by Keri Kruspe
The aromatic pheromones emanating from her pores stirred nothing inside Ki except irritation. He would rather become a eunuch before he’d have sexual relations with one of the pirate’s toys. Besides, the sooner he got off this Goddess-forsaken planet, the better.
The muscles in his jaw tightened as he hardened his facial expression. With arms folded across his chest, he cocked his head in challenge. “Where is your master?”
“Come this way, revered sir.” The small bow she performed displayed her perky breasts to perfection.
The sexbot turned and sashayed to lead him to a round reception chamber through a transportation mirror. The next room lacked warmth or comfort. The chill air mixed with the sterile environment and a simple straight-backed chair sat in the middle of the room. The walls were round and pale, a pasty white that matched the concrete floor.
Ki stood next to the chair and crossed his arms. It was an old ploy, show him to an empty room, and make him wait. He refused to let the gangster intimidate him by using an overt manipulation strategy to make him nervous. He’d stand there unmoving for the duration of this game if need be.
The pirate was smart enough not to make him wait long. He rolled in with his usual dramatic flair, surrounded by a trio of sexbots for protection. His glowing orb was clutched in the hands of the humanoid stand he’d made hundreds of years before. The glowing bulb’s steady swirl of colors inside displayed Maynwaring’s consciousness.
Ki eyed the sexbots and was relieved that they weren’t anything out of the ordinary.
One was lime green, another was neon orange, and Maynwaring’s favorite, Babette, was the bright-red bitch of terror. The AI was a cross between the pirate’s second-in-command and his lead assassin.
He’d always thought she held some level of self-awareness, even though Maynwaring denied it. “All right, tell me what you want.” Ki kept his stance rigid and aggressive. He’d give no hint of weakness to the alien.
“Now, M’alalu.” The colors in the orb rotated with the words spoken. “Is that any way to greet an old friend?” The statue holding the orb turned toward the chair. “Sit, make yourself comfortable.”
Ki barely refrained from snorting. Even if he could fit into that small, spindly contraption, he never trusted appearances.
One of Maynwaring’s favorite tricks was to offer a place to sit or food to eat that wasn’t all it appeared to be. Like the time a hapless individual sat in a non-threatening recliner only to have the benign piece of furniture turn out to be an alien species. It ate the terrified male the minute his body touched it.
The sound of the male’s bones being crunched stayed with Ki for decades.
“Let’s just get on with this,” he retorted. “Tell me what you want so I can satisfy the arrangement I made on behalf of Prince Qay.”
The statue turned to let the orb face him.
All three sexbots kept to the background, but Ki had no doubt they’d get to him long before he tried to harm Maynwaring.
“Very well,” the orb continued. “I am not asking for much, and I doubt it will take you long.”
Ki narrowed his gaze but remained silent. The hair on the back of his neck raised as his stomach clenched.
We’re not going to like this. Grirryrth, the king of understatement.
“Apparently Chancellor U’unk has a new, ah, biological antidote I’d like to relieve him of.”
Everything within Ki stilled. What kind of antidote could the pirate possibly want?
Maynwaring went on with his demands. “I am not sure if the design has been completed yet, even so, I want what he has so far.”
“Developed what? Is it some sort of weapon?” He refused to participate in any weapons dealing, and the pirate knew that.
“On the contrary, M’alalu!” The orb’s colors mixed and rolled in harmony—normally a testimony to his sincerity. “I am well aware that if I sent you on any such errand, you would confiscate the weapon and turn it over to the Zerin High Council.” The colors slowed and shifted indiscriminately. “No, no, this serum is made to repair, not destroy.” The orb turned stiffly to the red sexbot on Ki’s right. “Babette, my pet, please share the file with M’alalu.”
The bright metallic android blinked.
A file icon appeared on his personal ODVU. Ki accepted it and went through the readout. After a few moments, he frowned as Grirryrth snorted in disbelief in his head.
“You want me to go to the Chancellor’s secret lab? At the palace?” Ki’s eyebrows raised as he frowned. “Covertly?” He leaned back and straightened his shoulders. “Even I would have a hard time pulling something like this off.”
“Now, now, M’alalu. Why do you think I needed you for this, ah, operation? I knew if anyone could get this for me, it would be you.” The milky white orb with its rainbow of colors swirled and spun. “I will, of course, provide you with my best tool to assist you.” The colors now solidified into a stream of yellow.
That was a sure sign Ki would not like what the pirate said next.
“Babette will go with you to lend any assistance you might need.”
“No.” His reply was immediate and insistent.
“Why not? She’s the brightest of my ladies and has unlimited talents that will aid in your success.”
Yeah, and she’d undermine and discover his secrets and report everything he did to the pirate on a consistent basis. Then she’d stab him in the back. Literally.
“Absolutely not.” He was firm. The whole idea was non-negotiable. “It makes no sense for one of your sexbots to accompany me.”
Agreed. Grirryrth backed him up.
The colors in the orb brightened and swirled in different hues. “Very well.” There was a pause as the rainbow spun faster before the orb spoke. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but well, I don’t trust you. It’s a matter of business, you understand.”
Ki maintained his crossed arms while he glared at the orb. “Not my problem.”
“Hmm…maybe an incentive is called for,” came the enigmatic reply. “Babette, bring in the human.”
The graceful bot turned and walked out a transportation mirror.
Human? Why would Maynwaring have a human?
Ki silently agreed with his symbiont as he asked the same question.
The silence was thick in the room while the bot was gone. The colors in Maynwaring’s orb remained mute and still.
Ki took the opportunity to concentrate on calming his chaotic thoughts. He wouldn’t let being on FiPan and having to deal with the disgusting pirate stop him from maintaining his vigilance against the danger around him.
Humph, you are too calm all the time. I don’t know why you’re so worried about being distracted. You need someone to get your juices flowing.
Ki ignored his dragon. Grirryrth never let an opportunity pass to harass him about his decision to not seek a TrueBond to carry on the E’eur legacy. Too bad. Nothing would change his mind.
Then she came into the room.
At first, the human female wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. He’d seen thousands of human women while aboard the StarChance, and even had to interact with some. None had stirred his interest—one way or the other.
Her reddish-brown hair was short, cut in the back and falling fuller around her face. Wisps of hair framed long, mink-colored lashes that surrounded the velvet, single-color brown eyes that now blazed in anger at everyone in the room. With her arms bound behind her, her large, round breasts thrust invitingly beneath a loose, soft-yellow tunic.
Ki appreciated her shapely legs encased in snug pants the same color as her tunic. After inspecting her from head to toe, Ki looked back at her face and zeroed in on her luscious… plump…tempting lips. He’d never seen lips on a female so mesmerizing before. They were delicate yet full, in a bow shape made for a male’s kiss.
Yessss… beautiful female. Must have.
What was that? Grirryrth had never shown an interest in a female before. That should have tipp
ed Ki off, but he was too busy appreciating her feminine form to pay attention to his dragon’s observations.
“Let go, bitch,” the female demanded through gritted teeth. She struggled within Babette’s hold, but of course, she was no match for the strength of the android. The red fingers of the bot squeezed harder and caused the female to wince in pain.
Rage clouded Ki’s vision. It took every ounce of willpower to maintain his calm exterior and not pull her from the bot’s excessive hold. He gritted his teeth as he struggled to hold Grirryrth back from reacting the same way. Out of the corner of his eye, the orb’s colors stopped in mid-motion. Great, now he’d caught Maynwaring’s attention.
“Stop, Babette.” The pirate’s tone came out smooth with a hint of triumph. “Let’s not hurt our guest.”
Babette let go of the female’s arm, causing the human to stumble.
Ki rushed to catch her and wished he hadn’t. When she fell into his arms, they staggered backward. An alluring scent wafted and tantalized. Instinctually he took in a deep breath. A hint of soothing vanilla laced with a citrus sweetness snared him. His heart raced as the mating oils in his palms formed. The human’s soft, female body fit—despite their height difference. Her head barely reached the bottom of his pectoral muscles, but she was somehow a missing piece of his personal puzzle. Warmth, calmness, and a heavy dose of protectiveness toward her consumed him.
With another deep breath, the word “TrueBond” slammed him.
YESSSSS…!
Was this human his TrueBond? The mate every Zerin searched for their whole lives to meet? The only female in the galaxy who could ever complete him and present him with offspring.
No! No…it was impossible.
Horror at the implication made him push away to put space between them.
She looked at him in confusion before she nodded as if to thank him for catching her.
He took another step back to put distance between them. He frowned and crossed his arms to glare at the pirate.
The colors were now in a slow spin, the rainbow giving the impression of satisfaction.
Ki refused to take the bait. “I’m not sure how showing me a human female gives me any sort of incentive.”
“Ah, M’alalu, playing dense doesn’t do you justice,” the pirate admonished. “However, I’ll play along. Now, I know how fond you are of these creatures and how you enjoy being able to offer them to others in the galaxy.” The statue holding the orb rolled closer to the female who stepped away.
She didn’t get far when she bumped into the solid form of Babette.
“Through no fault of my own, I found myself saddled with this alien.” The orb continued as the colors resumed their normal swirl. “And the Friebbigh have offered me a fortune for her.” The colors stopped. “So, here I have a decision to make. Shall I exploit a fortune offered by them or give her to you for free as an incentive to complete your assignment?” The rainbow hues began a slow dance. “Your choice.”
By the father of all! A muscle ticked over his eye. How could Ki leave a defenseless human with Maynwaring? Whether she was his TrueBond or not, he’d never leave her there.
Just kill him and take the female, the Solaherra dragon growled.
That’s not very helpful, Grirryrth. Ki retorted. Keep quiet so I can take care of this. I have to make him think she doesn’t interest me.
“I repeat, I don’t understand why you’ve brought this female to me,” Ki deadpanned. “As if a lone human would mean more to me than my word to work for you on behalf of my prince.”
The colors kept their momentum and did not deviate from their mesmerizing swirl. “While I admit you are an honorable individual…your background as a mercenary notwithstanding.”
The fake sigh coming from the orb grated on Ki’s nerves.
“I, for one, do not believe in the good nature of others. An added incentive is always a good business practice. Plus, it will give you an extra goal to work for.”
With conscious effort, Ki kept his voice and body non-threatening. “All right. Now that you’ve brought her into this equation, let’s come to an agreement. State your proposal.” He glanced over at the female.
With a stoic expression, she glared with narrow eyes.
He admired her intelligence, watching and learning in what had to be an alien environment for her. The only sign she knew she was in danger was the quick rise and fall of her chest. Good thing she had no idea he suspected she was his TrueBond. Or even what a TrueBond was, for that matter.
Grab her and let’s go, the Solaherra once again demanded. We don’t have time for this puntneji and his nonsense.
Patience, Ki admonished.
“Bring me the antidote and any research that goes along with it. The female will be kept in a holding cell to await your successful return. You have thirty solar days.”
Ki’s left eyebrow raised in surprise. “Don’t want much, do you?” He clenched fists on his hips. “I will do it, but when I come back, the human comes with me. There will be no further amendments or changes to the agreement.”
The colors swirled and eddied in a fast pace before the gangster answered. “Agreed.”
Babette came over and extended her palm toward him.
What an odd thing for the android to do, wanting to shake hands in the human tradition. He glanced at the orb before catching the reaction of the exotic human female. When her eyebrows raised with a derisive twist to her luscious lips, he smiled at her strong will.
What a female! The calm demeanor from her almost made him wish he could pursue her. Damn… he didn’t even know her name. More than likely, he was mistaken about her being his TrueBond, anyway. Yes, that was it. It had been a long time since he’d been with a female and he probably reacted to an attractive one as any normal male would. However, getting her away from the pirate would be the right thing to do. Then he’d drop her off at the Exchange. No reason to see her again. The alluring female would be safe, and he’d keep his vow of remaining unmated.
Goddess save us from idiots who do not understand what’s right in front of them. Grirryrth closed with a snort of disgust.
In return, Ki disregarded Grirryrth. Everything would turn out the way he wanted. No need to make things complicated.
* * *
SHERRI
Aboard Elemi, present day
Sherri floated in a thick sludge of darkness, a tiny spark of light confined in a sea of nothingness. A muffled sound like a voice talking underwater caught her attention. She strained to listen, but only caught bits and pieces of garbled conversation. At least she assumed it was a conversation between two people.
“Let… go!”
Ah, wait…was that her voice? It was…but that didn’t sound like her.
“No.”
Okay, that deep baritone belonged to Ki. She shivered whenever he spoke.
“…you…found…out.”
It sounded like she spoke again. Now Sherri became desperate. Where was she and how was she talking without initiating the conversation?
“… nothing.” Ki’s response. “... her in stasis…lower level.”
The “air” around Sherri thickened before it expanded and the light disappeared. She swam in a black void so deep she might not exist anymore. She had to hide…or get out…she had to…do…something…
Ssssstop ssssquirming sssso much!
Wait, what was that? It took a while for her to calm down enough to figure things out. A different voice floated in the vacuum. The slimy, slithering inflection in the speech made it hard to grasp.
“Who’s there?” Sherri hated the quiver in her voice. Voice? Wait, was she talking or thinking?
You very well know who I am. The disgust in the reply was unmistakable. Shhhhut up and sssstay back there where you belong.
Oh, really? Who did this asshole think he was dealing with? “Look, bub.” Oh, now she got it. Her unwanted passenger held her consciousness hostage as he tried to take her body and mind over. She was
n’t an avid paranormal romance reader for nothing. “This is my body and there’s not enough room for the both of us. If you think I’m going to lie down and whimper in fear over you, you have another think coming.”
Too late for you, female. I’m in control now.
What an enigmatic response. The smug inflection laced with each word made her more determined than ever to exorcise the jerk. “Hardly.” She’d win this battle of wills… one way or the other.
Before Maynwaring responded, Sherri envisioned the lessons Ki taught her to keep control. She changed it somewhat, considering she was not the one operating her body. She stilled her essence as she blocked out the hissing protests of the pirate. She concentrated on creating a tornado powerful enough to rush around while she kept safe in an impenetrable bubble. Faster and faster, the winds blew. She cleared out the dark environment until she “saw” an outline of four clawed arms, four legs, a short, powerful tail, and a single horn in the middle of its forehead.
Ah…that had to be Maynwaring. Perfect. Time to sweep him away with the rest of the “trash” in her head. Old memories and embarrassments she didn’t need. She forced her will harder, creating a firestorm to go with the gale-force winds. Powerful gusts and bellowing licks of flame surrounded her as it burned and swept the area in a blanket of pungent ozone. The light from the fire coalesced and illuminated a black hole. Yes, that’s what she needed, a place to put his happy ass.
Nooo…I am in charge here! The pirate wailed through the blustery winds. You will not banish me…you will… THUNK!
With all her mental might, she threw him into the gaping maw as the wind and fire sucked in behind him. Mile-thick steel walls slammed over the hole with a resounding boom. The following quiet was a shock at first. Then a calm washed over her while a wavering, small beacon of light bloomed.
Sherri focused on that light, a lifeline her soul needed. She trusted her instincts to enfold who she was within its embrace…and let go.
