The guard nodded, a cruel glint in his eyes as he stepped aside and gestured to the door. “I’ll see to it personally.”
Everyone in the room silently watched Metron leave.
Rani looked at The Overlord knowingly. “You’re not giving him sanctuary, are you?”
The Overlord stroked the head of his latest flesh toy, making the man at his feet writhe in ecstasy and rub against his robes. “Whatever makes you think that, warrior?”
“I’ve seen the special guest room.”
“Ah. Well, he bores me. Too easy to scare, too easy to rile, and a coward. He’s better off feeding my demons than being in my home.” The Overlord gestured to her. “Come close. Let me look at you.”
Rani’s lips compressed and her eyes narrowed.
The Overlord smiled mirthlessly. “Not for anything carnal, warrior. I think you’ve gotten enough of that with my space pirate.” When she didn’t flinch but kept her gaze steady on his, satisfaction filled him. This Reeka was no coward and he could count on her to be truthful with him. Two qualities that were important to him. And loyalty, yes she was loyal to him now, tied to him as she was through her ties with Fredrico and Veknor. “Come here and let me see you.”
At the reworded request, Rani strode forward, passing Fredrico who, even though he appeared emotionless, was watching closely.
Ah, Fredrico, his space pirate, deadly and a true thinker. Silent. A power source that pleased him greatly. The Overlord felt a lot of satisfaction today and it put him in an unusually expansive mood.
When Rani stopped a few feet from him, he studied her. Yes, there was something his Reeka was unhappy about, something that troubled her, and he wanted to know what it was, needed to know, in fact. “What worries you?”
“When you look at me, what do you see?”
“In what context? I see many things when I look at you.”
“One glance if you didn’t know me.”
“Reeka.”
“That man knew what I was as soon as he saw me.” Rani spoke quietly. “I’ve been taken from my people, from any chance of joining them. I don’t want word of me being here to get back to them.”
“Because they’ll come looking for you.”
“Yes. And you’ll capture or kill them.” Her green eyes darkened, orange running through them. “I said goodbye to my sister. She thinks I’m dead. She’ll take that message back to all my sister warriors. I want them to believe I’m dead.”
“Cutting ties with family? Dear me, how sad.” And how it made his wretched heart leap in joy.
She ignored his sarcasm. “You have me.”
“And I like the way you look just fine. Fredrico likes the way you look.” The Overlord glanced over his shoulder into the depths of the shadowed hood. “Veknor likes you just the way you look.”
“So look all you want,” she replied har [e rthe shshly. “But I will appear different to others.”
Leaning back in the throne, The Overlord regarded her thoughtfully. Rani had the legendary beauty the Reekas were known for, the height, the strength, and she wore her Reeka clothes with unconscious pride. The silver armband on her upper left arm was one all Reeka warriors wore.
“I like beauty,” he said bluntly. “I like beauty around me. You have what I like and need, beauty, strength and power.”
“Father,” a soft voice chided. “There are ways of having beauty without causing problems.”
Everyone turned to the door, and true happiness filled The Overlord’s cold, slowly beating heart as the robed, veiled woman entered the room with grace. He didn’t even care that the grim-faced man following was his detested son-by-marriage. All he cared about was his beloved daughter.
“Learta.” When she drew close enough, he raised his arms and drew his adopted daughter into a loving embrace.
Learta, the only person he truly cared about, truly loved, and who understood him like no other and loved him back regardless. She hugged him back, and he felt her joy at seeing him seep into his coldness.
His gaze went to the man standing against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Cormac’s cold eyes were studying Rani, and she, in turn, was looking at him in disbelief.
“A bloody bounty hunter? Here?” In one swift move, she had the laser drawn and aimed at Cormac’s heart. “Where’s the rest of your mangy pack, Cormac?”
“Stand down,” The Overlord ordered. Oh my, yes, the Reeka pleased him enormously.
“My ex-pack is somewhere,” Cormac drawled. “And no longer hunting you, Rani, or your tribe.” His gaze raked over her. “Did you forget your tribe has been pardoned and lives freely now?”
“I bet that just cuts deep,” she snarled.
“You have no idea.”
Fredrico stepped up beside Rani in silent, deadly support. Cormac obviously recognized it, for his expression grew thoughtful.
“Veknor.” Learta nodded to the dark mystic standing so still behind the Overlord. “You are well?”
“Yes.” The dry rasp was audible to all.
Fredrico’s lips tightened and Rani’s hand brushed his as she turned slightly. Anyone who didn’t know what to look for would have thought it was a coincidence, but The Overlord knew she was giving Fredrico the same silent support that he’d just given her.
Satisfied beyond all measure, The Overlord looked up at Learta, her hand still in his white grip. “What brings you here, daughter?”
“Just visiting, Father.”
“You never ‘just visit’ unless you have an agenda.” The Overlord’s regard slipped past her to narrow goadingly onto Cormac. “Does your man wish to enter my service?”
Cormac’s lip curled. If the man wasn’t wed to his beloved Learta and openly worshipped the very round she walked on, The Overlord would have drawn and quartered him a long time ago. Then again, Cormac would never have entered the Inner Sanctum of the Outlaw Sector if The Overlord hadn’t brought him here just that once, and barring that, if he hadn’t met Learta. The Overlord would never have had the annoyance of meeting him in the first place. Too late now.
“Fathe ["+0 har,” Learta chided again. “Cormac is my husband.”
“Please, don’t remind me of that.”
The bastard actually had the gall to grin at him. The Overlord looked away to regard his cherished daughter. “So why are you here?”
“Visiting, as I said.”
“You have an ulterior motive.” It was his turn to chide her. “Truth.”
He couldn’t see her smile behind the veil that covered her scars, but her eyes crinkled at the corners and amusement was evident in her tone. “I felt the disturbance in the air. I came to check all was well. I came to check that Veknor was all right.” She looked briefly at Veknor before turning her gaze to Rani. “And to see that your warrior is all right.”
Rani returned Learta’s gaze assessingly.
“The warrior is fine,” The Overlord stated. “Powerful. I have a power source right here that is most beneficial.”
“I know. It would do well to keep your power source happy.”
“What do you mean?”
“You tease the Reeka mercilessly.” Learta looked again at Rani. “Go, change your clothes. You cannot change your face or your bearing, but you can look less like a Reeka and more like one of The Overlord’s fighters.”
It amused The Overlord when Learta gave orders countermanding his. It amused him even more when Rani looked at him, startled.
“Go.” He waved his hand. “You are fortunate that I am in a good mood. Do what you wish to change your appearance, but know this, Reeka, I will not have you changing too much. I like you just as you are.”
Learta rolled her eyes.
“Everyone go. I want to spend time with my daughter. Veknor, take my latest toy with you and tie him to my bed.” Ignoring the door as it closed, he turned his full attention to his daughter. “How long can you stay?”
“It depends.” Perching on the armrest of his throne, Learta
rested her arm on his shoulder. “What are you planning, Father?”
“The Darknen. It is no secret there is hate between us. He is a power-thirsty bastard and I mean to curb his little rebellion.”
“His is powerful.”
“I am more so, especially now.”
“He has a secret weapon.”
“Really?” The Overlord patted her knee comfortingly through the thick robes. “So do I.”
“Why did you change Veknor into a dark mystic?”
“Veknor was dying. I needed a new vessel. The timing was right.”
“And Rani?”
“Now, Learta, you know I needed her. She was chosen a long time ago, my dear, and the time was ripe to reclaim her.”
“Leaving her sister to die?”
He shrugged.
Learta sighed. “Father, it would have been kinder to kill Ceri outright. You knew she was alive in that ice, that she wouldn’t die when she thawed. Hibernation doesn’t work like that. She would have been at the mercy of anyone who came upon her once her position was unguarded.”
“Kindness isn’t in me and how she survived was not my problem.” The Overlord regarded her curiously. “You know Ceri.”< [i.arded./p>
“We’ve met.”
“Really.” Interest sparked insi
de him. “And?”
“Her destiny is not with you or the Inner Sanctum.”
“You don’t approve of what I’ve done.”
“No.”
“It’s of no concern to you.” The Overlord patted her knee again. “You will always be safe.”
“Cormac looks after me well.”
The Overlord scowled. “I look after you.”
She laughed softly.
“Show some respect for your father.” But as usual he couldn’t be angry with her, not his beloved Learta. “Girl, your hunter doesn’t keep the ropes tight on you.”
“You never could either.”
The Overlord smiled with true affection.
“So.” Learta subsided against him and leaned her head against his. “I’m glad to see you, Father.”
He gave her a squeeze. “You know you’re always welcome here, daughter. I am glad to see you, too.”
In Learta’s presence The Overlord could truly relax. She brought calmness, peace, a soothing presence to the dark undercurrents that forever ebbed and flowed inside him. She even quelled the cruelty inside him for a short time. He considered the day she came to him as a tiny babe the best day of his long, lonely, bloodthirsty life.
Chapter 11
Fredrico was sitting in the chair in Veknor’s chamber. As usual, everything was half in shadow. Veknor stood silently by the far wall, his fingers holding a crystal rose. The shadows were such that Fredrico couldn’t make out if the seemingly dry, taut skin of his friend’s fingers were an illusion or not. Even by squinting his eyes, he couldn’t see properly. When he tried to see more, the shadows deepened and a hazy, demonic form rose on the wall behind Veknor.
Protected by what were now his demons, Veknor turned his hooded head briefly in Fredrico’s direction, and the twin red flares of his eyes showed through the darkness of his hood.
Picking up the goblet of wine, Fredrico took a sip and resolved to maintain normalcy, though that was a laugh in this cursed place. “I’m surprised you took Rani in hand with this obsession to change herself.”
“You don’t approve?” There was a faint, dry whistle in Veknor’s voice.
“I like her just the way she is.”
“And if she changed?”
Fredrico took another sip and rolled the fragrant liquid around his mouth before swallowing. “She won’t change.”
“So sure.”
“She’s Rani.”
“And if she gets badly hurt? Burned? Scarred?”
Fredrico looked into the dully burning fire in the hearth. “She’s Rani.” God forbid it ever happened, but who knew what the future held? All he knew for sure was that no matter what happened, he’d love her.
Love? He nearly choke ^i.areld?d on the wine. Where the hell had that come from?
Veknor’s abrupt laugh was like the snapping of dry kindling, startling and over before Fredrico even had a chance to wonder at it. Glancing up sharply, he saw his friend’s head turned away again.
“Do you understand her choice?” Veknor asked.
“Yes.” He understood even though he’d never had to cut ties to family, because the family he did have, especially his Uncle Cy, were damned proud that one of their own worked for The Overlord. It was just that they had no idea what it was like.
“Do you support it?”
Focusing on the ruby depths of the wine, he replied firmly, “I do. Whatever choices Rani makes, I will stand by her.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
The quiet words had Fredrico looking up sharply while Veknor turned to watch as Rani stepped fully through the doorway.
Heat flickered through Fredrico. As she stood in the doorway, the fire flared to show her clothes. He thought his tongue was going to fall out of his head. For sure his shaft was going to rip a hole in his tight pants.
Rani was covered from neck to feet in a black one piece that clung to her like a second skin. The neckline hugged her throat in a lacy scroll, dropping to pure black material just above the swell of her breasts. The material moulded to her body, every luscious curve of her breasts and swell of her hips there for every person to see. Between the pure black of the material that ended below her breasts and started again low on her hips, enticing black lace gave glimpses of the pale flesh below. The pants hugged her legs, skimming down to disappear into low-heeled black boots. Her arms were covered in the scrolling lace from shoulder to wrist, and the glint of her armband could just be seen behind it. The long red hair, so dark as to be almost black, was pulled back in the usual tight braid. The small hoops in her ears were gone.
The clothes lent the woman a mixture of density and enticing lace, naughty and nice, dark and glimpses of light. Danger and... Fredrico swallowed... temptation. But only a moron would be fool enough to touch her. Temptation she might be, but danger was definitely in the air around her, especially when those orange streaks were vivid in her eyes.
“Well, space pirate?” Her voice was a warm purr. “Like what you see? Do you approve?”
Placing the goblet down on the small table beside the chair, Fredrico pushed up and strode across the room. Every step closer made his stiff shaft rub against his pants, and he could feel his blood heat to match the darkness that swirled so erotically around her.
Stopping before her, he took her hand and raised her wrist to his nose. Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes. Yes, her scent was the same, light and sweet, but there was an undercurrent of something else - temptation, promises of dark delight, and a spice sure to arouse almost any man who dared to stand beside her for too long.
“You're the only one who scents her.” Veknor’s dry voice behind him broke through the haze of desire that threatened to engulf Fredrico. “Every man will see a beautiful, dangerous seductress, but only you will know the true woman behind the illusion.”
Fredrico looked up at Rani out of hot eyes. “Is it an illusion?”
“Well, shit, Fredrico, it’s certainly working with you.” The words were at total odds with the dark, enticing vision before him.
< cNarrowing his eyes, Fredrico studied her. The dark temptress stood before him, her curves and glimpses of pale flesh behind black lace a promise of hot sex. But as he looked, he saw past it. Oh yes, there was still curves enough to make his mouth water, and his desire for her was always simmering below the surface, but he also saw the Reeka in her bearing, the way she stood so assuredly, the way she gazed steadily back at him in a purely Rani way.
Under the clothes of a seductress was his warrior.
“I still want to ravish you,” he said bluntly.
“Randy bastard.”
He laughed, his arms sliding around her wa
ist to draw her close in a tight hug. Her scent drifted into his senses, slamming heat low in his groin, and he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck before flicking his tongue over the pulse beating beneath the silken surface of her skin.
She almost turned into liquid heat right there in his arms. For a brief second he felt her nestle closer, felt her nipples start to pebble, but then she abruptly pushed him away and stepped back.
About to object, he saw where her gaze was and followed it to find Veknor turning away. Shame hit him low. “Veknor, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t.” Veknor’s voice was emotionless. “You need each other in a different way to the way I need you both, and that’s how it has to be.” His shoulders were straight beneath the red and black streaked robe. “I take it you approve of her new style, Fredrico?”
Nothing could be changed for his friend. Taking a deep breath, Fredrico refocused on Rani, this time prepared for the lust that hit him low down. “I’m surprised that such a tempting style is what you would choose, warrior.”
“It wasn’t my first choice,” she replied dryly.
“What was your first choice?”
“Clothes like you wear.”
“What an enchanting space pirate you’d make, too.” He arched one brow. “But...?”
“This was Veknor’s choice.”
“Veknor?” Surprised, Fredrico looked across at the shadowed figure of his friend.
“You know The Overlord, Fredrico. He likes beauty, and he wouldn’t have allowed her to hide behind clothes he felt would hide that beauty. I chose this style because it will appease him.”
“Sick,” Rani muttered.
“The Overlord doesn’t see you in a sexual way,” Veknor said. “He doesn’t desire you as a sexual partner. He likes your beauty, your grace and figure to see but not touch, and that is enough for him. This will appease him.”
Fredrico looked at Rani. “And what about you?”
Her expression was as wry as her voice. “I don’t know any Reeka who would walk around looking like a sex advertisement.”
Her words might have a dry amusement in them, but there was also a thread of sadness that he caught unerringly. Moving closer, he took her hand and squeezed it comfortingly, rewarded immediately by her smile.
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