Transformation, M J Marlow [thriller books to read .TXT] 📗

to see their Creator returned to them in a shared form. Aiden told them what was neededand the team was chosen quickly. They followed him at a quick run towards the Temple of Tavensur. But when they arrived, Zen was not there. She had been movedand there was no trail to follow. They would not give up; they sent teams out across the planet seeking any sign of the princess. Marek was seated in a tavern in Geem several months later when he felt the pull. He knew it was Zen,and that she was in trouble. He also knew that he needed to be there. He was on his way to his transport when he was subdued by a band of men who came at him out of the shadows. When he came to, he was bound to a seat in his own transport. Omri Snow was seated across from him, smiling coldly. “I thought we had seen the last of you, Marek Tor,” he said as he looked at the man. “I see,” he nodded. “It was a doppelganger who sacrificed himself for your pretty mate.” “You are making a bigmistake, Cardinal Omri,” Marek told him. “I am a Governors’ Agent. They track my movements.” He saw the man blanch. “You’d be well advised to let me loose now.” “I can’t do that, Marek Tor,” Omri told him. “My associate was quite insistent that you be brought to him.” He nodded to his men. “We shall just have to remove the trackers from your body.” He watched as his men stripped Marekand shackled him to the wall. “One at a time,” he ordered his men; “without a painkiller.” * Zoran woke up, frowning as memories bounced around in his mind, confusing his thoughtsand making him angry. For the past several months, he had been troubled by these memories, couched in the form of dreams. His days passed as heand his men settled in the northern reaches, enjoying the hospitality of the lord Bastian. His dreams colored his actionsand decisions. He found himself ordering actions to be done that part of him cried out were abominations. Was that part of him courtesy of his new genetic code? He had a feeling he would never have stopped to consider whether what he did was right or wrong before. There was a knock on the doors of his chamberand a tall, round man with thick brown hair braided three, two, threeand banded with silverand green to match his round eyes, stepped in, bowing low. “Your Imperial Majesty,” Bastian smiled, his eyes kept averted. “I am glad to see that you are well.” “Is our daughter here yet, lord Bastian?” Zoran asked bluntly. “It is imperative that she be here at our side.” “The retrieval team should be arriving at the Temple even now, Imperial Majesty,” Bastian replied. He stepped aside for the slaves. “Your women are here to prepare you for the day’s events.” “There is no need for a retrieval team,” Zoran replied. He closed his eyesand a ball of light blazed in the center of the room. It began to fadeand fall apartand there were screams of painand terror. “Zenyssa.” “Stop it!” Zen cried as she watched the beac dying around her. She turned to see her fatherand her eyes widened in horror. “You’re dead! You can’t be here!” “How can I be dead, daughter?” Zoran asked her, confused. “Did you not just give birth to me?” He held his hand out to her. “Come to me, Zenyssa.” He focused his mindand drew her out to stand before him. He frowned as his mind flowed into hersand he saw what had happened. “So, we are not alone in this age.” He turned to Bastian. “Make certain the king Nydare, Marek Tor,and Aiden Jenos, all find their way to us.” He turned back to Zen. “And have slaves chosen to serve our daughter. I wish her prepared for a joining.” He saw her mindand knew her terror. He let her continue to think it, some small part of him gaining immense satisfaction from making her afraid. He turned away as the lord Bastian took Zen awayand looked at the slaves Bastian had chosen for him. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed a woman, but none of these would do. He closed his eyesand focused on an image from his memory. Liet looked up from her place at his feetand her eyes widened in joy. “Liet,” he smiled as he held his hand out to her. “You have served us well. We wish you to continue to do so,” he said as he helped her up onto her feet, “in Aiden Jenos’ bed.” “What of your daughter, my lord?” Liet asked, her mind spinning as she realized what he had just said to her. “Was she not to bear you children?” “She is our daughter,and will belong to the man we choose for her,” Zoran replied as he stroked Liet’s abdomen. “We wish our son to sire children on you, Liet; as you spy on him for me.” He cupped her chin in his hand. “Will you play hostage for me, Liet?” he asked, his eyes warm with mounting lust. “Bait in the trap I set the man who now holds my son’s mind?” “I am yours, my lord,” Liet sighed, “to do with as you will.” “I never doubted it,” Zoran smiled as he claimed her lips. “We have visitors to greet. Wait for us in our bed, Liet.” The transport landedand Omri stepped off to find himself facing a squad of Bastian’s men. He was put in shacklesand dragged into the audience hall. He turned to watch as Marek Tor was helped inand given a seat while slaves hovered over him, seeing to his care. He saw Zoran take his seat on the throne on the dais,and Zen being led in to join him. She saw Marekand her face went pale. His body looked like someone had tried to rip him apart. Omri was prepared for her reaction, but he was not prepared for Zoran’s. The man rose to his feetand went to Marek, laying his hands on the young man. Every last cutand bruise healed as Omri watched in shock. What was the Emperor doing? “You were told to bring him to us, Cardinal Omri,” Zoran said coldly as he turned on Omri, “not mutilate him.” “He was carrying trackers on him, Great Lord…” “Do you not think we were aware of this, Cardinal?” Zoran snapped. “Do you not think I might have wanted his superiors to know where he was?” He shook his headand returned to his throne. He picked Zen’s hand up in hisand patted it gently. “Do not be distraught, daughter. Your mate is well.” He frowned as he saw her expression of wariness. “I do not blame you formistrusting me, Zenyssa. I have not been the best of fathers to you. That is something I wish to rectify.” There was a commotion outside of the doorand they burst open. “Ah!” he smiled as he saw the newcomers. “We are all here now. Bastian,” he said to his majordomo, “pray find seats for my sonand my nephew.” Aidenand Daren were seated next to Marek. They all looked to Zen, noting how paleand uncertain she looked. Something was going on here that she did not understand and it was making her uneasy. What kind of game was her father playing with them now? She watched him closely, but he did not alter his attitude. He seemed quite fixated on making amends to herand the rest of them for the damage he had done in his former life. Zen decided to let him try, but be prepared to protect herself if he suddenly shifted gears. “You have chosen two exceptional men to mate with, daughter,” Zoran told her as he nodded towards Marekand Daren. “Both strong, intelligent,and gifted.And I am told that you have given one of them a son already.” He was beaming proudly. “I look forward to meeting him one day when youand your mates decide I can be trusted not to harm him.” He looked over at Aiden. “You hold my son’s memories, Aiden Jenos,” he said as he held his hand out to someone standing in the shadows. “He never had a true chance to mate. I would give you that in gratitude for helping to preserve a part of a son I never should have wronged. I believe,” he smiled as Liet was brought in, “that you have formed an attachment to this beauty.” “You can’t choose a mate for me,” Aiden snapped. “Before you refuse her, Aiden Jenos,” Zoran said as Liet was shoved to her kneesand a knife appeared in his hand, “let me tell you this. If you do not mate with Liet, she will die,” he held the knife up to Liet’s throatand Aiden saw her eyes widen in fear. “The harm she did to my daughter can not be forgiven.” He nodded to his guardsand they took Liet away. “It is your choice, Aiden Jenos,and you have until morning to make it.” He rose to his feet. “Attend me, lord Cardinal.” Omri rose to his feetand followed Zoran out of the throne room. They went into the gardenand guards came outand grabbed his arms, forcing him to his knees. The look that Zoran sent his way was more what he had been expecting to see in regards to the others, not to him. Zoran approached him, his eyes blazing with anger. He slapped Omri across the face, his anger mounting. “You assaulted my daughter, lord Cardinal,” Zoran stated coldly. “You were not given leave to abuse her for your own pleasure.” He nodded to his guards. “My men are going to continue showing you just how displeased I am with you. When your punishment is through, I trust you will never make plans regarding my child again that do not conform with my own.” While Zoran continued on to his chambersand a little alone time with his pretty spy, Zen was on her feet going to the three men. She looked at them all as if she had not seen them for years, instead of days. They shared what had happened in that time to each of them. They also agreed that there was something very, very wrong with Zoran. He was not the man they remembered him being. Something had changed in him,and they were all willing to bet that it was because his genetic code had been altered with the change of mother. “I don’t like it,” Zen told her mates,and their new friend. She found it strange to think that this man, who had come to take her prisoner, was now her brother’s host. “I am still waiting for him to do something I can understand. She let Daren take her into his armsand hold her. “He is more terrifying to me in this attitude than he ever was when he was demanding things from me, seeking to break my will to his.” “Perhaps that is what he wants,” Marek replied, wondering why it didn’t bother him to see his mate in another man’s arms. “If he can make you believe he means to make amends, that he wants to be a true father to you, Zen; you will let down your guardand he will sweep inand chain you.” “Is it so unbelievable that he might actually want to make amends?” Aiden asked. When the other three turned to look at him, he realized what he was asking. “You’re right. He’s up to something.” “Speaking of up to something,” Daren said as he remembered what Zoran had said about Liet. “You know he’s baiting a trap for you, Aiden.” “I can’t take the chance that he’ll actually murder her,” Aiden told them. “He’s right,” he continued as they looked at him, “I do have feelings for Liet.” He moved out into