CHAPTER 6
Gauge stood on a bank overlooking the Oluyiima River on his home world of Laizahlia, trying to put his chaotic thoughts in order.
“Is the ship about ready?” Teo asked, his tracker walking up to stand beside him.
“Yes, we leave first thing in the morning. Jax will meet us at the ship.”
“Good. Have you heard any more about Djinn problems on Earth?”
“No, but Falkner must be worried if he called in a shadowborn to help. If there had only been one Djinn, our Hunters could’ve easily dealt with her.”
“Have you ever worked with a shadowborn?”
“No.” Gauge had seen one at a distance once. Instinct had warned him that the male was extremely dangerous, even to one such as him.
“What else have you heard?” Teo asked.
“The council plans to move all recently mated females from Earth back to their home planet. Apparently, Djinn are somehow involved with the manipulation of their genes. It is the only way to guarantee the safety of our citizens on Laizahlia. The council has also decided it is time to open a channel of communication with authorities on Earth. If Djinn are no longer trying to hide their presence, Earth must be advised of the threat now facing them.”
“Will our Hunters and trackers be allowed to live on Earth with their new mates?”
“I would assume so. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for the council to keep them apart. I don’t foresee this being an easy transition. Once we get Lena taken care of, we will probably be assigned to Earth.”
“Will you bring Lena back with us?”
Gauge sighed, growing weary of arguing about this with his tracker. “She is not my mate, Teo. Lena will remain on Raiden with other serpents, where she belongs.”
Teo didn’t reply for several long minutes.
Just as Gauge prepared to leave, wanting to be left alone, his tracker said, “You are the first to try to free a female from an unwelcome Raiden claim. No one knows what the full repercussions will be, not even you, Gauge. I have tracked for you for hundreds of years. No one knows you better than me, and I sense you are trying to keep something from me . . . and from the council.”
“Let this go, Teo. What was done cannot be undone.”
“Is your life in danger?”
Gauge didn’t know how to answer. When his shaprata matured, a Raiden warrior would die a slow, painful death if he didn’t claim a female for a mate.
The shaprata was a gland that swelled beneath the tongue as it matured, forming a stinger when the time came to claim a mate.
They really had no choice in the matter, which was why Hunters like him were somewhat lenient with them.
Only in cases like Lena’s and Ngozi’s, where the prince was mentally and sexually abusive toward her, did they interfere, but no Hunter had ever tried to sever the bond completely.
“By your silence, I’m going to assume your life is at risk. Talk to me, Gauge. There is no reason for you to face this alone.”
“There is nothing to say, Teo. I will go to Raiden to try to help Lena. I feel somewhat responsible for her wellbeing, but that is it. We will help her work through this current crisis. She will find a way to get beyond her past with Ngozi, then find a young serpent to mate.”
“You are being stubborn about this.”
Gauge turned his back to Teo, closing his eyes as fear crashed down over him. He immediately opened a channel to Lena through their bond. “Are you hurt, little one?”
“We are surrounded by Raiden fighter ships. They followed us into Catalan territory. They have us pinned down, Gauge. I’m afraid they will hurt Rafa and Aaliyah if I don’t give myself up.”
“Give me your exact coordinates,” Gauge said, surprised by the sudden rage that engulfed him.
He might not be able to claim Lena, but he wouldn’t let anyone else either, not unless it was what she wanted.
A few seconds later, she replied with the numbers.
Gauge passed them over to Teo, instructing him to find someone to transport him to Raiden immediately.
Knowing it would take time, time Lena might not have, he returned his attention to her.
“Lena, I wish to try something. You might find it a bit disorienting, but I believe I might be able to help you from here.”
“What is it?” she said, sounding more alarmed.
“If you allow it, I might be able to come more fully into your mind. I will be able to see through your eyes and possibly be able to help you. I won’t do this unless you agree to it.”
He wasn’t completely sure he could do what he had planned.
Ancient Hunters like him could control any being they held a blood bond with, but they couldn’t actually work their powers through them.
This could only take place with a fated mate, so why did he even contemplate trying? He couldn’t explain it.
“I was able to contact Ayani,” Teo said. “It will take her approximately thirty minutes to reach transport control. How much danger is your mate in?”
Gauge hadn’t told Teo that Lena was in danger, but his tracker wasn’t stupid. He would guess for himself that problems had arisen for her on Raiden.
From the fear and panic flooding his mind, Lena, Rafa and Aaliyah didn’t have thirty minutes. He needed to try to help through Lena. “Will you allow me to enter your mind, young one?”
“You are already in my mind,” she said, sounding frustrated.
“No, this will be different. If you allow it, I may be able to access my powers through you.” He said may because he didn’t know, not for sure. Gauge admitted there was a strong connection between them, and this might be enough.
“Help us!” she replied, panic in her tone. “Aaliyah can’t control the Raiden warriors while they are inside their ships. She said she has to be able to see them.”
Gauge paused. How could Aaliyah control Raiden warriors? As far as he knew, the female was only human, one who had been claimed by Nicolai’s second in command. He would need to come back to this later to see if he had missed something. “Close your eyes, little one. Try to relax.”
It only took Gauge a moment to follow the path to Lena’s mind.
He trusted Teo to watch over his physical body while he sent his consciousness into the young Leviathan female.
He felt her fear and uncertainty as he moved more fully inside her.
“Relax, little one. I won’t hurt you. I’m going to take control of your body for a short while.
You’ll be able to see everything that is going on, everything that I am doing, but you won’t be able to react.
Once you are safe, I’ll return control to you. ”
Gauge sensed her reluctant nod of consent.
He had been forced to take control of many beings while hunting rogues for the council, the same as he’d recently done with Kye and the humans who’d witnessed their interaction with the rogue.
Only the strongest of Hunters could stop him.
But he’d never had a reason to try with a Leviathan.
He found the pathways in Lena’s brain fascinating, more complicated even than Raiden warriors, but he knew he didn’t have time to study them now, her growing fear beating against his mental shields.
As gently as he could, he nudged Lena to the far corner of her mind.
He could have blocked her from seeing what he was doing, but imagined she would prefer to know.
If she objected to anything, she would be able to communicate it to him.
Too much had already been taken from her.
He would not interfere with her free will.