But I knew the answer to my own question. I didn’t deserve to be healed. Not as long as I was cursed with nightmares that made sleep impossible. The tales of the deranged Raas wandering his horde ship were not altogether false. I chased away sleep and the inevitable torture that came with it in any way I could, which often meant that I haunted the dark corridors of my warbird, nearly mad from lack of sleep.
The Raas chamber I stumbled into was dark and small, equipped with a thickly padded chair that looked much like a glossy, black egg. I sank into it and reclined, letting the exhaustion of the battle wash over me. As much as I fought it, my eyes fluttered shut.
Almost instantly, I was transported to the battle on Porvak. The char in the air burned my nostrils and made my mouth taste of ash. Steel clanged against steel as we battled the barbarian natives who’d drawn our horde into battle. But it was the scream of my Raas, Raas Oddon, that pulled my gaze away from my opponent. As soon as I heard him, I ran across the rocky terrain, leaping over bodies and dodging boulders. But as fast as I ran each time, I was never fast enough.
My heart raced as I bent over the Raas, a massive Porvakian blade sticking from his chest. Blood trickled from his mouth as he pulled me to him, begging me to pull it out. I flinched, shaking my head. But each time in my dreams, as in life, I did what he asked, jerking the blade from his chest. And each time, the blood spilled from him and over my hands, and the Raas I’d sworn to protect died in my arms.
I jerked awake, panting and drenched in sweat as the ship touched down with a jolt. We were already back on the horde ship? Even though my nightmares always left me weary, I must have been asleep for a while.
I staggered from the Raas chamber and the ship, the rattle of the metal ramp rousing me completely by the time I set foot onto the hangar bay floor.
“Are you ready to depart, Raas?” Taan asked, when he met me at the bottom of the ramp.
“Affirmative.”
He conveyed my orders to the command deck, and the engines of the warbird rumbled as we accelerated. Before we could leave the hangar bay and proceed to the command deck, Taan grabbed my arm and nodded to the transport.
At the top of the ramp stood a human female with hair the color of spun gold. I stopped breathing as the seer’s prophecy rang in my ears.
Chapter Two
Juliette
This was all wrong. I was supposed to be on the bounty hunter ship. But one glance at the exposed iron beams and ebony walls told me that I’d made a huge mistake. Then I spotted the Vandar raiders standing at the bottom of the ramp.
What have you done, Juliette?
The pounding of my heart was almost deafening as the warrior in the center of the group stepped forward, his tail snapping behind him. Black studded leather sheathed his forearms, and a matching strap crossed his chest, spiked armor extending over one shoulder. Straight hair as black as ink fell down his back, and the dark slashes of his eyebrows pressed together.
Even though my mouth was dry, I managed to speak. “Who are you?”
He cocked his head slightly at me, his tail curving up behind his back and going still, only the tip quivering. “I am Raas Vassim of the Vandar, but many call me Lunori Raas, the Deranged Warlord.”
I met his gaze, realizing that this Vandar was unlike anyone I’d ever seen before, including the only other Vandar I’d known, Corvak. This was a warlord, presumably the one who’d just saved my planet from the empire, and his eyes were those of a predator. He looked me up and down, making no effort to hide his bold appraisal. I might not have any experience with males, but even someone as sheltered as me knew what the flare of his pupils meant. Either he desired me, or he was about to kill me.
Before I could determine which was more likely, my knees buckled, and everything around me went black. I was only vaguely aware of strong arms catching me before I hit the floor.
“She’s waking!” The voice sounded like it came from the end of a long tunnel.
I blinked a few times, the faces coming into sharper focus. I was lying on the floor, but my head was elevated slightly. “Where am I?”
“You are full of questions.” The deep rumble of his voice reverberated in my own body, and I realized that it was Raas who held my head on his lap. The Vandar warlord who’d looked at me like I was lunch.
I attempted to sit up, but he held me down.
“You should not be so quick to move. You fainted.”
My cheeks burned with embarrassment, although I didn’t know why I should care what a bunch of Vandar raiders thought about me. It wasn’t like they’d expect a human woman to be tough. Still, I couldn’t help thinking of what my sister Sienna would say about me fainting. She’d never pass out at the sight of a bunch of Vandar. She’d probably cheer and ask them for an axe.
Sienna. I suddenly remembered why I’d stowed away on the ship I thought belonged to the bounty hunter crew. My older sister had left our planet with the Vandar raider she’d fallen for, and they’d both joined the bounty hunters who’d helped save Kimithion III.
I’d had the bright idea of joining her, but I’d had to stow away, since Sienna was still furious at me for betraying her to a guy who’d then taken her captive. It had been stupid of me, but I’d been terrified of her leaving me and thought that torching her relationship with Corvak would keep her on
