Chapter Ten
Ricka slowly awoke to see the sunlight peeking through the doorway of the cargo hold. She shifted on her side against the warm male body lying next to her.
“Good morning,” Synge said, gently lifting her chin.
She gazed at his handsome face and felt a rush of desire. “Morning.”
“As much as I would like to spend the rest of the day here with you, I am afraid it is time for us to go.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and scooted to the edge of the bed. She’d enjoyed waking up in his arms and immediately missed the comfort of his warmth. Though watching him bend over to pull on his pants and giving her a nice view of his backside made up for it. The man was definitely a work of art. The markings running along one side of his back made him even more unique.
Their night together went way beyond spectacular. She’d discovered that underneath the tough male exterior was a caring man. A man who cared for her, and whether she was willing to admit it not, she cared for him as well.
Last night, he’d told her she belonged to him. It warmed her and confused her at the same time. At first, Ricka had been angry about the way she’d ended up on Tarron, but now that she was here, the thought of returning to the colony and leaving Synge troubled her more than she wanted to admit.
She might not want to, but she had to face the realities of her situation. With him being a hunter and policing the quadrant for long periods at a time, having a relationship, if he even wanted one, would be impossible. It would be better to remember the night they shared and move on, then to hope for something she couldn’t have.
Reluctantly, she threw back the blanket, scooted off the bed, and retrieved her clothes. Once she was dressed, she waited for Synge to return the bed to its hidden location and pack up the detection unit.
Mogran had disappeared, no doubt romping around in the nearby trees.
“Come with me,” Synge said. “There is something I would like to show you before we return home.”
She happily took his hand, then warily drug her feet when he headed toward the dense jungle. Memories of her encounter with the creature filled her mind. “Do we really need to go in there?”
“Not everything that lives on Tarron is dangerous. My planet holds many beautiful things.” He was looking at her as if she happened to be one of them. “If you will accompany me, I would like to share a special place with you.”
“Okay, but I’m trusting you not to let something take a bite out of me,” Ricka said as she stepped over a thick vine covering the ground.
He chuckled and tightened his grip. “I promise that no one besides me will ever caress your beautiful skin with their teeth.”
“In that case, please lead on.” She was glad Synge walked a little ahead of her and hadn’t noticed the color she felt rising on her cheeks.
They hadn’t gone very far before the thick foliage separated, and they walked into a large clearing. A wall of water at least ten feet high rolled over large boulders and splashed into a clear pool the color of dark amethyst. Mogran appeared to their left and bounded past them. He walked over to a nearby patch of yellow grass, plopped on the ground, and lazily rolled on his side.
“This is breathtaking.” Ricka let go of his hand and moved to the edge of the water.
“It is an arreinian pool,” Synge said, moving to stand next to her. “It has special meaning to my people, and the water is said to contain special elixirs.”
She turned to face him. “Really? So it’s used for healing?”
“Not exactly.” He placed his hands on her hips. “The pool has a different purpose. It...”
A beeping noise interrupted him .
“What was that?” Ricka asked, glancing toward his pants and the source of the sound.
He groaned and retrieved a small unit from the pocket of his pants. “It is a communicator and linked with the virtucom in the transport.” Synge pressed his thumb against the device, and static filled the air.
Ricka could hear bits and pieces of his aunt’s voice, but not enough to understand what she was saying.
“Teah, can you hear me?” There was no response, only more static. Synge shoved the communicator back in his pocket, then grumbled something that didn’t translate into anything Ricka understood, which she assumed was a curse word in his language.
By his reaction, Ricka got the impression trouble with transmissions weren’t a common occurrence. “Is there a problem?”
“Something is causing interference.” He took her hand and led her back the way they’d come.
“Is that normal for this area?” she asked.
“No, and Teah knew we were returning this morning,” Synge said, picking up his pace. “She would not have called unless it was urgent.”
When they’d arrived back at the transport, the transmissions on the virtucom were completely dead. After loading Mogran in the area behind their seats, they headed back to his house. Synge maneuvered the vehicle along the narrow road at a faster rate than the previous day. Too afraid she might distract him, Ricka remained silent. At these speeds, one wrong move would cause them to crash. She braced one hand against the door and clung to the safety harness with the other, silently hoping nothing had happened to his family.
Different scenarios about what they’d find when they arrived at Synge’s home raced through Ricka’s mind. All of them involved Molock tracking her to his home, and none of them good.
Synge didn’t drive the transport to the front of the dwelling as she’d expected. Instead, he jerked it to a stop behind a copse of trees keeping its view hidden. She popped the clasp on her belt, but before she could open the door, Synge placed his hand on her arm to stop her. “Stay here with Mogran,” he ordered, withdrawing his repeater as he exited the vehicle.
If Teah and Arno were in trouble, it was because of her. There was no way Ricka was going to sit there and do nothing. Mogran wasn’t happy about being left behind either. The cat was making growly whining noises and pawing the closed door. She wished she had a weapon and cursed the Klorthon for taking her knife. “Come on, boy. Let’s go.” Easing her door open, she slipped out of the vehicle and made room for the cat to exit. “Mogran,” she groaned when the animal disappeared between the trees instead of staying with her.
Ricka headed in the same direction Synge had. She spotted him farther ahead, using the dense foliage to cover his movements as he edged his way toward the front of the dwelling.
Seeing the man in action did funny things to her insides. She’d spent so much of her life trying to survive, it was gratifying to know he was willing to risk his life for her. Not that she had any intention of sitting back and letting him face a threat alone.
Moving through the underbrush, it didn’t take her long to catch up with him. He stopped and shot her a disapproving glare. “I thought I told you to wait in the transport.”
“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not good with taking orders,” Ricka said.
“Believe me, your tendency to attract trouble has not escaped me.” Synge blew out an exasperated breath. “Will you please return to the transport?”
“No, but I appreciate you at least asking this time.” She took a determined stance. “You need to let me help because if something happened to your family because of me...” Ricka refrained from telling him she’d never be able to forgive herself.
Synge must have understood. “Fine,” he said with a little reluctance. “But you need to stay behind me.”
“I can do that,” she said, then followed in his footsteps. The bushes rustled to the left, and she caught a brief glimpse of Mogran’s head before he disappeared again. When they got closer to the dwelling, Synge kept his repeater aimed ahead of him and led her out of the trees. If his home was under attack, it seemed odd that the only other vehicle in the area was the transport parked near the front of the dwelling.
They’d barely made it past the other conveyor when the main door opened and Arno, followed by Teah, came rushing outside. Seeing them alive and unharmed helped relieve some of Ricka’s tension.
“Thank the stars you are all right,” Teah said, placing her hand over her heart. “When we could not reach you, we feared the worst.”
Synge holstered his weapon. “The virtucom in my transport is not functioning. What has happened?”
“Dathan called us here when he could not reach you,” Arno said. “They found Erak’s ship. It was damaged and adrift.”
“And the crew?” Synge asked.
“All missing,” Teah said, her concerned gaze drifting to Ricka. “We thought you would want to know right away.”
“I did. Thank you,” Synge said.
“Does that mean something bad has happened to Libby?” She trembled, refusing to believe the worst.
“Please do not worry.” Synge pulled Ricka into his arms, tucking her head under his chin and gently caressing her back. “I will contact headquarters and find out what is going on.”
“I am afraid that will not be possible,” Arno said. “The virtucom in the house is no longer working either.”
***
Synge tensed, every nerve in his body on alert. Even with bad weather, they’d never had these kinds of problems with their communication system before. He didn’t think the Klorthons could have tracked him this quickly, but it was possible. “Have you noticed any issues with the perimeter security monitors?” He directed the question to Arno.
“No. I reviewed them this morning, and nothing appeared amiss.” Arno furrowed his brows. “Why do you ask?”
“Mogran killed a bimmaton inside the property last night. There has to be a breach somewhere.”
“You’re afraid the Klorthons are here, aren’t you?” Ricka asked.
He hated to see the worry on her face and cupped her cheek. “I am sure it is nothing, but Arno and I will check the equipment just to be sure.”
Teah placed a hand on Ricka’s arm. “Come. Perhaps a shower and a change of clothes will make you feel better. Afterward, I will make us all something to eat.”
“Okay,” Ricka said, casting him a quick glance before letting his aunt guide her toward the house.
“We need to recheck the sensors,” Synge said as he walked with Arno to the room adjacent to the kitchen. He’d designed the room’s interior with enough shelves and storage units to accommodate their communication equipment and a wide collection of weapons. After spending the next twenty minutes running diagnostics, Synge stepped away from the primary monitor and rubbed the back of his neck, confused. “I do not understand. Everything appears as you said.”
“Is it possible the heavy storms we had last week caused a short in a section of the fencing?” Arno asked.
“I do not think so. Any disruptions in the field would have triggered an alert on the main system right away. It also does not explain why the virtucom is not working.” There was always the possibility that something was blocking the signals. “I need to do a perimeter check and see if I can locate the problem.”
Arno glanced at the unit filled with weapons. “Should we be concerned?”
“I am not sure,” Synge said. “It would not hurt to keep a repeater handy. You still remember how to shoot, yes?”
Arno laughed. “I may have dedicated my life to learning and teaching, but I think I can still hit a moving target.”
“Good. Let us hope you will not need to.”
They walked back into the kitchen and found Teah slicing fruit and preparing a meal. She set the knife aside. “Is there a problem with the system?”
“Not according to the tests,” Synge said. “I will inspect the grids near the south end of the property as soon as I check on Ricka.”
“Can I assume since you did not return last night, that you confirmed your ties to her?” Teah asked and leaned against the counter.
Synge had hoped to avoid this conversation, at least for a little longer. Whether she realized it or not, Ricka had already completed the first part of a joining ritual by speaking the words of belonging and letting him claim her. He had wanted to take his time, and once he showed her the pool, explain the ways of his people. But all his well-intentioned plans changed the moment he took her in his arms.
“What is Teah talking about? What tie?” Ricka stood in the doorway at the opposite end of the room, arms crossed, her anger evident. She wore one of Teah’s dresses. Even though she was slightly smaller than his aunt, the blue fabric still draped across her body in an appealing manner. She was exquisite, and he couldn’t keep from staring at her or prevent the surge of desire pulsing through his system. If they were alone, he’d tell her how truly beautiful he thought she was, how she made him feel things he never thought possible. Afterward, he’d carry her upstairs and show her as he ran his hands over every inch of her gorgeous body.
“Did you not tell her about the claiming?” Teah’s expression held unspoken accusations.
“Claiming?” Ricka asked.
Synge frowned at his aunt and approached Ricka. “Perhaps we should discuss it later.”
“No.” She took a step back when he reached for her. “We will discuss it now.”
He lowered his arm, already aware of what would happen if he used insistence rather than persuasion. “Will you at least come with me so we can talk about it privately?” Synge took her hand and dragged her from the room, not stopping until they reached his bedroom on the upper level.
Synge closed the door behind him and turned to meet Ricka’s furious glare. “What happened to gaining my trust?”
As upset as he was at his aunt’s interference, Teah wasn’t to blame. He’d let the animalistic side of his nature take over, and he’d made a mess of things by not being completely honest with Ricka about the ritual and his feelings for her. She might not be willing to admit it, but he knew they belonged together. She was his mate, and he refused to give her up.
If he’d gotten the chance to explain everything as he’d planned when he took her to the pool, he would not be dealing with her anger now.
“Well?” Ricka scowled and crossed her arms, confirming his suspicions that any of his attempts to reason with her were going to be more difficult.
“Tarron relationships between a male and a female are very different than humans,” Synge said.
“How so?”
“Tarrons will instinctively know when they meet the male or female they are meant to be with. We call them our mates, and when we bond, it is for life.”
“Okay,” Ricka said, dropping on the edge of the bed.
“A claiming and sharing the words of belonging begins the process.” Synge took the opportunity to get closer and squatted on the floor in front of her. “I would not have asked your permission if I did not believe you are my mate.”
“Are you saying since you and I...”—Ricka swallowed before continuing—“spent the night together, that we’re now somehow bound to each other?”
“Partially, yes,” Synge said. “A sharing of bodies does not bind a male and female unless the words of belonging are spoken. Even then, a true joining ritual is not complete until both parties willingly enter the pool together.”
“Are you talking about the pool you showed me earlier?” Ricka asked.
“Yes.”
“Was that why you took me there? So you could trick me into joining with you?”
“No, I only meant to show you the pool, share its beauty with you, and explain the process.” Synge wanted to touch her but kept his hands fisted at his sides.
“I’m confused.” Ricka twisted her hands in her lap. “I thought you said we were bonded.”
“We are, but the decision to finish the joining can only be made by you; otherwise, the ritual will not work.” The tightness squeezing Synge’s chest made it difficult to breathe. He would be devastated if Ricka refused and decided to walk away instead of completing the ritual.
“That’s a lot to take in,” Ricka said. “Would you mind giving me some time to think about it?”
The lack of anger in her eyes gave Synge hope. “Of course,” he said, getting to his feet, then pausing in the doorway and speaking to her over his shoulder. “There is something else.”
“What?” Ricka asked.
“Tarron law dictates that a claimed female is also under the protection of the male she bonded with, which means that the colony no longer has jurisdiction and cannot force you to return to Rivean.”