Chapter Three
Vor
Commander Vor kept glancing at the woman beside him.
She was terrified, and he hated that. But this was the only way forward for them.
All he could do was be patient with her and protect her.
Tell her the truth. She would come to understand.
She had to. Tech would never have led him to Lena if she weren't meant to be his.
He had to trust in the Source of Technology.
“Damn, they're fast,” Vor muttered as his hand reached for a button.
He didn't know what he was doing at first, completely guided by Technology, but then a crackling sound came through a speaker embedded in the dashboard, and he understood.
Vor hit a switch below the speaker. “This is Commander Vor. Anyone there?”
He flicked the switch off, and the crackling returned. Lena slid an anxious look his way.
A few seconds later, a male voice came through the speaker. “Commander, this is Lieutenant Commander Zucar. We've been looking for you. Where are you, sir?”
Vor flicked the switch. “Source led me to Thennis. I'm in the approaching erial.” He flicked it off for the response.
“Yes, Commander. You're clear to land. I've notified the troops on air duty.”
Another flick. “Understood.” Vor flicked the switch and then hit the button. The speaker went silent.
“How do you know how to fly this thing?” Lean whispered.
“I've read books, and the Source of Technology guides me.” Vor flew them over the encampment that was quickly becoming a siege.
Soldiers shouted and pointed at them, but confusion kept them from firing on the Paradefense erial.
Vor grinned as they passed over the fortress walls, and he headed toward the back where the runway lay.
Circling around, he brought them into alignment with the runway and smoothly landed the erial.
Silently, he thanked Source for making him look competent in front of his woman.
Lena's blue eyes—a blue more translucent and precious than sapphires—were wide as she swiveled her head to take in the courtyard. The other erials were still there, only one missing besides Vor's. He parked the erial in line with the others and shut off the engine.
Then he turned to face Lena. “Lena, I promise you will not be harmed. Please don't be afraid.”
She looked at him. Doubt was evident in her expression.
He put his flesh hand on his chest. “I swear it. No one will hurt you. You are under my protection, and I lead this army.”
Lena lifted her chin. “Do not pretend your intentions toward me are honorable. You abducted me from my sister's home. That is harm, Commander Vor. You've made me your prisoner. That is more harm. So, your word means nothing.”
Fury roared through Vor, and his hands trembled.
But then he saw the fear in Lena's eyes and recognized the truth in her words.
His trembling ceased. “You're right. I've wronged you, Lena.
I'm sorry for the mental suffering I've caused and will continue to cause you, but this is the only path open for us.
Source guides me, and I listen. It's how I breached the fortress and why I now feel the sun on my skin.” He held his hand out to the sunlight that streamed through the windshield.
“I trust in Source completely. So, as much as I hate causing you any kind of harm, I will keep you here.
And yes, that makes you my prisoner. I'm not the madman you accuse me of being. I know you are here unwillingly. But I will not physically harm you.” He leaned closer as her expression went blank. “My word is good. You will learn that.”
“Then what do you intend to do with me?”
Movement out of the corner of his eye drew Vor's attention to the main building. A regiment of soldiers was exiting and approaching his erial. “You are safe with me.” He opened the door, grabbed his helmet, and jumped out to hold up a hand to the soldiers in greeting.
“Commander!” A man ran over to him. “We've been searching the fortress for you.”
“Yes, I heard. Source guided me to follow a fleeing erial. It led me to an important hostage.” Vor strode around to the other side of the erial and opened the door.
“A hostage, Commander?” The soldier looked back at the others who caught up to him. “But we have many hostages already.”
“This one is mine.” Vor held up his normal hand to Lena. “Come, Lena.”
Lena leaned out to look at the soldiers. They gaped at her. She drew back into the erial.
“Come down, Lena. You cannot stay here.” Vor motioned with his fingers. “Come now. No one will hurt you.”
“Commander, who is that?” a soldier asked.
“This is Lena, my guest.” Vor shot them a stern look. “Mine. No one touches her.”
“Guest or hostage?”
“Both!” Vor snapped. “So, no one touches her.”
The soldier gaped again.
“Is that understood?!” Vor snarled.
“Yes, Commander!” All six men shouted at once.
Vor nodded and then looked back at Lena. “Lena, please. You are safe here. Come out of the erial.”
At last, Lena put her hand in his and allowed Vor to help her down. Then she stood there, looking from him to the soldiers.
“Leave us.” Vor motioned at the men.
“But, Commander, we were to escort you to the lieutenant commander.”
“Very well. But walk ahead of us so you don't scare my guest.” Vor motioned to the door, and then to Lena. “If you please, Lena.”
The men gawked at Lena.
“Did you hear me?” Vor shouted at the soldiers.
“Yes, Commander!” They scrambled about and headed for the door.
Vor's eyes and hands twitched. Something harsh filled his chest, but he didn't recognize it.
It was a type of anger, but one that was unknown to him.
Why did he feel it? He glanced at Lena. His woman.
He didn't like the soldiers looking at Lena as if they coveted her.
Another rush of the strange emotion flooded him.
Ah, yes, he had felt something similar before when he had watched Liria with the Aethari man.
But it was stronger now. Vor suspected it was because Lena, not her sister, inspired it.
Twins, but so different. When Vor thought Liria was his woman, he had felt lust and fury.
He wanted to subdue her. Make her submit to him.
But all of that changed when he met Lena.
She wasn't a warrior. Had never even seen a pit.
Vor could sense the gentleness in her. Her innocence.
It shone in her eyes. Faced with Lena, all he wanted was to protect her.
The idea of making her submit to him left him nauseous.
No, his woman was to be treasured and worshiped. She was a jewel shining among coal.
Lena made a soft sound.
Vor flinched, cleared his throat, and motioned again. “Please, stay beside me.”
Lena didn't respond, but she kept pace with Vor as they followed the soldiers into the fortress. She remained silent through the trek past barracks rooms, dining facilities, and more, all of them empty. At last, the soldiers stopped before a closed door.
“The LC is in there, Commander,” a soldier said before they inclined their heads and hurried off, casting looks over their shoulders at Lena that made Vor want to chase them and smash their faces into the stone wall.
Vor was about to open the door when a loud boom came.
Lena screeched and dropped to huddle on the floor, her arms over her head.
He stared at her a moment, never having seen anyone so skittish.
But then, he spent most of his time around soldiers.
The truly startling part was how his chest filled with anxiety to see her terrified.
She'd been scared before, but this was mortal fear.
Without conscious thought, Vor dropped to crouch beside Lena and put his arm around her while holding his helmet away from her.
“It's all right. They're just testing our defenses. The fortress can withstand much more than that.” Even as he spoke, Source showed him something, and he blinked in surprise.
But then Lena looked up at him. They both went still, their gazes locked.
Vor leaned forward, unsure of what he intended to do.
Lena remained still as he pressed his lips to her forehead.
A shiver ran through him as he pulled back.
What was this? Why did he do that? Vor couldn't process the action or why it felt integral that he place his lips there instead of on her mouth.
But a kiss on her lips would have been unacceptable to her, wouldn't it?
It would have frightened her more instead of soothing her.
Lena jerked back, falling on her ass. “Don't touch me!”
Vor sighed and stood up. It didn't seem to matter where he kissed her. “I'm sorry. I only meant to comfort you.” He held a hand down to her. “May I help you up?”
Lena stared at his hand, and Vor realized he was holding out his right hand—the metal one. But he refused to trade it for the other. She needed to see that he was all man, even the metal parts.
But she wouldn't take it. Instead, Lena got up on her own and pressed her back against the wall.
“Don't be scared by any explosions you may hear,” Vor said crisply to cover his disappointment. “You are safe.” Then he opened the door, stepped into the room, and motioned her inside.