Freedom (Delroi Prophecy) (9 page)

“
There’s only two of you,” Roarr pointed out. And he was pretty damned sure Barak wouldn’t allow his mate out of his sight once this started. “Unless Falkor is coming?”

Barak nodded.
“He’ll be here.” He cocked his head to one side and gave Roarr a curious look. “She says not to discount your own abilities.”

Fuck. He should have known Britt would figure it out.
“I can’t read minds,” he said softly. “Maybe that will develop after the mating bond is complete.”

He knew it had for Barak, who’d just been a sensitive before he’d claimed Britt.

“It will no doubt come in useful, however. If they know we’re coming, I should be able to sense the change in their emotions.”

Before Barak could ask him why he’d never told him of his abilities, Britt and Falkor arrived. Roarr breathed a sigh of relief until he saw his chief lean close to his
der’lan
, saw him show her the entry points, and witnessed a conversation that he swore was half out loud and half private, mental. They were so in tune, had a connection so deep and solid, that he was actually envious. He wanted that with Kareena. He wanted someone to confide in, someone to bounce ideas off. Someone who would stand by his side. Though maybe not in this particular kind of situation. Britt’s head jerked up and she gave him a sharp look.

“
You can’t change her,”
she said to him telepathically.
“You have to accept her as she is. Love her as she is.”

She left unsaid that Kareena was from Earth and would never accept the traditional role of a Delroi woman. Part of Roarr recognized that, but he didn’t have time to deal with it.

They split into two groups. Barak’s people took the outside entrance, and Roarr’s the one in the admin building. The door in the cellar was hidden behind a cabinet and opened by a pressure plate. He couldn’t believe no one had ever discovered it before. It opened into a dark, low ceilinged tunnel. Roarr turned on a small handheld torch and led the way. After about three hundred yards, they reached the end. There was a pad by the door and Roarr set his palm on it, knowing his mother had given him access. Jarek was with the other team to do the same. The door slid open silently. No one waited on the other side.

“
Barak’s team is in,” Falkor said softly. “No sign of anyone on their side either.”

Roarr led the way through the cellar and up the stairs. He paused at the door, letting his senses expand. He felt anger, outrage, from several people and assumed it was the priestesses, but he couldn’t tell where they were or if they were captives.

“What are you reading?” he asked Falkor, whose expression had turned grim and furious.

“
They’re locked in. And someone is injured pretty badly.”

Roarr didn’t wait for more information. He swung the door open and walked into what appeared to be a storage room. Five priestesses were gathered around a table, tending to a sixth. They shifted immediately, protectively, but relaxed when they saw him.

“Lord Idis,” the oldest said, and he struggled to remember her name. She took in the other warriors crowding in behind him. “You’re going to need more men. And we need a healer.”

He scowled.
“Why didn’t you use the passageway?”

He’d been afraid they hadn’t been able to get to it. Obviously that wasn’t the case. She gave him the cold haughty look all priestesses seemed to have mastered.

“This is our temple. We won’t be made to flee.”

Roarr ground his back teeth together. He wanted to order them all out and if they’d been any other women, he would have. But though he was technically their clan chief, tradition forbade him from interfering with their temple. If they were somewhere else? Damn right he’d order them to safety. Since that wasn’t an option, he needed to resolve this situation as swiftly as possible.

“Besides, we can’t move Qora. She’s been shot and she’s losing a lot of blood.”

Roarr looked at the young woman on the table. Red bloomed over her abdomen and one of the other priestesses was putting pressure on the injury to staunch the blood flow. Somehow Roarr managed to contain his rage. Someone would die for this.

“My brother is with another team. We’ll get him here as fast as possible. Do you know where the rebels are?”

She shook her head.
“No. And we haven’t heard from the other priestesses.”

Fuck. He’d hoped they were it.
“How many?”

“
Four of my best.” She gave him a tight, nasty smile. “Don’t worry, Lord Idis. They won’t be taken.”

Just what he needed. His mother’s assassins loose in the temple. He hoped they looked at the insignia his men were wearing before making a fatal mistake.

“Better warn Barak and tell him to get Jarek over here,” he said to Falkor.

“
Already done.”

“
Good. Let’s go.” When the priestess made a move as if to join them, Roarr held up his hand. “Not you.”

She snorted.
“You forget, my lord. You have no authority here. But don’t worry, I won’t get in your way. I’m going to find your brother.”

She had a steady determined look that reminded him of Kareena. He could well imagine his
der’lan
being just as stubborn, just as insistent she put herself in harm’s way. He ignored the dread that filled him at the thought and led his men out of the room.

The temple was ancient, one of the oldest buildings in the city. It was three stories, built of stone with soaring ceilings and uncovered floors. Austere. And much too quiet.

“That way.” Falkor indicated right.

“
What’s down there?” Roarr asked the priestess.

“
The entrance to the temple. The reception area. There are several corridors that feed into in.”

“
How many men?” he asked Falkor.

“
I can’t tell. A dozen maybe, but I sense more in other parts of the temple.”

“
Tell Barak to find another way into the reception room. We’ll attack at the same time.”

After they took the big group, they’d spread out to search for the others.

“He’s moving into position now.”

Roarr led his team down the passageway. As they drew closer to the reception area the sounds of men arguing grew louder. Falkor tapped his shoulder to indicate Barak was ready whenever he was. Roarr gave the order to move with hand signals. They swept in low and fast, hoping for the element of surprise, but the rebels weren’t caught off guard. The air filled with the sound of weapon’s fire and the smell of blood. It was over in minutes and unfortunately there were no survivors. When it had become clear they couldn’t win, they’d killed themselves. Roarr swore furiously under his breath then waded through the bodies to join Barak and Falkor.

“Where is Jarek?”

“
He went with your priestess,” Falkor said. “We have a few casualties, but none with life threatening injuries.”

“
How many dead?”

“
Ten total. Six of ours, four of Barak’s,” Kaje said, joining them.

“
Search the temple for other rebels,” he ordered Kaje. “Two man teams, and for the love of the gods, bring me someone alive.”

“
If it isn’t too late.”

Roarr nodded. If those rebels couldn’t find the escape routes, they’d probably do what these had and take their own lives. Kaje left to pass the word.

“I don’t see anyone I recognize here,” Roarr told the remaining two men.

“
I recognized a couple,” Falkor said, pressing his lips into a grim line.

“
We’ll bring a tech team in and see what they can discover,” Barak continued.

Several hours later, about half of the rebels had been identified. They were from a few clans, but mostly his and Barak’s. His chief was so cold Roarr was unaware of his fury until Britt stepped up to his side and set her hand on his shoulder. His shields cracked for just moment and Roarr damned near stumbled under the wave of rage.

“No survivors. Every corner of the temple has been cleared.”

There was a hint of reluctance in her voice.

“But what?” Barak asked, turning his full attention on his mate.

“
I got close enough to read one before he shot himself.” She glanced at Roarr. “They were looking for your guests. Since they didn’t find them, obviously, they assumed they’d been moved to the Keep. They were looking for a way out when we came in.”

Roarr went cold. Rebels had targeted his
der’lan
. It took every bit of control he had not to rush out and go to her. He knew she was safe. She was guarded. But fear gripped him anyway.

“
They passed that on to a contact outside?”

She nodded.
“Why would they try to kidnap three women from Earth? I haven’t been here long, but even I know that isn’t done.”

“
The prophecy,” a voice said from behind him, and he turned to see the priestess from earlier.

“
Possibly. Or they’ve discover Kareena is my
der’lan
and wanted to use her against me.”

Her lips curved slightly.
“And is your woman a warrior?”

Unfortunately, for him.
“Yes.”

“
She’ll need to be.” Her gaze clouded and Roarr remembered who she was. Nerine. The seer.

“
Tell me what you see,” he demanded. He refused to let any harm come to Kareena. Refused to put her at risk. Nerine frowned.

“
It’s not a clear seeing, more a sense of danger. Guard them all well, Lord Idis.”

And with that last cryptic statement, she walked away.

Kareena was confused, pissed and getting a little worried. Hours had passed since the shopping trip. When she’d left the dressing room, it was to find Roarr gone, replaced by half a dozen Delroi warriors who looked less than pleased to be guarding a bunch of women. Not that she cared about their tender sensibilities. She didn’t need a damned guard, and she’d had every intention of telling him so when he reappeared. Except the rat bastard hadn’t.

Britt had been closed mouthed about what was going on and her shields were too good for Kareena to get a hint. But the former assassin’s expression said it all. Something bad had happened. She’d led Kareena, Parker, and Zola to the house, stayed long enough to make sure there were warriors inside, and then disappeared.

Kareena hated being left in the dark. She’d tried to leave the house. Hell, they all had. The outside doors were locked and guarded. Even Zola hadn’t had any luck. They’d been shown to their rooms, collected for dinner in a huge room with only the three of them present, and generally refused the answers to any and all questions. Kareena didn’t see another woman and had no idea who’d provided the food. She didn’t have one of the phones they used on this world and no one to call if she did. She was just as much a prisoner here as she’d been on Earth. Oh, the accommodations were a hell of a lot nicer, but it was the same freaking thing.

She was pacing in the sitting room she suspected connected her room to Roarr’s, when she heard one of the bedroom doors open and thud closed. It was silent other than that, but she felt his energy, dark and forbidding and irate, as if he was warning her away. She snorted. The man had a thing or two dozen to learn about her. She didn’t knock before entering. He swung around and scowled, but her angry words stuck in her throat when she got a good look at him. Blood streaked his chest, arms, and face.

“What the hell happened to you?” she demanded, rushing forward, forgetting her confusion and anger in the face of fear. “And where is Jarek?”

“
Don’t worry,
der’lan
,” he scoffed, as if that couldn’t possibly be exactly what she was doing. “It’s not mine.”

He slapped his hand against a plate on the wall and a section slid away to reveal a huge bathroom. She’d been shown the one in her room, but it was nothing like this. Part of her marveled at it as she followed him in, but mostly she was too pissed off to gawk. Until he ripped
his shirt over his head, kicked off his boots, and reached for the buttons on his pants. He paused and met her gaze, hands dropping to his side as he strode towards her.

She should get out while she was able, but she couldn’t move and it made zero sense. It’s not like she’d never seen him naked. Okay, fine, he was hot. Really hot. That was no reason for her hormones to go haywire though, or to lose her mind, step forward, and meet him halfway. But damned if she didn’t.

He didn’t say a word as she lifted her hands to his chest. She stood on her toes and tilted her head to the side, stretching until her mouth brushed his. Under her hands, his muscles bunched and she felt his restraint. She brushed her mind against his and shuddered at what she saw. Desire and craving that matched her own. Fierce possessiveness that shook her.

“
Now is the time to say no, angel. Run away now, if you’re going to. I won’t let you once this starts.”