Chasing Dare (22 page)

“It is over.” Dare didn’t recognize the voice coming from her mouth, nor could she stop what happened next. She sat and watched in horror as the pressure building in her body burst as if it were a dam.

Lucretia’s eye flew wide with terror as her mouth was forcibly closed. The gun was jerked violently out of her hand and thrown across the room by an unseen hand. She stood there shaking, her eyes wide with fear as blood began to trickle out of her nose, eyes and mouth.

The voices in Dare’s head screamed louder, her mind fuzzy and confused as the pressure continued to flow outward. Lucretia began to blur slightly before her eyes as the womans shaking increased for a moment before Dare could focus again.

When Dare was finally able to focus on the woman in front of her, she recoiled inwardly in horror at what she saw. The blood was now pouring freely from the woman’s ears, nose, eyes and mouth and the skin peeled down her face, revealing nothing but the muscles and tissue.

Dare’s mind began screaming at the horror happening in front of her, her voice joining the others screaming in her head. Stop, stop, stop! She wanted to look away, not to watch what was happening to the woman, but she was held just as immobile as Lucretia. Not only, from the drug, but from whatever force was expanding around her.

She would have never done anything like this! The cruelty, the pain and horror are not something she would have ever inflicted on anyone. Even to save her own life, she would have killed quickly, not caused so much torture. Even to someone as evil as Lucretia.

Dare’s mind struggled to grasp the extent of what was happening, to try to stop it. But, there was so much power, so many voices and confusion, she could only watch helplessly as Lucretia’s skin began to peel off of her body and fall to the floor in large sheets as if someone were skinning her alive.

Dare barely felt the sharp pain in her thigh, her mind only seeing the terror and pain in Lucretia’s eyes as her skin fell to the floor. The sick plopping sound as it hit the puddles of blood expanding around Lucretia, made Dare’s stomach heave.

Grabbing her stomach to try to prevent the vomit from coming up, Dare looked on helplessly as the woman grunted and moaned in pain and fear. Finally chasing away some of the fog in her mind, Dare was able to look away from the woman.

A loud cracking sound had Dare turning her head back around quickly. She looked up into the beautiful blue eyes of Balduen.

“What did you do?” Balduen looked slighted horrified at her a moment before looking down at his feet.

Looking down, Dare saw Lucretia now laying on the floor at Baldy’s feet. The skin had been peeled from all exposed areas on her body that Dare could see, and she was no longer moving, her eyes staring blankly upward in terror. She couldn’t help it this time, and leaning over the table Dare lost everything from her stomach.

“We need to go. Are you alright now?” Dare barely realized Baldy was holding her and carrying her into the lab area.

Nodding her head slightly, Dare had a brief thought about destroying the lab to make sure the results could never get in the Relian’s hands. Baldy had other plans as he opened the door, peeked around the corner and then carried her outside and into the woods.

Dare felt the building in her body again, the heat and strength swept over her in waves that took her energy along with it. The voices in her head became so loud she couldn’t hear Baldy screaming or feel him shaking her. The waves built and built in her, leaving her almost breathless from the power as it whirled within her in great waves.

The woods around her blurred in her vision before she heard a loud pop, then she was flying through the air. The darkness overtook her before she hit the ground.

*****

Grai watched in stunned disbelief as the doctor was there on the camera in the house one moment, then the screens went completely blank.

“Doctor?” Grai spoke into the cell phone, even though he knew the doctor was gone. Ending the call, he quickly dialed Brak. He waited until the phone rang ten times before hanging it up.

Even though he knew it would be useless, Grai tried the doctor, Brak and even Morat before giving up. He knew if anyone was able to pick up, they would have by now. This time he chose very carefully who to call.

“We’ve had a problem. I don’t know how badly yet. I’ll be going through the videos while you head over here, hopefully I’ll have an idea what happened by then. See you soon.” Grai hung up, his stomach twisted in knots.

He’d been waiting to hear what the doctor had to say about the test results when the phone and video went dead. He’d barely had a chance to ask if there had been a success. All he’d heard was the doctor say, ‘She is pregnant, but there is a complication’. He was hesitant to be happy until he knew what complication the doctor had found. He needed communication back now.

Going back to his desk, Grai pulled up the recorded footage of the house and lab prior to when he lost the feed. Scrolling through the footage in each area, he immediately saw the problem and grabbed his phone.

“Don’t come here! The girl and the Valendran escaped. I need you and your team to get there and get her back to me unharmed! They escaped into the woods behind the lab.”

There was a long pause before he continued. “It worked. So get her back to me unharmed. And do your best not to harm her mate. Consider all resources on site terminated. If you find Brak… kill him.”

He listened for another moment before hanging up the phone. He was tempted to throw it against the wall in his rage but was afraid he would miss a phone call while his inept secretary left to replace it.

Grai paced the length of his office, fighting a battle in himself to go out there and find her and bring her back. Even knowing that it would be stupid and irresponsible, he still tried to think of a way to go. The problem had been trusting Brak to oversee the security.

Grai clenched his fists in fury as he again watched Brak working with the unstable woman to let her in with the Valendran. He didn’t need to hear the audio to know what Brak had been up to. He should have realized sooner that Brak wouldn’t be able to let go of his petty anger at Dare. It was a mistake; he'd not make again he swore before sitting down to look at the video taken in the lab again.

*****

“Dread! I see you’re definitely doing much better at landing than I remember!” Scaden gave his friend a hearty slap on the shoulder, then pulled him into a bear hug.

“Scaden, it is with utmost importance that we speak privately. Now!” Dread pulled away from his friend, his eyes scanning those around them to make sure they didn’t hear him.

“I assumed that would be the case. I have the briefing room on the next level prepared. Hop on, we’ll head there now.” Scaden motioned to the personnel carrier parked behind him, walked over and climbed into one of the seats and waited.

Dread climbed in beside Scaden while Viper took the seat behind them. Drago stayed behind with the ship to start work on the communication system upgrades.

Once they were seated, Scaden issued the commands to the computer, and it started moving them through the docking bay at a fast clip. Using the maintenance tunnels, Scaden had them stopped in front of a briefing room in minutes.

Dread and Viper followed him into the room and weren’t the least surprised that it was already filled with people.

“Dread, I knew this would be important so my father is live on the comm. The others in the room are tact team members and my mate's uncle, Randor. We can begin when you’re ready.” Scaden finished speaking and took the first empty seat, closest to the door. Viper followed suit taking the one opposite him.

Dread looked around the room momentarily, before addressing High Councilor Ivint Torenson of Valendra.

“High Councilor, it is a pleasure to see that you are well after these long years and that your people have found your lost brethren.”

“I’m sure you remember long ago when I had first come to Valendra as a young ambassador in training. It was at that time that I befriended Scaden, and another one of your warriors. A Balduen Skardard.” Dread paused for a moment when the High Councilor interrupted.

“Yes, I remember… I’m unsure what that might have to do with anything now?” The confused look on the faces of the Valendrans told Dread he needed to get to the point quickly if he were to help Balduen and his mate. If it wasn’t already too late.

“I have been able to communicate with Balduen’s beast while he, and his mate have been held captive by the Relian’s. In fact, I have been able to establish a bonding with them that will enable me to find them if you will allow me to go to the planet with one of your teams.” Dread paused again while gasps and curses erupted around the room.

“What do you mean by this, Dreadhawk?” Ivint looked almost angry, as if he thought Dread might be playing a trick on him.

“At this point, specifics will do you no good. The two of them are in extreme danger, and we do not have much time to help them before they are re-taken. I am unfamiliar with the planet and will need the assistance of your people in order to find them.” Dread didn’t let it bother him that they may doubt him; he knew that once they led him to the planet, he would find Balduen.

“Wait… how did you know he was missing? We’ve had no communication with the Tezarian’s or anyone else regarding anyone being missing.” Scaden asked curiously. He knew his friend; he knew Dread was telling the truth. He just needed to hurry up and convince his father and everyone else.

“His beast called out through the Shengari’ once they achieved bonding. Balduen remembered me as I do him and the message he sent was specifically for me. Once I was able to trace his path, I saw him and his mate in captivity. They require assistance to escape.” Dread waited for the next question; he knew there would be many more before they would send him to the planet, and he hoped to get this over with quickly.

“Is Balduen close to death? Is that why he bonded to his beast?  Are they torturing him? Who is his mate? How did he find her?” Ivint’s questions didn’t surprise Dread, and he set out to answer everything he could, as quickly as he could.

“They are not being tortured, until today they have been treated well. His mate is named Dare, I was told by her beast that she was the daughter of one of your lost ones. She is also pregnant with Balduen’s son.” Dread didn’t have to pause that time; everyone began speaking at once. He waited patiently while Ivint calmed everyone down.

“Scaden, get him down here now! I’ll brief Banatar, Reven and Jax.” Ivint didn’t wait for a response, knowing his orders would be followed by his son; he ended communication, and the vid screen went blank.

“You still know how to make an entrance don’t you!” Scaden tried to joke with Dread, attempting to ease the worry and tension in the room.

“This is the least of the news I have to share with your people, my friend. It only gets worse from here.” Dread replied, giving Scaden a look of concern that sent shivers down his spine.   

Chapter Fifteen

Balduen slowly raised his head, his ears ringing so badly he couldn’t hear anything, and looked around in shock while his vision cleared. Particles of debris were strewn all over the ground and trees around him. Smoke poured from the wooded area behind him where the lab stood minutes earlier when he’d taken Dare out of there.

“Dare… Dare!!!” Staggering quickly to his feet he shuffled around, scanning the area to find his mate. Spotting a lump of charred fabric a few feet from him, he stumbled as fast as he could to see if it was Dare.

Dropping to his knees beside the figure on the ground, he slowly pulled Dare into his arms. He gently swiped her tangled hair out of her face and checked to ensure she was breathing before letting out his own sigh of relief.

With the ringing still in his ears, he quickly ran his hands over her body to check for breaks or other injuries before scooping her into his arms.

Balduen stood swaying slightly before he regained his balance and headed back into the woods in the direction they had been going in before the lab and house had exploded behind them.

Normally, Balduen would have waited a moment, given them a chance to take a break before heading out. But, he knew that Brak was still out there somewhere, and he needed to get Dare to safety.

Not knowing where he was going, Balduen carried her away from the lab and house and hoped that he could get them far enough away that the Relian’s wouldn’t be able to catch them before he could get them help. Or before help could get to them.

The hours passed quickly as his long strides ate up the distance, even with the added weight of carrying Dare. He was deeply worried about her. She hadn’t woken since the explosion, and Ibix hadn’t been able to communicate with Thorn either. Which was very unusual. Normally, even if the host were rendered unconscious the beast wasn’t usually affected unless the injury was directly to the part of the brain where the beast was embedded.

With no other way to assess her injuries, Balduen continued to get her as far away from where they were held as he could, praying he would come across a means of hiding until Dread could arrive.

It had been several hours since he’d left the house and lab behind before he decided to stop and take a break by a small stream of water that was cutting across his path. The mountainous terrain, the heat and carrying Dare, had tired him slightly, and he needed to rest a moment before continuing on.

Laying Dare carefully on the ground beside the running water, he tore off a strip of his ruined shirt at the bottom and dipped it into the water. Wringing out the excess he almost groaned at the wonderful coolness of the water.