Her Cold-Blooded Mercenary

by Lea Linnett

  “I won’t stop,” he murmured. “Not for guilt, or some backward attempt at being noble. You’re allowed to be selfish, you know. You’re allowed to want something that isn’t in line with what the Lodestars or your sister tell you to want.”

  “That’s not—”

  “Tell me it’s not guilt. Tell me that, given the choice, you’d rather punch me in the face than let me press you down into that cot.”

  Taz froze, two warring frequencies battling for purchase in her mind, and remained silent.

  “I’m not asking for strings and attachments,” he said, resting his plated brow against hers. “I’m not asking to become a permanent fixture in your life. But this—” He finally shifted his hands, moving them soothingly along the lines of her body that he could reach. “This is the most fun I’ve had in a while, and the job we’re doing? Decidedly un-fun. I don’t see why we can’t continue to indulge a little.”

  “What about Cara?” Taz whispered, as one of the frequencies screeched for attention.

  Kamanek was silent for a moment, his clawed hand running soothingly down her side. “…I can be discreet, if that’s what you want. When your sister’s around, we’ll just be colleagues. When she’s not…”

  “We’re working with her. We’re not gonna get much time alone.”

  “She has to sleep sometime,” Kamanek purred, sending a shiver down her spine. Then, his face turned serious. “I’m not ready to give you up, yet.”

  ---

  Kamanek leaned in to kiss the human, but was interrupted by the buzz of Taz’s comm in her pocket. His arms stayed locked around her as she answered, speaking to her sister in low tones while her fingers tapped an off-kilter rhythm against her thigh.

  His slowly drumming heartbeat quickened when Taz disentangled herself from him. She explained that Cara was downstairs, and she’d be back in a moment, and he smiled easily in reply, leaning back against the window. He’d keep watch, no worries, and like that, she was gone.

  He felt the lack of her like a punch to the gut, the bubble of their little private paradise shattered. They’d settled down into a world of warmth and comfort unlike any he’d experienced before, and reality was already pulling back up. It was disappointing, and Kamanek was surprised at just how so. Even with its creaking frame and thin, scratchy sheets, he would have gladly stayed curled up in the cot with Taz for hours longer, maybe even days.

  That dream well and truly evaporated when Taz strode back into the room, trailing two travel-weary figures behind her. Kamanek recognized the human as Cara, and the cicarian at her side—who was now dropping his exceptionally large backpack next to the wall by the cot—could have been amongst the crowd that had milled around his and Taz’s fight. He also noticed theirs were the only new faces, and his already flagging mood soured. They’d expected more, and even if they were as tenacious as Taz, he didn’t like their chances against the security present in the warehouse.

  Cara’s eyes immediately flew to Kamanek when they entered, analyzing him like she would a threat. He smiled lazily, raising a hand in greeting, and enjoyed the way it made her eyes narrow suspiciously. “How was your journey?” he asked, as brightly as he could manage.

  The human ignored him, turning instead to Taz, who hovered by the door. “He hasn’t caused any trouble?”

  Taz glanced between them, shrugging. “Nah. Nothing major. He’s actually been pretty helpful,” she said, a small smile pulling at her mouth as she circled around to sit on the cot. Kamanek didn’t miss the way the cicarian kept himself between her and Kamanek, his gaze suspicious.

  “Guys, this is Kamanek,” Taz continued, gesturing vaguely. “Kamanek, meet Cara and Deeno.”

  “Oh, we’ve met,” He said, eyeing Cara. “I think you called me a… ‘lizard?’ Was that it?” He didn’t actually care—Taz had called him a lizard countless times in the past week—but Cara and Deeno’s suspicion was making him feel itchy in a way that surprised him, and the only way he knew how to scratch it was to pester them.

  Cara barely reacted, but Deeno clenched his fragile cicarian fists. “Pretty sure you deserved everything you got that day,” he said, shuffling his wings.

  “Deeno,” Cara interrupted, and the cicarian fell silent. “Take Kamanek downstairs and secure an extra room. Make sure it has two beds,” she added, glancing around.

  The room froze for a moment, as if no one was willing to make the first move, so Kamanek stretched his neck and got to his feet. He wanted desperately to run his fingers through Taz’s hair as he passed, anything to chase away the fearful look Cara’s words had brought to her face, but he couldn’t with the cicarian still staring at him.

  As they left the room, he heard Cara mutter, “Only one bed? Really?”

  “We couldn’t afford anything else,” Taz replied. “Besides, only one of us was sleeping at a time ’cause of the window…”

  The door shut behind them, muffling whatever Cara might have said next, and the two males paused outside. Deeno’s large eyes were focused on him, his wings partially unfolded as if he might fly away at the slightest provocation.

  Kamanek smiled, extending an arm out along the corridor. “After you, sir.”

  The cicarian’s wings snapped once, but he pushed past Kamanek nonetheless. They were both silent on their way down to the entrance, and Kamanek didn’t argue when Deeno stepped forward to order them another room and pay for it. The pindar behind the counter gave him a long look, her eyes narrowed, and he amused himself with daydreaming about what she might be thinking as she handed over their keys.

  He didn’t quite know what to make of the cicarian. It was clear he was protective of Taz. It almost made him wonder if they had some sort of history, but when he looked him over, he struggled to imagine that his fragile wings and slight frame would be to her liking. Especially with how tense he seemed—although, that could be his fault, what with the way Deeno kept glancing at him, his hand hovering near his gun.

  It was only when they were trapped in the flophouse’s narrow corridors again that Deeno finally spoke. “So where are your wounds?” he asked, trying far too hard to sound nonchalant.

  “What scars?”

  “The ones Taz must have given you.” Deeno’s voice gained an amused edge. “You’re not exactly her favorite species.”

  “You’d be surprised,” Kamanek said, smiling himself. “She seems quite taken with me.”

  The cicarian’s head whipped around. “I doubt it.”

  “I’m a nice guy.”

  “Hah,” he scoffed. “I’ve known you for all of half an hour and I can already see you’re far from nice.”

  “What am I, then?”

  “Annoying.” His lip curled. “Pathetic.”

  “Two words I’ve become very familiar with in the past week.” Kamanek’s grin widened, his voice dropping an octave. “Of course, I don’t really mind. I rather enjoy letting her punish me.”

  The cicarian looked equally confused and horrified.

  “She’s strong, sharp tongued,” Kamanek added, flashing his teeth. “Beautiful, too.”

  Deeno’s lip curled. “If I find out you’ve laid so much as a claw on her—”

  “Relax,” Kamanek drawled. “She would never let me lay a claw on her. You said it yourself.”

  That seemed to calm the cicarian somewhat, but he continued to eye Kamanek all the way back to the room. He pushed through the door ahead of him, speeding over to the now empty cot and searching through his backpack. It appeared to be full of various devices, along with some supplies, which he stacked neatly beside him.

  Taz and Cara were sitting side-by-side at the window, the latter leaning back into the glass to peer at the warehouse when Kamanek entered. Outside, the sky had darkened enough for them to turn on the light, revealing the subdued look on Taz’s face.

  “How is everything down there?” he asked, sitting on the floor by the low table across from the two humans.

  Taz caught his eye as he sat down, bu
t it was Cara who replied. “No movement. Taz tells me that’s nothing new. At least, not since the first night.”

  “You got it.” Kamanek stretched languidly, and the human’s gaze sharpened.

  “You’re sure you didn’t miss anything?”

  “Absolutely. Trust me, Taz wouldn’t leave that window even if her eyes were glued shut.”

  Well, there had been some distractions, he supposed. But if the last few days were anything to go by, they hadn’t missed much.

  “So, what’s our plan?” asked Taz, breaking her silence.

  Cara took a deep breath. “Someone contacted Mila the same day you called us. Said they had a lead on a human trafficking operation in Sek Vorek.”

  “You’re kidding,” said Taz.

  “Nope. They described a warehouse to the south-east, which sounds exactly like this place,” she said, nodding out the window.

  “Sounds suspicious,” Kamanek pointed out, and Cara nodded.

  “That’s why it took us so long to join you here. There was some disagreement over whether to act on the tip or not, and how many people to send.” Her lips pursed. “I wanted Rekel to come with us, but Mila has him tied up.”

  “Your informant got a name?” he asked.

  “Tan’ii.”

  Taz frowned. “That sounds…”

  “Cicarian,” Cara agreed. “But we have no way of knowing. The voice was modulated.”

  Kamanek and Taz shared a look. He didn’t like the sound of any tip-off, especially after the cicarian they’d shaken down sent them right into Niro’s hands. He held his tongue, though, as Taz asked, “Are you going to do anything about it?”

  “I’m going to meet Tan’ii tomorrow.” Cara turned to Taz. “You’re coming with me.”

  Taz’s eyes widened. “Me?” she asked. “I thought I had to stay here. Being on probation and all…”

  “I need backup, and I’m not leaving you here with him,” Cara said, sending Kamanek a narrow look.

  “Okay…” Taz glanced at him, her features a mix of excitement and disappointment that made his heart stutter.

  Most of the conversation after that took place over Kamanek’s head as the three Lodestars caught each other up on what they’d missed. A lot of it was Lodestar business that he had no interest in, and the rest he already knew. He half-listened as Taz filled them in on what happened the night they tailed Niro, and to Kamanek’s surprise, she gave him the credit for finding the guy. Cara’s gaze lingered on him while Taz spoke, which he tried to ignore.

  Cara banished him and Deeno from the room soon after that, saying she and Taz would take the first watch, and Kamanek forced himself not to argue. Irritation bubbled within him at being separated from Taz yet again, but he managed to take some consolation from the way Deeno stared at him, obviously unsettled by his presence. The cicarian also took the bed closest to the door, which amused him. He’d had no idea he was so intimidating.

  But pestering Deeno was only a small distraction, and Kamanek found himself lying awake long after the cicarian started to quietly snore. To think, only hours earlier he and Taz had been wrapped around each other. It had been energizing to be so close to her human warmth, like basking in the sun, and even now, he felt his cock stir at the memory. Just the thought of how her wet heat had grasped him made his eyes flutter shut, and he gently palmed himself through his trousers.

  He felt little shame at snaking his hand inside and teasing his cock to life. He was a soldier, and a mercenary. He’d long since grown used to surreptitiously taking his pleasures in the dead of night in a crowded military bunk.

  But the ease with which memories of Taz, back bowed in pleasure, affected him was shocking. He remembered the deep pink flush of her lips, the tight peaks of her nipples against his chest, and soon he was hard like the strongest of levekk metals, and sensitive to the touch. It was almost frightening, how much he longed for her body to be tucked against his. Usually, he could ignore such longing, but Taz seemed to have taken control of his mind. As soon as he thought he was rid of her, she wormed her way back in.

  He sighed, dragging a claw down his length and trying not to imagine it as the graze of Taz’s teeth. He did his best to push the thought of her away, but the images he conjured to replace her did nothing for him, and his erection flagged.

  They weren’t enough anymore. Not now that he knew the feel of her soft, damp skin brushing over his scales, and the tight grip of her body around him.

  He gave up, releasing his grip on himself and massaging the plates of his head. It was no use, he needed her by his side again. The tricky part would be finding a moment where neither Cara nor Deeno were breathing down their necks.

  But he would find one. He feared what this desire would do to him if he didn’t.

  21

  “I don’t like how he looks at you.”

  Taz fought back a sigh and looked around at their surroundings. They were meeting the contact at one of the overlooks to the east of the flophouse, and the location made her uneasy. To their right were neat lines of stout buildings, and a towering red cliff-face that stretched up to the next plateau of rock. To their left was a steep drop to the edge of the warehouse district below, separated from them by nothing but a twisting barrier of levekk metal. The stairs they climbed were narrow, and set at a steep incline, giving Taz the impression that most visitors to these cliff-side retreats came by hover transport rather than on foot.

  It was a precarious spot, and her stomach was in knots with images of them emerging at the top of the staircase right into a trap, or their contact turning on them and throwing them over the barrier. She swallowed it down, shaking her head at Cara’s question.

  “He doesn’t look at me like anything.”

  Cara scoffed. “You’re telling me you haven’t noticed? He ogles you. He looks…”

  Hungry. Taz knew exactly what her sister was talking about, because she felt it every time Kamanek looked at her. She’d felt it when his gaze had lingered on her the night before as he and Deeno took their leave. She’d felt it when his knuckles had brushed hers during their shift-change, before she’d collapsed into a cot that still smelled like him and tried to refrain from sticking her hand down her pants with Cara present.

  She was hungry, too. It was like Kamanek had flipped a switch inside her, her body craving the intimacy that she’d been denying it for the past few months while the Lodestars struggled to survive.

  Or maybe it was more like the turning point in a battle, a change in terrain or a switching of weapons that forced one’s entire perspective to change. She’d never experienced more than rough, hurried encounters in the past, but Kamanek? He liked to take his time. Hours had slipped through her fingers while he pleasured her, and there wasn’t a moment in that entire time when she’d felt like less than the center of his universe.

  That kind of attention? It was addictive.

  Part of her hated it, hated that she couldn’t shake him from her thoughts and that her body felt so empty when it wasn’t wrapped around his. But most of her, she realized, would rather be tangled in the sheets with him than trudging up this rocky mountain, which was a terrifying thought, to say the least.

  Cara was watching her closely, obviously still expecting some kind of response, and Taz shrugged.

  “I told you, nothing happened,” she said. “He hasn’t done anything.”

  “I know that. You’d rip him a new one if he tried.”

  “So trust me. I can look after myself.”

  “Good.”

  They climbed the rest of the slope in silence, and Taz was embarrassed to admit she was breathing heavily once they reached the top. She’d spent too much time sitting around in that flophouse.

  The steps flattened out into a wide, open overlook, it’s chest-high barrier the only thing between them and the drop below. The overlook was lined by buildings, the nearest of which were short and squat, growing progressively taller as they backed up into the rockface, each trying to capita
lize on the view of the tree-like Sek Vorek skyscrapers in the distance.

  She looked around, expecting to see visitors and tourists availing themselves of the view, but the overlook was surprisingly empty. And on closer inspection, the buildings surrounding them weren’t hotels, like she’d initially assumed, but looked more like private dwellings. There was little movement around them.

  “What is this place?” she asked no one in particular, moving to stand beside Cara as she looked out over the warehouse district below them. “It’s so empty…”

  “It’s very open,” was all Cara said, her brows furrowing.

  “Don’t worry, no one will pay attention to us here.”

  The voice drifted from behind them, and Taz whirled around, her hand already reaching for her gun. But she soon froze in place, jaw dropping as she recognized the newcomer.

  Niro stepped toward them, his shoulders tense and his eyes locked on Taz’s weapons. “It’s mostly abandoned here. Too expensive for any sub-species to buy, and too close to the ground for the levekk.” He hiked a thumb at the cliff face behind him. “All the fanciest resorts and residences are at the very top. No levekk would settle this far from the Sek Vorek Senekkar for anything less.”

  “Y-you!” Taz’s eyes bugged, her fingers finally closing on her gun’s metal grip as she aimed it at the intruder. Her hands were sweating, but she held firm, barking, “Cara, get behind me! This is the fucker that Kamanek and I followed!”

  Niro raised his hands, looking resigned. “Please,” he said, his voice rumbling as deeply as ever. “I’m only here to speak with you.”

  “You don’t get to talk!” Taz spat. “Not after what you’ve done to those humans.”

  “I’m trying to help them.”