Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars

by Melisse Aires

  “I have to extract the Sectors citizens, not risk my men trying to rescue anyone else against overwhelming odds. The Tonkilns aren’t my concern, understand?” His voice was flat, the words dismissive.

  Andi jerked her head around to stare at him. “We can’t ignore the danger to them.”

  “Lady, I have orders.” Shaking his head, he grabbed the wheel and yanked it, sending the boat veering away from its route to shore. “Cut the engine and get down. Someone’s moving by the dock.”

  Cold flooded her body at the thought of enemies watching them. With fumbling fingers, she flipped the switch. Drifting through the dark waters, their craft floated in silence, slowing as the momentum died away. Andi crouched in the bottom of the boat, Deverane’s body warm and reassuring beside her.

  “Can you swim?” He tucked his blaster and the small com unit away, sealing a pocket with a quick motion.

  “I can swim.” She stared at him, trying to read his expression in the moonlight. “Can you?”

  “Now’s as good a time as any to learn,” he said with a tight grin. “I’ve been told it’s like zero-grav exercise. Any major predators in this lake?”

  “Well, there are two varieties of snake and a large fishlike thing with razored jaws, but none of them are active at night. Supposedly.” Andi peered over the side of the boat. The opaque surface of the lake was impenetrable in the dark. Only too well aware of what could be lurking there, Andi remembered hooking one of the snakes on her fishing line. The Shenti guide had had a terrible time killing the reptile without toppling them all into the lake, where its nine-foot-long mate had been waiting, swimming easy circles around the small boat. Not a reassuring memory right now.

  “Let’s go.” Reaching past her, Deverane rocked the boat with a sudden violent motion. Taken completely unaware as the craft tipped over, Andi flew through the air for a moment, instinctively arcing her body into a flat dive into the chilly water. Surfacing, she searched for her companion. The captain was already swimming at a fair pace toward the shore, using a strange overhand stroke. His bobbing head was much less visible in the light of the moons than the boat had been. He glanced back once to make sure she was all right.

  She treaded water for a minute, hampered by the clinging silk folds of her gown. Unfastening the tabs, she let the garment fall away in the water. No time to waste bemoaning my expensive dress. Left in the sleek one-piece undersuit, freed from the extra layers, Andi could swim efficiently, catching up to the captain. His unusual stroke was forceful, propelling him through the water as if he was fighting an opponent. She followed him, reaching the shallows, then wading to a spot on shore where an immense tree had fallen into the lake, providing some cover. A steep hill lay between them and the looming Tonkiln mansion. Raising her head above the rotting tree trunk, she risked a glance.

  The huge house was dark and silent, every light off. Probably a very bad sign. There should be lights on in half the house right now. Especially the kitchen and the servants’ wing. “Where are your men?”

  “With our vehicles in the garage.” He rolled over onto his back, reaching again for the com unit. Glancing at her, he did a pronounced double take, swallowing hard. “Got rid of the finery, eh? Much better for crawling around and avoiding enemy attention.”

  The wet garment was plastered on her body, outlining every curve for him. Andi was glad the moonlight wasn’t any brighter. Now was not the time for physical distractions. Halfway serious, she said, “Well, I thought dark blue was more suited for combat situations. What are we going to do next?”

  A reverberating explosion shook the hillside as flames shot from the roof of the mansion, followed by a smaller eruption where the garage stood. Lords of Space, are rebels attacking here as well? Flinching at the sudden high-pitched whine of Sectors blasters somewhere in the darkness, Andi hugged the ground.

  From her prone position she stared at the mansion, trying to figure out exactly where the fire was blazing. Flames were licking at the walls in a number of rooms, including the far end of the third floor. Adrenaline coursed through her. “The fire’s on the top floor where the nursery is. I can’t leave until I’ve made sure the children are safe, Captain.” She held up a hand as he drew a breath. “I know, you’ve mentioned your orders enough times, but we’re talking children. I’ll never forgive myself if I don’t at least check the nursery.” Before he had a chance to stop her, Andi was on her feet and running. He’ll have to follow me since his precious orders are to protect me, so if I can just get to the house, I’ll have him—and his blaster—for backup.

  Sure enough, she heard Deverane give chase, but she had the advantage of a head start and familiarity with the grounds. She sprinted to the side door, entering the house through the kitchen. One dim light glowed from an emergency panel in the ceiling. A half-eaten meal sat on the table. The chairs were toppled, one broken as if it had been used as a weapon in a violent struggle. A bloody knife lay on the floor.

  Andi barely glanced at the knife. No time to be ill, just RUN.

  Carefully, she stepped barefoot through the mess to the emergency supply cabinet next to the pantry, where she grabbed a hand lamp. Pointing the cone of light ahead of her, she jogged into the service corridor to the main part of the house. Fear of what she might find made her lightheaded, and she took a few careful breaths to calm her nerves. I’ve got to make sure the kids aren’t trapped upstairs in their cribs. With the nurse gone, there may not be anyone else but me to double-check.

  Tripping, Andi fell headlong. The body she’d stumbled over cushioned her fall for the most part, although her right elbow smashed into the floor. Sitting up, she rubbed her elbow, looking for the hand lamp she’d dropped. Instead, she saw the bloody face of the elderly cook, starkly outlined by the beam of light. The elderly woman’s sightless eyes were wide open in death. Stifling a scream, Andi scrabbled away from the corpse of the cook, who’d been stabbed multiple times.

  When she felt her back against the wall, Andi reached for the lamp, then used the wall to lever herself to her feet. After sidling past the corpse, she ran down the hall and opened the door to the main entryway. Curling like a living thing, a thin layer of smoke drifted across the foyer, about ten inches off the floor. The flicker of reflected flames in the library tinted the area in orange light.

  A piercing shriek echoed from the second floor. Increasingly terrified but determined to help whoever was in trouble, Andi launched into a dead run across the slick stone floor, taking the wide, curving, carpeted stairs at high speed. Past the first curve she stopped abruptly, right before she would have stepped on another corpse. It was the gardener’s helper, sprawled across three risers. Hugging the wall, Andi tiptoed carefully past his outflung hand.

  She burst onto the second level of the house and stopped short at the sight of Lady Tonkiln struggling with a burly man. Screaming obscenities in a harsh voice, the lady was clawing her attacker’s face and chest. Unfazed by her blows, he wrapped his hands around her neck, squeezing as he cursed her.

  Retreating two steps, Andi set her lamp down, grabbed a heavy bronze urabu statue in a wall niche and ran to attack the assassin. She stabbed the man in the back with all her strength, driving the bronze horns of the statue deep into his shoulder muscles. Adrenaline gave the blow considerable force. He dropped Lady Tonkiln, who fell against the wall and slid to the floor, wheezing. A broad smear of blood coated the elaborate tapestry where she hit it.

  The man swept his beefy arm back, hitting Andi in the chest, knocking the wind out of her and sending her staggering. The urabu statue fell, bouncing over the edge of the stairs. She grabbed at the wrought iron railing to keep herself from tumbling headlong to the first floor. The would-be killer strode to where Andi lay on the top stair, stunned from her fall. Fisting his hand in her hair, he yanked her to her feet, scattering hair pins as her elaborate chignon loosened. Andi fought to get away, but her arm was numb where he’d struck her. Black spots danced in her vision.

  Dever
ane launched himself up the last few stairs and tackled them both, breaking Andi free of the attacker’s hold. A clump of her hair tore from her head in the process. The pain radiated through her body, paralyzing her for a minute. Pressing the muzzle of his blaster into the other man’s stomach, the captain fired. The stench of burned flesh filled the hallway as Deverane rolled away and came to his feet, looking to Andi.

  Tears of pain in her eyes, she crawled to Lady Tonkiln to check how badly the Obati matriarch was wounded.

  “Leave me. Save Sadu, save my baby,” the lady moaned, her words slurring.

  Swallowing hard, Andi averted her eyes from the wreckage of Lady Tonkiln’s severely beaten face. She put an arm under the older woman’s shoulders and tried to get her to sit up. “We’ll go get him together.”

  “No time, I—I’m dying. You must save him.” Lady Tonkiln grabbed Andi by the shoulder in a viselike grip, shaking her in a final surge of strength before falling against the wall in a violent convulsion. Some of the dark blood staining the woman’s garments spread onto Andi’s jumpsuit.

  “Are you hurt?” Deverane pulled her to her feet, looking at the bloodstains. Andi shook her head, numb, unable to say anything. She kept staring at Lady Tonkiln’s body. I can’t believe she’s dead. I can’t believe any of this—it has to be a nightmare.

  Coughing from the increasing smokiness of the air, he gave her a little shake, tried to get her to meet his eyes. “Come on, Andi. We have to get out of here.”

  He was tugging her toward the stairs leading down.

  “No.” She wrenched away from him. “We can’t leave. You heard her—I have to get the children—Sadu and his cousins, in the nursery.”

  A woman’s voice cried out in agony from the level above. Deverane didn’t say another word but jerked Andi behind him and started climbing the stairs two at a time, before dropping to his knees to crawl the last few. She matched his pace on the top risers, chest tight and hot as she moved, choking on the smoke infiltrating this level from the fires. By staying a few inches above the carpet, she could still find some breathable air. The corridor ahead was lit by roaring flames in several of the rooms.

  A man emerged from one of the side doors.

  Iraku.

  Andi rose to her feet despite the choking smoke. “I never thought I’d be so glad to see you,” she said. “Come with us to get Sadu from the nursery.” She’d taken an automatic step toward the chief of household before she noticed the jagged, bloody knife in his hand. Her gaze traveled to his face, which was contorted in rage, eyes wild. Hands up in self defense, Andi skidded to a halt, averting her eyes, only to see the bodies of several women lying just inside the room Iraku had come from. Paralyzed by horror, crumpling to her knees, Andi screamed as the Naranti took a step in her direction.

  Deverane fired his blaster from behind her, but the angle was off. Iraku dodged the beam, running across the hall into another chamber, slamming the heavy door. Andi heard the locking mechanism slid into place. She knew there was a balcony, with a tree growing right next to it under that room’s window. If you try to escape that way, you son of a bitch, I hope you break your neck. Hands pressed against her eyelids, she tried to blot out the mental picture of the corpses of the women he’d obviously just murdered. Head spinning, she thought she was going to pass out under the nonstop onslaught of horror.

  Deverane squatted beside her, jaw clenched, his face expressionless. ”Andi, we have to keep moving.” He pulled her to her feet. “Which way to the nursery?”

  Andi braced herself with one hand on the wall for a heartbeat, before running down the hall, counting off the doors to herself as she proceeded in the increasing smoke and heat. The nursery door swung open under her touch. Coughing, covering her mouth and nose against the thick smoke, she advanced into the center of the room, the captain on her heels.

  “Stay here for a second.” Deverane stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, before striding over to the nearest crib, his face set like stone. Andi held her breath as she watched Deverane peer into the small bed. Turning, he shook his head. “Empty.” He glanced at the other beds with the same result.“Time to go.”

  “Thank the Lords of Space.” Wiping tears from her cheeks, she said, “Maybe their parents have been and gone already. Maybe they took Sadu to safety with their own kids.”

  A faint whimpering sound caught her attention. She stepped further into the room. “Wait, I heard something, I know I did.” Andi ran to the storage area at the back of the room, finding the door ajar. Breathing a tiny prayer, she knelt and slid the mirrored panel open, shoving aside the hanging clothes, tossing large plush toys out into the room to crawl inside. Homing in on the whimpering, she felt around on the floor in front of her as she went deeper into the spacious closet, until she touched a toddler’s chubby legs. Locking her grip on the boy’s ankles even as he tried to kick her, she dragged him free of his hiding place. “Sadu, it’s okay. It’s Andi, I’ve got you.” Taking a quick look, she confirmed that he was the only child in the small space. No sign of his cousins. Clumsily, off balance, she reemerged into the room with the toddler, his arms locked around her neck.

  Repressing an I told you so, Andi gave Deverane a triumphant look. “It’s Sadu, Lord Tonkiln’s youngest son.”

  “I don’t care who he is, we’ve got to get out of here now.” The captain’s whole body was tensed for action, his face stern, jaw set and eyes narrowed. “Follow me and stay close.”

  He led her back into the hall, where flames now fully engulfed the ceiling. Doing her best to shield the toddler in her arms, pushing his face against her shoulder, Andi made it to the top of the stairs and sprinted down, staying close to Deverane. Sadu clung to her for dear life. In the foyer, Deverane held up a clenched fist and signaled her to wait while he checked the side corridor. She had to force herself to stay where he’d left her, listening to the great house creak and groan as the fire attacked its supporting timbers. She was coughing nonstop by the time the captain returned, carrying a stack of dripping towels.

  His eyes streamed from the smoke, and there was a scorch mark across one cheek. “All clear this way. I think maybe the bastards have moved on to the next set of victims. Here, let me carry the boy.”

  But Sadu screamed, clutching at Andi’s neck and hair and refusing to go to an unknown person. She warded Deverane off with her hand. “Never mind, I can carry him. Let’s get out of here.”

  “Wait, I’ve got some wet towels, let me drape them over you and the boy. Smoke’s pretty heavy and this’ll help you both breathe while we escape. I don’t need you to pass out from smoke inhalation.” As he was talking, he placed one of the towels over her head and Andi felt some immediate relief from the cool, wet cloth against her lower face. She did her best to cover Sadu’s mouth and nose as the toddler wheezed and coughed.

  “Stay as low as you can and keep close,” Deverane said before he rewrapped the towel draped on his own head and moved off.

  She kept a hand on Deverane’s back as he worked his way past the cook’s body and through the kitchen, out into the cool night air. He didn’t give her a chance to get her breath, but led her all the way into the landscaped garden, settling her and Sadu behind a low, ornamental shrub.

  “Stay here.” He pointed at her for emphasis. “Don’t make a sound, and don’t show yourself to anyone but me. Got it?”

  “Don’t worry. Seeing Iraku…” She swallowed rising nausea and shook her head. “I will not be trusting any Zulairians tonight, of any Clan.”

  Deverane held up his blaster. “Can you fire one of these?”

  “Yes, I’m trained on the civilian model.” Her voice sounded hoarse to her own ears, her throat sore from the smoke. “Won’t you need it?”

  “I have other weapons.” He handed her the blaster. “Keep the kid quiet, whatever you have to do.”

  He watched her check the charge level before crouching low and moving away into the night. Andi supposed he was going to look for his men
or transport, or both. Settling into a more comfortable position against the main stem of the shrub, she let Sadu curl up in her lap, his thumb hooked in his mouth. He didn’t make a sound, save for some great silent sobs. Murmuring a soothing lullaby, Andi rocked back and forth, trying to give him some comfort. I wish someone could do the same for me right now.

  Her low-cut garment had dried in the heat from the fire, but the thin fabric offered little protection against the night wind coming from the west. Shivering as the breeze cut across her body, Andi curled more closely around Sadu. The ongoing whine of shots filled the night, punctuated by intermittent screaming. She tried not to think about what must be going on in each of the mansions around the lake—nor about what horrors had all too likely happened in the ceremonial house after she and Deverane escaped.

  Sadu snored like a baby pig, drooling on her lap, poor little guy. She shifted him to a more comfortable position, still keeping her grip firm on the blaster. This weapon’s not leaving my hand.

  As a low cry sounded from behind her, Andi stiffened, a fresh spurt of adrenaline jolting through her veins.

  Chapter Three

  Andi whipped her head around in an attempt to locate the source of the moaning. The mewling groan came again, hoarse and low, raising goose bumps along her arms.

  Captain Deverane would take violent exception to what I’m about to do. Managing to get Sadu onto her shoulder without waking him and, clutching the blaster, Andi left her hiding place to investigate. Working her way toward the pitiful sound, she stayed within the shadows of the ornamental hedges. The nightmarish keening came from the small gazebo at the far end of the garden. Well, the rebels aren’t likely to waste the night hanging around to ambush any latecomers…

  I hope.

  She took a deep breath then another. Ready for instant retreat if necessary, Andi stepped into the open space at the gazebo’s entrance, where the two moons provided some light. A body lay sprawled there, facedown, but she knew from the signet ring on his hand that it was Lysanda’s fiancé. The girl was lying crumpled a few feet away, bronze satin dress in stained shreds. Curled in a fetal position on the stone floor, she was crying in heartrending sobs.