“It’s too late,” he babbled, writhing on the ground. “Too late for her! A member of the Verrak has already been engaged. She has a target on her back—she’s as good as dead!”
Thrace felt a cold chill wash over him. He knew a little of the Verrak and everything he knew was bad—very bad.
“What? What the fuck are you talking about?” He grabbed Two by the black leather lapels of his strange coat and dragged him up to stare into his pale face. The stench of rot hung around him strongly, making Thrace’s stomach turn but he held him just the same. “What about the Verrak?” he demanded.
“They kill—kill without mercy. I took out the contract days ago—she’s as good as dead already,” Two babbled, his single eye filled with a mad, gleaming light.
“You took out a contract on Trin?” Thrace shook him so hard his metal teeth clicked together. “Answer me, scum!”
“Not your precious Trin.” Two was giggling again, a sound that grated on Thrace’s nerves. “She’s already taken care of—both of you are. It was as B’Rugh Saw—the easiest way to pull you apart was to push you together.”
“You did that all right,” Thrace growled. “But if you’re not talking about Trin, then who did you put a contract on?”
“Her! The mother of the new race! She has two faces and lives on the planet the Kindred guard—her child is the answer to their future! But I’ve taken care of that—there will be no future now. No child and no future. Only death!”
“What? Two faces?” Thrace shook his head in disgust. “You’re insane. I think the passion berry wine is affecting what little brain you have left.”
“Ah, but I was much saner before the rot spread—much saner when I asked B’Rugh to See for me.” Two smiled craftily.
Thrace began to get an uneasy feeling in his gut. He knew that B’Rugh’s people had clairvoyant abilities. They had far reaching second sight but they could use it only three times in their lifetime before the ability left them. Luckily they were a greedy people and mostly used their abilities to further their own ambitions or to forestall their own deaths. But it sounded like Two had somehow convinced his old boss to See for a much greater and more destructive purpose.
“What are you talking about?” he demanded, shaking Two again. “What did you ask him to See for you?”
“Why, I asked him how to destroy the people who had destroyed my people—I asked him how to destroy the Kindred.” Two’s spit-shiny metal teeth gleamed in the weak Yonnie Six sun. “And he told me, too. Imagine my surprise when your name came up, my dear Havoc. And your Mistress’s as well.”
“What do you mean? I’m only distantly related to the Kindred—and what could Trin have to do with them?”
“I’ll tell you…” Two’s narrow face took on a crafty expression. “I’ll show all that B’Rugh Saw—as long as you promise to kill me and put me out of this never ending misery.”
“I’ll think about it,” Thrace said shortly. “Now tell me what the fuck you’re talking about.”
“B’Rugh Saw that you, my dear Havoc, will be the father of a great nation—or your son will. Or would have, had I not torn you and the Lady Trin apart by pushing you together.” Two pulled a mournful face. “Who knew tender lovemaking could be the death knell of such a promising relationship?”
“Keep your fucking mouth shut about things you don’t understand,” Thrace growled.
“Oh, but I do understand, my dear Havoc! I understand you’ve been duped into taking me here—duped into leaving the ship. And let me ask you, do you think The Alacrity is still going to be there when you turn around to go back?”
Thrace felt a cold finger of dread caress his spine but he pushed his doubt aside.
“Of course it’s going to be there. Trin’s just waiting for me to report that I dropped you off to your friend.”
“Not friend—scion,” Two corrected. “X is me for all intents and purposes. He has my thoughts, my memories, and best of all, my intentions. I made sure of that when I grew him in the tanks back on my home world.”
“What—you cloned yourself?” Thrace frowned. He had heard of such things—in fact, some planets in the universe were notorious for illegal cloning. But he couldn’t imagine anyone wanting a clone of the hideous Two.
“Not cloned exactly. My appearance while perfectly normal for my own world is somewhat…outside the norm of other inhabited planets.” Two smiled widely, his teeth gleaming. “Accordingly I chose a different model to inject my thoughts and memories into. X is everything I am not on the outside—and everything I am on the inside. He will carry on my work when I am gone.” He turned suddenly serious. “But he cannot kill me. I told you, I cannot end myself—and he is me. Which presents a dilemma.”
“Not for me.” Looking up, Thrace saw the broad figure of Lord X coming over the grass of the landing field, followed closely by the slave attendant who was scampering to keep up with his long strides. “Looks like your clone or scion or whatever you want to call it is here.”
“So he is.” Two nodded at the approaching X. “Help me, my scion!”
Without a word, X bent down and grasped the heavy manacles that were clamped around Two’s skinny wrists.
“Good luck with that,” Thrace said. “Those fucking things are made to hold a Gox. I should know, I wore them for days before I finally—” But the words died in his throat as X snapped the manacles as neatly as if they’d been made of stale bread.
“You were saying, slave?” he murmured, giving Thrace a disdainful look.
“What the hell?” Thrace frowned. “Those fucking things are indestructible.”
“Not for X.” Two grinned. “Did I mention that I endowed him with super strength as well as a host of other qualities? I find it comes in handy—as it did just now.”
“You—” Thrace began but suddenly Two was up off the ground and reaching for him.
Thrace thought he was reaching for the blaster in his belt but before he could jump away, Two had grabbed him. Not the blaster though—he grabbed Thrace by the arm, his skinny fingertips digging painfully deep as he stared into Thrace’s eyes.
“I told you I would show you,” he hissed, his hot breath a rancid gust against Thrace’s cheek. “See now…See for yourself…”
Suddenly the landing field and all of Yonnie Six was swept away. Thrace blinked and saw that he was someplace new—a small blue and green planet with swirls of white in its atmosphere. He rushed downward and found himself staring at a low, sprawling one story structure which seemed to be made of many interconnecting halls. There was lettering at the end of one hallway but he couldn’t quite make it out—it was in a foreign tongue he didn’t know.
Walking down one of the echoing halls, which were painted a flat, industrial green, was a young woman with dull blondish-brown hair and pale, washed-out looking blue eyes. She had plain, non-descript features that would be easily forgotten and a full, plump figure that was covered in loose, baggy clothing.
She was completely nondescript and yet, when she turned her head Thrace thought he saw something—a flash of some other color in her eyes—a burning light that made him draw a harsh breath. Her hair changed too—seeming to flicker from its plain dishwater blonde to a glossy blue-black. Then she turned away and the changes were gone so quickly Thrace was sure he must have imagined them.
The plain young woman was surrounded by children—young ones that looked to be no more than six or seven cycles old to Thrace. Not much older than the age he had been when his Sire had come to claim him. Was she a teacher or a care giver of some kind? They were clamoring around her but when she raised her hands for silence, they obeyed at once.
“All right now, class.” In contrast to her plain outer appearance, she had a lovely, rich alto voice so melodious it sent chills down Thrace’s spine. “Let’s all get in line—you know your places.”
“Yes, Ms. Brooks,” the younglings chorused and formed at once into an orderly line as Thrace watched. Then he became aware
that he was not alone.
“Behold,” he heard Two breathe in his ear. “She of two faces—the Mother of the new race—the race where Havoc and Kindred blood will meet and merge once more. The race that will never be!”
“What in the Seven Hells are you talking about?” Thrace demanded. Then he saw something else. At the far end of the hallway was a male with long, black hair wearing some kind of dark ocular devices which hid his eyes. When he turned, though, Thrace caught a glimpse behind them of pure, molten gold. Verrak, he thought and a shiver went through him.
“He’s watching her—watching and soon he will do more than watch. Soon she will be dead. And with her will die all their hopes and dreams—with her will die their future!” Two cackled madly in his ear, breaking the weird spell.
Suddenly Thrace found himself rushing outward, leaving the small blue and green planet. He blinked and found he was back on Yonnie Six with Two’s skeletal hand gripping his forearm. With a disgusted grunt, he shook the other male off and took a step back, his hand going to his blaster.
“Get back,” he ordered when Two started to come after him. “I don’t know how in the Seven Hells you did that and I don’t care. I’ve done as Trin asked and delivered you to X. Now I’m going back and I hope to all the Gods never to see your disgusting face again.”
“No!” Two howled, thin fists curling at his sides. “No, you cannot leave me like this! You’re supposed to kill me! You are supposed to be my doom! And you promised—you promised! I showed you everything as I said I would—you promised!”
Thrace hesitated, his foot on the steps of the life pod.
“I said I’d think about it and I have. I choose not to kill you.”
“But you have to,” Two wailed. He was crawling on his hands and knees now, groveling and writhing on the grass like an animal in distress. Lord X followed after him with a helpless look on his face as though he didn’t know what to do.
“No, I don’t. You said I was supposed to be your doom, not your killer,” Thrace pointed out. “What could be a worse doom than to be stuck here with only your clone for company while you die a slow, agonizing death? The same death you wanted for Trin.”
“I knew you wouldn’t let her die!” Two protested. “Have mercy, Thrace—I’m in agony.” He curled in on himself and clutched his thin sides. “I could bear it if it was just the brain rot but you know how the passion berry wine works—the pain is intense and the only cure is penetration and insemination.”
“That should be no problem.” Thrace laughed harshly. “You’ve got your scion with you, don’t you?”
Two’s face went very still. “What are you suggesting?”
“I’m saying you should go fuck yourself—literally.”
Turning a deaf ear to Two’s protests and howls of pain, Thrace turned and slipped back into the life pod, closing the door behind him.
It was time to get back to what really mattered. Time to get back to Trin.
* * * * *
Trin had already moved The Alacrity some distance from its original orbit around Yonnie Six but they weren’t quite out of range yet. So she had to take the incoming call when Thrace hailed the ship from his life pod.
“Where are you?” he asked at once when his image popped up on her viewscreen.
“In my cabin.” Trin had thought it best to take this particular call alone instead of from the command center of the ship.
“No—I mean where’s the ship?” He sounded impatient and unhappy. “I’m out here in the same orbit you were at before but The Alacrity isn’t here.
Trin took a deep breath. “That’s because we’re plotting a course back home—to Zetta Prime.”
“What?” He frowned. “You’re not actually going there are you?”
“I have to.”
“No you don’t. Or if you do, then I’ll go with you.”
“A male on Zetta Prime?” Trin gave a dull, humorless laugh.
“Why not? There must be a few despite what your people believe,” Thrace insisted. “Just as there are a few Havoc who choose to break their vows and bond themselves to females.”
“A very few. Mostly they belong to a small fringe element of females who still wish to preserve our bonds with Yonnie Six.” Trin ran a hand through her hair. “They aren’t recognized in polite society. And my mother, who is a pillar of the community, does not count any of them among her friends.”
“Forget about your mother for a while,” Thrace said. “What about this…this ritual she wants you to do? You’re not going back for that, are you?”
“The Purification of the Defiled,” Trin said dully. “Yes, I must undergo it.”
“But you said it was painful and disfiguring. What did you mean by that?”
Trin shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it fucking well does!” he snarled. “Trin, tell me if you’re going into danger. I need to be there to protect you!”
“I was protecting myself a long time before you came on the scene,” Trin snapped at the viewscreen. She passed a shaking hand over her face. “And anyway this…this is something no one could protect me from. Not even the kindest and bravest and most loyal slave. Which is why…” She took a deep breath. “Which is why I am releasing you from my service. You are free.”
“What? No!” His eyes widened. “You can’t do this! My debt isn’t paid! And even if it was, my place is with you—at your side. You know that, Trin.”
“Where I am going, you cannot follow.” Trin lifted her chin. “Consider your debt paid in full. If you were here, I would personally remove your collar. As it is, you have my permission to remove it yourself.”
“I don’t want to—you hear me?” His silver-blue eyes were blazing now. “I don’t want to leave you or take off the damn collar! And even if I did, you’d still own me. Haven’t you heard anything I’ve said to you? You own my heart, Trin.” He clenched a fist over his chest. “My fucking heart.”
Trin felt like the icy shell that had covered her emotions was finally breaking apart but she tried to remain strong.
“I’m sorry, Thrace,” she said in a voice that only wavered a little. “You…you have given me loyal and steadfast service but I cannot take you with me. I will have no need of a slave on Zetta Prime.”
“Yes, but you might need a bodyguard!” he growled. Then his voice dropped to a soft, pleading tone. “Why are you going back there to let them torture you, baby?” he asked. “Why can’t you just forget about all that and come with me? We can make our own way. We don’t need anyone else but each other.”
For a moment Trin almost considered it. It would be so wonderful to go away with Thrace, just the two of them…but there were more people to consider.
“I can’t,” she said. “My crew…I’m sure my mother will make the payment on The Alacrity and see that they are able to keep their livelihood if I go back home and do this. I don’t have the credit for another mission and I’ll never be able to trade on Yonnie Six again. I have to be responsible.”
“I told you we’d earn some money somehow,” Thrace argued but Trin shook her head.”
“I’m sorry but no. I can’t.”
“Tell the truth.” He looked grim. “The welfare of your crew isn’t the only reason you’re doing this, is it?”
“No.” Trin felt her mask of calm beginning to crack. “No…it’s not.” She looked him in the eyes though it hurt to do so. “I’m doing this because I…because I deserve to be punished.”
“Why?” Thrace demanded. “Why should you be punished just for making love with me? We did it to save your life.”
“I know. But…I enjoyed it.” Trin hung her head. “Enjoyed being penetrated by a male. I…” She looked up at him. “I allowed myself to derive pleasure from the feeling of you inside me…from the thrust of your shaft within my most secret and forbidden places.”
“You had to.” Thrace ran a hand through his hair in agitation. “You had to, baby! You had to come to be
cured—I told you that!”
“It doesn’t change the fact of what we did or how I felt about it.” Trin put a trembling hand to her eyes. “I have never felt such pleasure. And now…now I must pay for it with pain.”
“Trin, baby—no!” Thrace looked so upset it tore at her heart. He seemed to want to reach right through the viewscreen and drag her to him. Trin wished desperately that he could. She wanted to feel those big, warm, muscular arms around her just once more, making her feel safe and loved and protected. Making her feel cherished.
But that could never be.
“I’m sorry, Thrace,” she said softly. “Really sorry for all of this. I never meant for any of it to happen.”
“Neither did I but it did—it happened.” He leaned closer. “You bought more than just my body that day in the Flesh Bazaar—you bought my soul and my heart. Trin, please don’t go—I love you!”
At last the mask of cold cracked completely and she felt the warm tears falling down her face like rain.
“I love you too,” she whispered. “But this can never be. I’m sorry but please don’t try to follow me.”
“Trin—”
“Goodbye.”
She cut the connection and stood staring at the black viewscreen, tears pouring down her face. Thrace was gone and she was never going to see him again.
It was time to go home and take her punishment.
Chapter Thirty-two
“It is time.”
The voice interrupted the strange and awful vision Charlie and Stavros had been sharing—the trance-like state they had fallen into while making love.
Charlie came back to herself with a start and realized two things. One, Stav was still buried to the hilt inside her as she sat in his lap with her arms and legs wrapped around him. And two, her cheeks were wet with tears.
“Poor Trin,” she whispered, swiping at her wet face. “Oh, poor, poor Trin!”
“She is going to a judgment which may break her,” the voice said and Charlie realized something else—she and Stav weren’t alone but whoever was with them in the room wasn’t visible.
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