Part 2 (2/2)

Christian crossed his large arms over his chest, doing his best to look intimidating. ”That is the only sport I seem to get from my wife anymore, Nina.”

Wife?

Nina laughed. ”Watch your tongue, Christian. If you keep calling her your wife before the ceremony actually takes place you're likely to jinx it.”

Lorelei was to marry Christian? No. That couldn't be. Sevan stared at her, desperate for her to announce it wasn't true, that it was some sort of joke. No way could she ever take another man into her, not after what they shared. Not after she'd allowed him to lay claim to her. His chest tightened as the realization that the dreams were quite possibly only one-sided hit him. What force would bring her image forth in his sleep, allowing him to experience a love like no other only to give her to another the moment they met? ”Christian.” Lorelei shook her head slightly, exhaling as she went. ”Please refrain from discussing marriage in front of others. There is a time and place. This is not it.”

”Please refrain from bringing your human terms for what occurs. You share their blood but you share ours as well. Never forget that, Lorelei. And try not to forget the sins of your ancestors. I am not in the habit of raising other....”

Lorelei pulled away from him and directed her attention to Christian. Sevan would have been jealous had he not sensed the rage within her. Nina apparently sensed it as well because she moved next to her sister quickly and offered her a small smile.

”Jacquelyn listens,” she whispered to Lorelei.

Lifting her hands up, Lorelei tipped her head back and forth. He watched in awe as a slight wind began to twirl around her. Jordan gasped but Sevan just stared at her, already knowing how very special she truly was. Her hair lifted slightly and the oppressing feeling of rage dissipated instantly. She went to Christian and cupped his face. The second she pressed her lips to his, Sevan saw red.

He moved fast to s.n.a.t.c.h Lorelei away from the man but found Jordan seizing hold of him. ”Captain.”

The warning fell on deaf ears. The only thing that mattered was Lorelei and the fact that she was in the arms of another man. A small spark of light pa.s.sed from her lips to his, causing Sevan to stop his struggle against Jordan's grasp.

Lorelei drew back from Christian as he shook his head slightly, seeming to come out of a daze. He looked down at Lorelei with wide eyes. ”It happened again, didn't it?”

Sevan wanted to know what the man was talking about but held his tongue.

Nina touched Christian's arm. ”How much can you remember?”

”I knew what I was saying was wrong but I couldn't stop. Lorelei, I didn't mean to pin you to the ground. I....”

Lorelei smiled and Sevan's heart beat madly in his chest. He wanted that directed at him, not the psycho before her. ”Christian, we will beat him. I promise you this. See how far you've come in seven months? You're now able to recall what you do during the spells and even fight him. I watched you hesitate a little bit ago and when you tackled me you should have crushed me. You didn't. See, we will beat him.”

Christian snorted. ”Is that before or after he uses one of us to kill you, Lorelei? I am a threat to you and shall remove myself from the premises. Change all of the access codes and give the information only to the females. It might be wise to section the males off and quarantine them again until the pa.s.sing of the moons. His power weakens after that and will take some time to recover.”

Lorelei shook her head. ”No, Christian. You will stay with us. Your place is here.”

”It's getting to the point that I'm over reacting to every tiny thing you do. I know that the elders arranged a marriage between us even though we both know it wasn't to be. I cannot replace Samson. Yet I can't stop the hate that burns when I think of you with another man. I want you to be happy, Lorelei. I do. Why am I suddenly jealous of every aspect of your life?” Christian cupped her cheek and Sevan wanted to beat him until he lost consciousness. ”I will never forget waking to find you the way I did and I will never forget knowing it was I who caused it.”

Nina moved forward fast and pushed him hard. ”You did not cause anything. He could just as easily manipulate the men standing among us now and attack her. He picked you to prove a point. The man is a lunatic, Christian, and wants to make the biggest statement he can. Having you, the Chieftain, destroy Lorelei would be the ultimate irony.

The only thing that could top that would be for Lorelei's true mate to arrive and slit her throat because he deemed it so.”

Sevan stiffened.

Lorelei laughed. ”Always a ray of light, aren't you, Nina?”

”I'm honest.”

Jordan sighed. ”Brutally so.”

Everyone just stared at him. Nina cast him a dirty look and Jordan winked at her. For a moment Sevan thought she might actually punch Jordan. He wouldn't stop her. Seeing his brother get his a.s.s kicked by a girl would be hilarious. Christian nodded. ”I shall take my leave of you all now.”

Nina and Lorelei grabbed hold of him. Nina shook her head. ”He can manipulate any man's thoughts at will. It is a risk we both know and watch for. We know that we are only truly safe with one another, carefully removed from the male population but we also know that these men he uses are our friends, brothers, husbands or fathers. They aren't monsters. They are people we love. Removing ourselves from them means he wins yet again.”

Sevan glanced at Jordan and found him staring at Nina with possessiveness in his eyes. Was it possible that his brother was as taken by Nina as Sevan was with Lorelei? Could it be that fate had intervened and caused the rupture in the fuel tanks to get them here on purpose?

”Uhh, is there something we should know about?” Jordan asked, eyeing Nina carefully.

It was Lorelei who answered. ”Nina, see to it that our men are aiding in the repair of their vessel and that they are stocked with food and any additional supplies they require. Captain, what is the ratio of females to males aboard your s.h.i.+p?”

Curious as to why her tone was now so cold, Sevan tipped his head and watched her carefully. ”I believe it about seven to three, males being the majority. Why?”

Nina stared at him. ”Alert your females that they are to watch their male crewmen carefully. It would be wise to suggest they go to a portion of your vessel that they can seal themselves in if need be. We have such locations here and they are most welcome to use them. I can a.s.sure you that the facilities are extremely comfortable and quite safe from attack.”

”From attack? Watch the male crewmen? What the h.e.l.l is going on here?”

Christian stepped forth. ”My apologies for my lack of manners, Captain Sevan. I am Chieftain Christian Beauden.

You have already met two of my head advisors, Lorelei and Nina Janelle. Nina is head of security and defense and Lorelei's skills do not have a particular label but it is safe to say she is a powerful leader among our people. While it is nice to have visitors among us this is not the best time. To explain it would take longer than you are permitted to be here. It is safe to say that should you or any of your men begin to feel a tugging, the slightest of mental pulls, perhaps a driving suggestion or urge then you should hand your weapon to the nearest female and back away fast. Notify whoever is closest that it has occurred and expect to be placed in restraints until it is clear you no longer pose a threat to anyone.”

Sevan's mouth dropped open. ”What? Neither I nor my men pose a threat to anyone who isn't trying to kill us.”

”Captain,” Christian said, softly. ”As much as I would love to debate this matter with you, it's pointless. Do as I instructed or live with the knowledge that you may hurt or possibly murder someone against your will.” Christian glanced at Lorelei. ”From your responsiveness to Lorelei, my guess would be that you are a prime target for manipulation. Currently, it is Lorelei he wishes to destroy. That being said, no females are safe when he strikes so all males pose a risk.”

”Who the h.e.l.l is he and what do you mean prime target for manipulation?” Sevan asked, confused and concerned for Lorelei's safety. ”I would never hurt her. I've thought she was a figment of my imagination for...” He stopped instantly, not wanting to reveal that he'd dreamed of her.

Lorelei locked gazes with him and his body tightened. ”Captain, please do as Nina asked. I don't want anything to happen to you or your crew. Had your s.h.i.+p not been in such a dire state of need I would have had it escorted to the next planet over for your own safety. You and the people who have come with you are my responsibility to keep safe.

I was the one who allowed you to dock. I never expected that Stegian and the others would attempt to strike out during the day. All I can ask is that you take every precaution necessary to a.s.sure your safety and that of your crew.”

No longer did Sevan feel the need to argue for answers. The raw emotion in Lorelei's eyes told him that the steps were needed. He pressed the communicator chip on his waist and kept his eyes on Lorelei. ”This is the Captain, all female personnel are to report to level two and are to lock it down at the first sign of trouble. No males are permitted on that level. Non-lethal force is permitted to ensure they stay off it. This remains in effect until a native female from this planet notifies you otherwise. Captain out.”

Jordan moved forward. ”Sevan, why in the h.e.l.l are you only allowing females from here to tell them to come out?”

”Because he realizes that should any of you be compromised, himself included, that you would have access to the females and could possibly harm them,” Lorelei said, as she teared up. ”Thank you, Captain. Should the worst happen I can a.s.sure you that we will see them to safety and do everything within our power to break the hold on any males that have been used.”

Nina glanced at Sevan and then Lorelei. ”I think it best that we get them in and out as fast as possible. I can feel your energy circling them all, protecting them from Stegian. He's powerful, Lorelei. You can't keep that amount of energy up for an extended period and you know it. You already exude enough strength just to keep Christian semi- guarded at all times. You sleep longer than you should and eat less than needed. It's not healthy and our concern for you grows daily. If you fail and your personal s.h.i.+elds crumble, he will have open access to your mind. I don't even want to imagine what he'll do to you. He hates us, Lorelei. But mostly, it's you he blames for not winning the last ma.s.sive strike. And I think we all know that you are the first one he wants to see dead, Lorelei. In his eyes you pose the biggest threat.”

”I will never submit willingly to him, Nina. I'll leave him no choice but to kill me.”

”What?” Sevan asked, suddenly panicked.

Lorelei smiled. ”Tell me, Captain, if you found yourself in hostile territory and in the enemy's hands would you submit to them or not?”

Sevan's brow creased. ”No I wouldn't submit to them.”

”Neither will I.”

<script>