Chasing Dare (29 page)

Dare didn’t miss the smile that lit up a certain Valendrans face when he watched Jax. The pride and respect actually made his chest puff out a bit. Dare didn’t think it would be much longer before her friend Jax and Reven announced their bonding, she thought, turning her attention back to the meeting.

“Are they any more dangerous than any other Valendran boy with a beast?” Dare asked, curious since no one really answered that question for her yet.

“No, they are not. In fact, they are less dangerous because they have already bonded into the brain properly, where in a Valendran that doesn’t happen until puberty. That is where the Valendrans have a problem with some of their children. Sometimes puberty may hit, but the area of the brain where the beast resides is still not fully developed enough for a full bonding.”

“The only other difference is that they can use the child’s telekinetic ability as a defense technique to protect the host child. Right now, that protective instinct extends to the parents who are the primary protectors of the child. As with all beasts, their first instinct is to protect the host who protects themselves.” Dread refused to look at anyone but Dare and Balduen. Like Jax, he wasn’t really happy about their decision to speak of this in front of everyone. He would respect their wishes though.

“How can they communicate? If the baby isn’t developed enough yet, how are they?” Balduen asked, he already knew the answer, but he heard the question shouted and figured it wouldn’t hurt to answer one of their questions.

“A beast is fully developed and aware inside a child within hours of conception. It’s physical size and shape changes very little from the moment that traditional conception starts to its fully matured state. This is all beasts, not just Valendran ones.” Dread waited a moment before stepping back.

“All indications are that this is going to be a perfectly normal child with telekinetic abilities… well normal for around here anyway.” Amun joked a bit and was relieved when laughter rumbled through the room of talented hybrids and the Valendrans, who had come to know them.

“Now the Ator-Ma, that was another issue we were wondering about since Dare is the only mated hybrid to have received it. I can now report that is no longer the case.” Amun smiled broadly as Jess and Cari stood on chairs in the room and proudly showed off the intricate tattoos that now encircled their upper arms and their shoulders. Dare just grinned, Jess and Cari hadn’t been able to keep the news secret and had told her the day before.

“A female hybrid’s beast is modified just enough during the conception process that it is much more dormant than a normal beast passed through two Valendran parents. It takes only a minor shock to make it aware enough to produce the Ator-Ma without triggering a bonding to the host.”

“So for any other couples that may become mated and choose to display the Ator-Ma we can help with that if you choose. Moving on, to Balduen and Dare themselves.” Amun paused to give them a chance to change their mind if they wanted to before he continued.

“The beast-bondings are permanent. All tests have indicated that they are not a threat and are in full control of the bonding in the same way that the Tezarian’s and other beast species are. There are no indications of instability in either Dare or Balduen. And they have agreed to be checked periodically to ensure all of you that you are in no danger from them.” Amun paused again, when several Valendrans and hybrids grumbled.

“Please say what you have to say.” Dare said loud enough to be heard, curious what they may be worried about.

“I just don’t think it’s necessary that you continue to be tested. Either of you. I think it’s obvious to all of us that neither of you are a threat. Putting you through that for us, isn’t necessary.” Sarex said bluntly to the agreement of what seemed to Dare to be everyone in the room. Tears threatened again as she thought of how lucky she and Balduen were to have such good people to call their family.

“We’ll leave that open to Dare and Balduen to change. Now the drug… this is the thing that worries all of us. We are still trying to replicate the compound using what was left in the disc in Balduen’s leg. And we’ve tested Dare’s blood repeatedly.”

“From what we can see, it doesn’t look like the loss of her ability is permanent, but we have no idea how long it will continue to be effective in preventing her from using her ability.” Amun and Dread directed everyone’s attention to the wall where they were protecting an image of Dare’s brain.

“Here is the area of the brain where the hybrid abilities are generated. It’s a normally unused part of the human brain that human drugs aren’t usually designed to affect. This drug is different. It seems to have been designed specifically to negate the abilities of all hybrids.” Amun paused again when several gasps of shock echoed through the dining hall. He expected questions after dropping that news on them.

“So any one of us can be darted like Dare and Balduen were, and be left virtually defenseless?” True asked first.

“Yes. Not only, that but it has a dual purpose. It can affect the genetic cells of Valendrans and leave you as paralyzed by it as the hybrids. Basically, this drug was specifically designed to target… all of us.” Amun added to the shock of most of the room, before stepping back from the front and allowing Ivint to take his place.

“I know you all have concerns. We are all just as concerned and Amun, Dread and the entire Medship are working tirelessly to find a way to neutralize this drug before it can be used to harm anymore of us.”

“We need time and patience. Neither of which we have in abundance. I am again encouraging you to think about going to the ships until we can stabilize the situation here. We will not force you, and we have more teams arriving to help us here. However, for your safety, I am asking for you to please re-consider staying.”

“You have all fought bravely, there is no shame in allowing yourself to feel at peace for once. Even if it’s just until we get the situation under control here.” Ivint looked around the room at the courageous faces of the hybrids and gifted women and couldn’t suppress the surge of pride that overcame him when none of them volunteered to leave. Choosing instead to fight, for themselves, for their home.

As much as he hated the thought of losing even one of them to the Relian’s, he admired their courage and their passion and refused to take away their choice to fight for each other and their home. They had earned that right long before his people realized they existed.

“Since everyone but Cari and Jess are staying, the rest of you need to be briefed on the new security measures that are being established. Reven and Jax will go over that with you.” Ivint stood down and turned the meeting over to Reven.

*****

Grai sat in the conference room with Koda and Traze going over their plans one more time while Grai waited for the phone call that would change everything. So intent on listening for the ring he was startled when it actually did.

“Yes.” Grai asked gruffly.

Koda and Traze watched their brother carefully, looking for any indication that he might give regarding how the conversation was going. Both sighed when they realized that their brother was only bested by their father in keeping secrets. Even his facial expressions revealed nothing of his thoughts or feelings. Most of the time anyway.

“What do you mean you can’t leave?” Grai asked, anger lacing his words.

“Listen to me, you get the hell out of there as soon as you can!” Grai demanded before hanging up the phone.

“What is it Grai?” Koda asked, wondering what happened to upset his oldest brother so much.

“They’ve locked down the warehouse. The hybrids and gifted are being called to the safe houses while they try to determine a way to neutralize the drug.” Grai said with fury as he lost his battle with his temper and threw his cell phone into the wall, shattering it.

“Grai, we knew they would do that. It can’t be all that is wrong.” Traze asked cautiously.

“She said, my child did not survive. The Valendran was able to impregnate Dare within hours of the procedure, and it was his child who survived, not mine.” Grai said, his face a mask of anguish and fear.

“Grai, we will try again. We will find a way to save him.” Koda said getting up to put a comforting hand on his brother’s shoulder.

Grai accepted his brother’s gesture and returned it. His eyes now the only thing that revealed the emotional pain he was in.

“We may still have a chance. She said that my beast remains in the child along with the Valendrans beast, and both have been bonded to the boy.” Grai told them quietly.

“If we can get the child, we can still use it to find a way to save him Grai. If the women have the capability of producing children who can bond with both beasts, then surely the child can show us how to correct the imbalance detected in the brain of the afflicted.” Koda suggested, actually warming to the idea. It had possibilities. At least, all hope wasn’t lost anyway; he thought.

“Do you think so?” Grai asked, trying not to raise his hopes that this could be salvaged.

“I think that if we can scan the child’s brain, test its blood, run some tests, we may be able to figure out how to make this work. If the child has the capability to bond two different beasts, I believe it’s more than possible that we can still use the data from his brain to find a cure.” Koda said honestly, running the possibilities through his head. The more he thought about it the more convinced he became that they could make this work.

“The problem is getting the child. They’re fortifying themselves and if we aren’t careful, the casualties can get out of hand. Not including the fact that they are in a more public area than usual.” Traze added, scooting forward to pull up the satellite image of the warehouse in downtown Knoxville where Dare and Balduen were.

“Do you think she can get Dare out of there?” Koda asked curiously. Although he had never met the woman, Grai’s trust in her was enough for him to trust her as well. And the information she has been providing Grai was invaluable to their plans.

“No. In fact, she said that both are now trapped inside. Orders are that the place is to remain on lock-down while they do a threat assessment and try to find a cure for the drug.” Grai said, his anger escalating at the thought of the danger they could be in if she was discovered.

“That could be a problem, Grai. Do you think they suspect her?” Traze asked, hoping that she was safe.

“I don’t know. We need to wait and see what happens. If they can get out they will. If not, we’ll go to them.” Grai said with fierce conviction. Nothing, not the Valendrans, no one would stop him from saving the male he loved more than anything.

“You know what you’re saying Grai?” Koda asked with shock.

“I know exactly what I’m saying. It’s time for us to come out of the shadows. I’m tired of hiding. If they are not allowed to leave soon, then we will go to the front door to get them. We will get what we need from that child.” Grai said between clenched teeth.

He’d waited long enough to bring this situation to where they were now, and he wasn’t going to wait any longer. Not now that his child had died and hopes of finding a cure were becoming slimmer by the day. Time was no longer a luxury; they could afford waste.

“Gather the men. I want a plan to bring them to their knees. Maybe they will take us seriously then.” Grai commanded. It may not be the direction he had originally wanted to be in, but he would find a way to make it work.  

It was long past time for him to ensure that the Valendrans knew exactly what his intentions were.

Epilogue

Dare lay cuddled up next to Balduen in their bed after the meeting and enjoyed the feeling of being together and safe.

“Are you alright?” Baldy asked, stroking her hair back from her face.

“I’m doing fantastic. We’re safe; no one is panicking at our presence anymore, and our son is perfect! What could go wrong?” Dare said teasingly, her happiness showing in her eyes.

“Shhh, don’t ever say that. I have learned that the humans call it jinxing yourself, and I tend to think there may be something to that particular superstition.” Baldy teased back with a smile of his own.

“No way! We make our own destiny. Besides, with you, the baby and our friends and family around, I think we’ll be ok now.” Dare said hopefully, hugging Balduen closer to her. Her cheerful words belied the sick feeling of dread in her stomach. She’d been feeling it for days now, as if she knew something was going to go wrong. Gently rubbing her stomach and the adored baby inside, she prayed she was wrong.

*****

“Sir! We got it! Call was made from the MedLab phone on level 2!” Risk said with excitement to Ivint and his father.

“Go! I want them apprehended immediately and brought here.” Ivint ordered.

Silence hovered around the room as they held their breath waiting, hoping that the teams left on standby around the warehouse would get there quickly enough to capture the person making the calls. The person who gave the information for Dare to be captured.

Risk, Ivint, Banatar and Reven stood and faced the door as they heard the scuffling outside. Moments later the door was flung open and Jax forcefully pushed a lone figure onto their knees in front of Banatar and Ivint.

“She was still standing by the phone when we got in the room.” Jax said with disgust.

“By the One! Alert all the safe houses that they are ALL compromised! Now!” Banatar ordered, fear skittering up his spine as he saw who betrayed Dare. Betrayed them all.