15 Targeted (70 page)

But the last word ended in a long hissing gurgle. With a final
click-click
of his mandibles, the enormous Vash`aran lay still.

Relieved, Tragar tried to lead Emily further from the massive, insectile corpse just in case there were any last death-shocks. But to his dismay, he didn’t even take a single step before he stumbled and fell to his knees. His feet were so numb he couldn’t feel them anymore.

“Tragar?” Emily looked at him anxiously. “Tragar, what happened? What’s wrong?”

“Couldn’t help it…only way,” he heard himself say. The dull, burning ache in his side throbbed painfully. He reached for the wound and his hand came away red and bloody.

Emily’s gaze strayed down to his blood smeared palm and her eyes, now permanently gold, went wide.

“Tragar! Oh my God—I didn’t know it got you! Help!” She looked around wildly. “Help—we need a doctor!”

Tragar was dimly aware of Daro running forward and helping hands lowering him to the ground so he could be examined. Through it all, Emily gripped his hand in hers and refused to let go.

“Tragar,” she whispered in a choked voice. “Please be all right! Please don’t leave me—I
need
you. I love you!”

“Love you…too, Emily.” He nearly choked, trying to get the words out. The numbness was creeping up his arms and legs now, trying to take over his body. He squeezed Emily’s hand as well as he could, though he could barely feel her small fingers entwined with his own. “Served you well, my
Khalla,”
he whispered, looking up at her. “I fought…for you.”

And then the numbness climbed higher and darkness ate his sight.

* * * * *

“Oh my God—Tragar!
Tragar!”
Emily squeezed his hand and patted his cheek but it did no good. He lay limp on the grass, just a few feet from the massive wasp-thing that had tried to kill her.

She could feel the
other
trying to come forward, wanting to see but she pushed her back impatiently.
Not now!

“
Then when?”
the
other
demanded.
“I love him too! And it is my time—I must come forward for good.”

No!
Emily told her firmly. She could feel the
other
getting stronger, growing inside her until she felt like a pot of water coming to a boil. But Emily held her back with grim determination. If she let the
other
take over for good, she would never know what happened to Tragar! She had to know—had to be certain he was all right!

Emily still wasn’t sure how he had gotten hurt—she’d been high up in the air, looking down the insect thing’s gullet, certain she was going to die. All she knew was that Tragar had caught her and somehow killed his awful wasp-boss before suddenly collapsing. But at least Daro was examining him. He had peeled back the black leather vest to get a better look at the wound in the big Kindred’s side. The expression on his face was deadly serious.

“What is it? Is he all right? Tell me he’ll be okay,” Emily pleaded with him.

He looked up and sighed.

“
Khalla-to-be,
forgive me but this is a grave wound indeed. I fear that the enemy he fought stabbed him with its barb and injected poison.”

“Oh my God…oh no!” Emily ran her free hand through her hair, her eyes burning. “I was hoping it just, I don’t know,
grazed
him or something.”

“You were not in a position to see what happened,” Daro said. “But it is more than a graze. Tragar fell upon the barb of your would-be assassin in order to stab it and save you. He sacrificed himself for you, my
Khalla.
”

“He…he did?” Emily felt tears gather behind her burning eyes but somehow held them back. “Oh, Tragar…” She sniffed and tried to get hold of herself. “All right, so what can we do? Is there some kind of antivenom? Or do you have an EpiPen?”

Daro frowned. “Pardon me? A
what,
my
Khalla?”

“You know—a shot of adrenaline for allergic reactions.” Emily knew all about them—one of the kids in her classroom the year before had been severely allergic to several things including bee stings. Emily had taken that damn pen with her every time the class even went outdoors to visit the bathrooms. She wished fervently that she had it now.

But Daro was shaking his head.

“This is no allergic reaction, my
Khalla.
See—he isn’t swollen or broken out in a rash and his breathing is not labored…yet.”

“Well, then what is it?” Emily demanded. “Tell me what it is and how we can fix it!”

“I don’t know that we can.” He shook his head. “It saddens me to say for he was an honorable male and he spared my life—I would gladly save his if I could. But it appears the venom was some kind of neurotoxin. Look—see how his arms and legs are paralyzed?” He lifted one of Tragar’s arms and let it fall. “No reflexes.”

“A neurotoxin? What does that mean?” Emily asked. Her heart felt like someone was squeezing it in a cruel fist.

Daro sighed. “It means that the venom is slowly paralyzing his entire body. It starts with the extremities and works inwards. When it reaches his heart and lungs…well…”

He didn’t finish the sentence but he didn’t have to.

“No! No, I don’t accept this—there must be
something
we can do!” Emily’s eyes were on fire now—in fact, her entire body felt hot. It was the
other
again, trying to come forward. Grimly, she pushed the other girl back.
I said
not now!

“I am afraid not.” Daro shook his head. “There is nothing anyone can do now but commend him to the Goddess, my
Khalla
.”

“Wait!” Emily had a sudden thought. “A
Khalla—
that’s right—I’m a
Khalla!
And Lit’aal told me that a
Khalla’s
touch was healing. That her nectar could even bring people back from death’s door!”

Daro frowned. “That is forbidden.”

“I don’t care if it’s forbidden—just tell me how to do it!” Emily demanded.

“I don’t know if you can,” he said giving her an appraising look. “Possibly if you were truly a
Khalla
and not just a
Khalla-to-be
you might accomplish it. But though you appear to have reached the fourth and final stage of your
Tenrah,
I do not believe your
Kit’tara
has come completely forward yet. Until you cross fully over that threshold, you will not come into your powers.”

Emily had a brief and bitter internal struggle. If she gave in and let the
other
come completely forward and take over her body forever, she would be giving up her last chance to see Tragar alive. He might live or die and she would never know. She would be wiped out of existence, as though she’d never been born.

On the other hand, she might have a chance to save him if she gave up and let the
other
take over. And if there was even a slim chance…

Promise me,
she though hard at the other girl who was sharing her head.
Promise you’ll do everything in your power to save him.

“
I will,”
she heard the
other
say.
“I love him too, Emily! I swear I will save him…or die trying.”

Emily took a deep breath. It was hard…so
hard
to give in to her own oblivion. She didn’t want to wink out of existence. She wanted to live and love Tragar and have his babies! She wanted to grown old with the big Kindred and never be parted from him again.

But that was not to be.

Closing her eyes, she dropped the last mental barrier she’d been fighting so long to defend.
All right,
she sent, knowing the
other
could hear her.
Go ahead—take over.

Chapter Thirty

Go ahead,
Emily thought at the
other
again.
Take over—I won’t try to stop you.

There was a feeling of intense gratitude from the girl who had been sharing her head for so long
.

“
Thank you!”

Immediately her entire body was flooded with a wave of heat as the
other
surged forward.

Emily waited to be obliterated…and waited…and waited. But somehow it didn’t happen. Instead, she was filled with other sensations almost too numerous to count.

Her eyes burned and her joints ached—even her hair felt like it was changing. Her breasts were suddenly achingly full and her nipples felt so sensitive even the soft gauzy white shift she was wearing under the dark red robe felt harsh and abrasive. Between her legs her sex was suddenly swollen and hot.

What’s going on with me? What’s happening?
she thought wildly.

“
We’re merging,”
the
other
sent back. Only now, Emily knew her name wasn’t just “the other.” She had a true name—one Emily had never bothered to learn because she was trying so hard to hold her back.

“Emallia. I am Emallia,” she said aloud, opening her eyes which had been tightly closed this entire time.

“What?” Daro looked up from examining Tragar and his eyes went wide.
“
Your hair—it is so much longer! And your eyes burn like suns!
Khalla, no.
You must not allow yourself to enter the breeding cycle if you can help it!”

“I had to do it.” To Emily—now also Emallia—even her voice sounded different. It was stronger—more commanding. “I had to become a full
Khalla
and complete the Shift—it’s the only way to save Tragar.”

“But if you cannot save him then who will breed you?” Daro demanded. “You will die, my
Khalla.”

“That is a chance I’m willing to take,” Emily declared. The inner strength of the
other
was bonded to her now—she felt ready to take on any challenge. “How much time do we have before it’s too late to save him?” she demanded.

“Five…maybe ten solar minutes?” Daro shook his head. “I’m not sure.”

“It is enough,” Emily said in her new, strong voice. “Get some help and bring him to the breeding suite—hurry!”

“I think not.” Mother Chundra was suddenly standing in front of her, glaring down with her green-on-green eyes. “I told you the breeding suite is
forbidden
to you!”