I looked at Lumi and Sari and arched an eyebrow in silent challenge. Lumi’s madcap grin and “Oh, hell yeah!” told everyone she was all in, while Sari responded with a slow, secretive smile.
“Gentlemen, we’ll be back after this dance.” I headed toward the dance floor, my footsteps and hips already moving to the beat. I heard Lumi’s saucy comment before she followed me: “Watch and drool, gents. You’re about to see magic happen.”
ONCE THE THREE OF US were on the dance floor, we lost ourselves in the beat and let the music guide our movements. Lumi and Sari were the flashing gold and silver accents to my darker hue as we alternated between dancing separately and coming together. Lumi caught my eye just before an extended bridge with a complex beat started. I nodded, and she moved in. Sari drifted a little farther back, giving us plenty of room.
Lumi danced toe-to-toe with me, matching my moves as we shimmied and gyrated to the beat. I wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her close to cue her into our next step. We sank, hips swiveling in unison and knees intertwined as we went lower and lower until we almost touched the floor, then slowly worked our way back upright. Lumi spun around me until we were back-to-back, never losing the beat. Sari came closer until she was right in front of me, and the three of us became a shimmering, undulating trio that drew all eyes.
Lumi circled until she was at Sari’s back. She wrapped an arm around the other woman's waist and anchored the two of them together. I took Lumi’s free hand and spun out then back into Sari before grinding into her. The move left no doubt in anyone’s mind that this dance was sensual carnality set free. Lumi let go of me when Sari pulled me closer, took my other hand, then dropped me into a deep backbend over her arm before she guided me back up. We broke apart into a loose triangle as the music segued into the final verse.
When the last chords died, impromptu applause broke out. All of us on the dance floor were breathing faster than usual, and our expressions were alight with pleasure. Several of the men wore stunned looks. Others watched some of the ladies speculatively. I glanced surreptitiously at Gavin, Ember, Obsidian, and Nightshade. All four of them seemed surprised and intrigued. I thought I saw a look of possessive hunger cross Gavin’s face, but it was gone so fast I couldn’t be sure.
SARI, LUMI, AND I LEFT the dance floor and went to the closest refreshment table for some ice water. Several other ladies who’d been dancing did as well. Once everyone’s thirst eased, conversation broke out.
“That was the most fun I’ve ever had at a Fête!” a blonde in a burgundy velvet one-shoulder dress exclaimed.
“Yeah, and did you see the guys’ reactions?” a petite platinum-haired woman giggled, her smile positively wicked. Her sequined gown, which matched her hair color, threw off multi-colored sparks of light as she moved.
“Oh, my ancestors, I thought Traxxas was going to pass out in shock!” was the reply from a dark-skinned brunette with pixie-cut hair. Her vivid orange halter dress was a striking contrast against her skin and hair, but it worked well on her. “Has he rolled his tongue back into his mouth, yet?”
Her question provoked a fresh round of laughter.
“I’d love to know who added this bit of fun to the agenda,” a magenta-haired lady interjected. “Whoever it was, I want to shake their hand!”
I shook my head slightly, subtly warning Lumi and Sari to keep quiet.
Soon after, we all drifted away from the table. I had no doubt some of the ladies would walk out of here with a partner—or partners—to continue the party after hours. Lumi and I headed toward Gavin and the others, while Sari once again mingled with the other guests. Lumi and I were partway across the room when a staff member discreetly intercepted us.
“Speaker Aerind requests that both of you join him on the balcony,” he murmured. “Please keep your exit casual.”
“Of course,” Lumi murmured back. “We’ll join him there momentarily.”
The staff member withdrew as unobtrusively as he’d approached.
Lumi and I strolled around the edge of the room, casually chatting as we worked our way closer to the glass balcony doors. As we drew near, Lumi mentioned, “I don’t know about you, Zahra, but I’m still a little warm from that dance. Would you mind if we stepped onto the balcony for a few minutes?”
“Not at all, Lumi. Didn’t you mention earlier that you wanted to show me the view of a particular landmark from there?”
Lumi snapped her fingers. “That’s right! Thank you for reminding me!” She intertwined her arm with mine and steered us outside.
Chapter Twenty
Zahra
I LOOKED AROUND ONCE we were out on the balcony. The view from the railing was stunning. The courtyard below us and the slender, towering spire in the grassy park that adjoined it were all lit with multicolored lights. It was a masterful showcase of form and design, but I couldn’t help the frisson of unease that ran up my spine when my thoughts turned darker, and I realized that it also provided a prominent target for any dissidents not already familiar with Stratis.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” a voice remarked from behind us.
Lumi and I both turned. “Speaker Aerind,” Lumi acknowledged him. “Yes, it’s one of my favorite sights.”
The Speaker turned his gaze to me. “I take it you’re the lovely Zahra who’s had so many guests wondering about you tonight?”
I flushed. “I wouldn’t know about that, but yes, I’m Zahra.”
He chuckled lightly. “You’ve not attended before, so of course everyone is wondering who you are and why you’re here.” He gazed at me for a moment. “Yes, I can see why. You’re a striking woman, Zahra, and you resemble someone I once knew many years ago.”
“Thank you?” I let my voice drift upward in gentle inquiry, not sure if the last part of his statement was a compliment or not.
He chuckled again. “She was one of my dearest friends, and her sin’yai became a good friend as well.”
I mentally filed that information for later consideration as he drew a deep breath.
“However, that’s not the only reason I asked the two of you to meet me out here. Zahra, are you aware of the threat against you?”
I flinched since I hadn't expected either the topic or such a direct question. “You mean the ‘subvert or kill’ target I’m wearing?” I kept my voice steady, although it took an effort to do so.
“Yes, that threat. How much do you know about what’s going on?”
“Not much besides what I’ve already disclosed to Lumi, sir, although I’ve since learned that subversion is the primary goal. According to some information I recently learned, the radicals want to unlock my powers—whatever they turn out to be—to serve their ends. If that doesn’t work, then they’ll do their best to kill me.”
“Speaker Aerind is fine, Zahra. I appreciate the respect but prefer not to be called ‘Sir,’ except in certain situations.” He winked roguishly.
I acknowledged his correction and its subtext.
“Since you’re involved in the situation, I’d like you to work with us to help counteract it.” He paused long enough for me to agree, although it was a token formality since his request carried the weight of a directive. “Lumi will brief you on what we know so far. Sari will do the same, on my orders. Ladies, I can’t stress enough that secrecy is vital. Zahra, you will eventually meet and work with other members of the team Sari is assembling for me. Both of you, unless you have my direct authorization or Sari’s in my stead, nothing you learn is to go any further than the four of us. Sari will be your direct contact and handler.” He quirked a smile. “From what I saw on the dance floor earlier, I doubt the three of you will have a problem with that.”
Lumi chuckled. It was a throaty sound entirely unlike anything I’d heard from her before. “It won’t be a problem, Speaker Aerind. We get along quite well, for all that Zahra and Sari met for the first time just yesterday.”
His eyebrows flew up. “So short a time? I’m impressed.”
> Lumi chuckled again. I suspected I was missing a crucial part of their byplay and resolved to grill her about it later.
Speaker Aerind turned to leave, then stopped. “Oh, Zahra? That dance was probably the most fun I’ve had at a Fête in at least fifty years. Just don’t make a habit of requesting too many changes to the existing plans mid-event.” He winked. “Although I might have you take a look at next year’s arrangements to see if we can add something new.” He walked toward the doors and vanished as he went through them.
LUMI BLEW OUT HER BREATH explosively. “Well. That was unexpected.” She studied me for a moment. “I assume you have a lot of questions, but here and now is neither the place nor time to answer them. So. How normal can you act after having that particular grenade dropped in your lap?”
“It’s no worse now than it was before. I’ll be fine.”
Lumi looked skeptical.
“Truly, Lumi. I’ve suspected for months that you had that kind of contact and responsibility. For a while, I wondered if you'd decided to get close to use me as an information source.” I held up a hand to forestall her protest. “Relax. It hasn’t been in question for some time. After a discussion with Sari during one of my fittings, I realized she was in deep as well. You both let slip just enough to point me in that direction without ever crossing the line.”
A rueful look crossed Lumi’s face as she shook her head. “Too damn smart. Stars help anyone who crosses you, Zahra. Poor bastard will never know what hit him.”
My razor-sharp smile didn’t reach my eyes.
A sudden loud disturbance inside the ballroom caused Lumi and me to snap our heads around and look through the glass doors. It was readily apparent that the warnings about trouble at the Fête had proven accurate. Knots of swirling color punctuated by black ebbed and flowed across the floor. The flash of light on swinging blades danced a deadly kaleidoscope through the crowd. Yells and the occasional cry of pain reached us through the glass.
Lumi bit her lip, a mask of indecision on her face. I took the decision out of her hands.
“We need to get in there before this escalates any further.”
“Gavin and the others—”
“Have their hands full.” I pointed to a momentary gap in the crowd where Obsidian was fighting three-on-one and having to give ground. “I know they’re strong and can probably handle the odds, but you never know who in the crowd will take advantage of the opportunity to launch a cheap sneak attack.”
“You know this means hand-to-hand combat, right, Zahra? None of us can use powers in there for the duration of this event.”
“Worry about yourself, girlfriend. I’m used to not relying on my powers. I may not be at yours or Sari’s levels in fighting skills yet, but I can hold my own against most. Besides, I have a trick or two up my sleeve.” I flicked my wrist sideways. A thin cylinder dropped into my hand. I gripped it securely then strode to the balcony doors.
Lumi followed hard on my heels as I opened them and headed straight for the closest knot of fighting. Obsidian was in the middle, and the odds had gone from three-on-one to five-on-one. Well, at least I knew who needed subduing, which made choosing my targets a no-brainer.
Chapter Twenty-One
Zahra
I SLIPPED THROUGH THE bystanders. As long as they stayed out of it, they got a pass. I’d need to keep an eye on them, though.
My attention focused on a ferret-faced man who was trying to take advantage of Obsidian’s back being left open. I gauged the distance then pressed the button on the cylinder in my hand. Its hidden mechanism responded instantly, extending into a thin but strong short staff. Spinning it into motion with a deft twist of my wrist, I whipped it into the back of ferret-face's head as soon as my next stride took me within reach. He fell, out cold.
While I took care of ferret-face, Lumi slipped to the right and came up behind the blond-haired attacker trying to flank Obsidian. She landed a kidney punch that sent the blonde to his knees, then came in with her favorite right cross. Sure enough, it was “lights out!” for her opponent.
Obsidian dropped one of the remaining three opponents while Lumi dealt with hers. I’d circled to the next opponent on Obsidian’s left. The man saw me coming and ducked out of range of my staff and Obsidian’s sword.
Baddie Number Five, as I referred to him in my mental tally, decided I was the weaker threat and moved to take me out. Burnished steel wove a mesmerizing pattern as he tried to get inside my guard. The chink as his blade met my staff was a duller sound than that of sword-on-sword. I watched his chest, looking for his tells as I maintained a blur of spinning metal to counter his attacks. There! I stepped inside his next thrust and brought my staff down on his arm with a loud crack. He yelled in pain, and his sword fell as his now-broken arm dangled uselessly. I scooped up the sword after delivering a solid thunk on his head with my staff. He slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Obsidian had already dealt with the remaining attacker. He nodded a quick acknowledgment to Lumi and me then scanned the floor for the next knot of fighting that needed quelling. All three of us spotted a big one just ahead and moved toward it. I handed the Lumi the sword since I had my staff and she was still fighting barehanded.
When we drew closer, I saw Gavin and Ember fighting back-to-back against a large group of attackers. The crowd around them didn’t seem to be giving way, either. I shared a glance with Lumi. Just then, Obsidian spoke.
“Push the crowd back. Then we’ll help deal with the attackers.”
The three of us went to work. It didn’t take long before the crowd moved far enough back for us to fight unimpeded. A few people would be nursing grudges right along with their sore wrists and ankles, but using my staff had been an effective strategy to “encourage” them to back off without inflicting too much damage.
Once again, Obsidian directed us. “Zahra, circle left and deal with the attackers on Ember’s side. Lumi, work your way around to the right until you get to Gavin’s left.” Then he raised his voice enough to catch Gavin’s and Ember’s attention. “Coming in!” They both shifted enough to add Obsidian to their formation, now a triangle that kept their backs to each other.
Lumi and I picked off several targets of opportunity, whittling down the numbers as quickly as we could. My short staff was getting a workout since I kept as much distance between my attackers and myself as possible. While I knew I could fight many of these guys hand-to-hand and win in a one-on-one situation, it was smarter not to whenever possible. Besides, I didn’t want to get blood on my gown. Or worse, need to use any of the healing nanites infused in it.
I sidestepped a wild backswing and avoided the sword’s edge by a hair, but felt a presence get too close on my left. Since it didn’t ID itself as friendly, I elbowed the unknown person’s ribs while deflecting another wild swing. An arm around my neck pulled me away from the sword-wielder, but the increasing pressure against my throat told me I needed to act fast. I relaxed into the hold to throw my attacker off guard then raked my stiletto down his shin before stomping on his foot. His arm loosened enough for me to drop out of it as he swore.
“Bitch! I’m going to teach you the lesson you deserve!” He reached for me, but I was already up and moving away.
“Pyrras. I should’ve known.” I shook my head. “Anyone else would’ve caught the blatant clue to leave me the fuck alone.” I paused. “Oh, wait...that would require a brain.”
He sneered. “You think you have what it takes to bring me down, bitch? I don’t think so. By the time this fight ends, you’re going to be swallowing every bit of my cock while I fuck the sass right out of that mouth. When I’m done, you’ll know exactly where your place is—on your knees, obeying my every command.”
I heard a growl behind me. Instinctively, I knew it was Gavin. ::Don’t. He’s mine.:: My mental tone was short and sharp. I wasn’t sure he got the message—telepathy was new to me, plus, I didn't know how or why we could use it. Since no large body crashed past me to tackle t
he asshole, I assumed he’d at least read my intent from body language.
My attention shifted fully back onto Pyrras after that split second to communicate with Gavin, and I let my cold, predatory smile surface as my eyes flashed blue and gray sparks. “I don’t think so, Pyrras. You haven’t got what it takes, either dick or skills. Take your overcompensation issues and the illegal, abusive shit you traffic in, and fuck off!” I spun my staff in a figure-eight as I finished. The metal blurred as it whipped around and shattered the bones in his outstretched hands. I twisted to the side in a smooth, continuous motion. The still-spinning rod connected full-force with his nuts and then, as he let loose a high, thin scream of agony, came up under his jaw and shattered it before crushing his windpipe.
The sudden silence in the room made my ears ring.
Three Wardens approached. Two grabbed Pyrras’ body and dragged it away. The third confronted me. “You will accompany me to the Head Warden’s office to relate the full details of what happened here.” A rising swell of voices followed his statement. He held up a quieting hand. “The entire event was recorded. The recounting is a procedural formality. All of you must give your statements to the Wardens as well. Only then are you allowed to leave.” His cool, impartial gaze swept over the guests. “I suggest you form lines.” Right on cue, several more Wardens walked through the doors and stationed themselves at various points around the room.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Zahra
I KEPT PACE WITH THE Warden as we walked out of the ballroom and down a long hallway to a recessed doorway that blended into the walls. He used his palmprint to gain admittance. Once inside the outer office, he brought me directly to the Head Warden’s desk in the inner office. “Zahra, sir. She’s the one who had the final altercation with Pyrras.”
Zahra Unveiled Page 10
