by Lili Zander
We need a plan, a way to get off-world. The Overlord controls the ports, and matters have gotten even more complicated with the impending arrival of Jarl Ragnar.
And then what? Where will we go? On Starra, Levitan is waiting for us to deliver Raven to him. He will kill her as soon as he can get his hands on her.
The capital isn’t safe. Boarus 4 isn’t safe. Whatever is in her blood, we need to find a way to get rid of it, because otherwise, the Empire will hunt her the rest of her life.
We’re staying in the house that the Overlord uses to impress his visiting guests. It’s an ornate building, made of expensive stone that has been imported from Starra. The luxury seems out of place in this harsh world, but then, I’d expect no different from Zimmer.
We take Raven there. Her mouth falls open as she takes in the tiled walls, the floors that are covered with carpets and furs, the many cushions everywhere, and the flames burning brightly in three fireplaces. “It’s so warm,” she marvels. “Almost too hot to wear clothes.”
Nero winks at her. “If you want to take them off, little human, we won’t stop you.”
I roll my eyes. Typical Nero. Never misses a chance to flirt. I take out the four blocking disks from my bag, and lay them in a square on the floor, turning each one on as I set it down. When all four are operational, I look up. “The disks interfere with the Overlord’s spy equipment,” I explain to Raven. “He won’t be able to see or hear whatever we say inside the square.”
Saber steps into the secured area, as does Nero. “Come on in, Raven,” I tell the woman, who is standing just inside the doorway, looking as if she wants to run far away from us. “We need to talk.”
Her expression remains suspicious, but she obeys reluctantly.
“Saber,” Nero says sharply. “Release the compulsion.”
Saber looks discomfited. “Sorry,” he apologizes to her. “I forgot. I should have taken it off as soon as we walked in. I abhor using compulsion,” he adds, “But we had no choice. We couldn’t risk you saying something that would alert the Overlord.” He layers his voice with command. “I release you.”
It is as if a weight leaves her shoulders. She straightens and takes a half step back. “Please get into the square, Raven,” I say again. “It’s for your own safety.”
She takes a deep breath, nods slightly, and crosses into the secured zone. “What do you want to talk about?” she asks. Hostility and fear are radiating from her.
I understand her emotions, but if Raven wants to survive, she needs to trust us. We’re her only way out of this world.
“I agreed to sponsor you on an impulse,” Saber admits. “Lula Kenner was intrigued by your speech, and she was ready to make an offer until Zimmer stopped her. That irritated me. Zimmer has no business favoring his contestant so blatantly.” He takes a deep breath. “But then I neared you, and I caught a whiff of your scent. You were bitten five days ago by a rogue Shayde who appeared half-mad. Ever since then, the Overlord has been looking for you, hasn’t he?”
Her face goes pale. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says, her voice hard. “I was bitten, yes. I didn’t realize that was against the law.”
“Raven,” Nero cuts in. “We’re on your side. We are your only way off of this planet. If the Overlord finds out that you’re the one he’s been looking for, he will kill you. You have to already know that. He’s been burning sector after sector in his search.”
She doesn’t look convinced. “What do you mean, you could smell me?”
I exchange a glance with Saber. “We might as well tell her everything,” I point out. “We’re going to need to work together.”
He nods tiredly. He knows, as do I, how difficult a task we’re facing. “We have reason to believe that there is a group of people that are trying to build a weapon to control the Shayde. Until I met you, I didn’t give much credence to this theory, but unfortunately, it’s true.”
“Your blood smells dangerous,” he continues. “Lethal. I can’t be sure what’s going on, but I can make some educated guesses. The vampyr that bit you was carrying a blood disease, one that has the potential of being fatal to the Shayde. You’re now a carrier.”
Her mouth falls open. “A blood disease?” she whispers. “I didn’t think it was possible to kill a Shayde.”
Saber laughs grimly. “Sadly,” he says, “That’s not true. We’re quite easy to kill. Tainted blood is the easiest way. But the important things first. Raven, the men that created this weapon will kill you to conceal what they did. If the Empress finds out that you carry it in your veins, her scientists will experiment on you in their laboratories, and you will wish they’d killed you instead. You’re in grave danger.”
“But we’re going to get you out of here,” Nero chimes in.
She looks skeptical. “You’re going to help me?” she asks. “Why? I’m an Opositive human who works in the mines. Why do you care what happens to me?”
I shake my head. “We’re not like the Overlord,” I tell her. “Not all Shayde are. So far, you’ve been exposed to the worst of us. Give us a chance, Raven. Let us show you that we can be better than Zimmer.”
She bites her lower lip, and even though the timing is terrible, a surge of lust floods through my body. I push it back with ruthless determination. It was bad enough that we pawed her at the arena without her consent.
Saber looks at her steadily. “Why do I care what happens to you?” he repeats her question. “Because I remember what a lot of the Shayde prefer to forget. When the humans made contact with us in the twenty-fifth century, we were a dying race of people. There were only a handful of animals on Starra that could nourish us with their blood, and those animals were slowly going extinct. When they did, so would we. We lived with the realization that starvation was imminent.”
She’s watching Saber with wary eyes. Does she believe him? I don’t know. I hope so.
“Then we found the humans, and we discovered that their blood would sustain us. No, even better. It would allow us to flourish.” He sighs. “I cannot lie. The relationship between the Shayde and the humans has deteriorated since then. But I won’t forget what the others find so easy to ignore. Without the humans, my people would be extinct. We owe your race a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.”
“Hafsson,” she says. “That’s your name? I’ve been trying to remember where I know that name from. Are you a relative of Jomar Hafsson, the Shayde that negotiated the Treaty of Blood?”
“Oh great,” Nero groans. “Saber often despairs that Zeke and I are not interested enough in our past. If you get him started on the history of the Shayde, we’ll be here all night and all day. The captain never shuts up about it.”
“Shut up, Nero,” Saber says, a smile on his lips. “Yes. Jomar Hafsson was my great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. He negotiated honorably with the humans. Raven, will you give me a chance to show that I mean you no harm?”
She hesitates for a long time, and then she shakes her head. “No,” she says flatly. “The Shayde were responsible for my parents’ death. Because of them, I spent ten years in the re-education camps. I’m twenty-four years old, and I’ve learned one thing. The Shayde cannot be trusted.”
“Fine,” Saber snaps. “You don’t have to cooperate for us to save your life, Raven Unnuk. Until the first task, you will stay here, where we can keep an eye on you.” His voice layers with compulsion. “You do not leave this house without my permission, do you understand?”
Her voice is bitter. “Yes, my Lord Shayde.”
“And you do not open the door to any other Shayde.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
I don’t like using the compulsion either, but I agree with Saber.
She will hate us, but at least she will stay alive.
11
Raven
I’m furious with the three Shayde. They’ve effectively made me a prisoner in this house, and I don’t like it.
“Have you eaten,
Raven?” Zeke asks me. I want to be sullen, and tell him that I don’t want any food, but the Night of the Shayde begins tomorrow, and I’ll need to keep my strength up.
They feed us in the mines every dusk because a hungry worker isn’t a good worker. Today though, there had been no food in my pod, and I’d been too afraid of the Overlord’s enforcers to go out to buy some more.
“No,” I admit reluctantly. “I didn’t have a chance to eat before the choosing.”
I’ve never been in Sector 1 before. This house is so beautiful that I might as well be on a different planet. Is this what Starra looks like? Saber, Zeke, and Nero seem to take the luxury for granted, but I can’t stop running my hands over the soft fabric of the cushions. I’ve never felt anything so silky and smooth before in my life.
Saber is watching me, his eyes bleak. When he hears my response, he gets to his feet. “I’ll find you some food.”
Zeke gives me an apologetic look. “There’s only blood in the house,” he says. “We weren’t really expecting guests. It’ll take Saber a few minutes to arrange a meal.”
Most Shayde don’t even remember that humans need to eat. “I can wait,” I reply, not sure what to make of these three, strange off-world vampyrs. “Thank you for your kindness.”
Nero frowns at my formality. “I’m going to take a walk,” he says abruptly. “And see if I can learn what the Overlord is planning. I don’t trust him. After you eat, perhaps you can train with me. I’ll teach you how to stay alive out there.”
On Glacis? I stayed alive on the ice desert for ten years. This vampyr thinks he can teach me how to survive on my world?
Nero interprets my look accurately. “I’m not going to give you survival tips,” he says grimly. “But the Overlord isn’t too happy about your presence in this contest. In case he isn’t going to play by the rules, I want to teach you how to defend yourself.”
Oh. Okay, that’s thoughtful. I carry a stick to ward off the gangs, but I’ve never had to use it, thank the Great Spirit. In Glacis, you learned how to deal with trouble by taking care to avoid it. In the tournament, I might not have that same luxury.
Nero leaves. Zeke gets to his feet as well. “I need to talk to a friend,” he says. “Will you excuse me?”
I’m all alone in the luxurious main room, but not for long. In less time than I would have believed, Saber returns with a servant at his heels, both of them carrying large trays of food in their hands. “I didn’t know what you liked,” Saber says in explanation. “So I asked them to prepare a little bit of everything.” He smiles at me. “I hope that’s okay.”
What do I like? I like when my insides don’t gnaw with hunger. I like the feel of a warm meal in my belly, and I like when I get lucky and three ice-fish bite my line so I may gorge myself.
Saber’s waiting for me to respond, but I don’t know what to say. He’s not treating me as I expected. I don’t know a single vampyr in the colony who would be concerned about a human’s preferences, or who would worry about what one of their thralls might or might not like to eat.
I should thank him for his kindness, but somehow, the words don’t feel adequate.
They’re Shayde. You cannot trust them.
I eat. True to his word, Nero returns with two stout sticks. “Honestly,” he says, “A gun would be better, but we’ve got to make do with what we’ve got.”
“Only enforcers are allowed to carry guns,” I reply automatically.
“Yes.” He rolls his eyes. “That’s convenient for Zimmer.”
There’s an open space behind the house. We head there, and Nero coaches me on how to attack, block, and defend with my stick. Saber and Zeke come out to watch. “You’re Shayde-bit,” Nero says, penetrating my guard with laughable ease. “Don’t leave yourself open. Never take your attention off your opponent.” He walks me through the block again, and we practice it a couple of times.
“Why does being bitten matter?”
“It should give you more strength,” Nero replies. “You’ll find that you are faster and stronger now, but you also need technique and skill.”
I work with him for nearly two hours, and by the time I’m done, I’m secure in the knowledge that I can defend myself against most people. I’m also exhausted. “I need a break,” I gasp. “Please.”
“Fine,” Nero concedes. He flashes a grin at Saber. “What do you think, Captain?” he asks. “Fancy taking a turn?”
I sink on the ground, my legs refusing to support my weight any longer. Saber smiles lazily. “Tell you what,” he suggests. “You fight with Zeke, and I’ll fight the winner.”
“Sure,” Nero says cockily. “I can beat both of you as easily as I can beat one of you.”
Zeke takes up my stick with a roll of his eyes. “Nero,” he tells me, “is all talk and very little action.” He tests the stick’s balance as he walks into the middle of the space. “Alright, Nero,” he says. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
The two of them start exchanging blows, moving so quickly that they seem to shimmer through the air. My mouth falls open as I watch. “Great Spirit,” I whisper. “They’re fast.”
Saber settles next to me, stretching his legs out. “They are fast,” he agrees, watching the two men fight. “Some of it is being Shayde. We’re faster and stronger than humans.”
“Yes,” I reply, my voice sullen. “I know.”
He gives me an exasperated look. “I’m not saying that to rub your face in it, Raven,” he says with exaggerated patience. “I find it wise to learn one’s limitations. If you find yourself in a fight with a Shayde, you cannot win on speed and strength alone.” He watches Zeke and Nero battle for a few moments, his eyes thoughtful. “The other reason they’re fast,” he says, “is because of years of training.” His full, soft lips twist with disgust. “The enforcers on Boarus 4 are soft. Zimmer does not maintain proper discipline, and his men don’t respect him. The soldiers would never make it back on Starra.”
“It’s not entirely their fault,” I argue. “Most of our enforcers aren’t Shayde. They’re humans that have been bitten.”
“As are you, and yet I’m willing to bet that if I put you in a ring with any of them, you’ll win.”
Hang on. Is that a compliment?
“But Overlord Klaus Zimmer’s biggest problem,” Saber adds, “is that he’s insecure in his office. He’s cruel when he doesn’t need to be. Ruthless when kindness is called for. He doesn’t realize that the harder he squeezes the colony, the weaker he gets. A strong ruler would know that.”
I don’t know what to say to him. If I was caught saying the same thing as Saber is, I’d end up back in Glacis. Saber seems to notice my discomfort. “Sorry,” he says. “I’m sure I’m not telling you something you already know.”
It’s the closest thing, but Nero just manages to beat out Zeke when the other man trips over a crack in the ground, and he stumbles backward. In that split-second of distraction, Nero knocks the stick away from Zeke. “You’re next, Saber,” he calls out. “Unless you’re afraid of getting your ass handed to you?”
Saber gets to his feet and grabs Zeke’s staff. “Yes,” he says dryly, “That’s exactly it. I’m terrified of you, Nero.” His eyes are amused. “Talk is cheap, my friend,” he says. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”
I thought Zeke and Nero were fast. That’s nothing compared to the speed of this battle. The two sticks move so fast through the air that I can barely see them. In less than two minutes, Saber succeeds in knocking Nero’s staff from his hands. The younger man raises his hands, laughing. “Alright, alright,” he says. “I concede.”
I’ve never seen Shayde like this—laughing, joking, just fooling around. Then again, I guess I don’t know many vampyrs. They don’t venture to Sector 23.
When the sky starts to lighten, we move indoors, and the three men close every curtain so that not even a ray of sunlight shines through. “Where should I sleep?” I ask, wondering if this is the moment where I’ll have to repay
them for their sponsorship. Sexually.
“There are four bedrooms,” Saber replies. He surveys me thoughtfully, and I get the feeling that he can read my thoughts. “The one next to Nero’s is empty. You can have it.” His voice turns stern. “We cannot help you during the day,” he cautions. “Whatever you do, don’t leave the house.”
The Shayde are vulnerable during the day. They sleep deeply. When exposed to sunlight, their skin will burn. Every vampyr on Boarus 4 locks himself into a secure chamber during the day, so they’re protected in their sleep. I’m half-expecting Saber to order me to stay out of his bedroom, but he’s clearly not too worried about being killed in his sleep. None of them are.
I give him a bitter look. “How can I?” I demand. “Your compulsion still holds.”
“He only did that to keep you safe,” Nero comes to his captain’s defense.
If Saber is bothered by my anger, he doesn’t show it. “Sleep well, little human.”
12
Nero
I signal to Zeke and Saber that I want to talk to them. We go into my bedroom, and I close the door. “I have news. Big news.”
Saber raises his eyebrow. “What is it?”
“You know I’ve been cultivating the locals since we got here, right?”
They both nod. We each have our areas of expertise. Saber navigates the system, the poor sucker. Zeke hacks into the local intelligence. I prefer to hang out in every drinking hole, buying round after round, acting like a fool, lulling everyone’s suspicion. “Well, it finally paid off today. An enforcer who had more to drink than he should have told me something important.”
“What is it?” Zeke asks impatiently.
“The Overlord is up to his neck in debt,” I tell them. “He’s hoping to use this tournament as a way of getting out of it. He’s placed a large wager on Tomas Cabal with the Oensi Federation.”
Saber frowns. “Zimmer is in debt? Why? The blood tax on Boarus 4 is double what it is in Starra. Isn’t that enough for the man?”
I savor this moment. It’s rare that I know the answers. Usually, it’s Zeke who comes up with the intelligence we need to complete our missions. “One of the mines collapsed ten years ago. Who knows why? Overwork, neglect, or a mad rush to produce more boarium and win favor with the Empress. Whatever the reason, that mine is now unusable.” I shake my head. “Rather than confess to the Empress and face her wrath, Zimmer has been buying extra supply from Boarus 8.”
