Arrested in Peace (The Complex Book Series)
Page 12
"Her potions?" Val asked. "You mean he didn't keep any for himself?"
"He said he didn't. He made me promise to not help you look for him. He wants to end on a good note with you."
Val stared at him and then let her head fall back on her pillow. She stared at the ceiling and closed her eyes. Tears, it seemed, had nothing to do with whether her eyes were organic or cybernetic.
"I'm sorry, Val," Dag'on whispered and pulled his hand away.
"Stop it," she said.
"What?"
She turned and looked at him. "I said stop it. I wasn't done with your hand."
"What? Oh... um, okay."
Val twisted her hand when he put his on top of hers and gave him a squeeze. "Tark died a long time ago, Dag'on."
Dag'on swallowed and nodded. "That's what he said. He said he wasn't what you needed anymore. He knew that, and he was okay. He was just a collection of memories and thoughts, not feelings. He wasn't alive, not like he had been. He loved you, but he couldn't be in love with you. It just wasn't possible."
Val nodded. "No, it wasn't. Still, he was a hell of a man, wasn't he? Even dead."
Dag'on smiled. "It's not often that a man can come back from the dead to protect the person he loves."
"No, I suppose it's not," she said. "You know what this means?"
"That you can finally take some time off and relax?"
"Not yet. First we have to find him."
"He said—"
"I know, he's trying to spare me seeing what happens to him. The potion won't last and he'll start to fall apart again. Before the magic completely leaves he'll lose himself. It's the least I can do to spare him that suffering."
"You want to... Shades of Belegoth, you're something else."
Val nodded. "Yes, I am. And then there's you."
"Me?"
"I saved your life again."
He nodded. "You did. And damn near lost yours in the process."
"Guess I'll do anything to keep a friend around," she said.
He laughed. "You're friends are lucky."
"I don't have many friends," she said.
He stared at her and blushed. "Neither do I. Not like you, anyhow."
"Did Tark say anything else? Anything you don't want to tell me? I want to know it all."
He shrugged. "Just what I said. He explained what happened and how we ended up where we did."
"That's it?" she asked.
Dag'on nodded and glanced away.
"Spill it," she demanded.
He sighed. "It's a silly thing."
"Humor me," she said. "I'm in the mood to be silly."
He took in a deep breath to steady himself before saying, "He said he watched us when I thought you were going to give me to Davina. He...he said he envied me. He said he saw how much you cared for me in your actions and he told me that I'd never find someone better."
Val's lips parted in a gasp. Dag'on glanced at her and then looked away, adding some pink to his grey cheeks as he did so. She watched a moment and then smiled. "I didn't think it was possible for a jaded professional in the escort business to be shy."
"I'm not shy," he protested. "Just... I know you'd never be interested in someone like me."
She squeezed his hand and earned his gaze upon hers. "Funny thing about women," she said, "we change our minds. You stuck by my side through some grisly shit, even when I tried to spare you. Contract or no contract, there's more to you than I realized."
He smiled. "Well, you'll get a chance to find out more, looks like you're still stuck with me since you saved my life again."
"I was wondering about how contracts work, exactly..."
He frowned. "Oh? How so?"
"Well, can you have more than one contract at a time?"
"No, nor can I terminate a contract with someone if somebody else wants one."
She nodded. "Okay, what about a new contract with the same person?"
He cocked his head and considered it. "Yes, I suppose that would supersede the prior contract. What did you have in mind?"
Val grinned. "Well, I was thinking that I could use a partner. You'd need some training, of course, but I can manage that."
He chuckled. "Training? You want to train me?"
"Tango left?" she asked. His confused expression made her smile. "That means there's a target on your left. Tango - target. Left - left."
He gasped. "That's what you said in the Warrens!"
Val smiled. "And then I took out the zombie on your right."
He grunted. "Shades! You're right. I completely forgot about that."
"I can teach you a lot of things," she said.
"I see, and what do I provide you in return?"
She offered a coy smile. "Let's start with dinner, when they let me out of here."
"Dinner? That seems rather one sided. I'm benefiting from your training and spending time with you. I have a counter offer."
Val laughed. "A counter offer? All right, let's have it."
"Open ended contract. You train me and then take me on as your partner. We both benefit and it remains in effect until we both agree otherwise. As many dinners are included as necessary, since they're mutually beneficial."
She raised an eyebrow. "I like the sound of that. Where do I sign?"
"Verbal contracts are sealed differently," he said. "A handshake for example, or..."
"Or?" she inquired.
"A kiss."
"Now that is a deal I'm willing to make."
###
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my novella from The Complex!
All reviews are appreciated.
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Other books by Jason Halstead
World of Kroth
Child of Fate (Blades of Leander, book 1)
Victim of Fate (Blades of Leander, book 2)
Silver Dragon (Blades of Leander, book 3)
Blades of Leander (all 3 books in one)
Isle of the Ape (Order of the Dragon, book 1)
Chasing the Dragon (Order of the Dragon, book 2)
Sands of Betrayal (Order of the Dragon, book 3)
Dragonlady (Order of the Dragon, book 4)
Order of the Dragon (all 4 books in one)
Servant of the Serpent (Serpent’s War, book 1)
Rise of the Serpent (Serpent’s War, book 2)
Voidhawk
Voidhawk (Voidhawk, book 1)
Voidhawk – The Elder Race (Voidhawk, book 2)
Voidhawk – Redemption (Voidhawk, book 3)
Voidhawk – The White Lady (Voidhawk, book 4)
Voidhawk – Lost Soul (Voidhawk, book 5)
Voidhawk - The Edge of Forever (Voidhawk, book 6)
Voidhawk – Broken Shards (Voidhawk, book 7)
Voidhawk – Fallen Goddess (Voidhawk, book 8)
Voidhawk - Queen of Spiders (Voidhawk, book 9)
Wanted
Wanted (Wanted, book 1)
Ice Princess (Wanted, book 2)
Bounty (Wanted, book 3)
Marshal (Wanted, book 4)
The Wanted Series (all 4 books in one)
Dark Earth
Dark Earth (Dark Earth, book 1)
Devil’s Icebox (Dark Earth, book 2)
Soul Mates (Dark Earth, book 3)
Voices (a Dark Earth Book)
Bound (a Dark Earth Book)
Dark Earth / The Lost Girls
The Lost Girls (The Lost Girls, book 1, a Dark Earth novel)
Traitor
(The Lost Girls, book 2, a Dark Earth novel)
Wolfgirl (The Lost Girls, book 3, a Dark Earth novel)
Black Widow (The Lost Girls, book 4, a Dark Earth novel)
Guardian (The Lost Girls, book 5, a Dark Earth novel)
Dark Universe
Into the Dark (Dark Universe, book 1)
Out of the Dark (Dark Universe, book 2)
Chasing the Dark (Dark Universe, book 3)
Dark Star (Dark Universe, book 4)
Vitalis
Vitalis Omnibus (Vitalis, episodes 1 – 7)
Vitalis: Resurrection (Vitalis, book 2)
Vitalis: Provenance (Vitalis, book 3)
Vitalis: Genesis (Vitalis, book 4)
Vitalis: Invasion (Vitalis, book 5)
Vitalis: Chrysalis (Vitalis, book 6)
Vitalis: Communion (Vitalis, book 7)
Vitalis: Commandos (Vitalis, book 8)
Vitalis: Valkyries (Vitalis, book 9)
Homeland
Sex Sells
Forbidden Love (Homeland, book 1)
Broken Slipper (Homeland, book 2)
Fallen Angels
Devil’s Island (Fallen Angels, book 1)
Devil’s Rising (Fallen Angels, book 2)
Devil’s Dance (Fallen Angels, book 3)
Transcendent
Transcendent (Transcendent, book 1)
Cookie Cutters
When the Cookie Crumbles (Cookie Cutters, book 1)
Stand Alone Novels
Arrested in Peace (The Complex)
Human Nature
The Vault