Zorvak

I could see her location; I could feel her fear as rage consumed me.  A deadly calm that promised death to anyone involved.  As Marcet posed over top of her, she let me see it all.  I love you, Zorvak.  I felt the knife as though someone had stabbed me in the heart.

“Are you alright?”  Roark asked as he flew the air vehicle.  I couldn’t answer.  I focused on Cami, and tried to lend her my strength. 

Before Roark could land the air vehicle, I jumped to the ground and took out in a dead sprint.  The scene was a bloody mess as Marcet poised over Cami, about to stab her again.  By the look on his face, he took great pleasure in killing her slowly.

I barreled toward him. He must have heard me coming, felt the rage radiating from every cell in my body.  He looked up just in time to see me fly through the air with a giant leap and knock him away from Cami.  He recovered quickly and jumped to his feet. 

I cast my senses, tasting the air as he circled me with the knife.  He lunged. I sidestepped and grabbed his wrist.  I didn’t have time to play with him, Cami needed help.

With one hand on his wrist, I squeezed until I felt the bones give.  Marcet screamed in agony and dropped the knife.  “Please,” he begged.

Now on his knees, I reached down and picked up the knife.  I felt slightly better when I saw the fear flash across his face.  Good.  With the tip of the knife, I eviscerated his abdomen, letting his bowels spill outside his body.  A slow, painful, and certain death. 

“Kill me now!” he screamed, but I walked away from him over to my mate.  I would not give him the quick death he so desired. 

“Cami, can you hear me?”  Red blood pooled on her shirt and underneath her body.  I could see several stab wounds and feared she was already dead.  I scooped her up and ran toward the air vehicle.  “Let’s go!”

Roark flew us to the infirmary.  “Jasok!”

The healer came rushing out, took in the scene, and said, “Place her over there!”

He and two other assistants went to work while I waited near the head of the bed.  “Captain, you need to wait outside.” 

I glanced down at Cami, swallowed hard, and then left the infirmary.  Roark was waiting on me, along with Voth.  “Let’s find Estine.”

We headed to her living quarters, but she didn’t answer the door.  “Open it,” I ordered.  When Voth bypassed the security sensor, the door dematerialized.  The three of us stepped inside.

“What are we looking for?”  Voth asked.  I spared him a glance, but Roark answered first.

“Signs that she had the Captain drugged.   Evidence that she conspired with someone to kill his bond mate.” 

I registered the slight surprise on Voth’s face, but he never said anything.  Just nodded his understanding.

I looked through cupboards, sniffed containers.  There had to be something here to prove she was guilty.  After about twenty minutes, Roark called out, “Captain, in here.”

I headed toward her sleeping quarters.  Roark stood next to Voth as they stared down at something in Roarks’ hand.

“What is it?”  I asked as I walked up behind them. 

They both turned concerned eyes on me.  “It’s Dangle Root.”

I looked down at the forbidden substance and knew I was lucky to still be alive.  If I had had any hesitation about Estine’s innocence, it had just been erased.  “Find her!” My nostrils flared in anger at the female I had once considered a friend. 

Before they got the chance to search, I heard movement in the living quarters.  Following the sound, I found Estine with a bag, packing a few objects inside.  She looked up, quickly stepped back, and placed one startled hand on her chest.  “Zorvak, what are you doing here?” The fact that she plastered a smile on her face after seeing my blood-stained shirt just solidified the fact that she was very much involved.  How could I have ever considered her as a lifelong companion?

“Estine, what is this?”  I held up the Dangle Root. 

Her eyes widened in horror, her mouth gaped slightly before she snapped it shut and smiled.  “I have no idea, Captain.” 

“Do you know who took my mate?”

Her eyes shot to mine.  “Your…  Your mate?”

“Yes.”  I watched her intently while waiting for the next lie to drop from her lips.

“Captain, I didn’t know you had a mate.  So how could I possibly know what happened to her?”

I stared at the female who I had once trusted, the one I had shared a bed with, but I didn’t recognize the female standing in front of me now.  “Estine, you have been found guilty of drugging the Captain of the Royal Guard.  You have also been found guilty in the kidnapping and attempted murder of Camilla Ryan.”

“Zorvak?”  Her eyes widened in fear.  “By who?”

“As Captain of the Royal Guard, I am judge, jury, and executioner.”

“Zorvak…please!”  Her words fell on deaf ears as I stepped forward and snapped her neck.

~~~~

I sat in a waiting room while the healer worked on my mate.  Roark, Voth, and even Saroff waited with me. 

Jasok walked out wearing a white coat covered in Cami’s red blood.  I sprang to my feet, needing information.

“Captain, she is a very lucky female.”

“Explain.”  I crossed my arms and stood stoic in front of the healer.

“She is not like us.  Her organs are in different areas of the chest.  That is why it took us so long to evaluate her condition.”  The healer smiled a little and I wanted to knock it off his face.  “Her heart is in the upper left part of her chest, not in the lower center like ours.  Her attacker thought to stab her in the heart, but instead, he missed all the major organs.  She will recover.”

“Thank you, Jasok.”

I walked into the infirmary and saw Cami lying on a cot, a blanket pulled up to her neck.  With the blood cleaned, she appeared to be sleeping peacefully.  I pulled up a chair, reached under the blanket, and grabbed her hand.

I’m sorry that this happened to you.

She never responded, but I knew it would take time for her to heal.  Hours passed, members of the Guard came and went as I sat there, still holding her hand.

“Captain?”  I glanced up at the sound of Roark’s voice.  “Your family is here.  Shall I let them in?”

“My family?”  I hadn’t even thought about them. 

“Yes.  Your father, mother, and sister.”

“Yes, let them in.”

My father came in first, followed by my mother and sister.  I rose from the chair, and faced them.

Their eyes kept darting from me to Cami, until my father spoke first.  “Is everything alright?”

“Yes.”  I narrowed my eyes in confusion. 

“We heard that you were missing, and then you returned with a female.  What happened?”  Mother asked, her eyes also darting from me to Cami.

I waved them in to the vacant chairs, before I sat down and took Cami’s hand in mine once again.  Their eyes locked on our clasped hands.

“For reasons I cannot disclose at the moment, I was drugged, taken off planet, held prisoner on Ukan, and forced to fight.”

“And her?”  My mother nodded her head toward Cami.

“Her name is Camilla Ryan, and she’s agreed to be my bond mate.”

“You cannot!” My father interjected.

I narrowed my eyes at them and wondered what this visit was really about.  Did they care about my wellbeing, or who I would choose as a mate?

“I can and I will.”

Calm down Zorvak, they are your family.

I turned toward Cami, leaned down and stroked the hair from her forehead.  You’re awake.  I felt relieved.  I thought I’d lost you back there.

Estine…

Is dead.

You killed her?

Yes.

Her eyes fluttered open and our gazes locked.  And the man who was with her?

Also dead, or soon to be.

I don’t want to know.  Zorvak, I’m so sorry I got angry with you.  I was so afraid that he would kill me and your last memory of me would be our fight.

There is nothing to forgive.  Just rest and heal. 

What damage did he do?

Apparently, not much.  Your heart is in a different location than ours.

I wondered why he picked that spot.  I assumed he just wanted me to suffer before I died.

“Um-hmm,” My father cleared his throat, trying to get my attention.  I ignored it.

I think your dad wants to talk to you.

He can wait.

Zorvak, talk to them.  I would give anything to talk to my family again.

Your family is very different than mine.

I miss them.

I know.  But you made it here and, one day, I’m sure others will follow.  You may get your chance.

That’s true.  They had another team ready to go.  We were just the first one.

See?  There is hope.

“You’re Compatibles!” Mother exclaimed with an incredulous look.

We both turned our heads, and I noticed the stunned look on all three faces.  “Yes.”

Father’s eyes darted between me and Cami before saying, “That changes everything.”

My sister stepped forward with a smile on her face.  Looking at Cami, she said, “Hi, I’m Sevah, Zorvak’s sister.”

“I’m…” Cami swallowed hard so I got her a drink of water.

“Sevah, this is Cami.  She was just stabbed repeatedly and can’t talk much.”

“Oh my, dear!”  My mother stepped forward.  “Will she be alright?”

“Yes, but she needs rest.”

“We will leave for now, but we will be back,” Father said as he ushered the rest of the family from the room.

They seem nice, especially your sister.

I just shook my head and smiled.  I knew that my life would never be the same.

I love you, Camilla Ryan.

I love you, Zorvak La’qa