by Keri Kruspe
The dragon inhaled, filling his massive lungs with the air he needed to blow an inferno. Within nanoclicks, the thugs were gone, consumed by a fire so hot, their powdered ashes blew away in the wind. The bite of sulfur lingered.
Tror’yrc continued to stand on unsteady legs in the middle of the burning ring. When the flames died out, he dropped to his knees.
Time gripped Ki in its frozen grasp. Nytso?
The dragon’s snout reached his father who rested a bloody hand on him. With white lips, he spoke to the large dragon. “Take care of my son, Grirryrth.” A gasping, gurgling sound came out of his father’s throat. His large body folded, and he fell to the hard, blackened ground on his side.
Let me out…let me out! Ki gave an internal shout. I have to go to him!
Hatchling, I fear it is far too late. My friend and brother is all but gone from this world. The male dragon croaked the horrific words. The weight of his sorrow squeezed the mammoth beast.
I don’t care…let me go! Ki was desperate. He struggled within the confines of his Solaherra prison.
Between one heartbeat and the next, Ki stumbled in his own body. The battlesuit protected his knees but not his hands when he hit the ground. Ignoring the stinging pain, he rushed to his father’s side.
“Nytso!” Ki screamed and reached for his fallen parent. “Nytso, I’m here. I’ll get help.” He pulled his father’s head on his lap and with trembling fingers tried to brush away the blood that seeped out of the corner of his father’s mouth.
“Ki, my beloved son,” Tror’yrc E’eur whispered with a pinched mouth and eyes. “Thank the Goddess you’re safe.”
“What happened?” The smoke from the burning house singed his nose and lungs. Ki watched the massive destruction of his home in detached fascination. When his gaze slid to the broken body of his mother, tears blinded him. “Who were those people and why did they attack?”
“While I was at the awards banquet, they came to steal the battlesuit,” Tror’yrc uttered faintly as a roll of thick crimson flowed past his lips. “They are xenophobic fanatics who have hunted our family for generations, determined to destroy the last Solaherra dragon. And they’ll stop at nothing to kill you and Grirryrth, now that I’m gone.”
“Gone…no! If I hadn’t taken the suit, Grirryrth would have been here for you. Nytsa and Yn’eo would be okay.” Ki wailed as sobs tore through his throat. “I’m so sorry, nytso… I’m so sorry. Don’t leave me…please don’t leave me, nytso!”
“You must be strong, M’alalu.” Another wet, bubbly hack. “I have no choice; I must join my TrueBond and your sister.” His voice gurgled low and faint.
“NO!”
“Son…listen to me.” Tror’yrc took in a rattling breath and grabbed Ki’s shoulder with a blood-soaked hand. “You must leave here and never look back. Run as far and as fast as you can, get off this planet. You are the last of the Crart line and solely responsible for the Solaherra dragon, who depends on you.” A weaker cough. “He must never fall into the hands of others. Trust no one with this secret!” The last sentence came out hard. “Promise me, on the eternal souls of your sister and mother, you will guard him with your life.” He gave a gurgling choke as he gasped out the words. “Promise!”
Ki nodded. His heart squeezed as tears blinded him and rolled down his cheeks. “Yes, I promise, nytso.”
The beloved face turned serene, his father’s eyes and mouth softened.
“Grirryrth, by the blessings of the Eternal Goddess, I leave unto you my only son, M’alalu Ki E’eur. M’alalu, by the blessings of the Eternal Goddess, I leave unto you Grirryrth, the Solaherra Dragon, and the pride of our Crart heritage.” A rattling inhalation. “What I have wrought, may no one put asunder.”
As he forced out a wet exhalation, a dark blue mist left Tror’yrc’s body and floated in front of Ki. Thin tendrils of smoke wrapped around the youth before dissipating to his skin through the battlesuit. Ki’s ears popped as the heavy strength of the dragon settled deep in his bones.
“There, it is done.” A bare smile crossed Tror’yrc’s ravaged face. “I love you, son, and have always been proud of you.” A slow breath. “The Goddess and Grirryrth will protect and bless you.” His dual-navy irises became blank as he died with a shallow puff of air through bloodstained lips.
A ragged sob tore out of Ki before grief thundered through a raw throat. He closed his eyes and cried, clutching his dead father’s body.
Hatchling. Grirryrth’s voice was insistent. We cannot stay…we must leave right away.
“No, leave me alone,” Ki yelled. He tried to see his father’s beloved face through the puddle of tears that clouded his vision. “I’ve gotta take care of them.”
Yes, hatchling.
Ki had a hard time understanding the dragon’s voice in the long, dark tunnel he was in.
But our enemies have friends and they will be here in less than five clicks.
An infusion of warmth flooded him, which created a sense of calm. Instinctively Ki knew the emotion came from the dragon to steady him.
If we do not leave, others will come, not only to kill you but they will find a way to imprison me. Let us honor your family and mine and not allow their tragic deaths to come to naught.
“Tragic?” Anger replaced the calm. “Their deaths weren’t tragic! They died because of me.” Shame tightened Ki’s face and clogged his throat. “If I hadn’t taken you to show off to those bullies…you’d have been here for him to stop them!”
The words no sooner came out of his mouth than a large war cry ripped the air as something plowed into him. Ki went flying; his face hit the dirty ground and his breath whooshed out. The weight on his back made it hard to breathe. Thick fingers pulled his hair in a painful grip and exposed his vulnerable neck.
“Disgusting hybrid piece of danka shit!”
The male’s sour breath roared into Ki’s ear as a flash of steel swooped down toward his throat. Reacting on instinct, Ki pulled to the side. Too bad his undeveloped body was no match for the grown male trying to kill him. Just as the razor-sharp blade made its way down to slice him again, a surge of power from Grirryrth infused Ki’s muscles. Now he had the strength to fling the male over his head. The attacker landed with a loud thud in front of him in a cloud of dirt and grass.
The mature Zerin male twisted to his feet and waved a broadsword in Ki’s direction. “You’re gonna die, abomination.” The pockmarked face of his adversary hardened as he raised the weapon above his head and swung it toward Ki’s skull.
Ki dodged the killing blow but didn’t move fast enough to avoid it completely. Fire and ice exploded across his face as the sharp steel sliced his skin from the top of his forehead, skipping his left eye as it dug across his cheek. Blood streamed into his eyes; he wiped the burning liquid away with the back of his hands.
Enough! Grirryrth blasted a charge of power into the battle suit.
The extra boost gave Ki the strength he needed to throw a punch at the male’s head. The blow was hard enough to pop it off his neck. Shocked and disgust warred within Ki as he watched the head of his attacker bounce and rolled away. Absorbed in the sight, the brutal pain of his wound faded slightly.
That was the last of this bunch. Time for us to leave, hatchling, his inner companion declared. I will fly us far away from here. Once we find a suitable place, we will coordinate our next move.
Jolted back to reality, Ki went over to the body of his father and collapsed to his knees. He leaned down to hug his father’s cool neck for the last time. “But we can’t leave them like this!” Fresh grief welled as he held on to his sire. “We have to take care of them!” He refused to look at the wreckage of his beautiful mother.
Rest, little hatchling. The dragon’s deep voice soothed Ki’s raw, ragged emotions. I will take care of everything.
Ki sat back on his heels. With a moan, he dragged a sleeve across the river of tears that mixed with the steady metallic taste of blood from his face wound. He squeezed
his eyes shut with a twisted grimace. Unable to speak, he gave a nod. With a weary heart, he opened his eyes and stood. With trembling steps, he backed away, not losing sight of his dead parents.
Ki experienced once again the bone-shattering transformation as his body changed from his Zerin form into the massive bulk of his dragon companion. Settling in the back of the dragon’s mind, he wallowed in his grief, too wounded to care what happened next.
He watched with mind-numbed interest as Grirryrth detonated the smoldering remains of his home.
All too soon, the bodies of his family and the last attacker disappeared in a white-hot inferno.
Before the flame died, Grirryrth spread his bladed wings. The thick skin scooped the dry air as they fanned to lift the large body into the sky to head away from the civilized section of the mining colony.
With detached despair, Ki watched as Grirryrth’s flight took them away in the frigid night air from the only home he’d ever known. He was responsible for everything that happened that night. To honor his family, he vowed he would keep the deep scar across his face and go against the Zerin custom of wearing his semi-sentient hair long. He’d endure the pain of getting it cut… proudly wearing the shame for all to see.
Ki made another vow. While he’d honor his father’s request to protect Grirryrth, he wasn’t going to let his selfish character flaw pass to another generation. He’d never claim his TrueBond and father children. It was far better the Crart heritage died out when he did.
* * *
CHANCELLOR U’UNK
Chancellor’s Palace, present day
The Chancellor of the Federation Consortium, Shon U’unk, prided himself on being a pragmatic, unemotional individual. Emotions were for the weak and ignorant, and he was neither. Surprisingly, the last visit with his captive twin unnerved him. To combat the swell of unknown frustrations, he went to his “playroom” to visit a female Runihura he held captive. There he used his favorite whip until the fog in his mind cleared, which allowed him to take a cleansing breath of her sweet blood, keeping his mind from reverting into chaos. With a frown, he wiped the silver-laced blood from his hands on a cleansing cloth and stepped back to admire the ragged welts on her midnight-colored body. Satisfied he’d accomplished his goal, he sent a command to his personal equerry, Fritjof, to clean her up and place her in a healing pod. Without waiting for his subordinate, he headed to his personal quarters on another part of the palace in the space station.
Although U’unk wasn’t one to second-guess his decisions, he had to consider he’d been using his prisoner a bit too harsh. The Runihura female’s responses had been nonexistent and her blank stare only infuriated him. It was past time to replace her or leave her alone long enough for her to heal. He would have to contemplate that decision.
Entering his personal suite, he ignored the opulent surroundings, tossed the soaked towel onto a nearby table, and headed for the shower. Once under the multi-layered fountainheads, he let the hot water rinse the blood and grime from his body to swirl down the drain. He tilted his bald head and allowed the soothing spray to trickle over his face and took in two gulps of the refreshing liquid before he straightened. He blanked his mind before he waved the cleansing water off and stepped out into the swirl of steamed air.
Walking into his sleeping chamber, U’unk allowed his body to dry without using a cloth or the full body dryer. Placing a palm on the ID indentation to open his closet, he pulled out a long burgundy robe. With automatic movements, he slipped his arms through smooth Wyht silk before tying the front with the belt.
Just as he was about to call for food, a chime announced a message. He frowned. Only a handful of allies knew that particular channel.
“Go.” He blinked the request in his personal ODVU.
A 3D image appeared of an unknown human woman who glared at him. She was attractive enough for a human, with short reddish-brown hair and a lush bust line in a compact body. Her eyes were unusual, however. Instead of the normal single-colored irises of a human, hers were white with a vertical, red slit in the middle.
Ah, maybe a unique candidate to replace the broken Runihura female.
U’unk crossed his arms. “Who the fruk do you think you are, calling me on this frequency?”
“Now, Shon,” admonished the female. Her deep tone sounded peculiar coming from a female. “Is that any way to greet a longtime friend and ally?” She grabbed her full breasts and mashed them together before flashing a lascivious grin. “Even if my outer body is a bit, ah, different, than when we first did business together.”
“You have five nanoseconds to get to the point before I terminate not only this communication but you for using it in the first place.”
“Oh, I do love it when you threaten me,” the female purred.
What kind of game was she playing? Several possibilities ran through his mind before she spoke.
“So tell me, how’s Lok doing?”
It had been a long time since someone made U’unk speechless. No one alive knew anything about his twin…except the only being in the galaxy left alive who’d helped incarcerate the pest. “Who are you?” A new suspicion formed.
The female snorted in a contemptuous tone no one used at him and lived. She dropped the hold on her chest. “You know exactly who I am.” The red slit in her eyes widened as a sneer crossed her full lips. It made her attractive features twist into something ugly.
“Maynwaring?” But, how could this be? The Dread Pirate was a prisoner in his globe, tucked away in his fortress on FiPan. U’unk was quite aware of how safe the pirate was, he’d tried to have him eliminated enough times.
“Yay, give baldy credit where credit is due.” Maynwaring clapped her palms together.
“How did you end up in a human woman’s body?” When confronted by the impossible, it was always best to open one’s mind before proceeding. Maynwaring being loose in an organic body was not good.
Especially for U’unk.
“That’s not important,” she retorted. She put hands on her slim hips and widened her stance like a male. “I have some information you need to know concerning the coup of the Federation Consortium you’ve got going.” She leaned forward from the waist. “And if you don’t do exactly what I say, you are going to lose everything.”
* * *
SHERRI
Aboard the AI spaceship “Elemi” on the way to Earth… present day
Being possessed sucked.
Yep, she, Sherrilyn Marie Cantor, was possessed—like “demon taking over your body” type of possessed. Instead of housing a spitting-pea-soup demon, Sherri endured an unwanted galactic gangster fighting for domination of her body and mind. From the moment the bubble housing the Dread Pirate Maynwaring popped over her face and his essence entered her, she’d been fighting for control. So far she’d kept a tight lid on things, but the whole situation was turning out to be a huge pain in the ass.
But, bright side, she had help from her Zerin shipmate, Ki. He’d taught her how to access the memories of her unwanted guest while at the same time keeping him locked away. Jeez, the spirit called himself Dread Pirate. What kind of name was that? Apparently, that wasn’t his original name, but something he’d adopted after hearing the story of The Princess Bride from a human slave. He’d become so enamored of the dread pirate character he changed his title.
What a snowflake.
What’sss a sssnowflake, human? He asked it in his normal, hissy tone.
How a disembodied entity had a tone was a mystery to her. He sounded like a snake with a speech impediment. She created a visual of sticking his stupid forked tongue between his teeth and clamping his mouth shut then taping it closed. And, if he called her human in that derogatory manner one more time….
Ki’s training kicked in. Instead of imagining the pain she’d rather give, she created a dark, dank pit to throw his happy ass in.
No…no, don’t ssssnd me there again!
Sherri imagined throwing his bright orb down a
bottomless cavern before rolling an avalanche of sharp, heavy rocks to cover the hole. Dust billowed up and down before it settled in a thick layer to create a mountain to contain him. Then she pictured the mountain folding upon itself, repeatedly, until it was a speck of light flashing out of her thoughts.
Unfortunately, this exercise never held him for long. One minute he’d be gone (treasured silence), and the next, he’d be right back butting in and making snarky comments every chance he got. You’d think he’d be smart enough to keep his mouth shut so she didn’t know he was there.
Whoa…where’d that creepy idea come from? Sometimes the hair on the back of her neck broke out in chill bumps as if someone looked over her shoulder. What if…what if she wasn’t aware when he wormed his way out? Was he spying on private intimate things she was obsessed with…like say, a certain tall, well-built, sexy-as-sin Zerin named Ki…
Damn it! She shook her head to get rid of that image. She didn’t trust people outside of her body, much less the asshole inside. Only constant vigilance on her part would keep the alien in the hole she’d put it in. Shit, no wonder she was tired all the time.
Sherri sat with her feet over the side of the comfortable bed she’d slept in. She had to admit, she was happy enough with the accommodations aboard the organic AI ship called “Elemi.” Still, she could do without the snarky attitude the female contraption gave her all the time. The sleek 11-15 ship apparently came with a load of baggage, and not the kind Sherri liked to use on vacations.
Her friend Lora had tried to warn her.
Once assigned to a particular male, Elemi latched on to him like a jealous lover.
Lora said Elemi barely tolerated her when she’d been on board and would ignore any request she made. Only when D’zia was in the room would the ship talk to her in a semi-polite manner.
