by Aubrey Ross
Kenton grabbed his robe off the hook in the bathroom and helped her into the simple garment. She kissed him softly on the lips before she left.
Something about the situation seemed odd. Security scanners should have revealed the location of everyone in the house. Why would Tillany need Megan to find Mason?
Megan hadn’t said she needed to find her brother. She’d said “duty calls.” She was likely more familiar with her brother’s habits than anyone else. Perhaps they were telepathic. There was no grand mystery. He was just looking for hidden meaning because Tillany had interrupted one of the most amazing nights of his life.
Shrugging aside his speculation, Kenton returned to the bathroom and stepped into the shower stall. He shampooed his hair and scrubbed his body, determined to relax, but no matter how hard he tried, Kenton couldn’t banish the feeling he was missing something important.
* * *
Tightening the belt around her waist, Megan activated the companel in her bedroom and waited for Amoli’s image to appear.
“I don’t like to be kept waiting.” The shimmer in her eyes assured Megan the anger was feigned. “You look well tumbled. Have you told him yet?”
“You had me summoned from his bed to ask me that?”
Amoli chuckled, then shook her head. “You sent messages to each of the ambassadors requesting that they utilize a different negotiator.”
She hadn’t really posed it as a question, but Megan nodded. “I told you that was my intention before I left my office.”
“Well both ambassadors demanded to speak with me. Otokar is convinced the Palontians paid you to block his play and that Palontian fop simpered on and on about his mistreatment. I promised Otokar you would see him bright and early tomorrow morning. After you pacify him, you’ll --”
“Pacify him? That son of a bitch set me up to look like an ass.”
“I understand that and I’m not asking you to apologize or anything so demeaning. Just make sure he understands that you were not bribed by Peylla.”
Megan crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. Arguing with Amoli was pointless. Once the empress made up her mind, she was every bit as stubborn as her little sister. “And Peylla? Shall I spend the afternoon coddling him?”
“You’re so perceptive.” Amoli’s chin came up and the humor left her gaze. “Peylla’s tribe will most likely win out in the end. Otokar might have been more interested in the Pleasure Guild than wrestilian ore, but we would certainly benefit from a ready supply.”
“I hate you.”
Amoli smiled. “I know, dear. Now go work out your frustrations on your bodyguard.”
* * *
Pacing at the head of the conference table, Mason impatiently waited for Otokar the following morning. Mason was looking forward to this meeting nearly as much as he was dreading the next. Defending his integrity to Otokar was far more appealing than groveling before Peylla.
Mason should be relaxed and well rested after the night he’d spent with Kenton, but Otokar’s verbal attack brought back unpleasant memories.
“You look murderous,” Kenton’s voice whispered through the audiocom tucked in his ear. “Where’s your renowned diplomacy?”
Tingling heat cascaded through his body in response to Kenton’s voice. When Megan returned to Kenton’s bedroom the night before, he’d cuffed her wrists and secured her to his bed. He curved his body against her back and pushed into her from behind. But he hadn’t fucked her. He’d held her and gently caressed her until she fell asleep. The fucking came this morning when he woke up fully erect and still buried to the hilt inside her body.
“This isn’t the first time Otokar has played me for a fool.” Mason let the memories drift to the back of his mind. Megan told Kenton she had plans for the day and encouraged him to have breakfast with Mason. Kenton insisted on accompanying Mason to League headquarters despite his claim that these meetings were an annoying formality.
“I’m here to ensure your safety,” Kenton reminded him. “That includes preventing your arrest.”
Mason managed to smile. “I might imagine strangling Otokar, but I promise not to act on the impulse.”
His promise was tested a few minutes later when Otokar strolled into the conference room.
“Why did you pull out of the negotiations?” Otokar came right to the point.
“The League of Tranocous Worlds does its best to remain politically neutral. Slavery, in any form, is one of the few areas on which we will not bend. If slaves are involved in the transaction, no Tranocous negotiator will have anything to do with the deal.”
“How very noble of you.” Sarcasm dripped off every syllable.
“We don’t attempt to impose our convictions on others, but we expect others to honor our --”
The door slid open and a man walked into the conference room. Light shone off his sleek black hair and the copper tint to his skin identified him as a Palontian. Tension hardened his handsome features and his hands were clasped behind his back.
“I’m meeting with your ambassador following this meeting. You need to wait in the lobby.”
“I can’t do that.” He pulled his hands out from behind his back and pointed a pulse pistol at Mason. “I’m requesting political asylum.”
Shock tore through Mason. In all his years as a negotiator, he’d never had someone threaten his life. Otokar took a menacing step forward and the Palontian turned the gun on him.
“Stay where you are and keep your hands where I can see them.”
“If you truly want political asylum, this isn’t the way to go about it,” Mason said in a calm, yet insistent tone.
“I will not go back to him!” He aimed the pistol at Mason, but his gaze kept darting back to Otokar. “You took in Kade. I know you did. I saw him get into your shuttle. I want --”
The door interrupted his request. Kenton knocked the gun out of his hand with a fast, hard chop, then jerked both his arms behind his back. Kicking the backs of the other man’s knees, Kenton took him down.
“Good work.” Mason propelled the gun well out of reach with the toe of his shoe. “Restrain him to one of the chairs.”
“Kade! I knew you were still alive. I just knew it!” He sat passively and allowed Kenton to bind his hands to the arms of the chair.
“You two know each other?” Otokar moved closer, his eyes narrowed and glistening. “Nikwan is one of Peylla’s pets, but who the hell are you?”
“He’s my bodyguard,” Mason said.
Otokar scoffed. “Is that how you justify it?” He placed his fists on his hips and glared at Mason. “What a fucking hypocrite! You turn your nose up over my interest in pleasure slaves, while you’ve already acquired one of your own.”
“Kenton is not a slave. He’s an employee.”
“But you don’t deny he’s a Vontralirian?”
“Ambassador Fintel had no knowledge of my background when he hired me,” Kenton defended.
“Right.”
The door flew open again and two security guards rushed into the room. “Are you all right, Ambassador Fintel?” One aimed his rifle at Kenton, while the other covered Nikwan.
“Everything is under control,” Mason assured them. They seemed reluctant to leave. “Go on. I’m fine.”
Mason crossed to the communications console and paged Amoli. “Is there a problem?” the empress asked as her image came on screen.
“Would you have time to join us, your majesty?” The title let Amoli know it was an official request.
After a short pause, she said, “I’ll be there momentarily.”
Mason returned to his uninvited guest. “You said you would not return to ‘him.’ Were you referring to Ambassador Peylla?”
Nikwan nodded, looking at Kenton for encouragement. “When Kade escaped, it sent ripples of discontent through the ranks of the Vontralirian. None of us had ever considered freedom as an option.”
“This is all very touching,” Otokar drawled. “Is there some reason I�
��m still here?”
“I’m not sure, yet.” Mason shot him an angry glance. “Do you have somewhere else you need to be?”
“That depends where you’re headed with this. You know what I’m trying to accomplish. Does this bring me any closer to my goal?”
“It might. Have a seat.”
Mason didn’t question Nikwan until the empress arrived. The empress entered the room with her usual fanfare, surrounded by her private guard. “Did this man threaten you with a weapon?” she asked as one of her guards pulled out a chair for her.
“I don’t believe he meant to harm me. He was just making sure he had my attention.” Mason looked at Nikwan and asked, “Why did you request political asylum?”
“The Guild is the only source of protection for the pleasure givers on Palonti. The tribes have abandoned the charter. They’re fighting for control over the Guild. If this happens, we are powerless. The Guild must remain separate or we are truly slaves.”
Amoli glanced at Mason before asking Nikwan, “Are you making this request for yourself or do you represent the Pleasure Guild?”
“I only speak for myself, but every pleasure giver on Palonti is in the same predicament.”
“I’d be happy to escort any pleasure giver to a Sabrotine stronghold,” Otokar offered with a sly smile.
“They’d be exchanging one master for another,” Mason objected. “The Pleasure Guild can only protect their people if they are free from governmental influence.”
“What are you suggesting?” Amoli asked.
“We could establish an academy here on Tranocous Nine.” Mason glanced at Kenton. What was he thinking about all this? He remained behind Nikwan, his expression tense and watchful. “Otokar would provide an armed escort to those wishing to leave and we would guarantee their protection from anyone attempting to violate the charter.”
“Then what’s in it for me?” Otokar grumbled.
“What you’ve wanted all along. I will bring your offer before the Guild masters. The Sabrotine Federation will assist with the evacuation in exchange for two invitations to the Vontralirian auction.”
“Five invitations for the next ten years and I want it in writing.”
“Then you’ll build the new facility.”
“Done.”
“Just a minute,” the empress cut in, “The League of Tranocous Worlds will not support slavery in any form. You know this, Ambassador Fintel.”
Mason smiled and folded his hands on the tabletop. “If the Guild masters want Otokar’s assistance, they will rewrite the charter. Vontralirians will become contract laborers, with individual contracts negotiated by each Vontralirian or their agent. There will be no slaves at Tranocous Academy. I give you my word on that.”
Otokar chuckled. “How are you going to justify this to Peylla?”
“I don’t need to justify myself to anyone. The tribes are oppressing their pleasure givers and their pleasure givers have asked us to intervene. We’ve liberated those in oppression before and we’ll likely do so again.” Amoli dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand. “We’ll just have to find another source of wrestilian ore.”
Chapter Eight
Kenton sat on a leather sofa in Mason’s office. They had just completed their holoconference with the Guild masters and he was still in awe of the ease with which the entire situation had been resolved. Mason was amazing. There was no other way to put it. In one fell swoop Mason had freed the Vontralirians and strengthened the alliance between Tranocous and the Sabrotine Federation.
Mason turned one of the desk chairs around to face the couch where Kenton sat. As Mason lowered himself into the chair he grimaced.
“Are you all right?” Kenton asked.
“I’m fine. Why do you ask?”
“You made a face as if you were in pain. Did you hurt your back?”
Mason stared at him for so long in silence, Kenton didn’t think he’d reply. Then he took a deep breath and said, “I didn’t hurt my back. You flogged my ass.”
Their emerald green eyes and sensual mouths. His instantaneous attraction to both. “You’re…”
“A shape shifter. Megan is not my sister. Megan is me.”
Questions flooded Kenton’s mind and his mouth dried up. He wasn’t cheating on Mason with Megan. They were the same person. Peace unfurled within him only to be swept aside a moment later by resentment. They’d deceived him -- again!
“I think you have less to explain. Why don’t you go first? Your real name is Kade?”
“No. Kade is dead. My real name is Kenton.”
Mason didn’t argue, but he didn’t let the subject drop either. “Unless it’s too painful to explain, I’d like to know about Kade.”
Kenton heaved a sigh and indulged his curiosity. “The former potentate reserved the right to purchase any Vontralirian before the yearly auction.”
“Why did the Guild allow it?”
“Because people who disagreed with Chaya had a way of disappearing.”
“And Chaya chose you?”
“Not in the way you mean.” He felt as if he were relating the story of someone else’s life. In a way he was. He had abandoned Kade when he stepped off the Retributionall those weeks before. “I wasn’t purchased to pleasure Chaya. I was given to Kalleto.”
“You’re talking about Peylla’s sister?”
“Yes. Chaya didn’t realize it until long after he’d accepted her as wife, but many women in Peylla’s tribe have been genetically altered. They’re able to control reproduction.”
“They only get pregnant when they want to?” Mason sounded incredulous.
Kenton nodded. “They can also control the gender of their offspring.”
“And Kalleto refused to bear the child of her enemy.” Kenton nodded again. “How did you play into the situation?”
A twinge of regret made him restless. His seduction had only postponed Kalleto’s execution. He hadn’t been able to save her. “I used my skills to motivate her. She eventually accepted Chaya back into her bed, but things took an ugly turn.”
“In what way?”
He cleared his throat, uncomfortable with the details. “She called out my name while Chaya fucked her.”
“What the hell did he expect?”
“He was a potentate. He expected his wife to be awed by the power at his command.” Anxious to move on to the other half of the conversation, Kenton rushed through the facts. “Chaya ordered her execution and my castration. I’d sensed Chaya’s resentment building even before the incident and made arrangements to escape Palonti. Chaya’s order made my departure a bit more urgent. I snuck aboard a blockade runner and the pirate I’d hired to rescue me attacked the other ship.”
“That must have been exciting.”
“You have no idea. The pirate captain and the smuggler had a history together. Spending time with them helped me understand just how sheltered my life had been.”
“That’s why you went to Starlight Station, to expand your sexual horizons.”
It was more of an acknowledgement than a question, but Kenton nodded. “I’d never even chosen my own partner before I left Palonti. Every aspect of my life was decided for me. I left the Retribution convinced I needed freedom. Two nights with Sabina was all it took to prove I’m not wired that way. Some people might be able to find fulfillment in casual sex, but I need more.”
“I’m really sorry about --”
“That debt is paid in full.”
Mason smiled. “Your new identity withstood the scrutiny of Amoli’s watchdogs. Who compiled it for you?”
“Traborn Morel made the arrangements. He’s the pirate captain I mentioned earlier.”
“Traborn Morel is a privateer, not a pirate.”
Kenton laughed. “As he is quick to point out.” His smile faded and his gaze locked with Mason’s. “Your turn. Can you take on any shape?”
“Not hardly. I can emulate others, but it works best if we’re roughly the same size. I’m sligh
tly taller than Megan, but she has more curves.”
“I noticed.” Kenton grinned. “Do you consider yourself male or female -- or both?”
Mason released the shift with an audible sigh. It had been a long day and retaining Mason’s shape was squandering energy she couldn’t spare. “I was born female andthis is my natural shape. I realized I could change my appearance when I was twelve. I was staring at one of my friend’s breasts wondering when mine were going to develop and suddenly they did.”
Kenton chuckled. “That must have been amusing for your friend.”
“I crossed my arms over my chest and rushed into the house. She never realized what had happened.”
“Are there other shape shifters on Tranocous Nine?”
“My father spent four years in the Froswick Dimension, training with the Nac O’te warriors. He met my mother during those years and brought her back with him. My mother isn’t a shape shifter. However, the gift is common in her family. I had a Froswick tutor who helped me strengthen and control my abilities.”
“Do you always take on Mason’s shape when you negotiate?”
“Not always. Some races respond better to Mason, while others are more receptive to Megan. The Sabrotine Federation is militant and chauvinistic. Megan wouldn’t have a chance with them.”
“But you’re misrepresenting yourself.”
She shrugged. “And Otokar didn’t? I won’t lump them all in together. That brings me down to their level. Fortunately, I’d worked with Otokar before. I knew he was a self-serving jerk. Luckily for me, our goals happened to align on this one.”
“Will Peylla’s tribe retaliate?”
Megan shrugged and indulged in the triumphant smile she’d been suppressing all day. “Let them try. The Sabrotine Federation is the most powerful force in this galaxy.”
“And you used them to bring freedom to my, no Kade’s people. Not bad for a day’s work.” Kenton smiled, his gaze caressing her face. “I’m sure glad you’re on my side.”
