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  Y’dex laughed hatefully. “I’ll take your silence for a ‘no.’ Not that I’m surprised—why would anyone but me bother with the likes of you? You’re lucky, you know. I could have been blood bonded to any female in our grotto but my parents chose you.”

  “Oh yes, I’m so lucky. My whole life is about to be taken from me—I’ll live in bondage to a male I hate just because our parents want to keep our bloodlines pure.” Hot tears of rage and despair were rising in her eyes but Nadiah blinked them back fiercely, not wanting to let him see her cry. “Can’t you…can’t you just let me go?” she asked, trying to make her voice softer. “I don’t want you, Y’dex. And deep down, I don’t think you really want me. Please, go find someone else and let me live my life.”

  “And live with an unfulfilled blood bond hanging over me for the rest of my days?” He glared at her. “I think not. Besides, Nadiah, I do want you. I intend to show you just how much in the very near future.”

  The greedy, leering way he was looking at her made Nadiah’s stomach lurch, and her skin turned cold with fear. “I’ll fight you,” she whispered, clenching her hands into fists at her sides. “Every step of the way, I’ll fight. I swear to the Goddess if you lay so much as a finger or anything else on me I’ll cut it off—I don’t care if we’re bonded or not.”

  Her fiancée’s expression went from greedy to enraged—his nearly white skin flushing an angry red. “You think you can fight me? You think you can fight this?”

  He made a motion with his right hand. Curling it into a fist, he dragged it back toward himself, almost as though he was yanking on a rope. At once Nadiah felt the burning blade slip between her ribs again. It was worse this time, like someone was stirring her guts with a red hot spoon.

  She wanted to stand straight and tall, to stare into those hateful, bulging blue eyes defiantly, but she couldn’t—the pain was too great. With a low cry, she doubled over, fully expecting to hit her head on the floor and not caring if she did.

  Instead, a pair of strong arms caught her and she was picked up and held against a muscular chest.

  Sylvan? she thought hazily but the male holding her smelled wrong—Sylvan’s scent was sharp and this male had a deep, dark musk that was somehow familiar though she had a feeling she had never smelled it quite so strongly before. Also, she could see Sylvan and Sophia standing there arguing angrily with her parents and fiancée on the viewscreen. They seemed to be telling Y’dex to stop his assault on her, to stop yanking on the blood bond. But her fiancée only laughed and twisted his fist some more, causing a fresh wave of agony to roll over her. Her back arched helplessly and she gasped, tears pouring from her eyes.

  “Stop it!” The full throated roar was coming from the male who was holding her. It echoed through her skull and rattled her bones as her ear was pressed to his deep chest. “You fucking stop it right now you little bastard!”

  Nadiah felt herself being carried closer to the viewscreen, close enough to see the shocked looks on her parents’ faces and the angry sneer on Y’dex’s.

  “And who is this?” her fiancée demanded, staring at her rescuer. “I thought Nadiah couldn’t find a Kindred to be her champion.”

  “She found me.” The pain was less now, allowing Nadiah to think. Could it be…was it Detective Rast holding her and shouting at Y’dex? She looked up at him in wonder and saw that his truegreen eyes were burning with rage. They seemed almost to glow in his face with a strange, protective light.

  “One of the First Kindred. Imagine.” Y’dex raised an eyebrow. “I thought your kind had all but died out.”

  “You’re the one who’s going to die out, buddy,” Rast snarled. “I’ll come with Nadiah and meet your challenge but I swear to you here and now, if you ever inflict that pain on her again I will end you. Do I make myself abso-fucking-lutely clear?”

  Y’dex’s already pale face went even whiter but there were still spots of angry red on his thin cheekbones. “How dare you speak to me in that manner? I am her intended.”

  “No, you’re not. She never intended to marry you—she never wanted you.” Rast glared at him and Nadiah thought she saw murder in his truegreen eyes. “And I don’t really think you want her either—except the way a mean little boy wants a pet so he can beat it and hurt it. Well, Nadiah’s not going to be your pet. Her life is worth more than that—a hell of a lot more.”

  Y’dex’s face grew dark red but his voice was calm. “We’ll see about that, won’t we Kindred? I will meet you in my home grotto in one standard week. There I will best you in the three sacred challenges. Do you accept?”

  “Rast,” Sylvan murmured urgently, plucking at the human detective’s elbow but Rast shook him off.

  “I’ll be there,” he promised grimly. “And in the mean time, keep your psychic paws off Nadiah. No more pain—got it?”

  Y’dex grinned nastily. “As to that, she is still my…what did you call her? Oh yes, my little pet until you attempt to break out bond. And as such, I can do with her what I want.” He made another twisting, yanking motion with his fist and Nadiah cried out as the burning knife stabbed her again.

  “You son of a bitch.” Rast’s voice was thick with rage. “I’ll make you pay for that. I swear to God I will.”

  “Come and try. I look forward to it.” And with that, the connection was broken and Nadiah’s fiancée and parents mercifully disappeared from the viewscreen. She gasped in relief—and then fainted.

  * * * * *

  “Well this is a hell of a mess. Do you realize what you’ve done?” Commander Sylvan was clearly upset but Rast didn’t care.

  “Yeah, I know what I did. I stepped up and challenged the bastard who was hurting her which is more than you were doing.” Rast cradled Nadiah protectively close to his chest. “What the hell, Sylvan—she’s your baby cousin. Could you do more than just ask nicely?”

  “Don’t you think I wanted to help her?” Sylvan’s normally impassive face was nearly anguished. “Of course I did, but I couldn’t. Only an unmated, unrelated male can break the blood bond. A Kindred male—which you are not.”

  “You think I give a damn about that?” Rast demanded. “Besides, I don’t have to be Kindred to take on that little bastard. I’ll snap him over my knee like a twig.”

  “Just because you have Kindred size and strength doesn’t mean you have Kindred blood.” Sylvan ran a hand through his spiky blond hair impatiently. “There is more than just the challenge of strength to get through, Rast. You’ll also have to endure the challenge of wills and the challenge of blood. Which you will almost certainly lose.”

  Rast frowned. “What makes you so sure? You know, you guys talk a good fight and you’re eager enough to get married to Earth women but you clearly have some kind of superiority complex going on.”

  “The weakness isn’t in your heart—you clearly have the courage of a vranna.” Sylvan sighed. “But your blood—Kindred blood has special compounds in it that give extra strength of will and mind as well as physical strength. They’re also what enable a Kindred to break the blood bond—one of the strongest symbiotic soul bonds in the known universe.”

  “Great—so you have superhuman blood and I don’t.” Rast shrugged. “What harm can there be in me at least trying?”

  “The harm is that you could die trying.” Commander Sylvan looked at him soberly. “And even if you did somehow manage to break the bond, there’s a small but real chance that Nadiah could die as well. She’s been bonded to Y’dex since she was six cycles old. If her soul becomes untethered from his and has no other, stronger soul to anchor to, it’s possible she could lose consciousness and literally drift away.”

  Rast felt sick. “You mean even if I succeed I could kill her?”

  Sylvan nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. It’s not likely but there is that possibility.”

  “I don’t care about that.”

  The soft voice came from the girl in his arms. Rast looked down in surprise to see that Nadiah’s lovely deep blue eyes
were open. She struggled slightly against him and he helped her stand, keeping an arm around her shoulders just in case.

  “Now, what did you say?” he asked, frowning.

  “I said, I don’t care if I die.” Her face was filled with calm desperation. “I’d rather die than live with that horrible male the rest of my life.” She looked up at Rast earnestly. “Are you serious? Will you really act as my champion and challenge the blood bond on my behalf?”

  He nodded slowly. “Yes. Absolutely.”

  Nadiah sighed, looking troubled. “I know I should ask you why or try to change your mind but I’m desperate.”

  “I can see that,” Rast said dryly. “He’s literally got you on the end of a leash.”

  A spasm of hatred passed over her delicate features. “As you said, I’m his pet. But I don’t want to be—not any more.”

  “Of course you don’t, honey!” Sophia came forward and gave Nadiah a quick hug. “But you shouldn’t say you want to die—that isn’t right.”

  “How could I live as Y’dex’s mate?” Nadiah demanded. “Being abused every day and…and raped every night?” She looked ill. “That’s no kind of life.”

  Rast felt a surge of protectiveness for the slender alien girl at his side. “That’s not going to happen, sweetheart. I won’t let it happen.”

  Sylvan sighed and shook his head. “I hope you can prevent it, Detective Rast—I really do. Though I don’t see how you can without Kindred blood in your veins.”

  “I’ll find a way.” Rast squeezed Nadiah’s shoulders gently. “Believe me, I will.”

  She looked up at him, her blue eyes troubled. “There’s something else you should know before you commit yourself to my cause. While I was unconscious just now, I had a vision.”

  In the past Rast would have ridiculed her statement but now he knew she was the genuine article—an actual, honest to God psychic—so he listened with respect. “Tell me about it,” he said quietly. “What did you see?”

  Nadiah shook her head. “It wasn’t a seeing exactly—not like when I saw you with your sister. It’s something I know—a premonition. ”

  “Okay then.” Rast stroked a strand of golden hair out of her eyes and looked at her seriously. “What do you know?”

  “That if you do this—if you leave Earth and come with me—you may never return to your home planet again.” Nadiah looked at him with troubled eyes. “I don’t know if it’s because you might die or just that you’ll be busy with other matters. But I thought you should know before you committed yourself to my cause.”

  Her statement shook him—there was no hiding that. But Rast had no doubt whatsoever. For some reason he belonged with the slender, blonde alien girl. He couldn’t explain it, even to himself, but the idea of leaving her, or of letting her leave without him and go millions of light years away to get married to a man she didn’t love, made him cold inside. “There’s nothing to think about,” he said firmly. “I’m coming with you.”

  Nadiah smiled at him gratefully and Rast though he would walk over hot coals barefooted to see that warm, lovely expression on her face. It occurred to him that he’d never felt this way about a woman before—what was going on? He didn’t know and at the moment, he didn’t really care. He just knew he wanted to make Nadiah happy so he could see that look on her face forever.

  “Thank you, Rast,” she murmured.” But I think you should go down to the surface one more time and say goodbye to anyone you might miss before we go.”

  He nodded reluctantly. “Okay, you’re right about that. I should probably see my folks one more time.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Nadiah said but Sylvan shook his head.

  “No, you won’t. Not when Y’dex could attack you through the blood bond again at any moment. I don’t want you down on the surface of a strange world in your condition.”

  Rast shook his head. “It’s all right—I can go by myself. Just get me a driver and promise not to leave without me. It shouldn’t take long.”

  “I’ll fly you down myself.” Commander Sylvan stepped forward, frowning. “And you’ll fly us both back. Some of the smaller Kindred ships aren’t much more complicated than an Earth car to drive but if you’ve never flown before, you’re going to need some lessons before you start out for Tranq Prime.”

  Rast grinned. “I’ve always wanted to fly.”

  “Now’s your chance.” Sylvan clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on. We can talk as we go, but first I want a small sample of your blood. I’ll get the lab working while we’re gone and see if there’s anything I can give you to increase your chances.”

  “Sounds good to me—let’s go.” He nodded and Sylvan led the way out of the viewing room. As they left, Rast cast one last look over his shoulder and saw Nadiah watching him. Her deep, otherworldly blue eyes were filled with emotion—nervousness, fear, uncertainty, but most of all hope. She’s counting on me, Rast though, and the idea made his heart swell in his chest.

  He swore to himself then and there, that he wouldn’t let her down. That Nadiah’s hopes and the trust she had placed in him would be fulfilled in every way, even if it killed him to do it.

  Chapter Four

  “I still don’t understand why he’s doing this.” Olivia looked perplexed. “I thought he didn’t like you.”

  Nadiah looked down at her hands. “I didn’t think he did, either. I guess maybe he was just so angry at the way Y’dex was treating me that he couldn’t stop himself.”

  “He was really angry,” Sophie, who was sitting on the other side of Nadiah, put in. “You should have seen him—he looked like an avenging angel when he scooped her up and started shouting at that nasty Yo-dah…er, Y’dex.”

  “That’s his formal first name,” Nadiah said tiredly to answer the other girls’ confused looks. “Yo-dah is a childhood nickname. But we’re not children anymore.”

  “Tomato-tomahto,” said Olivia. “I’m still wondering about Rast.”

  “Me too,” Kat said. “So let me get this straight…Rast got so angry at the way Y’…Y’…Y’whatever-his-name-is was treating you, he decided to risk his life and maybe never see his home world and loved ones again just to get even? Sure, that’s one explanation.” She lounged back against the cushions scattered on the floor, looking skeptical.

  They were all in Sophia’s suite, spending a few more hours together before Nadiah had to go. But the thought of going back to Tranq Prime, even with a champion to challenge the blood bond, was making her more and more nervous.

  “What do you mean, Kat?” she asked, frowning.

  “Do I really have to spell it out?” Kat raised one auburn eyebrow at her. “I think Detective Rast has the hots for you, hon.”

  “The ‘hots’?” Nadiah shook her head, frowning. “You mean you think his internal temperature rises when I’m around?”

  Kat looked like she wanted to laugh. “Among other things.”

  “He was giving you some pretty significant looks,” Sophia said thoughtfully. “Maybe Kat is right.”

  “I don’t think so.” Nadiah shook her head. “I mean, I don’t see how he could, um, feel that way about me. You should see the way I’ve treated him. I shouted at him and slapped him. And then I had a vision where I brought up his beloved older sister who died. After uncovering a wound like that, I’m surprised he’ll even talk to me, let alone act as my champion.”

  “Well you must be doing something right.” Lauren came bustling up with a tray of homemade muffins. “Otherwise he wouldn’t be willing to risk life and limb to save you.”

  “Here’s an idea,” Olivia said thoughtfully. “Didn’t you say he’s dedicated his life to saving women?”

  Nadiah nodded. “Ever since his sister was killed.”

  “My mom said he was tireless when he was investigating my disappearance,” Lauren put in. “He really takes a lost or hurting female very seriously.”

  “Maybe that’s it then,” Liv said. “Maybe he sees all women—you included—a
s extensions of his sister. He couldn’t save her but maybe he feels that if he saves enough other women, he’ll get over it.” She shrugged. “Or something like that.”

  “Thanks Ms. Pop Psychology for that interesting analysis,” Kat said dryly. “But I still think the simplest solution is the right one—Detective Rast has ants in his pants for Nadiah, here.”

  Nadiah shook her head. “My translation bacteria must be acting up. Did you just say that Detective Rast has insects in his trousers?”

  Kat wiggled her eyebrows. “Among other things,” she said again.

  Sophie laughed and shook her head. “Kat’s just being silly, Nadiah. Don’t pay any attention.”

  “All joking aside, do you really think he’ll be able to help me?” Nadiah asked her friends. “I mean, without any Kindred blood in his veins?”