Heretic Read online

  “That was my decision not yours,” Kage insisted.

  “If you say so, sir.” Torrin generally followed orders, but he definitely had a mind of his own.

  Lily’s sharply indrawn breath drew Arton’s attention away from the scene and back to her.

  “What’s his name?” Her voice was tense now, almost harsh. “That’s the bastard who snatched me from the Triumphant.”

  “His name is Torrin, but you shouldn’t blame him. I chose you for this project.”

  She snatched her hand back and opened her eyes. “You don’t need to sound so proud about it.”

  Kage flashed back into view, saving Arton from a response. “That’s the third one we’ve seen in the past two days. They’re definitely on the offensive.”

  “They’re defending their territory,” Arton pointed out. “We can’t really blame them for that.”

  Kage tossed back his cape and shifted his weight from foot to foot, clearly still hyped up from his interaction with the beast. “Which is why I was trying to touch its mind. We need to determine its level of intelligence.”

  That would have been helpful, but not at the cost of Kage’s life. “Torrin was protecting you. You can’t punish him for that.”

  “We need to know more about them. There are all sorts of prey animals in this sector, but they’re the only predators we’ve encountered.” He rolled his shoulders, and then stretched out his back. “Anyway. Back to our earlier conversation.” He looked at Lily as he asked, “Are you willing to help us or not?”

  Chapter Three

  Are you willing to help us or not?

  The overlord’s question echoed through Lily’s mind like the ominous rumble of thunder. If it were just the Outcasts pressuring her, she was prepared to resist them forever. But how could she turn her back on the very women she was trying to protect? Jillian thought she was in love with Stront. Who knew, maybe she was. And if Jillian’s claim about the other captives was true, withholding the formula now would do more harm than good.

  “You win.” Her surrender sounded resentful and sad, an accurate representation of her mood. “I can’t fight you and my fellow captives. If they honestly want this, I’ll give you the formula. But I need to know for certain that bonding with your men is what the majority of them want.”

  “And how will you achieve this certainty?” Kage crossed his arms over his chest, accenting the defined muscles cording his entire torso. The man was enormous yet still managed to move with inherent grace.

  Were Rodytes naturally leaner than humans, or did their harsh lifestyle shape their bodies? She’d started exploring the genetic differences between Rodytes and humans on the Triumphant, but her supervisor kept her so busy she hadn’t had a lot of time for her own research. She shook away the distracting thought and explained, “Each ship housing females was asked to choose a section leader.”

  “I’m aware.”

  “I’d like each section leader to take a vote and report their findings to me.”

  “Done.” He dipped his head, sending a lock of dark hair sliding across his forehead, momentarily obscuring one of his eyes. “Dr. Foran will meet you in main medical. He’ll ensure you have everything you need.”

  “I need one more thing from you before I agree.”

  “You already agreed.” His tone was more growl than grumble.

  Her pulse began to race as she pushed her luck, but this was too important to ignore. “I want Thea returned to our cabin. She doesn’t need another reason to hate you.”

  “Impossible.”

  She tensed, annoyed by his imperious tone. “Why is that impossible? I thought the overlord was the ultimate authority.”

  Her attempt to provoke him only made him chuckle under his breath. “I can’t send Thea anywhere at the moment. She’s no longer on this planet.”

  “What?” Shocked by the revelation, Lily looked from Kage to Arton and back. “Where is she?”

  “I’m not sure,” Kage admitted. “By the time the guards arrived to escort her to detention, Rex Dravon had taken off and Thea was gone. Scans confirmed that she’s not here, so I can only conclude that Rex decided to keep her.”

  Lily gasped. “He can’t just decide to keep her. Doesn’t he work for you?”

  “Depends on the day.” He tossed back his cape, clearly unconcerned with the development. “Some days he works for me, other days he works with me. As long as he brings me what I need, he can word it anyway he likes.”

  “And you don’t have a problem with him stealing one of your women?” Shock gave way to simmering anger and she slowly clenched her fists.

  Kage just shrugged and she wanted to punch him, but his next revelation took the wind out of her sails. “They’re potential mates. Rex is courting her. This will piss off her other five matches, but I admire his ingenuity.”

  “Unbelievable.” She shook her head, unsure if she should be angry with or feel sorry for Rex Dravon. “He has no idea what he’s done. Thea will make him so sorry he barged to the front of the line.”

  “Is there anything else I can do for you?” She didn’t miss the subtle mockery in the overlord’s voice.

  She held up her arm. “Can we dispense with these? I’m sure Arton has better things to do than babysit me.”

  Kage looked at Arton, his expression suddenly unreadable. After a tense pause, he shook his head. “The tether bands stay until the first successful transformation is complete.”

  “That’s so unfair,” she cried. “Even on the Triumphant we weren’t guaranteed success. There are too many variables.”

  Kage waved away her protests. “Then you better do everything in your power to compensate for them.”

  “You don’t trust Lentar to supervise her?” Arton clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes while his silver phitons gleamed dangerously.

  “It’s not Dr. Foran’s job to supervise her. It’s yours. End of story.”

  “Yes, sir.” He put just enough sarcasm on the title to communicate his displeasure while not incurring the overlord’s wrath.

  Kage turned back to Lily. “With access to our technology and the assistance of Dr. Foran, can you have the formula ready by morning?”

  She was still reeling from the overlord’s casual revelations. Thea was somewhere in space with that...pirate, and Lily would be tethered to Arton until the first couple was transformed successfully. She wasn’t sure what she’d done to piss off the powers that be, but it sure felt like she was under attack from some malevolent being.

  “Well?” The autocratic snap in his voice revealed his impatience. Apparently, the overlord was ready to move on to the next crisis demanding his attention.

  “It shouldn’t be a problem.” The Rodytes were closer to success than they realized. She hadn’t lied when she told Arton there were errors. However, each error was negligible, only requiring a minor adjustment to the existing formula.

  “It’s nice to have you onboard.” The overlord flashed an unexpected smile as he added, “Finally.” Then he inclined his head and teleported off the observation platform.

  Kage’s apparent animosity toward Arton had puzzled her from the start. She’d heard they were best friends. “I understand why he’s annoyed with me. What did you do to anger him?”

  Arton moved closer, his gaze warm yet assessing. “Kage isn’t angry with me.”

  “Then why did he saddle you with me. This is clearly punitive.” She held up her arm again, indicating the tether band.

  “Unlike most humans, Outcasts believe in accountability. I selected you to assist us, so your refusal reflected poorly on my decision.”

  “But I’m cooperating now. This feels vindictive.”

  His phitons gleamed as he moved even closer. “My DNA has been extensively altered. This makes compatibility with any female unlikely.” He gripped the railing with one hand and slipped the other in his pocket as if he didn’t trust himself not to touch her. “The overlord isn’t punishing me. He’s playing matchmaker.�
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  “I see.” She held her ground, tired of feeling vulnerable around him.

  Suddenly he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and tilted her chin up with his thumb. His smoke-colored gaze drilled into hers, demanding honesty and...surrender? “I thought his efforts were wasted until you reacted to Jillian’s taunting. Are you interested in finding a mate or not?”

  Was she? Not that long ago, the answer would have been a resounding no. She’d thought she was in love, even agreed to help the battle born so she could be near the object of her affection. He was a dashing Rodyte spy named Jakkin. But short weeks after Lily’s arrival, Jakkin located his mate and promptly claimed her, leaving Lily alone and devastated.

  She’d all but given up on romance of any kind. And then she met Arton.

  “I might be.” The admission sent tingles down her spine. “Under the right circumstances.”

  His other hand joined the first, anchoring her face at just the right angle. “Am I part of those ‘circumstances’?”

  “Maybe.” It was an invitation and he didn’t disappoint. His lips brushed against hers, then settled into place, warm and intimate. She slowly parted her lips, craving his taste. Again, he didn’t hesitate. The tip of his tongue caressed her lips, rewarding her surrender. Then his arms wrapped around her, drawing her snugly against his body. She groaned at the penetrating heat and the strength so apparent in his embrace. This was what she wanted, what she dreamed of each night, as she tossed and turned in her lonely bed.

  He drew back slowly, phitons glowing. “I’m not your mate, Lily. I can’t give you forever. But we can share pleasure in the here and now.”

  He kissed her again, a deeper, hungrier exchange. She clung to him, allowing herself to exist in the moment rather than brood over all the obstacles in their way. When he pulled back the second time they were both breathless and more than ready for more.

  “This has to wait.” He kissed the tip of her nose and eased away from her. “Dr. Foran is waiting for you.”

  Actually, the entire settlement was waiting for her. The Outcasts were here to found a civilization shaped by their unconventional rules and freedom-loving philosophies. Families would be at the center of that civilization, which meant as many Outcasts as possible needed to claim their mates. She’d watched it all taking shape, knowing she would always be an outsider, among, but not one of the bonded couples.

  Arton couldn’t change that, but he offered an alternative. They could spend time together, enjoy “sharing pleasure”, maybe even develop a genuine affection for each other. It wasn’t a fairytale ending, but wasn’t it better than being alone?

  Lily’s mind continued to race as Arton led her to main medical. There had been a connection between them from the start, a visceral awareness that drew them together. Being at cross-purposes kept them focused on their arguments, so each ignored the undeniable attraction. Now that the conflict was resolved, all she could think about was him.

  She wanted to know about his life before she met him. Why didn’t he speak with his brothers? She didn’t know the Lux brothers well, but they seemed honorable and well-respected. Their father was still alive. When was the last time Arton spoke with him? Was his step-mother part of the conflict?

  But first things first. She needed to fix the formula, which would maximize the chances of Jillian and Stront undergoing the transformation without any sort of damage.

  Main medical was a large circular room with treatment stations lining the outer wall. In the center were access terminals and highly advanced 3-D printers capable of producing supplies and medications. An adjacent room contained four regeneration beds, which made traditional surgery all but obsolete. She was familiar with the arrangement. The largest clinic aboard the Intrepid had utilized a similar design. The hospital ship was where Lily had worked before being transferred to the Triumphant.

  A tall, brown-haired male hurried toward them as they stepped into the room. He held out his hand toward Lily, which surprised her. Most Rodytes didn’t shake hands. “I’m Lentar Foran. I’m thrilled to meet you.” Deep dimples framed his mouth when he smiled and his eyes were a unique mixture of green, gold, and brown. Was he Rodyte? She’d never seen one without phitons.

  “I’m pleased to meet you as well.” She shook his hand.

  He handed her a datapad with a video file on screen ready to be played. “Overlord Razel said you would want to see that before we begin.”

  “That was fast,” she muttered under her breath, easily guessing what she was about to see. She activated the video and watched as all twelve section leaders reported the results of the vote one by one. As Jillian predicted, the majority of human females wanted Lily to cooperate with the Rodytes. The vote wasn’t unanimous, however. About thirty-five percent were still unwilling to accept what the Outcasts had in mind for them, but the other sixty-five percent wanted the option to go through with the transformation.

  “Thank you,” she said after the last leader revealed her findings. Lily handed the datapad back to Dr. Foran.

  “The laboratory is through there.” He motioned toward an adjoining door directly across from the regen units, then set the datapad aside. “I’d like to get right to work if you don’t mind. I’ll need to run a serious of simulations once you’ve modified the formula.”

  “Of course.” There were hundreds of details that needed to be addressed before the first attempt at transformation began. She wanted to see if he was prepared. “Do you have regen units preprogramed with Jillian’s and Stront’s genetic profiles?” Her team had lost a volunteer while one of the doctors frantically entered her information. It had only taken him a few minutes, but they were minutes the volunteer couldn’t spare.

  “I’ve studied Dr. Mintell’s notes extensively and emulated each step he took.”

  She stopped walking and turned toward him. “How did you study Mintell’s notes? I thought they were unable to crack the encryption on his datapad.”

  Arton pressed his hand against the small of her back, the gesture undeniably possessive. Did he feel threatened by the doctor? Lily hadn’t really thought about it, but she supposed he was handsome. “There’s more than one way to attain information,” Arton said. “We received a transmission from one of our spies nine days ago. It contained pages and pages of Mintell’s notes, but no formula.”

  “I see.” She started walking again, taking herself away from his hand. It was much too early in their relationship for displays of possession.

  Their relationship? A couple of kisses and they were in a relationship? Hadn’t she learned anything from the fiasco with Jakkin? The surest way to get her heart broken—again—was to read more into the situation than was actually there. Arton wanted to have sex with her. That was all he’d offered.

  The laboratory was small, but well organized. Lily showed Dr. Foran the two places where his formula needed to be adjusted. He made the adjustments, then sent the revised formula to one of the 3D printers. Soon they had a dozen injectors filled with the stabilizing agent.

  She felt Arton’s gaze on her the entire time. He sat on a stool near the door and remained silent and watchful. She sat beside Dr. Foran, their chairs huddled together so they could see the same display. Dr. Foran chatted away, his manner friendly and open. She’d clashed with her first Rodyte supervisor and the second had been introverted and secretive, so Dr. Foran’s friendliness was a welcome change.

  “Do you mind if I ask a personal question?” she asked as they waited for a computer simulation to reach its conclusion.

  He swiveled toward her, his knee brushing against her leg. “Not at all. Ask me anything.” He flashed an encouraging smile that deepened his dimples and made his hazel eyes shine.

  “You don’t have phitons. Is Rodymia your homeworld?”

  His smile faltered. “I’m not sure I have a ‘homeworld’.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

  Despite her willingness to let the subject drop, he took
a deep breath and explained, “My mother was human. I have her eyes.” He ran his hands down his thighs, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles. The backs of his fingers brushed against her leg in the process, so Lily rotated her seat just enough to take her body out of reach. His touches were casual, almost unconscious, but they still made her uneasy. “My father was from a planet called Mejikon. I’ve never been there and barely remember him, so I consider myself human.”

  “Have you ever been to Earth?”

  “No, which is the reason for my original hesitation.”

  Other questions swam through her mind, tempting her to venture deeper, to encourage him to share. But he was obviously uncomfortable with the topic, so she merely nodded. Thea wouldn’t have hesitated. She would have pestered him with questions until she couldn’t think of anything else to ask. But then, Thea’s boldness was born of pain not true confidence.

  The simulation concluded without complications, so Dr. Foran changed the parameters slightly and triggered another one. “You’re quiet all of a sudden. What are you thinking about?”

  “Thea, one of my roommates. She’s gotten herself into some trouble and I’m worried about her.”

  The doctor reached over and patted her hand. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. Humans are resilient.”

  Again his touch had been light and casual, but she glanced at Arton. Not surprisingly, his gaze was narrowed and his lips pressed into a disapproving line. She ignored his possessive behavior, not wanting to start a fight in front of the doctor.

  They fell into a companionable silence as Dr. Foran programed simulation after simulation. Like a moth mesmerized by a flame, Lily kept looking at Arton. His expression changed each time their gazes locked. He acknowledged the contact, but said nothing.

  An hour passed, and then another as they focused on the task at hand. Lily tried to fight back a yawn and failed.

  The doctor smiled at her. “You don’t need to stay for all of these. The computer does all the work. Besides, most of them are redundant at this point. I just believe in being thorough.”