Sought(147)

But her mental plea did no good. As they watched, a thousand more tentacles exploded, like a nest of writhing snakes. They covered the light, drawing it inexorably inward…until the darkness ate it completely.

No! Kat howled with anguish. No, Deep! No! She felt Lock’s grief too—an agony so intense it was almost unbearable…and then, suddenly, they were flying backwards, away from the darkness and the vanished light. Away from Lauren and Xairn and the wormhole and the polluted Scourge home world at a tremendous speed until everything was a blur.

Stop! Kat was in a panic. Stop! We have to go back for him! We can’t just leave him there.

He is already lost. Gone beyond our reach. Lock’s voice was quiet with despair. And we cannot go back. It was Deep’s power that brought us out so far and held us in place. Without him, we can’t help being pulled back.

Even as he spoke the incredibly fast, intense journey was over. Kat felt herself reenter her physical body with an almost audible thump. Her eyes flew open and she found herself looking into Deep’s face.

The coal black eyes she’d grown to know so well were open but unseeing. His broad chest rose and fell but the rest of his big body was limp.

“Deep?” Kat patted his cheek eagerly. “Deep, can you hear me?”

“My lady, he’s gone. He cannot hear you where he is.” Lock’s voice was thick with sorrow.

“What do you mean?” Kat demanded. “Where is he?”

“Gone,” Lock repeated. “His spirit is untethered from his body, lost forever to the AllFather. Only a shell remains.”

Kat looked in horror and disbelief at the familiar, sharp features of the dark twin. Deep had made her completely crazy at times, he had even managed to make her believe he didn’t care anything for her even though he was madly in love with her. But despite his contrary nature, she’d grown to love him dearly. And now…

Now he’s gone, she thought numbly. Gone forever and there’s nothing I can do about it.

A sob rose in her throat. A sound of pure longing and loss and grief.

Gone…forever gone. Oh Deep…





Chapter Forty-three





Deep was so far past exhaustion he could barely feel. The power it took to keep the three of them at a spot so many light years from their physical forms, as well as the energy to dart around, keeping one step ahead of the AllFather, was draining him rapidly. He felt like he was running a race without oxygen, like his lungs were burning and the big muscles in his thighs were quivering with fatigue until he might collapse at any moment. But that was all right—as long as Kat and Lock got to safety. That was all he cared about, all that mattered.

When he felt the AllFather catch him, like a corpse-cold hand closing around his ankle, dragging him down to the bottom of a lake of darkness, it was almost a relief. Still, he tried to get away. Straining, he pulled with all his might. He wouldn’t leave Kat and Lock alone if he could help it. Couldn’t leave…And then the darkness erupted around him and he lost sight of the stars and planets and space. There was nothing but greasy black nothingness wherever he looked.

Sssooo, he heard a familiar voice whisper in his mind. I did not know you had sssuch ssspecial talentsss, Warrior. How fortuitousss, especially when I am ssso very hungry…

He’ll eat me, Deep thought with despair. He’ll suck down my spirit like a fine wine—he won’t even have to extract it from my body. I’ve handed it to him on a silver platter. That was an Earth vernacular saying which he had learned only recently but he’d never imagined he would be able to apply it to himself. Kat, he thought as the cold, oily tentacles slid around him, suffocating him, making it hard to breath. Lock, I’m so sorry. I loved you both so much. But if my death can set you free, it’s worth it.

Sighing, he released the tension inside himself, the psychic anchor which had held them all in place in this particular part of space. He thought he heard cries of sorrow as he let Kat and Lock’s spirits go, allowing them to slingshot back to their waiting bodies on the Mother ship. But they were so faint he couldn’t be sure. The AllFather didn’t seem to notice them at all—he was too busy preparing to devour.

So this is how it ends, Deep thought, feeling oddly at peace. I just hope it goes quickly.

Not quick, Warrior, the AllFather hissed in his head. Not too quickly at all. You helped my ssson to sssteal my bride. And sssince he is gone beyond my reach for the present, I want to sssavor your pain. Ssslowly…oh, ssso ssslowly… I—

No. You shall not have him. A sudden flash of light, like a stroke of lightening splitting the darkness, cut off the AllFather’s words. Deep was momentarily blinded. What—?