The words shot his memories back to a place long ago, before Aiden had come into his life. A man with dark red hair, his Shareem eyes languid, had asked Ky the same question. His warm weight had covered Ky’s back, just as Aiden’s did now.
He should tell Aiden. But Ky hadn’t been able to talk about him or even think clearly about what had happened without triggering the pain centers. Even now, he wasn’t sure…
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And just like that, the tingle began sharp in his arm. More than just a warning, a true shooting of pain that told him he’d overplayed his hand, and he was going to pay.
“No,” he whispered. “No, let me have this.”
But you couldn’t reason with nanotechnology because it was even less human than Shareem. Nano-computers didn’t drink with their friends or watch digitals or fall in love with the wrong people.
Aiden misunderstood. “I’m letting you have it, sweetheart. Don’t fight me.” He held Ky’s hips and eased himself even deeper inside.
The tingle switched abruptly into all-out rip-open-the-guts pain. “Get out,” he shouted.
“What?” Aiden’s touch stilled. “What’s wrong?”
“Get out of me!”
“Does it hurt? I’ll make it stop.” He began caressing Ky’s back with a stroke that any other time would melt him.
“No, damn you, get out of me, now.”
Startled, Aiden backed away, the slick lubricants letting him slide out easily and noiselessly. “Ky…”
Ky stood up, pain stabbing him so hard he wanted to vomit. “Stay away, don’t touch me.”
Aiden’s confusion turned to hurt and then anger. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
The pain receded the slightest bit but didn’t go away. “Just stay away from me.”
Ky stumbled to his bedroom and inside. Before he slammed the door behind him, he saw Aiden in the middle of the living room, his cock straight out and slick with oils, a look of outrage on his face. “Ky. You fucking tease…”
The door closed and Ky collapsed against it, willing the cool of the metal to penetrate his broiling skin. He hit the lock and sank to the floor, tears and blood spilling from his eyes.
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Chapter Twelve
Consequences
Brianne roused herself from her doze as her console chimed. She’d been blissfully groggy all morning ever since Aiden had left her near her compound and patted her on the rear before fading into the shadows.
She was sorry Ky hadn’t returned and a little worried about it as well. Aiden assured her he sometimes did that—up and walked away without a word.
Shareem weren’t exactly about commitment, Aiden had explained. Out of all the Shareem, Rees and Rio and a level one called Brandt were the only ones who’d found a lady for life, although Aiden also told her about Maia, the only female Shareem, who now lived out in the desert canyons with Rylan, a level two.
But Brianne’s encounter with Shareem was over. She hoped Aiden would tell Ky the truth and the two of them would be happy. She herself needed to give up daydreaming, put Aiden and Ky behind her and get back to work.
Today she’d begin her mission to make Shareem more than second-class citizens. At the very least, she could give them the freedom to leave the planet, a ridiculous restriction made by people who feared Shareem would run off and breed more Shareem.
Brianne was determined to help. She owed it to Aiden and Ky for waking her up and showing her the shallowness of her life. She owed it to them for last night, which had revealed a world of joy she would have turned her back on in ignorance. There was nothing shameful and disgusting about what she’d done—the night had been beautiful from beginning to end.
She would pay them back in the only way she knew how. After the endless meetings to soothe her staff about the change in wedding plans, she would contact Talan d’Urvey and confab with her about how to help the Shareem.
She raised her head now and touched the console to answer the interrupting call.
“Yes?”
The screen remained a blank, soft gray. “You don’t know me,” a cultured male voice said. “And you will not be able to trace this call, so do not bother to try.”
“Who is this?”
In light of what she’d done last night she worried that this was an anonymous reporter come to make her life difficult. Brianne d’ Aroth becomes a submissive to a level three Shareem. Details at eleven.
“My name is Baine,” the voice said. “I am a computer. The professor I work for has an urgent message for your ears only.”
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She had never heard of a computer called Baine. The voice sounded far more sophisticated than normal voice-commanded computers—if indeed it was a computer and not a human trying to be funny.
She touched the off key, but to her surprise the screen remained lit. “Who is this?”
she repeated, an edge to her voice.
“Baine. B-A-I-N-E. You can hear me, can’t you? I am sure the connection is good.”
“The connection is fine. But I’m still not certain who you are.”
“That doesn’t matter. My message is important. You have been with two Shareem called Aiden and Ky?”
Brianne answered cautiously. “Is that your business?”
“I am not here to chastise you, blackmail you, report you or pass judgment on you.
My mistress’s concern is only for Aiden and Ky. Are they perchance with you?”
“No.” That at least was true.
“No one responds at their dwelling,” Baine said. “It is imperative I speak to them.”
She grew alarmed. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“How to put this? My employer, who shall remain unnamed, became worried when Rio told her that Aiden and Ky were—ahem—exploring a new sort of relationship beyond what Shareem usually do.”
“A new sort of relationship?” Her heart thumped. She still wasn’t certain whether to trust this computer, although if Rio had been talking to its owner, it might be all right. But then again, this might be a patroller trying to get enough evidence to arrest Aiden and Ky again. Silence was the best recourse.
Baine went on. “I know you know what I mean. But she says they mustn’ t. If they persist, they could be in great danger, especially Ky.”
Brianne rose. “Why?”
“I do not know the precise nature of the danger, but my employer is worried. It is best you find Ky and tell him to contact Baine. He’ll know who you mean. I’ll be waiting.”
The screen went dark, the voice gone.
Brianne’s heart raced. Danger? How? She wished the computer had been a little more precise.
She tried to trace the call, but even the state-of-the-art equipment in her compound couldn’t do it. Whoever Baine was and whoever he worked for, he had effectively blocked all paths to his location.
She pressed her finger to her intercom and brought up her head guard.
“Harbourgh,” she said crisply. “Have my transport prepared right away. I’m going down to Pas City.”
* * * * *
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Aiden had just begun his third ale when Brianne d’Aroth rushed in the door of Judith’s bar.
She was dressed in upper-class finery, her robes bearing the colors of the ruling clan. No masks, no hiding her identity, just Brianne hurrying into Judith’s in a whirl of silk.
Calder sat at the table with Aiden, keeping to the shadows as usual. When Brianne saw Aiden and ran to him, Calder casually pulled up the cloths that hid his face.
Brianne didn’t notice him, which was strange in itself. Every woman noticed Calder.
“Aiden, where is Ky?” she asked breathlessly.
Aiden pushed away his ale. His cock still throbbed from the sweet tightness of Ky’s ass, and his heart still ached at Ky’s furious rejection. He’d come here to pour ale down his throat
and try to erase the pain.
“Last I heard, locked in his room,” Aiden said. “He can stay there as far as I’m concerned.”
“Someone named Baine is trying to call him. He said he couldn’t get Ky at home.”
“Baine?” Aiden asked, staring.
Baine was a computer made by a former DNAmo scientist called Dr. Laas. Dr. Laas’
brilliance had first created the Shareem, but unlike the other experimenters who worked at the factory, Dr. Laas had always been on the Shareem’s side. Her work had been outlawed and so had she, and she now hid out in a lavish underground complex run by an ultra-sophisticated computer called Baine.
“He implied that Ky needed to talk to him,” Brianne rushed on. “He said Ky would be in danger if he didn’t.”
“What kind of danger?” Calder rumbled from the corner.
Brianne started, clearly not having seen him there. “He didn’t say. He sounded worried, and he’s made me worried. I’ll feel better when we talk to Ky.”
So would Aiden. If Baine had called that meant Dr. Laas was concerned about something and Dr. Laas didn’t grow concerned lightly.
Aiden scraped back his chair. “Let’s go then.”
Calder rose with him. “I’ll come with you. Start at your place?”
Aiden nodded. He didn’t really want Calder in his house right now, which he’d left looking like they’d tried to have three days’ worth of sex in five minutes. But Calder was good to have along in a pinch. The huge Shareem with his face swathed to his eyeballs was a menacing sight.
He and Calder started heading down the street for Aiden’s apartment, but Brianne called to them.
“I have transport.” She motioned to a hover car with sun-blocking windows, the kind of vehicle only the very rich had. The car was on, a driver waiting inside.
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“We’re Shareem,” Calder said.
“I know that, but you can’t walk faster than a hover car. Get in.”
Aiden lifted his brows. “You’d be seen getting into your transport with two Shareem?”
“This is important. Hurry.”
Calder and Aiden exchanged a glance, shrugged and went with her to the vehicle.
There was just enough room for the two large Shareem to squeeze into the passenger seat with Brianne in the middle. Cooled air wafted over them, a perfect temperature. Compartments in the barrier separating her from the driver contained drink, food, a screen for digitals and reading material.
Must be nice to be rich.
The driver, a woman in a business suit, looked askance at the two Shareem but said nothing. Aiden gave Brianne the address and Brianne keyed it into a console that would display directions to the driver.
The transport pulled swiftly and smoothly into the busy Pas City traffic without a bump. Aiden marveled at the quiet way they reached his apartment in a fraction of the time they’d have creaked along on public transport. Calder sat there like he didn’t notice, but nothing much fazed him.
The car pulled up in front of the sandstorm-stained building that housed Aiden and Ky’s residence. Brianne keyed her driver another message, then the canopy opened with efficient smoothness and the three of them piled out.
The apartment was silent, the front room empty. Calder glanced at the pile of cushions at the end of the sofa, the open tube of lube, the bottle of oil and Ky’s clothes on the floor, but made no comment.
Aiden knocked on the door of the bedroom. “Ky.”
No answer.
“Where else would he have gone?” Brianne asked, worry in her voice.
“The baths,” Calder suggested. “Or out to meet a lady.”
Aiden avoided his gaze. The feeling of being inside Ky had been wonderful. He’d finally been able to show the man he loved what he felt. He’d convinced himself that Ky felt the same, just before Ky turned around in horror and shouted at Aiden to get away from him. The hurt of that cut deep.
Ky might easily have flung himself out of the apartment to go relieve himself on a woman. But that didn’t explain the fact that Ky’s bedroom door was still locked.
Aiden knocked again. “Ky, come on. Brianne’s here.”
Aiden’s anger began to surge, and then he heard a groan from the other side of the door. Not a groan of pleasure, a groan of pain. “Ky?”
The door remained closed, and silence reigned.
“Ky.” Aiden beat on the door but got no response.
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“Do you want me to call a locksmith?” Brianne pulled out a communicator.
Calder shook his head. “I can open a door.” He jerked a faceplate out of the wall near the door and gave the wires inside a few quick twists. The door slid open.
They found Ky on the floor. His eyes were closed, his naked body slick and red with blood that seeped from every pore.
* * * * *
Brianne gasped, her hands going to her face. Calder said, “What the hell…”
Aiden felt like his own blood had drained from him. He dropped to his knees beside Ky’s body. “Gods, Ky.”
Ky didn’t appear to hear them. A soft groan escaped his lips along with a trickle of blood. Aiden put his hands on Ky’s chest, feeling his heart beating way too fast, his skin roasting hot and soaked with blood.
Aiden’s hands became slick and wet with it. He stroked Ky’s shoulders, trying to use his Shareem touch to soothe his friend and ease his pain.
“He needs to go to the hospital,” Brianne said. “My driver can take him.”
Ky peeled his eyes open. They were filled with blood and it was obvious he couldn’t see them. “No. No hospital.”
“You have to.” Brianne went down on her knees, reaching for him, his blood smearing her robes. “Oh, Ky, what happened?”
Ky rolled his gaze to Aiden. Aiden felt like someone had stabbed him then kicked him in the stomach and then stomped all over him to make sure he felt it. He continued to caress, pouring out endorphins in attempt to slow Ky’s heartbeat.
“No,” Ky rasped. “You make it worse.”
He stilled. “I’ m doing this?”
“We did it.” Ky’s voice weakened, and his eyes closed. “We did.”
Aiden smoothed his hand through Ky’s hair, which was soaked with blood. The ends of his own blond hair stained red where they brushed Ky’s chest.
Brianne gave them an anguished look. “How can you say no hospital? He’s dying.
We have to help him.”
“I know what he means,” Calder rumbled. The big man lowered himself to one knee, black leather stretching over his massive thighs. “He needs a doctor, but not that kind.”
“What?” Brianne said blankly, but Aiden understood.
Calder touched Ky’s face, blood smearing his leather-clad fingertips. “So, my poor friend, what kind of experiments did they perform on you?”
* * * * *
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Brianne didn’t understand what Aiden and Calder were talking about. Aiden was for calling this doctor they both knew, but Calder stared at Brianne in suspicion.
“She’s a d’Aroth,” Calder snarled. “The d’Aroths were all for terminating the Shareem after DNAmo shut down. We can’t trust her with this.”
“I am not those d’Aroths,” Brianne argued. “I was a child when all that happened, and I’m Ky’s friend.”
“You got him arrested.”
“How many times do I have to explain I knew nothing about it? If this doctor can help Ky, I say we call her.”
“I say you go back to your safe fortress and leave us to deal with this.”
She planted her hands on her hips. “I’m not leaving while Ky is in danger. If you won’t let me take him where he can get help—we have a private hospital with the best doctors on Bor Narga—then I’m staying.”
Calder’s half hidden face was fearsome. “He doesn’t need a human doctor. He needs a Shareem special
ist, and you outlawed them and drove them away.”
Aiden broke in. “Calder, shut the hell up and call Baine. I’ll vouch for her.”
Calder looked at Brianne as though he’d like to lift her in one giant fist and fling her out into the street. He was a frightening man, covered in black leather, blue eyes blazing over his cloths that hid his mouth and nose.
At the same time he exuded a predatory sexuality that must have women throwing themselves at his feet. She had no idea why he didn’t removed his face covering even inside, but it added to his air of mystery.
Right now, he was angry at Brianne for even existing. He slammed out of the room, and Brianne didn’t dare follow him.
Aiden had moved Ky’s head into his lap. Blood still seeped from Ky as though every vessel inside him had burst.
Tears slid silently down Brianne’s face. “I don’t want to lose him.”
Aiden raised his head, his eyes dry and fierce. “I can’ t lose him. He’s everything to me.”
Brianne wiped away her tears, knowing she stained her cheeks with traces of Ky’s blood. “What are we going to do?”
“I don’t know.” Aiden’s voice was hollow. “If Dr. Laas can’t… I don’t know.”
Brianne reached for his hand. Aiden held it hard, his Shareem strength almost crushing her.
Calder strode back into the room. “She’s coming.”
Aiden lifted his head. “She’s coming here? She never leaves her compound.”
“We can’t exactly drag Ky there without attracting attention. Besides, she said not to move him.”
“Who said?” Brianne asked him.
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Calder glared down at her. “You have to go.”
“Let her stay,” Aiden growled.
“We can’t risk her knowing. She leaves, she doesn’t know, she can’t do anything.”
“I trust her.”
“Good for you.”
Brianne rose to her feet. “I don’t think you understand. I will do everything in my power to help Ky. If I’m not supposed to know who this doctor is, then I won’t ask. I swear that to you. I only want Ky to be all right.”
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