by Неизвестный
“Since we are already here, I thought I may ask around if there is a job for us,” he explained. “We should be done soon, and Cetra is still too hot for us to go back.”
“I see what you mean.” She turned off the small unit. “I am assuming you know where to go.”
He nodded. “Do you want to go with me?”
Alana blinked. “Do I need to?”
“You don’t have to, but if you are going to work for us, it’s the easiest way to spread the word.”
That sounded logical. “Okay. Give me a second.”
* * * *
“Where are we going?” she asked once they were outside the web-like structure of the spaceport. A cautious glance around didn’t show any difference between this place and Cetra. Same low-level bars, tacky shops. Okay, there was one big difference. Cetra was way more upscale than this dump, Governor Carver having some standards even when it was about which mercenaries and pirates he allowed on his planets.
“Tosee Dis.”
She racked her brains for the name. “I heard of him. Trebolian, right? He is known for backing up some shady deals. There were also rumors that he screwed up some mercenaries.”
“You have got it. He is not the ideal choice, but he is the one that is likely to offer the most money. Besides,” Damian’s eyes flashed as he continued, “he should know better than to try and screw with me.”
Alana slowly nodded. That should be enough initiative. A yelling Asanti, his four limbs flailing in the air, stomped past them in pursuit of a running Dageru, who was clutching something to his chest. They had to pause when there was a loud bang from their left side, and seconds later, a man flew through the door, landing at their feet.
Damian neatly sidestepped him. “Now you know why we don’t visit very often.”
“I’ll say,” Alana muttered, positioning herself behind him. His bigger size and dangerous air made it easy for him to find his way through the crowd.
They entered a bar that looked pretty much like the ones they passed. It was a little less than half full, but its patrons were a much quieter bunch. There was an Asanti behind the bar.
Alana’s gaze went to the bottles stacked behind him. Her brows rose. She whistled.
“Expensive stuff.”
“Like I said, Dis is known for brokering big-moneyed jobs,” Damian commented, crossing over to the shank.
“Hi, Lilt. Is Dis upstairs?”
The guy’s black eyes stared coldly at them. “I don’t know. Who asks?”
“Red Star.”
The guy’s manner thawed an inch.
“Go upstairs, then. He should be free.”
Damian nodded, pulling Alana behind him. She let him do all the talking, drinking in their surroundings. Predictably, they were thoroughly frisked and scanned before they were allowed to go to the big boss.
Once they were inside the opulent room, a pretty nondescript guy came to greet them.
“Damian. Good to see you again. You haven’t been around.”
Damian shrugged. “You know how it is.”
“Come on and sit. I happen to have something you would be interested in.”
“Oh?” Damian’s voice was cool. He followed their host to sit on the velvet-upholstered couch across from him. There was a low coffee table between them. Seemingly relaxed, Dis resumed his position on the other couch. Alana idly wondered where the cameras were hidden. Dis had to have a way to contact his bodyguard outside if his business partners became violent.
Or if he needed to dispose of a body. There were at least four concealed stun guns. She settled next to Damian, putting enough distance between them so that they both should be able to stand up and fight.
“Let’s hear it then.”
Dis’s gaze went to Alana.
“Lovely choice, Damian. Do you want to leave her with my men? I can understand not wanting to leave her downstairs, but she will be safe with Dakar.”
Alana kept her mild expression. She was seething inside. The idiot mistook her for a piece of fluff.
Damian gave her a warning glance.
“That won’t be necessary, though I thank you for your offer. But, you see, there is no need for that. She is with me.” He put enough emphasis on the last words for Dis to understand the implications.
Dis frowned. He had obviously picked up on Damian’s meaning but didn’t appear to be happy with it.
Damian’s smile vanished.
“Come on, Dis. You don’t care how we accomplish our job, only that it is accomplished. Correct?”
“That is…true. Although,” Dis’s gaze sharpened as he continued,
“what’s with the Senhani? You and Kalien splitting up?”
Dis dealt in information. Any information, and considering both Damian’s and Kalien’s reputations in the business, this one could actually have a pretty high price.
Still, it rankled to be dismissed as a brainless piece of candy.
Senhani were not stupid. Oh, sure, they were free and inventive with sex, more so than many races. But they had long ago learned to sell it successfully, choosing partners among the most influential or capable persons. And they could afford to be choosy about whom to sell to.
She smiled sweetly at Dis, careful not to show teeth. She leaned over Damian, practically falling into his lap, and purring, she gave his earlobe a long, sensuous lick. Fangs flashed.
Dis flinched. It was a very satisfying reaction, Alana thought smugly. She pressed her breast into Damian.
“She isn’t Senhani, not fully.”
Crap. Damian was interfering with her fun. She pouted.
Dis obviously knew enough to put together pieces of the puzzle.
“That’s Smoke?” Smoke was the codename Alana used, the one she was going by as a mercenary. It was a widely known name. The name of a dangerous woman.
“Yes.”
Dis relaxed. His gaze turned speculative. “That’s something else. You didn’t warn me about her.”
“I didn’t get a warning, either,” Damian mumbled under his breath. “You will get three of us, so it’s not like you can complain. I’ll even keep the same price.”
It was more than generous since Alana certainly drove their usual price up. It made her raise her eyebrows at Damian. Dis must be paying very well.
She playfully nipped at his ear. “You will have to compensate me for that.” She purred.
“I am sure I’ll think of something.”
Chapter 5
Her communicator beeped. She snatched it from her belt then checked the caller ID.
“Kalien?”
“It’s me.”
Kalien’s voice was muffled. “I was wondering where the two of you are?”
Alana glanced at her surroundings.
“We are still at the bar. We are done with negotiating, but Damian met someone. They are still talking.”
“You will be back soon?”
Alana craned her neck to check on Damian. He appeared to be in the middle of conversation, but he would probably warn her if he planned to stay longer, instead of just sending her for a drink. “Hard to say. I think so.”
Kalien disconnected.
Alana put her communicator back and turned back to her drink. She ordered Borelian Blue, something Andraxi usually drank. Alana appreciated the beverage, but it wasn’t easy to find, which was why she decided to order it. However, once she took her first sip, she regretted it. It had a damn funny taste. She frowned at it. What the…
Her stomach suddenly queasy, she bolted for the back door. Her vision blurred. The slap of cold air outside brought her temporary relief.
“Gods.” She groaned, leaning back on the building’s wall.
“Hello, pretty girl.”
Her head snapped up. She narrowed her glance at three men who were blocking her exit.
“Whatever you are thinking, don’t do it.”
“Relax. We are not going to hurt you.”
She rolled her eyes. The guy w
as big and obviously stupid.
“Of course not.” She wasn’t going to let them.
She crouched, hissing at them, a typical battle stance for Andraxi.
“She is not fully Senhani.”
“She is close enough.”
That did it. She launched herself at the shortest one, the one who was standing somewhat on her left side.
Her sudden attack managed to take him down. She hit him twice, hard, in parting before rolling away. The remaining two closed in on her. She kicked, hitting one of them between his legs, which meant he was effectively out for the count. Now there was only one, though the first one was staggering to his feet.
Alana smirked. When she tried to hit him, he caught her wrist. She jumped, avoiding his fist, but he was still holding her fast. She scowled. Yanked.
The trick worked since he lost his balance, but not entirely. He took her with him. They both landed in a heap on the hard ground.
“Fuck.” Her head was spinning. That was not good.
A shadow fell over her. She tensed, readying herself for the attack.
“Back down, pal. We saw her first.”
“You are wrong.”
Damian. She closed her eyes in relief. When she opened them again, it was to the sight of emerald eyes staring at her. Damian was crouching next to her. He frowned at her expression. “Are you all right?”
Something in her belly twisted.
“I am going to be sick,” she warned, and rising on all fours, she was.
“Shh.” Damian’s hand massaged her neck, taking her hair from her face.
“What was that?”
“I didn’t like that drink.”
“It was probably spiked. They wanted to capture a Senhani. Heard the price for one is pretty steep.”
“It is. But the government usually frowns at kidnapping Senhani from their soil. It has nasty political consequences.”
Alana had personally participated in extracting Senhani from buyers more than once. It usually ended in an unpleasant way for the buyer. Senhani’s most lucrative exporting goods were their people. They frowned on others stealing their merchandise.
Damian pulled her up. She gasped then leaned heavily on him. Her legs were wobbly.
“Let’s go back to the ship.”
Alana was too miserable to nod. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard this evening.”
She felt herself being lifted and let her head fall on Damian’s shoulder.
“I have got you,” Damian said, his voice soft. Alana let herself be lulled into sleep by the sound of his heartbeat. His arms tightened protectively around her. She felt utterly relaxed and comfortable in his arms.
A loud beep roused her from sleep. She blinked sleepily, recognizing the hallways of Red Star. So they were back on the ship.
“You can put me down now.”
“I don’t think so.” Damian retorted. Lights flared in the room. Kalien showed in the doorway.
“I was wondering where the heck the two of you were…” He cut himself off. “What happened?”
Alana was struggling to stay awake. “I ate something that didn’t agree with me,” she muttered. The room was spinning in front of her eyes. Dimly, she was aware of Kalien standing next to her. She was lowered to her feet and had to grab Kalien to steady herself. “Oops,” she muttered sheepishly. Kalien frowned at her then looked at Damian.
Damian snorted. “You could say that,” he agreed dryly.
He wrapped an arm around her waist. Seconds later, Kalien’s arm joined her. Their fingers intertwined. Warmth spilled into her chest. She sighed.
Both men looked at her in concern.
“Are you all right?” Kalien asked, peering at her face.
She nodded, inhaling their mixed scent. “I need a shower. Other than that, it will pass.”
Her eyelids were drooping. She was ready to pass out. She heard Damian mutter something and barely suppressed sounds of protest when his warmth disappeared.
“Here. You hold her,” Damian said in a tense voice.
“What?” She forced her eyes open only to see Damian disappear through the door.
“Come here.” Kalien tugged at her. She followed him without resistance. Then they were in the bathroom. Damian had discarded his coat and boots and now was turning water on in the shower stall. “She is right. I honestly think she will feel better after this.”
Alana didn’t object when they stripped off her clothes. She was handed to Damian, Kalien pausing outside the shower stall to get rid of his own clothes before joining his lovers under the spray. He gasped.
“That’s hot.”
“She likes it,” she heard Damian answer. He was carefully holding Alana under the cascade of water. She was snuggled down happily against him.
“So, what happened?” Kalien’s hand carefully pulled her hair to one side.
“Someone recognized what she is.”
Kalien frowned, reaching for a soap bottle. “Andraxi.”
“You wish,” Alana mumbled. “The other me.”
Kalien looked to Damian, one eyebrow raised in question for clarification.
“Senhani are very expensive in the slave market. A group of guys tried to get her. They must have had an accomplice in Dis’s place since I haven’t seen them outside, and they put something in her drink.”
Alana sighed. Kalien’s hands, slicked with scented soap, caressed her skin. His thumb pressed into her tensed muscles, making slow circles. She felt her body relax. Her eyes closed from their own volition.
“That’s nice,” she commented happily. “Don’t stop yet.”
“Kalien is very good at this.”
She opened one eye to peer at Damian. “You would know.”
Kalien pinched her butt.
“Ow! What was that for?”
“No talking about me like I am not here. Turn her around, Damian,” Kalien admonished.
Damian complied, making her pivot to face Kalien. Warm hands encircled her waist. She felt him drop a quick kiss on her bare shoulder.
“How bad was that drink?”
“I think it was a mixture of everything. They didn’t have time to come up with a good plan.”
Alana struggled to concentrate.
“Something to incapacitate her and to make her pliant.”
That spiked another wave of indignation.
“They fed me an aphrodisiac!”
She was still seething from the way Dis treated her, even after he recognized her. That was one reason she preferred to work only with people who knew her well. They didn’t care how she looked, only what she did.
There was a pause, filled only with the soft thrumming of running water. Alana closed her eyes.
“They did?” Kalien’s voice. He stopped his ministrations. Damian chuckled behind her, the sound vibrating through his body. She shivered.
“Don’t get your hopes up. Senhani are immune to aphrodisiacs.”
“They are? You are?” This was obviously a new piece of information for Kalien. Not for Damian, though. She briefly wondered how, when, and why Damian got it in his possession. After all, you couldn’t accidentally stumble onto the fact that most aphrodisiacs wouldn’t work on Senhani.
“Disappointed?” she asked playfully. The chemicals were wearing off. She felt more like herself.
Kalien grinned.
“A little. Aphrodisiacs can be fun. How am I to get you in bed?”
“I would like to point out that you didn’t have any problems to date.”
“Oh. Right. I was just making sure.”
“Feel better?”
Kalien pulled back, letting her rinse. She whimpered when Damian did the same.
“Shh, we are here.” Kalien soothed her, taking Damian’s place. She buried her face in his chest, taking a deep breath of his scent. He smelled clean, masculine, familiar.
“Damian. Come here.” Kalien spoke up. Seconds later, she was trapped between the two of them. It was oddly comforti
ng.
“Yes, that’s nice. Stay like this,” she murmured, melding her body to theirs. In the back of her mind, she realized she truly meant it, and not just right now. She wanted to stay. Not with one, but with both of them. Not for a short time, or for any finite time. She wanted them always. Her dark and her light. Her two loves.
She closed her eyes and retreated into the blissful warmth.
Chapter 6
Alana wasn’t willing to accompany Damian to pick up their assignment the next day. Instead, she stayed with Kalien while he prepared the ship for takeoff.
“All clear,” Kalien reported, looking over his console. He frowned at his watch.
“Damian is late.”
“Don’t fret. I am here.” Damian showed up in the hallway that led to the command room of the ship. He shrugged out of his coat, depositing it on his seat.
“Is that it?” Alana asked, staring curiously at the brightly colored, sealed tube. The mercenary ships were sometimes contracted to carry cargo or passengers. Sometimes, though, they dealt in information. A hard copy would be sealed into the tube and loaded onto the ship. It was primitive but effective since those who pursued it didn’t feel compelled to ransack the ship or torture couriers. This was business. Personally, Alana avoided either carrying or retrieving information. If something was valuable enough to be transported this way, chances were someone was willing to go quite far to get it. Carrying cargo, live or dead, was a much simpler, though inelegant, way of doing business.
Damian shrugged. “That’s it. We are taking it to Celestra.”
Kalien whistled. “That’s a long way from here.”
“Precisely. That’s why they pay us so much.”
“A long trip means more chances for us to be attacked.”
“True. I don’t think it’s anything we can’t handle, though.” Damian snorted, disappearing into the next room to return with a steaming mug in his hand. He took a sip. “Moreover, I don’t think Dis would have given us this if he didn’t think the same. We don’t deliver the goods, he isn’t going to get paid.”
Kalien picked the tube up and weighted it in his hand.
“I wonder what’s inside,” he commented, casting a hopeful glance at Alana. She was puzzled. Damian seemed to know what Kalien wanted. His expression grew alarmed. He quickly got up, his drink sloshing, and snatched the tube from Kalien’s hands.
