A small bit of good news.
We need a manual emergency hatch, he continued. Or we’re going to have to take the pinnace.
I knew the core. Shuttle bays aren’t my specialty.
Another burst of laser fire. An ops panel about fifteen feet in front of me sizzled, sparked. Sully hadn’t answered my comment about shuttle bays. I hoped he was linked to Ren, that Ren had found Thad quickly. That—
Not yet. Chasidah. I felt a pause, wariness. We need that exit hatch. Guthrie has to know the layout. But when he learns you’re linked to me, he’s going to … react.
I frowned. React?
I love you. I’d never hurt you. Don’t ever forget that.
Sully?
Tell him what we know.
I stepped back behind the cage edge, suddenly afraid, but I didn’t know why. “Philip. Listen to me. Tyler’s alive but unconscious. He can’t help us. Berri’s out there with Lazlo and another professional assassin, Talard. Ren and Verno know what’s going on. They’re trying to reach Thad. But Burke has people in all the corridors now. We need to get out of here. I don’t know shuttle bays. You do. We need a manual exit hatch.”
Philip stood very still beside me. “How do you know all this?”
“I have a link with Sully.”
“Telepathic.” It wasn’t a question. And he didn’t give me time to respond. “How long?”
“What in hell does it matter? We have to—”
“How long!” His voice was rough. “Since I intercepted you in Calth?”
“Before that.”
“Damn him!”
“It doesn’t—”
“It does. Goddamned Kyi-Ragkiril filth. And he’s hearing me, through you, he’s hearing me. He’s probably even telling you not to listen. He doesn’t want you to know the truth.”
“He’s not—”
“He is. He has. I’ll tell you what he’s done. He touches you, constantly. Overwhelms your senses with intense pleasure. Then he makes you his lover. Has he taken you, has he mated with you in the Kyi?”
I was dimly aware of laser fire whining in the bay behind me. But I remembered clearly the hot passion, and spiraling upward in Sully’s arms through gray fuzzy soft.
Philip took my silence as an implied admission.
“Bastard!” Contempt hardened his words. “He’s made you his ky’sara, his bond-wife, slave. He controls you through the link. When he tires of you, he’ll break it through a zragkor. Or he’ll kill you. That’s what a Kyi-Ragkiril is. That’s what they do.”
I stared at Philip, aware of my heart beating rapidly in my chest, aware that my breathing was just as rapid. Aware that there was nothing in my mind but silence. And pain.
I remembered what I’d been taught in NonHuman Cultures 101 about zragkors. About Ragkirils. Intense pleasure. And then you die.
“We need an exit hatch, Philip. Manually operated.” My voice shook.
“Chaz.” He touched my arm.
“If we don’t get out of here, it won’t matter. None of it. So tell me where there’s a goddamned exit hatch!”
“There are two.” His voice was calm. But his grasp on my arm tightened. He was fighting anger. I was fighting pain. “This Lazlo knew what he was doing, coming at us from the right side. Main emergency hatch is back there. The other’s under the pinnace, in the maintenance pits. He’s got that one now too.”
“Then we have to take the pinnace, or the hatch below it. Sully says we can do it.”
“Agreed. If I were armed, we could take them from three different directions.”
I shoved the Stinger at him. “I’ve got my Grizni. If I can get close enough—”
No! Guthrie takes my Carver.
“Chaz?”
I held up my hand, stilling Philip’s question. Then you’d have nothing.
Hellspawned Ragkiril filth don’t need anything, angel-mine.
Sully, stop it! In spite of my own wrenching emotions, the raw pain in his words tore at me.
A gentling flowed through me, like a wordless apology. I’ll be fine. I have a few tricks left. Give me a minute to move to your position. Tell Guthrie he’s getting my Carver. But not my wife.
I tried to lower my hand but Philip held on to it. “Give me the Stinger back. Sully’s giving you his Carver.”
He hesitated only a second before he handed me the laser pistol. “There are supposed to be ways to break a ky’saran link. I’ll help you.”
“I need to cover Sully. They might pick up his movements.” I pushed myself to the edge of the cage again and locked my gaze on the pinnace. Locked my emotions in the biggest mental duro-hard in the universe. Soldered it shut.
Shadows were hazy in the grayness. Only the outer-door ring lights were bright. But they were shielded, angled to shine toward incoming ships. The bay received their residue and their reflection off the dull metal doors.
I heard a rustle of movement but didn’t take my gaze off the pinnace. Sully swept against me, hot, hard, and sweaty. He dragged me into his arms. We stumbled back against the bulkhead, my face and my Stinger in his chest.
Philip’s hand clamped my shoulder. “Let her go.”
Sully’s arms were locked tightly around my back. He was breathing hard, each breath pulsing warmth, tenderness, desire. Just like Philip said.
I splayed one hand on the front of his shirt, angled back. His arms relaxed. In the dim lighting, I could see his eyes were infinite, black, endless. And focused behind me.
“You know nothing of me, Guthrie.” His voice was soft, but his words were clipped and hard. He reached between us for the Carver, held it out.
Philip checked the clip for power, blatantly distrustful.
I stepped away from both of them. “Where’s Ren?”
“Going back up to Thad’s office. Burke’s people have this level fairly well locked up. I’ll know more of what Thad can do when Ren and Verno get there.”
“What do we do now?”
“The pinnace is my first choice,” Philip said quickly. “Could blow the bay doors, if we have to.”
Sully made a short motion with his hand. “Her ramp’s very exposed. How long to uncycle her hatch lock?”
“Two minutes, if her codes haven’t been scrambled.”
“And if that won’t work?” I asked. “Where does the exit hatch go?”
“Maintenance tunnel between levels. If I were this Lazlo, or Burke, I’d expect we’d try that. That might even be how they’re bringing in reinforcements.”
Sully tilted his head. I thought of Ren. “Not yet. Still just the three there.”
“We have to draw them out, split them up. Get control of the pinnace before reinforcements arrive,” Philip said.
“Berri will come after me, once she sees what I am. It’s her mission.”
I remembered her charging, wild-eyed, into the Karn’s ready room, screaming about demons. “She has a rifle.”
“She won’t try to kill me right away. Her type always lectures you first. You two handle Lazlo and Talard. We’ll make it.”
“There are two cargo stages between here and the aft of the pinnace.” Philip touched imaginary points in the air. “It’s a bit of a zigzag, but it’s cover. We can probably make that.”
“I’ll head for the bow. Draw Berri out that way.”
Philip frowned. “They’ll see you before you’re halfway across the floor.”
“I have no intention of using the floor.”
“Sully—”
He placed his finger on my lips. “Hush, Chasidah.”
Even in the dim light I could see a hazy energy ripple across his body like a rolling wave. Rising, merging. For a hundredth of a heartbeat I saw a ghost shadow behind him, stepping into him and out of him at the same time. It coalesced, a silvery glow flowing lightly over his skin.
He touched a finger to my lips, his eyes obsidian. He was neither a demon nor a jukor. Just Gabriel Ross Sullivan. A silver-hued Kyi-Ragkiril with infinite eyes.
He br
ushed his thumb over my mouth. Chasidah-angel. Nothing to fear.
Philip’s shoulders were rigid. Sully glanced at him. “Your research is excellent but incomplete. You’ve explained ky’sara. You owe it to Chasidah to explain ky’sal. Or is that the truth you don’t want her to know?”
Philip’s voice was harsh. “I only know what you’ve done to her. I have no proof of any link—”
“An equal link.” Sully stepped toward the edge of the cage, listened for a moment to things only he could hear in the shuttle bay. “If she is ky’sara to me and I am ky’sal to her, it’s a link forged of love, not control. And that zragkor you threaten her with would kill me. Or isn’t that in your family’s research?”
“I don’t know what her link is to you.”
“But she does,” Sully said softly. “All that I am is hers.” He studied the rampway overhead. “Keep their focus on the ground for a few minutes, will you?”
Sully—
Nothing to fear.
36
I aimed for one of the starboard struts on the pinnace, pulled off a series of quick shots. Sparks arced outward. Behind me, there was a rush of air.
Philip targeted a console, hitting the monitor. It answered with a shattering sound, more sparks. His hand closed around my arm. “The first cargo stage is about thirty feet in front of me, to the left.”
“I see it.” A boxlike structure, low but wide.
“I’ll move first. You follow. We’ll go to the next stage, then the rear strut.”
I listened to Philip’s orders but scanned the dim shadows in front of me for Sully. Ops panels and cargo stages dotted the perimeter of the bay. Rampways lined the walls, crossed overhead. But none seemed to hold a shadow larger than usual.
A strong resonance that I recognized as Sully told me he was moving. Concerned. Focused. I held on to that in almost the same fashion as Philip held on to my arm. Lightly, but with a definite possessiveness.
“Chaz. On three.”
I checked the power level on my Stinger. Nodded. Listened to the numbers.
We ran in a crouch, as softly as possible, weapons out. A surge of fluorescent green mist danced across the bow of the pinnace, drawing fire and an unintelligible curse from Berri.
“Energy fields,” Philip whispered when we reached the cargo stage. “Only a Kyi can do that.”
I hunkered down quickly, Philip leaning over me in the small area. We were far from safe. Their lasers could reach us here. Our shadows were stark in the lights from the docking ring. But I could see three forms more clearly under the pinnace as well.
“Options,” Philip whispered in my ear.
I shook my head. “I can’t get a clear shot from here.”
“Not what I mean. Options, Chaz. I’ll find a way. You don’t have to stay with him.”
“Shut up, Philip.” I crouched down further, as if I could get away from his words. I kept my eyes on the shadows under the pinnace. Berri and a large shadow were having an argument.
Laser fire suddenly flared back in my direction. It sizzled against the ops panel we’d hidden behind earlier. Nothing was there that I could see. I wouldn’t have answered their fire even if Philip hadn’t clamped his hand on my arm.
“If he’s got them shooting at ghosts, he’s close. A Kyi’s range is twenty, twenty-five feet if he’s strong, and this one is.”
This one. Philip’s dehumanizing word choice made me flinch.
“I confirmed that when I had him scan the stripers before,” he continued.
Something in the shadows moved quickly around the bow strut. In the sudden dark movement, a hazed shimmer …
Gabriel Ross Sullivan, stepping softly out of the shadows, head high. He walked toward the pinnace, one hand extended, a silvery glow pulsing around him.
My heart leaped to my throat, pounded. I locked my gun on the bow of the pinnace, ready to fire on the first red glow I saw.
“Sister Berri.” Sully’s voice was deep, seductive. “I know you’ve been looking for me. Come out and play.”
“Defiler!” Berri screamed at him. Either Lazlo or Talard held her arm. She tried to jerk away.
“Now!” Philip said.
We’re moving in, I told Sully. I ran softly, hunched over, never taking my eyes from Berri, Lazlo, and Talard.
We reached the second stage, pressed on to the rear strut, blending into the patches of darkness underneath the ship. Berri broke free. She pointed her rifle at Sully as if it were a holy sword. “Ragkiril filth!”
Lazlo appeared behind her. He clearly knew how to use the Carver in his hand. It was aimed at Sully.
“Hands out, Sullivan! No tricks.” Lazlo wasn’t sure what he was seeing. I could hear it in his voice.
I searched for the third shadow, found it hanging back, watching Sully. Not watching for us, to his right. Talard, probably as surprised as Lazlo was. I could take him out. Not with the laser pistol. Lazlo and Berri would hear the laser pistol. But my Grizni would be silent.
There was another strut and about fifty feet between Talard and myself. If I could get behind him, I wouldn’t even need to be that close. I had a damned good throwing arm.
I made my decision. My own. No one controlling my mind but Chaz Bergren. I touched Philip. “Talard’s hanging back. I’m on him.”
He tore his gaze away from Berri and Sully. “Chaz—”
“My own decision. My mind. You cover Sully.” I skittered into the shadows.
“Where’re your friends, Sullivan?” Lazlo pulled Berri back as she stepped forward, rifle raised in one hand.
“There are no others.”
“We saw them—”
“You saw what I wished you to see.”
I made the next strut just as a gray mist swirled up by Sully’s side, took vaguely human form, dissolved. I was close enough to see Talard shift nervously in his stance.
“Then that makes it easy.” Lazlo’s arm jerked from the recoil as his laser pistol fired.
Sully surged up, silver light flaring out around him. Berri swung her rifle, shouting. Lazlo grabbed for her, dragged her to the floor as Philip’s laser pistol whined. Lazlo rolled and fired overhead.
I couldn’t see Sully. But he was alive. I could feel that. I clung to that.
Talard moved but so did I, darting, laser fire sizzling behind me.
Berri struggled against Lazlo, thrashed him with her fists. “He’s mine! The demon’s mine to kill!”
He hit her with the Carver, hard. Her face twisted in pain. He shoved her away from him. She sprawled awkwardly on the floor, her rifle skidding back toward the pinnace.
Chasidah! I felt a clear warning note from Sully. Burke’s people. Side emergency hatch.
Shit. Reinforcements. I was too far away to warn Philip without revealing my position. I had to take Talard out now.
Talard half-turned to his right, searching for the red glow of Philip’s target lock. I dropped to one knee, clasped the Grizni. It vibrated ready, uncoiling with a snap into my palm. My eyes narrowed, focused. I whipped my arm forward. The blade shot from my fingers. It struck the middle of his chest.
He fell backward. I ran, Stinger out, and reached him as life flickered out of his eyes. I pulled the Grizni out, slapped it, still dirty with blood, around my wrist. Time. We had no time.
I heard the muted groan of an emergency hatch from the far wall. I grabbed Talard’s Carver, shoved it in the back of my pants.
Sully?
Behind you. The sound of boots thudded softly on the floor.
I spun around just as the hatch door clanged back against the bulkhead. Shadows streamed out. I lunged for Sully, shoved Talard’s Carver into his waiting hand.
He pushed me to the floor. “Down! Get down!” He was trying to warn Philip, on the far side of the pinnace, heading for Lazlo.
The air above my head screamed, flared. I fired toward the hatch. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Philip dive to the floor.
Sully swung the Carver to the ri
ght, strafed the floor by the hatch.
Forms disappeared behind the containers and ops consoles.
“How many?”
Five. So far.
Where’s Ren?
Dealing with Burke’s people, close by.
Movement churned on my right. Philip rising, going after Lazlo. Berri twisting on the decking, half-sobbing, half-screaming.
I shifted onto my elbows, tried to get a clear shot at Lazlo, partially hidden by a wide strut. I saw the profile of his Carver, saw the small glint of red, then his arm jerked up. Philip, kneeling, firing.
Lazlo’s body arced backward. Berri screamed. Lasers streaked through the air. Flashes of light sizzled, burst around Philip, prone on the decking. Sully fired, covering him.
Berri turned over onto her stomach. Blood dripped down the side of her face. She crawled with a slithering movement, trying to reach the rifle.
Philip angled up. Two forms sprang from behind the cover of the wall cage.
Watch Berri! Sully fired. One form fell, the other jumped back.
I didn’t have a clear shot at Berri. But I did at her rifle. I hit it on the stock, splintering it, just as she caught sight of me in the shadows.
“Demon’s whore!” Her hair, matted with blood, fell in disarray about her face.
Three forms surged out of the darkness, firing, using the ops consoles and containers for cover.
Keep them busy.
Sully angled up, splayed his hand in a wide sweep along the floor while I laid down cover fire. A mist arose from nowhere, gelled into a boiling, writhing red mass. It surged toward a low cargo stage.
Berri’s piercing voice carried clearly. “I curse you, spawn of Hell!”
A man jumped back toward the protection of the cargo stage. I heard Philip’s laser pistol whine. The man spun, fell.
Then an answering whine, close, too close. I tore my gaze from the boiling mist. Berri was on her knees, Lazlo’s Carver in her hands. She fired again, laughing.
Philip was on the ground, his body jerking from the laser’s impact.
A harsh cry rose in my throat. I fired, once, twice, again. All three, center mass. The Carver dropped from her hand and hit the floor a second before her body did.
One more attacker tried to flee Sully’s red mist, found the white laser fire more lethal. That left two. Against two of us. Philip …
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