Demon Slave (36 page)

Nadua wondered if her happy stories caused
sadness in Analia, but her sister had remained quiet and attentive
the whole time, never showing the slightest bitterness in her
expression.

Now they entered the pub. Nadua followed
Analia to the bar, where that woman, Sonya, stood serving drinks.
Their first meeting had been intense, and she still felt uneasy
around her. Once Nadua had calmed down, she could understand the
mistake. She probably would have done the same, if Ava had been in
a similar situation. But she and Sonya wouldn’t be hugging it out
any time soon.

Whenever Sonya glanced her way, Nadua got
the sense she was imaging slitting her throat. Naturally, Nadua
returned the look in kind.

Sonya had been incredibly fast. So much
faster than Marik. If it came down to a fight between them, Nadua
would most definitely lose.

Sebastian occupied one of the many stools
surrounding the bar. At Analia’s approach, his face lit up.

A twinge of jealousy spiked in Nadua’s
veins. Had Marik ever looked at her like that? She mentally scolded
herself and pushed the thought away. Analia deserved her happiness,
more than anyone.

Ethanule emerged from a back room, causing
Nadua’s mood to greatly improve. She hadn’t recognized him right
away, in the docking bay. Now she could see hints of his former
self in his features. He was somehow harder, rougher, especially
around the eyes.

Analia had informed her that their father
sent Ethan to find them, and to bring them all home. To do this,
Ethan had to team up with a brutal pirate faction and fight his way
to become their leader, in order to utilize their powerful
influence. So, for over three hundred years, Ethan had been
masquerading as a pirate. Something from that way of life must have
stuck with him. How could it not?

Nadua still felt like a Cyrellian in ways.
Being here with Analia, calling herself Faieara once more, felt
strange, like a dream. And being without Marik felt oven odder.

Where was he? She thought about asking
Analia, but decided against it. She should just enjoy the company
of her sister for now.

Sonya looked up, smiling at Analia and
sparing Nadua a brief glance. “Hi, Anya. Can I get you
something?”

Analia put her finger to her chin in
thought. “A virgin.”

Both Ethan and Sonya straightened, gaping
wide-eyed at Analia.

“
What?” they said in
unison.

Sonya’s eyes swiftly darted to Sebastian,
Ethan, then back to Analia.

Interesting
.

Sebastian didn’t seem to notice, his
attention was still riveted to Analia, who replied, “That drink you
made for me once. You said it was a virgin.”

Sonya’s shoulders dropped and she let out a
laugh that sounded a bit nervous. “That’s not the name of the
drink. That just means there’s no alcohol in it.”

“
Oh. Well, whatever it was,
I’ll take that.”

“
Sure.” Sonya turned to
Nadua. “And for you?”

Nadua couldn’t help but flash a knowing
smile.

Immature? Maybe. But she suspected something
was going on between Sonya and Ethan and, for whatever reason, they
were pretending otherwise. Sonya’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

Oh yeah, they were going to be the best of
friends.

“
I’ll take anything that
isn’t a virgin.”

* * *

Marik had been on his way to show Rex the
exercise room when they walked past the pub and noticed everyone
gathered inside. Showing only the slightest hesitation, Marik
entered. Nadua was going to be on this ship for a long while, and
he couldn’t avoid her forever.

Sebastian raised his hand in greeting.

“
Care if we join you?”
Marik asked.

Nadua took a long gulp of her drink.

Sonya huffed. “I don’t need you all crowding
my bar. Pick a table.” After they settled, she brought them a round
of drinks before plopping down next to Rex. “Rex, how are you
finding the ship? I hope everyone is being nice to you.”

That was an understatement, Marik thought.
At least where the women were concerned. They practically drooled
every time he walked by. Marik hadn’t noticed before, but
apparently Rex was good looking. Cale might have some competition
when he returned—hopefully with the last sister intact.

Marik mused that the way things were going,
Cale might return with a mate of his own. He frowned, remembering
Cale’s fallen mate. There were no second chances for demons. The
dark thought had his mind spiraling back to his own dilemma. He had
claimed Nadua as his, but he didn’t get to keep her.

Nadua’s eyes were avoiding him as she played
with the ice in her glass. Marik couldn’t keep from studying her
from the corner of his eye. A cute white top that stretched over
plump cleavage made him remember in painful detail the sounds she
would make if he fondled them just right. Her skirt was a mix
between blue and green, and showed off her luscious, soft legs,
bringing back images of her wrapped around him. Her red hair was
loosely pulled back, and curled down the delicate curve of her
spine.

She was so breathtaking, his heart ached.
One look at her had him craving her touch once more, but he would
have to hide it. He didn’t want her feeling guilty about her
decision. That’s why he had been avoiding her for as long as
possible. Well, that, and he didn’t want to stoop to begging for
her love. He feared he was too close to that point already.

Marik realized he wasn’t following the
conversation and had missed Rex’s response to Sonya’s question.
They were on a different topic now. Ethan was talking about what
he’d learned from the book.

“—
your father suggested
that the Kayadon may be close to learning her location.”

Sebastian added, “That’s why Cale was sent
ahead, to find your sister and act as her guard till we
arrive.”

Nadua asked, “What do you know of
Earth?”

“
Not much. Our database
shows that it is inhabited by a primitive people.”

Ethan continued. “In the book, your father
gave us a location. A land called New York.”

“
And this Cale? Is he
capable...” Her gaze flickered to Marik. “I mean, he must be a
powerful warrior to have been sent alone.”

Sonya snorted. “Actually, I was supposed to
go with him, but the ass left without me.”

Marik thought he understood why Cale went on
his own. Seeing Sebastian and Anya so happy must have been heart
wrenching, reminding him constantly of the love he had lost. At
least it was for Marik.

“
He is capable, though,”
Sebastian assured. “Your sister should be just fine.”

Nadua smiled at him. “Thank you, everyone,
for all that you’re doing for us.”

“
Your gratitude is
unnecessary. We are all eager to face the Kayadon in
battle.”

“
Ah, yes, Marik told me
what happened to your home.” Nadua looked to Ethan, “Is Evlon still
intact?”

“
As far as I know. I
haven’t received news otherwise.”

Nadua’s frame relaxed a little. The need to
comfort her was strong, but Marik resisted. Distance was what they
needed now.

Suddenly, Marik felt exhausted. He finished
his drink and stood to leave, telling Rex that he would continue
showing him around in the morning.

* * *

Nadua watched Marik as he left, a growing
sense of emptiness gouged a place in her chest. He had barely
looked at her, and hadn’t even spoken to her. Was this truly the
end of their relationship? Nadua hadn’t wanted to believe it, but
could it be that he really did want the Serakians to work their
magic?

So deep in thought, she didn’t notice
everyone’s eyes were on her, silently watching her.

She absently asked Sebastian, “Have you
contacted the Serakians?” Her tone sounded hollow in her ears.

“
I have.”

Her heart sank farther. Until now, she had
been holding onto the hope that Marik would change his mind. She
expected him to declare some measure of feelings for her, something
that went beyond the mysterious mate bond. But she knew she was
clinging to an empty fantasy. After all, he hadn’t really meant to
bond with her in the first place.

Sonya pushed away from the table with a
noise that sounded much like disgust, and storming her way back to
the bar.

Rex followed her with his eyes, blatantly
ignoring Ethan’s killing look. If she wasn’t feeling so terrible at
the moment, Nadua would have found the scene humorous.

Sebastian leaned over to give Analia a
tender kiss on her forehead. “I need to get back to the control
room.” Then he whispered something in Analia’s ear that made her
blush furiously.

“
Jade!” Ethan called to a
woman walking past the pub.

The woman entered with a sly smile. “Good
evening, Ethan.” Her eyes traveled the table’s occupants, finally
coming to rest on Rex. Jade’s smile grew wider as she noted his
horns. “Please introduce me to your new friends.”

“
This is Princess Nadua,
and Rex,” he offered.

Rex nodded in greeting, thoroughly
distracted by the short, tight clothing that Jade draped herself
in. The kind of clothing that begged for a male’s attention.

“
Rex hasn’t seen the whole
ship. Why don’t you show him around a little?”

“
I would love to.” Jade
grabbed Rex’s hand and pulled him from the room.

He went without protest. Nadua had a feeling
the only part of the ship Jade was going to show Rex was the inside
of her room.

Ethan leaned back in his chair with cocky
grin in place. His lips fell when he noticed Nadua’s scrutiny. She
raised an eyebrow in response.

After another drink, and a little more
catching up, Analia offered to take her back to her room. They said
goodnight to Ethan and left the pub. Analia fully sober, Nadua only
a bit tipsy.

That is, until a bright vision knocked Nadua
to the floor.

Snow softly fell from above, settling on the
edges of her hair and tickling her eyelashes. The air was so crisp
in her lungs, Nadua could have sworn she was back on Undewla. Her
legs were knee deep in a blanket of white, and an unmistakable
trail of red led up a gently sloping hill.

Trudging to the top, Nadua squinted past
silent flakes. Sori stood not too far in the distance. But closer,
stretched out over a white plateau, was a scene of gore and blood.
Cyrellians once again fighting Cyrellians, brutally driving metal
through flesh. On the edge of the melee she recognized Wren,
hunched over a body, pain etched on his face. Nadua didn’t have to
look at the girl to know who it was: Ava.

Dead.

Behind Wren, Tamir raised a blade. Wren
didn’t even try to move, though he must have known someone was at
his back.

Nadua found herself on the floor of the
ship. Analia was leaning over her with concern, frantically calling
her name.

“
Oh, gods. I have to go
back!”

“
What?”

The vision was so clear...too clear. It
would definitely happen if Nadua didn’t find a way to warn
them.

Though there was a transmission receiver
jumbled with some other technology in a palace room, it was only
turned on when they wanted to barter with space merchants—which
wasn’t often.

“
Are you okay? Do I need to
get the doctor?”

“
No, no. Analia, I need a
really big favor from you.”

* * *

Marik paced his room, stomping a path into
the carpet. He couldn’t keep his mind from drifting to his mate.
His beautiful, soft Nadua, who should be here, in his bed, rather
than in a completely different part of the ship.

Sebastian had already received word from the
Serakians. They agreed to send someone and were scheduled to
rendezvous within a week. One week and he would be mateless.

Could he even last a week? Seeing her in the
halls, catching her scent everywhere he went. Could he serve her
food in the galley while watching her enjoy the company of other
passengers? Other males.

No!

His mind screamed, the thought driving him
to the Edge—a place that was threatening to become his permanent
residence.

Or maybe he had screamed out loud. He could
no longer tell the difference. His mind was slipping. His head
pounded, anguish finding a corner of his brain to make a home.

The Serakians couldn’t possibly remove this
pain, short of killing him. How could even the strongest magic take
away someone’s love?

Marik stopped mid-step.

His love.

The thought solidified, taking hold and
digging in. He was in love with Nadua. The truth of it was like a
physical punch to his gut, only it didn’t hurt. It was freeing. The
only thing left to do was find her and tell her she had better get
used to him, because he wasn’t letting her go.

Marik nearly smashed into Sebastian as he
flung himself out the door. He would have pushed him out of the way
if it wasn’t for the fearful look in his eyes.

“
What is it?”

“
A shuttle has been
launched.”

* * *

It had taken a lot of convincing, begging,
and pleading to get Analia to agree. Analia had suggested they
speak with Sebastian about going back, but Nadua couldn’t risk him
rejecting the request.

“
Please, Analia! I cannot
let Ava die.” Nadua had gone to her knees, tears
brimming.

Analia had gazed down at her in a way that
made Nadua believe she understood. Her lips thinned and, at length,
Analia nodded. After stopping to gather Nadua’s furs, they’d headed
straight for the shuttle, ripping past the pub to get there.