Lydia
Deus is growling before we even set foot on Vorostor.
“You do know you’re growling, don’t you?” I ask him.
“We need weapons,” he says. “And the Ntahal don’t have any.”
“I have absolutely no idea how to use a ray gun,” I point out. “But I’d be happy to find out.”
Deus shoots me a heated gaze and shuffles from foot to foot uncomfortably. “You wish to try a pulsar weapon?”
“Yes,” I respond. “Because I want to blast back to hell anyone who threatens my friends.”
This time it isn’t a growl I get from Deus but a whine and uncomfortable shifting while he palms his crotch.
“Then it is time I got you one.”
We exit his spacecraft into Darax’s hangar, where Deus mugs the nearest warrior for his weapons. I say mugs, but the warrior merrily hands them over.
Deus places a ray gun in my hand. It has a heft to it, but it isn’t heavy.
“What do I do?”
“Point and shoot. Try to make sure I’m not in the way when you do.” He grins at me. “The rest I’m sure you’ll figure out yourself.”
I turn the thing over in my hand, making very sure it’s pointed at a nearby blank wall. Deus does his shuffle again and adjusts himself.
Now I get it. I put the ray gun in my pocket, and his eyes widen.
“Let them assume I’m an unarmed female,” I say to him. “See how they like it when they find out I am not.”
Deus makes another noise, one approximating a groan, if he didn’t have his teeth clenched together.
“So, how are we going to find out who is here, on Vorostor, betraying the Sarkarnii?” I ask.
“Bait.”
“Bait?”
“Me,” Deus rasps.
“Not a chance.”
“I know they’re coming this time,” he says. “And I know their tricks.”
“But if they find you here, won’t they know they’ve been caught out?” I suggest.
Deus does a long blink.
“You are correct, my mate.”
“In which case, I believe I need to be the bait.”
“No,” he says instantly. “Why you?”
“They took you first. Who’s to say they won’t take me next?”
“I don’t like the idea of bait anymore,” Deus grumbles.
“In which case, we need to find another way to flush them out.”
Deus wrinkles his nose.
“I mean, if we can track you, why can’t we track those on Vorostor who shouldn’t be here?” I suggest.
“Because if we don’t know they’re here, how do we know to track them…” Deus’s voice trails off as he puts his hand to his neck. “Wait a nova-minute, little ember…”
I’m swept into a huge hug, pressed against his muscular form in such a way it plays havoc with my insides. It causes another deep rumble in his chest too.
“We can track them,” he says. “The collar.”
“The collar?”
“The Ulep were the ones who took me. There will be a signature from the collar which can be used to track them.” He laughs.
“And where is the collar?”
“It’s in the hold, with the Ntahal. I don’t think they’ll mind if I retrieve it,” Deus says, letting me go.
I miss his proximity, but he’s already running back onto the ship, and I hear the sound of his boots as he disappears inside.
It’s not long before he’s back, holding something which doesn’t look anything like a collar.
“I might have stepped on it,” he says with a shrug and a flash of fang.
“Stepped on it?” Darax growls from behind me. “It looks like you landed your ship on it.” He takes it from Deus’s hand. “What is it?”
“It’s the collar the Ulep tried to use to control me.” Deus holds up a small black stick about the size of a remote control. The collar makes a fizzing sound, and Darax snarls at it before handing it back to Deus.
“A control collar,” Driok rumbles as he joins Darax. “Haven’t seen one of those for a while.”
“Deus says the Ulep used it on him.”
“The Ulep are gone,” Driok snarls.
“No, they are not,” Deus responds. “Not all of them. If you don’t believe me, ask the Ntahal in the hold.”
Driok narrows his eyes. “I would not have allowed any of them to remain in this galaxy.”
“I’m sure you would not,” Deus responds. “But it’s entirely possibly they ignored you.”
Driok makes a noise in his chest which sounds like a chainsaw firing up. Darax puts his arm out, holding the big, dangerous warlord back.
“Don’t bother with a fight. My brother makes it his life’s mission to get under everyone’s skin,” he says in a resigned tone.
“Only yours, brother.” Deus grins at him.
“Any Ulep left in the galaxy must be dealt with,” Driok says.
“They must, and I will.” Deus turns the collar over in his hand. “But first we need to deal with the threat on Vorostor.”
“What threat?”
“We couldn’t risk the comm,” Darax says. “But Deus was taken directly from his sector to the Ulep. The only way that could have happened would be if there was someone on the inside.”
“If there was, I would know,” Driok says.
“But if you didn’t know what to look for…”
“My scanners are sophisticated, as is the defense system which protects Vorostor. Nothing can get through,” Driok responds, his claws extending.
“Then get Dante to check the collar for the DNA signatures of all who have been in contact with it, and cross reference them with anything you find on Vorostor,” Deus says, holding out the collar. “If there’s nothing, you can have my sector. I will leave the planet and not return.”
“Tempting,” Driok growls.
“Deus!” I have hold of his hand. “What are you doing?”
“It would seem if I am to get anything done here, I have to promise my departure,” Deus says, not looking at me, but instead concentrating on the other warlords in front of him. “It is the only language they know.”
“If you go, I will come with you.”
Deus finally looks at me.
“I would not want you to leave this place.”
“Why? It’s clearly not safe.” I turn my gaze on Darax and Driok. “I’d rather come with you and get my friends to join me.”
Both warlords visibly flinch.
“I’ll take this to Dante,” Darax says.
“I’ll set up the scanners,” Driok says with a huff of smoke.
Deus and I watch as they hurry away.
“It would appear we make a good team, my little ember,” Deus says.
I smile up at my feral warlord. “It would appear we do.”
“Let’s hope it will be enough.” Deus’s face darkens. “Because I never want to leave you. And I never will.”