In Enemy Hands Chapter Eleven

Varo stood with Adlar. “I really am sorry about that. First time I had a meal in bed, and I messed it up. I really can be a jerk sometimes.”
Adlar placed a quick kiss on Varo’s lips. “There will be more times, I promise. Many, many more times.”
* * * * 
After breakfast, he and Varo showered and dressed for the day.
“I’m meeting with the D’noir shortly for training,” Adlar said. “A little later I’m meeting with a couple of the palace guards who want to apply for a position with the D’noir. I’m going to need to test them to see if they have what it takes to join. Would you like to come with me? We could get in a workout if you’d like.”
“I’d like that.”
“Good. We can—” The outer door of Adlar’s chamber chimed letting him know someone was outside asking permission to enter. “I wonder who that is.”
He walked to the door and checked the screen. Outside stood Maylar.
“Odd. Wonder what he’s doing here.” Adlar opened the door to his rooms. “Greetings, Maylar. What brings you here?”
“Greetings, my Lord,” Maylar bowed to Adlar. “I happened to be at the palace and my business wrapped up early. I’m at loose ends until much later this evening when I have another appointment. I thought Varo would like that tour I promised him.”
“Oh. Well, I showed Varo around not long ago,” Adlar said.
“Ah, but I’ll show him around as a tourist. Our lovely palace looks different when viewed that way. Please?”
“It’s okay, Adlar.” Varo joined Adlar by the door. “We can work out later.”
Adlar glanced at Varo. “Are you sure?”
“I am, yes. Why don’t I meet you back here a unit hour before the final meal? I couldn’t take part in the interviews you have to do, so it works out. Is that okay?”
“That’s fine. But first, let’s get your retina and voice print scanned so you can access my rooms. This way you can come and go without problems.” It didn’t take long to scan the info into the door unit. “Okay, you’re programmed in.” Adlar kissed Varo. “See you later.”
“Can’t wait.” Varo watched the door slide close before turning to Maylar. “I’m rather glad to see you. We need to talk.”
“Is that a fact?”
“Yes.” Varo moved away from the door and deeper into Adlar’s rooms. “Things have changed from when we last spoke.”
Maylar followed Varo. “Indeed they have.”
“Wha—”
Varo heard the whine of a phaser then his body jerked as his muscles spasmed. It wasn’t painful, but it was unpleasant seeing his limbs jump and shudder and not being able to stop it. He was no longer in control of his body.
He went limp and dropped where he stood. Horrified, he realized Maylar had stunned him. No! No, no, no! His body refused to respond to his desperate attempts to move, to call out… to do something. Anything.
But he could still hear, and what he heard shocked and terrified him. Staring up at Maylar, all he could do was watch as an unpleasant smirk twisted Maylar’s features as he holstered the stun gun.
Maylar stalked to where Varo lay on the cold stone floor. “You fracking Yesri whore.”
Maylar kicked Varo’s body, snarling, but thankfully Varo couldn’t feel the kick. Yet. “Did you really think I’d let you take what was mine? I told you how I felt about Adlar. Did you really think I’d allow you to mess everything up? You? You are nothing. Nothing!” Maylar ranted. “A Yesri, for goddess sake. Your kind should be exterminated from the galaxy.”
He dropped down next to Varo. All Varo could do was blink at him.
“He’s mine, you useless space junk,” Maylar seethed. “I’ve waited and planned too long to lose him now to the likes of you. Silly, silly prince. You should’ve just left like we discussed. It would’ve made things so much easier.”
Varo wanted to cringe when Maylar fingered a hank of his hair.
“What I should do is smuggle you out of here and sell you to the worst slavers I can find. But I won’t,” Maylar said. “What I am going to do is send you back to your loving family. Did you know I was there when Adlar commed Omori and told him how he planned to mate you? Oh gods, I was furious.”
Maylar rolled Varo onto his back. There was nothing Varo could do to stop him.
After a quick call on his comm he settled next to Varo. “I see Adlar removed the slave collar. Bet you liked that. Did that make you feel good? It works well for me too. He could’ve tracked you through the collar. But not now.”
Maylar’s hand tightened on Varo’s hair, and he rocked slightly in place. Again Varo wanted to cringe, and again he could do nothing. How had he missed Maylar was crazier than a blood-starved Calious bat?
“You nearly ruined everything, but once I get you out of here, everything will go back to normal. He’ll turn to me after you ‘escape’, and I’ll make sure he knows what an evil creature you are,” Maylar rambled. “Oh yes, it’ll be me he finally mates. Not you. Never you. Me.”
Maylar’s comm beeped, and he stood. With little problem he picked Varo up and tossed him over his shoulder. Silently Varo fumed. Maylar walked into Adlar’s office. He dropped Varo into a chair then made his way to a bookcase that covered one wall.
He tossed a slight smile over his shoulder at Varo, and then he pressed one of the sconces above the shelves. It opened to a dusty, unlit passage.
Are you kidding me? A secret passage? Seriously? I thought that was only found in romance stories.

There in the darkness he could barely make out two males who stepped out of the passage. Maylar’s smile was unholy. “Greetings, my brothers.”

Chapter 11

Adlar spent several unit hours with the D’noir for training. He and the other males broke for lunch then Adlar paired them up to work out alone while he met with the palace guards who wanted to apply for a position with them.
Since he had a set of clean clothes at the training facilities, he showered there. He set them out on a bench, and then washed his hair. He’d barely finished when Tomack came running into the shower area.
“Adlar? Adlar!”
Adlar flinched and promptly dropped the soap. “Well, frack.” 
He’d never heard Toamack’s voice hit such a high note and hoped he never did again. He glared at Tomack, who was red in the face and sweating. “Gods, Tomack, are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
“What are you doing ?” Tomack demanded as he grabbed Adlar’s clothes off the bench.
“Me? What are you doing? Do you have a star sickness or something? Put my clothes down.”
“Star sickness? But.... Put... Arrrgh!” Tomack threw his head back and yelled. Then, taking a deep breath, he rushed to the showers. “Get out! Out! Why are you in the shower for Goddess’ sake?”
“Seriously? Tell you what. You figure it out and let me know.” Adlar shut off the water. “Preferably outside.”
Tomack gaped at Adlar and started panting. “Oh… oh good goddess, you don’t know. Oh frack. Frack! Where’s your comm?”
“Know what? And what is wrong with you? You look faint.” Adlar stepped out of the shower and wrapped his hair up in a towel. He briskly dried off. “My comm is…. Well, it was on top of my clothes and….. Ah, there it is, on the floor. Must’ve knocked it off when you grabbed my things.” Adlar slipped on his pants and buttoned them.
“Adlar….” Tomack grabbed Adlar by the shoulders. “Don’t hit me, okay? I really, really don’t want you to hit me. So stay calm and remember you like me, okay?” Tomack gulped. “Varo escaped.”
The silence was suddenly very heavy. All he could hear was Tomack panting. White noise filled his head. Tomack was wrong. He had to be.
“W-what? He, he… what ?”
The air rushed out of Adlar’s lungs. His hard-earned control evaporated as his head spun. Flashing dots appeared in front of him. Varo escaped? But, but, that was impossible. He’d left Varo in his rooms not that long ago and… and Varo loved him. He wouldn’t do that. Varo wanted to mate with him. He’s said so. Varo would not abandon him. He wouldn’t .
“Adlar? Breathe! Frack, don’t you dare pass out on me. Or hit me. I need you to snap out of it!” Tomack yelled.
Finally the desperation got through. Adlar grabbed Tomack by his shirt and lifted the guard off his feet, a nasty snarl on Adlar’s face. “What in the frack is going on? What trick is this? Varo would not betray me this way! Tell me before I rip your fracking throat out!”
Tomack grasped the hands holding him off the floor. “Command commed me ten unit minutes ago frantic to find you. An unauthorized portal was opened in the Satellite Surveillance Network system. Adlar, please my Lord, calm down.”
“Frack! I’m as calm as I’m going to get." Adlar dropped Tomack back to the ground. “What you told me makes no sense. How could Varo open a—” Adlar snatched his shirt from Tomack and put it on. “This can’t be right. Are you sure it’s Varo?”
Tomack closed his eyes, a long breath escaping. “There is no mistake. It’s Varo in the shuttle. Command scanned it and the only life sign aboard is that of a Yesri. The DNA profile matches Varo’s too. It’s him. And… and, the private code used to open the portal so he can get through is a match to… I’m sorry, Adlar. I’m so sorry.”
“What exactly are you saying?” Adlar’s stomach dropped as he shoved his feet into his boots. “You said the code was private. A match to whom?”
“Omari. Your brother.”
Shock held Adlar still then rage beat it back. “Oh, that’s just raging batar shit.” Adlar surged to his feet. “Are you saying my brother did this? That he, what? Took Varo? That he helped Varo escape? Or that he kidnapped Varo and sent him away?”
“I’m not saying that at all.” Tomack held up his hands, palms out. “Command notified Omori as soon as the code was used to open the portal. So he knows his code was used. And no, he had nothing to do with Varo’s escape. He’s the one who sent me to find you.”
“Come on. I need to get to Command.” Adlar grabbed his comm and rushed out of the showers. “Varo didn’t escape. I promise you, he’s not on that shuttle voluntarily.”
Tomack ran besides Adlar. “Omori said the same. I think… I hate to say this, but I think we have a traitor in our midst.”
“I know we do.” Adlar ran toward Command.
Tomack ran with Adlar. “I’m not sure what he or she hoped to accomplish with this.”
“Doesn’t matter. When I find them, they’re dead.”
TBC~M