Alcandian Soul Read online

  “That’s right. Alcandian warriors pride themselves on control and honor. A woman who just spreads her body without emotional attachment is unacceptable to them.” Jessica gave her a hard look. “Not that that would help you.”

  “I wasn’t planning on trying it.” Cassandra snapped her mouth shut. Giving out a detail like that was counterproductive to her cause. Jessica was Cole’s blood after all. She needed to watch what she said to the woman. She might have been kidnapped, but she looked pretty darn happy right now. Living too long in captivity could do that to even the strongest-willed woman. Cassandra looked at her with a sense of pity. Jessica was exactly what she intended to avoid becoming. A broken and saddled mare.

  “Good. That’s a relief.” Jessica shrugged and pointed down at the few men eating at the tables. “See, the half wall means the warriors below will hear any cries you make. That’s Alcandian honor ensuring that stronger males don’t abuse females. The gold curtains show you where bonded units live. Only the elite live in the main hall though. All the warriors eat together. This is the Judgment Hall, they’re the law-keeping force here on Alcandar. Those maroon coats tell you they’re law-keepers. The black-edged ones have the right to kill in the line of duty.”

  Jessica’s voice trailed off as she kept her eyes on the tables below. Cassandra felt her words like a punch in her gut. If Cole was a law enforcer on this planet, her imprisonment must be legal as far as they saw it. That left her with sagging hope as she tried to figure another avenue to take towards escape.

  “Let’s go to the women’s hall and eat. I bet you’re hungry. Warriors and females are separated here, at least until you bind. There will only be other women there and maybe children.”

  “All right.” Any move that helped her learn the lay of the house would be a good one. She wasn’t hungry, in fact, the idea of eating made her nauseous. But getting out of the room and possibly away from the Judgment warriors sounded good.

  Really good.

  * * * * *

  It wasn’t hard to give Jessica the slip. Cassandra refused to feel guilty for ditching the pregnant woman. Even being human didn’t cut any slack as Cassandra focused her energy into escaping her guards. She needed information, facts, and she very much doubted that Jessica would be helping her discover the things she needed to get off Alcandar. The poor woman had accepted it as her home now, so there was no point in even trying to talk sense into her.

  Living as a long-term captive did that to a person. Cassandra kept her mind focused on that hard scientific fact. But her eyes wandered over the pristine beauty of Alcandar. The air was so clear, like it was when you went backpacking in a national park. No dingy haze from urban smog, just bright sunlight sparkling through the trees.

  And there were a lot of trees. Everywhere you looked something green was growing. All the columns in the courtyard hosted plants on top and the vines wrapped down their length towards the ground. Every available space was used as a planter and someone was taking really good care of the watering chore, because large, healthy green leaves opened up to the sunlight like you saw in Hawaii. The abundance of plant life just might explain the quality of the air.

  Cassandra climbed the steps that led away from the building she’d woken up in, and looked over the surrounding area. There were other buildings and more maroonclad warriors moving along the pathways. A few of them noticed her but no one sounded any alarm. That only increased her need to explore. These Alcandians were just too confident in the fact that they had her caged.

  There were streets with some kind of vehicles too. Cassandra studied them as best she could while she kept walking. She didn’t know where she was going, but more than one prisoner had made their way out of places where they had limited knowledge. She would just have to figure Alcandar out enough to find the wormhole.

  * * * * *

  “Would you two stop?” Jessica tried to step between Cole and her mate Jett but her second mate Dylan hooked an arm neatly under her swollen belly and picked her up.

  Jett shot her a furious glace. “Being your brother does not grant him the right to place you in harm’s way.”

  “Being my sister means I wouldn’t send her anywhere near something that might be dangerous.” Cole was angry and he really didn’t care if Jett didn’t like his tone of voice. Dyne stepped in front of him, surprising him into silence as he faced off with Jessica’s two mates. Both warriors were seething over the fact that Jessica had been left alone with Cassandra. To their way of thinking, Cassandra was discontented and unpredictable. That made it unsafe for their mate to be alone with her.

  “There was no danger.” Dyne’s words were calm but hard. The Judgment Official wasn’t willing to listen to any charges of neglect. Jett folded his arms over his chest as he glared at Dyne.

  “I like it not.”

  “Well, too bad, Jett! I am not your pet.” Jessica wiggled and glared at her second mate. “Put me down, Dylan, and I mean right now! I’m quite capable of deciding if I want to talk to someone. You may think you know better, but it’s mighty damn hard to be a newly claimed female around here. No one talks to you straight.”

  Dylan let his mate go as a slight look of sympathy crossed his face. Jett only hissed under his breath. Cole wanted to pull his collar away from his neck because it felt like his coat was shrinking and biting into his throat.

  Shit.

  He hated the facts surrounding Cassandra’s arrival. Her opinion really shouldn’t have mattered too much considering what was at stake, but he still didn’t like the fact that she was unhappy.

  It stank and it was his fault.

  “Now, boys…” Jessica glared at all four of them. Her forehead was creased with tension as she drew in a deep breath. “I suggest you remember that Cassandra is active Army. Somehow, I don’t think she’s going to be so easy to contain. So, someone better keep at least one eye on her. But that’s as far as I am going in helping you with her. Being kidnapped stinks. If she makes your life a living hell, you’ve got it coming.”

  Jessica lifted an eyebrow as her two mates turned disapproving looks at her. Her lips twisted into a devious grin before she pointed a finger at them. “It stinks like a startled skunk and just because I love you both still doesn’t mean it doesn’t stink!”

  Jett and Dylan both grinned at her confession of love, and she threw her arms into the air as she huffed. Jessica rolled her eyes before she turned and left them. Jett and Dylan instantly lost their amused expressions as they turned to face Cole and Dyne once again. Dyne surprised him again by taking a step forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. It was a stance that proclaimed them a team. Dyne was clearly stating that if the other two warriors wanted to take issue with Cole, they had to deal with both of them.

  Dylan grunted before he nodded reluctantly. “Best I let my mate have her way in this, but I still do not agree.”

  “Nor do I.” Jett looked more angry than Dylan did. But the warrior stood with his comrade’s statement and simply continued to glare at them.

  Dyne considered the two men for a moment. “A warrior thinks differently about a sibling than a mate. Agree that you do not consider your sister Zeva as delicate as you do your mate.”

  “Zeva is not delicate, but I believe her mates will tell you otherwise. However, I concede the point to you.” Jett lost his glaring look, as a tiny smirk replaced his frown. “We shall see how well you handle your own mate. It is not a simple thing. There is a part of you that will always crave knowing she is buffeted from the ugliness around her. Pampering her becomes a pleasure.”

  Cole frowned as Jett shot him an amused look before he nodded his head and left with Dylan. They moved swiftly in unison until they overtook Jessica in the lower courtyard. His sister tossed her head as her mates joined her but Cole couldn’t help but laugh at her temper. She did love them, he was sure of that, because if he wasn’t he would have made damn sure she didn’t have to stay on Alcandar if she didn’t want to.

  That lef
t him feeling like an asshole again.

  “You must give it time, Cole. No one can predict what might come to pass.” Dyne turned to consider him with an odd look on his face. “We have not yet introduced Cassandra to the things that are pleasant about Alcandian life. I believe we should begin with a meal. Females find that relaxing.”

  “Cassandra might throw it at you instead of eating it.”

  Dyne looked startled for a moment but then his eyes glowed with the promise of challenge. Cole bristled as he watched the flame of interest. Dyne felt the surge of heat and frowned at him.

  “I think there is another matter to attend to first, Cole Somerton. Our minds have linked.” Dyne considered him for a moment as Cole felt the other warrior drift through his thoughts. He honestly hadn’t realized just how strong the link was because he was accustomed to the feeling now. In fact, it would feel odd to have it removed. Dyne offered his nod of approval.

  “I believe we are well suited to each other. It is time you took a partner and wore the coat of a Judgment Official. For that duty, you will need a partner.”

  Dyne drew himself into a formal stance before he extended his arm out in traditional Alcandian trust. It was a deep honor to receive the gesture from any Alcandian, but having it come from Dyne enhanced the moment to epic proportions. The warrior had his choice of partners among the training warriors.

  Cole clasped his forearm and felt Dyne’s grip tighten around his wrist and forearm. Dyne nodded stiffly before he spoke.

  “You understand honor. Blood does not make you a warrior, honor does.”

  It was a creed that kept an entire race going even in the face of extinction. Their embracing of a code that was considered primitive by many humans. That unwavering devotion to live your life by principles. It was the driving force behind his own quest to become a member of the Earth military elite. A burning need to know that he lived his life trying to become the best person he could be.

  On Alcandar, Cole was going to live that dream as a Judgment Official.

  As a warrior.

  Chapter Five

  “You should have changed into some Alcandian clothing if you intended to go unnoticed.”

  Cassandra spun around, and her drill sergeant would have been proud to see the fighting stance she landed in out of pure instinct. The woman she faced flinched and her arms came up out of reflex too. A hint of appreciation crossed Zeva’s face as she looked at Cassandra.

  Cassandra stared at Zeva, taking in the details that confirmed that the alien was much happier now than the last time she’d seen her. The word “alien” got stuck in her thoughts as she tried to face the fact that on Alcandar, she was the alien.

  And the captive.

  Cassandra shook off the despair that tried to flood her mind. Breaking down wasn’t going to help her. The last year of self-pity parties had certainly proved that. It was the honest truth that she really had no place to call home. But embracing the idea of never seeing her parents again tore at her to continue her battle to return to Earth. Just how to get her life back on track was the main issue. She was currently completely baffled as to where to begin. You needed to decide what you wanted before you could go after it.

  Zeva was wearing a three-quarter-length coat, similar to the one that Cole and Dyne had been wearing. The female version was tailored to her breasts and buttoned at mid-chest to just below her waist. The sides were slit up to her hips and a baggy pair of pants covered her legs. The outfit looked really comfortable but it was attractive too. The coat was made out of a purple and blue fabric that set off Zeva’s dark hair very well.

  “Sorry, I guess my abductors forgot to give me the nickel tour. Besides, I like my uniform.” She had earned her uniform. Sucking it up and dressing in Alcandian wear felt so much like surrender, Cassandra shook her head at the mere idea of it. Her fatigues were staying right where they were at. Zeva moved and the jacket she wore shifted, giving Cassandra a peek at the woman’s rounded tummy.

  “Is everyone pregnant on this planet?” Her voice was surly, but she suddenly felt trapped in a science-fiction movie complete with a plot to overrun her mind with the local culture. Mate and produce babies.

  Zeva only rolled her eyes in the face of her grumpy companion. “I guess that comment means Cole sent his sister to talk to you already.”

  Cassandra shrugged. Zeva closed the gap between them some more, but she didn’t get too close. There was a respect shimmering in her eyes for the training she knew Cassandra had undertaken. Cassandra latched on to that little bit of acknowledgment.

  “Returning to Alcandar dumped me into the presence of a couple of warriors I had been avoiding.” Zeva flashed her a grin as she shrugged. “In the end, I’m happy, and no, Alcandian females do not spend their lives pregnant. By avoiding my mates, I believe I bred an insecurity in them that prompted them to want a baby immediately.”

  All the better to chain her…

  Cassandra bit back her sarcasm. “Well, I hope life is better for you now that you’re home.”

  Zeva sighed as her face lost all traces of amusement. “It is. But now you are here.”

  Cassandra lifted her hand towards Zeva. “Easy enough to fix. Why don’t you just direct me towards that wormhole gate thing and then everybody will be happy.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Won’t is more like it.” Cassandra shrugged as she turned to survey the landscape. “Not that I’m surprised. You never struck me as the turncoat type.” Turning her gaze back to Zeva, Cassandra flashed her a grin. “Still, had to ask. I figured if there’s anyone who might have a soft spot for my plight, it’d be you.”

  Zeva looked uncomfortable, but the Alcandian female didn’t break their eye contact. Cassandra had to admire the pure confidence in her. Not many people shouldered their decisions so completely. “Don’t worry about it. We all have our loyalties.”

  “And yours are to Earth?” Zeva’s voice revealed a great deal of scorn still clinging to it.

  “This is a uniform, Zeva. I’m not just a human, I’m a woman who took an oath to support my government. That means a great deal to me.”

  “That government held me hostage.”

  Cassandra raised an eyebrow at the venom in Zeva’s tone. Spreading her arms wide, she watched the Alcandian woman hiss with frustration. “I have the same problem today. Only with your government.”

  “A good point.” Zeva took a deep breath as she considered her with a glimmer of pity in her dark eyes.

  “Oh, save it. I don’t need anyone feeling sorry for me.”

  Cassandra picked one foot up and fell into a march. Army brats learned one thing fast, self-pity was a concrete block just dragging you down. Frustration was tearing at her control, making the idea of getting away from the current conversation a pleasant idea. She’d deal with her emotions all by herself. Just like Zeva had done when their roles were reversed. At least she might center her attention on the fact that Zeva had managed to make it home.

  “Being angry will not help you adjust.”

  Zeva wasn’t following her, maybe because at least one Alcandian did understand exactly how she felt. That made it important to make sure Zeva had a clear picture of her resolve.

  “Adjusting is just another word for surrender. I don’t recall you ever adjusting to Earth.”

  * * * * *

  Alcandar got cold once the sun began to set. Cassandra considered the field below her as the shadows grew long and the light began to fade. Her eyes were focused on a training class. It was filled with maroon-clad warriors, their long overcoats draped over a stone half wall as neat as any Ranger training course. Their chests were bare and absolutely incredible. Mother Nature was a collaborating saboteur because the female in her had her eyes tracing those hard muscles with appreciation. The men below her were extreme. Each chest was corded and cut with defined muscle. It was almost like opening a medical book and being able to clearly see each muscle as it worked. These men worked hard enough to bur
n off the body fat that often hid a man’s strength. They were lean and moved with a deadly form that would have impressed Master Lee.

  Actually, warriors. She could see the connection. There had to be two hundred of them, all flowing in a harsh, yet somewhat graceful, deadly form of combat exercise. A sort of a morbid fascination held her there. Watching them practice what was clearly proof of their superior strength when she was currently being held by that power.

  But her eyes still followed them as they moved. Hell, it was a single girl’s dream. No flab to hide the brawn. There was a buffet of beefcake down there that any woman who wasn’t dead would want to feast her eyes on.

  The face that filled her mind made her snarl. Cole’s face sprang up in vivid color as she cussed at her own memory. A little tingle twisted through her nipples, making her temper boil as she turned her back on the warriors below her and all she saw in her mind was Cole. Heat teased her passage as she recalled just how hard Cole was beneath that maroon coat. His pectorals must be cut like granite…

  Cassandra cussed low and hot enough that even her dad would have lifted an eyebrow at her command of profanity. For her mother, on the other hand, the words would have blistered her ears. A touch of heat bled across her face as she considered that. Dissolving into behavior that would shame her parents wasn’t acceptable.

  The light was fading fast and that left her with a new dilemma. This one was very real. Being caught outside in unknown territory was ill-advised. But that left her with the only option of returning to the room that she had woken up in, and Cole.

  And Dyne…

  The second warrior moved through her memory as another blush heated her face. She frowned and lifted a hand to stroke the side of her face. The skin was actually hot, astounding her. Blushing over a memory was really extreme, especially since this recollection was nothing passionate. So what if Cole had kissed her? It wasn’t mindshattering.