“You didn’t burn,” he said.
“No. These nanites are clever little buggers,” I chuckled, trying to sound light-hearted, even as I crouched low. I was regretting the decision not to carry my blades. They wouldn’t be much help against an angry dragon, but I’d feel a whole lot better with them.
“Can you stop glowing? It hurts my eyes.”
“I wish I could, but I can’t. I think as long as you seem like a threat, I’ll keep glowing.”
“I’m not a threat,” he growled.
“You just breathed fire at me. I wouldn’t exactly call that a sign of your deep affection.”
He sighed and sat down heavily, his head in his hands. I crept slowly closer.
“Rakesh, what can I do to help?”
I reached out to touch his arm. As soon as our skin made contact, I felt a jolt of electricity pass through us, and Rakesh’s body began to relax. It was like watching a junkie take a hit. His face relaxed, and his eyes rolled in his head. He exhaled contentedly. The sound reminded me of a steam valve on a pressure cooker, hissing as the pressure was released.
He grasped my arm and pulled me against his naked body. I was alarmed, but I didn’t fight back. He buried his face in my neck and licked me from collarbone to earlobe.
“Are you trying to seduce me? Here?” I squealed.
He didn’t answer, but repeated the process, breathing in my scent and licking my skin. I had to admit that it felt good. Great, in fact. His rough tongue tickled all the sensitive flesh on my neck and chest, making my nipples tighten in response. The skin on my chest was more sensitive, thanks to his little fiery outburst, and the feeling of his tongue as if traced the curve of my breast was maddening. I looked into his face and saw his eyes aglow, the dragon essence of him laying just below the surface of his humanoid skin.
I was aroused, but my nanites showed no sign of dimming down. Even if I trusted Rakesh, it seemed that they didn’t, or couldn’t tell the difference between sexual arousal and mortal danger. Either way, it seemed like we were going to light up the dark. I felt the momentary sting of the barb that grew along his inner thigh, and then the familiar rush of hormones. Although I knew my responses to him were chemically induced, I couldn’t care less. I wanted this, and we needed to reconnect.
I pulled my singed clothes off my body, exposing every inch of myself to him. His hands were rough on my skin, making the soft glow intensify. I straddled his hips and guided his cock into my body, shuddering with the sensation of being pulled apart and filled. He gritted his teeth and growled out a string of expletives that I couldn’t translate.
I set the pace almost immediately, rocking my hips back and forth as his rigid cock slid in and out of my body. I was drowning in my desire. My body quickly became slick with sweat as I bucked harder, grinding my hips against his.
“Diem,” he coughed, burping a small orange flame. His nails elongated into claws and scraped my skin. He was losing control, but I was long past the point of caring.
He crushed my chest against his, flipping over and laying me against the warm stone floor. His thick thighs pinned my legs open as he hammered his way into my body. I clutched his shoulders, digging my nails into the skin and biting at his neck. Far from distracting him, the harder I scored his flesh, the more aroused he seemed to become.
One orgasm bled into another until I thought my body would shatter. He lifted his head and his eyes met mine. I felt as if I was sinking into him, pulled further and further into a place where he and I didn’t exist as separate entities.
“No, no,” he cried out in anguish. His eyes flashed red before he closed them and looked away, but it was too late.
The beast within him came roaring to the forefront, transmuting his beautiful features until he was neither Rakesh, nor dragon, but something in the middle. I felt the heat build in his veins and gather in his belly. I saw the look of pain in his face as he did the one thing he’d been dreading since the moment I was brought to his chambers as a pet. He opened his jaws and began to spew flames.
I should have been afraid as I watched the dull orange glow illuminate his throat, but I wasn’t. A strange sense of calm came over me, and I knew that I wouldn’t be harmed. I calmly placed my hand over his mouth and looked him in the eyes as the flames met my skin and bent around me. He watched in wonder as the flames danced around my hand and arm but couldn’t seem to touch my skin.
“That doesn’t hurt, but it’s awfully impolite,” I said with a smile.
He looked down at me in wonder as his orgasm gripped him. He drove his cock deep into my folds and spilled his seed there, letting smoke and flame escape his mouth as he spasmed and then broke under the force of his release. He collapsed on top of me, his head on my chest, clutching me tightly as he struggled to catch his breath.
We laid like that, tangled together as time slipped by us. I eventually did stop glowing, and Rakesh’s breathing became even and steady.
“How did you know I wouldn’t kill you?” he finally said.
“I didn’t. I just had a feeling. I wasn’t afraid. I think since my body knows that fire is a threat, the nanites have worked out a way to make me impervious to it—though I’m not in any hurry to test my theory.” Seriously, if they kept up this furious work, they likely had a chance to make me invulnerable to a lot of other things. I wasn’t sure what to think of that.
He chuckled.
“Neither am I, though I am happy to see it. I won’t worry so much now,” he said softly.
“You? The Mighty Commander Rakesh? Worried about poor little me?”
He scowled in the dark and shook his head as if he smelled something foul.
“I am unusually preoccupied with your well-being.”
“That means you love me. Don’t worry; I love you too. But does this mean you’re not angry at me anymore?”
“I was never angry.” He stood up and pulled me to my feet. “I was frustrated. And yes, I am no longer frustrated. You have taken care of that very well.”
“Good.” I licked his lips and scooped up my singed clothing. “We have a lot to do if we are going to get our people back. We can’t afford to be divided now.”
Chapter Five
“I am sure that the Crown has them, which means that they are counting on us trying to rescue them.” I turned away from the table full of maps and schematics. We’d been at work for several risings. Detack, Puva, Rakesh and I had pored over every inch of the palace, looking for ways to infiltrate.
“So, what?”
I looked over at Detack and tisked softly.
“We do the opposite. We negotiate.”
“Negotiate? With the Crown? Forgive me, Sava, but you don’t know them. They are a den of liars and assassins. They will kill you, or worse,” Puva hissed. Her soft pink skin and violet eyes took on a deeper, reddish hue.
“How do you know?”
“Because she was once one of them. Can’t you tell?” Detack snorted.
I looked at Puva with surprise. I don’t know why I didn’t put two and two together. All the courtesans surrounding the crown had the same delicate look and coloring. I assumed that it was a regional look or the result of inbreeding. Maybe it was, but this region of inbreeds happened to be royal.
“I was never one of them. My sire was, er, is one of them. But, he has never acknowledged me.”
“Which is all the more reason why you would want us to go to war with the Crown,” Rakesh admitted, though he seemed reluctant to say it.
“I don’t expect them to play fair or be honest brokers with us. I just want to throw them off balance so that we can get our people back,” I said.
“But we can’t risk having either one of you fall into their clutches,” Detack said, scowling.
“We may not have any choice. The offer has to look credible, and it’s only credible if one of us is present,” I answered.
Everyone in the room stiffened up. Their tails slashed through the air in agitation. Nobody liked t
he idea, but I made sense. Unfortunately, there was little that could be done.
“Don’t worry. My body has been remaking itself in amazing ways. It won’t be so easy to get rid of me,” I said with a secret smile.
“Okay, let's assume that your crazy idea is the best that we have; what then?”
“It’s simple. While we negotiate, you guys rob them blind. And by that, I mean take more than just the hostages. Steal gliders, weapons, medicine, whatever you can find. Set off so many alarms that they aren’t sure what it is that you’re after. The confusion will act as cover fire for your escape.”
“Dishonorable,” Rakesh spat.
“No more dishonorable than the fledglings and elders who are suffering without proper medical care. Or the resistance that has had to live here in this mountain because they lack the power to shake either the Crown or the Council off their thrones. We have to do something to balance this equation, Rakesh. And subversion and deception are part of warfare,” I argued.
Puva smiled with satisfaction, her elongated incisors glinting in the light.
“I like it. Give the space-dung a taste of their own medicine,” she growled.
“I have to admit that it has a certain appeal,” said Detack. The bloodlust was obvious on his face.
“We’ll need everybody to make this work. The whole crew,” Puva said.
“And we will need to offer the rebels something to convince them to take the risk of bringing greater persecution from the Crown on their heads,” Rakesh said with a sigh.
“Any ideas?”
“Yes, but I am not happy about it,” he said. “I will need to train every Troitek that can shift. If they can access their dragon form, even for short periods of time, they can be deployed to protect the mountain.”
“And will seriously shake the confidence of the people,” Detack added, looking starry-eyed.
“It will feed into the myth. Now that they aren’t mourning the loss of the Dragon’s Mate, they are regaining their ability to shift.” Puva clapped her hands and grinned.
“It will also make Diem a greater prize than she already is,” Rakesh said with a hint of warning. Puva’s smile disappeared almost immediately.
“Still, there’s no way around it,” I said. “Now all we have to do is pick our targets, figure out where the captives are being held, and get a word out to the Crown.”
“I think I can help with that.” Nedan finally spoke up from the chair where he’d been lounging the entire time.
“You?” Rakesh seemed skeptical.
Puva nodded. “Nedan is almost as connected as I am. Maybe more so. All my contacts are on the inside. Loyalists. He’s the only one who has reliable connections on both sides,” Puva added.
“I can get the information you need, but I won’t be able to verify it for long,” Nedan said.
“Which means?” Puva crossed her arms across her chest.
“Which means, you are going to have to be ready to make a move as soon as I get it. You know how things are on the inside.” Nedan looked at Puva. “They are paranoid. They change things up every few cycles, sometimes every few risings.”
“Okay, so let’s get to work. I need a list of targets and resources. I’ll talk to the rebels about training their people who can shift. Keep me posted on your progress.” Rakesh dismissed everybody and then left himself.
I sat down heavily. I was mentally exhausted, but there was still so much for me to learn.
“Nedan.”
“Yes, Sava?”
“Why are they rebelling? I mean, why was there a rebellion in the first place? What are they rebelling for?”
Nedan smirked and stood to his full height.
“If you will come with me, Sava. I will take you to one who can tell you better than I ever could.”
“The old woman? I don’t want to disturb anybody with my questions.”
“She has been waiting for you her whole life, Sava. Nothing you could ask of her could be considered a disturbance. She is the keeper of our stories and ancient wisdom. She is the right person to ask,” he said, staring down at me with his unflinching gaze.
“Okay.” I stood up and slipped on my shoes. I spied my blue and green cloak and slipped it over my shoulders. I ran my fingers along the family crest embroidered on it and took a deep breath. Kearneys were warriors. I was going to put that theory to the test yet again.
Nedan guided me through the mountain’s corridors and marketplaces to the home of the old woman. An assortment of chimes was hung outside of her door, refracting the light and making a dancing pattern of color on the floor. As soon as I got close enough, two of the chimes began to ring. The sound was gentle but insistent.
I crouched low, reaching back for my blade. Nedan chuckled softly behind me and gave a wolfish grin.
“It would be nice if you warned me about these kinds of things,” I said.
“Yes, Sava.”
The door shook as if it might explode, before it slipped out of the way. The elderly female that stood before me had tears in her milky eyes. Like most of the people here, it was clear that she was mixed-race. The child of two races whose distinct features had blended beautifully. She didn’t look like she was more Trill than Troitek. The robe she wore was uniquely elegant, as if she had pulled it out of storage and dressed for the occasion.
“Sava!” she cried, throwing herself onto my arms. I caught and held her as her withered body shook with tears. I didn’t know how to react. Without thinking too much about it, I stroked her nearly white hair and rocked her softly. We stood together long enough to begin to attract attention.
“Let's go inside, Mother. There is much to discuss,” she said, straightening up and marching back inside.
I looked at Nedan and mouthed my unspoken question. “Mother?”
He smiled broadly and shrugged his shoulders before following us inside. The older woman’s home was full of old things. Old and well-loved furniture lined the walls. Strings of beads and talismans hung from hooks in every conceivable manner. All the flat surfaces were blessed by the presence of a crystal carving of some sort. The air smelled of incense and something that reminded me of disinfectant, but I couldn’t be sure.
“Naini Ma, we are here to hear you tell the old stories. There is much that Sava doesn’t know about what has happened here, and she needs your help,” Nedan said, squatting down and sitting cross-legged on the floor.
“Yes, please tell me, why was there a rebellion?” I went to sit next to Nedan, but the old woman quickly shoved a stool under my butt before I could.
“Your children are lost, but they have not forgotten, Mother. We have not forgotten what it is to love. We have simply forgotten how,” she said with a deep sigh.
“To love?”
She nodded and closed her eyes, as if trying to recall a day long ago.
“After you left, our Father knew nothing but remorse, regret, pain, and anger. That pain turned into cruelty and arrogance over time, and he taught such things to his children. Then he left us alone. Over time, we learned to use our sins to build an empire. One that stretched out amongst the cosmos. It ruled with an iron fist and was merciless, consuming whole planets without provocation or reason. Every good thing in the universe was meant to be subjugated, fed like fodder into the burning inferno of the empire. The first casualty of this plague was love. The love between male and female, between fledgling and sire, even between comrades. All of it was wiped out.”
I tried to imagine the world she was describing. I’d seen pictures and read stories about places in the world where a tyrannical leader turned the whole country into a police state. Neighbors spied on each other and earned rewards for ratting each other out. In some cases, children and students were encouraged to turn their teachers and parents in to the authorities. Could that have happened here? Is that what she meant by the death of love? It made me sick to my stomach to think about it.
“But some of us refused to forget. We remembered the warm
th of our Mother. We remembered you!”
She paused to wipe tears out of her eyes. Her body seemed so frail, yet her voice was strong and showed no signs of fatigue.
“What happened?” I asked gently.
“We found each other. In secret, we told the stories of our past. Hidden stories. Forbidden words. Outlawed songs and poems. We kept them alive in secret for years.”
I could see excitement shining out from behind the gray film covering her irises.
“We did not forget. But we were found out and hunted. Those years of persecution were nearly the death of us. Young ones, such as myself, were hidden away in the mountain and taught all the hidden knowledge. From the tenth year of my birth, I have lived here, learning and teaching. I have studied all the old stories and learned many of the great wisdoms. Many who came with me have already passed through the veil. I am one of the last. But the young ones here are freer than we ever were. They sing the songs and tell tales.”
She looked very proud of her accomplishment, and even I felt proud of her. She’d escaped persecution to carry on her tradition and had sown her faith and traditions into the next generation. She deserved an award of some kind, but I couldn’t think of anything to give her, so I stood up and kissed her forehead.
“Thank you for all you have done,” I said. It seemed the right thing to say. “But how did the others come here? And why doesn’t the Crown or the Council just destroy this place?”
“For them to destroy us, they would have to become vulnerable for a time, since they are already in war. Nobody wants to be caught fighting a war on two fronts. Besides, our numbers are too small. We are more of a dangerous nuisance than a threat,” Nedan said.
“They don’t want others to know. They don’t want to see the folly of their ways. They don’t want the seeds of love to grow.” Naini’s body shook with her righteous anger.
“So, if word gets out that colonizing planets and breeding in labs isn’t the more superior way of existing, then that would challenge their hierarchy?” I summarized.
“Exactly,” said Nedan. “The rebels destroyed detention centers and concentration camps. They fled to the mountain stronghold and had occasionally been known to conduct raids, but mostly they just embarrass and inconvenience the Crown and the Council. Nothing pivotal.”
A Pet For The Commander: The Complete Series Page 23
