by Lili Zander
There’s a box of makeup in the freshoom, which is really thoughtful of Nero. I take twenty minutes to do my face. I can’t decide what to do with my hair, so I put it up in a simple topknot. Evidently, I’m okay displaying an alarming amount of cleavage, but leaving my hair down is a bridge too far. What can I say? Cultural conditioning.
Finally, I’m ready. I come out to the living space, and Nero’s eyes glitter with heat. “I think I made a mistake,” he says. “Fuck the club. Let’s stay in, and I’ll peel that jumpsuit off your body, inch by inch.”
My nipples harden at his words. I shove my desire aside with ruthless determination. “It’ll have to wait,” I tell him cheerfully. “I’ve spent twenty minutes getting pretty. I’m ready to dance.”
Nero drapes a cloak over my shoulders. It’s white and feathered, and it makes me feel like a giant bird. “Birds are in fashion at the moment,” Nero explains as he fastens it in place. “Be glad you’re not wearing a pair of gigantic wings on your back.” He takes my arm. “Ready for adventure, Raven?”
I catch a glimpse of myself in his hallway mirror. I don’t look like a woman from the outer colonies. I look like a resident of the capital.
Despite everything that’s happening, my spirits rise. Starra is my new home, and tonight is going to be my first glimpse of it.
I’m absolutely ready for adventure.
7
Zeke
To say I’m conflicted about Adam is an understatement.
Adam and I grew up together, and we’d both left Zola Prime at roughly the same time. Saber recruited me into the Imperial Army, and Adam left to find his fortune in Starra.
That’s when our paths started to diverge.
Against all odds, we’d stayed friends. Whenever I was in the capital, I’d made it a point to catch up with Adam.
Along the way, there had been many signs that Adam was involved in an underground resistance movement. He traveled frequently, which didn’t make any sense for someone who ran a restaurant in the Deeps. He always knew what was happening in the upper echelons of the government. He was impossibly well-informed.
I’d pretended not to notice. More than that, I deliberately ignored every sign that something was not quite right. Asking questions would have revealed things that I, as an officer in the Imperial Army, should have done something about, and I chose to prioritize my friendship with Adam over my duty to the Empire.
Then Adam dropped his bombshell revelation. He was one of the leaders of Equality Pact, the largest rebel movement on Starra. He’d sent Ottar Thistle to Boarus 4 to find the virus.
If Equality Pact were to get its hands on the biological weapon, they would either use it or threaten to use it. They’ve already shown that they’re capable of violence to achieve their goals.
Equality Pact wants all sentients—vampires, humans, Oensi, Jowth, and Zaddyth—to have equal rights and be treated as full citizens of the Empire. I agree with their mission.
Just not how they go about it. Violence isn’t the answer. Threatening to deploy the virus robs them of any moral high ground they hold.
If there is an outbreak, billions could die.
Right now, the virus is transferred from human to vampire through blood. To stay safe, all a vampire has to do is make sure the blood they’re consuming isn’t contaminated. Right now, at least, there is no way for the virus to transfer from one vampire to another.
I have no doubt that this is a deliberate design decision. Levitan is a power-hungry psychopath, but he’s not irrational. He will not create a weapon that he cannot control.
Except, as Raven pointed out, viruses can mutate.
Adam gave us his location. He’s on Level 310 in Frostbloom Tower, all the way in Sector Three. At this time of the day, it’s faster to walk than take a skimmer, so Saber and I make our way there on foot.
“I’m surprised you’re coming with me.” I give Saber a sidelong look. “The last time we talked to Adam, you were pretty annoyed with him. If I remember correctly, you told him that if he didn't leave Equality Pact, you’d throw the full might of the Empire at him.”
“I’m not letting you go alone,” Saber replies. “Besides, as much as I hate to admit it, if it wasn’t for Adam’s warning, things on Boarus 4 might have gone very differently. Adam told us that Overlord Zimmer was working hand in hand with Harek Levitan to develop a weapon. Without his information, we might have acted very differently. We might have considered Raven a threat. We might have even arrested her and delivered her to Levitan.” He shudders at that thought. “I too owe Adam a debt of gratitude.”
We cross tower after tower, taking the moving walkways as we hurry toward Frostbloom. There’s a sense of urgency in our movements. Adam hadn’t told me any details on the comm. I don’t know who’s after him and why. But he’d looked and sounded afraid, and he doesn’t scare easily.
“I might also be responsible for the situation that your friend is in,” Saber continues after a long pause. “I told Adam to walk away from the Equality Pact, and now his life is in danger.”
Frostbloom Tower is an older tower, populated almost entirely by humans. Saber and I draw looks, but there’s nothing we can do about it. Stopping for a disguise would have taken time that we didn’t have.
We step into a chute and press the button for Level 310. When it lurches to a stop, and the doors slide open, we step out into darkness. The lack of light doesn’t bother us—vampires can see perfectly well in the dark—but is clearly intended to intimidate humans.
“Perhaps we should have stopped for more guns,” Saber murmurs.
“Hopefully, it won’t come to a shootout. We’re headed to a market filled with civilians.” We’re almost there. I can hear the hubbub of conversation.
Then we round a corner and stumble upon the night market where Adam pretends to be a harmless noodle-seller.
Colorful pennants hang from the rafters. The smell of human food is everywhere—ginger, garlic, chili, and mint. Children dart to and fro, weaving their way through the crowds. Stalls sell clothing, vegetables, fruits, seaweed, fish, meat, and more.
My nerves stand on edge. It’s too crowded here. Too chaotic. Anything can happen. The sooner we get Adam and get out, the better. “Come on,” I tell Saber. I’ve been here before; I know where Adam will be hiding. “This way.”
Adam is, as expected, in one of the beer gardens, a red cloak covering his head and obscuring his face. When he sees me, relief fills his face. “You’re here.”
“Did you really think I wouldn’t be?” I don’t sit down. “Let’s go.”
He shakes his head. “Not yet. I’m waiting for something.” He catches sight of my impatient look. “Trust me, it’s important.”
“Fine.” We sit down, and Meg Cassidy, the woman who runs the place, comes over with a tray of beer.
We each take a glass. “What’s going on, Adam?” I ask him bluntly. “You said your life was in danger. Who wants you dead?”
“Gregory Beloc.”
“The founder of Equality Pact.” Saber looks chagrined. “Because you wanted to leave?”
“That was only part of it.” He takes a long drink from his glass. “Right from the start, Gregory never liked me.”
“Why not?” Saber asks.
“I was friends with Zeke,” he says. “Gregory didn’t like vampires. I didn’t pass his purity test.”
Saber rolls his eyes. “An admirable sentiment from a man who founded an organization called Equality Pact.”
Adam nods. “It got worse when I started dating Ottar. Gregory became openly antagonistic. Then, he found out I told you about the weapon. He was having my comm monitored. He’s put a price on my head.”
He drains his glass. “I didn’t want to bother you, Zeke. I didn’t want to put you in an awkward place. But I’ve run out of money, and Gregory’s goons are very persistent.”
“Why not go to the local enforcers? They would've put you in protective custody.”
&nb
sp; Adam laughs bitterly. “The enforcers. That’s a joke. You don’t know how the Deeps work, do you, Colonel Hafsson? Enforcers don't care about humans. Do you know how many people have gone missing in the last three months from Frostbloom alone? More than two thousand. But because they’re whores and junkies and pimps, nobody cares. A pretty vampire girl goes missing, the enforcers will wreck the Deeps to find her. But our missing doesn’t even get a mention on the holo-networks.”
Saber looks troubled. This is exactly the kind of thing that chafes at him. “Two thousand people have gone missing, and nobody’s doing anything?”
“Vampires don’t care about humans.”
I want to respond to that and tell him that things will be different when Empress Astrid gains power. But the words freeze on the tip of my tongue. If Levitan gets his own way, then things will only change for the worse for everyone in the Deeps.
A kid, no more than five, runs up to Adam and hands him a tablet. “Thank you,” Adam says with a smile, giving her a piece of candy. She takes it with a disarming grin and runs off into the crowds.
He turns back to us. “I’ve been compiling a list of missing people, but even before Gregory ordered a price on my head, it’s been difficult work. Residents of the Deeps are suspicious of strangers. They don’t like people asking too many questions, and they avoid enforcers at all costs.”
“Is that what’s on the tablet?”
He nods. “As much as I’ve been able to find, yes.”
“Good.” My unease gets stronger. “Then let’s go. The sooner we get you to Saber’s apartment, the better.”
Saber looks over my shoulder at the walkway across the market. “Too late,” he says. “Looks like the hired muscle is here.”
I turn around. A dozen men and women march into the night market. They haven’t caught sight of us yet, but it’s only a matter of time.
That shootout I was hoping to avoid? Looks like we’re having it anyway.
8
Nero
The Deeps are hopping tonight. There’s a line outside Mirage, but the bouncer working the door recognizes me and waves me in.
Inside, it’s loud, almost overwhelmingly so. I pull Raven close, and we weave our way to the bar. The bartender is a human in his sixties. He’s a big guy, for a human. His head is shaved bald, and his face is tattooed, and he looks like he could go into an explosive rage at any moment.
I know better. Mitch has a calm, steady disposition. You’d have to, working at Mirage.
“Hey, Mitch,” I greet him. “Raven, Mitch makes the best drinks in Wyvern Tower. What’s your pleasure? A Crazy Slammer? A Cloudy Giant? A Galaxy Sandblaster? A Flaming Crusher?”
She starts laughing. “I don’t know what any of those drinks are. You pick.”
“She’ll have a Galaxy Sandblaster, Mitch. And a beer for me.”
Mitch mixes up the drink and hands the frothy pink concoction to Raven. I take my beer, pay the credits for a corner table, and we take our seats.
Right now, the concerns of the Empire, as pressing as they are, seem very far away, and that’s just the way I want it. I’m having a drink with a woman I’m crazy about. I don’t want to think about Harek Levitan or Adam Masev or anyone else.
Raven tries the Sandblaster. “What do you think of it?” I ask her.
“It’s tart,” she says, sounding surprised. “I thought it’d be sweet.” She takes another sip. “Delicious.”
My lips twitch. “Fair warning, Mitch’s drinks pack a punch.”
“Oh, that’s trouble. I can’t even taste the alcohol in this.” She grins easily. “I might get drunk, and then you’ll have to carry me home.”
“Not a problem. I draw the line at holding your hair back when you’re sick.”
She pouts adorably. The Sandblaster’s working already. “That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair, sweetheart. Come on, finish your drink.” The band launches into an exuberant, foot-tapping melody. “Let’s dance.”
We find a spot on the floor, and I pull Raven to me, her back to my chest. We sway in time to the music.
The club is busy. I can see pockets of vampires among the humans. They’re well-dressed and wear the insignia of several prominent vampire families. Rich young men and women, out for a night of slumming in the Deeps. The hair on the back of my neck rises.
Raven feels me tense. “Do you know them?”
“I recognize the type,” I murmur into her ear. “They like to cause trouble, and they think they’re above the law. Stay close to me.”
“I have to,” she admits ruefully. “That drink was a lot stronger than I thought. I’m a little unsteady on my feet.”
I smile at her plaintive tone. I’m not worried about safety; the security forces that Mazer Basaran put on us are scattered through the club. At least a dozen vampires and humans are in Mirage tonight, all making sure the two of us are safe. I’m glad. I’m not concerned about my well-being; I’m tough and trained, and I’ve been taking care of myself for a very long time, but Raven is human, fragile, and easy to kill.
And infinitely precious.
“The last time I was in Mirage,” I tell her, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing her neck, “I got into a fight with one of the heirs of Family Barinsky.”
“What happened?”
“He used compulsion on a human woman and forced her to suck his dick. So, I cut it off.”
“What?” She pivots to face me, her expression shocked. “You cut off his dick?”
I shrug. “Seemed like the fairest thing to do. Unfortunately, his family has a lot of money. He had reconstructive surgery.” An evil grin fills my face. “Word around Starra is that his equipment just doesn’t work the same way anymore.”
She puts her arm around my waist. “If you’re going to cut off any dicks tonight, warn me first. I’m squeamish around that much blood.”
That is not what I thought she’d say. Raven always takes me by surprise.
The two of us sway to the rhythm of the music. As we dance, I kiss her neck and nibble her earlobes. She’s instantly responsive. She laughs huskily and pushes back into me, grinding her ass against my cock. “Brat,” I accuse her.
She grinds into me again. She knows the effect that she’s having on me, and she’s doubling down, and I love it.
“Is this a challenge?” I trail my finger down her cleavage and glide my thumb over her nipples. They harden and swell with need. “Because I’m game for this.”
I lave the shell of her ear with my tongue. She moans, a soft whisper that goes straight to my cock. I slide my fingers inside her top and stroke her swollen nipples. “Nero,” she gasps. “People will see.”
My kiss captures that gasp, and she moans into my mouth. “Sweet Raven, look around,” I tell her when I pull myself away. “Nobody gives a fuck what we do on the dance floor.”
Her eyes sweep the room. We are not the only couple making out. In the center of the floor, three vampires are groping each other. Their clothes are on, but they might as well be naked for the restraint they’re showing. In the shadows, across from us, a vampire woman is on her knees in front of a human man. “Is she…” Raven asks, her mouth falling open. “Are they doing what I think?”
“Yes, she’s sucking his cock.” I twirl Raven and pull her into my chest. “It’s Sector Zero on Starra. These are the Deeps. Anything goes.” I tip her chin up. “Are you shocked?”
“A little.” Her eyes are very bright. She might be shocked, but she’s also turned on.
“Do you want to leave? It wasn't my intent to make you uncomfortable.”
She shakes her head immediately. “Oh no,” she says. “I'm finding this club very educational.” Her eyes twinkle with wicked amusement. “Do you want me to suck your cock here, Nero?”
My cock loves that thought.
She laughs breathlessly. “Do you want me to unfasten the jumpsuit and bare my breasts to the room?”
I growl, deep in my throat.
“I don’t think so.” I slant my lips over hers, tasting her sweetness, savoring the way she melts into me. Her moan is music to my ears. I don’t need a Galaxy Sandblaster; I’m drunk on Raven.
She puts her hands on my ass and tugs me closer. I can smell her arousal, hear her quickened pulse. If I don’t have her soon, I will explode. I will throw her down on the dance floor and take her in the middle of the room. Even I know that would be a very bad idea. I lift my mouth from hers, fighting my way through the fog of lust. “Let’s find somewhere more private.”
I guide her to a secluded corridor. Doors open off either side. I know the layout of Mirage like the back of my hand. The doors at the far end of the corridor lead to the storage room and to the kitchen, and the door next to us lead to the band’s changing room.
Raven pushes me against the wall. “Nero, I want you,” she whispers, her eyes hot with need. “You’re driving me wild.”
“Not as wild as you drive me.” I loosen her topknot, and the silky strands of her hair tumble loose around her shoulders. I twine my fingers through them, tugging lightly, and she hisses out a breath.
I’m about to lower my head and suck on those tempting nipples when I hear a sound.
A vampire half-supports, half-drags a human woman into the far end of the corridor.
At first glance, they look just like us, two people who are hot and heavy for each other. But even from this distance, I can see that something’s not quite right. The woman looks drugged, not lust-addled. She’s having difficulty standing up. Her eyes are glazed.
“Well, well, well. Look what we have here.” Anticipation pulses through me. My desire for Raven has kept my hot surge of rage at bay, but it comes back in full swing now. Harek Levitan threatened my mother. I’ve been wanting to beat someone to a pulp ever since he mentioned Fateh.
