Torkel's Chosen (8 page)

Several appeared
in front of his face instantly. Torkel took the one Kyele handed him because the
thin blade would slide easily between Faye’s skin with less chance of nicking
her. He cut the rope and Faye dove for his arms, face buried in his neck. Wet
from her tears hit his skin. Rage rolled through Torkel, though his hands on
her back remained gentle as he picked her up and stood.

“I’ve got you,
Faye.” He kissed her hair but her shoulders shook with silent tears. Torkel
turned to the men gathered around, awaiting his direction. “Canvas the area.
Find out who had the nerve to come at me like this. Jaron, you’re with me.”

Nods greeted his
order as they faded into the dark.

Chapter 10

They hadn’t found
him. Faye held the cup between her palms in an attempt to warm the chill that
had set in. She inhaled the smoky aroma and a hint of cinnamon. The first sip
reminded her of coffee.

“What do you mean
there’s no trace of him?” Torkel growled as he paced in their living area.
“Some bastard broke into my home, attacked my Chosen and we can’t fucking find
him.”

Faye huddled
deeper into the sofa cushions and set her cup between her folded thighs. She
had her legs tucked up to her side and hadn’t moved since Torkel had placed her
there. He’d held her until the men from Team One knocked. They’d quickly been
followed by Team Two and Three. Faye now had fourteen aggressive, growling men
in a loose circle around her plus one angry Chosen.

“He’s nothing but
a shadow on the cameras. Even after you confronted him on the lawn he wore a
mask. I followed his steps when Jaron radioed his position and it’s like he took
off into thin air when I got street side,” Arak explained.

“Jaron,” Torkel
snapped.

Jaron, she’d
learned was their computer ace. There was a sharp mind behind the joking
façade.

“I reviewed the
footage from every angle, Torkel. The only thing I can confirm is that he came
through your balcony.”

Torkel kicked over
a table. She jumped. “And waited until I left for the chance to grab my
Chosen.”

Several gazes
turned in her direction. Faye hunched her shoulders.

“How did he get
in?”

Jaron bowed his
head and mumbled. “No effing sensors on the balcony doors. It was assumed by
higher ups that the sixty-foot drop was enough of a deterrent. I’ve rectified
that and called in an order. They’ll be secure by tomorrow.”

“Could it be Axan?”
Kyele asked from where he leaned against the opposite wall.

Faye kept one eye
on the knife he flipped from one hand to the other.

“Find out where
the targot was tonight.” Torkel looked as if he could chew nails.

“On it.” Jaron
whipped out his handheld device.

A knock at the
door had all the men tensing. Faye jumped and tugged at the ends of Torkel’s
shirt. He’d refused to let her out of his sight to get dress.

Torkel answered
the door and Dr. Maku came in. His tousled blond hair and the thin crease on
his cheek hinted he’d come straight from his bed. He carried his silver case
and sat on the floor in front of Faye.

Torkel joined them
and pulled Faye onto his lap. His arms curved around her waist and his heart
thundered beneath her cheek.

Dr. Maku frowned
at the both of them but directed his comment to Faye. “I see you’re going to
cause me as much work as they do. Where are you hurt?”

“Someone tried to
kidnap Faye,” Torkel snarled. He reached for one of her hands and held up the
abraded wrist. “He tied her hands.”

The doctor mumbled
under his breath and selected the tool he’d used previously on her bruises.

“Axan’s been home
all night. His papan confirmed and I hacked security footage showing him there
over the last hour,” Jaron reported to the room at large.

“It doesn’t mean
this wasn’t his work,” Kyele said.

***

Torkel breathed
deeply. In his worst nightmare he never envisioned Faye’s life in danger. He
was used to being the target. It came with his job. But nothing and no one was
to touch his Chosen. This didn’t make sense. She’d been in his life for two
days. Not long enough for word to get out to any of his enemies to launch a
planned attack of this nature.

How would they
have known about their security weak points with the balcony doors? He’d burn
someone’s ass over that later. Every access point was a risk. Claiming one
wasn’t was naïve and placed them all in jeopardy.

“If Axan is behind
hurting my Chosen, I’ll kill him.” This was taking rejection over the
presentation too far. A female had the right to choose and Faye had made her
choice. Torkel would ever be thankful for it.

“All done.” Dr.
Maku leaned back on his haunches.

Torkel checked
Faye’s wrists. Both were good as new. Some of his anger eased. He started to
calm down. When he’d seen her going over the balcony with the black-clad figure,
his heart had stopped. Her frightened expression was still stuck in his head. Shaking
the entire way, she’d clung to him as he carried her into the building.

“Now you, Torkel,”
Dr. Maku announced.

“What?”

“Torkel,” Faye
whispered and turned his hands over.

His palms were scraped
raw from rappelling bare handed down the cable. He hadn’t felt the burning
sensation.

Maku sighed and
ran the neutralizer over the red welts until nothing but gold skin remained.

“I’m glad you came
after me, Torkel.”

Torkel tipped his
head down. Faye stared at him, biting her bottom lip.

He caressed her
hip needing to reassure himself that she was safe and by his side. “I’ll always
come after you, Faye. I’ll tear the skies apart looking for you.” Torkel knew
as he made the vow that the words were absolute truth. He’d waited too long for
a woman of his own to lose her now.

He kissed her,
tongue gliding over her soft lips. “Always,” he promised.

Dr. Maku rose to
his feet. “My work is done. For the moment.”

Faye’s head rolled
from his shoulder and her lids drifted closed. Torkel jerked as renewed fear
crashed through him. “What’s wrong with her?”

“I gave her a
sedative, too. She looked done.”

Torkel relaxed and
adjusted his hold. Her neck appeared fragile in comparison to the strength of
his arm holding her. “Thank you, Maku.”

The doctor brushed
it off and left. Torkel met the gazes of the men on his three teams. His unit
was as unnerved as Torkel that their defenses had been breeched.

“Stay on alert,”
he said. “Patrol the exterior and activate the motion sensors.”

The motion sensors
were a pain in the neck to deal with because every bird and curious creature
set them off but Torkel didn’t care.

“Everyone out, you
have your orders.” They scattered.

Torkel signaled
the two remaining men, picked Faye up into his arms and carried her to their
bed. Whatever drug Maku gave her knocked her out and she didn’t move as he
covered her with the sheets and kissed her temple once more.

After he settled
her, Torkel returned to the living room to find Kyele and Faruk waiting for
him. “Is it just us?” Faruk asked.

“Yes.” He’d picked
them because in a fight Kyele would always be the last man standing and Faruk’s
accuracy with weapons was unparalleled. “I want everyone here keeping watch
over the building. Team Three will be outside. Team Two will guard my quarters
and Faye until I return and Team One will relieve them in the morning when we
leave.”

Faruk nodded.

Kyele’s silence
bothered Torkel. “This is a no kill reconnaissance, Kyele. We’re going to
deliver a message Axan can’t misunderstand.”

His friend’s mouth
thinned but when his hand moved from the knife strapped to his thigh, Torkel
accepted it as agreement. Kyele’s passion and temper were part of the reason,
Torkel hadn’t promoted him to team lead but instead had selected Faruk. As much
as he loved it and used it whenever needed, Kyele’s darkness wasn’t always
under control.

They left the
building and took one of the stealth hover cars. Kyele drove taking the corners
at maximum speed to deal with his frustration. Torkel didn’t mind. It got them
there quicker and it allowed Kyele to control his anger so he didn’t go against
his own orders and kill Axan if they discovered he had something to do with
what happened to Faye tonight. Too long, Axan abused Naine’s position on the
Committee to get his way.

It was an easy
matter to get into the secured building that housed Axan’s apartment on the
outskirts of the city. His father’s prestige allowed him a more expensive residence
than his office drone-type job would have permitted. In the lobby, they ducked
past a sleeping night guard at the front desk and took the stairs to the sixth
floor. Jaron had sent them the details and lay out for Axan’s place.

The brightly lit
halls were empty. Kyele made quick work of the flimsy locking mechanism on the
door they identified as Axan’s. Torkel battled back renewed rage at the thought
of Axan behind the attack on his Chosen. Tonight would be the only warning he
received to stay back from Faye.

Faruk signaled and
Torkel closed in on his position. Kyele stayed at the door as an added measure
to prevent them from being interrupted. Torkel and Faruk bypassed the cluttered
living area. Torkel eased open the only closed door in the apartment and approached
the lone man sleeping in the bed. He lunged, planting his hand around Axan’s exposed
throat. Eyes wide, Axan jerked awake.

“Lights,” Torkel
snapped and Faruk clicked the sensors.

“How’d you get
in?” Axan asked and pushed at his restraining arm.

“Don’t struggle.
It’ll hurts worse,” Torkel warned.

Axan’s blue eyes
fluttered left then right. When he spotted Faruk in uniform, he stiffened.
“What do you want, Torkel? My father could have your job for this.”

Torkel let a smirk
play about his face. “My work with the Jutak is too important for your father
to bother. I’m sure he’d be interested in what I have to say about his son though.”

Axan glared and
pushed out with his hands. Torkel snatched up both wrists with his free hand
and pinned them to the bed while maintaining his grip on the throat he could
easily crush.

“What do you want,
Torkel? Haven’t you done enough?” Fear radiated from him.

“I can do more,”
Torkel whispered harshly and leaned close. “Stay away from Faye.”

Axan sputtered,
avoiding Torkel’s gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

It was then Torkel
knew he lied. He increased the pressure of his fingers and watched as the skin
turned red. Axan choked, unable to break the hold Torkel had on him as he
tossed ineffectively on the bed.

“This is the only
warning you’re going to get. Whoever you hired failed tonight. If I find out
that you do anything more to harm my Chosen, I will come back and show you
Jutak justice.”

Axan blanched.
“You have no proof.”

“In the morning,
you’re going to withdraw your formal complaint. This ends here and now.”

The man’s looks
shot daggers at Torkel but he didn’t care. He wouldn’t have Faye in danger
because of Axan’s greed and selfish nature. Feeling as if his point was made,
Torkel released him with a snort of disgust then directed at Faruk, “Let’s go.”

When they reached
the living room Axan followed behind in gold cloth pants and shouted, “My
father will hear of this.”

Torkel paused at
the door beside Kyele. “You don’t want Naine involved, Axan. Trust me.”

He, Faruk and
Kyele left as quietly as they’d entered. Torkel wished he didn’t have to leave
in the morning with Team Two and Team Three. He didn’t feel comfortable leaving
Faye so soon. Unfortunately, the covert mission couldn’t be delayed. They had
an escaped prisoner to put back behind bars and it was Torkel’s practice to
accompany his teams on any of the high-level code red ops when possible.

Tonight he’d hold
Faye in his arms and put Axan out of his mind.

Chapter 11

Faye leaned over
the stall and jumped when the swimming fish in the clear bowl waved his flipper
and splashed green water on her. The bald man behind the counter laughed.

“They do that all
the time. Make great pets and are entertaining.”

Faye shook her
head. The idea of a playful fish sounded fun but she had no intention of taking
home alien pets unless she fully understood what she was getting herself into.
The thing could grow to the size of a shark and eat her while she slept.

Faye wished Torkel
was here to share in her discovery of his home planet but he’d been gone for
two weeks and based on their last communication he and his team were due back
tonight.

“Is there anything
else you want to see?” Geile asked, gaze roaming over the crowded marketplace.

She’d begged to
see something outside the walls of the building they resided in. It had been the
brooding Kyele’s idea to visit the market place. Once Jaron explained what it
was Faye had been excited to go.

There was so much
to see. Stalls and stalls manned by merchants lined both sides of the busy city
street. Rich smells of foreign baked goods filled the air. Laughter spilled out
from colorful carts where children were entertained by a juggler. Faye would
never have guessed that the capitol city on Enotia had their own version of a
flea market.

Already she’d
managed to purchase the equivalent of cookie dough which she planned to make
tonight, a few twisting strands in gold that made a necklace and a potted plant
with the cutest pink heart shaped petals.

“I need a few
things to wear.” She waved at her denims and top. “I want to blend in more with
Enotians.”

Jaron snorted.
“Not likely.” His head tipped to the side in the direction of the masses of
blond heads bent over merchandise.

Gregir laughed. At
least Kyele had the grace to only crack a small smile.

Faye elbowed Jaron
in the side. He constantly teased and flirted with her. The almost brother she
never wished for. “You know what I mean. You all don’t have jeans.”

“More the pity,”
he murmured, eyeing the sway of her hips.

Faye flushed and
sped up her steps in search of someone who offered clothing. She spotted what
she wanted four booths down. Clinging pants and tops she never would have
purchased at home caught her eye. Soon she was hip deep in fabric and dresses. The
shop mistress held up a scanner to Faye’s black watch and payment for
everything she’d picked out was deducted. A girl could get used to this.

Faye gathered her
bags but Jaron took them from her. “Torkel told us to make sure we paid for
what you wanted from his accounts.”

“No need.” Team
One stayed in contact with Torkel and the other teams which was how they’d
gotten approval to take Faye out. For some reason Torkel worried that another
attempt to snatch her would be made. The formal complaint from Axan had been
withdrawn so Faye wasn’t sure who else would want to bother her. She didn’t
know anyone else.

“Where to next?”
Gregir asked.

It hadn’t taken
long for Faye to notice he and Geile stopped at each stall that served food.
She wasn’t sure where the slim men put it but they had a large appetite.

“I wanted to pick
up fruit and vegetables. Since Torkel said he’d be back tonight, I thought it
would be nice to surprise him.” If she figured out how to cook the strange
meals that she’d been served.

“There’s a place
ahead for what you want.” Geile pointed out a purple covered tent with an open
front.

Stacks of bins
overflowed with yellow, green and blue round objects. Some of it she
recognized. “Okay.”

They headed that
way when a child’s wail pierced the air. The men tensed, heads up. A woman
screamed and the crowd surged behind them. Jaron hesitated. The men had a code
of ingrained honor that Faye admired. Their roles weren’t just jobs to them.

“See what’s going.
I’ll be fine and stay at the food vendor.”

Jaron’s lips
firmed and his blue eyes hardened. “Do not leave, Faye.”

“Scout’s honor.”

Kyele snorted but
the four men took off in the direction of the gathering circle of people.

Faye smiled at the
shop steward, an older man with graying blond hair, as he helped another woman
wrap her purchases. She picked up a tan, weaved basket and cruised through the
aisles for fruits she thought she recognized.  

“It’s good to see
you settling in Faith Reid. I trust Enotia is treating you well,” a voice
whispered by her ear.

Faye turned. “I’m
sorry?”

A blond man smiled
and handed her the green fruit she’d wanted. Faye hesitated then placed it in
her basket. She scanned the crowd for any of the guys.

“Don’t worry. We
have a few minutes before your body guards return. Apparently someone knifed an
innocent child right here in the middle of the marketplace.”

Faye flinched. The
comment wasn’t said with glee or malice. In fact, it was the lack of emotion in
the statement that worried her. “I should join them. We’re not supposed to get
separated.”

Torkel made it
clear she needed to be on guard in case Axan attempted to snatch her again. But
this tall stranger with his light blue eyes wasn’t Axan.

“One moment.” He
touched her shoulder lightly.

Faye paused and
licked her lips. Fear skittered down her spine but she couldn’t place why.

“I think you’d
have five minutes to spare for the person that helped you find true love don’t
you, Faith? Or should I call you Faye?”

Her hands gripped
the handle of the basket tighter and bumped the counter. “I go by Faye.”

“Right.” He caught
a rolling yellow oblong fruit dislodged by her move. He peeled back the outer
skin and bit the green center. His eyes closed in feigned pleasure. When he
opened them, the blue centers were dead. “Don’t mess with me, Faye.”

Her heart skipped
a beat. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He grabbed her arm
above the elbow. “I think you remember the twenty thousand I paid you to select
Torkel as your Chosen.”

Her lips parted.

“Now you
remember.”

Faye pulled on her
arm. “You should let me go. Torkel’s men will return shortly.”

“Then let’s make
this quick. When is your Chosen due back?”

“Tonight.”

He released her
arm and smiled. “Thank you. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

She shook her head
as adrenaline spiked through her nerves.

“I’ll be in touch,
Faye. I think we’ll get along fine.”

“What do you want
from me?” She demanded.

“Nothing too
drastic.” He handed her a small, silver curved object. “This is a
mini-communicator.”

He passed the coin-sized
communicator over to her. The one in the home she shared with Torkel was the
size of her laptop.

“I’m going to call
you every now and then Faye to check on you. Check on your Chosen. If you don’t
want him to know you accepted money to be with him you’ll answer every time I
call.” He stared down at her and ran a finger down her cheek, over her jaw then
pinched her chin. “Earthlings are so soft. Breakable.”

Faye jerked her
face away.

He placed two
fingers at his temple and saluted her. “Look, here come your guards now. You’re
all safe again. Bye, Faye.”

He exited down the
rows of fruit and vegetables and was gone by the time Jaron touched her arm. “A
child was injured by a stranger and rushed to a medic center. The market’s
getting crowded. I suggest we leave.”

Faye swallowed
thickly. “Good idea.”

The men took up
the same strategic positions they’d used when they escorted her to the market.
Inside, Faye cried out in misery. What had she done?

***

 While Geile
waited by the front door, Faye put away her new things and changed clothes. The
men were going down to the recreation room and Faye decided to hang with them.
Being alone in the quarters she shared with Torkel right now scared her. She
hadn’t had any problem until the stranger cornered her.

The recreation
room was full of laughter when she and Geile arrived. She carried with her one
of the packages she’d bought at the market. Gregir and Jaron tossed an oblong
ball around from one to another. Arak focused on a table top game and Kyele
manned his customary position holding up the wall with his arms folded over his
chest.

Over the last ten days
they had opened up to her. Slowly Faye learned their quirks and odd mannerisms with
the exception of Kyele. He was different. Standoffish. More than his scarred
visage kept him separate but she couldn’t put her finger on the reason. He
watched her constantly and this would have worried her if not for the fact he
watched her more when she and Torkel interacted together.

Today, she hoped
to break through his icy reserve with the item she’d bought from the market. Perhaps
she’d make enough for all three of Torkel’s teams. All of the men from Torkel’s
unit were nice to her but Faye had to admit to a fondness for Team One because
she spent more time with them.

“Jaron can you
show me how to work the cooking device? I want to prepare something.”

Jaron flung the
ball at Gregir and jogged over. When he noticed what she held in her hand, his
smile brightened. “I haven’t had this since my maman used to make it.”

She sighed with
relief. The packet reminded her of frozen cookie dough. “It’s a snack, right?
I’m not about to serve something nasty to everyone?”

He chuckled and
set a timer on the table-top silver box that she’d seen everyone making meals
in. “It’s a common sweet pastry. This is set. Just break it into squares and
place inside.”

Faye followed his
instructions carefully and hit start. Simple.

Jaron crossed his
legs at the ankle. “You do know we have a fully staffed kitchen downstairs for
all our meals.”

She shoved her
fingertips in the pocket slits of her bright yellow skirt. The gauzy material
reached her ankles and flowed when she walked. The white top billowed around
her waist. Enotian clothing rocked and her new outfit didn’t looked bad at all on
her. For a race of thin people they sure knew how to design outfits that
flattered all shapes.

“I wanted to do
something nice since the team got stuck babysitting me.”

He snickered.
“Even when I understand your Earth words they don’t always make sense. We’re
not babying you. Torkel entrusted your care to us. He would do the same for any
of us if our Chosen needed to be safe during a mission.”

Faye appreciated
his honesty and felt less like a burden. “Are there any other Chosen here?”

“You and Lissi are
the only ones.” He referenced Torkel’s sister. “She stays with Shaya and Marlin
when her Chosen is gone.”

Faye frowned.
“Have I met him?”

Jaron shook his
head. “Her Chosen is the team lead for Team Three. I call them the team you
don’t want to meet in the dark.”

The ball sailed
passed his face and clattered to the floor. “Enough talk, Jaron. Come back.”

Geile and Gregir
both glared in the kitchen nook. Jaron grabbed the ball with a wink for Faye.
“When it beeps take them out.”

Minutes later Faye
had four men vowing eternal loyalty if she’d make the dessert again. Apparently
it was a childhood sweet that held fond memories for all of them but no one
cooked it any more. The one she wanted to win over didn’t make loyalty promises.
Kyele waited for everyone to head back to their quarters later that night and
volunteered to escort her back to the place she shared with Torkel. He stopped
at the door but didn’t enter.

“You don’t want to
check the premises for hidden danger,” Faye joked.

His dark
expression never changed. “Torkel would rip Jaron’s head from his body and
laugh while his blood drained from him if someone else was able to penetrate
our security from the outside again.”

Faye winced at the
graphic image his words evoked. “Um…okay. Well, thanks for walking me.”

“You really care
for Torkel?”

She didn’t answer
immediately. The doubt in his green eyes required a serious answer. “Torkel’s
what I’ve dreamed about my entire life. I don’t think I expected to feel this
way about the man I ended up with. I’d hoped but I needed to be realistic,”
Faye broke off and shook her head with a laugh. “It’s hard to believe how much
better my life is here than on Earth.”

He inclined his
head. “Thank you.”

She watched his
back as he walked down the hall to the elevator. Not quite sure if she’d won
over the scarred warrior, Faye closed the door, the conversation playing around
her head.