Chasing Dare Read online

  “What kind of hosts are you talking about? Wait! Can you reach a specific group? The Tezarian’s, can you reach them? Or just one of them?” Balduen’s first thought was for Dreadhawk; the ambassador had left him impressed with his demeanor, and he knew Dreadhawk would find a way to reach Scaden or the High Councilor.

  “Since I have recently achieved an interdependence with you, I am only now learning how to use my abilities. I can send out a specific message that may be passed along until it finds the particular person you are wishing to speak to, but I cannot say that it will get to him quickly if it has to travel among many energy paths to reach them.”

  “We must grow stronger together and bond more closely with our mate before I can learn to communicate with individual beings, even of my own kind. What I will send is more like one of your distress calls and the first to hear will respond. Is that acceptable?” Beast seemed to warm up to the idea the more they spoke of it.

  “Are any of the beings that could hear it a danger to us?” There was no way in hell Balduen would take a chance like that with Dare. She was in enough danger already.

  “All of my kind, exist within hosts who are either allied with your people or unknown to most people. We do not harm our own kind. Our mate is safe from my brethren and would be protected by them as all mates are.” Beast informed him.

  “Then do it! Right now, as soon as you can.” Balduen had no doubt he could get them out of here, but it would be really nice to have help close by or on the way when they did.

  “I will require all the body’s energy reserves, which will send you into a deep sleep. I wait only for our mate to sleep before attempting it.” Beast warned him.

  Dare! Balduen looked down at her frowning face laying against his shoulder.

  “I am sorry. I was not trying to ignore you.” Baldy blushed slightly, embarrassed to be caught talking to his beast. After hundreds of years of being taught to suppress his beast, he still felt guilty about his rapidly growing bond.

  “Don’t be sorry. I’m glad you are bonding well with your beast. Honestly, I don’t see why your people are so against it. Not only are you pretty calm and reasonable, but you seem to be… I don’t know. More… peaceful than you did before. It suits you. Does he have a name or just beast?”

  Dare gave him a shy smile, not really sure if she was supposed to be friends with the beast, or if it even mattered. Geez… trying to figure out a man was hard enough, trying to figure out a Valendran with a newfound relationship with his beast was going to be a real joy to figure out. Go me! Dare thought sarcastically.

  “I never even thought to ask. Not much of a friend am I?” Balduen felt stupid. How could he not ask something as simple as that?

  “I am meant to be named by you when we achieve interdependence.”

  Balduen was a little startled that the beast answered the question before he asked it. It still surprised him how aware the beast was to everything going on around them. It was like having another person existing right along beside him within his own skin.

  It was exciting, an adrenaline high, but still a little unnerving at times. However, it was something he looked forward to getting used to and not something he planned on giving up. Not even when they escaped. Right now, his friend needed a name.

  “He said that I am supposed to name him. I think that since you are part of the reason that we have bonded, you should help me pick a good name.” Balduen saw the look of shock on her face before she quickly hid it.

  Dare looked away from Baldy and blinked the tears out of her eyes quickly, his words touching her deeply. Why she didn’t know. Dang, why the hell, did she feel like crying? Clearing her throat to gain control of herself, she kept her face hidden against his neck while she answered.

  “I think that after all the years you’ve missed with him, that you should be the one to name him. But, thank you for offering.”

  “I would be honored for our mate to help name me.” Beast told Balduen.

  Balduen smiled to himself as he listened to his mate, and his new/old friend speaking to him. Although very confusing at times, it was comforting to have them both.

  “You’re not getting out of it, he said he’d be honored for you to help name him.” Baldy moved away from her, so he could look at her face as he spoke, smiling as she blushed.

  “How do you know it’s a male? Maybe it’s a seriously kick ass female, and she wants a female name?” The answering growl had both Baldy and Dare laughing.

  “Well, I think that settles us all, on the whole male/female name. Male it is!” Baldy said laughing at Dare’s scowl.

  “Fine! How about Pat? Or Devon?” Dare grinned at the answering growl and the look of horror on Baldy’s face.

  They spent the next hour throwing suggestions back and forth before Dare finally asked Balduen what an honorable name was in the beast's culture.

  “The only thing close would be Ibixtonaxation.” Beast said.

  Balduen relayed the information to Dare, smiling at the look of irritation on her face.

  “Yeah that’s a mouthful. I thought Balduen was too long, so that’s never gonna cut it. How about Ibix? Yeah! I like that! Ibix…” Balduen stared hungrily at Dare’s mouth as she tried out his beast’s name. The way her full, pouty lips formed the sounds made him want to grab her and head back into the shower.

  “I need your energy to send out a call; mating will have to wait. I like Ibix, if it is acceptable to you?” Balduen tamped down his irritation that he would have to wait to taste Dare’s lips again, but it was swiftly replaced by the peace that settled over him.

  The naming of his beast must be very important for the strengthening of his bond. He could feel the increased adrenaline and expectant feel in the air around them, as if this was going to be a turning point for him. For them all.

  “He likes Ibix. I do as well. So I think we are going to settle for Ibix. Now we need to get some sleep so that we can make plans tomorrow.” Balduen placed a gentle kiss on Dare’s forehead before pressing her more closely to his side.

  “I am a little tired. Good night Baldy, good night Ibix.” Dare didn’t even try to hide her yawn as she buried her face into Baldy’s neck and closed her eyes.

  Balduen could feel the beast’s joy as their mate called him by his new name, the electric threads of their bond wrapping tighter around his body.

  “She sleeps. It is time.”

  Balduen sucked in a deep breath as a vortex of energy seemed to swirl in his stomach in a small circle, tendrils of warmth spiraling from its center until it expanded outward encompassing his entire body before erupting outward.

  The rapid expulsion of energy immediately sent Balduen into a partial coma as Ibix focused every ounce of combined power they had towards Dreadhawk fle’ te’ Trugh. Which in Tezarian, roughly translated to Dreadhawk House of Death.

  Minutes later, as his energy drained, and he began to succumb to the blackness; Ibix reacted with joy to the faint response he heard, in the distance, of his mind.

  “I hear you brother; I will send your message. Welcome home Ibix.”

  Warmth, comfort and strength flooded the Valendran, his beast and their mate as they were accepted and welcomed by the clan members who began opening the Shengari’ to them as the message was passed. Helping to build the mental connections they needed while they regained their strength and slept.

  *****

  Dreadhawk fle’ te’ Trugh was awakened abruptly by the urgent shout in his mind.

  “What is it Bliz?” Dread asked his beast.

  “A message from much farther than we have been in a long time. From a Valendran novice.” His beast answered, his curiosity obviously piqued.

  “Are you serious? A Valendran?” Dreadhawk was stunned; the Valendrans had not been a part of their clans in a long time. For a Valendran to be using the clan Shengari’ something either horrible or incredible occurred. There was no other way one of them could access the mental communication pathway used by the b
east clans.

  “What is the message?” Dreadhawk sat up in his bed as he felt the wave of energy that came with the message, surprised at its strength.

  It was unusual for a novice to be able to summon the power to send the emotional energy with the message. This was even more unusual in that the energy was barely diminished even though it had passed through several other clan members before reaching him.

  Quickly sifting through the emotions and the message, Dreadhawk stood and summoned his own energy and allowed his spirit to leave his body, his beast now in control of it. He traveled through the connections quickly forming along the Shengari’ back to origin until he reached the Valendran.

  Soothing the stirring beast and ensuring him that he meant his host no harm, he quickly sifted through the memories of man and beast. Looking through the eyes of the Valendran, he saw the mate that laid beside him and began to help awaken and establish the connections in her mind. Until he felt the disturbance in the energy growing in her. Pulling back in shock and fear, Dreadhawk raced back to his body.

  “Drago, get me a Valendran communication channel now!” Dreadhawk yelled through the mental pathway with his brother once he centered his energy again.

  “We are weeks away from coming close enough to communicate with them. What is wrong brother?” Drago could tell by the urgency in his brother that something was very wrong.

  “Re-check the calculations by plotting a course to the Tauranaus quadrant. The Valendrans are at the planet we call Srazina.” Dreadhawk jerked his clothes on hurriedly and ran to the bridge of his ship where his brother’s Drago and Viper were pulling up navigational charts.

  “What is going on Dread?” Viper asked his brother with curiosity and excitement. Things had been way too boring for Viper these last few moons, and he was itching to have some fun.

  “We go to assist the newest member of the clans. Balduen of Valendra. The fate of the Shengari’ rests in the hands of his unborn son and the Relian and Valendran beasts who fight for his soul.” Dreadhawk said, vowing to explain later as they plotted the fastest course to communication with the Valendrans near Srazina. Balduen had referred to it as Earth.

  Chapter Eleven

  Dare woke slowly to the feel of a slight tickling on her arm as Balduen ran his fingers along her upper left arm covering his chest. She swore she could almost feel his happiness. Quirking open one eye she peered up at him, but he didn’t even blink as he stared at her arm.

  Finding his lack of attention unacceptable she sat up until his dark-blue eyes clashed with hers, and she was taken aback by the wave of emotions that flooded her. Love, desire, protectiveness and possessiveness.

  “What has you so… oh my God! What happened?” Dare knew her mouth was hanging open in stupid shock, but her mind was temporarily unable to complete a thought.

  On Baldy’s left arm and shoulder wound an intricate tattoo design that now almost matched the one on his right side. The Ator-Ma. Her mother had told her that the Ator-Ma was the mating mark of the Valendrans.

  It only manifests in couples that form a true ‘soul bond’, on the upper left arm and shoulder of each person. They are unique to each mated couple and match to signify the unity of their bond. It took long moments for Dare to process those thoughts before she looked to where Balduen continued to swirl his fingers in small circles on her upper arm, a beautiful smile now on his handsome face.

  Dare sucked in a shaky breath as she looked down and took in the sight of the incredible design that now adorned her upper left arm. It started like a tribal band and moved upwards to cover the upper part of her shoulder.

  Moving the neckline of her shirt out of the way she turned and saw that it moved over her shoulder to cover the upper part of the back as well. The very muted but distinct colors and patterns matched those on Baldy’s body in swirls of leaves and vines, and what seemed to be crests and other unfamiliar symbols that she assumed were Valendran.

  Dare ran her fingers over it, stupidly wondering if it was real or if it would wipe away at the touch of her hand. She grinned widely when it stayed. There was no pain at all, it was just… there.

  As if it had always been there under the skin, just not visible. Her mother had also had the Ator-Ma, but had always kept it covered. People weren’t exactly as forgiving of a woman having a tattoo a few hundred years ago as they were now.

  “I take it that you are not displeased then?” Baldy asked her with a beautiful smile, his blue eyes a strange mix of his normal clear-blue with swirls of dark-blue that looked like storm clouds developing in eyes. It was peculiar but beautiful and almost mesmerizing. They even changed swirls when he blinked. Yeah that was going to be noticed, she thought!

  “No honey, I’m not displeased at all. Uh… have you looked at your eyes lately?” Dare saw by the strange look that crossed his face that he had no idea what she was talking about. Realizing that she shouldn’t have spoken out loud she tried to cover her mistake quickly.

  “Your happiness is shining through them baby. How could I not be happy?” Dare reached out to stroke his cheek, trying to convey through her fingers that he needed to go look at his eyes before they came up and brought breakfast. There was no way in hell the change in his eyes would be missed.

  “I’m very happy to hear that, my love. Let’s get up and get ready before they come with food. I don’t like the idea of being caught in bed when they come in.” Balduen turned his head in her hand and placed a soft kiss to her palm; he didn’t miss the slight shiver that ran through her at the touch.

  Without the mirror in the bathroom, the only way, he could see his eyes was what little he would be able to see on the TV screen, so he got up and turned it on. He stood facing it and stared in surprise at the swirling waves he could see in the onyx screen and couldn’t help but wonder at the color.

  “Light-blue with dark-blue swirls, it is a reflection of our bond and combined power. The Tezarian helped complete the bond, between the three of us.” Balduen was surprised at the clear quality of Ibix’s voice in his thoughts.

  “Dreadhawk? Did we need the bond with him to communicate?” Baldy asked in his mind as he grabbed new clothes and headed into the bathroom to shower before they arrived with food. He was starving this morning, like he had expended all energy somehow during the night and needed to refuel. Badly.

  “He created the one between him and us, and the one between our mate, our child and us.” Ibix told him bluntly.

  Balduen tripped into the doorway and smacked his head on the frame loudly.

  “Baldy! Are you all right? What the hell? Did you trip?” He just nodded mutely as he stared down at Dare’s abdomen before heading into the shower without saying a word.

  “Is it ours?” He couldn’t help but ask Ibix, hoping there was a way for his friend to know if the experiment worked, or if they had created the child, between them, last night.

  “Our son has consumed the son of the violator. But, its beast remains in our child.” The last was said on a low growl indicating Ibix’s displeasure.

  “By the One! What the hell do you mean by that?” Balduen’s head filled with horrible images of his baby eating another baby, and he almost retched at the thought. Calming waves of energy began to radiate through his body and mind until he could think more clearly through his horror.

  “It is not what you think. The body was not able to form properly, and our mate’s body was rejecting it. The cells that would have formed the body died and became absorbed into our mate and child. The beast of the violator lived, and has rooted in our child along with our beast.”

  Balduen didn’t like the particular tone of voice that Ibix was using. There was something that Ibix wasn’t telling him. He had to know.

  “What is wrong with our child?” Balduen demanded.

  “The body of the child was weak, but its beast is strong and is fighting to control our child.” Ibix said hesitantly.

  “What the hell does that mean? How is this even possible? Ho
w could there have been two babies to begin with? How the hell do we help our son?”

  Balduen was confused, frustrated and scared for his son, and for Dare. He could barely come to terms with this, how could he expect her to do so, and not think their son a monster?

  “I do not know. I am trying to learn through the Shengari’, from my brothers, but my ability is still weak and those I can speak to have never known of this to happen.” Ibix told him, feeling just as helpless as his host.

  “I can’t tell Dare. What the hell, am I supposed to say? You’re carrying our son but also the byproduct of the animals who captured you and tortured your friends and family? Can we kill it without harming ours?” Balduen ran through the motions of showering without even realizing what he was doing, his thoughts on the fragile life of his son and his new bonding with his mate.

  “The Tezarian comes. He will help.”

  “Dreadhawk?” Balduen asked hopefully. There had been something about the man, which had made him feel as if they had been long friends when they had first met. He hoped it was Dreadhawk that would come.

  “Yes, it is Dreadhawk. He is an old one and will be able to help.” Ibix tried to sound much more confident than he felt. Although he was new to the bonding and the Shengari’, the rippling of fear and shock that he felt from his brothers had him frightened not only for their sons but for their mate. He was glad that this Dreadhawk coming helped to comfort his host and new friend.

  “I am glad he is coming. And yes, he is considered very powerful among his people. He and his siblings descend from the original line of all clans. If anyone would know what to do, it will be him.” Balduen felt only slightly better knowing that Dreadhawk was coming. The sound of Dare’s happy humming in the bedroom only made him more determined not to tell her anything about their child. Until he had a solution to the problem or no other choice.

  Finishing in the bathroom he went back out to see Dare, waiting with an armful of clean clothes. She leaned up to give him a quick kiss before she scooted past him to go take her own shower.