Karac: Kaldar Warriors #1 (7 page)

“Wait!”  The man shouted.  “You can’t just barge into our house and invade our privacy.”  Karac raised his eyebrow and looked to the chief deputy.  The man sighed.

“Actually, sir, they can.”  Michael gestured to the warriors behind him.  “Since your daughter failed to register by the deadline, the Kaldar have every right to search or seize anything they deem appropriate to find one of their mates.”

“Mike, is that true?”  Carol looked to the older man standing beside him. 

“Where was that information when the notice went out to the public?”  Mike asked.

“The contract,” Michael said gently.  Karac had to hand it to the small male, he was trying to keep things calm.  “The contract stated in the fine print that those who failed to register forfeited their right as a U.S. Citizen and fell under Kaldarhn law.”

“That’s hardly fair!”  Carol exclaimed indignantly. 

“Those were the terms your government agreed to.  If you don’t agree, contact your president.”  Karac stated.  He nodded to his warriors to begin the search.  Both Carol and Mike were helpless to stop as five warriors entered the home while the other two circled the building.  Karac looked to the older couple standing in front of him.  Both watched helplessly as the warriors bypassed them.  He waited until their attention returned to him before speaking softly. 

“I promise I will not harm your daughter.  I only want to protect her.”

“She doesn’t need your protection.  She is safe without your help.  You are the one that pushed her into this.”  Mike replied heatedly.  Karac narrowed his eyes.

“How do you know she is safe if you don’t know where she is?”

“Ashley is resourceful.  She knows how to take care of herself.”  Mike replied evenly.  Karac stared at him for a minute but the man didn’t waver from his gaze.  He couldn’t tell if the man was purposefully being evasive or if he really didn’t know where his daughter was.  Personally, he had a hard time believing that a father wouldn’t know the exact whereabouts of his flesh and blood.  If it was his daughter, she would have a contingent of guards at all times, in addition to the ones required because of his position. 

“You say you want to protect her but you plan to take her away from us!” Carol accused with tears in her eyes.  There was nothing Karac could say to that.  Once his mate was found, they would return to the ship circling the planet before returning to his home world as mates.  He was needed at home as quickly as possible.  However, there was some small solace he could give them. 

“We will not be completely out of communication.  You will be able to talk to her.”

“I don’t believe you.”  Carol sniffled while leaning into her husband.

“Why have we not heard of this before?”  Mike questioned Karac.  “This would help your cause if families were given some assurance that they could stay in contact with their daughters.”

“I have certain privileges not all of my warriors share.”

“What do you mean?  Why are you special?”

“I cannot reveal more about myself at this time.  Once I have found your daughter and ensured her safety, then I can share more information with you.”  Karac was impatient.  He could already feel this place wasn’t going to give him clues beyond a scent of his mate.  The two warriors that had circled the building came back into sight and each shook their head.  Karac sighed.  He knew it wouldn’t be that easy. 

“You two, stay out here.  Mike and Carol, show me your daughter’s room.”  Karac thought he probably should have added please.  That was one thing he noticed about the humans was their requisite to be polite.  But it wasn’t in him to ask politely for anything when he was searching for his mate.  Mike glared in Karac’s general direction.  Whether it was directed at Karac or the warriors behind him, Karac didn’t ask.  Mike ushered Carol in the building ahead of him and Karac followed close behind.  The house was well built and lovingly decorated.  Karac could imagine his mate growing up within these walls a happy youth. 

The couple led the way through the kitchen and dining room before making their way to the stairs.  Two of Karac’s warriors were on the first floor, taking images of things for later analysis.  Karac followed Ashley’s parents up the stairs and they went in the first room on the left.  The room itself seemed to be left alone for quite a few years.  Mementos from his mate’s younger years covered the walls.  She even had fake, soft looking animals in one corner that he knew from his research young human children liked.  Karac stepped further in the room and took a deep breath.  One trait the Kaldarhns’ possessed unknown to the humans was their sense of smell.  Kaldarhns could sort scents and track if necessary.  He could smell his mate in the room, but it was weak and he needed something more to reinforce the scent of her.  He turned back to Ashley’s parents.

“You may return downstairs.  I need a moment alone.”  Karac used his commanding voice and neither Mike nor Carol tried to argue.  They did give him a parting glare before leaving the room.  With both of them headed downstairs, Karac took a closer look at the room.  It hadn’t been lived in for a while now.  Months at least.  But there was one clear scent out of all those in the room, and it called to his soul.  That had to be his mate’s scent.  Following the trail, he walked over to the closet and found older clothes hanging there.  He picked up a shirt and brought it to his nose.  Sweet, and utterly intoxicating.  This was his mate, he was sure of it.  While having her scent would help over distances, he only needed to be within range to track her down.  Better odds than before he came to the house.  He fisted the shirt and walked out of the room.

“Let’s go.”  He knew three of the warriors were upstairs with him but he had what they needed.  They followed him downstairs just as the other two finished taking images of things around the house.  Karac turned to the older couple by the kitchen window.  Michael must have entered the home at one point because he stood off to the side as well.

“If your daughter contacts you at any point, you are required to report it to local law enforcement who will then report it to us.”  Karac didn’t feel the need to let them know that any communication they made with anyone had been and would be monitored directly by his warriors.  Better chance of finding out more information if they didn’t know. 

“So you aren’t searching for her anymore?” Carol asked, a little too hopeful in his opinion. 

“We will continue the search until she is found.”  He watched as his warriors filed out of the house.  He noticed Calzen and Darrok waited behind him to watch his back.  There wasn’t a threat in the house, but he understood it was more out of habit than anything. 

“But how will you know where to look?”  Carol questioned.  Darrok was the one to answer. 

“We identified any known connection to your family and are currently searching those places.  Finding Karac’s mate is the top priority and we will not stop until she is located.”

“How do you even know the connections to our family?”  Mike asked.  Calzen could tell Karac was getting impatient to continue the search, so he jumped in to answer the question. 

“Your activities are fairly easy to track with all the records humans keep.  It is just a matter of time before she is found.”  Calzen looked back to Karac, as he signaled him and Darrok to leave and started to follow them out. 

“Please,” Mike held out his hand and Karac stopped to look at him.  “She is our baby girl.  Don’t take her away from us.”  The man pleaded. 

“Your daughter will be protected, respected, and well cared for.  She will want for nothing.”  Karac tried to assure Ashley’s parents. 

“She should have a choice in this.”  Mike replied, frustrated.  “What if she doesn’t want to go with you?  What if she grows to resent you?”

“I will do everything in my power to ensure that does not happen.”

“But what if it does?”  Mike insisted. 

“Then it is her choice to resent me.  My people have waited decades to find a race compatible with us.  I have searched for years to find my mate.  Now that she is within my grasp, I will stop at nothing until she is mine.” 

************************************

Ashley

About 30 minutes into the movie, we heard a car go by.  Nathan got up with his phone in hand and checked the window.  Two seconds later, he was calling his parents.  I hoped my parents were all right.  I don’t know how much they would have interrogated them or how much they already knew.  My stress level was increasing by the second.  Nathan hung up and came back to sit with me.  He pulled me close and didn’t say a word as we tried to watch the movie. 

Two agonizing hours passed before Jesse showed up.  I guess the information he got from their parents called for an in-person visit.  He used a key Nathan had given him and we watched him come in and sit in the other chair beside the couch.  He sat with his elbows on his knees and his hands supporting his head.  Not a good sign.

“What did you find out?”  I was glad Nathan asked.  I wasn’t sure I could find my voice. 

“It was the Kaldarhns.  They searched the whole house and are searching close family and friends’ houses too.”

“Are they searching Mom and Dad’s?” Nathan asked. 

“Haven’t yet but I’m sure they will make the list eventually.”

“Do you think they will search here?”  I asked, looking to Nathan.

“No idea.  I don’t know how far down the list I would be or how desperate they are.”  Nathan said.

“Oh, they’re desperate.”  Jesse said with a sigh, and then looked at me.  “They told your parents that they already have men searching other places for you.  Apparently he didn’t think you would be at your parents’ house.”

“Did they say who it is that is looking for me?”  I needed to put a name to the unknown stalker. 

“Yeah, and you’re not going to like it.”  Jesse grimaced.  “It’s that leader of theirs, Karac.”

“WHAT?!”  I shot off the couch and started pacing.  “You can’t be serious!”

“Dead serious.  And he is totally focused on one thing.  Finding you.”

“Oh shit, ohshit ohshit ohshit.”  I muttered.

“Hey, calm down.”  Nathan stood up and wrapped his arms around me to keep me from pacing.  “It’s going to be fine.”

“No, you don’t understand.  The first time I saw him on TV I knew there was something different about him.  I don’t know what it is, but if he’s looking for me, I just know he won’t stop until he finds me.”  I buried my head into Nathan’s shoulder. 

“He won’t find you.  We’ll do everything we can to prevent that.”  Nathan assured me. 

“Short of getting married there is nothing that is a sure thing.”  I muttered.  Jesse coughed and looked the other way.  My eyes shot to Nathan and saw the thoughtful look on his face.

“Before you asked me if you could stay here, my Dad called me and pretty much said the same thing.” 

“What?  What do you mean?”  I asked confused.

“He suggested that I should ask you to marry me.”

“He, he WHAT!?”  I pulled out of his arms and looked at him like he was crazy. 

“Don’t take it the wrong way.  He had your best interests at heart.”  Nathan ran his hands through his hair. 

“What about your interests?  We hardly talked.  I didn’t even know if you liked me well enough to stay in your house.  How could he suggest marriage?”

“Our dad may be the quiet type but he is observant.”  Jesse commented.

“What do you mean?”  I asked, looking to Jesse.  He in turn, looked to Nathan, who sighed before answering me. 

“I may have asked questions about you from time to time that raised suspicions.”

“You asked your dad questions about me?”  I asked surprised. 

“Yeah, then he’d ask your dad if he didn’t know.”

“Why would you ask questions about me?”

“Curiosity.”  He shrugged. 

“More like obsession.”  Jesse muttered under his breath.  I glanced to him then back to Nathan. 

“Let me get this straight.  Even though we hardly talked more than two times a year in the past, you were still asking questions about me?”

“Yes.”  Nathan wouldn’t meet my eyes. 

“Why didn’t you just ask me?”  I asked. 

“As you pointed out, we hardly talked more than two times a year.  It wasn’t exactly easy for me to drop by and chat for no reason.  Then you moved to town and it made it virtually impossible.”  He shook his head in remembered frustration. 

“So what?  You wanted to be friends?”  I needed to be clear on where we stood. 

“Ashley, come on, you’re smarter than that.”  Jesse said shaking his head and moving towards the kitchen.  “He wanted to date you.”

“Date me?”  Was I a parrot again?  And why did the obvious things always slip me by?

“Yeah,” Nathan sighed and rubbed his hand through his hair, again.  “I always liked you but was just too shy to, I guess, do anything about it.”

Trying to lighten the mood I laughed, “I guess me moving in here really played to your advantage, huh?” 

He grinned in return, “Yeah you could say that.”  We stood there smiling like idiots for a minute before Jesse came back in with a drink. 

“So, what are you going to do?”  Jesse asked looking at me as he crossed the room and returned to his seat. 
Right, back on track.  Crazy ass alien thinks he owns me.