Page 77 of Tribute
He’d said his piece to Kai, admitted how he felt, and had left the matter in his lover’s hands. What a stupid fucking thing to do. He should’ve got down on his knees andbeggedKai. But since the night Rehz and Anna had called, he’d decided just to accept Kai’s lovemaking and not ask for anything in return. Would it have made any difference? He didn’t think so. The ultimate decision had to be Kai’s. Kai had to believe that someone could love him for himself, and that wasn’t going to be easy. Aled understood he might have to move on.
The door opened and he tensed as an unexpected figure appeared, flanked by four men in white protective gear.
“Ah, Price, there you are.”
“General Palk.” Aled slid off the gurney as the men closed in on him. “What the fuck is going on?”
It was the last thing he said before the blackness closed in on him.
Kai checked the clock and frowned at the closed door of the waiting room. It was way past the time when Aled Price should’ve been returned to civilization. There must be something wrong. Just as he was about to bang on the clear glass window that looked over the main lab, he saw Palk beckoning him inside.
The door locks released and he went through, his gaze trained on Palk, who was smiling.
Kai didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Where’s Price?”
“He volunteered for a new assignment.” Palk raised his eyebrows. “He didn’t tell you? After the information he gave us about theUngrich, you must have known we would want to test him further.”
“What information?”
“He didn’t tell you that either?” Palk took a step closer and lowered his voice. “That theUngrichlike human DNA and specifically want to research it?”
“He told you that?” Kai held Palk’s gaze. “Where exactly is he?”
“Back with theUngrich.” Palk shrugged. “They’ll let us know when they have finished with him. If he’s still alive, of course.”
Kai drew back his fist and swung, sending Palk crashing to the floor, unconscious. He’d never be able to tell Aled how he felt now. He’d left it too late. Amid the screams of the lab technicians and medics shouting for security, he turned and walked out. In the hallway, the alarms were already blaring, and Rehz Akran was running toward him, his weapon cocked and ready in his hand, his expression murderous.
“They took Anna!”
Kai went still. “What?”
“Your fucking trainee must have spilled his guts.” Rehz looked around, his teeth bared. “Where is he? I’m going to fucking eviscerate him.”
“Rehz. They took him too.”
“Why?”
“Because they have human DNA.” He forced himself to breathe. “I bet they’ve both been sent to theUngrich.”
“Male and female humans,” Rehz whispered. “Fuck.” He swallowed hard. “I can’t lose Anna. I love her.”
Kai nodded. “I know how you feel.” He took a deep breath. “So why don’t we go and get them back?”
TRIUMPH
BOOK 3
KATE PEARCE
INTRODUCTION
Rehz Akran has had enough of the Tribute program and its sadistic overseer, Palk. When Palk captures Rehz’s mate, Anna Lee, and offers her and Aled Price to theUngrichfor further research, Rehz is ready for rebellion. But first, with the help of Kai Mexr—who wants Aled back just as much as Rehz wants Anna—he must break into theUngrichworld, rescue Anna, and discover why they want her so badly.
The chilling answer to that question lies in Anna’s forgotten origins—origins that Aled shares. To save their lovers, Rehz and Kai must take on Palk and a government that is more than willing to sacrifice Anna and Aled to keep the peace.
The two couples join forces—in more ways than one—and together they discover that they may be capable of defeating two civilizations and changing the course of Mitan history forever.
CHAPTER
