Forgotten (66 page)

“
I will. Thank you.”
Sylvan sighed and rose, fingering the bandage on his hurt
thumb.

“
Are you not able to heal
that?” Rone asked, nodding at the bandaged digit. “I thought Blood
Kindred had regenerative abilities almost as good as my own
people.”

Sylvan shrugged. “Generally we do but this
injury does seem to be lingering for some reason.”

“
Kate told me you were
bitten by some kind of a porcine mammal?”

Sylvan smiled briefly. “A ‘Guinea pig’ is
what humans call it. It was either that or a very large rat—I can’t
be sure because it moved so quickly I didn’t get a very good look
at it. All I saw was that it had red eyes.”

Rone frowned. “I hope you heal up soon."

“
You’re very kind.” Sylvan
nodded. “I hope so too. In the meantime, let’s see about getting
you a place to stay aboard the Mother Ship.”

Rone nodded but he couldn’t help worrying
about the future. What had Kate’s dream really meant? Could the
ancient threat from the past really return? And what would they do
if it did?

He didn’t know but he swore to himself he
would be watchful—for now it was all he could do.

Epilogue #2

Y studied the knife. It had a black handle
and a long, silver curving blade that looked wickedly sharp. He put
his finger to the tip, pressing very lightly. The cold steel bit
into his flesh easily and a drop of crimson blood welled up at
once.

So sharp…I could be done
so quickly…done with this, with
him
and then onto a ship and gone.

Y reached up to trace the lump under his
left ear. In the time that it had taken to travel from G’nera back
to the Scourge home world, which was now Master Two’s base, it had
grown again. The curving tendrils had invaded his spinal cord and
the base of his brain.

Even now he couldn’t be certain that Master
Two wasn’t reading his thoughts, having finally tapped into his
mind. But all was silent from the chip—his Master seemed to have
temporarily transferred all of his attention to his other scion.
The huge Scourge warrior he had grown in the flesh tanks was in
another part of the compound—the Souda he had called it, Y
thought.

I have to be quick,
he told himself.
It’s
probably going to be intensely painful—I must be prepared for
that.

He didn’t care how much it hurt, though. He
just wanted to be free of his master—to live his own life. When he
got rid of the chip, he had only to evade the huge warrior which
was also implanted with his Master’s personality and get outside
the Scourge compound. Once out, he could have his pick of
ships—there were plenty of derelict but still working vehicles left
over from the Battle of Berrni. All he needed to do was get into
one and fly away. And then he would never have to hear that high,
hissing voice in his head again. Would never have to do anything
sick or disgusting or repugnant just because the Master ordered
it.

Y raised the knife to the swelling just
under his ear. His hand trembled only a little…

“
Y, what are you
doing?”

The sharp voice came from both his chip and
the nine-foot-tall warrior who was suddenly standing in the
doorway.

“
I…” Y turned, dropping
the knife to his side in a vain attempt to hide it. But how could
he hide anything from a being who literally lived in his head?
“Master,” he began. “I…I can explain.”

“
No explanation is
necessary. I see I’m just in time.” The large Scourge warrior came
forward, grinning in a way that made Y extremely uneasy. To his
surprise, he saw that his Master’s new scion was holding a small
animal in his enormous hands. It was tiny and furry and it had red
eyes. The warrior was stroking it gently as he advanced.

“
What’s that?” Y blurted.
“One of your spies?” He knew the Master used such creatures—usually
animal/robot hybrids—to gather information but he had never seen
him petting or stroking one of them before.

“
It is. I have them
everywhere, as you know. Even on the Mother Ship.
Especially
on the Mother
Ship.” The huge warrior grinned humorlessly as he continued to
stroke the little creature. “This one, however, has served its
purpose.”

The huge hands closed
suddenly and there was an agonized squealing which was cut off
abruptly. When the Scourge scion opened its palms, there was
nothing but a bloody pulp of bedraggled fur. He flicked it away
casually where it landed with a flat
splat
on the dull metal floor. Then
he licked one of his palms, his red-on-black eyes fluttered closed
for a moment in obvious pleasure.

"Kindred DNA is sweet—did you know that,
Y?"

“
What…why…?” Y began but a
huge palm was suddenly slapped over his mouth, cutting off his
question.

"Taste and see for yourself," the Master
ordered. "Don't worry—you're well able to absorb it orally. I made
certain of that when I made you."

Y retched and gagged but there was no
getting away from the huge hand covering his mouth. The slimy, hot
blood of the little furry creature slipped past his lips and he
swallowed before he could stop himself.

"Very good." The Master sounded pleased and
the huge scion removed its had from his face. “Come, Y—I want to
show you something.”

This time the behemoth warrior gripped him
by the arm, smearing more of the still-warm blood on his skin. Y
felt the iron strength of its hand—of his Master’s hand—and knew
there was no escape. Still, he tried.

“
Master, you know I want
to see whatever it is you have…you have to show me but I…” He
swallowed hard, tasting the metallic blood on his tongue and
fighting the urge to gag. “I need to see to…to a matter on the
other end of the compound. One that cannot wait. If you could just
give me a moment…”

“
Would that matter have to
do with a sharp knife and the intention to rid yourself of my pesky
presence?” the huge warrior rumbled. “Because I must tell you, Y,
that hurts my feelings most
excruciatingly.”
He held out his
other blood-stained hand. “Now why don’t you give me that little
knife and we’ll say no more about it.”

“
Oh, I’ll give you the
knife, all right.” Desperately, Y raised the sharp blade to the
lump under his ear…and stopped. He tried again but as much as he
strained, he couldn’t get the knife any closer to the hated chip
where his Master’s personality was implanted.

The huge warrior rumbled laughter.

“
Did you
really
think you could
get rid of me that easily, Y? I think not—I’ve had full motor
control of your body for some time now. Watch.”

Suddenly, Y’s hand began to move, but not in
the way he wanted it to. To his horror, he watched as the silver
blade came around in front of his face. Slowly, the point of it
began inching towards his right eye. Closer and closer it came
until he could feel the flutter of his eyelashes against the cold
metal when he blinked.

“
Master,” he gasped.
“Master,
please!”

“
Don’t worry, Y,” the
Master said, from both his warrior scion and from the chip in Y’s
head. “I wouldn’t allow you to hurt my chosen vessel.”

Y’s hand lowered slowly to his side and his
fingers unclenched and allowed the knife to clatter harmlessly to
the metal floor.

“
What…what do you mean
your chosen vessel?” he asked, his stomach twisting in fear and
disgust.

“
Why, I mean that I’m
taking over, Y. I have plans for your body—
my
body. Come and I’ll show
you.”

The huge Scourge warrior began dragging him
along the metal corridors into the inner areas of the complex. Y’s
boots scraped reluctantly against the floor but there was no
denying the Master’s demand—his body moved independently of his
will and there was nothing he could do about it.

Too late,
he thought bitterly.
I
waited too late to gather my courage. I should have cut out the
chip when it first started to grow. And now it’s too late…too
late…

“
Ah, here we are,” the
Master’s huge scion stopped in front of a vast metal panel which
appeared to be a kind of door—but a door so large that an entire
shuttle could have flown through it.

“
What is this place?” Y
demanded. “And why do you want
my
body when you already have that one?” he added,
nodding at the warrior who was still gripping his arm.

“
My dear Y,” the Scourge
warrior rumbled in his Master’s voice. “You didn’t really think I’d
confine myself to
this
form indefinitely, did you? This is but a blunt
instrument—effective for intimidation and strength, yes—but it
lacks finesse. And…well, it’s not very
pretty.”

“
Pretty?” Y stared at him
in amazement.
“Pretty?”

“
Exactly.” The massive
scion smirked at him. “When I mixed the DNA for the body you now
inhabit—the one I’m about to take for myself—I made certain it was
‘easy on the eyes’ as the humans say. The better to fit in with
Kindred when I finally conquer them. And look at you—those piercing
eyes, those broad, muscular shoulders…yes, you’ll do nicely,
although a few changes will have to be made. But your body should
hold up well for the transformation.”

“
Transformation? What are
you talking about?” Y demanded.

“
You shall see.” Still
gripping Y’s arm, the huge warrior punched a button and the immense
steel door began to roll to one side. Inside was a vast square room
covered from walls to floor to ceiling in red velvet.

No—not red velvet, Y saw,
when his eyes got used to the dim lighting. The covering on the
walls and floor and ceiling of the room was
moving—
pulsing—
in
some way. He felt his stomach do a slow, forward roll. The stuff
was tissue—living flesh and it was red because it was full
of
blood
.

“
This is the
Souda,
it’s a special
room which channels the power of this entire planet directly to one
person. And that person will be
me,”
the Master
explained.

“
It…the walls are made of
flesh.” Y couldn’t keep the disgust out of his voice.

“
Endometrial tissues to be
exact,” the Master said calmly. “It is, in effect, a huge,
artificial womb. And what better place for a new birth—a rebirth—to
take place? Once you enter, a
dravik
will form around you—a
nourishing bubble of blood that will infuse you with
power.”

Revulsion filled Y as he looked at the
pulsing, scarlet walls.

“
I don’t…don’t want to go
in there.” He could barely keep from gagging.

“
You won’t,” his Master’s
voice said in his ear. “
I
will.
Now.”

Suddenly Y had a horrible sensation—the
feeling of being pushed aside—shoved into a small, dark, cramped
closet with no light and hardly any air. It was happening inside
his head and yet the effect was the same as if it had happened to
his physical body.

Not my body
anymore,
he realized, feeling sick.
The Master’s body. He’s taking over completely
and he’ll never let me go. I’m doomed…trapped.

His vision began to dim and he lost all
feeling in his hands and feet.

“
Master,” he begged, his
tongue feeling clumsy in his mouth—a borrowed instrument he had
once owned. “Master, please—don’t do this to me!”

Shrill laugher echoed in his skull.

“
My dear Y, it’s already
done,” Master Two said.

And then…there was only darkness and
silence.

The End? Hardly! There is
always more Kindred to come. Read on for an Excerpt of Brides of
the Kindred 17, Switched. And be sure to look for the preorder link
to The Institute: Daddy Issues, the first book in my new series
coming out on Valentine's Day of 2016.

Also, if you have enjoyed
Forgotten, please take a moment to leave a review
HERE
. Good
reviews are like golf for an author--they help readers decide to
take a chance on a new book. And more good reviews means more sales
which means I can continue to write for a living and bring you more
Kindred! Thank you so much to all my awesome readers who review. I
love you guys!

Hugs and Happy
Reading!

Evangeline, November
2015

Switched Blurb:

A warrior with a
talent that could get him killed

A girl transported
to a new existence with no warning

When the two of the
trade lives, it places them in mortal peril.

Not to mention
really screwing up their love lives!

Will they ever be
able to get back in their rightful bodies?

Or have they
been forever…Switched?

Francesca
Rodriguez—Frankie to her friends—has a perfectly normal life. She's
happily divorced and going to grad school and all she wants is to
get her degree and get out of retail hell. Little does she know her
life is about to change forever.