by Anna Carven
Riana opened her mouth to speak, but words escaped her.
“Kail doesn’t sleep a whole lot, and he doesn’t like failure.” Rykal’s voice held a trace of irony. “Although it’s the first time I’ve seen him so worked up about something. He’s an inscrutable bastard at the best of times.”
The blue-garbed woman approached their table, giving Rykal a wide berth. She watched him with a wary, fearful gaze. Riana shot Arin a questioning look.
A silver tray appeared, laden with a steaming pot of mint tea and several glasses.
Her friend just smiled. “Thank you, Dihya,” she said gently. “You really don’t have to go out of your way for us, and I’m so sorry for the disruption. We’ll be out of your hair soon, I promise. Translation, please.” A translator pod on the table repeated Arin’s words in some language that Riana didn’t even recognize.
The woman, Dihya, responded with an uneasy smile. She murmured something in her native tongue. Her voice was soft and demure, but for a split-second her eyes flashed, and Riana interpreted that as: hurry up and get the fuck out of my house.
“As long as you promise the aliens will leave my people alone and never return to this place.” The translator pod echoed her words, converting them to Universal.
“Tell her we’ll leave them in peace as long as they keep their word. But if anyone rats us out to the Earth authorities, I’ll disembowel them myself.”
“You see? There’s a reason I didn’t program your voice into the pod,” Arin rolled her eyes at Rykal. “You don’t have to go out of your way terrify the locals, my love. You’re intimidating enough as it is, and they distrust the authorities as much as we do. They won’t rat us out.” She turned to Dihya, offering her a reassuring smile as her legs moved under the table. Had she just kicked Rykal in the shin? “He says you have nothing to worry about. Translation, please.”
Appearing satisfied with Arin’s answer, Dihya nodded and retreated, glancing over her shoulder as she swept out of the room.
An amused snort escaped Rykal. Arin looked at him fondly. Riana shook her head.
Kail was nowhere to be seen.
Rykal turned his disconcerting amber gaze on Riana. “Looks like I was right to save you back there on the freighter,” he said softly, a strange look coming into his eyes. “The Dark One can thank me later.”
Riana had no idea what he was talking about, but then again, she had no idea about most things these days.
The only thing she knew for sure was that she had to get to the Underground, and for better or worse, Kail was coming with her.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“You’ll need to change your appearance.” Riana flipped on the light, blinking as she adjusted to her surroundings. The motel left a lot to be desired. It was spartan and functional, but the single bed dipped in the center, the carpet was a little bit threadbare, and there was a noticeable absence of any modern amenities.
There wasn’t even a basic kitchen bot or a beverage dispenser.
Those things didn’t bother Riana, though. As outdated as it was, this was one of the very few places in the city that accepted untraceable credits, and there was no way a dodgy old place like this would have bioscanners installed. That made it the best accommodation in town.
Riana and Arin had booked separate rooms, posing as vacationing friends. The automatic reception-bot in the lobby had accepted their bookings without requesting their bio-data, which was another reason why Riana had selected this place.
In order to avoid detection, Kail and Rykal had stolen into the city under the cover of night, entering through the windows. How they’d managed to scale the side of a twelve-story concrete building was beyond her comprehension, but when it came to Kordolians, she’d learned not to be surprised.
Just accept it. It was easier that way.
And now he was here. That was all that mattered.
An ancient creaking ceiling fan beat the air above their heads. The air in the room was warm and muggy, and she could barely breathe.
Maybe it was the heat, or maybe it was because Kail was standing too damn close to her. Ever since they’d left the outskirts of Tamanrasset, taking a discreet overland route to the the port city of Tangier, he’d been at her side, vigilant and menacing and irresistibly intense.
Kail was a man of few words, but for some reason he’d chosen to share his insights and observations with Riana on their land-vehicle journey across the desert. His first impressions of Earth had been blunt, merciless, and occasionally, quite funny.
Bit by bit, he’d grown on her, and her attraction to him had become a real, tangible thing.
Not that she would ever let him know about it, although sometimes she swore he knew what was on her mind, because a strange look would come into his eyes, and he would cock his head slightly, as if listening for something.
Impossibly, he was here with her now, looming beside her like a guardian shadow. “I have tolerated these foolish Human disguises ever since I left the Kill Zone. What more do you expect of me?”
“Um,” Riana hesitated, trying to figure out how to make her plan sound reasonable to a Kordolian. “Unfortunately, people in the Underground don’t dress like the desert people of Northern Africa. The Underground set have their own unique sense of style.”
Kail inclined his head, listening carefully. Riana was certain he wasn’t going to like what she said next, so she steeled herself. “You have to try and blend in a little bit more.”
To her surprise, Kail nodded. “I expected as much. Your people aren’t used to my kind.”
“You’d be a little bit conspicuous. Actually, that’s a bit of an understatement.” Although Earth had undergone a massive shift in the last century, opening its doors to aliens from all parts of the Ninth Sector, Kordolians were still considered the stuff of myths and legends. There was no way a Kordolian could walk around on the streets without causing a commotion, especially someone as big and intimidating as Kail.
“Hm.” He crossed his arms, his biceps and corded forearms flexing taut as he considered her words. An assortment of Kordolian weapons had materialized on his body, making him appear doubly menacing. Riana tried not to stare too much.
When Rykal had shown up with a small arsenal of Kordolian plasma guns and Callidum blades, Kail had actually almost looked happy.
But his weapons were not the kinds of things that would pass a standard security check on the public flyer network.
“We’ve got no choice but to hide our identities and enter London through one of the Trans-channel Tunnels. They haven’t logged your bio-sig, but as soon as they pick up mine, half the Enforcers in Greater London will be on our ass. It’s dicey stuff, but I’ve spoken to my brother Darius, and he thinks he’s figured out a work-around. He’ll be here soon.”
Kail gave her a blank look before shaking his head slightly. “Just tell me what I need to do.”
“Ah…” She hadn’t expected him to capitulate so easily. “We have some work to do. We need to figure out how to get you to pass for Human.”
Kail laughed. The sound was so unexpected that Riana stared at him for a little too long, wondering if Kail’s body had been taken over by some cheerful impostor.
It was a delicious, toe-curling sound, deep and throaty and rich. It blew Riana’s mind.
“You want me to try and pass for Human?”
“Uh-huh.” Looking up at Kail, she could see how he might find the idea amusing. There was nothing remotely Human about him. Asking him to try and imitate one of her kind was ridiculous, and yet… she could see how it might work.
All they needed to do was hide his pointed ears, change his eye color, cover his hair, conceal his fangs, and cover up those fascinating scars.
Oh, and change the hue of his striking silver skin to something a little more… Human.
Kail went quiet. He leaned in, pinning Riana with his amber stare. “Do you really think I could pass as a Human?”
“Not in a million years.”
Not to people like me, who know your true nature. “But the stranger who’s just going to run into you once or twice won’t know any better, as long as you don’t try and kill anybody.”
“It fascinates me, you know?”
“What?” Riana’s response was a little too sharp, but that was just how Kail made her feel. With him around, she was always on edge, a little bit excited and a little bit apprehensive.
But not afraid. Not anymore. Not since he’d snatched her from the jaws of death.
“The way your species resembles mine. Similar features, similar build, similar form. Not exactly the same, but close. And your differences are unique.”
“Differences?”
He took her hand into his. For the first time, his hands were bare, and as his skin brushed against hers, an electric jolt shot through her. A shiver ran down Riana’s spine, and warmth suffused her core.
“I’m trained to observe. It’s not often that I become interested in what I see, but in your case, that has happened.” He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. The pad of his thumb was rough and warm, but he was oh-so gentle.
Strange, that such a proficient killer could be like this; as hard and cold as ice, and yet with a hidden softness she never would have guessed at, not in a million years.
“What could possibly be so interesting?” Okay, she was hooked.
Kail stared at her hand for what seemed like an eternity. It didn’t bother Riana. She was enjoying the richness of this surreal moment. She was in awe of the fact that this powerful being could somehow find a Human like her… interesting.
“From what little I’ve seen of your planet, you are all ruled by your sun, and no matter how far you advance as a species, that will always be the case.” He lifted her hand, tracing its shape with his gaze. His eyes rose slowly, taking in her arms, her neck, her face. He consumed her with his eyes. “You are a child of the sun. When its light touches you, you become radiant.”
“Huh.” Riana’s legs felt like jelly. Her insides were melting. Her heart was going a hundred kilometers an hour. “You didn’t tell me you were a poet and a philosopher.”
“I’m merely an observer.”
“Well, I’m no mythical sun-child.” Riana was glad her complexion hid the fact that she was blushing. Where the hell was Kail pulling such exquisite compliments from? “There’s no sun in the Underground, and I used to live there.” The time she’d spent there had left her with a mild case of vitamin D deficiency and a notorious alter-ego.
“You shouldn’t shut yourself away from the light.”
“You’re probably right. You, on the other hand…”
“I’m a darkness dweller. Ultraviolet is poison to me.”
“So many similarities, yet we’re so different.”
“Hm.” Kail shifted, nodding towards the open window. “Come. There is something I want to show you.”
A thrill ran through her. What was he playing at now?
The window was actually a narrow set of double doors that opened onto a small balcony. “My brother will be here soon,” Riana protested, but her heart wasn’t in it.
After hearing about the trouble she was in, Darius and Erika had caught a fastflyer to Marrakesh. From there, it was just a quick hoverail ride to Tangier.
Darius would have no trouble arranging an unregistered Seadiver journey to the Trans-channel Tunnels.
Riana’s little brother had a knack for finding unorthodox—and not always legal—solutions to common problems. Although he held a Private Investigator’s license and a law degree, he didn’t really seem to use either qualification in the usual way. He didn’t have a registered practice, but he appeared to make decent money regardless, and he was always purchasing the latest gadget or alien tech import.
Actually, Riana didn’t really know what he did for a living. He was intentionally vague about that part, just like she was about her infotech dealings.
“Your sibling can wait,” Kail growled, interrupting her thoughts. “Come.” Now his request was more of a command, and his deep, rough voice did something strange to Riana, turning her insides to warm-and-fuzzy mush.
His insistence cut through her hesitation like a Callidum sword through butter. It wasn’t hard. Her reluctance was built of flimsy excuses; she’d resorted to hesitation unconsciously, almost as if it were a default position.
She didn’t really know why. She was dying to see whatever it was that Kail wanted to show her.
Wordlessly, she took his hand as he led her out onto the balcony. A draft of cool air hit her in the face as they stepped outside, blasting away the room’s sweltering atmosphere. It was salted with the tang of the Atlantic ocean, and Riana inhaled its freshness with delight.
Beside her, Kail was a quiet, unwavering enigma. He had her on an exhilarating knife’s edge, and she was eagerly anticipating what he would do next. Whenever she was with him, her world came to life in exquisite detail and texture. Colors became more vibrant. Food tasted better. The sights and smells of her unique planet were amplified to a glorious hyper-real intensity.
Shit, what was happening to her? Maybe this was the effect of all her recent near-death experiences.
Or maybe it was because she could never predict what Kail might do next.
He kept surprising her.
Kail crouched down beside her. “Get on.”
“What?”
“On my back. We are going up.”
“Where?”
“Trust me.” When he said it like that, with absolute, unwavering certainty, how could she refuse?
Kail glanced up towards the roof and Riana followed his gaze. The concrete walls of the old motel stretched up towards the cloudless night sky, dark and forbidding. A sole light shone from a curtained window above them, but most of the rooms were dark and empty.
Three stories separated them and the roof’s edge. A narrow, paved street stretched out below, dark and silent apart from the occasional hum of a bot-car. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked.
The night was blissfully quiet, and they were alone together.
“Why do you hesitate?”
Riana shook her head. “No real reason.” It was just the impossibility of the scenario hitting her in the chest like a silent shockwave, stealing the breath from her, stealing away all coherent thought.
Wordlessly, she climbed onto Kail’s back, curling her arms around his neck. She wrapped her legs around his lower torso and marveled in his powerful physique.
He could probably carry a hundred of her and not break a sweat.
Her booted foot brushed against a sheathed blade strapped to his thigh. There was a gun at his waist and several more small blades secured at various places on his body. His long sword had disappeared, presumably to make room for her.
Kail straightened to his full height. “Hold on.”
He jumped, and the next thing Riana knew, they were clinging to the concrete wall.
She stifled a scream, refusing to look down. “Are you trying to get me killed?” she whispered.
“Trust me,” he said again, and she had no choice but to do just that.
What else did you do when the person who asked you to trust him had already saved your life several times?
Kail started to climb, his muscles bunching and flexing underneath her. His breathing never changed; not even a grunt escaped him, and Riana marveled at the sheer power contained in his large frame. Somehow, he was using his hands to gain purchase in the solid concrete. There was something attached to his fingers… wait, did he have fucking claws?
Claws that could penetrate rock-solid walls… Of course he has those. It was surreal, but, Riana took it all in her stride.
There’s no point questioning it… just go with the flow. Your life’s already spiraling way out of control, and Kail’s not going to be the one who causes you harm.
What did he want with her? An electric thrill coursed through her, because the thought of Kail actually wanting her was almost too
crazy to contemplate.
She almost thought she’d seen heat in his gaze, but perhaps she’d just been imagining things.
Kail ascended rapidly, pulling them up towards the roof, and inch by impossible inch, they drew closer to the endless glittering canopy of stars above.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kail swung over the roof’s edge and set Riana on her feet. She composed herself quickly, but her dark eyes shone with excitement.
Good.
He liked her like this, slightly breathless and ready for anything.
“Follow me,” he said softly.
She regarded him with a calculating gaze. He could almost feel her mind working behind those bright, intelligent eyes.
How had he missed it?
Because she was a damn good deceiver, and she’d fooled him into thinking she was just another scared little Human.
She wasn’t. She was… complicated.
He led the way across the roof, keenly aware of Riana as she followed behind him. He tracked her footsteps with his acute hearing. She still favored her right leg somewhat, but her gait was improving. He listened to the faint rasp of her breathing, which provided a steady, rhythmic backdrop to the whisper of the cool ocean wind. He became enveloped in her scent, a heady mixture of sweetness and spice which was much like the intoxicating night aromas that emanated from every corner of this ancient sprawling town.
He’d gradually become aware of her effect on him; it had grown insidiously, and he hadn’t realized what was happening until it was already too late.
He’d been assigned as an unlikely protector, but somewhere along the line, duty had morphed into something else; something wild and undefined.
“Where are we going?” She walked cautiously in the darkness, following his lead with unwavering trust. He’d forgotten that her kind didn’t see so well in the absence of light. For Kail, the light from the crescent moon hanging in the sky was more than adequate.
It cast a pale, silvery sheen across the landscape, limning the hard edges of the buildings in cold light.
