Adrik (Titans #1)

Chapter 26

Ember was shaking so hard that she had to ball her hands into tight fists to keep from exposing her terror. She’d heard the entire conversation between Adrik and the Renx Theb. She knew what the Renx intended, and she knew the Titans would be forced to hand over Kyan. Ember refused to let that happen.

Stepping up to stand before Adrik, Ember looked up into his visor. She wished she could see his eyes. She knew they’d be flashing with rage. She was defying him by taking this decision out of his hands.

Hands shooting out, Adrik caught her upper arms and pulled her body roughly into his. “What do you think you’re doing?” he gritted out too quietly for the Renx to hear.

Expression stoic, Ember swallowed hard before answering quietly. “Sacrificing myself to protect my sisters, your men….and you .”

Adrik’s armor rippled, his face mask retracting. His eyes were blown out with fury, his pupils so fully dilated that almost no green showed, while his lips were curled back from his elongated fangs in an expression that would have flooded Ember’s insides with dread had she not already been terrified.

Teeth gnashed, Adrik snarled, “We don’t need your protection, Ember.”

When he hissed her name, anger slowly filled her. Where was his gratitude?

“ This is our only move,” she snapped, “And we both know it!” Secretly, she hoped that he would contradict her. Silently, she prayed Adrik had a plan, another move, but in her heart, she knew it was futile. Theb wanted a female; if Ember didn’t sacrifice herself, Adrik would surrender Kyan, and while Ember hated it, it was the most logical thing to do to spare them all. Young, sweet Kyan. She was too young to die such a miserable death. Kyan deserved the hope of a good life and the promise of a future with Obaida. His protective instincts concerning Kyan hadn’t gone unnoticed. Turning to look up at him, tears flooded Ember’s eyes as she demanded. “Do right.” It was the only thing she could get out without revealing the existence of her sisters to Theb and the waiting Renx.

With a solemn nod, Obaida vowed, “On my honor, I vow this.”

Turning back to Adrik, Ember sucked in her bottom lip to still the trembling there. She didn’t know how to say goodbye. She didn’t know what to say. “I wish things had been different,” she offered tremulously, hoping Adrik understood her meaning. She hoped he felt the same way. The regret searing her now left her feeling gutted. She’d been cautious about opening up to these Titans. She’d had to be. Experience had made her selfish with her trust, and now, staring up at Adrik, she wondered if she’d been a fool. Had she initially believed his good intentions, there’s no telling where they’d be now. Maybe…

Shaking her head, she forced away the what-ifs. No sense in torturing herself now. It was too late for them. It was too late for her. Turning her head, she glanced at the Renx. They were gross. Knowing the leader intended to fuck her and then eat her had her stomach convulsing. She struggled not to wretch as she tore her eyes from Theb, jaw clenching hard as she told herself inwardly, “Kyan. You’re doing this for Kyan.” And she was, but she was also relieved that Adrik and his men would be safe too. They were the last hope for Kyan, Vashti, and Nova. After countless years of torment, it appeared that her sisters had finally found a safe haven.

Looking up at Adrik, she wanted to beg him to take care of her sisters and tell them that she loved them dearly and was doing this for them. But she could say nothing with the Renx watching her so closely. So, she opted for a veiled, “Thank you for being noble males.” Some of the rage slipped from Adrik’s gaze, and Ember had to look down. She couldn’t see softness in him now; she couldn’t witness his pity because if she did, she doubted she’d be able to sacrifice herself.

“Please do well,” she whispered and tried to pull away, but Adrik tightened his hold, causing her head to snap up as she looked at him.

***

Adrik couldn’t let Ember go…but he couldn’t keep her either. Eyes sliding over Ember’s head, he shot Theb a dark look. This was his fault. Theb was the one forcing Adrik’s hand. He was forcing the Titans to relinquish Ember to save themselves and their ship. Adrik didn’t want this. He didn’t want Ember forfeiting herself for her sisters and his men. He didn’t want her doing this for him. He was the Commander. He was the one who was supposed to sacrifice for his ship and its crew. He didn’t want the Renx anywhere near Ember but was helpless to do anything.

Shoulders slumping in resignation, Ember whispered, “Goodbye, my Commander.”

Her using the designation was shockingly affecting and made Adrik even more enraged. He felt like a mere pup again, he felt like another trainee was taking his favorite weapon. No, the loss of Ember was more significant than that, so much so that he had nothing to compare it to. He had never valued anything so highly. He wanted to rage, he wanted to go to war, and he wanted to claim, but none of those things could happen, and it was suffocating.

“Ember,” he began but didn’t know what to say. There was nothing he could say. Gaze slicing back to Theb, he gritted out, “Name your price.”

Theb grunted. “I’m not negotiating. I’m taking her.”

Tone filled with lethality, Adrik snapped, “Is there nothing Titans can offer you?”

Theb turned contemplative a mere moment before grinning. “No. There is not.”

It was a foolish decision. Titans could be a great resource to the Renx. There were so many advantages to having Titans as allies that being dismissed so easily was offensive.

“If you do this, you’ll regret it,” Adrik warned. “Are you prepared to be Titan enemies?”

“Your dishonesty and attempts at subterfuge have already cemented that relationship, Commander.” He lifted an arm and motioned Ember toward him. “Relinquish the female so we may be done.”

Making an angry sound deep in his throat, Adrik tore his enraged gaze from Theb to look down at Ember. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and he knew she was fighting to disguise it. She refused to meet his eyes, and when he used a finger to force her chin up, the fear he found gutted him. He was practically blinded by the possessiveness ripping through him. The need to act, to protect, was shredding his insides with such intense ferocity that it threatened to double him over.

“Ember,” he began quietly, knowing he could not offer her any hope, solace, or apology that would hold any value. He could give her nothing. He’d failed her.

“It’s fine,” she bit out tersely, stepping back and lowering her eyes. “Please do good.” She backed up more and then turned to walk toward Theb.

Instinctively, Adrik reached for her, but Pitch caught his arm. With a snarl, he jerked his arm free, but then Obaida gripped his other arm, and both Titans held him back.

“Interesting,” Theb drawled, eyes intent on Adrik as Ember slowly approached. Eyes sliding from Adrik to Ember, Theb demanded, “Seize her.”

Ember cried out when two Renx soldiers grabbed her and forcibly hauled her toward the bay doors.

The sound Ember emitted was enough to have Adrik lurching forward, but Pitch and Obaida held him firm. Too firm. He had to physically restrain himself from attacking Pitch and Obaida. Eyes locked on Ember’s slight frame as she was held between the two Renx soldiers; Adrik couldn’t help but notice how small and defenseless she looked. The Renx holding Ember marched out of the cargo hold and into the docking bay, turning to face Adrik and his Titans.

Theb, turned and looked over his shoulder at where his Renx held Ember. Turning back to Adrik, he smirked. “See. That wasn’t so hard. Was it?”

Gaze slicing from Ember to Theb, Adrik felt himself begin to shake from the effort of self-restraint.

Theb canted his head and shot Adrik a sinister grin. “I’d previously thought Titans incapable of lying. The revelation will be noted.” Making a show of nodding, he boasted mockingly, “We appreciate your cooperation.” Turning, he stalked into the docking bay. Inside, he made a show of standing behind Ember, his mocking gaze locked on Adrik over Ember’s head.

But Adrik’s eyes were back on Ember. His mind was racing. How did he fix this? How did he stop this?

The bay doors slowly began to close, and with each increment, Adrik felt his dual hearts increase in rate. What do I do? What do I do?

Ember lifted her trembling chin, her fear-filled eyes colliding with his. He knew she was trying hard to be brave. Damn her! Damn her for doing this to him! To them!

Beside him, he could feel his Titans’ rage. They’d attack on a word, but that couldn’t happen. They were outmanned and outgunned. It’d be a slaughter if he lost his head right now, and as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t do that to his Titans or the other females on board. It was selfish to even think it. Still, the desperate need to battle for Ember was clawing at his insides. He’d never wanted to fight so badly in his life. His hands were fisting and unfisting with the urge to battle, and his incisors had punched through his gums and were flooding his mouth with his own blood. War! He needed to go to war with these Renx like he needed his next breath, but it simply couldn’t happen. Adrik clenched his jaw so tightly his teeth creaked. The docking bay doors slowly inched closed, and the closer they got to closing, the more Ember’s stoicism faltered. When there was just a mere slit of space in the doors, Adrik saw one tear fall from the corner of Ember’s eye as she stared at him, a world of regret in her sorrowful gaze.

When the doors hissed shut, blocking Adrik’s view of Ember, he roared, “ Noooooooo!”

Shaking off Pitch and Obaida, Adrik rushed the doors, slapping his palms on the unforgiving steel as another massive roar exploded from him. Fisting a hand, he punched the steel panel of the door so hard it dented.

Kaze and Obaida rushed him, and they each grabbed an arm and pulled Adrik back before he could damage the bay doors further. Breaking the seal on the doors would be the end for all of them.

Turning fast, Adrik started frantically pacing. Something important had just been taken from him, and he demanded vengeance, but how? They couldn’t attack the Renx exploratory shuttle because Ember was on board. And they sure as hell couldn’t attack the Renx’s well-armed mothership. So that was it? Was he supposed to just let Ember go?

Obaida urged, “We can ghost their ship until we can contact Cesca Sol for backup.”

“Cesca Sol has already been informed,” Adrik snarled as he continued to pace.

“We can launch a tracker drone and then race for Cesca Sol before returning with reinforcements,” Pitch offered.

Even Tyrate offered advice. “Commander, I embedded a laser tag on Ember; you can use the digital tracker as long as we remain in range of the Renx vessel.”

There was a loud moan as the Renx ship began disengaging its ship-locks from the Cressida. The ships wouldn’t separate completely until Adrik gave Tyrate the order to disengage their own ship-locks. He didn’t give that order. His mind and hearts were racing. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted Ember back. He wanted her back with a ferocity he didn’t understand. He'd been ever watchful the entire time she’d been on his ship, needing to discover deceit or treachery. Adrik had been sure that Ember and the other women were some sort of bait. He'd been certain they’d been planted intentionally for him and his Titans’ discovery. He’d been waiting for Ember to make her move. She hadn’t. And now, this… This was the most definitive proof that he’d been more than wrong. He’d been a fool! Staring at the steel doors that separated him from Ember as she was ripped away from him, Adrik fought to swallow down the tumultuous regret and rage that swirled deep within and threatened to choke off his throat completely. Pacing forward, he slammed another fist into the bay door, a vicious growl wrenching from his throat. Head falling forward, he pressed it hard into the cold steel. The lives of his Titans and the other women on board demanded that he turn and walk away. Honor and position commanded him to accept the Renx trade. It was logical. Inhaling sharply, he stepped back and glared at the doors. The Renx could have taken much more, but they’d been…gracious. Undoubtedly, the Renx wouldn’t want to compromise any future relationship with the Titans. The only thing that spared the Renx currently were their numbers. Even with just one more Titan battle cruiser, the Renx wouldn’t dare to commit the affront they just had. And it was an affront. And not because they’d taken something the Titans had rightfully acquired. It was an affront because, in Adrik’s estimation, they’d just taken something that belonged to him . Something valuable. Something he was willing to risk his own life, his own ship, the lives of his men, and the lives of the females on board to get back!

His body went rigid with the need to fight, and his hands fisted so tightly that his arms shook. Adrenaline flooded Adrik’s mouth with an unpleasant tang as he prepared to war with no outlet to do so. The urge to command the doors to re-open so he could go barreling after Ember was visceral. Instead, he focused on a way to get Ember back. He was so focused that he barely heard Tyrate question, “Commander, shall I disengage from the Renx vessel? They are hailing with the request.”

No! By the Gods, no!

Behind him, Obaida directed, “Tyrate, disengage.”

Turning on Obaida, Adrik’s hands shot out and grabbed the Medicus before shoving him hard against the doors. “Don’t!” Adrik bellowed and leaned into Obaida’s face to growl, “You are not the Commander.” But in the back of his mind, he understood. Obaida was acting in their best interest. He was trying to make a choice that he most likely knew Adrik couldn’t make himself. But that wasn’t Obaida’s duty.

“Commander?” Tyrate prodded, awaiting instruction.

Adrik released Obaida and stepped back as an unfamiliar wave of anguish and hopelessness crashed over him. He’d never felt helpless before; he’d never experienced this type of vulnerability, and it made his insides twist in torment. He wanted Ember back. But duty demanded he disengage his ship from the Renx vessel and let them keep her. It was what was best for his crew, his ship, and the other females aboard. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to give the order. Instead, he turned to stare at the doors that separated him from Ember.

Suddenly, the comms cracked before Kaze’s voice burst through with an explosive, “Adrik!”

Now what?

“We have a response!” Kaze exclaimed. “By the grace of the Gods, there’s a Titan Myoplex War Liner within two divisions of our location! I’ve relayed our status. They’re en route!”

Adrik’s face blanked a moment before all the air left his lungs. Relief, excitement, and hope swamped him to the point of light-headedness. For an instant, he stood motionless, and then he was moving. “Keep ship locks engaged!” he bellowed, his black armor rippling back into place as he moved.