Ha'ven's Song (22 page)

“I know he can be a royal pain in the ass
but if you kill him mother is going to be very upset with you,”
Adalard said as he leaned back against the wall. “Not to mention,
if you don’t get a grip on your emotions you just might kill all of
us.”

It took a moment for sanity to return and
for Ha’ven to realize he was squeezing Arrow’s throat. He released
his grip and drew in a deep breath to try to calm the rage of dark
power that was flowing through him.

He watched as Adalard caught Arrow who
collapsed, wheezing and rubbing his throat. His eyes shot around
the room that he quickly identified as being Adalard’s warship. He
raised a hand to his head, brushing his hair back as he sat up the
rest of the way. He swung his feet over the side of the medical bay
bed. Only when he felt like he was under some semblance of control
did he look at his two younger brothers.

“Emma?” He asked in an emotionless
voice.

“Gone,” Adalard said grimly. “Kejon took
her.”

The walls of the medical center expanded
outward before settling back into place. That was the only sign of
Ha’ven’s reaction to his brother’s quietly spoken words. He closed
his eyes as shattering pain coursed through him. The horrors Emma
endured under the human male’s hands would pale in comparison to
what Kejon would do to her.

Ha’ven looked at his brothers. His face was
pale but composed. He would do whatever was necessary to bring Emma
back home to his arms.

“Do you know where he has gone?” He asked in
a strained voice.

“Yes,” Arrow responded. “Bahadur has an
informant on the Marastin Dow ship that has been in contact with
him. He is heading to Kejon’s hidden base. He will be there before
Kejon arrives. We should arrive shortly after. The informant says
he will do what he can to keep Emma safe but he can make no
promises.”

Ha’ven slid off the bed. “You expect me to
trust a Marastin Dow? They would sell their own mates before they
help anyone but themselves,” he replied as nausea rose again. “What
happened?”

“Your female saved you,” another deep voice
responded. “I should have gone ahead and fought you for her. If I
had known how powerful she was, I would have.”

Ha’ven’s turned his head to look at the
other side of the room. A large figure rose from the seat and
stretched. His eyes narrowed on the serious look in the dark brown
eyes.

“What happened?” He asked again.

Crom’s mouth curved downward. “The assassin
had a weapon unlike any I have ever seen.” He raised his arm and
showed off the golden band. “Whatever it is, it has taken a liking
to me and will not come off. Kejon shot this at you only it was
black, alive and powerful. It knocked me off my feet and was
determined to strangle you.”

Arrow and Adalard both swore under their
breaths. “That is the same thing that attacked Mandra. It is part
of Raffvin’s symbiot. I thought Paul and the others had defeated
it,” Adalard muttered. “How did Kejon get it?”

“I don’t know,” Ha’ven said as he thought of
the power behind the small bit of symbiot. “The last thing I
remember was it was draining my power from me.”

“It was doing more than that,” Crom said as
he gently rubbed the golden band. “It was crushing you. Before my
eyes, the figure of your mate, made of the colors of the sky after
a shower, appeared. She touched the black bands. Whatever she said
or did pulled the darkness away and into her. A living gold metal
was left behind. As soon as your mate pulled the blackness away, it
immediately released you. I reached down to help you and it grabbed
me and has not let go since. Your brother told me it belongs to the
Dragon-shifters.”

“What are you doing here?” Ha’ven asked of
the huge Moniker. “What of the others?”

Crom grinned. “I wish to see more than the
mines of the Red Planet and the females of my world. Besides, this
golden metal will not release me. I thought I should return it to
its world. Not to mention, I am still hoping I get a chance to
claim the little female. I cannot do that from my world,” he
responded. “Ten of my people perished in the battle. Pollamay gave
birth early. The infant is weak but should survive,” he added
somberly.

Ha’ven felt the weight of those who died on
his shoulders. He looked up when he felt a hand gently touch him.
The dark brown eyes looked at him for several long seconds.

“My people stand by their Prince,” Crom said
quietly. “We owe much to your family. Each and every one of us has
taken a pledge to uphold your rule. Your father saved our world
during the Great War when Ben’qumain sent in troops to kill us so
he could take the resources of the Red Planet. Those that died did
so with honor. Do not dishonor them by taking blame for what they
have freely given.”

Ha’ven nodded. “I am honored to have your
support,” he said quietly. Turning to look at his brothers, he drew
in a deep breath. “Tell me everything you know.”

*.*.*

Emma woke slowly. She remained still as
memories crowded her. She opened her eyes and looked up at the
unfamiliar ceiling. Pushing up, she sat up and brushed her long
hair over her shoulder.

“You’re awake,” a husky voice said. “I was
beginning to worry you would never wake.”

Emma started and turned toward the door. A
tall slender male with purple skin leaned against the wall next to
the door. He was dressed in a black uniform from head to toe. An
insignia and several gold stars were attached to the collar of his
shirt.

“Who are you?” She asked nervously, looking
around the sparsely furnished room. “Where am I?”

“My name is Captain Marus Tylis, commander
of the
Traitor’s Run
,” the tall figure replied.

“Why…?” Emma drew in a shaky breath as she
wound her hands together. “Why am I here? What is going to happen
to me?”

Marus studied the tiny female. He had been
surprised when Kejon had reappeared aboard the
Traitor’s Run
with the female. That had been almost eighteen hours before. Kejon
had handed the female over to one of the senior officers after he
had told the Curizan that a fast approaching warship had entered
the region.

He had immediately ordered the officer to
secure the female in one of the empty cabins on the officer’s
level. They did not have anywhere else on board that was remotely
secure. They took no prisoners and anyone who was found to violate
procedures aboard was killed and their bodies disposed of in
space.

It was only the fact that each member now on
board the
Traitor’s Run
had been specifically hand-picked
for a different mission that he knew he could trust them. The
former captain made the mistake of thinking he could use Kejon as a
cover for their true mission would be a good idea. That mistake had
cost him his life and had forced Marus to change their mission.
Now, he would be lucky to get his crew and himself out of the mess
Kejon had made without being blown to pieces. His only hope of
getting everyone out alive lay in keeping the female sitting in
front of him safe.

“You were brought here by a Curizan assassin
named Kejon,” Marus answered in a low voice. “He is a very
dangerous and powerful male. At the moment, I have been able to
distract him. I don’t know what he wants with you but something
tells me it isn’t going to be good for either of us. Tell me who
you are and what do you have to do with the Ha’darra family. I need
any information you can give me if I am to get us all out of this
alive.”

Emma bit her lip and rose off the bed on
trembling legs. “My name is Emma Watson. I’m a human,” she answered
looking into the cold silver eyes. “I was… taken from my world
several months ago. A week or so ago, Ha’ven Ha’darra came to the
world where I was taken,” Emma bowed her head as fresh pain swept
through her as an image of Ha’ven struggling for breath washed
through her. She looked up at the male in front of her with
shimmering eyes. “He kidnapped me and claimed me. I was mad at him
at first,” she admitted quietly. “I just wanted to… die. I had been
hurt badly by a male from my world before I was taken. I didn’t
even know anything like this could exist.” She raised her hands and
swept them to encompass everything around her. “I didn’t know there
was such a thing as aliens. At least, not in real life.”

“Who took you?” Marus asked as his gut
twisted.

“A man named Creon Reykill,” Emma said. “He
said I was under his protection.”

Marus drew in a deep breath and ran his hand
down his face. This was worse than he could imagine. Forget being
afraid of Kejon’s powers. He had a female on board his warship that
was under the protection of not one, but two of the fiercest
species in the known star systems. He would be lucky if they just
blew them to pieces. That would be merciful compared to what an
enraged dragon-shifter and a Cruizan Prince could do together.

He stared up at the ceiling and wondered how
his life could have gotten so screwed up so quickly. Was this
punishment for wanting to free his people from the archaic rule it
was currently under? He hoped to bring freedom to his people.
Instead, he and those who fought for the same thing were about to
be annihilated for being in the wrong place at the wrong time with
definitely the wrong female on board.

He looked back the tiny female in front of
him. “You are Ha’ven Ha’darra’s mate?” He asked heavily.

Emma bit her lip and nodded. “Yes,” she
answered.

He glanced at the door when a soft knock
sounded. He opened the door a crack. A soft feminine voice said
something to him and he nodded before it closed again.

“I am going to do everything in my power to
keep you safe,” he finally said. “It is important that Kejon not
know what I am doing.”

Emma nodded again. “Captain Tylis,” she said
as he opened the door to leave. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Marus bowed his head briefly before he
stepped out and closed the door behind him. Emma heard the sound of
the lock engaging. She slowly sank down onto the bed and pulled her
knees to her chest. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she closed
her eyes and let the silent tears fall.

“Oh, Ha’ven,” she whispered brokenly. “I
love you.”

Ha’ven heard the softly spoken words as if
from a distance. He remained frozen on the bridge as Emma’s voice
echoed through him. A sense of calm determination swept through
him.

He bowed his head and let the powers that
made up the universe open and flow through him. Since he woke, his
power had returned tenfold to him. It was different than it had
been before when he felt out of control and unable to harness it.
Now, he felt focused and in control. He relaxed and opened himself
to the power instead of fighting it.

Everything around him slowed until it was as
if time itself had stopped. He moved forward studying those around
him. He could see his brother Arrow talking with the chief
engineer. Adalard was reviewing information on a data tablet. Each
man was at their position, ready for the battle they knew was to
come.

Ha’ven turned and could see his body
standing in the same position in front of the view screen. He
turned back to the front and focused on Emma. A golden strand of
light flowed outward across space. He grasped the sliver of power,
clinging to it. He embraced the powerful flow of energy, riding it
as it swept him away from the
Rayon I.

He focused as another warship came into
view. He recognized the size and shape as being one of the Marastin
Dow attack ships. His non-corporeal body flowed through the hull of
the warship unencumbered. He moved along the corridors easily,
unseen by those who moved about it.

He paused when he saw a tall male speaking
quietly to several others. The insignia on his shirt showed that he
was the captain. Rage built inside Ha’ven. The male stopped talking
and looked around uneasily as the walls around him groaned. Ha’ven
reined in his fury and floated closer to the male. He would not
endanger Emma. He paused when the male turned back around to the
other three officers standing near him.

“Whatever happens, protect the female,” the
male was ordering the others. “She must be returned to Ha’darra
safely.”

“What about the Curizan,” the female asked
uneasily. “How can we possibly protect her against him? You saw
what he did to Jonas. We are defenseless against him.”

“We are all dead if the human female is not
kept safe. She is under the protection of both the Curizan and the
Valdier royal houses,” the male responded harshly. “If we are to
free our own people we will need their alliance. This is more than
about our lives. This is about the millions of others on our world
who seek a better life. Aris, did you get the message out?”

“Yes, the Curizan general will be at Kejon’s
base before us and he should have notified Ha’darra,” Aris
replied.

“What makes you think Ha’darra will not
destroy us before we have a chance to explain we had no choice but
to help Kejon,” one of the males asked. “As soon as they see us,
they will blow us out of space.”

The older male turned and looked at the
three standing before him. “I have no guarantees. I will do what I
can to protect those aboard the
Traitor’s Run
,” he replied
in a low voice. “Return to your posts and make sure that Kejon’s
position is monitored at all times.”

“Yes sir,” the three said before turning and
disappearing.

Marus turned when he felt the same chill
wash over him that he had felt moments ago. His eyes scanned the
empty corridor. He muttered a brief oath before he straightened his
shoulders.

“If you can hear me, know that we will do
everything in our power to keep her safe,” he muttered under his
breath.

Marus didn’t know if there was anyone in the
corridor or not but his gut was telling him that a power greater
than any mortal had seen had been awakened. He could only hope that
if Ha’darra could hear him, he would grant them mercy when this was
over.