Found (45 page)

Fighting back tears, Lauren worked the silver
O-ring off her finger and placed it in the center of his broad
palm. Then she lost the battle with her emotions. Throwing herself
against his chest, she locked her arms around his neck and
sobbed.

“I love you, Xairn. Please be careful. Please
come back to me—swear you will.”

He held her tight and she felt his big form
tremble and knew he was crying too. “I will,” he whispered, his
voice hoarse with sorrow. “I swear it, Lauren, I will come back to
you.
I will.”

“So he’s going up there alone unless someone
will help him.” Lauren’s voice was choked with sobs and from what
she could see on the viewscreen, it looked to Kat like she’d gotten
dressed in the dark. Her blouse was inside out and her hair was
wild. But that was to be expected when your man went off on a
suicide mission, she supposed.

“Oh Lauren,” she said, wishing the other girl
was up on the Mother ship so she could put her arms around her and
comfort her. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry too.” Lauren blotted her eyes with
her inside out sleeve. “I know this is a horrible thing to ask you
but I didn’t know who else to turn to.”

“You did the right thing, calling us.” Deep
stepped up behind Kat and Lock joined him. “We will answer the call
for help and come to the aid of our brother.”

“What brother? Who are you talking about and
why did you call us?” Baird and Sylvan suddenly crowded into the
viewing room, followed by Sophia and Liv. “What’s going on?”

“Xairn is going to confront his father—er,
the AllFather right now at the Fathership,” Kat explained, feeling
numb. “He’s going alone unless he gets some help.”

“He is not going alone,” Deep said. “I’m
going with him.”

“As am I.” Lock nodded.

“Going to the Fathership with only a few
warriors is a suicide mission,” Baird objected, frowning. “I know
you helped each other on the Scourge home world, Deep, but just
because this Scourge has chosen to sacrifice himself is no reason
for you and Lock to join him.”

Deep shook his head. “You don’t understand. I
have
to help him—I was ordered to do so.”

“Ordered?” Sylvan raised one blond eyebrow.
“By who?”

“By the Goddess.” Deep spoke in a low voice
as he met each male’s eyes in turn. “You all know that I was on the
brink of death—in fact, I was dead—during the last joining that Kat
and Lock and I participated in before we were bonded. But what I
haven’t told any of you—not even Kat—was how I was saved.”

“Are you saying the Goddess herself rescued
you?” Baird asked, frowning.

Deep nodded. “My spirit was caught in the
AllFather’s grip and I knew I would never be able to return to my
body. I was ready to die and then…she saved me. While I was in her
presence she told me she had a special interest in Xairn. She said
a war was coming—a conflict with the AllFather that would make all
our battles up until now seem insignificant.”

“And you think this is what she was talking
about?” Sylvan asked. “This confrontation that Xairn is going into
with the AllFather?”

Deep nodded again. “Her exact words were: ‘I
charge you, Warrior, that you give him aid if he asks it of you.
That you help him in any way you can. And that you not speak of
this until the time is right.’” He lifted his chin. “I think now
the time is right. I hope you understand, brothers, why I have to
go.”

“I do.” Sylvan nodded. “And I think I must go
as well.”

“And me,” Baird said.

“Baird?” Olivia’s face was white as a sheet
and she cupped her rounded belly protectively. “Do you…you really
have to?”

“
Lilenta
…” Baird drew his pregnant
wife to him and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. “I know this
is a frightening thing but I feel it’s meant to be. The Goddess has
touched all our lives in one way or another since I first called
you as my bride. I think she means for us to take part in this
conflict.”

“I feel the same way,” Sylvan said
thoughtfully. “She has made herself known to us in ways that most
Kindred do not get to experience. We should consider ourselves
blessed.”

Sophia’s green eyes overflowed with tears. “I
always knew something like this might…might happen,” she whispered,
clinging to Sylvan. “I guess it goes with the territory—marrying a
warrior and all. But…I didn’t think it would happen this soon.”

“I didn’t either, but it has.” Kat took a
deep breath and lifted her chin, trying to be strong. “Girls, I
know we hoped it would never come to this but it has. And if our
males are brave enough to go face this threat, I think we have to
be brave enough to let them. And I think—I hope—that the Goddess
will protect them through it.”

“I hope you’re right.” Liv’s silver-gray eyes
were shiny with tears too. “I hope you are, Kat, because I don’t
know what I’d do if—” But she stopped, unable to say it.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Lauren whispered
from the viewscreen. “I feel horrible. I was hoping you could get a
whole squadron of Kindred together—like an army or something—not
just the four of you.”

Baird shook his head. “Not without involving
the Council and that would take far too long.”

“Besides, a smaller force might be more
effective.” Sylvan looked thoughtful. “No doubt the AllFather is
only expecting Xairn to show up and that’s all he’s prepared for.
If we attacked with an army, he’d mobilize all his forces and we’d
be locked in a stand-off—unable to get to him. But a single ship
with what he believes is only one passenger is no threat.”

“You’re right, Brother.” Deep sounded
excited. “He’ll let us in by the front door without suspecting a
thing.”

“So you’ll have him outnumbered?” Sophia
asked hopefully.

“Except for the thousands of vat-grown
soldiers who live only to serve that evil bastard’s will,” Liv said
flatly. “Sorry,” she said when her twin gave her a reproachful
look. “But aren’t they supposed to be like fighting machines?”

“They’re big but they can also be slow and
stupid,” Kat said, trying to comfort Sophie. “Then can’t even work
guns—uh, blazers—because they’re too dumb to know how to use
them.”

“We’ll use that to our advantage,” Sylvan
said, kissing his bride. “Please,
Talana,
don’t cry. I’ll be
coming back to you—I swear it.”

“You’d better.” She clung to him and pressed
her face to his neck. “You’d better come back to me, Sylvan. I
don’t…don’t think I could live without you.”

“That goes double for me,” Liv said in a
trembling voice.

“
Lilenta,
please try to understand—”
Baird began but she held up a hand to stop him.

“Spare me the ‘I could not love thee half so
much, loved I not honor more’ speech. I know you’re going and I
know why. Just remember your son, Baird.” She patted her belly
again.

“I’ll remember and I’ll return to both of
you.” He kissed her gently and then leaned down to kiss her belly
as well.

“Well…” Kat turned to her own two males who
were standing on either side of her, as always. “I guess we’d
better get in on the goodbye action too. I…I…” Suddenly hot tears
were pouring down her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” she gasped. “Here I am
making speeches about being brave and I can’t…can’t even keep
from…from crying myself.”

“It’s all right, my lady,” Lock murmured as
he and Deep both embraced her, holding her in the special three-way
hug she’d come to love so much.

“Hold on, little Kat.” Deep kissed her deeply
and stroked her hair. “The Goddess sent me back to you once—she
will not fail to keep Lock and myself safe for you again.”

“I hope you’re right.” Kat sniffed and tried
to get hold of herself. “God, I really,
really
hope you are,
Deep.”

“I am,” he said firmly but she couldn’t help
thinking that she saw some doubt in his black eyes. Doubt mixed
with determination—he was going to do this no matter what she said.
All of their males were. The only thing she and Liv and Sophie
could do was pray for their safe return.

“I love you,” she said and heard the simple
sentiment echoed throughout the viewing room as all the warriors
got a last hug and kiss. Then they filed out of the doorway one by
one, heads up, shoulders back, the light of battle in their eyes.
Though she knew it might be the last time she saw Deep and Lock,
Kat couldn’t help the stirrings of pride in her heart. They were
males of valor—honor and courage ran in their veins like blood. She
had never been more proud—and more unhappy—to be mated to her
Kindred males.

As the males left, Nadiah came in the door.
“What are you all doing in here and where are Sylvan and the rest
of them going? Hello, Lauren.” She nodded at the viewscreen and
Lauren nodded back miserably. “What’s wrong?”

Sophia pounced on her. “Nadiah! Xairn has
gone to confront the AllFather and Sylvan and Baird and Deep and
Lock are going to help him. We’re all scared to death but you—you
have the gift—the Sight!”

Olivia’s eyes were wide. “She does, doesn’t
she? Quick, Nadiah—can you see anything? Do you feel anything?”

Kat couldn’t help feeling sorry for the poor
girl. “Come on, you guys, she can’t just turn it on like a switch.”
She looked at Nadiah hopefully. “Uh,
can
you?”

“Not usually,” Naidah said carefully. “But…I
can try.”

“Please do,” begged Sophie. “Please!”

“All right.” Taking a deep breath, Nadiah
closed her eyes and appeared to concentrate deeply. But when she
looked up, there was a troubled expression on her face. “Nothing,”
she said quietly. “I see nothing but darkness. I’m sorry.”

Xairn stared fixedly at the controls of the
Kindred ship wondering how much longer he should wait. It was
stupid, really, expecting warriors who were technically his enemies
to come to his aid. He was only waiting because he had promised
Lauren he would. But he couldn’t put off the confrontation with the
AllFather much longer—not if he hoped to keep his mother alive.

Gods, after all these years, he couldn’t
believe that he might actually see her, that she might speak his
name in that soft, clear voice he’d heard so often in dreams. When
he was a child he used to wish for her constantly, especially after
he was taken from his nurse. His father had fed his feelings of
yearning and abandonment, deliberately showing him images of his
mother over and over again in order to draw sustenance from Xairn’s
pain.

Mother,
he thought, staring out at the
endless black reaches of space being displayed on the viewscreen.
For so many years I longed for you. I’ll save you from him even
if it kills me. I swear I will.

Suddenly a very strong feeling that someone
wanted to talk to him intruded on his thoughts. Surprised, he
opened himself to the new feeling. “
Is someone there?”

“
Forgive me for bespeaking you, Brother,
but we wanted you to know we’re on our way,”
a voice said in
his head.

“
Deep?”
Xairn could hardly believe it.
“Are you and Lock coming?”

“
Along with two of our brothers. Together
we’ll do what has to be done.”
Deep sounded confident. Just the
sound of his mind-voice gave Xairn a boost and he realized he
really was glad that the Kindred warriors he had met so briefly
were willing to help.

“
Thank you,
he sent.
I am deeply in
your debt. I know you have no obligation to help one who you
consider an enemy.”

“
You’re no enemy,”
Deep sent back.
“
Though you are Scourge and we are Kindred, we’re brothers
beneath the skin.”

There was a sudden hollow pounding at the
door of the Kindred ship and Xairn heard Deep shout, “Open up, it’s
us.”

Quickly he went to the airlock and engaged
it, making a seal with the other ship. Then he swung the metal door
inward, welcoming the Kindred warriors inside. Deep and Lock he
knew by sight but there were two more—a Beast Kindred and a Blood
Kindred if he was not mistaken, whom Deep introduced as Baird and
Sylvan. One had black hair and the other had blond but both of them
had grim, battle-ready expressions on their faces.

“Welcome,” Xairn said stiffly. “You have my
gratitude.”

“Didn’t I tell you we were brothers beneath
the skin?” Deep stepped forward and hugged him, pounding him on the
back in a warrior’s embrace. Pulling back he surveyed Xairn. “And
speaking of skin, just look at yours! I wondered how you were
passing as human down on Earth.”

“I had my DNA altered,” Xairn said. “I
believe Lauren finds my appearance much more palatable now.”

“Yeah, you’re pretty all right.” The Beast
Kindred called Baird gave him a white grin. “But we don’t give a
damn what you look like—it’s how you fight that counts.”

“I am ready to fight,” Xairn told him. “Ready
to kill that bastard who raised me in such pain and misery. He has
my mother. I don’t know if Lauren told you that but she is the
reason I
have
to do this.”

“We understand,” Sylvan, the blond warrior
said. “And we’re ready to help you make the fight. But a little
strategy before we go charging in would probably be prudent.”

“I agree.” Xairn nodded. “My father will be
expecting me to come alone or with Lauren. He still seeks her to
fulfill the prophesy. That’s why he’s trying to lure me back to the
Fathership.”

“How many guards around him?” Baird
asked.

“Probably four if it’s like last time,” Lock
answered for him. “His main guards are huge but slow—except when
the AllFather is controlling them.”

“They’re soulless,” Deep added. “He can work
them like puppets when he wants to so beware of them.”

“It is my father’s personal power—his ability
to get into your mind and control you—that we need to be most
concerned with,” Xairn said. “If the rest of you will help me clear
a path, I’ll try to engage him.”