Irresistible (Delroi Prophecy) (12 page)

Kareena grinned. “I know what a worrier
you are.”

“Too late to worry now.”

And there was no telling what the
consequences would be. They stood there silently, companionably, leaning
against the railing for a long time. She was aware of Kaje waking. Of his
leaving the tank and rising in fury. Sighing, she left to face the dragon.

Chapter Twelve

It was a struggle to wake up but he had
to get to Parker. Had to protect his
der’lan
.
When he finally got his eyes open he saw through a film of green. He found the
comm button at his side.

“Get me the fuck out of here, Jarek.”

The warriors hanging out in the
infirmary hadn’t noticed him waking up. They sure as hell noticed now. Jarek
stood in front of him in seconds, Vidar at his side.

“You should stay in a few more hours.”

He looked at his brother. “Break the
glass.”

Jarek moved before Vidar could,
inputting the code to drain the tank. “This is against my advice and I am
not
releasing you from the infirmary,”
he snapped.

“Understood.

A few minutes later he was covered only
in a sheet while Jarek bandaged up the worst of the wounds.

“What the hell happened out there?” Kaje
asked.

“You got shot down.”

“After that,” he snarled. Judging by the
uneasy looks around him, he really didn’t want to know. He could feel Parker.
He knew she was fine. But… “Vidar?”

He pulled out his tablet and brought
something up on it, but paused before handing it over. “Just remember that
she’s fine and she thought you were dead.”

“What did she do?”

“If I was a religious man I’d say she
invoked the goddess.”

Hell, that couldn’t be good. He held his
hand out. “Let me see.”

He watched in stunned, awed horror as
his mate walked into the middle of a firefight like she was a queen strolling
through court. Zola stayed with her, waving her hand at laser bolts and
knocking them out of the path. Then the camera panned and Kaje saw men, rebels
falling, bleeding from the ears and nose. It only last seconds but they were
the most incredible, terrifying, and enraging seconds he’d ever seen. He’d
ordered her to not endanger herself and what had she done? Dared the universe
to take her down.

“Where is she?”

He didn’t bother to hide his fury and several
of his warriors straightened, wary expressions on their faces. They should be
worried. Where the hell was she? Why hadn’t she stayed in the infirmary with
him?

“She’s at the temple.”

“Not anymore,” Parker drawled from the
doorway. “You called?”

He looked her over. She still wore her
weapons and showed no signs of injuries.

“What the fuck is the point of those if
you plan to walk into the middle of a battle and never draw them?”

“Saw that already, huh?”

Her tone was light, almost teasing. He
was tempted to bend her over his knee here in front of everyone.

“You’re pushing it, baby.”

She sighed and swept her gaze over the
gathered warriors, then stepped into the room. “Could we get a little privacy?”
No one looked willing to leave and she gave them a cocky grin. “No worries. I
can handle the dragon.”

Vidar stared at her. Hell, so did Kaje.
He never would have guessed she had this side. His brother laughed, looked at
him. “You too deserve each other.”

He wasn’t sure how to interpret that. “Clear
the room,” he ordered.

Everyone left but Jarek. He glared. “Do
not even think about leaving this infirmary,” he snapped before stalking far
enough away to give them the illusion of privacy.

Kaje had no idea what to say. He wanted
to shake her and hold her at the same time.

“I thought you were dead.”

It wasn’t the words that made his tongue
freeze. Vidar had warned him. It was the raw, naked fear in her eyes, in her
voice.

“So why did you decide to join me, baby?”

He held his hand out. When she took it
he pulled her closer until she sat on the edge of the bed.

“I wasn’t trying to get killed.”

So serious, his
der’lan
. He lifted his hand to brush his thumb over her lips.

“What would you call it then?”

“Vengeance,” she said without
hesitation.

“Could you wait until you’re sure I’m
dead next time?” This was a damned strange conversation to have with her. “Why
didn’t you know? You can access my mind easily. Surely, you looked.”

“The connection was severed when you got
knocked out. I couldn’t…find you.”

“What aren’t you telling me?” He knew
there was something.

She smiled and shook her head. “Nothing.
That’s it.”

He knew she was holding back. He didn’t
think he’d get anything out of her until later, but he was damned sure going to
try. Unfortunately, Roarr came in.

“I’ll see you later.”

“Where are you going?”

“My quarters’.”

“Not alone.” She should be safe in the
Keep, but she’d put a huge target on her back.

“Vidar is waiting outside,” Roarr said.

“Of course he is,” Parker huffed.

She left before he could stop her. Since
Roarr stepped into the space she’d vacated, he couldn’t stop her.

“Jumping out of a flyer? Seriously? You
and your brother seem to like courting danger, Kaje.”

He snorted. “No, that would be my
brother and my mate. They’re probably out there getting in trouble right now.”

“She put on an impressive performance.”

“Did that cause any major problems?”

“Nothing we can’t handle.”

“You got the information I sent?”

“Yes. We’re tracking the Bana and Petra
clans, and looking more closely at Ziri Bana’s background. I didn’t expect a
woman,” Roarr said.

Ziri was one of their missing
scientists. He’d already looked at her and dismissed her involvement. He could
just imagine how Parker would respond to that.

“Parents dead. No mate,” Kaje added.

“That we know of,” Roarr replied. “Why
else would a woman side with the rebels?”

“Her brother is the clan chief.”

“Everything we’ve discovered about them
indicates they have a strong dislike of each other.”

“You think he’s threatening her then?”

“It’s a possibility.”

Kaje couldn’t think of another
explanation. They were outlaws and not known for having progressive ideas, even
by Delroi standards, regarding women.

“So we have someone giving information
to rebels and no idea why.”

“No. We do know the rebels killed were from
the Bana clan. Two Earthlings killed. Unidentified as yet. I’ll see if Zola or
Sergei can identify them.”

Kaje fought back the fear. He’d known
she was being attacked by a telepath but despite her assertion, he had hoped
like hell it wasn’t one the Tel rebels. He hadn’t believed it. Fear was a
bitch. He’d seen the recording of what she and Zola could do when they knew
what they were facing. What about when it snuck up on them? The hell with this
reluctance on her part. He would complete the bond. He’d be able to protect her
then.

“The Overchief is supposed to screen all
Earthlings who come to Delroi. How did this happen?”

“Don’t know yet, but trust me, he’s
looking. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to all out war.”

“What about the cloaking device? I was
told there was only one working prototype. Vidar said there were two cloaked
vehicles there.”

“We’re looking into that too,” he said
grimly.

Damn it. And Parker, his mate, was
alone. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and barked at one of the
warriors who’d accompanied Roarr. “Find me clothes. Boots. And my gods damned
weapons.”

Roarr nodded and the warrior hurried off
to do his bidding. Jarek instantly appeared at his bedside.

“What did I say about leaving?”

“I’m just going to my
der’lan’s
quarters. I promise not to
cause mayhem or rip open stitches while I’m there.”

Jarek transferred his glare to his
brother and then he smiled. It was in no way friendly. “I want him confined to
quarters. His. Hers. I don’t care. But once he enters he will park his death
wishing ass there for two days.”

Roarr cocked his eyebrows and looked at
Kaje. It was rare that Jarek pulled rank and Kaje knew Roarr wouldn’t ignore
it. He held his hands up and spread his arms in surrender.

“No problem. You’re ordering me to lock
myself in with my
der’lan
for two
days? I can live with that.”

Roarr snorted.

“I’ll believe it when I see it. And I
will be dropping by,” Jarek said.

Thankfully, Cassius came in with a go
bag. Roarr and Jarek moved a few discreet feet away while Cassius dropped it on
the bed. Kaje pulled on his pants first. It was harder to get into them than
he’d ever admit, but once he did he moved onto boots.

“You’re sure this is wise, brother?”

“She won’t accept anyone else’s
protection. And she isn’t ready for the rest.”

He knew she wasn’t ready for the bond
even if he’d sworn to do it earlier. She’d just have to get used to having him
under foot. Which might work to his advantage. His quarters’ were much more
spacious. Somehow he got the damned boots on and zipped. His shirt on and the
weapons belt around his waist. Then he rose to his feet. Or tried to. Pain
radiated from his worst injury, the one on his thigh. He gritted his teeth,
forcing his gasp back. Cassius, though, knew. His brother’s gaze was one part
sympathetic and one part frustrated.

“I won’t rest easy here. You know it,”
Kaje said.

“I’ll have to help you walk. No one way
to hide this.”

Kaje grinned. “Anyone gives me a hard time
and we’ll send Parker after them.”

Cassius chuckled. “I do not want to
ever
get on her bad side.”

“Me either.”

He slung his arm around his brother’s
shoulders and hobbled out of the infirmary. It was a slow walk, less because of
him and more because of the number of people who stopped him. He shouldn’t have
got out of the tank so soon. Shouldn’t be leaving the infirmary. But he was
Steward of the Keep. Even if he didn’t have a
der’lan
to watch over he would have got out of that tank and
infirmary. It was his job. So he endured the pain and fatigue, finally made it
to Parker’s quarters and let himself in. She’d been on the balcony, not
surprising, and met them in the living area.

“What the hell? You should be in bed!”

“Show me the way, baby.”

“You’re fucking kidding me.”

“I won’t leave you alone.”

She crossed her arms and cocked an
eyebrow. “Because you are so in a position to protect anyone right now.”

She had him there, but… “I’ll go crazy
if I stay in the infirmary and my mate refuses to move in with me. So I come to
her.”

She rolled her eyes. It should annoy him
but whatever Jarek had stabbed him with before he left was taking affect. Even
her scowl was cute.

“Follow me,” she told Cassius.
 
He was aware of walking into her bedroom,
laying down, his boots being pulled off. Then everything went dark.

*

Forty-eight hours later she was going fucking
crazy. Kaje was not a man meant for idleness. His body might not be at its strongest
but his mind never shut down. He’d focused that brain on working remotely. From
her living room. There was a stream of warriors, his and Roarr’s advisors, in
and out of her quarters. He spent the rest of his time trying to convince her
she was his and she should embrace a bond she knew would redefine her. She knew
it was decision time. She loved him, but she wasn’t sure if he’d really stick
around. She needed time and space to think. If she didn’t get some space soon
she was liable to hurt someone. Namely Kaje.

Shortly after lunch on the second day
she escaped, pleading a pressing appointment at the temple. He insisted on
walking with her and she hurried through the narrow tunnel hollowed out through
the mountain until it opened on a wide spacious courtyard fronting the
goddess's temple. Once she passed through the opening it was like flipping a
switch and her annoying, persistent bodyguard hung back. Not even Kaje would
dare violate this boundary.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she
drew away from him and his emotions no longer swamped her. Kareena waited for
her outside the temple with Zola. She nodded as she came to a stop next to
them.

“Waiting for me?”

“I’m surprised you got away,” Kareena said,
with a grin that bordered on smirk.

Parker cast a glance over her shoulder.
Kaje sat on a boulder smiling and joking with a group of other warriors. As if
sensing her regard, he looked over, gave her a slow seductive smile and winked.
For a man who’d danced with death two days ago he looked pretty damned carefree.
She turned back to her friends.