Rhavos

Warriors of the Karuvar

Alana Serra

Juno Wells

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Epilogue

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1

Ren Alvarez was ripped from a deep sleep by a harsh, blaring noise that felt like it was going to shatter her eardrums at any second.

Her heart tripped into a violent rhythm, her lungs seeming to fight for every breath. Her skin tingled all over, a cold sweat clinging to her brow, matting her dark hair. Something was wrong. Something was terribly, horribly wrong, but she just didn’t know what it was.

Sitting up in bed, Ren placed a hand over her thundering heart and willed herself to calm. She was shaking, adrenaline still pumping through her body. Yet as that first, clinging fog of sleep began to lift, she realized her mistake.

It was just an alarm.

Jesus. All that fuss, all that panic, and the only thing potentially out to get her was her tech professor if she was late to another morning lecture.

Ren reached for the offending device, her head still fuzzy. But there was nothing on her bedside table. There wasn't even a bedside table, and the mattress she was sitting on now felt even thinner than the one at her dorm.

She blinked away the last vestiges of sleep and finally took in her surroundings. Cold, bare metal walls. A floor that was little more than a metal grate with some rugs over it. A bed that looked to be a military-issue cot. Another cot, empty, on the other side of the room.

This time when her heart started to pound, Ren ignored it in favor of figuring out what the hell was going on. Fear was still present, but there was a strange, distant sort of familiarity tied up in this place, and so she pushed past it in favor of finding answers.

Ren stood and padded out through the open door. A long hallway loomed, the metal grates cold against her bare feet. Other rooms, all with doors open, lined the hall. She looked up, and that was when she saw a flashing red light mounted to a contraption that was making the horrible sound she'd heard earlier.

Ren felt more than saw someone bump into her. A short woman with half of her head shaved, her remaining hair parted to one side. She was wearing a dull green bomber's jacket with a red patch on one arm. That too looked familiar, but Ren still couldn't place it.

"Jesus, Alvarez. Aren't you supposed to be upstairs already?"

Well, at least these people seemed to know her, even if she didn't know them. That was a good sign, right?

"What's going on?" she asked, her voice still scratchy from sleep.

"Drill," the woman said, her tone impatient. "C'mon. He's gonna dock points if we're late."

He? Ren didn't have a chance to ask. The small woman who knew her was leading her toward a yellow ladder. It was thick and metal, leading up through a half-tube shape that seemed more fit for a submarine than… wherever they were right now. She climbed it with surprising ease, like she'd done it a million times before, and was faced with another long hallway that featured a large metal door at its end.

So. Much. Fucking. Metal.

The woman rushed ahead, held up her forearm to a panel, and waited as the door opened. Ren just blinked in surprise.

"Where are we?" she asked. "What is this place?"

Her new companion turned back and looked at her, gaze fixating on Ren's eyes. Ren just stared back, utterly confused.

"Shit," the woman muttered. "Okay, look. Follow me, do what I do. We'll figure this out when the drill is over. Got it?"

"Sure…" Ren said warily.

Not like she had much of a choice. She was in a vaguely familiar place with a vaguely familiar person and she had absolutely no idea what she was doing.

But the woman led the way through a few more doors, with one of those doors opening up into a spacious room. A room filled with more guns than Ren had ever seen—or ever wanted to see—in her life.

"Flash your implant here," the woman instructed.

She demonstrated, holding her forearm up to another panel. The sound of something unlocking bounced off the walls, and Ren's companion grabbed a rifle from the case.

"Come on, we don't have all day!" she said.

Ren's brow furrowed. She had the odd sense she'd done this before, but that made no sense. She was deathly afraid of guns, and firmly against their usage by all but those professionally trained, which she definitely was not.

"I'm not taking one of those," she asserted. "I don't know what they're for, and frankly, I don't think I want to know."

"Jesus Christ," the woman muttered. "Just sign in and pick a gun, Ramirez. You're not even gonna use it."

Images flashed through her mind. Her family, huddled in the cellar. Her mother's arms wrapped around her. The chained cellar doors rattling violently. A warning shot fired into the air.

"No," she said, her voice trembling. "I'm not touching them." The woman reached for her arm and Ren tore it away. "Get your fucking hands off me, I'm not taking one!"

Someone came running up behind them, heavy boot falls hitting the grates, and Ren pressed herself against the wall.

"What the hell, Sloane? Why aren't you guys out there?"

"She's having another freakout," the woman—Sloane—said, as if this were a common occurrence. "Go get the boss."

The man spared a pitying glance at her before running off and turning a corner. Ren stayed right where she was.

"You're fine, Ramirez. You're just having a bad trip or something. Everything'll be back to normal before you know it."

"Where am I?" she asked, gritting her teeth as she tried to force the panic out of her voice. "Who are you people?"

"I'm Sloane," she said, finally leaning her rifle against the wall. Ren visibly relaxed. "Your roommate. Remember?"

She thought some part of her did, but it was so, so hazy, and mixed with a certainty that she shouldn't be here. She should be in class, sitting at a terminal, writing beautiful lines of code. She should be hacking her way into some asshole's security system and finding incriminating evidence on his video feeds.

She shouldn't be here.

Boots echoed on the grates again, but at an even, measured pace. And unlike everyone else in this place, the man who appeared around the corner was someone she recognized.

Light brown hair, hazel eyes, and a smile that had broken more than one heart in Everton. She hadn't been the first to have a crush on him, and she wouldn't be the last. Seeing him grounded her, made her remember when he'd stood up in front of her lit class and gave a moving speech about The Deafening Blind, her favorite book.

"Dallas, thank God," she said, the words coming out with a relieved sigh.

"Having a bit of a day, huh?" he asked, that smile beaming brightly.

"You aren't kidding." She smiled back at him, and for a second, she almost forgot she was standing in the middle of an armory. "Look, I don't know what's going on here—I guess one of Mr. K's simulations?—but I want out of it."

If they were being graded on this, she'd take the incomplete. This was too much. Too real. She could practically smell the gun polish.

Dallas jerked his chin and Sloane looked between the two of them before leaving.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, okay? Just give me your arm and I'll get us both out."

The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, but still, she offered her arm, watching as Dallas pulled out a handheld device she didn't recognize.

The last thing she saw was him waving it over her implant before everything went black.

* * *

Ren was sitting in front of a terminal, her fingers poised on the keyboard. She could tell she'd been there for a while, but it was almost like she'd been working in a fog. Just typing away, producing line after line of code, her mind deciding to take a little vacation.

It was an experience she'd had in the past, when she just got so into the flow of what she was doing that she forgot everything else. But this felt… different.

The code in front of her was something she didn't recognize. She had to read over it, squinting, to even see what it did. The shell of it seemed to be geared toward interacting with an implant's programming, and the functions within were meant to shut down certain processes. To undo the biochemical coding that made implants work within a person's body.

Her brow furrowed. She'd tinkered with implant code before, but never anything like this. Never anything this… destructive.

And yet as she scrolled down, she found three familiar lines commented out in the code:

In darkness, we fear. In darkness, we wait. In darkness, we see.

Ren's heart stopped for the longest moment and she just stared at the words. As pretentious as they sounded to most people, those lines meant something to her. They spoke of triumph through impossible odds, and she’d been using them as her signature—the comments she used on every program she'd ever published—for years.

What were they doing on this?

"Hey, Ren. You got a sec?"

Dallas' voice broke her from her thoughts and she turned to see him standing beside her, his hand on the back of her chair. Her heart beat fast, adrenaline coursing through her veins, but not for the reasons she would have thought.

She wasn't sure what was going on, but somehow she knew Dallas was at the center of it. And somehow—against every instinct that told her to bolt—she had to try and act calm. Normal.

"What's up?" she asked, forcing a smile.

If Dallas sensed her nerves, he didn't let on. "I need you to beef up the security system. Just reinforce everything across the board. I want to make sure we're prepared when those Karuvar show up."

Ren's eyes widened. Karuvar? Was that what this was about? This place, these people? Were they hiding from the Karuvar?

It would make sense. The Karuvar had more power than anyone on Earth. They controlled the implants, and so they controlled all of humanity. She'd given talks on this subject. Talks she knew Dallas had heard. Maybe this was just the result.

But then she remembered the guns. And the malicious code. And suddenly Dallas' smile went back to being far more chilling than reassuring.

"Yeah, I'll get right on it."

Something big was going on here, and she had the sense she knew exactly what it was. If only she could remember.

2

Rhavos fer Rhakvar stared out the cockpit of his ship, the Kruvian, as it prepared to dock with the Zavellan.

When he'd been younger, boarding the Karuvar's flagship vessel and meeting the Pathfinder had been a great honor. He'd felt like a fresh-faced kit, practically vibrating with excitement internally, even if his face betrayed none of it, just as his sire had taught him.

While there was still a great deal of honor to be had in appearing before the leader of all Karuvar, there was no longer any excitement. Not for Rhavos. The only thing he felt was a tension that made his scales tighten on his body and twisted his gut in knots.

He was not bothered by confrontation, which this would surely be. What bothered him was the fact that this particular Pathfinder—Drol'gan—had a completely different leadership style than that of his sire. Drol'gan believed in peace and cooperation at the expense of common sense and preparedness, and it had cost him.

Because of his willingness to let the humans exist unfettered, Drol'gan allowed a human terrorist organization to nearly kill an entire generation of new kits before they moved on to destroying the adults, as well.

Now, with a crisis looming, the old Pathfinder was forced to call upon his Conqueror. Rhavos, who had spent his life claiming planets and bringing whole civilizations to heel for the benefit of his people.

Some called him cruel. Heartless. But these were Karuvar who wished to make their species weak. Rhavos knew exactly what they needed to survive, and it wasn't this ridiculous plan of making nice with—and even mating with—inferior beings.

He knew why he had been summoned. He was supposed to contain this supposedly "fringe" group of humans in as quick and efficient a manner as possible. But if Drol'gan thought he would merely remove the offending humans and allow the Pathfinder to continue on as normal, he was sorely mistaken.

"They're ready for you, Conqueror." Lovak, his second, stood at attention.

Rhavos gave a single, curt nod and moved through the ship, exiting at the Zavellan's dock. Many Karuvar were there to welcome him, as he expected. Wide-eyed younglings and elders alike. Those who remembered his very first conquests and the good he'd done for his people, and those who had only heard of him through legend.

They were the reason Rhavos did what he did. He took little joy in the act of subjugating new peoples. It was merely a means to an end. His sire had taught him that. He'd impressed upon Rhavos that it was an honor to serve his people in whatever way he could, whether he was sweeping the floors of a small ship, or leading the charge to secure resources the Karuvar needed to survive.

There was humility in those teachings, and as Rhavos boarded the Zavellan, he ducked his head in respect for his fellow Karuvar, and for his Pathfinder, who stood near the front of the crowd.

Drol'gan's age was beginning to show. His scales were a faded bronze now, and there were lines etched into his face that had not been there the last time they'd spoken. But Rhavos knew it was a mistake to underestimate him, and tantamount to treason to pay him anything but the respect he was due.

He closed a fist over his heart and dipped his head in deference. The gesture was echoed by Drol'gan and by Verkiir, the Pathfinder's First Guardian. It was also echoed by a youngling who stood at Drol'gan's side. A youngling it took Rhavos a great deal of time to recognize as Drann, Drol'gan's son.

"Conqueror Rhavos, it is good to see you again," Drol'gan said, reaching out a hand.

It was a foreign gesture, and one Rhavos guessed the Pathfinder had acquired from the humans. He squared his jaw and stood tall, hands clasped behind him.

"By your command, Pathfinder," he said.

"Please, come inside. You prefer latozh, do you not?" he asked, motioning for Rhavos to follow him.

"I do, thank you."

The other Karuvar cleared a path, and Rhavos followed dutifully. His long ears twitched, his senses honed to detect what was happening around him. Verkiir was following close, with Drann not far behind.

They did not trust him alone with the Pathfinder, then. It was a wise choice, even if it wounded his pride and his sense of honor. For all that he disagreed with Drol'gan's methods, he would never raise a hand against his Pathfinder. To do so was the highest act of betrayal imaginable.

Drol'gan led him to the Zavellan's large, circular war room. It was a place where his father once stood, and a place that felt instantly familiar and welcoming, complete with a myriad of star charts for locating the newest planets to be conquered and mined for their resources.

It looked the same, but Rhavos knew the purpose was different now. Drol'gan had turned it into little more than a navigation chamber, where he scouted new destinations that he could peaceably approach.

"Please, sit," Drol'gan said, knowing Rhavos would remain standing until otherwise permitted.

He did sit at the circular table. Another Pathfinder's creation, well before Rhavos' time. It was said to make every Karuvar at the table feel equal, but such a notion seemed ridiculous. They were not equal, and should not be. The structure of their society existed for a reason.

Verkiir and Drann also sat, and Drol'gan poured each of them a glass of latozh, the fermented juice of the lati'al plant. Rhavos raised the glass to his lips and took a long sip of the tart, heady liquid.

"I hope you do not mind if my son sits in on this meeting?" Drol'gan asked, motioning to Drann. "I would like him to gain as much experience as he can before he takes over as Pathfinder."

"I do not mind," Rhavos affirmed, "but you must understand I will speak frankly regardless of his presence."

Drol'gan smiled, the corners of his eyes creasing. "I expect nothing less."

The Pathfinder finally took his seat, taking a sip from his own glass before he spoke once more. "You have already been briefed, but I will provide a quick summary for the benefit of the room: The security of our implants—specifically those belonging to new kits—has been compromised by a human organization that calls itself the Freedom Fighters. They have been little more than a minor annoyance thus far, but this move tells me they intend to become a far greater presence."

"That should have been obvious the moment they formed an anti-Karuvar organization," Rhavos said plainly. "They should have never been given that much power to begin with, but we cannot change the past."

A sudden tension filled the room, visible on both Verkiir and Drann's faces. Drann’s expression was not surprising. He was an untested youngling. No doubt his father had molded him in his image. But Verkiir was a great and noble warrior—one Rhavos had considered for his own army in the past.

"I have no interest in controlling the humans. They provide us with resources we could not take by force."

Rhavos arched one scaled brow. "You do not trust the strength of my army."

"It's nothing to do with strength," Drann put in, his tone clipped, "and everything to do with gainful cooperation."

Rhavos looked at the youngling, his gaze level and unflinching. To his credit, Drann did not look away.

"You believe this is a symbiotic relationship," Rhavos said.

"Yes."

"It is parasitic," he contested. "You have given these humans everything. Our technology, our protection, and a great deal of control over some of our strongest males."

He glanced to Verkiir, remembering just why he’d withdrawn the male’s name from his short list. Hearing the First Guardian had mated with a human was such a disappointment.

Gold eyes narrowed back at him. "My mate does not control me," Verkiir said.

Rhavos ignored what was obviously a baseless defense. "We could have taken the resources we needed, even taken females if they were absolutely required—"

"Barbaric," Verkiir growled.

"—Instead we have bargained with them; we have given them cause to think us weak. Of course they have exploited their freedoms."

"The humans have given us a future," Drann said, conviction burning in his bright amber eyes. "One group of extremists isn't a good reason to burn it all to the ground."

Rhavos scoffed at this. Both at the idea of this so-called future with the humans—of the half-breed, weak kits being born now—and at the idea that he would obliterate the planet's population.

His was not a position of genocide. When Rhavos conquered a planet, he made its people fall in line. Some were killed, yes, but most were permitted to live under Karuvar rule. They too were granted technology and protection, but they worked for it.

Humans did not.

"I think we can all agree that the Freedom Fighters require a firmer hand," Drol'gan said diplomatically. "That is why Rhavos is here, and I trust him to take care of this matter without upsetting the balance we have established on Earth."

Much like one deployed an assassin to take care of an isolated problem, Rhavos was being dispatched to eradicate this group of humans in a manner that was clean and efficient—and he would not be permitted to do anything else.

At least, that was the expected arrangements. Rhavos had a few suggestions on that front.

"I will bring my best men to Earth. We will observe these humans and plan a tactical strike to find and exterminate their leader. We will remain on Earth until we are certain they will not re-organize, and then we will leave," Rhavos said, going over what he and Drol'gan had already agreed upon.

Both Verkiir and Drann seemed to relax at such compliance, and Rhavos had to control the telltale twitch of his ear that might give away his amusement.

"I will do these things my way, and I expect any resources I require to be given to me without question," he said. "I also expect implicit trust in the method in which I address this matter."

"That's not—" Drann began.

"You have it," Drol'gan confirmed.

"And when my men and I are successful in this endeavor, Pathfinder, I expect to be given audience with you to discuss changes in the way you deal with future threats."

"You cannot let him—" Verkiir started, silenced when Drol'gan held up a hand.

The Pathfinder looked at him, his expression grave. For a very long moment, Rhavos thought he might be denied. But finally Drol'gan smiled. A tight, guarded smile, but a smile nonetheless.

"You've learned your sire's method of negotiation, I see."

Rhavos simply nodded.

"Very well, Conqueror. Handle this matter quickly and quietly, and I will hear what you have to say."

Rhavos would hold up his end of this bargain. He expected to be on Earth for little more than a week, with only a handful of men at his disposal.

And when he returned to the Zavellan, he would push for the changes Drol'gan's father would have made; changes that would ensure the Karuvar's future far more than these humans ever could.

3

Ren didn't have much time.

Any minute now, someone was going to find her. One of those red-patched lunatics was going to mess with her implant, and then she wouldn't remember what she'd been doing and she definitely wouldn't make any more progress.

She'd been lucid for a few days now. At least, she thought it was lucidity. Memories were in short supply, and there seemed to be a huge gap between her days at college and now. So much so that she had no idea how much time had actually passed, she only knew that it had. That was easy enough to see when she looked in the mirror.

These people—Freedom Fighters, as they called themselves—were not her allies. They may have stood for the same things she did, but the means they used to achieve those ends seemed just as barbaric as the authoritarian forces they claimed to fight against.

Over the past few days, she'd gotten a good idea of what the Freedom Fighters were really about. They were a para-military organization prepared to take violent actions against anyone they saw as a threat. Every one of them was armed to the teeth, and their entire rhetoric seemed to be that Karuvar and Karuvar sympathizers deserved nothing less than death.

They didn't allow her to venture topside. Dallas said she was too important—that she was the ace up their sleeve, though what service she was providing, she still didn't know. She'd set up the security system over the course of an afternoon, but pretended to still be working on it so she could go through each terminal's records, one by one, trying to find her comment signature.

From what she could tell, she'd written a code designed to render implants—the devices both human and Karuvar needed to survive—unusable. She'd created what was essentially a virus that latched onto the biological code and, for lack of a better expression, fucked it all up.

It wasn't a stretch to say that people could die from this code. For all she knew, people already had. She'd spent so many years learning to code—and then learning to hack—all with the intent of bringing down forces bigger than herself.

But not like this.

She knew she wouldn't remember. That much was painfully obvious, since she couldn't remember anything else up to this point. So storing the information in her mind wasn't going to do. Instead, whenever she found code she'd written, she added to the comment field, writing in a coded language only she knew—something she’d come up with in school.

Don't trust them, it said. And on the line below: Fix this.

She had no idea how to fix it. She could break the code, but if they'd made her type this, they'd just make her do it over to get it working. That thought made her stomach clench; to know she wasn't in control of her own actions, that she was being used as a tool to create these snippets of code… it was almost too much to handle.

She soldiered on, though, deciding this would be a multi-step process. The next time she woke up, she'd see those comments and she'd learn about the Freedom Fighters' control over her sooner. Then she'd find more information and add to her coded comments, until she could finally piece together a way to undo whatever damage she'd done.

It was an awful plan, with massive holes throughout, but she had no other options.

So as the other Freedom Fighters worked to lock down their base and mount a defense against the impending threat of the Karuvar, Ren was busy leaving herself a trail of breadcrumbs. Busy enough to block out the rest of the world for hours at a time. Busy enough that she only vaguely recognized how quiet the floors above her had become.

The flashing of a terminal caught her eye, ripping her from her work. The security system had been tripped, and Ren expected to hear the pounding of booted feet on the grates above her as men and women rushed to arms in a standoff that would be bloody and unnecessary.

But she heard nothing. Just the wailing of a distant alarm, and the incessant pounding of what she guessed was the vault door being breeched.

Pushing back in her chair, Ren made her way to the main security terminal. With a bit of typing, she re-routed the camera displays so that she could see whatever they saw. There were only four throughout the base. Cameras were hard to come by, and usually only found in Waystations, where all the technology—new and old—was hoarded.

That scarcity made it easy for Ren to get a quick look at what was going on, though, and the images that flickered across the screen made her heart drop straight into her stomach.

There was no one.

No one in the dormitories. No one in the armory. No one in the main hall. The place was so empty that Ren thought it might be archival footage, taken during the night, when everyone was asleep. Even that was a false hope, as she knew well enough that guards prowled every corridor at night.

If she'd had any doubts, though, they were dashed by the feed from the fourth camera. This one was placed right near the main hatch, and she could see the metal door bowing inward in time with the banging sounds coming from up above.

Thick, reinforced steel finally gave way, falling out of the camera's sight and landing with a loud clatter on a grate two floors above her. Large figures with massive horns and scale plating held the tips of spears and swords at the entrance, preparing for a fight that did not come.

She watched as they descended, violence practically emanating from every part of them. From their oppressive, muscular forms, to the sharpened weapons that were strapped to their backs, to the agitated swishing of their powerful tails.

She'd heard it said once that a Karuvar male could crush every bone in a human's body with a single blow, and she believed it. They were the very definition of absolute power, and Ren was now faced with one chilling thought: The Freedom Fighters had left her here with them.

All she could think was that they must have been tipped off to her lucid state, and they were trying to get rid of her in a way that would further incite their already frantic base. She would become a martyr to them, if they had their way.

But Ren wasn't interested in becoming anyone's martyr. Least of all the martyr of a terrorist organization.

She moved to another terminal and monitored the security measures she'd put in place. There were several tripwires throughout the base, all still on-line. They were each designed to deliver a shock to anyone who crossed them. Not enough to kill—especially not a Karuvar—but enough to slow them down while she searched for another exit.

It was easy to tell when the first shock trap was tripped. The lights flickered, the electrical current threatening to overwhelm the grid. Above her, Ren could hear a masculine voice speaking angrily.

She made her way out of the terminal room as quickly and quietly as she could, searching the halls for another ladder, scanning the grates for some kind of secret exit.

The next trap was tripped, and the angry shouts grew louder. She could hear heavy footfalls on the grates above her, and Ren's heart started to pound right alongside them.

Every corner was another opportunity to find an exit—to find her salvation—but each and every time, she found nothing but a cold metal wall. Panic rose in her, and she began to feel like she was eight years old again, trapped in that cellar as war raged above, uncertain if her next breath would be her last.

The walls shook as Karuvar forces descended the final ladder. Electricity arced, a masculine voice growled in pain and frustration, but Ren could still hear them getting closer. Every door was opened, every room was scoured as the Karuvar followed the same desperate path she had taken.

She ran then, throwing stealth out the window. No use now, not when they were so close. Turning another corner, she was faced with a long corridor. This time, though, instead of a metal wall, she could see the wheel of some kind of latch.

A door. She'd finally found a door.

Summoning all of her energy, Ren ran toward that single exit, reaching out for it like the lifeline it was. She hurtled toward the door, her hands on the wheel as she tried to turn it.

But it wouldn't budge.

Panic and instinct forced her to keep trying, to dig deep and find the strength to do it, but a brief flicker of rational thought crept in. She wasn't going to manage this by force. There had to be a panel somewhere.

Ren found it just as she heard the all-too-close shouts of the Karuvar.

"There!" one snarled, and she knew they'd seen her.

She slammed her forearm against the panel, tears streaming down her face as she tried to get it to turn green.

But it never did.

"Get on your knees, human!" one of them commanded.

She felt the tip of a weapon jab into her back.

"Now!"

Her mother had told her not to resist. If they come for you, she'd said, you do exactly what they say and nothing more, mija. Promise me.

She'd promised, but only to help her mother sleep at night. Just like back then, Ren was prepared to do whatever she needed to do. If they wanted her to kneel, they would have to make her.

She turned, finding a spear raised to her throat. Two Karuvar males took up the space in the already cramped corridor. Their faces were hard, their expressions severe.

Before she could think about it, Ren channeled all of her anger and frustration and fear into two words: "Fuck. You."

She expected the blow, but the sharp hit of pain as the butt of the spear struck her was still a surprise, followed quickly by blackness.

4

Rhavos discovered the location of the vault shortly after docking with Waystation Helios.

As humans had once lived entirely underground, it was logical to assume these so-called Freedom Fighters were holed up in one of these derelict bases. They were not especially organized, beyond the fact that they evidently had a gifted programmer in their midst, and disorganized groups tended to cling to their instincts. Even non-sentient beasts staged attacks from familiar territory.

He'd sent scouts ahead to confirm the vault was in use while he'd spoken to the Karuvar who had encountered this group of rebel humans firsthand. Kor'ven was a chief engineer for the Karuvar, but he was not a male Rhavos trusted. Especially when Kor’ven told him to speak to his mate, a human woman named Adi'sun.

Rhavos had one of his men get a statement from her. Without anything else to pursue, her account of the Freedom Fighters' leader—or at least one of the more imposing among them—would have to do.

When the scouts reported, Rhavos gathered his men and took a small strike team to the vault. They'd traveled in large, lumbering vehicles that seemed more like glorified wagons than anything else, and Rhavos was treated to a firsthand view of the devastation that was the human world before Karuvar intervention.

They'd given so much to these humans and had received so little in return. If Drol’gan believed this so-called “Matchmaker” system was going to save their kind, he was delusional. If anything, it had weakened their ranks. So many viable males were now slaves to the whims of human females.

Rhavos would do this job quickly and efficiently, as promised. And then he would propose a more reasonable code of involvement with the humans to ensure such an uprising did not happen again. It was the best he could do if Drol'gan refused to simply leave the humans to their fate.

His team of ten highly trained Karuvar arrived in a reasonable amount of time. He set two of them to the task of prying open the vault door, while two more searched for alternative entrances, canisters at the ready. It was perhaps a crude hunting technique to smoke out one's prey, but humans were crude beings who would undoubtedly flee toward the breathable air if faced with a cloud of smoke.

The door gave his men little trouble, and they took the lead into the primitive chambers. Rhavos followed soon after, wanting a full view of what he would be facing, but the tight, human-sized corridors made it difficult.

"Surrender or you will be killed," Rhavos called.

A fair warning, and one his father had always given when he occupied the role of Conqueror. Many thought it was a position requiring a certain amount of bloodlust, but it was easier to allow the people you were conquering to cower beneath your foot than to kill them. Easier, and more honorable. More in line with the Karuvar goal of exploration, and better for Rhavos' own men.

There was no answer to his promise, though. His ears twitched and pivoted slightly, but he did not hear the telltale signs of someone scrambling to press deeper into hiding. Nor did he hear the muster of battle before a defense was mounted against them.

What he did hear was the vicious arc of electricity right as it shot into one of his men. He watched the bolts travel over the male's skin, drawn upward from the soles of his feet in an unnatural path toward his weapon, arcing out through his fingertips.

Rhavos rushed over to the male—as much as he could in so cramped a space—and motioned for the healer to join them. There were burn marks upon his scales and skin and he looked visibly shaken, but he waved off medical attention, and Rhavos merely gave a nod.

His men were strong, and they would not be felled by human traps.

"Search for the humans," he said. "Bring them to the surface, willing or otherwise. Subdue them as quickly as possible. I will look for this Dal'uzh."

The human who seemed to hold sway over the others, Dal'uzh was described as charismatic, duplicitous, and unpredictable. Traits that would not help him when he came face to face with Rhavos.

He jerked his chin, indicating for his second to accompany him. Alien species that lacked in strength tended to make up for it by being especially wily, and Rhavos had no wish to find a blade shoved in his spine.

So his most trusted warrior, Lovak, accompanied him as he scoured the vault, taking the path opposite of his men. If he was even a little smart, Dal'uzh was already gone. But there was a chance he'd sealed himself off as a captain might in a cockpit. Rhavos simply had to get inside the mind of his prey and think of where that safe haven might be.

He closed his eyes and allowed his senses to rule him, taking in the smells of this place, the feel of the metal under his skin. He imagined what it must be like to be a human and to feel the fear of facing an adversary far stronger than himself.

But as he imagined, something else caught his attention. Something that hummed through his consciousness, tingled at the base of his spine and radiated outward, all the way to his fingertips.

It was a sudden, visceral awareness, and Rhavos could only call it instinct. Something inside of him had resonated with this Dal'uzh, and he knew exactly where he would find his prey.

Rhavos descended into the belly of the vault, Lovak following him. No humans came to resist, and he could not hear any standoffs being waged on the other side of the vault. Perhaps Dal'uzh was arrogant enough to believe he could face them alone. Or perhaps he retained some sense of honor and wished to go along peacefully and answer for his crimes without his people being hurt.

Rhavos doubted that.

As he continued, the thrumming in his veins became more insistent. He could feel his heated blood pumping to every part of his body, could feel the vibration of his implant with every step he took. It was an odd sensation, and one he was not used to when pursuing quarry.

His instinct led him to where his men had gathered, and as he approached, he heard the higher register of a feminine voice. It brushed across his heightened senses like a soft caress, despite the fact that her tone held contempt.

The Karuvar standing guard parted to allow him through, and Rhavos heard more than saw his men detain the female. Whatever was inside of him roared loudly, the rush of blood too persistent to ignore as he stepped forward. It was so overwhelming that Rhavos thought perhaps the human Adi'sun had mistaken the gender of her captive.

"This is the only one we found," Vekt said, stepping aside as Rhavos neared.

He saw her then, crumpled in a heap on the metal floor. Something about her tiny, helpless form drew him in, though he still examined her from a distance. Hair dark as endless space fell over richly tanned skin. Her body—so different from a Karuvar—was slight in stature. She was soft, and the lines of her form curved in ways that made Rhavos' groin tighten with unabashed desire.

More than that, when he saw her, he felt an irrational rage building within him like a surging inferno. The moment his gaze happened upon the bruise forming at her temple, that rage erupted into a rush of violence that had him practically snarling at his men.

"What did you do to her?!"

His men backed up, eyes wide, ears flattened against their heads. "You said to subdue them as quickly as possible. We subdued her."

"You harmed her," he growled. "And if you touch her again, Stars mark my words, I will—"

"Conqueror!" his second urged, cutting Rhavos off in the middle of his warning.

He turned to face the male, instinctively reaching for his bladed spear, but Lovak did not budge. He simply stared back at Rhavos unflinchingly before turning his gaze to the human female.

Rhavos felt as if he'd stepped into an airlock after scouring the surface of a loud, unruly planet. For the first time since setting foot on this lower level, he was able to think.

His reaction to this female was unnatural. It went against all of his training, all of his common sense. Even now, he could still feel an intense pull toward her, and an unparalleled desire to protect her from his own men.

When they looked at her, rage boiled deep within him, and he wanted to challenge each of them in turn as his ancestors had once done. He wanted to defeat them in a match of pure strength and virility to prove he was a worthy mate.

Mate.

That word echoed through his mind, through his body, through his heart. His groin tightened again, his cock stiffening as he thought of claiming his sweet prize and making her his beyond a shadow of a doubt.

He drew back from her as if she were the most dangerous thing in the universe. And perhaps she was, because for some reason, Rhavos' desire to mate had been called to the surface, overruling his good sense. This female was a human. She could not be his mate. And that meant the humans must have employed some kind of trickery to make it seem like she was.

Rhavos was about to tell his men to bring her above ground when she stirred. Her groan distressed him, and that urge to punish the male who'd hurt her returned with force. He resisted, but was nearly undone when the human opened her light brown eyes and looked up at him.

He saw awareness there. Awareness of him. Her pupils dilated, her breaths came quicker, and he could see the color in her eyes darken with desire.

Raw hunger blazed through him, and he felt the sudden urge to run off every other male in this vault, lift the small human, and claim her against one of the walls. It was more than a carnal want, it felt like something he needed.

The female was the first to break the spell, jerking her head to the side to force her gaze from his.

"Whatever you're looking for," she said, her voice steady, "I don't have it. I'm not a part of this. I'm… I'm not even sure how I got here."

An odd sense of empathy settled within him. He wanted to believe her, despite the fact that he knew prisoners would say anything to regain their freedom.

Rhavos looked to the human, then to his men. Several of them were staring at him, eyes slightly narrowed. They would not say it aloud, but they wondered at his sudden outburst. They doubted his capabilities.

And that ultimately made the decision an easy one.

Rhavos reached down and hauled the female to her feet, slinging her over one shoulder as he moved toward the ladder. She yelled and squirmed and beat ineffectually against his back, and the entire time, he forced himself to ignore how much her scent spoke to him, and how good it felt to touch her even under these circumstances.

It was a trick, and once she was detained in Helios, Rhavos would put an end to it once and for all.

5

Ren was caught between overwhelming, stomach-churning fear, and… something else.

When that brute of a Karuvar had picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder like she was a sack of grain, she'd flashed back to being pulled out of her mother's arms and taken out of that cellar as if she were a good to be repossessed, not an actual human being.

She felt that same, paralyzing fear of knowing the person—or in this case, Karuvar—in control could hurt her or even kill her without much effort or remorse. It was the very reason she'd decided to dedicate her life to equalizing the balance of power, and in one fell swoop, she was once again at the mercy of someone who had far too much of it.

And yet this one wasn't especially rough with her. He could have yanked her by the arm, taken liberties with where he placed his huge hands, and thrown her over his shoulder so hard the air was knocked from her lungs. He could have done a million awful things and she would have been powerless to stop him.

But he hadn't.

Then there was the… other thing. The thing she felt so strongly it seemed like her heart was going to explode. It was that deep, indescribable sense of yearning—what she imagined someone dying of thirst must feel the first time they laid eyes on a crystal clear spring. She wanted to rush to that spring, drink until her lungs burned with the need to breathe, and then dive in to submerse her entire body in the cool, refreshing liquid.

Only in Ren's case, the source of that desire seemed to be the Karuvar who was still carrying her, even as he ascended the ladder.

She'd only seen the Karuvar from afar, and that had been enough to make her give them a wide berth in Everton. Seeing Rhavos up close should have terrified her. He was tall, broad, and muscular—more so than the other males that accompanied him. His scale plating was so strangely foreign that her eyes were immediately drawn to it. The massive, ram-like horns on his head could easily gore her. And everything about him—every part of his body—was hard like granite, from the carved muscles to the severe lines of his face.

But when she looked at him, she'd felt something else, mixed in with the fear. She'd imagined touching that firm muscle, tracing those hard lines. She wondered if his scales would feel smooth like a snake's skin, or if they'd be hard, too. She had the ridiculous notion to test that out with her tongue, following the gleaming curve of brushed gold to his bronzed skin. And God help her, she found herself casually measuring the circumference of his horns and trying to figure out if her hands could wrap all the way around them, a fantasy playing through her mind that involved his tongue inside of her, worshiping her as she held on tight.

It was ridiculous and mortifying and whenever Ren caught herself doing it, she shut it down as quickly as she knew how: By listing all of the gruesome ways this whole thing could turn out, and by trying to find a way out of it.

There was no doubt in her mind that Dallas and the others knowingly left her behind. He'd told her to help prepare for the Karuvar raid, and if she was truly as valuable an asset as she seemed to be, he would've made sure to get her out safely.

If Dallas had left her at the mercy of the Karuvar, then he must know she was lucid and too much of a liability to keep around. That was something she would have been happy about under normal circumstances. If she was too much of a risk for Dallas, if he couldn't control her, she could break free.

But instead, she'd just been passed off from one form of servitude to what would almost certainly be another. What would it be this time? She'd heard tales of Karuvar taking human women as sex slaves; using them to slake their lust in whatever ways they pleased.

It didn't matter how hot and bothered she'd felt around this Karuvar, she refused to be anyone's slave.

Without any information as to who they were or what they wanted, she couldn't even guess at their intentions. Every Karuvar she could see was stone-faced and completely unhelpful. The one who was carrying her even less so, because he didn't say anything as he carried her to the vault’s surface.

Ren gasped as she felt the sun's rays touch her skin. The life-affirming warmth seeped into her, even as her eyes stung from the sudden adjustment. It was such a strange thing to get emotional about, but it made Ren realize she must have been down in that vault for a long time.

How much of her life had she lost to someone else's whim? How much was she going to lose now?

She tensed as he moved her, but again he seemed to take care in not touching her beyond what was necessary, setting her on solid ground. She was shaking, she realized, as she tried to hold back tears.

It was time to make a decision. She could either tell the truth and hope for some mercy, or hold her tongue so as not to incriminate herself. Not that it likely mattered. Karuvar probably didn't believe in due process.

"Can humans survive in the sunlight?" one of the Karuvar asked.

The question was so ridiculous that Ren was jerked away from her thoughts. She looked at the Karuvar, utterly stunned.

"Maybe that's why they were in the vault. You should cover her head, her eyes are melting."

"My eyes aren't melting," she said, her tone incredulous, "and humans are fine in the sun, beyond a burn or two. Ay dios mio, have you never even seen a human before?"

Come to think of it, these Karuvar looked different from the ones Ren had seen. They were wilder somehow, their bodies trained only for one purpose. These Karuvar were warriors. And definitely not scholars.

"Bind her hands," the leader said before either of the others could answer her.

"We should gag her, too. She says too much."

The snarl that ripped from the larger Karuvar's throat frightened and excited her in equal measure. "No gags. Do as I have ordered."

“Right away, Conqueror,” the offending Karuvar said, no hint of sarcasm or defiance in his voice.

They respected this “conqueror.” He was obviously their leader, and since he’d so far made no moves beyond overpowering her and not giving her a say in what happened, Ren felt like her life wasn’t in immediate danger from anyone in this company.

But she still didn’t trust him. She didn’t trust any of them.

“Where are we going? I have a right to know,” she asked as her wrists were being bound.

Instead of answering her immediately, the Conqueror lifted her into the back of a truck. For a split second, she thought he might delegate. Hope of escape flickered through her mind as she considered which Karuvar she could get away from before they overcame her. But no, he seemed insistent on taking care of this himself and climbed in beside her, along with a few other Karuvar.

“You are a prisoner,” he said. “The only right you have is to not be executed until I have determined your guilt.”

“My guilt in what?” she tried.

“In the attempted murder of several kits.”

Ren’s eyes widened and her stomach clenched. “What? I didn’t… I’d never. I don’t know who you’re looking for, but I’m not that person.”

She’d planned to stay silent, but what was silence going to get her now? They thought she was a murderer. And… what if she was? That code she’d seen absolutely would have killed someone as vulnerable as a child. Ren paled, feeling a rush of bile rise in her throat. Panic followed quickly, and she abandoned her sense.

“I was in that base against my will. I don’t know what they did to me or how they got me there, but I would never do the things they wanted me to do. I’m not a saint. I’ve hacked into bank accounts before, I’ve broken communications systems, and I don’t expect you to understand why. But I’m not a murderer, I swear to you.”

The Conqueror looked at her, his eyes shining like some ancient, unearthed slab of amber that’d been newly polished. It was impossible to tell from his expression, but in his eyes, she thought she saw… something. Some protective instinct. Some willingness to believe her. Ren held her breath, waiting. But it was chased away just as quickly as it came on.

“Humans have no concept of honor. You would lie to save yourself, of that I have no doubt.”

It was a judgment spoken as if there was no room for argument. And maybe there wasn’t, because if he wasn’t even going to consider the fact that she’d been coerced, then she wasn’t going to say anything further. They’d kept her alive for a reason, and Ren had to bank on it being for information, rather than just as a piece of property to ransom.

So she kept her mouth shut as the truck bounced and jostled over the ruined terrain before finally settling onto the paved streets of Everton. She didn’t say a word as she was ordered through the intake hub at Waystation Helios, where her body and clothing were scanned for contaminates and contraband. She kept her lips firmly sealed as she was shoved unceremoniously into a holding cell that looked more like a quarantine room than anything else, complete with a window—that was barred shut—a cot for her to sleep in, and a toilet blocked off by a partition.

Even when a human visited her “cell” to check on her medical condition, Ren didn’t say anything. If the humans at this Waystation were working so closely with the Karuvar, then they weren’t people she could trust, either. Definitely not when it came to getting the hell out of here.

At some point later that day, she felt the same, inescapable pull she’d felt in the vault. That sense of longing that conjured up fantasies Ren absolutely did not want. The Conqueror was close, though how she knew that, she had no idea.

“Conqueror Rhavos,” someone said beyond the thick wall.

Rhavos. It was a vicious name; the type of name that would be given to a barbarian king in some old novel. But her reality right now was stranger than any novel, as she felt an odd sense of safety when she heard that name—as if a name alone could protect her.

She was seated on the cot when he opened the door, a tray in hand. Ren’s stomach growled at the smell of actual food. Roast chicken, from the looks of it. Even when she’d come to Everton, she’d mostly lived off MREs, just like everyone else who wasn’t loaded with valuable items to sell.

“Eat,” he said, offering the tray to her, “and then you will tell me the truth.”

So this was a bribe. They did want information from her. Ren’s stomach actually ached with hunger pangs, but she turned her head away from the tray.

“I told you the truth,” she said.

“You told me a story. A lie. I know your kind are very good at doing that to preserve your species,” he said, his distaste clear. “You have somehow managed to fool a number of Karuvar into thinking you are worthy mates, but I will not—”

“Mates?” she asked, cutting him off. The word stood out to her, called to her, but it also made her feel like her best option right now was in hiding under the cot.

For all the good it would do.

The Karuvar—Rhavos—seemed to bristle at that. “Do not think you can play upon my physiological reaction to you. I do not know what kind of human trickery is causing this, but it lies just as you do. We are not mates.”

“No arguments from me,” Ren shot back.

She had no idea what that even meant, but the context was clear enough. Clear and frightening, because the things her body was doing right now made her feel like she had no control over anything. Her skin tingled, her hormones had kicked into overdrive, and her whole body ached like she had the flu. Was he feeling the same thing? He looked as stoic as he had earlier, but there was something dark and arousing in his eyes that told her he wasn’t as unaffected as he seemed to be.

Which was silly. She didn’t want him to be affected by whatever this was. She wanted him to leave her alone.

“You are trying to trick me again,” he said, a growl rumbling through his throat.

“Yes, of course I am,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I’m the lying, manipulating female sent to tempt you with my magic vag.”

“Then you admit it,” he said, his gaze narrowing. But a thread of confusion wove through his expression. “With your what?”

This narrative was as old as time itself. In college, she’d studied texts suggesting her ancestors had dealt with the exact same things. Women accused of using their sexual wiles to lead men astray and take their power from them.

Somehow she didn’t think Rhavos would be interested in a feminist history lesson.

“I already told you the truth. I was held against my will. I have no idea what the Freedom Fighters were trying to do. You’re wasting your time.”

It was a risky play. He could just kill her, since she was of absolutely no use to him. But she refused to be anyone else’s pawn. If the Karuvar didn’t believe her, if there was no chance she was going to be respected and given her independence back, then she wasn’t going to give them anything they wanted.

“We’ll see,” was Rhavos’ answer, his jaw squared even harder than normal.

She didn’t flinch when he approached. Despite that dangerous tone, she still didn’t fear him for some insane reason. And he didn’t try to touch her. He just took the tray back, leaving only the cup of what she guessed was broth behind as he left the room.

Pride fought with hunger, but the moment he closed the door, she lifted the broth to her lips and drank until there was nothing left.

Rhavos would be back, and the next time, she didn’t think he’d give up so easily. She’d need her strength if she was going to deal with him and try to find a way out of here.

6

In the end, the human female was right. Rhavos was wasting his time, and he had no one to blame but himself.

The rebel humans had fled like the cowards they were, and as the only hostage, this female was the key to gaining enough information to eradicate the Freedom Fighters once and for all. It made good tactical sense to learn whatever he could from her. Despite the fact that they were facing humans, any species could be overwhelming in large enough numbers, and he would not send his men into a massacre.

Normally, Rhavos enlisted the help of one of his more charismatic soldiers to coax details out of a prisoner. If there was no other way, he would lean on those who could provide suitable intimidation techniques. Neither of those things were Rhavos' specialty, and there was no argument that he should not be the one in charge of this particular task.

But he could not bring himself to let anyone else speak to the female. At this point, he was even bringing her meals like a common servant. It was ridiculous, but such was the power of whatever thrall he was under. A thrall he still refused to believe was his true mating instinct.

In Rhavos' mind, there was every chance this human had engineered this response herself as a way to make him look weak and promote mutiny within his ranks. If humans were somehow capable of altering implant code, then surely they'd figured out how to manipulate the mating response, too.

Those thoughts colored his interactions with her. It was hard not to approach the situation believing she had set out to trick him, and the overwhelming instincts that warred with those thoughts were merely a carefully crafted ruse. He had to be strong and see this through. He had to show her she did not affect him.

But he also had to change tactics, because the direct approach was not working, and every hour she sat in that room—uncooperative and unwilling to talk—was another hour Rhavos had nothing to present to Drol'gan. Another hour of being outplayed by the humans.

So in the morning, at an hour when most of Waystation Helios was silent, Rhavos approached the room with a new set of tactics. He would avoid anything that would allow her to say she was an innocent in this, and in doing so, he would trap her into giving him the proof that she knew exactly what she was doing.

Shifting the tray of food he'd been given to his left arm, Rhavos knocked on the door.

"Are you awake?" he asked.

His ears twitched, picking up the sound of fabric rustling. "Would it matter?"

Rhavos used the key he had been given and opened the door. "No," he said, setting the tray down on a table.

She was seated on the edge of the bed, much as she had been the last time they'd interacted. But there was something different about her.

Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was tousled, and it seemed a great effort for her to look him in the eye. She did not fear him, not in the way she should. So what, then?

His mind seized on a memory from his days as a warrior. He'd shared a cabin with three other Karuvar warriors, all young as he was, all eager to find their mates. It had never been as exciting for Rhavos. His training to become Conqueror had always come before anything else. But there had been a few key things that stood out to him on lonely nights.

One of his fellow warriors said that when mates met, the rush of hormones was so strong that they could only think about claiming and being claimed. If they were forced to spend a night apart—if they could sleep through the incessant demands of their body—they would have the most explicit dreams they'd ever had in their life. Dreams so explicit they could almost feel, smell, and taste their mate.

As Rhavos looked upon this human, he couldn't help but wonder if she had been subjected to such dreams. For a few agonizing moments, he wished he'd allowed himself to sleep, too, so that he might join her.

What had she dreamed of? His hands, lifting her effortlessly into the air? His tongue tracing every inch of her, learning what made her lose control? His cock sliding into her wet, inviting cunt? Did she imagine him taking her with a fierceness that would make her whole body shake, or did she fantasize about taming him, coaxing him into slow, deep strokes as she squeezed around him?

Rhavos bit back a groan, but the evidence of his own fantasies was impossible to ignore. He shifted and adjusted his stiff cock, but her gaze had already fallen to his groin, and desire flared anew in him.

"If that's what you're here for, you might as well turn right back around, pendejo."

Her voice shook when she said the words. Her pupils were dilated, and the tip of her tongue ran over her lips. She wanted him. He knew this as easily as he knew he could not have her. This was all part of a trap, whether it was planned by this female or not. He had little sympathy over the fact that she was suffering from it, also, and he certainly wasn't going to alleviate that suffering.

"I am here to talk," he said tersely.

The female eyed him for a moment longer before her shoulders lifted in supposed indifference. "Then talk."

She had the attitude of an undisciplined youngling, and with his previous thoughts, it was difficult not to imagine her submitting to him, gladly, again and again. Rhavos growled and shook the thoughts away, forcing himself to follow his plan.

"What are you called? What is your name?" he asked.

The female blinked at him. "And here I thought you'd figured out my name and just weren't using it as some kind of power trip."

"Power trip?"

Her gaze narrowed and she stared him down as though he were not three times larger than her. "Taking away my identity, my sense of self. Reducing me to just another object you can manipulate as you see fit."

It was Rhavos' turn to regard her with a skeptical eye. "You speak of war tactics. How do you know of these things? Do you have access to Karuvar records?"

"I had access to a college library," she said, her attention straying to the tray of food. "I know about the 'starve them until they're delirious and desperate' method, too, and it won't work. I've been without food for much longer than your patience will last."

Rhavos' lips turned up in a small smirk. "Patience is not my area of expertise," he admitted, picking up the tray and carrying it over to her.

He set it beside her on the bed, then took a seat in a human-sized chair, ignoring his discomfort.

"I am not starving you, and I am not denying you a name. I simply do not know it."

She eyed the tray dubiously before picking up a spongy yellow cake and taking a bite of it. Her eyes closed and a sound fell from her lips that sent an electric shock through Rhavos' body.

"My name is Ren," she finally said, and he watched intently as her tongue collected a stray crumb at the corner of her mouth.

"Rhin," he said, imagining the name as a Karuvar would use it. "You have a simple name. The other humans I have met do not."

She dipped her spoon into what looked like a thick porridge before answering. "You asked for my name, not my full legal name as it's written on my birth certificate." After a moment, she added, "Ren is short for Renee."

"I see." He watched her for another long moment, then realized he should offer the same. It was what a negotiator would do. "I am called Rhavos."

"So I've heard," she said. "Conqueror Rhavos."

Rhavos' nostrils flared, his tail lashing once behind him. The way she said his title was utterly infuriating. It seemed an amusing thing to her, not worthy of her respect.

And yet… that lack of reverence made him curious. Everyone he had ever dealt with knew exactly what a Conqueror was and what he did.

The way Rhin viewed him felt completely foreign.

"You do not respect the title," he said, his tone even despite the question in his mind.

"I can't say I have much respect for tyrants, no."

Rhavos snorted. "You think I am a tyrant?"

"You conquer people. It's in your title. Your name isn't Let's-Sit-And-Talk-About-This-Like-Equals Rhavos."

His lips twitched at that.

"So yes, you're a tyrant," she concluded, taking another spoonful of her meal.

"I am not conquering you. We are having a conversation," he pointed out.

Why did it matter? What did he care if some human female saw him as a tyrant? She knew nothing of Karuvar honor; she would never understand it. So why should he care?

"A conversation where you have all the power. We're not equals. I'm your prisoner. You can walk away from this whenever you want, and I can't. So yeah, you're still a tyrant, Conqueror."

A growl rumbled in the back of his throat. She was a contentious female, and for no reason that he could discern. He was treating her with more civility than she deserved. She had no idea the lengths he could go to if he wanted to be cruel.

The fact that he would not, was completely lost on her.

"Ask your questions," she prompted. "I'll answer what I can. Consider it a fair trade for the meal."

Rhavos stared at the female. She was setting the terms of their interactions now? When had that happened?

"Why did you join the Freedom Fighters?" he asked, gritting his teeth and biting back his pride in favor of completing the mission.

"I didn't," she said, and Rhavos' jaw clenched. "Not voluntarily."

"So you keep saying."

"I've thought about it, though. If given the choice, I might have." She popped a small slice of fruit in her mouth, confessing her willingness to join a terrorist organization as if it was nothing.

"Why?"

This was it. This was the route by which he would trap her. He only had to persist.

"Because they were trying to help humans regain their independence—to make us less reliant on the Karuvar."

His gaze narrowed. Ungrateful humans. If Drol'gan had just let him handle this situation to begin with, these Freedom Fighters would not exist.

"You were living underground before we came. Our Pathfinder is the only reason your generation is able to exist."

She stopped eating then and looked him in the eyes. "So that makes us beholden to you for the rest of our days?"

"In an ideal world in which your kind respects the Karuvar, yes," he said.

She laughed at him—actually laughed—and Rhavos could feel his temper flaring.

"You think it's disrespectful of us to want some say in our lives?"

"You humans have far more freedom than any other species we have encountered," he shot back.

"For now, yes. And I do respect the fact that your Pathfinder seems to want a peaceful relationship that benefits both sides. But all that could vanish with one command. Your genes have already changed who we are as a species. We will die without your implants. You could hold our lives hostage. You could make us do whatever you wanted, and we wouldn't be able to resist because the Karuvar hold all the power."

"You are speaking in irrelevant hypotheticals," he said with a growl. "Your people are not subject to any of these realities."

She stood from the bed and approached him, her hands balled into fists. For a moment he thought she might attack him, as absurd as that would be. But she just stood before him, shaking somewhat, yet staying her ground.

“Tell me about this… mate… thing,” she said, squaring her jaw.

It was such an abrupt change in subject that Rhavos could only blink at her. “What?”

“You said humans are tricking Karuvar into thinking they’re mates. What does that mean?”

Anger built within him, churning into a fire. She was trying to play him. Acting ignorant so that she could ensnare him before he had the chance to get information from her.

He should call someone else in and make them deal with her. But it was a point of pride now, and Rhavos tried to think of what his best negotiator would do.

“To you humans? Nothing. But to Karuvar, a mate is a bonded partner. Someone who matches perfectly with them in every way. It is a sacred thing, and humans have spoiled it.”

“How?” she asked. His jaw clenched, but she continued to stare him down. “I know you don’t believe me, but I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. If you want me to understand, you have to actually tell me.”

There was just enough bold conviction in her words that for a moment, Rhavos’ own beliefs faltered. Was it possible she truly didn’t know? Yes. Anything was possible. But he had learned long ago to expect the worst from his enemy, lest he leave himself open to attack.

“When two mates are near each other, they can sense it. Their implants react, and they do not allow either of them to rest until they have mated.” He watched her rub at the arm that housed her implant, a slight frown on her lips.

“React in what way?” she asked.

“Mates feel physically drawn to one another. Aroused when they are in one another’s presence.” Rhavos’ heart began to pound and a flush of heat made its way through his body. She was so close, and his implant was demonstrating its insistent power even now. “They can think only of mating and securing that bond. Even when they sleep, those thoughts persist.”

She drew in a sharp breath and looked away. So she had dreamed of him. A pleased rumble threatened to vibrate through him, but he forced it down. There was nothing pleasing about this. Not when his body and his mind were being manipulated.

“Karuvar are meant to mate with other Karuvar, but now there are Karuvar mating with humans. It is obvious your kind have found ways to tamper with the implants—it has been proven.”

“So you’re feeling these responses against your will,” she said quietly. “You have no choice.”

“Yes,” he breathed.

Even now, he ached to touch her. To draw her onto his lap and claim her mouth with his. Would she taste sweet? No. Nothing about her had been sweet. There would be spice to her; something that bit back.

“Then you know exactly what it’s like to feel as I do. To feel powerless.”

Bright brown eyes stared at him, a challenge within them. Her arms were folded over her chest, and she stood before him as if she was completely resistant to the pull that Rhavos felt. That, ultimately, was what goaded him. That was what made him release the growl that rumbled in his throat.

“You hold no power over me, regardless of what my implant believes,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. He pushed himself up from the chair, and still she did not back away. “And I can prove it.”

He would call her bluff. He would make her regret ever having chosen him as her target. And he would banish these desires from his mind, all with one swift action.

Rhavos reached for her, his hand threading through her dark hair, so much softer than he imagined it would be. His other hand moved to her waist and he pulled her to him, her body warm and yielding against his, but only for a moment.

She tensed, and he knew she would push him away. She would resist him because she was not truly his mate, and because despite what she believed, she had a choice. They both did.

But she did not part from him. She looked up at him, her eyes dark with desire. He could feel the heat coming off her, could feel his cock growing stiff in response as her body pressed to his. He was caught, and in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to claim her mouth with his own, but he did not. He chose to defy this supposed bond, despite how painful it was to do so.

Again he expected her to withdraw from him. The altered implant was weaving its spell, but with how fervently she spoke of independence, she would break free from it.

Yet she did not withdraw. As quickly as he had brought her to him, she reached up, her small hands gripping his horns. Lust shot through Rhavos, a growl rumbling in his chest, and when she used this newfound leverage to pull him down to her, he could resist no longer.

His mouth crashed down upon hers, hard and demanding. She did not rebuke him. Not in the slightest. Her grip tightened and she opened for him, her lips parting. Rhavos thrust his tongue into her mouth, his whole body wracked with pleasure as she moaned in response.

He felt her thigh touch his and his hand moved to support her, helping her lift up against him. He held her effortlessly, his lips and teeth and tongue still warring with hers, taking and giving in equal amount as she began to rock against him. Needy whimpers escaped her as she rubbed her body against the hard ridge of his cock, infuriating layers of cloth separating them.

Rhavos groaned, so close to just grabbing that fabric and tearing. Anything so he could bury himself inside of her; claim her and fill her and keep her as his.

But as achingly tempting as that thought was, it also brought him a startling amount of clarity: He’d given in. He had no choice. In that moment, he was powerless to resist.

Rhavos pulled back, lingering just long enough to set her back on the ground where she wavered on shaky legs, her eyes wide as she stared up at him. He was panting, and every muscle in his body burned with the aching desire to close that distance once more.

But he resisted.

“I have a choice,” he insisted. “We both have a choice.”

Even as he stalked out of the room, he couldn’t convince himself it was true.

7

Ren had come into this shitty situation with something resembling a plan.

She’d cooperate as much as she had to, tell them the truth when they asked, but she'd never expected a sympathetic ear from her Karuvar captives. She purposefully held back details for fear they would think her crazy and thus disposable. And, most importantly, she spent her free time looking for weaknesses that she could exploit.

Weaknesses in the room, in her captors, in the guard schedule, and especially in the security system. She'd spent time in captivity before, she knew what to look for, and she knew when to take a chance.

Or… she thought she did.

Two days ago, she'd been confronted by Rhavos as he tried what Ren could only guess was a more personable approach. She'd taken that for what it was worth—exactly nothing, since she knew she couldn't appeal to his sense of compassion—and had decided to turn this whole "mate" thing back on him instead.

It should have worked. It was obvious Rhavos thought this whole thing was complete nonsense—he'd even said as much. If she could plant a seed of doubt in him, use his own beliefs against him, then there was a chance she'd still get out of this alive.

But he'd taken it as a challenge; a way to prove he still had free will, that his implant wasn't controlling him.

And then she'd kissed him.

God, why had she done that? At the time, she'd told herself it was meant to show him how awful it felt to have no control over your actions, but that had turned into a lie she could never have anticipated.

Because it hadn't been awful. At all. Something had driven her to that point, and something drove her straight past it and way, way too close to the reality where she was fucking an alien in a quarantine room.

Or worse: Begging him to fuck her.

Fuck. At one point she’d been grinding against him like a cat in heat. Even when she had a few beers in her, Ren never let her inhibitions take that much of a vacation. So yeah, she proved her own point, but not in the way she wanted.

The hell of it was, she'd had an effect on Rhavos. He stopped coming to her little prison, sending his lackeys instead. Ren should have been looking for ways to exploit the lack of muscle, the breech in security, but instead she was forced to deal with the actual, physical aches and pains she felt every time someone who wasn't Rhavos walked through that door.

She hated it. She hated that she wanted him. She hated that she could barely think of anything else.

But… there was an oddly useful side effect. She'd discovered it the night before, when she'd been forcing herself to stay awake for fear of falling deeper into the all-too-real dreams she had about Rhavos. She focused on any and everything she could, and found that her memories weren't nearly as fuzzy as they had been. When she thought back to her college days, there wasn't as much static. She could remember names, faces, course numbers. She could even remember scribbling down a date.

There was something there, but if she tried to grasp it too hard, she lost the thread. Either that or Rhavos came within what seemed like a five-hundred-foot radius of her and her hormones went ballistic.

She had no idea how she was going to face him if he actually came back, but it didn't seem to be in the cards for today. Just after she'd been given breakfast, she heard a knock at her door, followed by a feminine—and definitely human—voice.

"Ms. Alvarez? My name is Addison Monroe, and I'd like to ask you a few questions if you have some time."

"Got nothing but time in here," she said reflexively. But then her brow furrowed as she realized what this woman had called her. "I never gave my family name to anyone here."

"You didn't," she confirmed. "That's what I'd like to talk to you about."

"… All right."

The door opened, and a tall woman with long, blonde hair stepped inside the quarantine room. She was smiling, a clipboard clutched to her chest. Ren realized that—outside of the people who'd processed her intake—this was the first human she'd actually spoken to since arriving at Helios.

Why, then, did she look so familiar?

"I'm sure you want answers, so I'll get straight to the point," the woman said. "When you were brought in, I thought I recognized you from somewhere. I couldn't place your face alone, but when Rhavos revealed your name, I remembered something I was given about five years ago."

Addison pulled a sheaf of papers from her clipboard and offered them to Ren. She accepted them, a quizzical look on her face, and that uncertainty only grew when she scanned the page.

Biological Dependence and its Impact on Humanity, by Renee Alvarez

Her lips parted in silent question, her gaze flicking back to Addison before she continued with the paper.

"This is… I spent months working on this."

She kept reading, the words coming to her with such clarity that she knew she'd seen them before. Hell, she'd practically memorized them once upon a time.

"This was my thesis paper," she said. "How did you get this…?"

Her pulse was racing, and for a moment, Ren felt like a little girl again. Exposed and vulnerable, cowering in that cellar as the door was pried open.

"You gave it to me," Addison said softly. "I spoke for a guest lecture at Everton College. You approached me afterward and handed me that paper."

She couldn't remember Addison's face or even her name, but she could remember sitting in that lecture hall and being blown away by the woman at the podium. She'd been so excited to share her theories and her ideas with someone who understood; someone who might be able to implement them.

"I… I think I remember," Ren said, her hands shaking as she read more of the paper she'd dedicated months of her life to researching and writing.

"Once I had a name, I called in a favor and started searching through some records," Addison said, pulling out two more sheets of paper and handing them to her. "Five years ago, after being an exemplary student, you just… stopped attending class. You stopped participating in campus activities. For all intents and purposes, you disappeared."

The first was a transcript showing her Incomplete for all the classes she'd been taking that semester, along with a note about her lack of attendance. She flipped past that page and gasped when she saw the second.

It was a copy of a missing person poster, with her face on it.

"The police wouldn't do a full investigation, so some of the students and faculty purchased an ad that was run in the local papers. Nothing ever came of it."

Ren was finding it hard to breathe. The thesis, the transcript, this ad… all of it unlocked a wealth of lost and fractured memories, yet she couldn't seem to grab onto any of them.

"What's the last thing you remember from your time at the college, Ren?" Addison asked gently.

She shook her head, prepared to say she just didn't know; that she couldn't remember. But something came to her. An image that was far less fuzzy than the others. She grabbed it and held on tight.

"I was meeting someone for drinks." A face flitted through her memories and she gritted her teeth. "A man named Dallas. We were just talking, and then… I don't remember."

Addison wrote down a few things, but before she could ask any more questions, Ren spoke again.

"They did something to me. To my implant." Panic set in, her eyes wide. She clutched at her arm, feeling what she could only describe as a phantom pain there. "I don't know what it is, or how it works, but…"

Ren choked back a sob. Five years. That's what Addison had said. Five years of her life were just… gone. Her friends. Her degree. Everything she'd worked so hard for. All of it just gone.

And that wasn't even getting into whatever the Freedom Fighters had made her do.

"I think… I think they had me writing malicious code," she confessed, unable to stop herself.

"Malicious code?" Addison asked with a frown.

She drew in a shuddering breath, tried to get control of herself. "The last time I… woke up… I was looking at an executable program that was meant to target implants. I think it was some kind of virus."

Addison's eyes widened. "… Are you sure?"

Some part of her resisted. Some part of her wanted to deny it all and focus on getting herself out of this mess. But Addison knew of her past. She'd been a part of it. And right now, Ren was overcome by a desperate need to have that back.

"’In darkness, we fear. In darkness, we wait. In darkness, we see.’ It's one of my favorite lines from The Deafening Blind. I use it in everything I code as a signature."

"Then you were the one who altered the kits' code," Addison said, her face going pale.

Ren looked up, her stomach coiling with dread. She'd done this. They'd made her do this. All to harm innocents. “I didn’t know,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Please, you have to believe me. If I’d known…”

“You’re not on trial here,” Addison said, reaching out to squeeze her hand. Ren drew in a breath and tried to calm down. “But I do need you to answer a question for me, and it's important that you do so truthfully, and with as much detail as possible."

"I'll try…" She curled in on herself, her hands still shaking as she just stared at the picture of the woman she'd been.

"Do you remember anything after that night? After you and Dallas met at that bar?"

"I…"

She tried. She tried so hard to fight past the blackness. Then and now. But every time she reached out, there was nothing to grab onto. Just hazy, fleeting moments. Dallas smiling at her. Leaning in close to whisper something. His hand at her waist as he led her out of the bar. And then… nothing.

Icy fear spread throughout Ren’s consciousness. He could have done anything. Could have made her do anything. And she’d been powerless to stop it.

She closed her eyes, let out a shuddering breath, and tried to push past the strong desire to throw up. But before she could dig any deeper, the door was thrown open so fiercely that it rattled on its hinges. Rhavos filled the doorframe, massive and imposing, a murderous look chiseled into the hard lines of his face.

And Ren found herself feeling… relieved to see him. Grateful for his presence.

Because at least with him here, she wouldn’t have to think about those five years she’d lost.

"What are you doing to her?" he snarled at Addison.

Rhavos moved toward her, placing his body between her and Addison. Another Karuvar male moved to occupy the space Rhavos had once held, his violet eyes burning with the same thing she'd seen in Rhavos': A desire to protect.

"Kor'ven, I'm fine—" Addison started.

"This doesn't concern you, Engineer," Rhavos growled. "It doesn't concern either of you."

"You have been terrorizing this poor girl for a week. Now I'm finally getting us somewhere, and you want to—"

"Leave!" Rhavos’ command sliced through the room, instantly silencing everyone in it. "Now!"

Addison, evidently not deterred, looked around Rhavos' large frame. "Think about what I asked, Ren. Please."

She nodded, but scooted herself all the way back on the cot until she was propped against the wall. Rhavos let out a bone-rattling growl that finally made Addison and the other Karuvar move, both of them leaving the quarantine room, the door shut behind him.

Ren should have been terrified. She was alone with a hulking brute of a male who'd just proved he wasn't above the threat of violence to get what he wanted.

Yet when that door was closed, when it was just the two of them, she felt like she could finally breathe for the first time in ages. And with that breath, she was unable stop the sudden, gasping sobs that followed.

8

Rhavos had never experienced such an inescapable rage in all his life.

Many Karuvar believed the role of Conqueror was bestowed to a brutal warlord. Someone who tore through their foes without any sense of right or wrong. Someone who would see his potential enemies gutted just for sport. But that was not the way of the Conqueror that Rhavos took, as his father did before him. He used his strength to bring potential threats to heel before they ever became a serious problem. But he was not an animal. He was not a violent beast driven only by his most basic instincts.

The moment he felt his human captive in distress, though, he had become just that.

He’d been speaking to one of his men, reviewing what they’d found in a second raid on the now-empty Freedom Fighter vault. They’d been discussing unresponsive lock panels and impenetrable doors when he’d felt it—a sharp pang of fear and panic deep in his gut. He knew it was not his own, and the instant he realized that, he knew exactly whose it was.

He’d flown from that room in a tear of violent energy, storming through the halls of Waystation Helios, oblivious to anything and anyone in his way. He hadn’t stopped until he’d reached the quarantine wing, only one thought in his mind:

I must protect her. I must protect my mate.

That drive was so strong him that he couldn’t argue with it logically. He couldn’t tell himself it was human trickery; couldn’t talk himself down from practically ripping the door from its frame in his quest to get to her. And when he’d seen her there, so fearless before, yet so frightened and defenseless now… he’d lost all sense of who and what he was. In that moment, his only purpose was to keep the human—his human—safe.

Kor’ven and Adi’sun left without Rhavos having to make any further threats, and he saw Rhin begin to calm somewhat. The sight of it soothed something inside of him, but Rhavos’ voice was still rough when he spoke.

“Did they do something to you?”

“No,” she said, turning her face away from him.

He did not need to see her eyes to know she was crying, and that very fact sent his own emotions into a tailspin. He wanted to raze this entire Waystation for her, and yet he also felt helpless. He did not know how to ease her pain. He did not even know what was causing her pain.

“Then what?” he asked, that frustration coming through in his tone. “They obviously upset you.”

Rhin unleashed a string of words in a language his implant did not immediately identify. Finally it caught up, and he understood the tail end of what she was saying.

“—don’t need some overbearing asshole to fight my battles for me!”

Pain lanced through his chest, as sure as if she’d stabbed him there. He lashed out just as if she had. “You were frightened!” he said with a growl. “You’re still frightened. They could have been hurting you.”

“Why does it matter?” she shot back, her hands balled into fists that clutched the sheets. “I’m your captive. Why would you care what happens to me, so long as you get your information, right?”

Because you’re my mate.

The answer rang out so clearly in his mind and in his soul that Rhavos was momentarily stunned by it. This went beyond human trickery. But if it wasn’t manufactured, that meant…

“I do not know how humans treat their captives, but Karuvar operate by a code of honor and integrity,” he said instead, his jaw squaring as if to keep himself from uttering the very words that vibrated through every inch of his being.

She had no quip for this. Instead, she curled in on herself again, and Rhavos’ heart ached. “Considering what I’ve seen humans do, I guess I lucked out.”

“What do you mean?”

Rhavos had to fight with everything in him to resist the urge to fly into a rage. He could guess what humans she meant. The very humans he’d thought her a part of. But… wasn’t she? Wasn’t she just like every other human, taking advantage of the kindnesses Drol’gan had shown them and attempting to gain the upper hand on the Karuvar?

“You wouldn’t believe me. You haven’t believed a word I’ve said so far,” Rhin said.

And why should he? She was…

He didn’t know what she was anymore. That kiss she’d so bravely initiated had been like a landslide. He’d felt it deep within him, running over his good sense, his inhibitions, his knowledge of what was good and true in the universe. Her fear today had been the aftershock, tearing away at the resistances he still had in place.

“I will try,” he said, pulling up a chair near her cot and taking a seat.

Rhin looked up at him, her amber eyes narrowed in skepticism and still red-rimmed from her tears. Rhavos felt the strangest urge to brush the tracks of moisture from her cheeks, to take her into his arms until she stopped shaking. Completely foreign urges, both, and yet something in him seemed to recognize their value.

“I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t know anything,” she said, swiping angrily at her eyes. “I don’t know anything. I don’t remember anything. Apparently I’m missing years from my life.”

“I do not understand.”

Rhin let out a breath then shook her head. Tears were escaping the corners of her eyes again, and she pushed herself to the edge of the bed, her bare feet finding the floor. “Just forget it,” she said, trying to pass by him.

Rhavos reached for her, his hands on her arms. She stilled, like he’d wanted, and when she looked up at him, it wasn’t exactly fear he saw in her eyes. But there was conflict there, and it gave him pause.

“I want to understand,” he told her, his voice as quiet as if he were confessing a secret.

And maybe he was. His father had taught him to listen to his captives, but Rhavos was beginning to see Rhin less as a captive, and more as someone he desperately needed to understand. So that he could protect her. So that he could please her.

She drew in a sharp intake of breath and jerked away from his hold, rubbing her arms. Had he hurt her? He didn’t think he’d grabbed her that roughly.

“Then stop handling me like I’m a sack of potatoes you can toss wherever you want,” she said, lifting her gaze to him.

There was defiance in her eyes, but something else, too. It was, ultimately, the something else that made Rhavos step back. He dipped his head in acknowledgment, as if he’d been given an order by a commander. Rhin’s eyes widened, but she sat on the edge of the bed once more. Her voice was very quiet when she said, “Thank you.”

She is your prisoner, something inside of him said. She is working for the enemy. You cannot let her control you.

But there was another part of him—a louder part of him—that said he did not wish to frighten his mate. If he touched her again, he wanted it to be because she wished him to. Because it brought her comfort and pleasure.

“Five years ago, I was a student at the college in Everton,” Rhin finally said. “To me, it seems like it was just yesterday, but Addison remembers me. She remembers me coming up to her, giving her this paper.”

She dipped her chin, gesturing to a sheaf of papers that was resting on the bed. Rhavos’ gaze moved over them, but his attention was caught by another piece of paper—one that featured an image of Rhin.

“What is this?” He started to reach for the paper, but thought better of it.

“I went missing five years ago,” she said, her voice numb. “Apparently some people tried to look for me.”

Rhavos’ brow furrowed. It was not possible for her to fabricate such a detail. She would have needed to anticipate this line of questioning long before now.

Rhin looked up at him, still wary. He met her gaze, and whatever she saw in his eyes seemed to calm her further. After a long moment of silence, she finally told him what she remembered.

It was… maddening. Rhavos’ emotions were torn in so many different directions. As she spoke, he felt rage, sorrow, uncertainty, and fear, to name a few. At some point, it occurred to him that he might be feeling her emotions as if they were his own, and that thought turned his stomach.

Not in disgust at her treachery, but in sympathy.

It was nearly impossible to think of her as some manipulative human any longer. His reactions to her were too strong and too genuine. He felt her pain somewhere deep inside his soul, and all he wanted to do was find some way to soothe it. He wanted so badly to take her into his arms and stroke her hair until she stopped crying, but he stayed where he was. Near enough to ease the aches and pains of his implant, but not so close that he caused her apprehension.

She seemed to appreciate the effort, and so Rhavos found himself fixating on this Dal’uhz she described. The male who’d done this to her. Rhavos typically did not take joy in brutally killing his enemies, but he would relish this male’s death.

That was something he could plan out in the very near future, though. For now, he would make certain the human could not reach her any longer.

“Come with me,” he said, once he was sure she had finished speaking.

Her gaze narrowed in question, but she did follow. Rhavos’ felt some of his own tension ease, his natural instinct to protect her momentarily calmed. He led her to Kor’ven’s workspace and addressed the engineer.

“Whatever they have done to her, you will fix it.”

And because he knew it would be fruitless to try and focus his mind on anything else, he remained in the room with her, all while plotting out exactly what he would do to the human who had hurt her.

9

After that strange, eventful morning, Ren was never put back in the quarantine room.

She'd been taken to an exam room, where Addison and her mate, Kor'ven, ran some tests on her implant, all while Rhavos hovered. His presence should have bothered her; instead, it was the only thing keeping her calm.

To his credit, he didn't try to touch her or invade her personal space. He was always nearby, always where he could reach her if she needed him, but he seemed to actually grasp the human concept of boundaries, which shocked Ren to no end.

Hours into the testing, Kor'ven concluded that there was no one component responsible for her "cognitive reprogramming," as he called it.

"Mind control," Ren said, her tone as even as she could make it. "Let's call it what it is."

"It's more complicated than that," Kor'ven began. "The neurons—" One look from Addison stopped him, and he offered an apologetic smile. "Mind control, yes."

"So you cannot fix it?" Rhavos asked, his impatience showing.

"We'll keep working on a permanent solution," Addison assured him, "but for now, her implant isn't sending or receiving any transmissions."

"It is reacting too strongly to yours, Conqueror," Kor'ven added.

Ren wasn't sure she liked the sound of that. "What does that mean?"

Addison pulled back from the terminal she was working at and offered her a gentle smile. "It means the presence of your mate is keeping the Freedom Fighters from interfering with your mind."

At the time, Ren had no idea what to make of that. She'd expected immediate denial from Rhavos, but he'd said nothing. He’d just looked at her with what she could only describe as intense determination before he'd gone back to his own tasks, leaving Ren to sort through the ramifications of this new development on her own.

That was easier said than done. Even if she was free to move about the Waystation as she pleased now, she still had two captors: Dallas, or whoever was in charge of sending the mind control signals. And Rhavos, who she still hadn't been able to make heads or tails of.

Over the next few days, Ren realized Rhavos wasn't the only enigma to be found among the Karuvar. They were all over the Waystation, but everyone she met seemed… not at all like the brutish tyrants she'd believed them to be. Some were cradling babies, others were speaking quietly with human women, and the rest just seemed to be going about their day. It was almost like a college campus, just with slightly more hormones floating around.

Ren had always operated under the “know thy enemy” philosophy, because knowledge would take away the power they held over her. But the more information Ren gained about the Karuvar of Helios, the more lost she felt.

By the fourth day, she decided to focus on something else. Grabbing a sheet of paper from the desk, she'd started sketching from memory. What came out was something resembling a blueprint, and it wasn't until she was done that she realized it was a layout of the Freedom Fighters’ security systems. Not just the cameras, but the alarms, the tripwires, and all the locked doors, too.

She sat on the blueprints until the next morning, unsure what to do with them. This was her leverage. This was how she could barter for her full release, but…

Rhavos had been surprisingly respectful of her space over the past few days. He was still gruff, still singularly focused on his mission, but there were moments where he came across as almost… kind. Or at least deeply honorable.

She didn't owe him, but she thought a gesture of goodwill might go a long way. So that morning, she asked to speak with him.

Ren could feel him as he approached, like the slow-moving warmth of the sun as it moved through the sky. There was something comforting about it, but incredibly distracting, too, as a different kind of heat built between her thighs.

She showed him the plans, expecting a stoic silence followed by a curt nod, as if she were one of his men. But Rhavos seemed genuinely impressed.

"You drew this from memory?" he asked.

"I think I set up all of their security systems," she admitted. "Or at least optimized them."

"Then you know how to get around them. My men have been trying for days, but the locks will not give."

"They don't respond to force," she said, "only to the implants coded to open them. Unless they're disabled from the mainframe."

Rhavos considered this, and Ren couldn't help but notice how close he was. Not on purpose, she thought. He was just leaning down to see the plans she'd drawn up. But she could smell him, a mix of musk and sweat and spice that should have been a turn-off, but made her want to back up a few steps so she could feel his body against hers.

"Can you tell my men how to do this?" he asked.

"It'll be easier if I do it myself."

She didn't think before she said it; the words just came out. But once she'd made the offer, she found she didn't hate it. In fact, it was… empowering, in a way. The "Freedom" Fighters had taken her freedom from her, taken her safety. Now she would get the chance to do the same thing to them.

She was feeling pretty good about that decision, until she saw Rhavos stiffen.

"No. Absolutely not."

Ren turned to look at him, her chin tilting up so she could meet his eyes. "Why not? I know the system. I built the system. It'll be a lot easier and a lot more successful if I just disable it myself."

"It is too much of a risk."

She scoffed at him. "Do you seriously think I'm going to turn on you? That I'm going to lure you into a false sense of security so me and the other humans can—"

"I will not risk you being harmed," he said with a growl.

That intensity returned to his eyes, and it took Ren's breath away.

"Oh," she said softly.

She would argue that she could protect herself, but the reality was that she worked best when she couldn't be seen; when no one could get to her. Any physical opposition, and she was forced to fold.

It made her wish she'd taken that self-defense class the campus offered. Back then, she hadn't wanted to answer violence with even more violence, but now Ren could see the benefit of being able to protect herself.

But… she could learn now, couldn't she?

"You can teach me to fight," she suggested, feeling bold.

Just a few days ago, she wouldn't have trusted Rhavos to just exist in a room with her, let alone armed, with her at his mercy. Now she believed him when he said he didn't want to see her harmed. Somewhere deep down, instinctively, she… trusted him.

Which was a terrifying thought.

"I cannot teach you to fight," he said with a derisive snort.

"Why? Because I'm a human?"

He looked at her, and for a second she thought maybe that was the reason. Part of it, anyway. But after a moment, he said, "I cannot teach you to fight in one afternoon. I want to move on this tomorrow."

Ren rolled her eyes. "I don't need to know how to take down a standing army, I just need to know how to protect myself if someone jumps me."

Rhavos considered this for a long time, looking down at her with a scrutiny that made every nerve ending in her body tingle. "It will not be easy," he finally said.

"I like a challenge."

* * *

That was how Ren found herself unarmed in a large room, facing off against an opponent who was three times her size.

"You are small," he pointed out, as if she wasn't very aware of that. "You cannot overpower your enemies. But you can use their size against them."

Rhavos approached her, hesitating at the last moment. His eyes sought hers, and she realized he was actually asking permission. She nodded, feeling a silly little flutter in her chest as she gave it.

That was until he stepped so close to her, she could feel the heat of his body. He was wearing the same thing he'd always worn—a leather harness that crossed over his chest—but today, it was that much harder for Ren to keep herself from wanting to touch that chiseled definition that was on display right in front of her.

"Your center of gravity is closer to the ground than mine. You can use that to throw me off balance," he said. "Here. I will approach you from the front, and I want you to grapple my waist."

Wait, she actually was going to touch him? Ren's mouth went dry. Of course she had to touch him. This was a self-defense lesson. She couldn't learn otherwise.

"Grapple your waist. Got it," she said, feeling foolish.

He stepped forward slowly, but with purpose, his arms out as if he intended to grab her.

"Bend your knees," he instructed, right as she went to grab him, "then grab me."

Her heart was pounding, but she did as he instructed. She expected to hit a wall of solid muscle and fall on her face, but when she reached for him, grabbing his harness where it met his pants, she actually was able to get him to stumble.

The momentum made her keep going, though, and her grip tightened as she tried to keep herself from falling. Rhavos must have realized what was happening, because one arm came around her, holding her up.

And against him.

She was eye-level with his abs, her hair falling in a curtain around her face, hiding the blush she knew was rising in her cheeks. Slowly she straightened, Rhavos still helping her, her hands moving up the straps of his harness like they were a lifeline.

Ren found herself more out of breath than she should have been for such a simple maneuver. Rhavos was practically panting, too, his chest rising and falling beneath her hands. She made the mistake of meeting his eyes then, and polished steel stared back at her with a fiery intensity.

Her fingers curled tighter around the straps, and she felt Rhavos' arm curl tighter around her, too. She was caught, but panic was the last thing she felt. Instead, she was overwhelmed by the desire to be closer to him. She wanted him to kiss her like he had the other day, yet he made no move to do so. She wanted to tear these straps off him, get them out of her way so she could run her hands and her mouth over the planes of his body.

But she couldn't seem to make herself do it, no matter how much she wanted to. No matter how much Rhavos wanted it in return.

Hands shaking, Ren let go of him, an apology on her lips. Rhavos released his hold on her immediately, and the moment was broken.

Even as they continued the lesson in complete innocence, Ren knew she was playing with fire. It seemed like only a matter of time until her inhibitions came crashing down, and what would she do then?

She might be able to protect her body. Rhavos had been respectful of her choices so far. But it was that respect, that care she’d seen from him that made her wonder if she should be more worried about protecting her heart.

10

Rhavos was already changing his plans to accommodate Rhin.

He'd promised the Freedom Fighters would be taken out quickly and efficiently, and the raid he had planned for this evening was neither quick or efficient. Despite the fact that they had everything they needed to break through the previously inaccessible parts of the facility, this was just going to be a scouting mission. As Rhin insisted on going with him, he could not risk her safety.

That change in plans—and the fact that he was finding it difficult to focus on anything other than her—put Rhavos on edge.

He paced in the chambers he'd been given at Helios, unable to rest his mind or his body. He'd gone over Rhin's map a hundred times, at least, but there was still so much that remained uncertain—too many opportunities for things to go terribly wrong.

Kor'ven and Adi'sun had not removed whatever allowed the humans to control Rhin. It was still there, and despite what they said, Rhavos feared the Freedom Fighters could reach her. Put her in danger. Kill her outright.

He let out a frustrated growl, his arm lashing out and sending a small table flying. He should not have to worry about the safety of a human. And yet he did. He felt her presence, felt her well-being with everything he had. This was not what he wanted. Not what he needed.

Mate, something inside him insisted. She is your mate.

Rhavos' palms pressed against the wall and he dropped his head down, trying to block out the world around him as he normally did before a campaign. A useless effort this time. He could still see her in his mind; could still hear her, smell her, feel her. Her body, soft and curved, pressed to his as he'd trained her…

Rhavos could feel the blood rush southward, his cock growing rock hard at just the thought of her. It was such a strange thing. He’d been a hot-blooded youngling once, but he’d made adequate use of his hand and had grown out of that phase of his development. Karuvar females were pleasing to the eye, but they hadn’t distracted him in a very long time. And human females? When he looked at them, he felt nothing. They were just an alien species, too soft and too pale and too small to arouse him.

But the moment he looked at Rhin, he was almost overwhelmed by his lust. Even now, just thinking of her, it consumed him to the point where he found himself loosening the ties of his pants, forced to rely on the one thing that had calmed his raging hormones in the past.

Rhavos spit into his palm and gripped his cock, hissing at the pleasure he'd denied himself since coming to Earth. His fingers curled around the shaft and he pumped his demanding flesh with an almost angered vigor. He tried to treat it like a chore—something he had to do so he could focus on more important tasks—but his mind would not let him.

Instead, he thought of Rhin. Of her sharp tongue tracing the seam of his sac as her hand mimicked the movements he was making now. No, two hands. She was small. She would need both. Rhavos closed his eyes, imagining his own fingers were hers.

Once he gave himself permission to fantasize, he was beyond redemption.

He thought of her tight cunt, wet and ready for him. In his most vivid dreams, he mounted her and fucked her harder than any human male could. He made himself last until she'd taken her pleasure from his flesh, and then he spilled his seed inside of her with one final thrust.

Rhavos grunted as he conjured those images again. He stroked himself with relentless, single-minded attention, his hand moving up and down his shaft in a blur. When he felt himself getting close, his body nearly vibrating with need, he pumped even harder, his fingers clenching around the base of his cock as it twitched and jerked with his release.

Only when the over-stimulation became absolutely unbearable did he pull his hand away, returning it to the wall as he panted. He did feel some relief, but not nearly enough to make his mind as clear as a Conqueror's should be. And with the raid less than an hour away, Rhavos did not have high hopes for his ability to act the way his men expected him to.

"Why did you have to choose her?" he growled, glaring down at the inky black tattoo that spiraled outward from his implant.

Rhavos did not expect a response, but the implant pulsed, causing a shock of pain to radiate up and down his arm.

He knew what it wanted. He knew why it was doing this. Slaking his uncontrollable lust for this female with his own hand was not going to stop it.

But he could not mate her. He would not. Even if she welcomed him inside of her—something he doubted would ever happen—he had much bigger things to worry about.

Like making sure she and the rest of his team lived through the night.

* * *

They took an Earth vehicle to the vault site, just as before. Several of his men were waiting, acting as guards and monitoring the location for any signs of movement.

"Report," he said to the elder among them.

"No discernible movements, Conqueror," he said. "There are heat pockets deeper within the vault, beyond the locked doors, but we're unsure if those are humans, or something else."

He nodded, then turned to his men with a stern expression. "Assume they are humans until we learn otherwise."

Rhavos made one last check on his men and their knowledge of the plan, trying his best to treat Rhin as he would any other team member. The last thing he needed was for the other Karuvar to accuse him of favoritism. No doubt several of them were already angry over the fact that he was including a human in this at all.

With a quick jerk of his chin, he ordered his front-men to descend into the vault. They would clear a path, if need be. Otherwise they would scout the tunnels leading to their first strike location: the armory.

"Stay with me at all times," he commanded Rhin.

"Don't have to tell me twice," she muttered.

When his men gave the signal, Rhavos made his way into the vault, keeping Rhin in front of him. She had already disabled the cameras, traps, and alarms, so the only thing they faced as they descended deeper into the vault was a vast expanse of empty corridors, just as Rhavos' men had seen on previous trips to this location.

Before tonight, their raids ended on the third level, locked doors blocking their path. But now they had Rhin, and when they reached the door she’d marked as the armory, she started to lift her arm to a panel, intending to activate it with her implant.

Awareness prickled at the back of Rhavos’ neck and he put his own arm out to stop her.

"It could be trapped," he said, and tested it with his own implant.

The panels flashed red, but nothing else happened. Rhin's gaze narrowed and she looked at him with impatience.

"I told you I disabled all the traps," she said.

The murmur from his men did not sit well with Rhavos, but he kept quiet as Rhin held her arm before the panels. Again, they flashed red.

"She is lying," one of his men said. "Just because you've lost your wits to this female doesn't mean the rest of us have to."

Rhavos moved quickly, closing the space between he and Vekt in a fraction of a moment. He shoved the younger Karuvar against the wall, his arm braced across Vekt's throat.

"Say that again," he growled, getting so close to the male that his horns scraped against the other Karuvar's.

Vekt pushed at his arm, struggling for breath. But it was Rhin's words that finally got Rhavos to stop applying pressure.

"They must have revoked my clearance. I can hack into it from one of the other rooms, if you're done fighting with each other."

Rhavos took a step back, but he pinned the other male with his gaze until the youngling finally looked away, rubbing his throat. The rest of his men were quiet as Rhin moved into a large room that contained several terminals. Rhavos positioned a few Karuvar to keep guard and watched as her fingers flew over the keyboard, her gaze intense and focused on her task.

After a short while, he heard one of his men call, "It is green."

Rhin looked up at him, a self-satisfied smile on her face. He wanted to encourage it; to nurture it. But he merely nodded and tried to ignore the tug in his heart when that smile faded.

Pulling his bladed staff from his back, Rhavos stood at the ready as one of his men activated the door. When the metal slid open, though, there was no one waiting on the other side.

"By the Stars," one of his men commented.

And rightly so, because the room was stocked with more weapons than an organization of this size should have. Firearms, mostly, from what Rhavos could see. There were a few blades, though, as well as some throw weapons.

"Wrap these up," he told Lovak, "carefully. Take them up top."

"They've already armed themselves," Rhin pointed out, gesturing toward the empty spaces.

When they returned to this vault—without such a liability—he would keep that in mind.

In the meantime, Rhavos oversaw the packing of the weapons for transport, taking a mental inventory. As Lovak gathered several of them from a smaller case, though, something caught his eye.

"Let me see that.”

A hand weapon in the shape of large claws was brought to him, the sharpened metal gleaming under the harsh light. Leather straps secured the blades and offered a space for the wielder’s hand to go through, the claws meant to protrude well past the fingers. But the space was far too large for a human hand, and there was something curious about the tips. They were stained with something Rhavos didn't think was blood.

"These are not human weapons," he said. "Where did they get these?"

Rhin's brow furrowed as she looked at the claws. "I… don't know. I've never seen them before."

Rhavos halted the packing and investigated the case the claws had come from. There were other weapons there, all made for the hands. Primitive in design, with no moving parts like a firearm. All were tinged at the end with that same stain.

"You don't think it could be…" Lovak began.

There was only one way to know. Rhavos lifted the claws to his mouth and touched his tongue to the stained metal. It tingled, and a bitter taste flooded his mouth, numbness soon following.

Poison.

He gave a quick nod. Though the poison faded quickly, he could still feel his heart hammering away. Rhin was looking up at him with concern, and he felt the strangest desire to comfort her.

Of all the things he should be doing right now, that was not high on the list.

"This is Nikhiza technology," he finally said.

This was met with uneasy stares. The Nikhiza were one of the few races who had ever given the Karuvar trouble. Brutal and merciless, their males were gifted with the spirits of beasts and could transform at will. They used weapons such as these that were tipped with a poison specifically made to weaken other Nikhiza.

Years ago, Rhavos' father had been forced to retreat from their homeworld. He'd lived with that shame for the rest of his life.

"Nikhiza," he heard Rhin say. "I've heard that name before. I… I…"

Rhavos' mind was in a thousand different places, and at first, he did not notice that Rhin had never actually finished her thought. When he finally looked at her, she was pale, her eyes wide with fear as she clutched at her arm.

"Something… something's wrong… I can't…" As he watched, Rhin's eyes rolled back so far he could see only white.

Fear struck Rhavos' heart, and in that moment, nothing else mattered. Not the rebel humans, not the Nikhiza, not even his own men. He knew she did not like being touched without permission, but Rhavos reached for her just the same. Before he could reach her, though, her own hand shot out with surprising swiftness.

Rhavos saw a flash of metal before he realized she'd grabbed one of the firearms and she was pointing it right at him.

His men reacted instantly, but he held up a hand to stop them. "No," he growled, deadly serious in his command. "Stand down."

"At least one of you has some sense." The words were coming from Rhin's mouth, and they were spoken in her voice. But they didn't sound like her. "Call off the rest of your dogs, and I'll take you to Dal’uhz. Just you."

He could disarm her in an instant, but if she was being controlled, there was no telling what might happen. And if she was not…

"We should have killed her when we had the chance," Vekt said.

Rhin just laughed. "Yeah. He's right. You should have. But I guess Karuvar and human men aren’t too different: You both think with your dicks."

Rhavos pressed his luck and stepped forward, looking her in the eyes. "This is not you. You must fight."

"There's nothing to fight, cabrón. Did you actually think that little lost lamb routine was real? Give me a break." Her lips turned up in a smile that made Rhavos' heart sink. "Last chance. Get rid of your men, or I'll do it for you."

There were very few times in his life where Rhavos felt overwhelmed and unsure of the best path forward, but this was one of them. It was his duty to protect his men. He’d brought them into this situation, and he must ensure they make it out alive.

But it was also his duty to protect Rhin, and so he stood firm, hoping to call her bluff.

She didn’t back down, either.

"Suit yourself," she said as she raised the firearm. Her arm was shaking. He could see tears in her eyes. The pale color that had overtaken her face was now tinged with green, and beads of sweat traced a path down her brow.

But she still pulled the trigger.

Rhavos acted without hesitation, placing himself in front of her. A blast of energy exploded from the weapon, and he felt a sharp hit of pain as the beam sliced straight through the scale plates that protected his shoulder, branding the flesh beneath.

The firearm clattered to the floor and Rhavos heard an anguished cry. His ears were ringing, his heart was pounding, and he was in so much pain, that burning sensation passing from nerve ending to nerve ending. But when his men rushed to seize her—to kill her—Rhavos did the only thing he could do.

He stopped them.

"Touch her and you can consider your rank and title stripped," he promised through gritted teeth.

He could feel the energy shift in the room, the animosity rising from his men. They were questioning him. Questioning his strength, his honor, his very command.

But there was only one person he cared about right now: His mate.

She was crumpled on the floor, rocking back and forth, tears streaming down her face. He wanted to comfort her. To protect her. To take on the entire universe if it meant keeping her safe from these humans.

But darkness claimed him first.

11

No matter how many times she retched, Ren couldn’t seem to stop the violent churning of her stomach.

She was a burden. She knew it. They’d given her a bucket, but it was clear they weren’t happy with her. And why would they be? She’d wounded their Conqueror. A few inches to the left and she could have killed him. It didn’t matter that he was sitting tall, his jaw clenched, teeth gritted, expression rigid from pain, but otherwise fine. She’d pulled that trigger. She’d caused him that pain.

Ren’s stomach lurched again and she bent over her bucket, dry-heaving for a few moments before it passed. Every time it happened, Rhavos looked at her with concern, and she felt infinitely worse.

How could he feel anything other than hatred toward her right now? It was what she felt toward herself. She had it in spades. She’d broken a promise she’d made to herself over ten years ago. And in doing so, she’d almost killed her…

Her mate.

She couldn’t call him anything else now. Seeing him in pain, seeing that look of utter betrayal cloud his features, she’d felt it grip her heart. It was a pain fiercer than she’d ever known, and it was what ultimately broke the spell the Freedom Fighters had her under. Her implant had burned like someone was pouring acid over her arm, and as she’d regained full control of her body, her legs had just collapsed beneath her.

He’d been willing to carry her out, but she’d walked. She sat near him now, wanting to apologize—wanting to do something—but sensing she shouldn’t do it in front of his men.

So she waited. She kept her mouth shut and tried to keep the bile from souring her stomach again. When they reached Helios, when Rhavos refused medical treatment, she finally said something.

“Give me whatever he needs.” It was more of a command than a request.

The nurse on duty looked at her warily before glancing to Rhavos. He did not hesitate, merely gave her a curt nod and retreated down the hall. Ren could only guess he was going to his quarters—if not, she’d track him down.

Loaded down with supplies, she found Rhavos’ room easily enough. It didn’t look too different from her own, though somehow she doubted he appreciated the colorful floral arrangement or the abstract paintings on the walls. He seemed to be more of a minimalist.

Which was something she could think about when he wasn’t in pain.

“I know you probably don’t want to see me right now, but—”

“That is not at all what I feel,” he said, his tone weary.

She knew that. She could practically feel the concern still radiating off him. With a soft sigh, Ren approached where he sat on the edge of his bed. He was already undoing his harness, setting his weapon aside, and she was grateful for the help.

Bringing a basin of water over the the bedside table, Ren dunked a cloth in, wrung it out, and began to clean the wound, starting with the blood that still stained his skin. Rhavos’ muscles twitched, his teeth gritted harder, but he didn’t move.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “For stopping them.”

“I could do nothing else.”

It was not said in an adoring way, and why would it be? She could guess what that action had cost him. His men believed her a traitor, and for him to side with her…

“I don’t know what happened. One minute I was fine, and the next I was reaching for that gun.”

Her stomach revolted again, but she squeezed her eyes shut and kept control of herself. Rhavos still said nothing, still barely even flinched as she rubbed the cloth closer to the wound.

“I haven’t touched a gun in a long time. And I could see myself doing it; I could feel the weight of it in my hand. But I couldn’t stop myself.”

Tears started to burn at the corner of her eyes but she blinked them away, furious with herself. Now wasn’t the time. He might have spared her, but he didn’t care—

Ren gasped when she felt his large hand come up to cradle her cheek. She closed her eyes again and leaned into the touch, letting herself be weak for just a moment.

“I was terrified,” she admittedly softly.

“I know,” he said. “I could feel it.”

“I tried to break out of it, tried to stop myself, but the only thing that made me stop was seeing you in pain.”

Rhavos looked at her, and though he still seemed exhausted, his silver eyes darkened with an intense desire. When he spoke, she understood why. “That is what it means to have a mate.”

Ren drew in a breath and let it out in a soft exhale. Her hand came over Rhavos’ and she nodded.

“I want to kiss you,” he said, his voice a deep rumble.

It took Ren a moment to even understand. It was so far from what she expected, so far from the person she’d thought him to be, that she was sure she must have misheard. But that heat burned in his eyes, and he was looking at her lips, leaving her no way to misinterpret.

He was asking her permission. Respecting what she’d wanted, not taking the liberties any other man might take in this moment.

No sooner had she nodded than Rhavos leaned forward, the hand on her cheek moving into her hair as hers rested on his good shoulder. With the intensity that shone in his eyes, she expected a frantic, passionate kiss. And while his mouth pressed firmly to hers, his tongue brushing past her parted lips, it was slow and searching. Her heart fluttered uncontrollably, her chest squeezing. His tongue met hers in a gentle stroke, coaxing a soft moan out of her, and that sound was what finally urged him into pressing harder, his fingers tightening in her hair, his mouth crushing to hers.

Ren let herself get lost in it for a long moment, but she wanted more. She wanted to climb onto his lap, to press her body to his, skin to skin. To take him inside of her, squeeze around him as he brought her to climax.

Her other hand came up to rest on his arm, her nails digging in. A grunt escaped him, and Ren belatedly realized that was his injured arm. The arm she’d shot.

Her lust was suddenly doused by the ice water that shot through her veins, and she pulled back from him.

“I have to clean and dress the wound,” she said.

Rhavos did not push. He simply sat back, his gaze staying on her, none of that intensity fading. She swallowed hard and tried to focus on her task, gently cleaning the wound before she applied the salve she’d been given.

“Something else caused you pain,” he said, and Ren blinked at him. “In the vault. Something other than seeing me harmed.”

He was right, but she wished he wasn’t. She wished, too, that she could go back to the place she’d been when they first met. Where she’d been nothing more than a caged animal snapping at anyone who came close. Back then, she would have had a few choice words for him before she shut this conversation down completely.

Now she was considering telling him about the hell that had been her life. Strange to think that she’d only known him for a week.

“Not every city is like Everton,” she began quietly. “Here, people are mostly free to do what they like. The militia only intervenes when there’s criminal activity. But it wasn’t like that where I grew up. The militia there had all the power, and the citizens had none, with no way to fight back.”

She let out a shuddering breath as she revisited that time. She’d spent her childhood in a flat that was barely habitable, and definitely not big enough for a family of three. Everyone else lived the same way. There was no school. No chance to play. Only back-breaking work, from the time she was six.

“We worked in the mines and the factories or out in the fields with the militia always standing guard, all of them armed. I remember watching my mother collapse in the heat. They wouldn’t let her get a drink of water, and when she didn’t get up immediately, they threatened her at gunpoint until she started working again.”

Anger flared in Rhavos’ eyes, but he stayed silent, allowing Ren to continue.

“It was killing her. Not just working like that day in and day out, but watching me work, too. Eventually she just… gave up. So… I had to fight for us. I had to do something for our family.”

Ren explained how she met with other people who were trying to escape the militia’s grasp. She sacrificed what precious little time she already had for sleep and instead went to meetings with a local resistance group. She helped build an underground bunker outside of the city, donated a portion of her own MREs and water rations to stock it. And when the time came, she took her mother there.

She’d been fourteen.

“Still a youngling,” Rhavos observed, “even by Karuvar standards. I cannot…” He let out a breath. “I cannot imagine having the strength to do that.”

Ren met his gaze. “Is it really strength if you have no choice?”

“Yes,” he said simply.

That one word, that affirmation was enough to help her through the rest of the story; the part she’d spent so long blocking out of her mind.

“We were safe for a while. Happy. It was a small community, but everybody looked out for each other. Our supplies were only meant to last for a year, though, and we needed to send people out to get more.” Ren was quiet for a long moment. “Half of the people we sent out never came back. The militia shot them on sight. It got to a point where there was only one other family living in the bunker, and I drew straws with their son to see who would go out on the supply run. He lost.”

She could still remember the way Marcus smiled when he drew the short straw. It was the smile of someone who knew he wasn’t ever going to see his family or his home again. And he’d been right.

“I don’t know how it happened, but the militia found the bunker. I can still hear them banging on the door, trying to get it open. My mother was holding onto me, but as soon as the militia started to break through, she put herself in front of us and just lunged at one of them. She knocked one of their guns away, but they…”

The shot rang through her memory, followed shortly after by the sound of her mother’s body hitting the floor. Ren closed her eyes and let out a shuddering breath. Rhavos was watching her, and she could tell he wanted to do something. It was a sentiment she understood, and for several moments, she busied herself with dressing his wound.

“I knew what was going to happen if I just surrendered. I still had a lot of years of work left in me. They’d make me fulfill a contract that never had an end; keep me somewhere in the barracks so they could make sure I didn’t escape. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let my mother’s death accomplish nothing. It was the…” Ren let out a breath. “The one time she actually fought for me, and she paid with her life.”

Her hands were shaking as she tied off the bandage. Rhavos placed his over top and looked up at her.

“Come here,” he said softly.

She didn’t resist. Setting the salve and bandages aside, Ren moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Rhavos wasn’t content with that, though, and he scooped her into his arms. She let out a shuddering breath, feeling the tears come anew.

“I shot two of them myself. The father of the other family—the only person left besides us—tackled the last of them to the ground. He told me to run, so I did. I didn’t stop for two days.”

She hadn’t even been able to bury her mother. Eventually, she’d made a marker with a cross, but it wasn’t enough. Ren closed her eyes and buried her head against Rhavos’ chest, the tears falling freely. He stroked her hair and held her, so incredibly gentle that it almost made her cry even harder.

“Adi’sun said you studied in this town. How did you get here?”

“A family took me in. The dad was a teacher, and he tried his best to catch me up. When I was twenty-one, I caught a train to Everton and took the entrance exam for the university. I failed three times before they finally let me in.”

“What of the others? The humans that were with you?” he asked.

Pain washed over her, and she slid her arms around Rhavos’ waist, pressing her cheek to the place where she heard his heart beating. “Honestly? If they didn’t escape, I hope they were killed. Because if they weren’t, the militia made them pay for helping me.”

She still felt guilty over that. Her life wasn’t worth more than theirs. But they’d given her the opportunity, and she’d taken it. Only to end up brainwashed and mind controlled by another group of humans.

It was too much. She couldn’t think about how disappointed the people she’d left behind would be.

So instead, she looked up at Rhavos as he brushed away her tears.

“I don’t really want to think about that anymore,” she said softly. “I don’t want to think about any of it anymore.”

It was a plea, and one she made knowing she didn’t deserve his kindness. But she knew he would give it. She could see it in his eyes, could feel it in his touch as his hands cradled her face.

And when his mouth came down on hers, Ren knew she could have this—have him—and worry about the rest of the world later.

12

Rhavos could feel no pain.

His shoulder throbbed, but it was a distant sensation in the wake of everything else he was feeling. He wanted, more than anything, to comfort Rhin; to take away her pain. She'd been so strong for so long. How could he have thought her weak? He knew better now, and he wanted to show her that she did not have to shoulder the burden alone.

Many orbits ago, when Rhavos had allowed himself to think about his future mate, he'd imagined someone completely different from Rhin. But now he could see no one else. She was his ideal. She was the standard to which he would judge everyone else. She was the sun in his galaxy, radiant and life-giving, and he was blessed to orbit around her.

He kissed her deeply, his tongue teasing, tracing, tasting. She answered with her own, her soft sounds of pleasure telling him she was already moving away from those thoughts and memories that upset her.

Rhavos pulled her further onto his lap, ignoring the ache in his arm. She nestled against him, fitting to him perfectly. He'd been mad to think her too small once—she was just the right size, and even now her soft body cradled his cock, her hips lifting and falling in a slight rhythm as instinct began to drive her.

She was his mate, she was made for him, and so Rhavos knew she would lose herself to that instinct soon enough. Until then, he would move slowly and ensure his mate's pleasure so that when her implant demanded she mate, she was ready for him.

He kissed her thoroughly, his tongue dancing with hers before he drew back and painted a trail down to her jaw, continuing on to her throat. It was a vulnerable place for Karuvar—one of the few vital points not protected by scale plates—and to expose one's throat was the ultimate act of trust.

Perhaps it was not the same for humans, but Rhavos was pleased just the same when his mate tilted her head up to grant him access, his lips and tongue exploring the hollow of her throat. Her own hands explored his shoulders, wary of his wound but seemingly fascinated with his scales.

Eager to see more of her, Rhavos slid his hands over her thighs and rested them just below the hem of her shirt, looking up at her in question. She answered by grabbing the shirt herself, her arms crossed over one another as she pulled it over her head, exposing smooth, bronzed skin that Rhavos could not wait to explore.

Cloth bound her chest still, but she removed it quickly, freeing her full breasts, her nipples dark and inviting. Rhavos had never been with a human female, had never even seen one naked, but this one was his mate, and his implant-driven instincts encouraged him to try things she might like.

His hands moved up her sides and a soft rumble vibrated through him at the sound of her gasp and at the way she leaned into his touch. He continued upward, and the instant his fingers brushed her breasts, she arched toward him, a moan trapped between her lips.

He did not want her to be reserved, in this or any other endeavor. She liked this attention, and he wanted her to enjoy it unabashedly, so he kneaded the supple flesh and paid special attention to her hardening nipples, his thumbs brushing over the rough peaks.

Rhin squirmed in his lap, and Rhavos did not try to hide his own growl of pleasure as her body moved against his, her heat reaching him even through the fabric.

His willpower would not hold out forever. He needed to be inside of her, to make her his, but for right now, he wanted her to know that he was at her mercy—willing to do any and everything to please her.

Rhavos kissed a path from her throat to her breasts, caressing one with his lips while his hand continued with the other. He glanced up at her, saw her focused intently on him. Her gaze locked with his, and she lifted up, moving so that his lips brushed her nipple.

A pleased growl rumbled in the back of Rhavos' throat. His mate knew what she wanted, and she was growing bolder in asking him for it.

"I am yours," he promised her. "Tell me what you want, show me what you need, and I will do it."

To demonstrate this, he drew the hardened peak into his mouth, pride flowing through him when she tilted her head back and moaned with far less inhibition.

Her hips continued to move, her body rubbing against his aching cock. Rhavos groaned, a shiver coursing through him as he fought back his own needs.

To his surprise, she reached down between them, her small hand held to the hard line of his erection. She gripped him through the cloth, caressed his aching flesh, and Rhavos let out a gasp of his own, momentarily releasing her nipple as he looked up at her in reverence.

Of course she knew what he needed. They were mates. She could sense his desires as easily as he could sense hers.

Adjusting herself on his lap, Rhin undid the ties of his pants and reached in to grasp him. Her fingers did not even begin to close around his girth, but she stroked him nonetheless. It was everything Rhavos could do not to thrust into her hand as his mouth returned to her breasts, seeking out her unattended nipple.

She was beginning to breathe more heavily, and he could almost feel that passion sparking inside of her. She would lose herself soon, lose that tight control she'd been forced to maintain, and Rhavos was eager to be the one she trusted enough to allow it.

For now, she was still willing to guide him, and he was more than willing to be led to what would please her most.

"Touch me," she said on a soft moan, her hand reaching for his.

She leaned back and shifted her hips, bringing his hand to rest between her thighs. Rhavos touched her, his fingers pressing against her hot, pliable flesh. She was responsive to his touch even through her clothing, her affirmations whispered as he started to rub in small, tight circles.

Rhavos groaned when she reached for his cock again, this time with both hands. Her mouth found his, and he kissed her greedily, letting go for a moment and giving into his own needs, his hips bucking beneath her.

She was panting now, and Rhavos could tolerate the clothing keeping them apart no longer. Wrapping his arms around her, he lifted her and stood, laying her down on the bed.

As he pulled down his pants the rest of the way, Rhin tugged off her own, along with another, smaller piece of clothing. She was bared to him, and his cock twitched as need pulsed through him.

She would have allowed him to take her now, but Rhavos did not want her permission. He wanted her to desire it as badly as he did—so much that she begged him for it.

Kneeling at the edge of the bed, he nudged her thighs further apart, gratified when she spread them even further. He reached up to rub where she'd told him to and was rewarded with a loud moan, her hips lifting off the bed to meet him.

"Do you want my mouth where my hand is now? My tongue inside of you?"

"Yes," she gasped, lifting further off the bed. "Yes, please."

Rhavos moved both hands to her thighs and eased between her thighs, careful of his horns. He breathed in the scent of her arousal, a less restrained growl rumbling through him before he put his mouth to her, licking her slick folds, kissing her there as he had above, his lips caressing, his tongue delving inside of her.

She moaned, her nails digging into the scale plating that guarded his shoulder. But that was nothing compared to the moment his lips moved higher, brushing a tiny nub of flesh. She arched off the bed, moving even beneath his steady hold, and pressed her head back into the bed, her lips falling open with a breathless cry of pleasure.

Rhavos focused his attention on that part of her, lips and tongue working in tandem, driving her toward the edge. It wasn’t long before she broke, the muscles in her thighs and abdomen flexing, her breath held in, the rest of her body still before she let out a low moan.

And that, too, was when her inhibitions broke at last. The moment she let go, the moment she gave herself over to her pleasure, she gave into her instinct, as well. He could see it in her eyes when she looked up at him, a fire and fierceness there that called to something deep inside of him. He rose, and his mate reached out to him even as he climbed over top of her. He claimed her mouth and was met by her needy kiss, by her hands clutching at him, pulling him closer, by her legs wrapping around his waist.

Rhavos moved against her, his cock sliding over her folds, rubbing against that part of her that brought her to climax before. She moved with him, her motions of her hips half frantic, her hands seeking purchase at his sides, his arms, his shoulders.

He drew back with a gasp, his teeth finding the curve of her ear before he growled out, “Tell me what you need. I will not claim you until you do.”

“Fuck me,” she breathed, “make me yours.”

Rhavos did not hesitate. He drew back, her legs arching higher over his hips, and sank his cock into her in one smooth thrust. A deep groan escaped him, a shudder running through his whole body as he felt his mate stretch and adjust to his size. She was pure bliss, holding him so tight, her cunt squeezing around him. All he wanted was to move inside of her, to mate her and fuck her and please her until he could not hold out any longer.

He stayed still, though, thinking she might need time to adjust. But her hands moved to his ass, to the backs of his thighs, and she rolled her hips against him, begging him to move with her body. So Rhavos did. He drew back and thrust into her again, then again, building up a steady rhythm, pleasure coursing through him each time he sheathed himself within her.

“Harder,” she pleaded, and Rhavos gladly accommodated, pounding her tight, welcoming cunt, his cock driving into her again and again.

He was panting, sweat beading at his brow, his thighs beginning to burn. But this was what he was made for. And even when he felt his mate clench around him, heard the sweet moan fall from her lips as she reached her climax again, he did not stop. His palms pressed into the bed and he could feel it moving, could hear it slamming against the wall every time he thrust into her. The entire Waystation would know they were mated, and the knowledge of that pushed Rhavos to go even harder, his efforts rewarded by her gasps as they punctuated every stroke.

Her hands wrapped around his horns, the edge of her fingers touching the sensitive flesh at the base, and Rhavos nearly lost himself just from that. His movements became more erratic, his pace frenzied. She kept up with him, meeting him with every thrust, using his horns as leverage to lift her hips against him, her amber eyes blazing with molten heat.

He could feel his release coming upon him, swift and unavoidable. It overtook him, and his body stilled before spasming, his cock twitching and jerking. He buried himself deep inside of her in one last thrust and she cried out as their bodies met, her cunt squeezing around him as she was overtaken by another climax.

Rhavos lay atop her, panting. His heart was racing, every muscle burned, and he was even more exhausted than he’d been after the raid. But he’d never felt more at ease. It was as if everything he’d been building to—not just in these last few moments, but throughout his entire life—had at last led to something tangible. Something he could be pleased with. Something he could be proud of. Something that would give him joy for the rest of his days.

For years, he’d focused on his military career. But the one thing that mattered most to him in this moment, the thing that made him feel whole, was not the campaigns he’d won or the accolades he’d achieved. It was his mate lying here beneath him, looking up at him with pure trust and adoration in her eyes.

Rhavos withdrew from her reluctantly, but only so he could pull her into his arms, her body pressed to his. She was strong, his mate. Strong and fierce and loyal. And so long as Rhavos lived, no one would ever take that away from her again.

“We will end this,” he promised her. “So long as I draw breath, they will not control you.”

She did not hear him. Her breathing was relaxed and even, and Rhavos realized she had fallen asleep against him. Relaxing against the mattress, he held her tight and allowed himself to do the same.

13

Ren couldn't remember ever feeling as empowered as she did that morning after the raid.

That night, everything had changed. She'd opened herself up, let herself trust someone. She'd given everything to Rhavos, and he'd given all of himself to her. She'd never believed in fate or soulmates. How could she, when she spent so much of her life just trying to make it to tomorrow? But when she woke in the morning, still safe in his arms, she felt like she had a partner for the first time in her life. Someone to help her shoulder the overwhelming burdens she'd carried since she was a girl.

That sense of security, that knowledge of everything she'd gained, lit a fire under her. And even though some part of her wanted to wake Rhavos and coax him into a repeat of last night, there was a bigger part of her that wanted to start working on a way to use the knowledge they'd gained.

She tried not to wake him, but she could almost sense the moment he roused, as if she could feel his conscious state as easily as she could feel her own. He touched her and kissed her, his lips leaving a heated trail over the bare skin of her neck, shoulders, and back.

"A taste of what is to come," he said, his voice a deep rumble that made her shiver. "First, I must meet with the Pathfinder about what we found."

And that, she supposed, was why they were well-matched. Even when they were obviously both eager to shirk their responsibilities and get lost in each other for the rest of the day, honor and the ability to contribute mattered more.

She explained with a silly smile that she'd been sneaking off to see if she could hack into some of the Freedom Fighter terminals remotely, to dig up information about the Nikhiza.

If the sudden, possessive kiss he gave her told her anything, Rhavos was proud of her initiative, and they dressed and ate before working through the rest of the morning and afternoon.

Some of Rhavos' men glowered at her wordlessly when they passed her in the halls, and she honestly didn't blame them. She'd put their Conqueror in mortal danger, and that wasn't even getting into the other things the Freedom Fighters had forced her to do. Finding this information, offering it to the Pathfinder as a show of good faith, was only a little altruistic on her part. It would also help to clear her name, and give the Karuvar and humans the information they needed to bury Dallas' terrorist group once and for all.

In the end, after hours spent locked in a battle of wills with Addison's terminal, Ren managed to recover correspondence between Dallas and what she and Rhavos both believed to be a Nikhiza ship. The messages were coded and would take some time to decipher, but Rhavos had pegged one of the participants as Varzhan, a notorious slave trader. That combined with a few other items gave them enough evidence to bring to Drol'gan.

In the early evening, Ren and Rhavos were given clearance to board the Zavellan. A lift took them up from a docking station, and Ren fidgeted nervously as they ascended, Everton and Waystation Helios growing smaller and smaller by the second.

"So. He still sees me as a traitor, right? This should be fun."

A week ago, she would hardly have cared if a Karuvar—even the leader of the Karuvar—thought ill of her. But lately, the Karuvar had treated her as more of an equal than her fellow humans. She still didn't like how dependent the implants made humans, but there were more immediate problems to worry about.

"Drol'gan is nothing if not fair-minded," Rhavos said. "He will hear what we have to say, and he will do what is best for our people, regardless of what he feels."

There was an edge to Rhavos' voice that said he'd experienced this firsthand, but Ren decided now was definitely not the time to push. Instead, she tried her luck with something else. Something that had been nagging at her since her conversation with Addison.

"If this goes well, I'd like to speak with him afterward. Alone."

Rhavos' scaled brow ridge rose in question, but he didn't outright deny her. Who would have thought the bull-headed Karuvar she'd met could actually listen to someone else's reasoning before passing judgment?

"I want to apologize and try to make amends," she said, though she didn't go into detail about just how she wanted to do that.

"You were controlled by the other humans. The Pathfinder will understand that," Rhavos said.

"But I'm still the one responsible. I wrote the code. I pushed it out to all the new implants."

The lift climbed ever higher, the atmosphere thinning as they reached past the clouds. Rhavos regarded her with one part concern and one part stubborn insistence, but Ren held firm. After a time, he nodded.

"I understand. You wish to defend your own honor, and I would not deny you that."

Ren smiled at him, reaching up to trace one of the straps of his harness. He watched her intently, and she was suddenly aware of him in a way she hadn't been before. She could feel him; could feel his reaction to her as his body came alive, all without truly touching him. A rush of heat suffused her skin, but before she could do anything about this discovery, the lift came to a stop and they were ushered aboard the Zavellan.

Drol'gan awaited them in a large, circular chamber. At its center was a beautiful and intricate starmap that took Ren's breath away. As a girl, she'd often looked up at the stars, viewing them as an escape. To know there was such a vast universe out there, charted and just waiting to be explored, it reawakened those childhood dreams she'd long ago dismissed as fanciful.

Unfortunately, the starmap wasn't the only unexpected feature of the room. She felt Rhavos tense not long after they entered, and she soon understood why. It wasn't just Drol'gan and another Karuvar—Drann, his son—meeting with them. The Pathfinder had five guards present, each of them armed to the teeth.

It made her feel uneasy, that balance of power shifting so far in the Karuvar's favor that she very seriously considered fleeing the room altogether. Only Rhavos' presence kept her there.

"Pathfinder," Rhavos said, touching a closed fist to his heart.

Drol'gan mimicked the gesture. "Conqueror. Please, have a seat, both of you. I understand you have discovered information that will be useful to us moving forward."

To Ren's surprise, the Pathfinder actually smiled at her. He gestured to a round table, one that put her on equal footing with Drol'gan and her mate. Rhavos began to explain what they discovered at the raid, leaving room for her to speak, as well, and the Pathfinder gave her his full attention every time, even asking questions that allowed her to stay engaged.

It was such a huge contrast from the amount of security in the room that it left Ren's head spinning, but the more they spoke, the more at ease she became, eventually presenting the correspondence she'd found.

"The information Conqueror Rhavos provided makes it seem like this is a slave ship," she pointed out, "and that worries me. I don't think it's a stretch to believe the 'Freedom Fighters' are dealing directly with Varzhan, possibly even selling humans to them in exchange for weapons and technology."

She spoke the words in a calm, composed manner, but only because she had to. If she thought about them too much—if she thought about the fact that they might have done the same to her, were she not useful to them—she would be sick again. She'd seen too many people enslaved in her lifetime, even if the militia refused to call it that. If she could find a way to stop this before it began, she would put her all into it.

"That is very worrisome, and entirely too plausible," Drol'gan said with a frown. "Drann?"

The Pathfinder handed the reins to his son, who shared his knowledge with a somber expression. "In creating the Matchmaker program, we've found that the Nikhiza are also suffering from a lack of fertility amongst their females. The more cooperative, peace-seeking clan leaders have tried to convince others that they should parlay with the Karuvar, but so far, none have actually been willing to meet. I guess we know why."

Rhavos' expression grew unreadable, even with that sudden awareness she'd gained of him. "They are taking females."

"If that's true, we have to act, and quickly," Ren said.

Drol'gan nodded. "I agree, but we must have enough information beforehand. Otherwise we are striking blindly, and I believe we will do more harm than good."

Ren couldn't argue with that.

"I will send this correspondence to my experts to be decoded. Until then, Conqueror, I give you leave to expand your forces. Do what you must to bring a successful raid through the vault, but be prepared. The Nikhiza may already be here, among the humans."

"Yes, Pathfinder," Rhavos said.

The rest of the meeting mostly involved Rhavos further debriefing the Pathfinder, and Ren eagerly absorbed the information he shared. Once they were through, Rhavos looked to her, and she nodded.

"I will make the arrangements," he said. "I believe my mate wished a word with you," he said before heading to the door.

Drann's brows rose, a smile on his lips at this news. Ren couldn't help the blush that rose in her cheeks, or the rush of pride she felt at being called that so openly. She'd never wanted to belong to anyone, but being Rhavos' mate didn't amount to being his property. She was his partner, his equal, and other Karuvar seemed to respect that.

When she looked at the Pathfinder, though, something about his expression made her breath come up short. He was smiling, much like his son. But there was no joy in his eyes. They were hard, and focused intently on her. So much so that she lost her voice for a few moments.

"I just… wanted to speak to you without Rhavos' influence," she began, trying to find her courage. "What's happened at my hands… I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am for those actions. I know you may not trust me, but I—"

"You are correct. I do not trust you," Drol'gan said simply.

The words were so sudden, so precise, that they knocked Ren's entire speech off-balance. Even Drann seemed surprised, his eyes wide as he regarded his father.

"I… I'd like to make amends. I've spent a lot of time thinking about it, and I believe I can create a firewall that will protect Karuvar and humans from any future attacks on their implants. It will take time to implement, and it'll need to be tested, but—"

"I thank you for the offer, and for everything you have done thus far, but I am not interested."

Ren sat, open-mouthed, completely at a loss for anything to say. When words finally returned to her, she stumbled over how to arrange them in compelling sentences. "I know it might sound risky at first, but it'll be a huge boost in security. If I can have time to create a working model, to show you what the code would do in practice—"

"As I said, I am not interested. I am sure Rhavos will need your help with the security systems, and I have many things to attend to, so if you will excuse me," Drol'gan said.

He began to rise, and Drann stood alongside him, his expression one of disbelief. "Father, I think we should hear her out."

"I appreciate your input, but this is not your decision to make," he said.

Ren watched as the Pathfinder turned his back to her and everything she could provide. Two guards advanced on her, likely intending to escort her out, but she didn't cower. She stood calmly, though her voice wasn’t quite as sedate.

"You don't trust me," she said again to Drol'gan's retreating back. "I get that. Believe me, I do. But I was forced to do those things. Do you understand? I was held against my will and used to achieve another man's goals."

Drol'gan turned back to her, and for a moment, she saw a flicker of sympathy in his eyes. "I do understand that, Ren. And if you are truly acting against your will, I hope that Rhavos' mission will sever those bonds."

"If…?" she asked, barely believing what she'd heard. "I've been brainwashed, mind controlled, forced to act without my consent for five years, and you're still leaving room for an 'if' here?"

Anger rose swiftly in her, and she could recall her mother's words as she'd tried desperately to get her to behave; to placate the militia as best she could.

Just give them what they want, mija. Don't act out, or bad things will happen.

With those words, she'd placed the blame solely on Ren. Not on the men who held all the power; who controlled her every waking moment. And Drol'gan was doing the same thing. Shifting blame to her, all in hopes of easing a potential conflict.

"This is not personal," Drol'gan said, his gaze almost pitying. "I must think of my people first. Once this is over, if it is as you say, then I would be glad to discuss future security precautions with you."

Ren just stood in that room, watching in stunned silence as Drol'gan left the room. Drann gave her an apologetic glance but followed his father.

She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. And when one of the guards moved to escort her, Ren couldn't even pretend to play nice.

"Don't touch me," she said, her voice shaking.

She could feel those old fears creeping back in, heaps of doubt piled on top of them. Maybe this was her fault. Maybe she was being difficult. Maybe if she just complied…

No.

She wouldn't share the blame. She was as much a victim as the Karuvar, and if Drol'gan would not believe her, she would take a stand for herself.

And this time, she wouldn't be alone.

14

Ren walked through the halls of the Zavellan with her head held high and her gaze focused straight ahead.

Any other time, she would have taken the chance to steal glances at the world around her. She would've looked out the windows to see if she could make anything out on the ground below. She would’ve ogled the consoles and displays and flight controls, tried to get some idea of what each person was contributing to the ship, just for the chance to understand how an honest-to-God spaceship was run.

Right now, she didn't care about any of it. She felt like she'd just given the single biggest presentation of her life—one she'd worked on tirelessly for years—only to have the professor reject her outright. No, not just reject her. Treat her like she was the enemy. Shut down any chance she had of proving herself.

There was only one person she could stomach seeing, and that was Rhavos. He was waiting for her near the docking station, standing tall and silent, his hands folded in front of him.

As soon as he saw her, his expression changed from stoic to almost warm. His ears perked up, his scales shimmered, and he looked at her with hopeful eyes.

Some part of Ren wanted to rush into his arms and cry against his chest, but she refused to do it here; she refused to let the other Karuvar see her so weak. No doubt it would get back to the Pathfinder one way or another.

So she forced a tight smile and walked past him to the lift chamber. "Not here."

Rhavos followed wordlessly and—after a quick scan—they were led back into the glorified tube that would transport them back down to Earth.

A private tube, Ren realized, aside from the fact that the material encasing it was clear like glass. This far up, though, no one would see them, and she felt herself gravitating toward Rhavos' warmth.

Slipping her arms around his waist, she stepped into him, resting her cheek against his chest. She drew in his scent—leather and sweat and male—and found herself comforted by it. Comforted more by his strong, muscular arms coming around her. Rhavos' hard body might not make the best pillow, but right now she felt safe—like the Pathfinder's judgments and the looming threats of the Freedom Fighters and the Nikhiza couldn't touch her here.

"You are distressed," he said, his voice a rumble beneath her ear.

It probably wasn't that tough to figure out, considering. But a week ago, she wouldn't have thought him capable of it. Hell, most human men she'd met weren't capable of figuring out the obvious when it came to a woman's emotions.

"Yeah, well. Your Pathfinder made me feel like a criminal, so…"

Rhavos drew back so he could look at her. His scaled brow ridges were drawn up in confusion, his lips stretched into a frown.

"What happened?" he asked.

As much as Ren yearned for his support—for someone to make her feel like she had some stability in a world that had been turned upside down—her stomach was working itself into knots over the idea of telling him.

The idea of describing how casually the Pathfinder dismissed her, how quick this individual Rhavos had described as "fair" was to judge her… it made her a little ill.

But if she didn't say anything, he wouldn't know, so she soldiered on.

"I offered to help the Karuvar—to help everyone with an implant—by writing a firewall into the code. Something that would stop the Freedom Fighters or the Nikhiza or anyone else from targeting us in that way."

Rhavos' brow furrowed even more. "You did not speak of this to me."

That statement took Ren by surprise. She'd told him her idea, hadn't she? As she stopped to think about it for a moment, she realized she hadn't.

Brushing it off as an oversight on her part, she said, "I should have run it by you. Maybe… I don't know. Maybe you could've helped me come up with a strategy to get Drol'gan to listen."

"He would not permit you an audience? That does not sound like him."

"Oh, he 'permitted me an audience,'" she said, bitterness in her tone. Rhavos tensed some beneath her. "He just shot me down before I had a chance to explain myself. He said he doesn't trust me, and that he'll be happy to think about it again after the raid, if it turns out I'm telling the truth about the whole mind control thing."

She didn't expect Rhavos to gasp in shock or do that territorial growling thing he did, but she expected… something. Some kind of acknowledgment.

"Is that what he said?" he finally asked. "That he would consider your proposition once the raid is completed and the humans are no longer a threat?"

His tone wasn't that different from earlier, but something about it struck Ren. She stepped back from him, out of his embrace, and regarded him with caution.

"Yes. He said he can't put his people at risk, and that he'd discuss it with me again once this was over. But by the time we take out Dallas and the other Freedom Fighters, the Nikhiza are going to have multiple chances to attack us. We have to protect our implants now, or we're just rushing into this battle and begging to be killed."

Right now, the Nikhiza held the power. They were pulling the strings. If they wanted to go up against them, they needed to protect themselves. It was the same as learning to fight or donning armor before going into battle.

Rhavos had to understand that.

"You will not want to hear this, but I agree with the Pathfinder."

Ren felt like she'd been slapped. Hard. Not only did he not understand, but he was siding against her? She paled, her limbs feeling shakier than she wanted to admit, that sick feeling returning in the pit of her stomach.

"You're right. I don't want to hear it," she said tersely.

"Ren," he said, speaking her name in a rumbling purr, as if that would get through to her. "It is only a precaution. Now that we know of the Nikhiza's involvement, we can protect ourselves against them in the short term. Once the rebel humans are gone, we can consider long-term options."

He tried to touch her arm and she pulled away from him, suddenly wishing this damn tube would move a lot faster.

"A precaution. To guard against me. No puedo creerlo… Do you just… what? Think I'm going to turn on everyone once I get access to that code?"

"Of course not," he said, his tone firm, "but the Freedom Fighters would not hesitate to do so."

Ren let out a humorless laugh. "I fought them off last time. I did that. Do you really have no faith in my ability to do it again?"

"You could not stop yourself from shooting me," he said.

She just stared at him, suddenly feeling like the floor was dropping out from beneath her feet. Everything that was real and solid, everything she'd been clinging to in this five-year haze was tumbling around, beyond her grasp.

"Do not look at me that way. My men think I am a traitor to the Karuvar because I do not blame you for that and do not fear you. But you are one human. How can you be expected to fight something like that?" He stepped toward her and Ren stepped back. "I will kill the coward who has done this to you, and you will be free."

"Right," Ren said numbly, "because I'm just one human. I can't be expected to do anything for myself."

A growl rumbled through Rhavos' throat. "That is not what I meant. Do not turn my words against me."

"I don't need to! You're saying more than enough to make it clear you don't trust me, either."

Tears stung at her eyes but she blinked them away. No. She'd cried too much in front of him already. She wouldn't do it again.

"I trust you, I do not trust them."

"The other humans," she said, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Those humans!" he roared. "The ones who have taken five years of your life from you."

Ren couldn't say anything to that. She didn't trust them either, but that didn't change the fact that Rhavos didn't think she could do this. He didn't think she could shake their influence when it mattered. He saw her as some fragile thing he needed to protect; some object of war that should be locked away lest it fall into the hands of the other side.

He was willing to let his men think he was a traitor, but faith in her strength, in her ability to overcome this? Nonexistent.

"What if killing Dallas doesn't fix whatever they've done to me? What if you're never able to know if that code's been removed from my implant or not?"

"Killing him will fix it," Rhavos said, "and if it does not, we will find another way."

"What if we don't?" she asked again, looking right into his eyes.

He met her gaze, staring at her as if they were arguing over battle tactics. Maybe they were.

At last he let out a sigh, and his expression softened. "Then I will keep you safe and remind you of who you are."

The words were well-meant. She knew they were. And some part of her wanted to give into that security—that no matter what she did, no matter who she became, Rhavos would be there by her side.

But as much as she longed for a partner to shoulder her burden, this was one she didn't want to share. She wanted it to be a non-issue. She wanted him—her mate—to support her in overcoming it, not protect her from it after the fact.

Ren closed her eyes as the lift came to a stop. She could feel the tension between them, and though she hoped getting out of that confined space would help, she knew it would only do so much.

"We must focus on the immediate threat," he said quietly as the metal gate rattled open. "Once the raid is done, I will speak to Drol'gan. He will see the value you will bring to the safety of our people."

She knew he was trying; trying so hard to have a positive outlook, to make her feel like they'd conquer this, together. But just like Drol'gan, just like her mother, he was placing the blame squarely on her shoulders. Not in the same way, but…

Enough to hurt.

"I'm gonna take a walk," she said, "get some fresh air. I'll be back before the briefing."

Ren stepped out of the lift and back onto the solid ground of Waystation Helios, trying desperately to avoid the concerned look Rhavos was giving her. He wanted to make her feel better about this, but she was never going to feel better about her autonomy being taken away.

It was obvious to her now that this was something she'd have to solve on her own. Because the alternative—a life where she and Rhavos were both constantly wary of what she might do, as if she were some glitching machine—wasn't a life she was willing to live.

She'd learned long ago that the only person she could depend on was herself. Why should that change now that she had a mate?

15

Ren walked the streets of Everton feeling more isolated and out of place than she ever had in her life.

When she'd first come to the city, she'd been excited. Terrified, but excited. Her future rested on her shoulders, and Everton provided such better opportunities that it seemed impossible to think she could fail if she worked hard enough.

It wasn't fair to say she'd been naive back then. She was—a little. But no one could have anticipated what would happen to her. It wasn't like undergrads were snatched up and biochemically brainwashed every day.

Looking at the city now, it just felt like a place where she didn't belong. She was five years removed from Everton, and the college looming in the distance was a good reminder of everything she'd lost during that time.

Sure, she could go back and finish her studies, but she felt like she'd outgrown the college life. She'd been out in the real world. She'd built code that had a real—and devastating—impact on the world around her. She could turn all of that around and make a difference for humans and Karuvar alike.

But then, she'd always have to make up for past sins. Drol'gan made that clear enough.

Ren's arms hugged tightly around her despite the fact that the air was warm and stale. Being brought to Helios, learning more about the Karuvar, she thought she'd figured out a purpose; something she could do that would make everything else worth it.

Now she wasn't so sure.

Even if she did manage to get that firewall up and running, those who knew of her work with the Freedom Fighters weren't going to trust her.

And Rhavos…

Her arm ached, the site of her implant burning as she thought of him. It'd started once she'd gotten about thirty minutes outside of Helios, and she could only guess it was her implant's way of telling her to go back to where her mate was and get back to making babies.

As much as she'd come to see Rhavos in a different light—as much as she'd come to care for him and couldn't imagine her life without him in it—that rubbed her the wrong way. She'd spent her childhood having absolutely no autonomy over her life. She'd spent the last five years that way, too.

And now her implant was going to control the rest of it?

She didn't know how to reconcile that with her feelings for Rhavos, and it was especially hard to unpack everything now that he'd told her he wasn't really ever going to treat her as an equal unless she found a way to break the hold the Freedom Fighters had over her.

Ren wanted to believe she could break out of it. If she just tried hard enough, she could do it. But what did that mean of the times she wasn't able to do it? She was no better than her mother then, blaming herself for something others had done to her.

There was no easy answer, but she knew she needed to start working on something. Maybe she could interface with her implant directly. Maybe once she was looking at the code, she'd understand it in a way Kor'ven hadn't been able to.

Those were the thoughts that weighed most heavily on her mind as she walked the dirty streets of Everton. The further away from the Waystation she got, the worse the conditions. She knew they would improve as she got closer to the college, but it was a sad state for such a proud city. Access to some of the best technology in the universe, and yet they still couldn't figure out how to house and feed the non-scientifically inclined populace.

The roaring of an engine didn't startle her, nor did the thick cloud of exhaust that hung in the air. A car door closed, and Ren just kept walking, her gaze unfocused.

When the stink of the exhaust cleared, though, she caught the scent of something… strange. Her nostrils flared as she drew in a bigger whiff of it, but she couldn't identify what it was; only that it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

In the distance she heard boots on the pavement, and she hurried her own steps. That smell was drawing closer, and so was another acrid scent she couldn't place.

Ren opted for the flight side of her instincts, walking swiftly with the intention of reaching someplace more public; more occupied. The boots behind her lost ground, but she didn't slow. Her breath came in short, quick bursts, her hands held loose, ready to strike as Rhavos had taught her.

She wasn't expecting her attacker to come from the side.

She saw him out of the corner of her eye and then he was there, grabbing her under her arms, attempting to drag her back into the alley. One arm was braced across her body, the other across her mouth, and Ren didn't hesitate.

She bit down, hearing a string of curses from her attacker. He didn't move his arm away, and so she kept putting on more pressure until she tasted the coppery tang of blood. Still he didn't pull away.

Ren tried to keep her breathing steady, tried to remember what she was taught. She relaxed into his grasp, just enough for some of that tension to ease.

Then she slammed her foot down hard on his instep.

He yelped, finally tearing his arm away, and she took the opportunity to turn and knee him in the groin. The breath fled from him in a whoosh, his color turned a little ashen, and he dropped to the ground.

She knew she didn't have time to celebrate her victory, but no sooner had she identified her escape route than another arm reached around her. She felt the sharp prick of a needle, and almost instantly her muscles turned to jelly. She whimpered, feeling too weak even to hold herself up. Her captor held her instead, murmuring in her ear.

"I really didn't wanna do things these way, sweetheart, but you kinda left me no choice."

Dallas.

She tried to struggle, tried to scream, but she could barely move. There was nothing she could do to stop him as he brought out a device she'd seen too many times to count.

Fear gripped her heart, that feeling of helplessness overwhelming her as he waved it over her implant.

She didn't know what she expected. Every other time he'd done this, she'd lost control of her mind and her body at the same time. But her mind was still racing, and she was still in control of every ragged breath she took.

"Well, look who's built up a resistance. I guess what my men said about you shacking up with a Karuvar is true."

Hope and dread warred within her. Hope that her connection to Rhavos was somehow protecting her, dread that Dallas would likely kill her if she was no longer of use.

"Still worth a test. I'm going to give you an antidote, and as soon as it starts working, you're going to walk over to that car and get in."

"Fuck you," Ren managed, her jaw trembling with the effort to speak.

She cried out as he stuck her with another needle, but almost immediately she could feel strength return to her muscles. She tugged herself out of his grasp with ease, and then…

Walked toward the car.

No. No!

This couldn't be happening.

Stop, she pleaded with herself. Just make yourself stop!

But she couldn't. She just kept walking calmly, opened the car door, and slid into the backseat beside a tall, hooded figure. The man—no, being—turned to look at her with slim, reptilian eyes. Most of him was hidden, but she could see quills protruding from along his jawline.

She tried to reach for the door, tried to hurl herself out of the car, but it was like she was drugged again. If it went against Dallas' will, she couldn't do it.

Realizing just how trapped she was, Ren choked on a silent sob.

* * *

There was a time when Ren thought hell was waking up every morning in that bunker and not knowing if today was the day she and her family would be discovered.

That wasn't hell. This was.

Dallas had a communicator fitted to her ear so she could be given new orders any time Dallas required it. They didn't tell her what she was doing, only each step as she did it.

Go back to Helios. Avoid Rhavos at all costs. Take the lift up to the Zavellan.

She was trapped in that tube now, her heart pounding wildly. Everything in her wanted to thrash against the lift, to see if she could break it. But she knew she couldn't. All she could do was stand there and await new instructions.

"Tell the guards you're there to speak to the Pathfinder."

The fear that coiled in Ren's stomach should have made her voice quiver. Instead, her words were spoken perfectly as she reached the top of the lift.

"The Pathfinder isn't seeing anyone else today," one of the Karuvar guards said.

Somehow she doubted Dallas would accept that answer, but her ear piece remained silent. The next voice she heard was that of another Karuvar.

"She has an appointment," he said.

Ren's eyes widened as she recognized one of the large males she'd seen earlier—one of Drol'gan's personal guards. The other guard deferred to him instantly, and try as she might, she couldn't convey the danger to him.

"What are you—" was all she managed before Dallas spoke in her ear piece again.

"No need for you to talk. You're just here for posterity's sake. Follow the nice Karuvar, now."

Ren had no choice. With every step, her heart rebelled, but it was as if her mind and body had her caged. She walked on, silent, as the guard led her through the halls, past the navigation room, past any public meeting room she could have fathomed.

He was taking her to Drol'gan's private quarters. Somehow, she just knew that.

The Karuvar stopped outside of a door and put his hand up to his ear. "We're ready for him."

She couldn't see anyone approaching, but she could feel a presence, dark and foreboding. Shadows moved and shifted around her, rearranging in patterns that made no sense for the light casting down from the ceiling.

And then she saw it. A flash of reptilian eyes and the vaguest outline of a large form before it blended in with its surroundings.

"Go into the room and tell Drol'gan exactly what I'm going to say to you," Dallas commanded.

And she did. Opening the door, Ren was greeted by a very surprised Drol'gan. He was dressed down, obviously planning to retire for the night, but his gaze flicked to his twin blades where they rested against the wall.

"Miss Alvarez. I didn't expect to see you so soon. I did not think Rhavos was even entertaining the notion of a raid until tomorrow evening."

"I'm sorry to come so late, I just wanted the chance to talk to you again," she said, Dallas' words coming out of her mouth. "I didn't like the way we left things."

"Nor did I, but I'm afraid this appeal will not change my mind," Drol'gan said.

He was looking at her with a furrowed brow, and she could see the confusion in his eyes. She tried desperately to widen her own, to make him see the tears stinging at their corners.

"Are you all right, Ren?" he asked, genuine concern in his voice.

Oh thank God. He was going to see through it all. She could—

"I will be," she said, and on Dallas' command, her lips were forced into a smile. "I just came here to say…"

Her jaw quivered as she tried desperately to disobey. She breathed through her nose, bit her lip until she drew blood, but still she couldn't stop herself.

"…You should have listened to me."

Everything happened in an instant.

Drol'gan let out a wet gasp, blood pooling in his mouth and dripping down his chin. The shadows shifted, and she could see long, metal claws protruding from the Pathfinder’s belly, the figure from earlier standing behind him.

"Var karesh dehn," he said, shoving Drol'gan to the ground, his weapon slicing through the Pathfinder's body as he yanked it out.

The figure was still partially obscured by shadows, but she could tell he was about to strike again. Ren summoned everything in her, every last shred of terror and rage and somehow managed to hurl herself toward the figure.

"Don't touch him!" she yelled, her tears coming freely.

She made contact with him just long enough to feel her palm being ripped open by one of his quills, and then he was gone.

Ren dropped to the ground, her ear piece silent. She tried to reach Drol'gan, but even from this distance, she could tell he was gone. Horror-stricken sobs shook soundlessly through her body, and she stayed there, on the ground, her pants absorbing the Pathfinder's blood as it pooled beneath her.

Even as his men came to take her away.

16

Rhavos could not sense his mate.

For hours, he’d felt the agonizing sensation of being away from her, something he thought only happened when mates hadn’t yet bonded to one another. Every symptom he had seemed to coincide with his implant telling him he needed to find Rhin and claim her again and again until she carried his scent with her everywhere. The pain in his arm, the churning of his stomach, the restlessness that set him on edge to the point where he was even yelling at the men who hadn’t questioned his leadership the day of the raid.

He needed her back, to the exclusion of all else, and on some level, it bothered him. How had his ancestors gotten anything done? He could not afford to spend a week locked in a room with his mate, doing nothing but rutting like beasts until his seed took.

But by the Stars, it sounded like an ideal way to live.

He’d managed to push through, despite all of that, and planned out a decisive strike on the rogue humans and their Nikhiza allies. He was doing it for his people, yes, but there was a large part of him that had a specific goal in mind: Freeing his Rhin from the thrall.

What he’d seen in her eyes earlier had crushed something inside of him. She was sullen and destitute, convinced she would have to live with the possibility of being controlled forever. Rhavos would take care of her, of course, but he did not want it to come to that. So he worked tirelessly, keeping himself distracted all the while.

He managed to get through much of the day with success, until that one, awful moment when Rhavos’ whole world stopped.

He’d noticed it immediately. That sense of her, that awareness that tingled just beneath his skin suddenly disappeared. He cleared his mind and reached out for her, but he could not find her that way, either.

He tried to keep from thinking the worst, but how could he manage such a feat when the most reasonable explanation was that the unthinkable had happened?

“Why would I not be able to feel my mate?” he’d demanded of the Karuvar scientist who’d tried to help her before.

Kor’ven looked up from his work, obviously in the midst of something important. Rhavos could not find it in himself to care. He needed to know. “There are a number of reasons. It is possible to feel a lesser bond the further away—”

“This is not a lesser bond,” Rhavos growled. “She is gone completely.”

“She could be unconscious. You would know it, if she were dead,” he said plainly. “You would feel it in your soul. I do not have a way to substantiate it, but my guess is that… her implant has been overridden again.”

Rhavos’ jaw clenched, rage burning through him. He’d stormed out of that office, prepared to lay siege to the Freedom Fighters’ vault. Had they abducted her? Had they taken her back to their den?

…Had she gone back willingly?

No. As soon as he thought it, he knew it was untrue.

They had taken her. They had harmed his mate, taken her against her will, and he was going to slaughter every last one of them for it.

Rhavos turned immediately to organizing his men, recruiting those most loyal to him. They would understand and they would trust his judgment no matter what. He had nearly finished assembling a strike team when he felt it: A glimmer of light in his soul, a brief tug against the overwhelming blackness that had settled over him.

It was his mate. It had to be. But when he reached for her across their bond, he only felt fear, deep and immobilizing. Fear and helplessness and despair. She’d broken free of their control, but she was not safe.

Just as Rhavos went to inform Drol’gan of the abrupt change in plans, the alarms in Waystation Helios blared. He had no idea what the alarm meant and neither, it seemed, did his men. But when he reached out for his mate again, he could feel her much closer than he expected.

She was not with the Freedom Fighters. She was aboard the Zavellan, miles above him.

But why was she so afraid…?

Rhavos did not dwell on the question. He simply acted, arming himself and his two best men and finding a pod that would take them to the Zavellan without having to wait for the lift.

They weren’t the only ones.

Several other pods waited at the docking bay, and the lift was crowded with Karuvar bodies. Rhavos had to push his way through, relying on his seniority to gain control of the situation.

“What has happened?” he demanded.

A room full of stares settled on him. Some of them confused, some of them questioning, but none of them answering his question.

“What has happened!” he roared.

“Conqueror Rhavos. Come to the Pathfinder’s chambers.”

The voice was so unfamiliar to him that at first he could not place it. It sounded almost like Drann, but it was too deep, too severe, too… devoid of any emotion.

“Let me through, you assholes!”

Rhavos didn’t immediately know that voice, either, but he saw a small female pushing her way through the crowd. Drol’gan had noted this human was important to Drann, and as she did not stop in her pursuit, going straight for the Pathfinder’s quarters, he thought perhaps he hadn’t been mistaken.

A cold chill of dread fell over Rhavos as he walked the rest of the way, past guard after guard, including some of the Pathfinder’s personal retinue, Verkiir among them. His dark look of challenge made Rhavos bristle.

“You are allowed on this ship only because he allows it,” Verkiir said. “The second he wants you gone, I will dispose of you myself.”

“I would very much like to see that,” Rhavos grated out.

What could possibly be happening? What could have set everyone on edge in this way?

As soon as he rounded the corner, he understood.

Drol’gan lay on the floor, motionless, his blood pooled beneath him. His golden skin was pale, marred by spots of red where veins had burst. Even without kneeling to check for signs of movement, it was obvious that he was dead.

Rhavos let out a breath, feeling as if he’d been struck in the stomach by the butt of a blade. His Pathfinder was dead. The one being in the universe he’d sworn to protect was growing cold on the floor of his own chambers.

He whirled to face the other occupants in the room, to demand answers, but the first person he saw was Rhin. Her eyes met his, wide and filled with sorrow. He wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but… why was she here?

“I stood up for you,” that same voice said, and this time Rhavos could see it was Drann’s. “I told my father you wouldn’t betray us. And this is what you do?”

“I didn’t,” Rhin started, her voice shaking. “You have to believe me, I didn’t do this.”

“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you right now,” he said.

“Drann, don’t—” the human began.

Both sounded distant to his ears. Rhavos was lost in a fog of rage and panic, instinct superseding his good sense. As soon as Drann took a step forward, Rhavos launched himself at the male.

He was met by solid muscle as First Guardian Verkiir shoved him roughly against the wall, his horns locking with Rhavos’. They wrestled for dominance, but in the end, Rhin’s pleading eyes—and the feeling of her fear, so sharp and desperate—made him cease.

“Take her to the brig,” Drann ordered.

“If you touch her, you will have to imprison me, as well,” Rhavos warned, his voice low.

The guards looked to Drann and he nodded—all the confirmation they needed to seize Rhin. She did not fight.

Rhavos thrashed against Verkiir, his growl savage, but the other male braced his arm across Rhavos’ throat, forcing him to calm lest he find himself without any air.

“Someone show him the footage,” Drann said, his voice breaking. “I have to make arrangements for my father.”

“I mourn this loss as much as any Karuvar,” Rhavos said, “but you are looking in the wrong place. My mate did not do this.”

“You will follow the Pathfinder’s orders, Conqueror,” Verkiir said, fixing him with a rigid stare.

Rhavos growled low in his throat, but he did not fight when Verkiir directed him to the door. He would prove them wrong, he would get his mate back, and then he would seek justice for Drol’gan.

* * *

The very world felt like it was caving in around him.

Rhavos had watched the footage three times, and each time was more unfathomable than the last. His mate walked into the Pathfinder’s quarters and spoke to him much as she had earlier in the day. Her words were confident, there was not the slightest waver in her voice.

She stood there, acting contrite. And then she watched as a Nikhiza assassin gutted him. She watched and she did absolutely nothing.

No. Not nothing.

She’d fought; she’d launched herself at the Nikhiza. After the fact, when Drol’gan was already dead. She’d changed nothing by doing so, and the Nikhiza hadn’t even been concerned with her.

Rhavos sat in absolute silence, unable to process the information he was being given. He wanted to deny it. He wanted so badly to tell them there must have been some mistake, some glitch in the recording. But his honor as a Karuvar and as a Conqueror demanded he treat this matter with the utmost respect, and he was forced to consider all options.

It was possible there was some glitch. Perhaps the Freedom Fighters had hacked into the security cameras to plant conflicting footage, obscuring the real murder. The look on Rhin’s face when he’d seen her told him that was not likely.

She could have been in collusion with the humans all along. She could have lured him into a sense of false security, led them all down this path that ended with the Pathfinder dead and the Karuvar in turmoil.

He couldn’t think that of her. To think that would kill him, there was no question in his mind.

So the only real option was that she had been controlled. The rogue humans found her and took over her mind—that was why he hadn’t been able to feel her earlier. They’d forced her to go to Drol’gan, to set this up and take the fall for it.

And she would. They would execute her.

At worst, they would believe her a traitor in the truest sense. At best, they would think her unable to control her actions; a living tool of the Freedom Fighters.

“I must see her,” Rhavos said.

Verkiir had brought him to watch the footage, and he stood guard silently while Rhavos processed it. When he looked at the male, Verkiir was regarding him with something that resembled pity.

“I will only allow it because she is your mate, and I… do not envy your position. I will grant you the chance to say goodbye, and hope my Pathfinder will forgive me.”

Rhavos nodded, betraying no emotion. As Verkiir led him to the brig, he felt that strange darkness again. There was no sound. No feeling. Nothing but a numbing blackness that seeped into his very soul.

He did not know what would happen when he saw Rhin. He only knew what Karuvar law and what his honor as a Conqueror demanded of him.

One way or another, this would be the last time he saw his mate.

17

Ren didn't put up a fight when she was led to the brig.

How could she? She'd seen the footage; seen herself standing there, speaking to Drol'gan like there was nothing even remotely wrong. Standing there while the Nikhiza murdered him.

It chilled her to her very core. She'd watched all of it happen, trapped inside a body that was not her own. But to see herself on the footage, to hear her voice, to glimpse her supposed indifference… those were things she would never forget, not as long as she lived.

And from the sound of it, that might not be long.

She was shoved into a cell, the Karuvar who'd escorted her staying behind to guard her. No telling what she'd do. Even Ren didn't know. She'd ripped the ear piece out, but there was every chance they could still control her. As far as she knew, the traitor was still on board.

The traitor.

She needed to tell them about the Karuvar who'd helped murder their Pathfinder. If she could somehow get him to confess, they'd see that she was innocent—that she had nothing to do with Drol'gan's death.

"I need to speak to Conqueror Rhavos," she pleaded.

One of her captors banged his staff against the metal wall. The bars—made of a blinding energy that was hot just to stand by—flickered, but held their shape.

"You do not speak, human," he said.

"I can't believe he's letting her live," the other spat. "We should just toss her out the side and be done with it."

A chill snaked up Ren's spine and she pressed back against the wall. Power was shifting within the Karuvar ranks, and in her experience, that was the most dangerous time of all.

"Pathfinder's orders."

"He's not my Pathfinder."

She had one hope now. One chance to make it out of this alive.

Rhavos.

God, he'd looked ready to kill Drann just for threatening her, even when Drann had every right. It gave her some measure of hope, but it scared her, too. The last thing she wanted was to live if it meant Rhavos would be killed in her place.

That's assuming he'd even side with you, a chiding voice inside of her said.

He would. He knew she wasn't capable of this. He'd seen into her, into everything she was, everything she'd been.

But… he didn't trust her, either. Not while her implant was still tapped. He would protect her; keep them from killing her, if it was something he could do.

And he'd be her jailor, keeping her safe. Keeping others safe from her.

For a brief moment, Ren wished Drann had just ended it all back in that room.

No. You’re better than this. You've been through too much.

Her heart sped and her arm began to tingle—sure signs that Rhavos was drawing near. In the distance, she heard heavy footfalls on the metal stairs. Another one of Drol'gan's guards came down first, but she knew he was followed by Rhavos.

Seeing him made the tears come anew. He looked so tired, as if he'd aged a full decade in an hour. His scales were dull, his ears were held in a neutral expression, and his walk lacked any purpose whatsoever.

"Why is that traitor here?" one of her guards snarled.

"He is here to speak to his mate," Verkiir said.

"On whose authority?" the other guard asked.

"Mine," Verkiir replied before looking to Rhavos. "Ten minutes."

Rhavos was quiet through this, the disrespect not even seeming to touch him. His gaze was fixed on her, and Ren felt like he could see into her soul.

She almost hoped he could. At least then he'd know the truth.

"Give us space," Rhavos finally said, his voice low, hoarse.

"Absolutely not."

"Back up and let them talk," Verkiir barked, his gaze narrowing at the two guards. Their jaws clenched hard, their fingers tightening around their weapons, but they finally stepped to the other side of the hall. "Do not make me regret this, Conqueror."

Verkiir nodded to Rhavos, then glanced briefly to her before he moved to the stairs. It wasn't until he was gone that Ren even tried to talk.

"I didn't do this, Rhavos," she said, loud enough so only he could hear. "I swear."

"I know," he said, crouching before her cell.

She started to reach for him, to test the slats between the beams of energy, but even that made her hand burn as if she'd held it over a steam vent.

"They found me. Dallas and his men took me off the street in Everton. He waved this device over my arm, and then I… I couldn't do anything outside of what he said."

She could feel his pain as acutely as if it were her own, but he said nothing.

"One of Drol'gan's guards let me and the Nikhiza into the Zavellan. It was the one with the big scar on his face. He must have told Dallas and the others everything that happened."

Rhavos' brows drew together, his hand clenched into a tight fist. "Tarak?" he asked, his voice a low growl.

"They never said his name, or the Nikhiza's. I just know what they looked like." She let out a breath, growing more and more frustrated that she couldn't touch him, and he couldn't touch her. "I tried to stop it. I could see everything that was happening. I tried so hard, but I couldn't do anything. Not until it was too late."

Rhavos had been right. She wasn't strong enough to break the thrall on her own. That realization shattered what was left of her, and her mate seemed to notice. He came as close as he could despite the heat of the bars.

"You must listen to me. We don't have much time," he said, his words hushed.

She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. He had a plan. They were going to make it through this. Together.

"They will want your life for this," he said.

Ren let out a humorless laugh. "Yeah. I got that much."

"I will not let them have it."

She sucked in a breath, a spark of hope lighting in her heart. "You… You can convince them? They'll see reason if it comes from you?"

Her heart sank when he didn't answer immediately.

"I'll do whatever they want. I'll wear a tracker until we can sever the connection—"

"They will not listen to me."

Ren stared at him, watching the last of her hope crumble before her very eyes. "You're the Conqueror."

"And your mate," he said softly.

She sat back slowly, the reality of this situation coming into full focus. He would be linked to her by association. Whatever credibility he'd had under Drol'gan was gone now. The more he fought for her, the more likely it was that he would be killed right alongside her.

Closing her eyes, Ren let out a shuddering breath and reined in her emotion. "So what happens now?"

Rhavos stood, the picture of calm, and yet she could feel the conflict that raged within him. He walked toward the door, and her heart sank. He wasn't leaving her. He couldn't be.

Before she could call out to him, she saw his fist move in a blur of gold. She heard the sound of a harsh gasp as the heel of his palm connected with a guard's throat.

Rhavos moved to the other guard and grappled him, pushing his front against the wall, the Karuvar's neck in a choke hold. He kept holding on, even as the other guard tried—in vain—to signal for someone else.

The guard in Rhavos' hold finally went limp, and he let the unconscious body slide to the floor before giving the other Karuvar the same treatment. When they were both out, he flipped open a panel on the wall… and smashed the interior with his fist.

The bars of the cell flickered and then disappeared entirely.

"What are you doing?! They're going to find these guards—they're going to know you helped me escape!"

Even as she said it, she was stepping out of the cell, her legs shaky as adrenaline pumped through her veins.

"There is a pod at the end of the hall," he said, glancing toward the stairs. "I will keep them occupied, but you must go. Now."

Ren stared at him, her lips parted, unable to speak.

"Come with me," she finally said, reaching for him.

She could feel his hesitation as he considered it; could feel how much he wanted to. Before she could say anything more, he drew her into his arms and kissed her fiercely, taking her breath away before he broke from her.

"I must uphold my oath."

Ren felt like her heart was being ripped in two. "But you're my mate."

He closed his eyes briefly, then said, "That is why I am doing this."

An alarm sounded somewhere in the distance. She heard the pounding of hurried footsteps up above. Rhavos clutched her hands in his, his eyes imploring.

"Please. You must go, or all this will have been for nothing."

She couldn't think. She could hardly breathe. The look he was giving her was nothing short of a desperate plea, and as much as she wanted to stay, she could see the possible outcomes. If she was here, Rhavos would fight his own people. He would kill to keep her safe.

If she left, there was a chance she could save him.

Swallowing down her doubts and fears, Ren gave him one last, desperate look before she turned and ran toward the pod.

She threw open the door and stuffed herself inside, trying to keep calm as she looked over the controls. She'd never flown anything in her life, but the process of elimination pointed her toward the button that disengaged the pod from the Zavellan.

The pod sped past the hull, then dropped in an arc. She pulled up on a lever, managing to get it to stabilize, but she was lost beyond that. Everything she did to steer the thing was an absolute failure. She was hurtling toward Earth in a glass-and-metal sphere with no way to stop the descent.

Buildings grew closer as she gained speed. She missed Everton proper, but the pod kept falling, sailing in that same arc, losing altitude faster and faster until the walls of a ruined building rushed up to meet her.

The contact knocked her off her feet, and she was thrown against the side of the sphere. Ren forced her eyes open, defiance lighting a fire inside of her.

But the pod never made that final crash as it dented a crater into the Earth's surface. A field of energy appeared around it, holding it in stasis. Ren was thrown against the glass again, but this time she managed to hold on to the back of the seat.

When she let go, the pod was still, resting… somewhere.

Ren poured herself into the seat. She was boneless and shaking, all of the adrenaline fleeing her body at once. But she was alive. And as she looked at the ruined cityscape around her, the buildings caked with rust and strangled by vines, she realized she was in the middle of the Pit.

Which meant she was close to the vault.

As she tried to catch her breath, her next course of action became clear. She couldn't run. She couldn't leave Rhavos and the others to be slaughtered by the Nikhiza.

So she'd go into the vault herself, and she'd fuck up as many of their plans as she could before they took her out.

18

Rhavos stayed in the brig, his attention focused on the unconscious guards. He monitored them, made certain they were still breathing; that they had not suffered irreparable damage.

It was bad enough that he would soon be executed for treason. He did not need murder on his conscience.

Hearing the sound of his brethren rushing through the Zavellan, responding to the alarm his actions raised should have made him feel ashamed. Or at the very least, fearful for his soul as a warrior of the Karuvar. When he was executed, his body would not return to the Stars. He was not worthy of that honor.

It was something he'd spent long stretches of his youth thinking about, and yet all he could think about now was his mate. He could still feel her, so he knew she'd made it out alive. He was calmed, too, by the fact that she was in control of her own mind. At this point, that was all he could wish for.

The door to the brig was thrown open, and Rhavos was not surprised to see Verkiir. The large male—younger than Rhavos, but with a family to care for now—looked to the disabled cell, then the Karuvar that lay very still on the ground. His gaze cast up to Rhavos, and he wore an expression of disappointment mixed with… understanding.

Rhavos gave a single, silent nod—an acknowledgment of what must be done.

Reinforcements poured in, the first ready to seize Rhavos. Verkiir called them off immediately.

"See to the others, and search for the human," he said, though Rhavos was sure even he knew she was long gone. "The Conqueror does not pose us any threat."

Verkiir approached, one arm at his side, ready to grab his spear if the need arose. Rhavos held his head high, but he did not resist as the First Guardian led him from the brig.

He did not know if it was the male's intention, but Verkiir marched him past a number of onlookers, all of whom could see exactly what he was. Traitor. They spat the word as he walked past. He did not spare them a glance, looking straight ahead as he was brought to a room Rhavos recognized well. Aboard the Zavellan, it was called an interrogation room, but it served the same function as the one on Rhavos' vessel. It was a highly secured, self-contained space meant to break the leader of the enemy's forces.

Rhavos made no move to resist. In fact, he stepped into the room before Verkiir could even prompt it, moving to the far side of what was just a glorified cell.

The First Guardian lifted his implant to a panel and the security system came on line. "I know I do not have to explain this room to you."

"No," Rhavos said.

It was a simple enough concept. The room was split into two halves. If Rhavos stepped beyond his half, he would suffer the consequences.

"I will tell the Pathfinder you are here," Verkiir said, turning on his heel to leave.

"You would have done the same, if it were your mate."

The First Guardian paused, his back to Rhavos. After a moment he turned and gave a curt nod. "I would."

It changed nothing, but there was some solace to be found in the knowledge that he was not the only Karuvar who would sacrifice his honor to save the woman he loved.

* * *

It was not long before the Pathfinder arrived.

Drann was flanked by guards, his lean form seeming comically small beside their mass, but Rhavos knew better than to mistake his size for weakness.

Like his father before him, Drann opted to step inside the interrogation room himself, without his guards present. They waited just outside, ready to snap Rhavos' neck in an instant if the need arose, but Rhavos did not move from the space where he'd been standing for the past half hour.

He met Drann's gaze, and saw in the youngling a deep fatigue that seemed etched into his very being. It disappeared in an instant, and the Pathfinder's face returned to hard neutrality.

"Despite many years of heated disagreement, my father trusted you like no other. He once told me you did the things he was not strong enough to do himself."

Rhavos' heart clenched in his chest, a wave of grief rising in him despite his efforts to keep it at bay. He had no use for grief. Not now.

"That is the only reason I am not having you executed for freeing the woman who murdered him."

There were many times in the past where Rhavos had argued with Drann's father, but doing so would not get him far here. He kept silent, accepting whatever judgment Drann wished to make.

"But I am stripping you of your title," he said. "The role of Conqueror will be filled by another. You will be held here until transport can be arranged for you, after which you will serve the Karuvar as far away from this ship as can be managed."

Pain blossomed in Rhavos' chest, and he imagined his sire looking down on him from the Stars. He believed in honoring one's people more than anything else, and Rhavos' actions shamed that belief.

Some small part of him wanted to urge Drann to reconsider, but Rhavos had been broken. His inability to perform the role of Conqueror led to his Pathfinder's death. It led to the low hum of fear he could feel through his bond with his mate—something that would be ever-present as she was forced to run and cower just as she'd done in her youth.

He did not deserve the title, and he would forfeit it without a fight. But that did not mean he was ambivalent to the loss.

The moment Drann left, Rhavos nearly crumpled in a heap against the wall, his legs no longer supporting him. In the space of an afternoon, he'd had absolutely everything taken from him. When Drann allowed him to leave, he would truly be leaving with nothing. No legacy left behind by his sire. No decorated career as the Karuvar's foremost warrior. No future as a direct adviser to the Pathfinder. No kits of his own to raise and shape as his sire had shaped him.

No mate to share it all with.

When he'd been younger, Rhavos had imagined what his mate might be like. Tall and muscular, every bit the specimen of Karuvar warrior, just as he was.

His Rhin was not that. She was small. She barely knew how to protect herself in a fight. But she had more strength in her tiny form than most Karuvar could ever dream of having.

Now she was going to be forced into exile; forced to leave the world she knew and start again. And while Rhavos did not think Drann malicious, he was in pain over the death of his father. He could easily broadcast information about Rhin to all ships, all Waystations, all colonies. She would not be safe wherever Karuvar were present, and she would not be safe so long as the Freedom Fighters controlled her implant.

She would not be safe.

That realization struck him hard, and Rhavos' thoughts fixated on it. He'd freed her so that she would escape execution, but was this truly better? Was he actually fulfilling his role as her mate?

He should be out there fighting for her, not locked in this cell, awaiting the day he could be released as a title-less, honorless pariah. If he was going to be stripped of everything that mattered to him, then his life was not worth living any longer.

But if he could help Rhin—if he could ensure her safety and prove her innocence—then he could actually do something that mattered. He could defend his mate one last time; give her the chance to live without fear.

There was a very good chance he would be killed, possibly even before he made it off the Zavellan. But he had to try.

In a very short time, Rhin had become his life. It only made sense to give his to ensure she would live on.

Pushing himself to his feet, Rhavos prepared for what was to come. There would be guards in his way, as well as the innocent Karuvar who were manning the ship. He had to be ready to get to a pod at all costs. And if those had been locked down, he would have to do whatever was necessary to reach the lift.

If it came down to it, Rhavos would pilot the Zavellan himself.

But first, there was a more measurable barrier. A tingle of dread coursed through him, making his scales shudder. Leaving this room was going to hurt. The shock alone might kill him. But he had no choice.

Steeling himself, Rhavos started to cross that invisible line in the middle of the room. The second he did, a white-hot laser shot from the wall, piercing scale and skin. He gritted his teeth and tried not to fixate on the intense pain that seared through him, or the nauseating smell of his burning flesh.

Instead, he pushed past it, nearly panting on the other side. He stumbled and staggered to the door, forcing his body to cooperate. His mate was out there somewhere. She'd very likely given up on him, but Rhavos would make himself into someone she could depend on.

No matter what it took.

The door was nearly pulled off its hinges, and his bellowing roar shook the corridor beyond. Guards startled, then launched into action, but Rhavos threw them aside like the untried younglings they were.

He cleared one corridor, then the next. Blades scraped his scale plating, staves bruised and battered his aching muscles, but Rhavos kept going.

Nothing would stand between him and his mate's safety.

As he approached the pods, he could already see the system was disabled. With a growl, Rhavos whirled toward the direction of the lift, his tail plates scraping along the metal of the ship. He was not facing merely a hallway of unconscious Karuvar, though, their bodies slumped against the walls and the floor.

Verkiir stood amongst them, his spear drawn.

"Do not challenge me, First Guardian. You know what it means to fight on behalf of your mate."

"I do," Verkiir said, his voice low.

He approached with calm, even steps, and Rhavos readied himself. But the Karuvar did not attack. He made no motion toward it, there was no threat of violence in his eyes. Even his scent spoke of a male who aspired to peace.

As if Verkiir could read his mind, he said, "This is how I choose to honor Drol'gan's legacy. I hope you will do the same."

He raised his arm to a panel, and within moments, the pods were brought back on line. Rhavos stood, stunned, unable to find any words except those that mattered most.

"I will."

And with that, he ducked into a pod and set a course for the vault. One way or another, he was going to finish this.

19

Ren stayed in the pod for a while, protected by the glass enclosure as she tried to figure out a plan.

She needed to find some way to disable whatever they were planning, and that meant uploading some kind of virus to their terminals. Considering the things they'd had her work on to use against the Karuvar, she was sure she could find one buried in the databases, but having enough time to deploy it was another matter entirely.

And then there was the issue of getting to those terminals in the first place. She wasn't the type of person to cut a path of destruction through her enemies, even if she could manage it. Doing this required absolute stealth, and while Ren had managed to overcome greater odds in the middle of a militia-controlled war zone, she could still feel her stomach tangling itself into knots at the idea.

I wish Rhavos was here.

It was a silly thought for someone who'd prided herself on her independence. Made even sillier by the fact that she had no idea if Rhavos' selfless actions were just driven by biology, or if he honestly believed her.

Either way, he wasn't here. The most she could hope for was that he was safe. And alive. Closing her eyes, she tried not to think of that and instead searched around the inside of the glass sphere for anything that might help her.

Most of the design was streamlined, with various components all supporting the operation of the pod. But as she dug around underneath her seat, her fingers brushed leather. She gripped a strap and pulled out a bag, flipping open the top.

It looked like some kind of emergency kit. There was a communicator she definitely wasn't going to turn on, a flare she'd consider using only as a distraction, and…

Ren's gaze settled on a long, thin blade. Some kind of knife. In the hands of a Karuvar, it was probably meant for cutting rope or something, but it looked big enough to gut a human if it came down to it.

Her hand started to shake and she fought back the bile that rose in her throat. Arming herself to aid in her own defense wasn't the same as brandishing a weapon to lord over the powerless. She'd be as stealthy as she could, but it was just common sense to have a backup plan. In her case, that meant having some kind of response if she was caught.

You don't have to kill, she reminded herself.

That, ultimately, was what got her to reach for the knife. She slid it into her belt and tried not to think too much about how it felt resting there against her thigh. Then she grabbed the flare and even the communicator, just in case she could use it for components.

The sun had set over Everton by the time Ren pressed the release button and stepped out into the Pit. Her stomach sank as she realized she was faced with another problem: Navigating this ruined wasteland on her own, in the dark, with only a knife to protect her.

But as she pushed back her own fears, she realized it wasn't as dark as it should be. Or rather, it was plenty dark, but she could still see everything in amazing detail. And when she let herself concentrate on something other than her own breathing, she could hear… everything. Sheets of metal rustled as they blew in the slight breeze. Water dripped down through a hole in a roof. Tiny feet scurried beneath rotted out floorboards.

Instinct told her it had something to do with Rhavos, and she could only be thankful for the gift. Those heightened senses allowed her to traverse the Pit with minimal trouble, avoiding anything that sounded suspicious as she headed in the direction of the vault.

The moon was about halfway to its apex when she reached her destination, and she was immediately faced with another dilemma: How to get inside.

Checking for guards and finding the entrance unmanned, Ren crept over to the hatch and tried to open it, hoping whatever had given her those heightened senses was also giving her super strength.

But before she could tug on the latch, she felt a pull of a different kind. Her heart leapt, her pulse quickening as her body seemed to instinctively recognize what her mind was still trying to put together.

Rhavos was near.

Joy flooded her, and she scanned the horizon, hoping to see his towering form. She couldn't see him, though, and could only guess that he must be inside already.

That thought filled her with a renewed sense of purpose, and when she tried the latch, she was able to turn it without too much difficulty, opening it enough to scan the bottom of the ladder before she committed.

As soon as she reached that first floor, it was easy to see why there hadn't been any Freedom Fighters to contend with yet.

Bodies were strewn about the floor, discarded here and there like some morbid trail of breadcrumbs. The sight chilled her to the bone, but as Ren approached, she realized they were alive. There was bruising around their necks from where Rhavos had obviously choked them out, but they were alive.

She'd understood his desire to spare the Karuvar—they were his people, and if he had any hope of escaping death, he couldn't kill them. But humans? He'd always made it clear he thought them weak; a nuisance. The fact that he hadn't killed these ones was… so unlike him that it gave her pause.

Maybe she was wrong. Maybe it wasn't Rhavos.

But even as she thought it, her implant told her she'd been right the first time. He was here, and the nearer she drew to him, the more her pace picked up.

At least until she reminded herself she was trying to be stealthy. Right.

Ren crept along the corridor, her heart pounding. She reached the point where it diverged into two different paths, and when she looked right, she finally saw him.

His arm was around the neck and mouth of a Freedom Fighter. Ren watched as they struggled for just a few moments before he gently lowered them to the ground.

He turned to her, his brow ridge drawn up. "I felt you, but I did not think…"

To hell with stealth.

She launched herself at him, knowing she would be caught. His arms came around her, pulling her close, almost crushing her against his chest. Her fingers dug into the side of his neck and she urged him downward, meeting his mouth in a desperate kiss.

Rhavos was the first to break it, his forehead touching hers, his breath coming out in quick bursts. "Why are you here?"

"Probably the same reason you are," she said.

His features grew pained. "It is too dangerous. I nearly lost you once, I cannot do it again."

The old Ren would have pulled away from him so fast it would've left both of them dizzy. But now she found herself lowering a hand to his chest, where she could feel his heart beating as fast as hers.

"We have to do this together, Rhavos. I think you know that."

A growl rumbled in the back of his throat and he leaned down to kiss her again. Soft and sweet, but only lingering for a moment before he drew back and nodded.

"I did not know how I was going to get past any of their security," he admitted.

"And I'm not sure I would've made it past all these guards," she said. "But we've got this."

He smiled at her and Ren smiled back, lost for a moment as she considered how much of a compromise this was from them both. There'd be time to go over just how much she'd changed as a person later. For now, they needed to get to work.

* * *

She and Rhavos moved methodically through the vault. Ren hacked into the terminals and brought down nearby security systems while Rhavos choked out every Freedom Fighter in their path, eventually dragging them into less conspicuous spaces once they reached the lower levels.

They avoided everyone they could, taking shortened paths Ren now remembered. She hacked her way past secure doors and they gradually made their way deeper and deeper into the vault.

She knew Dallas was the goal for Rhavos, and she didn't blame him. She also knew that the authorization she needed to get all the way through the system—to disable any attack they were planning to launch at the Karuvar—would have to come from Dallas, too.

It took them hours, if she had to hazard a guess. At one point, they decided to hole up in an empty room and wait for most of the Freedom Fighters to go back to the barracks, leaving only a few guards, cameras, and alarms on the way to Dallas' room.

They'd nearly reached the last corridor when Rhavos stopped, his ears pinned flat against his head, his tail lashing in agitation. He didn't tell her to stay quiet—he didn't have to. She could read it in his expression.

As she stilled her breathing and concentrated, trying to tune into what Rhavos was sensing, she could almost feel a presence nearby. The shadows shifted around her, and Ren was reminded of those few helpless moments before—

"Look out!" she yelled.

A figure tackled Rhavos, shoving him into the wall. She expected quills, but what she saw was a humanoid form bristling with thick, coarse hair. It followed the spine like the ridge on a boar, and as she saw the being's face, she realized that wasn't too far off the mark. Tusks protruded from a mouth that was closer to human than not, and bony nubs followed the line of sharp cheekbones and a pronounced brow ridge.

He wrestled with Rhavos, long claws at the end of each finger digging into her mate's skin. Rhavos didn't buckle, though, managing to get the upper hand long enough to slam the Nikhiza back against the wall.

Before Ren could warn him, she saw a barbed tail lash out toward Rhavos, raking over his thigh. He growled, the surprise of it catching him off guard, giving the Nikhiza enough time to grapple him and force him to the ground.

Ren's heart was pounding in her ears. Fangs snapped, tails lashed, claws rent, and all she could think about was saving her mate.

She didn't hesitate, pulling the knife from where it was settled against her thigh and driving it between what she hoped were the Nikhiza's ribs.

It howled in pain, seizing up just enough to give Rhavos space to free himself. He didn't waste the opportunity she'd given him, his large hands grabbing the sides of the attacker's neck. With one firm twist, the Nikhiza went limp.

She looked at Rhavos, both of them nearly panting. She thought she'd be shaking, barely able to hold the knife that was now coated in another being's blood. But with Rhavos looking at her the way he was—with such overwhelming pride and adoration in his eyes—she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she'd done the right thing.

"Let's finish this," she said, her gaze cast toward the room at the end of the corridor.

Rhavos nodded and led the way.

20

Rhavos expected resistance.

He armed himself with one of the blades he'd found on a downed human and—reluctantly—a small firearm that hung at his hip. Rhin still held her knife, the Nikhiza's blood wiped off on the leg of her pants. She was not shaking, nor did he scent fear from her. She had done what needed to be done to save him, and Rhavos could not have been more proud of his mate.

As they made their way down the last corridor, the human leader's room looming ever closer, he felt oddly… contented. It was the same sense of calm and ease he felt before deploying his men to a new planet. The actions he and Rhin had taken this day, while unorthodox, felt honorable. If he died now, it would be in service to his mate, and that was something that felt capable of washing away all his past sins. The Stars would judge him unworthy if they wished it, but so long as Rhin believed him to be strong and good and honorable, he would consider it a life well lived.

Pausing before the door, Rhavos scented the air. He could smell humans, but it was difficult to untangle one scent from the next. Even the faintest hint of Nikhiza still clung to the area, further clouding his ability to assess the situation.

He looked to Rhin, and she seemed to realize it the moment he did: They had no choice. Reaching for the door, Rhavos yanked it open and prepared for the fight of his life.

But what he found was not a room full of humans and Nikhiza, all armed to the teeth. Instead there was only one human. Dal’uhz. And he seemed completely unconcerned with their presence.

He had his back to them, something that made Rhavos' ire rise dramatically. This human thought himself invincible, when one well-aimed shot from Rhavos' firearm would end his pathetic existence.

But perhaps the human knew they were not here for that. If he had orchestrated this alliance between human and Nikhiza, he was likely very cunning.

"You know, it's not very nice to kill a man's pet," he mused, finally turning away from a large terminal to face them.

"Nikhiza are not pets," Rhavos said, bristling.

The feud between the Karuvar and the fractured colonies of the Nikhiza was longstanding, beginning far before Rhavos ever held the title of Conqueror. To see a Nikhiza filled him with absolute rage, but even he would not sink to dishonoring them in such a way.

They were ruthless warriors and assassins. Not playthings for a human's amusement.

"They are when you've learned to control them," Dahl'uhz said with a grin that unsettled Rhavos. "Thanks for being the guinea pig on that one, by the way. Couldn't have done it without you."

The human's gaze had settled on his mate, and Rhavos let out a snarl that rattled the walls. He put himself between Rhin and Dahl'uhz, his instincts flaring. The urge to kill the male was strong, but when he felt a light squeeze on his arm, he calmed somewhat.

"This ends now," he said, his words a low rumble that swept through the room. "Your men are not coming, and you will not make it out of this alive if you resist."

The human laughed, a sound that made Rhavos draw his ears back flat against his skull. His muscles tensed, his fingers curling tighter around the hilt of his sword.

"Why would I need any of my men when I can just control someone I know you won't touch?"

He pulled a device from his belt, his intent clear. Rhavos lunged, pinning the human to the ground, but it was too late. He heard the click of a button being pressed, Dahl'uhz's fingers curled around the device in an iron grip. Rhin cried out in pain, and ice flooded Rhavos' veins.

Using his legs to keep Dahl'uhz underneath him, Rhavos turned to see his mate. She was doubled over, the knife clutched in her shaking hand. Her gaze cast up toward him, her eyes pleading.

"Take care of this, will you, sweetheart?" the human called.

Rhavos grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and slammed him into the ground. His fist connected with the human's face once, twice. Blood flew with every blow, Rhavos' violence unchecked.

He would kill this male. He would kill him for hurting his mate. And once Dahl'uhz was dead, Rhin would be freed from his thrall.

But not free from the Karuvar. With this human dead, there would be no one to testify to her innocence. Rhavos growled, feeling helpless. He stopped striking the human, and Dahl'uhz gave a broken, watery laugh, spitting bloody saliva from where it pooled in his mouth.

"Even if you kill me, the code will still execute. You'll die at her hands."

Another strike and the human was coughing. So be it. If this was the way he was going to die, he would make sure he took Dahl'uhz with him. The thrall would clear eventually, or Rhin would rouse enough to find what was triggering it and put a stop to it.

She would have to flee, but right now, that seemed the best of his limited options. His hands twitched, eager to snap the neck of the human who had caused his mate so much pain.

But her voice stopped him. "Rhavos."

He looked over his shoulder and saw her approaching. Something in her eyes called to him, begged only one thing of him.

Trust me.

Her knife was drawn, held out as if she had every intention of using it on him. She moved to his side, crouching down. Her arm extended, her hand flexed, and she held the knife against his throat.

Rhavos didn't dare breathe.

"Nice touch," Dahl'uhz said behind a wheeze. "Having him look into your eyes while you kill him."

She was holding his gaze, and for a very long moment, nothing happened. Her hand buckled, and he could see her drawing in short breaths through her nose.

And then with a growl to rival any Karuvar, she pulled the knife away from Rhavos' throat and leveled it at the human's.

"Tell me how to stop it now or I end your miserable life," she promised.

Dahl'uhz's gaze narrowed. "Maybe I need to be more specific: Kill him."

She dug the edge of the knife into his flesh until blood beaded at the surface. For the first time, Rhavos actually caught the acrid scent of fear. The human was practically drenched in it, his skin paling, his eyes wide.

"What the fuck? Why isn't it working?"

"Because my bond to him is stronger than anything you can do to me," Rhin said, and Rhavos' heart soared. "Now tell me."

He spat out more blood. Deliberately this time. "I don't make deals with alien whores."

With surprising swiftness, his mate turned her knife around and struck Dahl'uhz with the blunt end of it. His head drooped and he fell unconscious.

“That was amazing," Rhavos said, not bothering to hide his awe.

His mate gave him a shy smile, pushing herself to her feet. "We don't have a lot of time, right? I think he's got an escape route down here." She scanned the wall, finding a special panel. "There. Hold his arm up to that."

"What about your implant?"

"Already on it," she said, moving to the console.

She dug around for something, and Rhavos did his part, lifting Dahl'uhz and holding his arm up to the panel. It blinked green, revealing a secret door that slid open.

"I imagine Verkiir sent men after me," Rhavos said. "I do not know the kind of reception we will receive."

"I got this from the pod,” she said. “Maybe if you can reach them first?"

She tossed him a small communicator which Rhavos caught with his free hand. It was possible Drann would order their immediate deaths, but he had to believe Drol'gan's son was better than that.

Activating the communicator, he said, "This is Rhavos fer Rhakvar. Inform Pathfinder Drann that my mate and I are emerging from the humans' vault, and we are bringing their leader with us."

* * *

They were met at the vault's entrance by a massive party of Karuvar warriors, with Verkiir at the helm. Weapons were drawn, bodies were tensed, and all signs pointed to he and his mate not living through this encounter.

But Verkiir's gaze moved between them, then to the still-unconscious human Rhavos carried. He raised a hand in silent command for his men to hold formation.

"That is their leader? Dahl'uhz?" he asked.

Rhavos nodded. "His men are alive, but disabled. The Nikhiza we encountered is dead."

"And this," Rhin said, holding up what looked to be little more than a metal stick, "contains every bit of data I could pull from their terminals."

Verkiir's brow ridge scrunched, and Rhavos did not envy the decision he had to make. No doubt he had already lost favor with the Pathfinder for letting him escape.

"I still have to take you into custody until the Pathfinder can review the evidence," he said, and motioned to his men.

Rhavos let out the breath he'd been holding. There was still a very real chance they would be executed, but for now, he and his mate were safe.

* * *

By the time they were placed into holding—in the same room, as they feared what Rhavos might do if they were separated—his mate was exhausted.

She remained close to him throughout the trek back to Waystation Helios, and once the guards shut them in, she crawled into his lap and clung to him, pressing sweet kisses to his chest, shoulder, and neck as if she could not believe he was here with her.

Rhavos could not believe that either, and he wanted to make the most of it. If these were their last moments together—their last moments alive—he wanted to spend them well.

His cock stiffened immediately at the idea of mating her, of touching and kissing and loving her so thoroughly that neither of them would forget it. When she shifted, he let out a soft growl and nuzzled against her hair. His hands moved to her thighs, and he caressed her with more care and gentleness than he'd ever shown anything in his life.

But his mate was still. She did not burrow against him or wiggle her shapely rear to the benefit of his aching cock. Her breath came in soft, even patterns, warmth dusting his chest, and Rhavos chuckled.

She was asleep.

He held her close, honored by her trust in him, and remained as still as he could while she slept.

Enough time passed for the guards outside to change shifts. The room felt warmer than before, and Rhavos could only guess the sun was reaching its apex outside.

When his mate finally roused, she did so with a rather endearing yawn and a sheepish smile. He smiled back at her.

"How long was I out?"

"Several hours, I think," he answered softly.

She stretched, her ass pressing against him in a way that woke his cock once more. This time she let out a little gasp, meeting his gaze. By the Stars, he burned for her. But he would not take her if she did not wish it.

"Guess I shouldn't have fallen asleep on your lap, huh? How long have you been, um… dealing with that?"

"Off and on," he admitted.

Amusement glinted in her eyes, but her lips spread into a sly smile that made his pulse quicken. He dared not move as she reached behind her, stroking him through his pants.

"We'd better do something about that."

Rhavos needed no further encouragement. He kissed her deeply, his tongue tangling with hers. His hands moved under her shirt, sliding over her skin as he plotted the path he intended to take with his mouth.

But his mate had other plans. Lifting her rear from his lap, she reached down to undo the strings of his pants. Her hand sought out his cock and he groaned into her mouth as she stroked him. His composure faltered, but it was not completely shattered until she began to grind her lovely body against him, the heat of her begging for him to claim her.

And he did.

He pulled her garments down just enough and buried himself inside of her. He clutched her to him as he thrusted, and she gripped his shoulders to steady herself, meeting every motion he made.

When her release came, she buried her face against him, her moan muffled by his shoulder. Rhavos came soon after, having not a care for who heard him.

She remained there, wrapped in his arms, the two of them still connected in the most intimate way possible. Lifting her head, she looked up at him with pure adoration in her eyes.

“Hey, whatever happens today… I just need you to know…”

Rhavos stroked her cheek and bent to kiss her. “I know.”

They were together now. He had redeemed himself to his mate; he had won her love and trust before facing his final judgment. No matter what happened later, that was all he needed in this life.

21

No one came for them until later that day.

Ren had no idea how much time had passed in reality, but once they were led from their windowless room, she could see it was just starting to get dark outside. Their wrists weren't bound, but armed guards escorted them through Waystation Helios.

Rhavos didn't ask questions, and so she kept her mouth shut, too, though she felt like she was on display. They passed lots of human onlookers in the Waystation's halls, their stares ranging from gentle curiosity to outright condemnation. She assumed stares from Karuvar would be even worse, but outside of their guards, Ren didn't see any.

Which was… odd.

She understood why the second they were processed and led outside. The Zavellan was as close to the ground as she'd ever seen it, taking up a huge space in the massive canyon that housed Waystation Helios.

Karuvar were boarding en masse, hundreds of them ascending the ramp, and the guards that collected her and Rhavos led the two of them into the crowd.

Very few Karuvar seemed to pay them any mind, and Ren exchanged a quizzical look with Rhavos. He just shrugged, prompting her to edge that much closer to him. If even he had no idea what was going on, that didn't bode well for the two of them.

The Zavellan was crowded, but they were escorted through the dense groups to the bridge, where she saw what she could only describe as organized chaos.

A huge, open room was being filled by Karuvar and a few humans. She picked out Verkiir and a human woman Ren could only assume was his mate, as well as Addison and her mate, Kor'ven. The humans' attention briefly flicked to her and Rhavos before everyone looked elsewhere.

Ren followed their gaze, seeing Drann standing on a literal bridge above them. He looked like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders, and thanks to the Freedom Fighters and the Nikhiza, it did.

Guilt assaulted her, and a cold sweat prickled at her brow as she wondered if all of these people were gathered for a double execution. Sensing her fear, Rhavos reached out an arm and drew her even closer. Surprisingly, none of the guards seemed to care about this.

If they're going to kill us, I guess it doesn't matter.

"Is that everyone who wishes to be here?" Drann called.

A voice answered from far behind them, muffled in the crowd. "Yes, Pathfinder."

"Prepare for flight, then."

Flight? Were they going to enact the alien equivalent of making someone walk the plank?

Drann's gaze found the two of them and she froze. This far away, she couldn't see many details in his expression, but he definitely wasn't smiling. Rhavos clutched her tighter.

"The ceremony will begin soon, but I wanted to address the issue of culpability first, while everyone is present to hear it."

Ren swallowed the lump in her throat. Her stomach was in knots, and she could feel herself trembling.

"I know many of you place the blame with the human Ren Alvarez, as well as her mate, Rhavos fer Rhakvar. Let me be clear: They are not to blame for my father's death."

Ren sucked in a breath, her eyes wide as she looked up at Drann. Was this… some kind of trick? Was he going to add a "but" to that? The Karuvar around them spoke in hushed tones, apparently wondering the same thing.

"Ren is as much a victim in this as my father," he continued. "She may not have paid with her life, but she paid with her freedom. After extensive investigation, my best programmers confirmed that she was indeed being controlled by the leader of the human resistance group. She had no choice, no say in what happened to my father. Doctor Monroe tells me she lost five years of her life to these humans."

Mouth agape, Ren sought out Addison. The woman gave a slight smile and dipped her head. When Ren's gaze returned to Drann, she found him looking directly at her.

"I'm sorry we made things worse for you," he said softly. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

"I-I…"

What could she even say? Rhavos gave her a squeeze, lending his silent support, but she couldn't wrap her head around any of this.

"I want everyone on this ship to understand that this human could have fled. She could have left us to the fate we created for ourselves. But she stayed and she fought, and because of her efforts, we now have information that will be invaluable in the fight to come." He paused, letting that sink in, then bowed his head in her direction. "Thank you."

One by one, the Karuvar around her also bowed their heads, and Ren was overcome by emotion. She'd fought so hard all of her life, and almost every time it was thankless. The people around her told her not to stir the pot; that she would be responsible for any recourse visited upon her and those she cared about.

But the Pathfinder wasn't laying the weight of this on her shoulders. He was thanking her for carrying it this far; making everyone else aware of it by praising her actions.

And yet…

"I wouldn't have gotten there without Rhavos," she said, directing her words to Drann. "Whatever you're thanking me for, you need to be thanking him, too."

"I will be all right," Rhavos assured her.

"I don't want to sound ungrateful," she continued, "but if I'm being pardoned, he deserves to be, too. I know you feel like he dishonored the Karuvar, but he—"

"He aided in a prisoner's escape," Drann said, cutting her off. "He assaulted several of his fellow Karuvar, practically destroyed our brig, and stole one of our pods."

Ren's hands balled into fists. No. He couldn't do this. She wouldn't let him. Rhavos was—

"It's hard to see honor in those actions, but I don't think there's any bonded male that would have behaved differently."

Drann's gaze left her for a moment, and Ren followed it to a young human woman. It was only for the slightest moment, but enough to make her wonder.

"Where I do see honor is in the fact that Rhavos also chose to help the Karuvar while helping his mate. It would have been easy to kill the humans that were responsible for hurting her, but he recognized they were more valuable to his people if they were kept alive. Because of those actions, we now have their leader secured in this very ship, and I am confident we will be able to extract information from him." His voice was hard, and Ren’s heart ached for him. He seemed to recover, though, and dipped his head again, his gaze on Rhavos this time. "Thank you. I always had trouble seeing how my father's views aligned with yours, but now I understand." His attention returned to the crowd. "These two are to be treated as the heroes they are, by Karuvar and human alike."

Murmurs of agreement came from the crowd, and Ren felt like her head was spinning. She thought they'd been brought here for an execution. Instead, they were literally given a hero's welcome.

It was so, so surreal, but apparently, it wasn't over yet.

"Rhavos. Conqueror." She could feel her mate draw in a breath behind her, and she smiled as she imagined his expression. "We need to launch a counter-assault. I can't do this without you. Without either of you."

"I would be honored to serve, Pathfinder." Rhavos' voice was filled with pride.

"What he said," she added with a smile.

And, to her relief, Drann smiled back.

Before anything else could be said—and before she could process the fact that the Karuvar around her were cheering for the two of them—the thrusters kicked in and the Zavellan started to lift away from Earth.

What followed was, to put it mildly, a humbling experience.

The Zavellan rose slowly, through sky and clouds and eventually the surface of the planet itself. Black space stretched across the panoramic windows and Ren sank back into Rhavos, the beauty of it rendering her completely speechless.

Her mate was somber, as were most of the other Karuvar, and she soon understood why. When Drann returned to the bridge, he was holding an urn. Though she hadn't known Drol'gan well, she ached for the loss of a great leader, and she could feel how much her mate mourned, too.

Drann initiated a ceremony that involved a last rites of sort. Once he'd said everything he wished to say, he carefully set the urn into a compartment. Her eyes widened when she heard something breaking, but no one else seemed concerned. Rhavos' gaze turned toward the window to their right, and Ren gasped at what she saw.

Drol'gan's ashes were held almost in stasis outside the ship, shimmering against the inky blackness of space. They'd almost looked like…

"From the Stars we are born, to the Stars we return," Drann said, and every Karuvar in the room repeated it in chorus.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, especially when she saw Drann's gaze linger. He turned back to his people, and even at a distance, she could tell he wasn't okay. She couldn't imagine the burden he'd been forced to carry.

"My father was… instrumental in the survival of the Karuvar," he said, addressing the crowd. "If he had not sought peace with the humans, our kind would be doomed. I never thought I'd inherit his legacy at the start of a war, but I promise you, I will see his vision continue. Karuvar adapt. It's the one thing we do better than any other species in the galaxy. We are strong, and with the humans at our side, we are even stronger."

Again his gaze drifted to the younger woman who stood apart from the crowd.

"We will meet the challenges that await us head on, and there is no doubt in my mind that we will thrive. We will build a legacy that our kits can be proud of. That my father would be proud of. And we will do it together."

Gooseflesh prickled along her skin as everyone cheered at the speech.

Almost everyone.

When she turned in Rhavos' arms, she found he wasn't looking at Drann, but at her. His eyes shone with more than Ren could ever name, and a smile spread across her own features as the rest of the world faded away.

"There is much to do," he said, "and I will need a partner. Someone who has helped me understand that true strength is shared. Someone who has captured my heart, my soul, and every part of my being. Someone who looks at me and sees how much better I can be with her in my life."

Ren didn't even try to stop the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. Instead, she reached up, taking his face in her hands and bringing him down for a kiss.

"I think I might know someone like that," she said with a smile.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms amidst both Karuvar and humans, Ren felt a weight lift from her heart. For the first time in her life, she didn't have to go it alone.

Rhavos was there, and no matter what happened, she knew he always would be.

Epilogue

Two Years Later

Ren stood at her terminal aboard the Kruvian, her fingers poised at the keyboard. She was used to staring at code. She could look at strings and values for hours on end and never lose her cool.

But this syllabus was getting on her last nerve.

Addison brought up the idea the last time she and Rhavos were planetside, and she hadn’t been able to contain her enthusiasm. Being invited to teach a class was one thing, but teaching a class that would be attended by women who were forced to flee their homes? That was something special. The only reason she’d gotten as far as she had in life was because she’d been given something to work at; something to strive for, along with the tools to actually achieve her goals.

The idea that she could provide those tools to women who’d had everything taken from them—or never had anything to begin with—was incredible.

She’d worried about bringing it up with Rhavos. She’d enjoyed their time in space so, so much. There were so many experiences she wouldn’t trade for anything in the world, not to mention everything she and Rhavos had been able to do for the Karuvar so far. But the opportunity to teach was as precious to her as all the stars in the universe.

And Rhavos had understood that. Of course he had. They still had their differences, and the occasional battle of wills, but he was always supportive of the things she wanted to do.

She suspected he had an ulterior motive this time, though. Ren felt a flutter in her midsection as that motive made itself known. Taking a much-needed break from the syllabus, she rested her hands atop her swollen belly as her very rambunctious child kicked her mercilessly.

“Okay, I’m sure my spleen had it coming, but could you hold back just a little bit, mija?”

A deep chuckle came from behind her and she smiled as her mate approached. His arms were around her, his hands resting atop hers in no time, and she leaned back into him gratefully as he pressed a kiss to her neck.

“She is restless again?”

“Always,” Ren said.

She and Rhavos had actually taken precautions for a good, long while. They both agreed the middle of a war really wasn’t the time for a kit. Not when they were both so crucial to the Karuvar’s success. But once things calmed down and Drann stopped sending them on so many missions, they decided to start trying for a family of their own.

Of course Rhavos had knocked her up on the first try.

Now she was six months pregnant and very, very round. So she suspected her mate’s desire for her to be planetside was also influenced by his desire to keep her and their kit safe. He’d become ultra protective over the last few months. And while it sometimes grated on her, for the most part it was sweet.

“Lovak expects to breech Earth’s atmosphere within the next hour,” he said, nuzzling just behind her ear in a way that made her sigh.

“I guess that gives me time to figure out what I’m doing with this syllabus,” she muttered.

“Or we could put that time to better use.”

Her mate’s hand moved suspiciously higher until he wasn’t touching her stomach at all. She couldn’t say she was surprised when his fingers brushed her breast, but she still gasped. They’d filled out a lot more than she'd expected during her pregnancy, and Rhavos was fascinated by how sensitive they were.

He was also fascinated by the fact that her sex drive had skyrocketed about three months in. Addison and Meg had both assured her it would subside, but here she was, three months later and still being played like a fiddle by her mate. She moaned as he brushed her nipple, the fabric of her shirt rubbing against it. His teeth caught her earlobe and she melted against him, utterly helpless to resist.

But two could play at that game.

Ren shifted her hips and arched back against her mate, nestling her rear against his already prominent erection in a way she knew drove him crazy. He growled low in his throat and her lips quirked in a triumphant smile.

“Don’t you have Conqueror work to do?” she teased.

Rhavos didn’t answer her immediately. His hand moved to her hip and he turned her to face him, lifting her into his arms with another growl. Ren squeaked but didn’t protest, her hands resting on his shoulders as he brought her over to a window bench that was definitely more Karuvar height than human height.

“What do you think I am doing right now?” he finally asked, tugging on her pants.

Ren tried to stifle her laugh, but she just couldn’t help it. “Wow. Wow. You should be docked points for that, I mean hones—”

Her words tapered into a moan as Rhavos dropped to his knees before her, his breath hot against her skin. She tried to speak, tried to tease him even more, but her mate made it impossible to focus on anything other than the wicked things he was doing to her. That, and the single-minded devotion he showed whenever they were together. She wasn’t sure she could distract him even if she wanted to.

And right now, she definitely didn’t want to.

* * *

An hour or so later, Ren stood in the cockpit with her mate as the Kruvian breeched the Earth’s atmosphere.

They descended through clouds and sky, gradually slowing as the canyons that surrounded Everton came into view. As much as she enjoyed traveling the galaxy with Rhavos, Earth was and would always be her home. Coming back to it felt like being pulled into a warm hug by a dear friend—a comparison that only became more relevant the closer they got to the Earth’s surface, as she could see a group of people waiting for them. Addison and Kor’ven. Verkiir and Meg. Even Drann was there, with Ashley by his side.

Over the past two years, she’d grown incredibly close to all of them. Maybe it was just the effects of the war, but they were her family now, and she was theirs. Seeing them now as the Kruvian touched down was just one more reminder of everything she’d gained. No matter where she went, no matter what she was doing, she was never alone.

Leaning into Rhavos, she smiled. “Ready?”

He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, his eyes meeting hers. He didn’t have to say it. No matter what they were facing, Ren knew he would always be by her side. Her partner. Her mate. The one person she could depend on more than any other.

“Always.”

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