Chapter Three
Synge wasn’t sure how to answer Ricka’s question about his reason for being in the bar. After everything she’d been through with the Klorthon, the last thing he wanted to do was upset her. And learning her friend might be sold to slavers would cause her more pain. She’d be angry enough once she discovered his real reason for luring her to his ship. Gaining and keeping Ricka’s trust was important. Telling her the truth, even if vague, seemed like a logical decision. “I am unsure why she was taken but will do my best to help locate her.”
“Thank you.” She made another turn, and bright lights appeared in the distance. “The landing bays are up ahead. This is a back entrance.” She tapped the controls, and the vehicle slowed.
Synge was relieved to find the gate unmanned. He preferred to stay off the patrol’s radar. They would ask too many questions and try to detain him once they realized he was a hunter. The time it took them to contact his headquarters on Tarron to verify his mission was valuable time Libby didn’t have. Their interference might also prevent him from getting Ricka aboard his ship, something that was critical to her survival. As long as she remained on Rivean, she wouldn’t be safe from Molock. Synge couldn’t stay on the planet indefinitely, so taking her to a place where he could protect her seemed like the best option. Of course, convincing Ricka it was the wisest choice would be a lot more difficult.
“Which vessel is yours?” Ricka asked as she drove along the strip adjacent to the landing pads .
“There,” Synge said, then pointed toward his shuttle. “At the far end of the bay.”
Alert and wary, he shifted in his seat to scan the area. The small amount of rest he’d gotten on the drive had helped with the healing process, but it didn’t prevent the jarring pain he experienced from moving. He noticed two colony cruisers parked on the opposite side of the access road, but luckily neither appeared to be occupied.
Unfortunately, there weren’t any signs of the Klorthons or their ship, not that he’d expected to find any. Either they’d already launched or had landed somewhere outside the colony. The rocky terrain bordering the city provided many flat areas where smaller vessels could easily hide undetected. Not an uncommon practice for visitors who wanted to avoid the law—like privateers or slavers.
After stopping the transport, Ricka reached behind the seat and grabbed his belongings. He’d managed to exit the vehicle by the time she’d circled around to help him.
“Here, lean on me,” Ricka said, stepping close and holding out her arm.
Synge no longer needed her assistance to walk. He enjoyed having her shapely body tucked against his side and didn’t resist draping his arm across her shoulders. He felt guilty about misleading her but was afraid if she thought he didn’t need her help, she might change her mind about entering his shuttle.
Ricka stared at the steel hull of his ship and wrinkled her nose. The exterior was smooth and dull, designed to hide the point of entry. “How do we get inside?”
“There is an access pad near the cargo hold,” Synge said.
After they reached the opposite end of the ship, he tapped in a sequence on a small panel. Once the security was disengaged, the ramp made a soft whining noise as it lowered to the ground.
“Which way?” Ricka asked once they were inside.
“Up ahead,” Synge said, aiming her toward the control room.
Once she’d helped him into the pilot’s chair, she asked, “Where can I find your med kit?”
He tipped his chin toward the narrow passageway that led to an area of the ship containing the bathing unit and his sleeping quarters. “It should be in one of the storage units at the end of the corridor on the right.” Synge had purposely neglected to give her an exact location, hoping it would take her several minutes to find the small box.
Synge admired Ricka’s strength and her determination to find Libby. Not many beings would risk going anywhere with a complete stranger, especially not a female. If he were truthful with himself, he’d admit his motivations regarding Ricka had been purely selfish. He’d been drawn to the female from the moment he walked into the bar and hadn’t wanted to walk away from her long before he’d invoked the rite. The more he was around her, the more the primal urge inherent to his species demanded he protect and keep Ricka close.
Technically, if he followed the rules governing the ancient code, she belonged to him now. Synge didn’t view females as possession and would never force one to stay with him. Right now, his primary goal was to keep her safe. Once he’d taken care of Molock, he’d spend some time analyzing his attraction to her.
As soon as Ricka disappeared, he turned the chair toward the ship’s control panel. He pressed the button to raise the ramp, then instructed the computer to lock all access portals and engaged the passcodes. Next, he set the autopilot for Tarron and programmed the launch sequence, which would have them off planet in fifteen minutes.
Synge pulled up the ship’s communication screen, typed in a message about the abduction, and sent the information to his friend and co-worker Dathan Sorak at headquarters on Tarron. He had no idea how long it would take for his friend to receive the message and get back to him, so he activated the ship’s internal alarm to alert him whenever he received an incoming transmission.
Once that was done, Synge checked the tracker that was programmed to automatically search the area for any other vessels and was disappointed to find the screen blank. Not that he thought finding the Klorthons would be that easy.
Although the patrol had decent security within the colony, they lacked the manpower or the resources to follow the Klorthons offworld. He wasn’t particularly interested in dealing with colony politics, so he’d let Ryos Davenger, his boss and the hunter commander, contact the planet’s patrol leader. Let him deal with the situation.
When he heard Ricka’s returning footsteps, he repositioned the chair and waited. She smiled as she came around the corner carrying a small silver box. “Found it.” She knelt in front of him and set the case on the floor. “Why don’t you sit back and let me take a look at your wound?”
He took her hand when she reached for his shirt. “There is no need for you to do this.” She’d already done enough for him, and he didn’t want to put her through dealing with a knife injury.
“If you’re worried whether or not I can handle it, don’t.” She straightened her shoulders. “I have quite a bit of experience. My father used to come home from the mines with all kinds of cuts and scrapes.”
“Father?” Synge hadn’t considered she might have a family, people who would worry about her. It wouldn’t change anything. He still couldn’t let her go back—not until he’d removed the threat to her life.
Her gaze filled with sadness. “He died a year ago.”
“And the rest of your family?”
“My mother died when I was young,” Ricka said. “Before we moved to Rivean.”
“I am sorry.” He understood the loss of parents. It was something they had in common.
“Don’t be. It was a long time ago, and I barely remember her.”
“Is there a male you belong to?” For some reason, the thought of her already being claimed by another felt worse than the slice he’d received from Molock.
She smiled, her eyes flickering with amusement. “Are you asking me if I have a boyfriend or a husband?” Her cheeks filled with color, a look he found quite appealing.
“Yes.” He’d heard the human terms before to describe what his people called a mate.
“No, it’s just me. Well, Libby and me.” She slowly peeled back his shirt.
Synge ignored the exhilaration he felt after hearing she was unclaimed by another, choosing instead to believe it would make taking her to his home a lot easier. It would also make things less complicated for Ryos when he spoke with the colony officials.
“She’s my only family now, and I need your help to get her back.” She bit her lip, an unconscious sensual act that was making him hard.
Holding back a groan, he placed his hands in his lap, hoping she hadn’t noticed the state of his arousal .
She stopped what she was doing to look at him. “You’re still going to help me, right?”
“As I promised, I will do everything in my power to find your friend,” Synge said.
“What about you?” Ricka asked. “Do you have any family? Is there a woman you belong to?”
“No. My parents died when I was young, and my mother’s sister raised me. Being a hunter keeps me away from home for long amounts of time, so it is difficult to have a relationship.” He never really talked about his family, but something about her confident manner and the non-prying tone encouraged him to share with her.
She squeezed his hand. “That sounds kind of lonely.”
At times it was, but he had a job to do, and since he had yet to find his mate, the one female he could bond with, share his life with, he refused to think about it. Losing both his parents at a young age had been difficult. Synge had decided he’d rather be alone than open himself up to caring about someone, especially if there was a possibility of suffering through the pain of losing them. Since meeting Ricka, something inside him had changed, and he’d begun questioning his resolve.
She dropped her gaze. “I’m really sorry about this.”
“Sorry about...”
She yanked her shirt off the wound and dropped it on the floor. The fabric tugged at the dried blood, and pain rippled across his skin. Synge gripped the armrests and growled.
“I did warn you.” Ricka opened the med kit, then retrieved a small sealed pouch containing an antiseptic cleansing cloth and tore it open. “Except for the areas that were stuck to the fabric, it looks like the bleeding has stopped.” She pressed her hand against his shirt to keep it in place. “Hopefully, this won’t hurt too much.” She began wiping the area around the cut. Heat seared along his nerve endings where her fingertips brushed against his skin. He shifted in his seat, his hardening shaft becoming more uncomfortable.
Once she’d removed the blood and dropped the cloth on top of her discarded shirt, Ricka leaned closer, and frowned. “That’s impossible.” She pressed a fingertip to his skin.
“Is there a problem?” Other than a couple of places where tearing away the fabric had reopened his wound, Synge didn’t need to look to know his injury was partially healed .
“Your wound,” Ricka said. “I thought for sure you’d need stitches, but it’s...”
“Already healing,” Synge finished for her.
Confusion, then understanding, dawned in Ricka’s eyes. “Why did you let me think you were practically dying?” Her scowl, which grew darker the instant the ship’s engine rumbled, appeared angry enough to flay his flesh. “You lied to me.” She pushed to her feet. “And you activated the automatic launch sequence.”
***
Of all the deceitful, manipulative things . Ricka should have known better than to trust Synge. Her chest tightened, and she felt like screaming. Hearing the ship’s engine roar to life and having the floor vibrate beneath her feet only made it worse. They were heading into outer space. She had officially been kidnapped, and there was nothing she could do about it. At least not yet.
“Ricka,” Synge said in a softened voice. “I did not fabricate the truth, nor did I tell you I was near death. I also told you I could see to my wound myself. It is not my fault if you believed otherwise.”
She slapped her hands on her hips. “Yes, but you knew what I assumed and didn’t do anything to correct me.”
Synge appeared calm, though she saw a tic in the muscle of his jaw. He pushed out of the chair and got to his feet, his movement sleek, like a predatory cat stalking its prey. “Would you have come with me otherwise?”
Instead of backing away, she lifted her head and glared at him. “Yes, no... I don’t know.” She pondered his words, then asked, “Why did you need me to come with you?”
“To keep you safe.” He caressed her chin with his thumb.
His gentle touch was comforting yet disarming. He’d deceived her, and she wasn’t ready to let go of her anger. She’d been alone and taking care of herself for way too long and found it hard to believe she could rely on him, let alone trust that he would take care of her.
“I suppose agreeing to help me find Libby was a lie as well. Also meant to protect me.” She clenched her fists. “Well, I don’t need your help. I’m sure the colony patrol will be more than happy to help me.” Ricka knew the words were false even before she spoke them. She glanced past Synge at the blanket of darkness littered with stars that filled the panes beyond the control panel. “So you can turn your ship around and take me back to the planet.” She didn’t care if he was appealing and warmed her in places she didn’t want to think about. Being hijacked hadn’t been part of their agreement.
“I promise I will find your friend as soon as I have secured your safety,” Synge said.
He’d saved her life, and his intentions seemed honorable. Then why did it sound like he planned to lock her away somewhere? “What do you mean by ‘secured my safety’?”
“I cannot protect you from Molock on Rivean, so I am taking you to my home on Tarron,” Synge said, his smile making it hard to stay mad at him. “I have already contacted hunter headquarters to report the incident and should receive a response sometime soon.”
It was unsettling to know she was going to a place where she had no idea what to expect. On the other hand, she was relieved to hear that Synge had kept his word and even gotten additional help to find Libby. “Just so you know,”—Ricka poked him in the chest—“the next time you decide to whisk me off to a strange planet, I’d appreciate it if you asked me first.”
“I will make a note should there be a next time.” Synge bent over to close and pick up the med kit. After returning to his feet, he held out his hand. “The trip is a long one, and you must be exhausted. Perhaps a shower and some sleep will help.”
***
After providing Ricka with one of his shirts, Synge had shown her where to find the bathing unit and the ship’s one room for sleeping. The desire to lay down beside her, if only to rest, had been great. Ricka’s exquisite scent played havoc with his senses, making him very aware of how much he wanted her. Not only had his need to take care of her intensified, but he also suffered a strong desire to mate and join with her, the bonding ritual of his people. No woman, not even those on Tarron, had ever tempted the animalistic side of his nature like this before. He would never force himself on her, but the enticing woman was hard to resist.
Instead, he’d grabbed clean clothes and returned to the control room to change. After disposing of the bloodied shirts and used antiseptic cloth, he settled into the pilot’s seat .
In case Molock managed to track his shuttle, Synge planned to remain awake for the remainder of the trip. With nothing to do while he waited to hear back from headquarters, he closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift to Ricka. He couldn’t tell if she was still angry about his deception but hoped she would eventually forgive him time.
The more time he spent with her, the more he was drawn to her. He was a hunter, used to being in control of his actions. Yet, since he’d met her, he’d made irrational decisions and experienced emotions driven by the animalistic side of his nature. He didn’t enjoy being at odds with her and hoped finding Libby alive and unharmed would help the situation.
An alert echoed through the room, startling him from his ponderings. His eyes flew open, and he reached for the control panel to silence the shrill before it woke Ricka. After tapping another button, Dathan appeared on the virtucom screen.
The other man grinned. “Hello, my friend. We received your communication. How long before you arrive?”
“It is good to hear from you as well,” Synge said. He read the data on the controls, then peered at the familiar pattern of stars stretched across the vast space through the panes in front of him. “I should be landing in a few hours.”
“That is exceptional news. Your aunt will be glad to hear it,” Dathan said sarcastically.
Synge cringed, then asked, “How often has she contacted you?” His aunt Teah and uncle Arno had raised him as their own ever since his parents’ death. Even though he was a grown male, Teah continued with her overprotective motherly role. She wasn’t known for her patience. When Synge neglected to check in periodically, she turned to Dathan for information on his whereabouts—more like harassed him until he told her what she wanted to hear.
“According to Teah, your arrival is long overdue. A fact she has shared at least once a day for the last week, so be prepared for a lecture.”
“Thank you for the warning.” Synge wasn’t looking forward to dealing with his aunt. Once she found out about Ricka and his plans to keep her close, hearing about his tardiness wouldn’t be the only lecture he received. “Any news from Rivean? Or the location of Molock’s ship? ”
“I spoke with Ryos this morning, and according to the colony representative, several women have been reported missing,” Dathan said. “I am sending you their images now.”
Synge’s screen filled with four ID pictures, complete with their names and residence locations. He was surprised to see Ricka’s picture posted next to Libby’s. The colony must have assumed she’d been taken as well.
Synge tapped the upper-right corner of the display, highlighting Ricka’s photo. “This woman, Ricka Daniels, is with me.” When he tapped the screen again, Libby’s image brightened. “Molock’s crew took this woman. My guess is they are responsible for the disappearance of the others as well.”
Dathan quirked a brow, his eyes flickering with interest. “Care to explain how one of the females ended up with you?”
“I intervened when Molock tried to take Ricka.” He omitted telling his friend he’d also invoked the ancient rite. Dathan would want to know why and ask more questions. Questions he wouldn’t be able to answer since he still didn’t understand why he’d done it himself. One thing was certain—the challenge hadn’t yet seen completion, and he believed it was only a matter of time before Molock came after Ricka again. And when he did, they’d finish what they started, and there’d be only one outcome. One of them would die, and he planned to do everything possible to make sure it wasn’t him.
“Then your instincts were right about the Klorthons being involved with the slavers,” Dathan said.
“It appears so.” During a conversation they’d had several weeks ago, Synge had shared his thoughts about Molock’s involvement. People who had witnessed abductions at two separate outposts had given descriptions closely resembling his appearance. Over the years, the warrior’s name had been connected to other unlawful occurrences, but the hunters could never prove his participation.
“What are you planning to do with the woman?” Dathan asked. “Legally, she is a citizen of the colony, and the human government will demand she be returned.”
What were his plans? He swept an uneasy hand through his hair. He couldn’t afford for anyone at headquarters to talk with Ricka, especially not when she viewed his intervention and the methods he’d used to get her onboard his ship as kidnapping. “The woman has requested assistance. Please have the commander inform the colony I will provide her with sanctuary and keep her well-guarded.” It wasn’t entirely untrue. His superiors would assume by the words he’d chosen that she’d asked for his protection.
Synge had every intention of fulfilling his promise to find Libby but not of returning Ricka to the colony. Rational thoughts regarding her seemed to evade him. The idea of returning her to Rivean and never seeing her again made taking his next breath a struggle, so the following words he spoke were definitely a lie. “I will personally return her as soon as Molock and the other members of his crew have been detained.”
“So you plan to use her as bait to get the Klorthons to come to you,” Dathan said.
Synge let his friend assume what he wanted. He was certain Molock would search for Ricka, but he had no intention of risking her life to trap him.
When he didn’t respond, Dathan said, “If that is your plan, then you can inform the commander personally. He requests your presence once you arrive.” His friend’s tone implied the request was an order, and the visit probably wouldn’t be a pleasant one.
Synge massaged the tight muscles in his neck. “Inform Ryos that he can expect me once I have Ricka secured in my home.”
Dathan nodded. “I will tell him and look forward to your arrival.” The communication ended, and the screen went blank.
Synge leaned back in the chair and stared into the darkness. After ten minutes of deliberating, he headed back to the sleeping chamber, still unclear how to deal with his current situation.