Page 97 of Warrior's Captive
* * *
His mother arrived and didn’t ask questions, her expression serene as she took the baby.
She paused briefly before leaving, kissing Tai’ri’s cheek. “Don’t worry for your child, son. Do what you need to do.”
She didn’t ask where Vivian was, for which he was grateful. He wouldn’t have been able to say the words through the stone of rage, fear and grief lodged in his gut.
“There is no time,” Vykhan said once Agata and Mayleen were gone, accompanied by a squad of warriors.
Tai’ri met Vykhan’s cool gaze and felt his lip draw up in a snarl. “You. You—”
Banujani grabbed his shoulder. “Tai. Anger won’t help.”
“He dangled my mate likebait.”
Vykhan didn’t move, hands clasped behind his back. “She will survive, and she has left a trail. If you are ready, Adyat will report.”
Tai’ri tucked his rage away, called on Haeemah for control, and listened as Adyat’s voice came through Vykhan’s comm.
“Evvek ran the scenario as soon as Banujani reported Vivian missing,” he said. “The main tracker in the transport she used was disabled. The embedded secondary tracker came online, and we believe was undetected—at least until the transport was destroyed.”
“Last known location?” Vykhan asked.
Adyat rattled off the coordinates. Tai’ri stiffened. “They took her to Anthhori.”
Vykhan went utterly still, eyes narrow and distant. “I will need to do something about that ship soon,” he murmured.
“That ship is a scourge,” Banujani growled.
“And the security is impenetrable,” Tai’ri said, jaw aching.
“We have an advantage,” Vykhan said, meeting his gaze. “Two. One, they do not know your bond is fully formed. Two, they do not know your mate is dangerous.” Vykhan smiled. “Have faith. We hunt.”
* * *
Vivian stepped out of the transport and looked around, pushing back the low-level emotional ache of already missing Mayleen. She couldn’t allow fear to control her; fear of never seeing her daughter again, fear for the baby’s distress in losing her mother.
The area defined the term ghost town. Abandoned construction, the floating streetlights dim, crackling in the evening sky.
A hand grabbed her shoulder. Vivian whirled, mind flashing back to Banujani’s training. She grabbed the wrist and twisted. The man cursed, and a weapon was suddenly in her face.
“We said no resistance, Ms. Huang,” he said, voice harsh and accented, though no anger appeared on his face. A professional, then. A hired thug.
She stepped back, lifting her hands slowly. “Apologies. I’m nervous.”
“This is your only pass.”
“Understood.”
More men emerged from the shadows, one of them approaching the transport.
“Dismantle it,” the one in front of her said.
Vivian suppressed a wince. She supposed she should have expected that. If Tai’ri recovered the vehicle, then they could determine her last location. Which was demonstrably not on their enemy’s agenda.
The man was watching her. After a moment, he put the weapon away. “We thank you for your cooperation. Welcome to your shuttle to Anthhori.”
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