Fire Margins

by Lisanne Norman

  “Please,” said Kaid, pushing the disposable mug aside. “This one’s well and truly dead.”

  “C’shar or coffee?”

  “C’shar.”

  He watched Garras bring the two mugs over to the table, putting one down in front of him before sitting down opposite.

  “Thanks,” said Kaid, leaning his elbow on the table so he could prop his head up on his hand. “How’s Vanna?”

  “Fine,” Garras said, taking a sip of his drink. He gave a little purr of amusement. “Carrie keeps teasing her about looking more like a Human female now. I suppose she does.”

  Kaid raised an eye ridge questioningly. “I would have said Human females look like permanently pregnant Sholans,” he said. “Vanna does look well, though. How did Brynne react when you signed the bond-contract?”

  “Indifferently. All in all he’s been acting rather strangely in the last week or two. He’s taken up with one of the new batch of Terrans—an older man. Now he’s a strange one. He refuses to live at the Terran building on the Guild grounds, and has taken a room at the Accommodation Guild instead. Apparently Brynne has been spending a lot of time with him. That’s not what I wanted to talk about, though.”

  Kaid sighed and picked up his mug in his other hand. “I know. Go on, get it over with if you must,” he said, taking a mouthful of the c’shar.

  “It’s about the En’Shalla rituals. You know there has to be a third person for the Margins, don’t you?”

  “I know all about it, Garras. If I didn’t, I’d be the only one on the estate. Lijou told me to copy the data before giving it to Kusac.”

  “Why’d he do that?” asked Garras, ears pricking forward. “What’s Lijou got to do with it?”

  Kaid frowned. “You’re getting too good at receiving, Garras,” he said.

  “I wouldn’t say that. It’s come in very useful on several occasions, notably when we were chasing Chyad, but you’re not going to put me off my trail, Kaid. All our people are gossiping about the En’Shalla rituals. They know there has to be a third, and they’re taking bets on who it’ll be.”

  Again Kaid raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Who’s the favorite?”

  “The priest, Ghyan.”

  “He won’t choose Ghyan.”

  “You sound sure of that,” said Garras. “You’re the second choice, by the way.”

  “Am I? I hope you’re discouraging them from betting.”

  “You don’t sound surprised.”

  “You know there’s very little gets past me, Garras.”

  “It’s more than that,” his friend said slowly, studying his face.

  Kaid looked away and took another mouthful of his drink. He could sense the way Garras’ mind was working. Better to weather it out now than leave it till later.

  “You’ve not been yourself since you came back from Noni’s,” said Garras abruptly. “I know what she’s like, always probing at any sore spots she can find, manipulating you into dropping your guard so she can pick up stray thoughts. What happened while you were there?”

  “Nothing,” said Kaid, suddenly aware of the warmth of the crystal he wore hung in a small leather bag round his neck.

  “What’s Lijou’s involvement in this?”

  “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about, Garras,” said Kaid tiredly. “What’s the point in all this?”

  “Noni told you something, didn’t she? And Lijou said the same thing. What exactly did they say, Kaid?”

  Garras was pushing him, determined to find out. “Nothing that need concern you, Garras. It was personal.”

  “They told you that you’ll be the third, didn’t they? That’s why you know Kusac won’t choose Ghyan. Has Kusac discussed it with you?”

  No point in denying it. “He hasn’t spoken to anyone yet as far as I’m aware.”

  “If he doesn’t choose you, he’s a fool,” Garras said abruptly. “I don’t understand you, Kaid. You sit around looking morose, yet you’re likely to get what you want most handed to you without any problems.”

  “You know nothing about it, Garras. I don’t care what anyone says, I can’t be the third! I’ve been through it with Noni, Lijou, and Ghyan! I’m sick of the whole damned thing. I hope he doesn’t ask me because I’ll have to refuse, and I can’t tell him why!”

  “Can’t, or won’t? Is it because of that female all those years ago? What was her name?”

  “Khemu.”

  “Yes, Khemu. You never did tell me what happened.”

  Kaid sat up, ears flicking backward in annoyance. “I’m not about to do so now either.”

  “As you wish,” he said. “Has it ever happened since?”

  “No, because I haven’t dared go near another female since then,” Kaid snapped, angry at having to admit to even that.

  Garras leaned forward, grasping Kaid by the wrist. “When he chooses you,” he began.

  “He won’t,” interrupted Kaid, trying to pull his hand away.

  “Listen to me,” said Garras, ears folding sideways as he tightened his grip. “When he chooses you, you’d better have put that demon to sleep, because if she means as much to you as I think, you don’t want it happening with her! Find yourself a female, Kaid. Take the edge off this fear—now, once and for all.”

  “Garras,” he said, his voice holding an edge of ice. “I’m warning you. Don’t meddle in my life.” Again he attempted to pull away from his friend, but Garras held on even more tightly.

  “Kaid, he’ll ask you, and you’ll have to accept.”

  Kaid got abruptly to his feet, the chair falling over behind him as he wrenched his wrist free.

  “You have to go, Kaid, can’t you see that? He trusts you to look after her personally. He’s already put their lives in your hands. He isn’t going to choose someone else!”

  “If he trusts me so much, then why has he said nothing?” demanded Kaid, stalking over to the door, his tail bushed out and lashing from side to side. “He won’t ask, and if he did, I wouldn’t accept!”

  “You’d let them go into the Fire Margins with someone other than you guarding them?” said Garras, turning to watch as Kaid pulled the door open. “Don’t make me laugh, Kaid! If you do, it’ll be the first time I’ve ever known you to give up without a fight!”

  Kaid slammed the door behind him and headed down the corridor to his room. Damn him! Garras was right, and he knew it! He was sworn to protect them, he couldn’t refuse—and he couldn’t accept.

  *

  As he reached the corridor that branched off to his room, he saw Vanna approaching.

  “Just the person I wanted,” she said cheerfully. “If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you’ve been avoiding me. I need a sample of your blood for the DNA tests Jack and I are doing.”

  “I’m afraid I haven’t the time right now, Vanna,” he said. “Carrie’s waiting for me. It’s time for her therapy.”

  Before he could pull away, he felt the sharp prick of her test needle.

  “There, it’s done,” she said, turning to leave.

  He watched her walk away, cursing under his breath. More problems, as if he didn’t have enough.

  *

  Carrie was waiting for him in the massage room next to the main bathing area.

  “Hi there,” she said as he entered. “I thought you’d forgotten about me.”

  “No, I wouldn’t do that,” he said, taking off his jacket and placing it on one of the benches. “Garras and I were talking, that’s all. You’re not usually quite so prompt.”

  “Kusac’s at the estate lab today,” she said. “He wanted to see for himself how it’s all going. The main buildings we need should be ready soon, he says.”

  “That’s good news.” He rolled his tunic sleeves up as he went over to the massage couch where she was perched. The scent of her soap hung in the air. It was a special preparation made for her by Vanna’s sister, Sashti, as was the small container of oil he picked up.

  Carrie swung her legs up onto the table
. “Sitting or lying, Kaid?” she asked.

  “Lying, please. It’s easier to work on your leg. How’s it been today?”

  “Not quite so stiff,” she said, lying back on the couch. “I think between you and Sashti, not to mention Noni, you’ve worked a miracle on my injuries.”

  Kaid paused, looking up toward her head. “Would you like a cushion?” he asked. “You don’t look very comfortable.”

  “Please.”

  Still holding the bottle, he went over to the cupboard by the door to get it. Returning, he handed it to her and began pouring some of the oil on his hands.

  “What were you and Garras discussing?”

  “This and that,” he said vaguely as he pushed her robe aside and began spreading the oil over her injured thigh. “The wound has healed well, hasn’t it?” he said as he carefully smoothed it over the scar. “I think you’ll only have the faintest of marks in another couple of weeks.”

  “Mm,” she said.

  He looked up at her. Her eyes were closed and she seemed relaxed. “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “I’m fine. I just thought I’d practice one or two of the litanies Dzaka’s been teaching me.”

  He continued smoothing the oil into her skin, then began to gently knead the muscles at the sides of her thigh. “Which one are you practicing?”

  “Right now? The one for relaxation. Then I’ll go on to the one for clear thought.”

  He could sense the amusement in her voice. “What’s funny?” he asked, beginning to work gently over the scarred area.

  “You, Kaid. You’re never just you, are you? Always on duty, holding yourself back. Are you like this in your leisure time too? I don’t suppose I’d recognize you if you weren’t.”

  “People spend their leisure time in different ways, Carrie,” he said. “I tend to read, or …”

  “Sit drinking c’shar in the common room with Garras and the others, if you’re not out on the training ground at the new estate,” she finished for him.

  “It seems it’s a day for people telling me how I should spend my leisure time,” he said wryly. “Turn over, please.”

  Grabbing the wrap-over front of her robe, Carrie obligingly rolled onto her stomach and laid her head on her folded arms.

  He felt her wince as she moved the damaged arm. “Still paining you?” he asked sympathetically.

  “A bit,” she admitted. “And before you ask, yes, I’ve been doing the exercises!”

  “It takes time,” he said, moving her robe so he could reach the back of her thigh. “You know how deep that cut was. It nearly cost you your life.”

  “I know,” she said, and he could feel the shudder pass through her body.

  “Go back to your litanies,” he said. “I’ll be a while yet.” He knew the rhythm of his massage would relax her, it always did, and within a couple of minutes he could feel her muscles losing their rigidity and becoming supple again under his fingers.

  He stopped to put more oil on his hands and began gently pushing her flesh with his thumbs, rolling them upward one after the other as he worked toward the top of her leg, then back down again. He had to be careful that the pressure he used didn’t trigger his claws. That had taken a little getting used to as her skin was much more yielding and soft than a Sholan’s. He had to use the more sensitive parts of his fingers so he could gauge more accurately how much pressure was needed.

  The feel and texture of her skin was unlike anything he’d come across. And her scent, already overlying the aroma of the oil and soap, was something he was trying hard to ignore. The preparations seemed to enhance her natural smell, but then that wasn’t surprising considering Sashti had blended them specially for the needs of Carrie’s human skin. Sashti was a professional, a much sought after professional at that. Her oils and soaps fetched the highest prices around these days, and to have one specially crafted for one’s own use said something for the way Sashti felt about Carrie.

  “She’s coming over today,” said Carrie quietly.

  “I thought she might,” he murmured, moving to work on the softer skin on the inside of her thigh. “What is it today? Just a social call on you and Vanna?”

  “Mm.”

  She was almost purring, he could feel it through her skin. Once the worst of the pain had gone from the newly-forming scar tissue, she’d enjoyed the massages almost as much as he did. It was a time of trust and almost-intimacy between them, probably the nearest he’d ever get to her. He’d tried to work out what it was that pleased him so much and had come to understand it was simply that—her trust, and being able to touch her without her fearing him, giving her pleasure in fact. The feel and sight of her skin—something alien to him as a member of a furred race—was in itself exotic, a fascination that hadn’t faded for him, as obviously it hadn’t for Kusac—or for Zhyaf, despite the fact that his young Leska, Mara, ran him ragged.

  He stood back, sliding his hands from her leg. “If you’ll sit up, I’ll do your arm now,” he said.

  Carrie groaned. “Just as I was getting comfortable! You pick the worst time, Kaid!”

  He grinned. “You were falling asleep.”

  “Rubbish! I was practicing my relaxation litany,” she said, sitting up and slipping her left arm free of her robe.

  “Sleeping.”

  “No. Relaxing. It shows how well I’ve learned the litany!”

  “Hmm.” Kaid wasn’t convinced. He moved round to stand beside her, pouring more oil on his hands. “Here, you hold the bottle,” he said, handing it to her.

  “Hey! Careful, Kaid!” She had to grab for it as he let it go, assuming she’d catch it. As she did, she had to pull her injured arm away from him and clutch at her robe to prevent it falling. “I have my modesty to protect, you know.”

  His ears flicked back briefly. “Sorry. I forgot,” he said, taking hold of her arm as she held it out to him again. He knew she wasn’t Sholan, so why did he keep forgetting it? Probably because if she were, he could have approached her. Because she was human, it wasn’t that easy for her—or him.

  “Don’t worry about it,” she said, still clutching the bottle to her chest.

  He reached out and took it from her, putting it on the couch beside her. “I forget sometimes that you aren’t Sholan,” he said.

  She smiled. “I know. You’ve told me before.”

  He was just finishing as Sashti arrived.

  “I’ll wait for you in the main lounge,” she said. “I’ll get us drinks.”

  “I’ll be about fifteen minutes,” said Carrie, slipping the robe back over her arm. “A quick shower, then I’ll be down.”

  Sashti waved as she disappeared through the door again.

  “Thanks, Kaid,” Carrie said as he helped her down from the couch. “You’ll join us?”

  “If you wish. I’ll keep Sashti company till you arrive,” he said, wiping his hands on a towel as she padded over to the door through to the bathing room.

  *

  After she’d left Kaid, Vanna rejoined Jack at the newly installed lab on the Valsgarth Estate. He and Kusac were sitting drinking coffee at one of the lab benches.

  “Well, I like that!” she said, arms akimbo as she surveyed the two seated males. “I go up to the main house for an hour or two, and what do you two do? Nothing, that’s what!”

  “Vanna, lass,” said Jack, getting to his feet, “we were waiting for your return. See, we even put a real brew of coffee on for you!” He indicated a mobile external heating unit with a glass beaker perched on top of it, the brown liquid contents gently bubbling. “Can I pour you a cup?”

  Kusac turned away, hiding a grin as the rotund Human physician picked up a strainer and, lifting the beaker with a pair of heat-resistant tongs, poured some into a mug for Vanna.

  “The comm is still crunching the data,” said Kusac, turning round to pour some whitener into her mug. He looked at his wrist unit. “Another five minutes and it should be done.”

  Vanna came over to them,
accepting the stool that Jack had vacated for her. “Hmpf!” she said, picking up the mug and tasting the drink. A smile crossed her face. “I’d forgotten it could taste like this,” she said, tail flicking with pleasure.

  “The ones from the dispenser units just aren’t the same, are they?” said Kusac.

  “Definitely not,” she said, holding out a vial to Jack. “There’s Kaid’s sample. Once you’ve processed this, we’ve got a fair selection of DNA to compare with that of the latest ni’uzu victims. Thank goodness, it looks like the epidemic has burned itself out.”

  Kusac got down from his stool. “I’m going home now,” he said. “Carrie’s finished her therapy with Kaid, and Sashti’s come to visit. When shall I tell her you’ll be back?” he asked Vanna.

  “Oh, for third meal,” she said, sipping her drink with obvious pleasure. “I want to get the results from the DNA matching first. I hope to be able to confirm our first findings, that all the telepaths who contracted the mutated ni’uzu have had their Talents enhanced, and that these changes will be passed on to their children.”

  “Like us,” said Kusac.

  “Yes, and no,” said Jack, moving round behind Kusac to take his stool. “You mixed Leskas are still unique. We think some of our Brotherhood members may just be genetically compatible with you, but we aren’t sure, which is why we’re running a second set of tests.”

  “As for all the other telepaths,” said Vanna, “we know they’re not genetically compatible with you at all. They’re still normal Sholans.”

  “Father will be pleased to hear that news,” said Kusac. “Have we heard anything from the Brotherhood yet? Have they had anyone else down with the virus?”

  “I contacted Lijou,” said Vanna, “and he says there are no more cases. Perhaps their isolation in the Dzahai Mountains has kept the virus away from them.”

  “They’re not that isolated,” said Kusac. “We know they have a fair turnover of personnel going in and out on active service, as well as several full telepaths who can’t ever leave Stronghold.”

  “Perhaps it’s taking longer to reach them,” said Jack.

  “Perhaps,” agreed Vanna.

  “I’ll see you both later,” said Kusac, turning to go.