat—”

“I have Lady Lishelle aboard, and I will ram the bay doors if you don’t let us out.”

“No he won’t,” Lishelle screamed. “Don’t listen to him!”

Maybe they didn’t hear her—or maybe they only heard the screaming and didn’t believe her—but through the viewport over Tynan’s shoulder, she could see the bay doors getting closer…and then parting slowly to let them out.

For an instant, the black hole dominated the view, and she had to close her eyes, her stomach churning.

She’d managed not to see it on the flight to the station, and being this much closer, without the big bulkheads of the station around her…

When she peeped again, only the ghostly streaks of stars streamed past the viewport, abruptly blocked by Tynan’s wide shoulders as he stalked toward her.

She stared up at him with mute antagonism.

He had the temerity to grin. “They tried to shut down the shuttle engines remotely and then they tried to lock on with a scrambler net. But I evaded them. Maybe it’s been a millennium or two, but I am still a warlord.”

She was so, so mad at him, that he’d made her part of his little macho game against the duke and the captain. But that smile… Shit, was that a dimple?

Her foot wasn’t bound by the webbing, so she stomped it. Then had to stop herself from wincing at the pang that reverberated up her heel, but whatever. “Let. Me. Go.”

His grin faded warily. “You know that I didn’t hurt you, that I won’t hurt you. May I request the same courtesy in return?”

She sputtered. “No you may not! You abducted me, remember?”

“To save you.”

“You can’t abduct me to save me,” she said. “It doesn’t work that way.”

He scowled. “Can’t you just leave off the first part?”

“With you dragging me away against my will?” She wriggled her shoulders against the straps by way of protest but had to stop when the squirming rearranged the neckline of her sleep robe in less than modest ways. “Yeah, no, not really.”

“Was it against your will?”

She refused to answer that.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “If you prefer to hang here until we get to our destination…”

“Fine,” she groused. “Let me go, please.”

Pursing his lips, he looked for a moment as if he was going to ask for her promise. Then with a fatalistic shrug that pissed her off almost as much as getting semi-willingly abducted, he palmed the web controls.

The abrupt release sent her stumbling into his arms, and again he caught her easily. Too damn strong by half.

And she was such a sucker to fall for it.

Or not fall. Because he’d caught her.

He looked down at her, his dark eyes half hidden behind lowered lashes. But she sensed the instant his gaze dropped to her mouth. She almost felt the caress, the heat of his body enveloping her more thoroughly than his embrace…

She yanked herself upright and out of his arms, straightening her sleep robe with angry jerks. She’d been happily sleeping (okay, she’d been tossing and turning in bed, but he didn’t need to know that) in her cozy suite, so she wasn’t properly dressed for hopping around in the universe in a chilly cargo shuttle. The robe was cut and colorized in the usual bright Thorkon geometrics, but the fabric was as silky thin as her headscarf. She wrapped her arms around herself, achingly aware of her high-beaming nipples.

“Escaping your cell, shooting a guard, abducting me, stealing a shuttle, threatening to ram the station…” She glared at him. “Are you absolutely sure you aren’t a bad guy?”

He pursed his lips. “Yeeeees,” he drawled. “And shouldn’t I know?”

“I thought I was a lucky wife, the smartest gal in my family, living on the only inhabited planet in the galaxy, so we don’t always know everything.”

His dark eyes flared wide. “You…are married? I didn’t know.”

She snorted. “You’re a thief, kidnapper, and warlord, but you feel bad about cheating?”

He looked stricken. “I am the God of Beloveds.”

“Oh right,” she sniffed, “I’d forgotten about that one.”

“The entanglement of beloveds is sacred,” he said in a low voice. “If I broke your bond—”

Unable to tease him in the face of his obvious dismay, she interrupted. “You didn’t break anything. My ex did when he got entangled with a graduate student. From my old department.” She twisted her lips to one side. “I guess there was no God of Beloveds blessing our union.”

“Maybe yes, maybe no,” he murmured. “Gods die too.”

She gave herself a little shake. “Are you saying you’re not immortal?”

“You don’t have to sound so happy about it.” He gave her a droll look before sauntering back toward the cockpit.

With another snort to herself, she followed him. Plunking down in the second seat, she pulled her chilled feet up under the hem of her robe. “Where are you taking me?”

When he stared out the viewport, the stars streaked in his dark eyes. “Back to where I died.”

This time, it wasn’t her cold toes that made her shiver.