Page 49 of Tamed
Muttering a string of curses under his breath, Zevon stomped over to the windows and stared out into space. He wasn’t used to having his decisions criticized. He analyzed situations, made the best decision possible, and then issued orders that others followed. That was a gross exaggeration. Yes, he was the president, but he frequently asked for input and listened to suggestions.
So why had Arcon’s objections angered him?
He accused you of upsetting Kendra, his inner voice clarified, of adding to her pain.
It had been Zevon’s intention to protect her, not upset her, but was Arcon right? Had Zevon compounded her guilt by not telling her that there was a chance that the conduits were still alive?
He quickly reviewed his conversation with Kendra and realized that there was validity in Arcon’s objections. She clearly expressed how responsible she felt for the tragedy. He’d responded to her pain, but his mind had already begun listing all the things he needed to do as president of the Citadel. Instead of reassuring her, he’d handed her off to Arcon. That was unacceptable.
Nothing was more important than his mate. But apparently, he needed to adjust his priorities before he could hope to convince Kendra of the fact. The first step in that process was trusting her with the truth. There was a real possibility that the conduits were still alive and Kendra deserved to know.
Surging emotions drew Kendra out of a dreamless sleep. She struggled against the sensations, knowing instinctively that the emotions weren’t hers. The velvet blackness parted and vivid images scrolled through her mind.
Jessie huddled in the seat of a long-range transport, her face unusually pale, eyes filled with dread. “You didn’t need to kill them.” A harsh sob broke free as she lost the battle with her emotions. “I’d already agreed to come with you.”
For just a moment the scene expanded, revealing the rest of the small ship. Bodies were sprawled in the aisle and slumped over the backs of seats. Slash wounds and pools of blood indicated that they were dead or dying. A Torretian soldier walked onto the ship carrying the body of a female. She was dressed in the same uniform the conduits were expected to wear and she had long brown hair, just like Jessie.
The image shifted, blurring for a moment before a new scene appeared.
Jessie stood inside an elegant room facing a beautiful dark-haired female. Judging from the richness of the woman’s clothing, she was part of the social elite. But which planet was this? Who was she? Had she kidnapped Jessie?
What about the other conduits? Had this woman kidnapped them all?
“I see that I’ve caught your interest.” The brunette smiled at Jessie. “According to my spies, Zevon’s mate put you in the hospital a few days ago. Was she punished for her brutality?”
When Jessie just stared at her in silence, the brunette continued, “Do people like that really deserve your loyalty? I’m offering you a choice. That’s more than anyone at the Citadel has ever done.”
What utter nonsense. The conduits might not have ended up on the planet they were hoping for, but they would choose their mates. A power triad could not be formed unless the female was willing.
“Zevon protected her,” Jessie said bitterly. “Kendra beat me senseless and Zevon did nothing about it.”
That was not true either, but clearly Jessie was harboring a grudge, a massive, toxic grudge.
“So fight for Verbet. Fight for me and you can make Kendra pay for everything she has ever done to you.”
Jessie paused to look around. The room was elegant and richly furnished, a stark contrast to the austere Citadel. Jessie seemed to consider her options for a moment then squared her shoulders and decided, “I’ll do it.”
“I’m thrilled.” Pushing to her feet, the woman approached. “I asked to speak with you first because you’re clearly a leader. Can I count on you to help me convince the others?”
Then she did attack the other ships. Were all six of the missing conduits alive?
“You leave the others to me,” Jessie insisted. “I know just what to say. Convincing them won’t be a problem.”
Before Kendra could guess at the reason Jessie was so confident, the scene shifted again. After a swirling moment of disorientation the new image clarified. Jessie was in some sort of clinic now, seated on the end of a treatment table. A stern-faced medic walked up to her with an injector in his hand. He lifted her sleeve and administered the drug without saying a word.
“What was that?” Uncertainty sharpened Jessie’s voice as she rubbed her arm. “Domar didn’t say anything about an injection.”
Domar? Was that the dark-haired woman responsible for Jessie’s kidnapping?
“Emperor Verbet wants the triads formed as quickly as possible. Activating your abilities is the best way to ensure that happens.”
“You just triggered activation?” Fear sparked to life within her eyes and she scooted off the table. “That’s dangerous and… you had no right—they had no right to do this to me.”
The medic rolled his eyes. “This is Torret, not Altor. No one here gives a damn about rights.”
Heat, desperation, and desire rolled through Kendra as the next scene formed. Her breasts ached and her core pulsed with the need to be penetrated. The images swelled in and out of focus for a moment before her mind locked them in. Jessie thrashed about on a bed. She was naked and one hand was pressed between her legs. Her moans, gasps, and cries echoed off the shadowy walls of the luxurious bedroom. If she was on Torret and Verbet was behind the attack, then this was likely Mercelon Palace.
The door swung open and two males strode in. Both were bare to the waist, their entire bodies corded with muscles. The lighter of the two pulled Jessie into his arms and kissed her briefly on the mouth. “Are you finally ready to accept our claim or should we return in an hour? These feelings will not go away. The urgency will build until your Fire consumes you.”