Tribute Page 15

  “I’m going with you,” Holly said.

  He shook his head, clearly understanding her intent. “I will take the blame.”

  Holly cocked an eyebrow at him. “He wants to talk to the traitors. That would be me. I’m the one who was told not to go after you and did. This isn’t on you.”

  Caro slipped something into Holly’s hand, and she looked down. It was one of the temporary auditory translators they’d rescued from their old ship before it had been destroyed. She nodded to Caro, glad the woman had grabbed one from their remaining stash. “You read my mind.”

  Caro laughed. “I wish I could read your mind, but so far I haven’t become empathic like you or Danica or Max, although I wouldn’t mind…” Her words trailed off as she looked between Holly and T’Kar. “Never mind. You’ve got places to be, hot aliens to save.”

  Holly squeezed her chatty friend’s hand before handing the device to T’Kar and motioning for him to put it in his ear.

  When he did, she cocked her head at him. “Like I was saying, this is not your fault. It’s mine.”

  He squeezed her hand. “Anything that is on you is now on me, too. You are my mate, or did you forget so quickly?”

  Holly’s pulse quickened and her cheeks heated. She wanted to bristle at the word mate, but instead, it thrilled her. She was his, and for the first time in her life, she wanted to belong to someone. She smiled up at him. “If that’s the rule, then let’s go.”

  He let out an exasperated breath, but he didn’t fight her as they followed K’alvek, Kush, and the other women into the Dothvek leader’s tent.

  It was much as Holly remembered it from when she’d stormed in the night before, although it smelled even more strongly of booze. Zatvar lay sprawled out on the bed once more, but this time, a woman sat next to him.

  Holly couldn’t hide her surprise, and she only hoped the clan leader didn’t pick up on it. The woman was regal, her dark hair piled on her head and her gown pristine—a sharp contrast to the crude warrior who stank of stale whiskey and sweat. She hadn’t spent much time in the Dothvek village, but she was startled she’d never seen the woman before. The only women she’d seen had been the priestesses in white robes, and the occasional female warrior who rode out with the men.

  “Explain yourselves,” Zatvar spat out.

  Holly stepped forward. “It’s my fault. I wanted to go out and find T’Kar. Everyone else only came with me because I asked them to. It wasn’t their idea.”

  The leader leaned forward. “But they went. You did not threaten them or hold them at the point of your blade?”

  She shifted from one foot to the other. “No, but— “

  “Then they are all guilty of defying my orders.” He waved a hand. “They are all traitors to their people.”

  Both K’alvek and Kush flinched visibly.

  “We couldn’t let him die,” Holly said, taking T’Kar’s hand in hers. “I couldn’t let him die. You see, we’re married.”

  Zatvar tilted his head at her. “Married? You mean you took this Crestek as a mate?”

  She nodded. “That’s right. He’s my mate. We had an official binding ceremony and everything.”

  Zatvar’s lip curled into a sneer and his gaze slid to T’Kar. “Tell me Crestek. Have you claimed the female?”

  His body jerked slightly but he stood up straighter. “Yes. I have claimed her.”

  “Too bad.” Zatvar looked back at her, making no effort to hide the look he ran up and down her body. “She would have made a good mate for one of my warriors.”

  The woman next to him put a hand on his leg. “If she is already mated, there is nothing to be done. And it is understandable that she would go after her mate. Would not any Dothvek do the same for their mate?”

  Zatvar grunted. “That does not excuse the rest.”

  “K’alvek and Kush only went because we insisted on going,” Danica said. “They were afraid we’d die out there on our own.”

  “They were also protecting their mates,” the woman said, her voice low and calm. “Dothvek warriors must always take care of their mates.”

  Zatvar leered at her. “Like I take care of you.”

  She nodded, giving him a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. Holly saw K’alvek start to move forward, but Danica pulled him back.

  The clan leader swiveled his head back around, his expression stormy. “That doesn’t solve the problem of the Crestek I now have in my village. No Crestek has ever set foot among us.”

  “I wish to join your clan,” T’Kar said, making every head snap toward him. “I no longer wish to be Crestek. I wish to be one of you—a Dothvek.”

  The silence that followed his statement was so thick, Holly didn’t dare breathe.

  “Dothveks are born,” Zatvar said, his voice loud as he slapped his hand against a nearby table. “They are not made.”

  “Why not?” Holly asked, even though her voice trembled. “At one time, you were the same tribe. You’re clearly the same species, even if you think you’re two different peoples. Why can’t someone join you?”

  Zatvar growled low, clearly not thrilled to be compared to the Cresteks.

  “He’s the reason Kush was able to escape from the city with me,” Max said. “If it wasn’t for him, we’d still be prisoners.”

  Kush inclined his head. “That is true. He risked himself to help us. He is unlike any Crestek I have known.”

  “And he’s been studying about you,” Holly continued. “He’s even empathic like you.”

  Zatvar narrowed his gaze at T’Kar, a menacing grin on his face. “What am I thinking, Crestek?”

  T’Kar hesitated for a moment, then a rumble escaped his throat. “You are thinking that you would like to see my mate’s lips around your—“

  “Very well,” Zatvar cut him off, his face flushing.

  “There is the tahadu,” the woman next to the clan leader said, her expression unreadable.

  Both K’alvek and Kush shifted and darted glances at T’Kar.

  Zatvar’s gaze swung to his mate and he opened his mouth, but she glanced over at him, her eyes hard. He shrugged, reaching for a goblet and taking a long swig. “Very well. If the Crestek survives the tahadu, he will be Dothvek.”

  “What’s the tahadu?” Holly asked, as she followed everyone out of the tent.

  “A gauntlet,” Kush said. “He must survive the attacks of the entire clan to reach the end.”

  Holly swallowed hard. She had seen the Dothveks in battle.

  Thirty-Five

  “You don’t have to do this,” Holly said, adjusting the leather strap across his chest then pressing her palms against his muscles and meeting his eyes.

  T’Kar no longer wore his Crestek clothes. These had been replaced by traditional Dothvek garments—low-slung pants that hugged his thick legs, and a strap to hold his blades. Even though he was used to being covered by tunics and cloaks, he felt more comfortable in this spare outfit. Here among the Dothveks, he didn’t need to hide his markings. Here, he felt free and oddly at home.

  T’Kar stroked a finger down the side of her face. “Actually, I do. If I want to stay here with you.”

  They stood inside a small tent as he readied for the Dothvek gauntlet, and T’Kar tried to block out the sounds outside. Instead of the usual sounds of the village—low voices, animals snuffling for food, the fire cackling—the air hummed with excitement. He suspected the entire clan was eager to see if he, a Crestek, would survive.

  “We could run,” Holly said, her green eyes shifting to the tent flaps.

  He tilted his head at her. “That did not go well the first time. No. I have always wanted to be more like my sand-dwelling brethren. Now I get my chance.”

  Holly bit her lower lip. “But we have no idea what this gauntlet will be like. What if all the warriors attack you at once? What if they don’t give you weapons? What if—?”

  He put a finger over her lips to quiet her and stop her from making him panic. “I do not
doubt it will be hard, but I also know it will be fair.”

  Holly’s shoulders sagged slightly, and she nodded as she moved her hands across his chest to his arms. “You are bigger than other Cresteks, and you handled the sand serpent like a boss. It’s not that I don’t believe in you, it’s just that I don’t want to lose you again. I feel like I just found you, and…”

  He lifted her chin, tilting her face up to his. Not only was fear pulsing off of her, but also something deeper. Something that made his heart constrict. “I love you, too, and I have no intention of ever leaving you again.”

  A smile teased the corners of her mouth. “Oh, you love me, too?” He gave a half shrug and she swatted at him. “I’m still not sure how I feel about this empath thing, but I’m going to let it slide since you’re about to fight an entire village of Dothveks.”

  “I am most grateful.” T’Kar lowered his mouth and kissed her lightly, his lips feathering across hers. Her faint moan made him want to deepen the kiss, but he needed to keep his focus, and losing himself in a kiss would not help that at all.

  Movement at the tent flaps made them both pull away and look around as Danica’s blonde head poked inside. “Sorry to disturb, but they’re ready for you.”

  T’Kar inclined his head at her, then glanced down at Holly. “I will see you after.”

  She gave him a shaky smile. “Then we can celebrate properly.”

  Even though nervous energy made his heart beat faster, the thought of celebrating with his mate sent blood rushing south. Her smile widened. “Hey, big guy. Save those thoughts for after.”

  He was still adjusting to her growing ability to sense his feelings, and it thrilled him each time. “Now, who is the empath?”

  Her cheeks mottled pink as she took him by the hand and led him outside the tent. Danica and K’alvek were waiting, along with Kush.

  Danica hooked her arm through Holly’s. “We’re going to go get a good spot.” She smiled at T’Kar. “Good luck.”

  Holly reluctantly let go of his hand. He knew she wanted to throw her arms around him, but she held back because there were people watching.

  He held her eyes as she backed away. “I will see you soon.”

  When she disappeared around one of the tents, Kush put a hand on his arm. “Are you ready?”

  “He will be fine,” K’alvek said, giving him a quick once-over. “He even looks like one of us.”

  “It is not a battle to the death,” Kush told him, as they snaked their way through the village. “It is the test every Dothvek warrior must pass before becoming a man. You will pass through two rows of Dothveks. Each will try to land a blow, and you fend them off, or dodge it, and move forward.”

  “It will be fast.” K’alvek glanced back at T’Kar over his shoulder. “Keep moving and don’t let a hit stop you.”

  T’Kar nodded. It did not sound so bad, although he suspected it would feel much different once Dothvek after Dothvek attacked him.

  “They will not go easy on you,” Kush said. “And Zatvar has added himself to the group.”

  K’alvek growled low. “He may seem like a fool, but he is dangerous.”

  They came around the last tent, and T’Kar swallowed hard. The Dothvek warriors had formed two parallel lines that stretched away from the village and onto the sands. They stood in warrior stances, with blades drawn. The clan’s few priestesses were gathered at the beginning of the gantlet and, at the far end, he could see Zatvar with his arms folded, his mate near him but off to one side.

  Holly and her bounty hunter friends stood near the priestesses, and they cheered when they saw him. Several of the Dothveks looked at them in confusion, and he suspected they were not accustomed to a cheering section during their gauntlets.

  He took a deep breath, glad the air was cooling as the suns sank low onto the horizon, and shifted his feet in the warm sand. The warriors’ blades glinted off the fading light, and he pulled his curved blades off his belt, gripping the hilts loosely and reminding himself not to tense up.

  He might not have been raised Dothvek, but a Crestek highborn was given instruction in fighting from a young age. Even if the fighting was more about technique and less about killing, he still knew his way around a blade. His sword-master had made sure of that.

  As he took his place at the start of the gauntlet, the high priestess approached him. Her white robes pooled around her feet, and her hair was pulled up in a tight bun. She held a small bowl that shone gold, dipping her fingers in the liquid and stretching up to dab a drop on his forehead.

  She locked eyes with him. “The blessings and protection of the goddesses on you, warrior.”

  He bowed to her as the fragrant oil trickled down between his eyes. “And also on you.”

  Her lips quirked up, and he could see that he had surprised her by knowing the proper response. She moved away, and the energy shifted as the Dothveks readjusted their stances.

  “See you on the other side, friend,” Kush said, his voice low as he and K’alvek joined the rows of warriors.

  T’Kar steadied his breath for a moment before Zatvar whistled from the far end—the signal to begin. Without hesitation, he rushed forward, diving into a roll and coming up with his blades extended. He blocked two attacks before spinning around and dodging another two.

  Blood pounded in his ears, the only sound he could hear aside from the clang of blade against blade, as he surged forward. He had made it halfway through the gauntlet when the first blade nicked his shoulder. There were gasps and satisfied grunts. Even though he registered the sharp sting, he did not slow. Twisting quickly, with his blades slicing up, he fended off more attacks even though pain shot down his arm.

  The yells and grunts grew louder, and T’Kar could sense the growing frustration of the Dothveks. He leapt through the air over several swishing blades, coming down and rolling across the sand before jumping up. The next blow knocked one of his blades from his hand, but the warriors’ satisfaction was short-lived as he whipped his arm over his head and unsheathed a straight blade from the strap across his back.

  More gasps as he dodged and spun, barely avoiding the hiss of the blades cutting through the air. Another few warriors, and he would reach the end. There was no time to catch his breath even as his side ached, so T’Kar ducked a wild slash that passed so close to his ear he was sure he lost the pointed tip. With a final burst of energy, he blocked a series of blows, knocking one warrior off his feet.

  Turning quickly, he readied himself for Zatvar’s attack. When the clan leader pulled a blaster from behind his back, he had mere moments to react, dropping to the sands as the weapon fired over him. Then there was silence as he lay, panting, with blood trickling down his arm.

  Looking up, he saw K’alvek’s wide body blocking him from the clan leader, the blaster now in his hand. The warrior glared at Zatvar before throwing the blaster into the sands. “Who is more Crestek now?”

  Thirty-Six

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” Holly ran her hands over his chest, her eyes searching for invisible wounds.

  They were back in the tent he’d been given to change in--the tent that was now to be theirs to live in. She pulled his crossbody strap off one shoulder, and let it drop to the mats covering the floor. There was little in the single-pole tent aside from mats and furs covering the sand, and a pile of cushions denoting the bed. One low table held a jug of water and a pair of clay goblets alongside a lit lantern that sent a golden glow throughout the small space.

  Since T’Kar had completed the tahadu, dusk had overtaken the village. Most of the Dothveks were gathering at the village fire to celebrate, but Holly had insisted on bringing him to the tent first. She had to inspect every bit of him with her own eyes.

  “I told you I am unharmed.” He lifted her face, so she had to meet his eyes. “You are the one who seems unwell.”

  “I just can’t believe what that asshole did to you. Or tried to do, at least. If K’alvek hadn’t stepped in…”


  “But he did, and I am fine.”

  Holly pressed her lips together. “He tried to kill you.”

  “And failed.” T’Kar cocked his head at her. “You have not congratulated me yet for making it through the gauntlet.”

  Holly’s mouth twitched. “That’s because I knew you would. I never had any doubt in you.”

  That was true. She’d never doubted him, but she had been worried about how fierce the Dothveks would be. She’d been right to worry. None of the warriors had gone easy on him, and if he hadn’t been so quick, she knew he would be much bloodier than he was now. Her eyes went to the cut on his bicep.

  “It will heal,” he told her, following her gaze and easily sensing her thoughts.

  She nodded. He was right. She should be thrilled that he’d made it through the Dothvek’s rite of passage and was now considered one of them. Well, he would be. She didn’t expect them to accept the Crestek right away. There would, no doubt, be a period of testing and hazing, but it was nothing her big, strapping guy couldn’t handle.

  “You were amazing out there,” she finally admitted. “I think you surprised them.”

  One hand tangled in her hair, and the other captured the side of her face. “The only opinion I care about is yours.”

  “You impressed me, too, although I have seen you fight a giant sand serpent, so I had a bit of a preview.”

  He stroked her jawline with his thumb. “They are expecting us at the fire.”

  Holly leaned into him until she could feel the heat from his body warming her. “That’s true, but there are so many of them. Will they really miss us if we’re a little late?”

  “A little?”

  She shrugged, slipping her hands around his back and underneath the waistband of his pants. “Maybe more than a little.”

  He let out a contented growl, as her fingertips fluttered across his lower ridges. She was so relieved he’d survived the tahadu—and come out relatively unscathed—that she wanted to run her hands over every delicious bit of him. Her hands and other things.