Born of Fury

CHAPTER 22

Sumi bit her lip in indecision. She saw the same desire to fight their latest attackers in Bastien’s eyes that she held. But they didn’t know who or what they were facing now.

Or how many.

A flash of color narrowly missed her face. She glanced around, but couldn’t see anyone. They were using some kind of cloaking device.

This group of assassins was much higher-tech than the previous ones. But they were in for one hell of a fight if they tried to take Dancer from her.

Slowly, she held her hands up and put her body between Dancer and Bastien, and where the shot had originated. Hoping Bastien would follow her lead, she decided to play stupid to get the numbers and locations of their adversaries. “Look, we don’t have much. But take whatever you want. Just be quick about it. We need to tend our friend. He’s badly hurt.”

Dancer and Bastien collapsed behind her and hit the deck hard.

With a gasp, she turned to help them.

Something flickered on the other side of Dancer.

Afraid of their intent, she launched herself at where it’d come from and hit a solid wall of muscle. With everything she’d been taught, she attacked.

Until someone humongous and strong picked her up from behind and effortlessly stepped back with her.

“No!” she screamed, trying to break free of the man’s hold. “He’s unconscious. He’s no threat to you. Please, just take our supplies and go!” Shrieking in anger, she picked all her weight off her feet. The man holding her didn’t even flinch or stumble.

Damn, he was strong.

Bastien tried to fight, too, but he was slammed to the ground and cuffed so fast, it was terrifying. He growled threats and spewed profanity at them.

“Please!” Sumi begged, praying they weren’t here to kill Dancer. “We just want to help our friend.”

Another shimmer appeared next to Dancer as the soldier turned his cloaking device off to show an unmarked black battlesuit. He shrugged off his backpack and removed his helm to reveal an unbelievably handsome man with long dark hair tied back into a ponytail. His dark Ritadarion eyes were ringed with black eyeliner, but she knew that face from Dancer’s photos and stories.

“Syn?”

He scowled at her. “I don’t know you.”

She looked over her shoulder. “Nykyrian? Are you the one holding me?”

Syn opened his pack. “How do you know us?”

“Dancer.” Only then did the tight grip on her waver the slightest degree.

“Are you Sumi?” His was the voice that had originally threatened them when they stopped.

“Yes.”

He released her immediately and decloaked. He gestured to Bastien, who was fighting against the cuffs that held him. “Is that one Bastien?”

“He is.”

Another man, who was standing beside where Bastien lay on the ground, decloaked. Kneeling down, he uncuffed Bastien’s hands. “Sorry about that.”

Glaring his displeasure, Bastien cursed him and his parentage as he rubbed his wrists. Amused by the insults, the man pulled off his helmet. His short red hair held the royal harone of the Caronese emperor. Darling was only slightly taller than her and was a lot more attractive in real life than he’d been in Dancer’s photos.

Nykyrian, however, was every bit as scary and intimidating as both Dancer and Thia had claimed. No wonder everyone was so terrified of facing Nemesis.

But he wasn’t important to her at present. Sumi ran to Dancer so that she could kneel beside him and give Syn a rundown on his condition. “He said they drugged him with something while they held him. He was poisoned two days ago from a Partini blade and he has several injuries from other attacks.”

Syn gaped in disbelief. “What the hell did you do to him?” His question offended her.

“I’ve kept him alive.”

Nykyrian pulled his helmet off and held it under one arm. His white-blond hair was cut stylishly short. Unlike Dancer, he had green, human eyes and his face was covered with scars. “Where’s my daughter and Darice?”

“They’re hiding near camp, with Illyse. There’s a cave just to the south of the climbing approach.”

Inclining his head to her, Nykyrian spoke into a link that was attached to his ear. “Jayne? We’ve secured Hauk. The kids should be near the base camp that we found earlier. I’m leaving Syn and Darling here with Sumi and Bastien. I need you for support while I go after Thia. Everyone else, stay where you are at camp and make sure no one goes near my kid. If they do, make them bleed hard.” He headed off at a dead run for a cloaked airbike.

Bastien continued to glare at Darling. “Are we good yet? Or do I have to don my ass-kicking boots?”

Darling glanced to her. “Don’t know. Are we good?”

Before she could answer, Dancer blinked his eyes open. “Sumi?” he whispered hoarsely.

Leaning over him, she placed her hand on his cheek. “Right here, baby.”

Darling and Syn exchanged a shocked, exaggerated gape as Syn pulled out a light and checked Dancer’s eyes.

With a savage hiss, Dancer shoved the light away. “Put that away or I’m going to ram it someplace both you and Shahara will curse me for.”

“Dancer,” she chided. “Let him tend you.”

He started to grimace then pressed his lips together. “I hate that damn light. It burns.”

Now it was Darling’s turn to pull Dancer’s eyelid back to see his eye.

Dancer grimaced and punched at him.

Laughing, Darling took it in stride. “You look like hell, buddy.”

“You ain’t no beauty queen, either. Asshole.”

Darling grinned in bitter amusement. “You better take a nicer tone. I walked out on my wife and son to be here for you to insult me.”

Dancer frowned at him as he rubbed at his eye in a very adorable boyish fashion. “Zarya had the baby?”

“Last night. About half an hour before Nyk called to say you were in trouble.”

Dancer scratched at his head. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. About time I get to save you, and don’t think I’m not holding your impeccably inconsiderate timing over your head for the rest of eternity. You will be paying for this, that I promise. By the way, Zarya wanted me to tell you that you better get back home and see your nephew or she’ll hunt your hulking ass down and skin it.”

And that reminded her…

Sumi touched Syn’s hand to get his attention while he evaluated Dancer’s condition. “Someone planted a tracking device in Dancer’s back. We’ve had incas coming after him for days.”

Nodding, he tilted Dancer’s head toward him. “You with me, buddy?”

With an irritable grimace, he slapped at Syn. “I’m thirsty.”

Syn pulled a bag out of his pack and handed it to Darling, who held it up while Syn prepared the IV.

When Syn stuck the needle in, Dancer hissed and started for him.

Sumi caught his fist. “Dancer, play nice with the doctor who might not want to help you if you clock him.”

He calmed instantly and nuzzled his face against her knee. When she went to brush his braids from his cheek, he took her hand and laced her fingers with his.

Sumi tensed as she heard the sharp click of a blaster from behind her.

Syn didn’t react at all. “Put it away, Jayne. She’s a friendly.”

“You sure?”

He gave her a droll stare. “I’ve never known Hauk to cuddle an enemy. You? I mean, he is weird and all, but he’s usually consistent with his surly demeanor.”

Jayne decloaked and moved forward to join them. “What happened to him?” She pulled her helmet off to show that, like Darling, her pictures didn’t do her justice. She was extremely beautiful.

Syn sighed heavily. “He’s got enough toxins in his system that if he were human he’d be dead ten times over. Thank the gods Andarions are tough bastards.”

“Is he going to be okay?” Sumi breathed.

Syn finally met her gaze. The anger there dissipated into kindness. “Yeah. I think so. Unless something has happened to Thia, in which case, we’ll be scraping up his guts as soon as Nyk returns.”

Jayne continued to glare at her. “Who the hell are you, human?”

“Jaynie,” Dancer said weakly. “Be nice to my girl or I’ll turn her loose on your hide. Trust me, I think she can take you.”

Jayne scoffed as she squatted down beside Hauk and touched his shoulder. “What happened to your eyes?”

A knowing smile curved Syn’s lips. “I think Hauk got around to taking your advice, Jayne.”

“What advice?”

Syn glanced at Sumi then laughed. “I’ll tell you later.”

Darling frowned as he finally looked over at Bastien, who’d opted to sit quietly and bleed while Syn tended Dancer. “Do I know you? You look really familiar.”

Bastien stretched out on the ground. “Summit meeting. Years ago. I was with my father. You were with your uncle.”

Recognition lit Darling’s eyes. “You’re the one who decked Nylan’s son when he spat in my food.”

“Don’t remember that, particularly, but it sounds like something I’d do. Hate that rank bastard.”

Darling shifted to study Bastien’s ragged condition. “You’re one of the Kirovarian princes.”

“Was.”

“Holy shit. I thought you were all dead.” Darling met Jayne’s gaze. “He’s one of Nyk’s paternal cousins, who was deposed about a decade ago.”

Sumi gaped at something Bastien had failed to tell them. Now that Darling mentioned it, she saw that regal bearing. She’d attributed it to his military training, but now that she knew, it was obvious what it really signified.

How had a prince become a League Ravin? Even a deposed one.

Suddenly, Syn grabbed Sumi’s wrist and shoved her sleeve back to expose her League brand. He drew his blaster faster than she could blink and held it to her jaw.

Dancer knocked it away. “Stop it!”

“She’s a League assassin.”

“Yeah, I know. Kyr sent her after me. Remind me to order him flowers and a thank-you card later.”

Syn, Darling, and Jayne exchanged a scowl.

“You know?” Jayne asked.

Dancer sat up slowly.

“Whoa, buddy.” Syn held him back. “You need to stay down until we get a lift here for you.”

Hauk hesitated before he stretched out again, only this time, he put his head in Sumi’s lap. “Jaynie? Darling? Don’t let anyone hurt my mia. Or I’ll take it out of both your asses.”

Darling arched his brows. “Look, bud, I know you’re drugged out of your mind, but you are aware that Sumi’s human, right?”

Dancer shoved at Darling. “Don’t insult my female by putting her in the same class as you.”

Jayne arched a brow. “How much crap have you given him, Syn?”

“That ain’t my drug, baby. That’s called l-o-v-e.”

Jayne scoffed. “Hauk? Love? Lorina shit.”

“It’s true. That’s why his eyes are red,” Darling said to her. “Can’t hide or deny that.”

Syn injected something into the IV.

Dancer shoved at him. “Why did you do that?”

“You need to rest.”

Still, he fought it. He grabbed the front of Darling’s battlesuit. “Keep Sumi safe for me. Don’t let anyone harm her. Swear…” He passed out.

Sumi caught him against her and laid him down gently.

They all three stared at her as if she was a three-headed Gourish snake.

“What?”

Without answering her, Syn moved to check on Bastien.

Darling continued to hold Dancer’s IV while he studied her with an unsettling intensity.

“Jayne?” Syn called. “On my twelve, babe.”

She went over to him, leaving Sumi alone with Darling. “So what did you name your son?” she asked, trying to break the awkward tension.

“Cezar.”

“Congratulations. I know Dancer will be thrilled to meet him.”

Darling shook his head. “And he lets you call him Dancer, too… damn. He really must love you.”

“It’s a beautiful name,” she said defensively.

He scoffed. “Says the woman who didn’t have to go to school or into League training with it. Take it from someone named Darling, it’s been a constant source of agony for him the whole of his life.”

She hadn’t thought about that. “I-I didn’t mean to hurt him with it.”

Darling covered her hand with his. “Trust me, given the way you say it, he doesn’t mind. If he did, he’d stop you. Tolerance is not one of his virtues.”

That was certainly true.

“Little Sumi?”

She went absolutely still as she heard the one voice she’d been dreading most. Her heart choking her, she slowly looked over her shoulder.

Time froze in that heartbeat as her gaze fell to Fain. Much older than the teen who’d once rocked her to sleep, he was still huge. Even bigger than Dancer.

Dressed in a Tavali battlesuit, he had his face painted similarly to the way Dancer had done hers. His Tavali mask hung loose around his neck and his braids were pulled back from his handsome face by a black band. His black gloves were tucked into his holster. Her gaze fell to his hand where he wore Omira’s wedding band on his pinkie. Just like Dancer had said.

The pain on his face was searing. He stared at her as if she were a ghost whose sole purpose was to haunt him. As if he couldn’t believe his eyes.

Darling looked back and forth between them. “You two know each other?”

Sumi licked her suddenly dry lips as she tried to think of how best to answer Darling’s question.

“I was married to her older sister.” Well, Fain took that ball out of play. He blinked as if finally getting a handle on the fact that she wasn’t Omira and that she meant him no harm.

Funny, she’d been so angry at him for so long. Had hated his guts with such passion and blamed him for what Omira had done – when honestly, her sister had destroyed them all.

Sumi had stupidly thought that if she ever saw him again, she’d want to murder him on sight.

Now… that hatred was gone. Melted by a wave of feeling lost, abandoned, and heartbroken. She felt as if she was seven years old and, like Thia with her father, she just wanted to run into his arms and have him hold her the way he’d done when she was a girl. To tell her once more that everything would be okay and that he’d never let anyone hurt her.

Jayne smacked her hand against her own forehead. “That’s why she looks so familiar. I knew I recognized her from somewhere. Stupid me. I was thinking bounty sheets, not Fain’s wife.”

Fain’s gaze dropped to Dancer’s head in Sumi’s lap.

In that moment, Dancer blinked his eyes open as if he felt his brother’s presence. Guilt and anguish marked his features as he realized how this must look to Fain.

Moving forward, Fain dropped to his knees next to Dancer. “Hey, drey. You still with me?”

Hauk couldn’t breathe as he saw the raw agony in Fain’s eyes that his being with Sumi had caused his brother. And he felt like total shit over it. Fain was the one being he would never have hurt for anything. “I’m sorry.”

Fain scowled at him. “For what?”

He glanced at Sumi then back to Fain. “I never meant to hurt you.”

Fain cupped Hauk’s head in his hands. “Dancer… this doesn’t hurt me.” He gave him a sincere smile. “You deserve to be happy, kiran. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.” He dropped his hand to Dancer’s then he took Sumi’s into his other hand and joined them together. “Don’t let my past darken or taint your future. I love both my kisa and kiran. I always have.”

But even so, Hauk saw the ragged torment in Fain’s eyes. And he knew how much this hurt him to see them have what Omira had denied him. If anyone deserved to be happy, it was Fain. His brother was the most noble and decent being he’d ever known.

Pain in the ass at times, but always loyal and caring.

Always there.

“I’d rather you hit me, drey.”

Fain laughed. “You’re too weak at the moment. Few days… I’ll be happy to beat you down.”

Hauk playfully slapped his brother’s face. “You suck as a brother. I want my money back.”

Fain snorted. “Could be worse. I’m stuck with you.”

Syn returned to them. He let out an irritated sigh as he checked Hauk’s IV. “How much do I have to give you to keep you unconscious? Damn Andarion metabolism. Stay down, beast!”

He fanged Syn then looked at Fain. “Kill him.”

“I would, but his wife would tear me up. And no offense, she scares me. You really don’t.”

Ignoring them, Syn added more medicine to the IV as a skimmer appeared. A small team of medics ran off with lifts for Dancer and Bastien.

It was only then that Fain saw who was with them.

“Bas!” he said with a laugh. “And here I thought you were dead. Should have known better.”

Bastien gave Fain a droll, offended stare as they placed him on the lift. “Your brother damn near finished what you started. Luckily, I’m like a cockroach. Hard to kill.”

Shaking his head, Fain patted him on his arm. “It’s good to see you again, drey. Thank you for fighting with my brother for me.”

“Only for you, drey. Only for you.”

The medics rushed Bastien into the skimmer.

After carefully laying Dancer’s head on the ground, Sumi moved out of the way. She watched and hesitated as they all boarded the craft.

Fain turned back toward her as she stayed put while the others scrambled. “You coming?”

Afraid, she bit her lip, debating the sanity of going. If she left with them, she’d never be able to go back to The League. While she had no doubt that Dancer would save Kalea, she wasn’t sure what awaited her at their hands.

She was a League agent. They were all enemies to The League. Dancer might love her, but none of the rest did.

Well… maybe Darice and Thia.

But Dariana would hate her guts, as would Dancer’s parents. For that matter, if she went, she might cause him to lose his lineage.

Forever.

I’m not Omira. The last thing she wanted was to cause any harm to Dancer or to those he loved. Her presence with him would be nothing but misery and continued problems for him.

Excessive problems.

He was Andarion. She was human. Thia’s story about their asteroid belt went through her head. She had no business with him.

And yet…

She couldn’t stand the thought of not having him in her life. It hurt so much that it made it hard for her to breathe. It was like losing her daughter all over again.

Fain stepped down from the ramp and approached her. “What’s wrong?”

Overwhelmed by it all, Sumi wrapped her arms around her chest as tears filled her eyes. She couldn’t hurt Dancer the way Omira had ruined Fain. She couldn’t. One look at that wedding band on Fain’s hand and his Tavali uniform, and she knew just how wrong it would be to take away everything Dancer loved.

Even his name.

Clearing her throat, she glanced away, scared she might lose her conviction. “Dancer’s where he belongs. I should be going.”

Fain scowled at her. “Are you nuts? Do I have to toss you over my shoulder and carry you into the skimmer?”

She raked a horrified look over him. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“For my brother, there isn’t anything I would not dare. I would defy the gods themselves to keep him happy and safe.” He moved to stand right in front of her. “I saw his eyes, Sumi, and I know that wasn’t from Dariana. And unless I need to keep Nykyrian from ripping Dancer’s spine out through his nose, there’s only one female who could have done that to him on this trip. The one he was clutching when I arrived. It would devastate him to wake up without you.”

Those words choked her even more. But still, she didn’t want to hurt him. Or cause him harm. How could she buy her happiness at the expense of his entire life and family? “I’m a threat to him.”

“So am I,” he said with a bitter laugh. “Every time he speaks to me, he runs the risk of losing everything he has.” Fain glanced back toward the skimmer. “Dancer’s never done anything the easy way. And he never will. It’s part of the little bastard’s charm.” He held his hand out to her. “C’mon. I’ll be with you the whole time. Nothing to fear. I will keep both of you safe.”

In that moment, something inside her shattered and sent a wave of uncontrollable sobs through her.

She wanted to hate Fain so much. But this was the brother she remembered having. The brother who had meant so much to her.

Just like Dancer, Fain swung her up in his arms and carried her into the skimmer.

“Damn, Fain,” Jayne snapped as she saw them. “What’d you do? Break another human? I swear we can’t leave you alone for five seconds.”

Fain shrugged. “I don’t know. Human women look at me and burst into tears. I’m kind of used to it.”

Another Tavali who looked a lot like Darling snorted at him. “I’d burst into tears too if I had to look at your ugly ass.” He took her from Fain and set her down on a small bench seat. Kneeling in front of her, he handed her a handkerchief. “I’m Darling’s brother, Ryn.”

Sniffing back her tears, she took his handkerchief and wiped at her eyes. “Thank you.”

He patted her knees then looked up at Fain. “How’s the beast?”

“He looked pretty beat up. But I’ve seen him worse. Hell, for that matter, I’m sure I’ve beaten him worse. And that was for just wearing my boots without permission.”

Snorting, Ryn stood and clapped a hand on Fain’s shoulder. “Syn would sooner kill himself than let anything happen to him. You know that.”

“I know. It’s why I’m not freaking out and going on a killing rampage. ”

Still nervous and unsure, Sumi glanced around the small group of men standing in the main cargo area – Darling, Fain, Ryn – and of course Jayne. Syn must have taken Dancer and Bastien into the small infirmary somewhere else on the skimmer.

“Where’s Nykyrian and the kids?” she asked them.

Darling pointed to the link in his ear. “They took the other skimmer and are already on board, waiting for us.”

“The kids were all right?”

Darling pulled the link from his ear and held it toward her. Even without it being in her ear, she could hear Darice’s and Thia’s excited chattering as they told Nykyrian everything that had happened while they’d been with Dancer.

She smiled. “Thank you.”

He inclined his head respectfully as he returned it to his ear.

Syn opened a door to their right. “Sumi? Get in here and let Hauk know that you’re okay. I can’t do anything with this unreasonable, surly bastard.”

“He’s not unreasonable. He’s just fierce.” She went into the small room where Bastien was now unconscious. But Dancer was fighting Syn as he tried to pull monitors off his body and get up from the lift.

It was actually rather comical to watch the two of them swat at each other like children, as they traded insults.

She tsked at him. “What are you doing, sweetie?”

Hauk calmed as soon as he heard her voice and saw her whole and unscathed. While he trusted his friends, he also knew how protective they were. And given Jayne’s actions to Zarya over what her men had done to Darling, he didn’t want to chance a similar occurrence with Sumi. “I wanted to make sure you were all right.”

Her eyes tender, she cupped his cheek and rubbed noses with him. “I will be, if you let Syn treat you without fighting him. Now be a good boy and I’ll give you a reward later.”

He grinned at her teasing. Holding her hand, he allowed Syn to put the monitors back on him. “By the way, Syn, Sumi has a League tag we need you to remove.”

“Okay. You’re not going to punch me for cutting into her to get to it, are you?”

“Don’t you hurt her,” he growled in earnest.

Syn rolled his eyes then looked to Sumi. “Gah, are all Andarions this ridiculous? Oh wait… Nyk and Kiara. Got it. Never mind.” His gaze dropped down to Sumi’s abdomen and he scowled. “Is that your blood on you?”

She glanced at it. “I was attacked by a tourah a couple of days ago, but it’s a flesh wound. I’m fine.”

“She’s not fine. She also has a blast wound to her arm.”

“Flesh wound,” she repeated. “I’m really not hurt.”

Hauk gave her a droll stare. “Now who’s being unreasonable?”

“Still all you, baby.”

Gods, how he loved her teasing. Only she could get away with being this flippant with him. I am a sick bastard.

Syn moved to put a mask over Hauk’s face. “If he pulls this off,” he said to Sumi, “beat him.”

Hauk made an obscene Ritadarion gesture to Syn.

“Not on your best day, Andarion. I don’t care how much you look like a woman.” Syn tilted Hauk’s head to one side so that he could examine the bruise above and below his eye.

Hauk focused on Sumi as his vision blurred. He didn’t want to be unconscious until he was sure she was safe from the reach of Dariana and The League.

His mother.

There was no telling what any of them would do to her. It was his job to protect her, but as he felt the medicine kicking in again, he knew Syn wouldn’t leave him awake much longer.

“Mia?”

She took his outstretched hand. “Right here.”

Panic set in as he struggled against the drugs. He tried to take his mask off, but neither of them would accommodate him. “Stay safe.” He wasn’t sure if she understood those badly slurred words as everything turned black.

Syn scowled at Sumi. “Why the hell is he so afraid of letting you out of his sight? He has to know we’re not going to hurt you.”

“It’s not you he’s afraid of.”

She looked past Syn to see Fain in the doorway.

“Then what?” Syn asked.

“She’s a League assassin in the middle of a Sentella-Tavali-Andarion and Caronese strike force that is at war with them. By going after Dancer when she did, she endangered a member of the royal Andarion family, and the last heir of a family the Andarions view as a national treasure. Queen Cairistiona can legally demand her head for this. As can Dariana, and Dancer’s mother.”

Sumi went weak at his words. “What?”

Fain nodded. “When we get to the ship, avoid anyone wearing a red-and-black battlesuit or uniform. Those are members of the Andarion Queen’s Guard.”

Syn scoffed. “Nykyrian won’t let them hurt her.”

“He can talk to his mother about Thia, but he can’t stop Dariana if she calls out for Sumi’s blood. And given how much she hates Dancer, she’s liable to do it just for spite. That’s what he’s afraid of. If she evokes her right of death over Darice, there’s nothing the queen can do. The law is the law. Sumi would have to die for endangering Darice’s life.”

Syn put his hand on Sumi’s arm. “We won’t let her touch you. Believe me, there’s not a one of us who doesn’t want a piece of that bitch’s hide for what she’s done to Hauk over the years.”

Fain nodded. “He’s right. Make sure you stay with one of our royal family members at all times – Caillen, Ryn, Darling, Maris, Nyk, Desideria, or Drake. They alone can keep you safe from her.”

She felt the skimmer landing on board the mothership. Fear gripped her. But she was an assassin and assassins never showed their fear.

To anyone.

With her head high, she would face this. Bracing herself, she mentally prepared for the worst that was waiting for her.