Fortune's Wheel
Page 74
He landed on top of her, knocking the breath from her lungs.
"I suppose that's one way of getting down here," said Kusac, raising himself on his forearms and shaking
his head to rid it of straw. He reached out to unfasten her coat, letting it fall open behind her.
"Another time, another place, isn't that what we once said, Vanna?" he asked, touching her cheek as her
arms came up around him.
The pull of their separate Links surged through them, but this time neither of them let go. Their minds metas tele-paths' minds did, but it held little of the magic they shared with their Leskas. Through Vanna, Kusac sensed Brynne push his .partner aside as the human felt Vanna's response to him. With a thought, Kusac blocked Brynne out and turned his attention back to Vanna.
She was breathing so rapidly now that she could hardly catch her breath. Her hands clutched at histabard, claws coming out in her almost frantic need to touch him.
He caught her hands in one of his, lifting them to his mouth as he moved to kneel beside her.
"Not so fast," he murmured, licking her fingers. "We've all night." He leaned forward, unfastening her
jacket while against his mouth, her fingers trembled.
He let them go, urging her to sit up while he pushed her coat and jacket free of her arms. Again, shereached for him, taking hold of his tunic.
"Still too fast," he chided, pushing her hands away, unfas-tening it and taking it off himself. "I can't see
Garras being so quick. Brynne, perhaps, but not Garras."
She gave a short laugh. "It's just that I need to feel you warm and alive! You came so close to deathagain."
"Shh, I know," he said, lying down beside her again and beginning to nuzzle her cheek and ear. "Tell me,"
he asked between licks, "does Brynne give you Terran kisses?"
"I don't know," she said, sighing as finally her hands were able to touch him. Show me , she sent as his
mouth covered hers.
A false dawn lit the sky as Kusac left Vanna in the garden by the house. He was glad Carrie had pushedthem together. Vanna was sweeter than any Sholan female he'd known, and he was pleased to have hadthe opportunity to know her body and mind better.
He padded silently upstairs into their rooms, nodding to Kaid as he passed him. Carrie was still fastasleep, as was Chena in her makeshift bed. A note lay on the drawer unit and he stopped to read it.
"Brynne called at the sixteenth hour, asking for Vanna or Kusac. When I said neither of you was
available, he broke the connection. He seemed displeased over something."
He shrugged, screwing up the note and throwing it in the bin nearby. He had expected as much. That wassomething Vanna would shortly be sorting out for herself. Heading for the bathroom, he took a quickshower, luxuriating in the warm water. The walk back had been chilly.
Going over to the bed, he checked Carrie again. She was beginning to stir. Her hand reached unerringlyfor his, giving it a gentle squeeze.
You're back?
I'm back. He sat beside her.
Not there. Come in beside me, she sent sleepily, moving over to make room.
He got up and crawled in beside her, sliding an arm under her neck and her uninjured side.
You feel better now, more relaxed, and you smell nice. She wriggled closer to him, pillowing her headon his chest.
Strangely enough, I am. From what Vanna and Brynne have experienced, I didn't expect it towork for me. He re-laxed against her, enjoying being close to her again. There was a lightness about thefeel of her both mentally and phys-ically, something that Vanna, being Sholan, had lacked for him.
Brynne hasn't been with someone he cared about. I know you don't see Vanna as a lover, she senthastily, feeling his rebuttal, but I know that, like me, you feel something special for her.
Kusac subsided, knowing she had correctly sensed his feelings for their friend. / don't think it eased
Vanna's pre-
dicament, he sent. She was more tense than before when I left her. It was dangerous to pair with
her, she believes her-self to be too much in love with me. I think your plan could go wrong.
We'll see. Remember, Brynne was experiencing what she experienced, and from what you say, herphysical need hasn't been diminished, nor will it be until she's with him.
Kusac yawned. We'll see. I cut Brynne out at the start be-cause I don't appreciate an audience. Hecalled earlier. When I left her, Vanna was going back to the guild. I hope she can handle him afterthis. It won't exactly endear either her or me to him.
When she realizes you can't satisfy her, that only Brynne can, she continued, ignoring hisprotestations, her attitude to you will change, you'll see. Not that I mean to infer you're lacking as
a lover, she added hastily, running her hand across his chest.
"Honestly, Carrie," he murmured, wrapping his other arm around her waist and hugging her as tightly as he dared, "first you throw me at Vanna, then you try to arouse me yourself! I've had enough excitement for one night. Let's just hope you're right. Now go to sleep," he said, relaxing his hold on her.
Do you regret not having a Sholan Leska? came the wist-ful thought. She felt the equivalent of amental laugh.
Jealous? Don't be. I'm not in love with Vanna, and we both discovered that even leaving the
Leska bond aside, a Terran lover has something no Sholan could ever have, he sent sleepily.
What's that? she asked, but he was already asleep.
* * *
Kaid woke to someone shaking him. He reached out and grabbed at him just as he realized it was Rulla.
"Kaid, it's Dzaka. He's gone, and he's taken Vanna with him."
Kaid sat up, blinking. "What d'you mean, taken Vanna?"
"I was on patrol near the garages when Dzaka came up behind me and knocked me out. I came to just in
time to see him lifting Vanna into an aircar."
Kaid began to swear as he pushed the covers back and got up. "Are you all right?" he asked, throwing aquick glance at Rulla as he pulled on his jacket.
"I'll do," he said, gingerly touching the back of his head. "It happened about an hour ago. I've no idea
where he was taking her."
Kaid fastened his belt, pulling his gun from under the pil-low and pushing it into the side holster. "Tell T'Chebbi what's happened while I try to contact Brynne. He must have some idea of where she is. Dzaka will regret this night's work," he said coldly."
* * *
Vanna was just beginning to come round as she felt the aircar being buffeted from side to side by heavywinds. An involuntary groan escaped her before she could stop it.
"I'm sorry I had to treat you so roughly, Physician Vanna, but I needed you to come with me, and I knew
you wouldn't come voluntarily."
She recognized the voice. It was Dzaka. Groggily, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her headached, and as she put her hand up to it, she realized why. There was a lump on the back of it where Dzaka must have knocked her out.
"Don't bother trying to reach your Leska, Vanna," he said apologetically. "I gave you a dose of one of
your suppres-sant drugs. You won't be able to use your Link."
"What the hell are you doing, Dzaka?" she demanded, bracing herself as the craft was hit by the
crosswind yet again. "Why have you kidnapped me? Where are you taking me?"
"Kidnapped's a harsh word, Vanna. I'm merely borrowing you for a few hours."
She could feel the craft starting to descend.
"We're almost there."
"Where the hell is 'there'?"
"Dzahai Stronghold," he said. "Now I'm afraid I must ask you to be quiet while I concentrate on landing. The wind's unusually strong tonight. It might be wise if you took one of the seats and fastened the safety belt."
She sat silently till the craft came to a stop and Dzaka had turned off the engines. "Why couldn't you havejust asked me to come h
ere with you?"
"Because Kaid wouldn't have allowed it," said Dzaka, turning round and getting out of his seat. "Now if you would be so kind as to come with me without making a fuss, I'd appreciate it. They are expecting us."
Realizing there was no point in struggling or trying to run from him, she left the craft peacefully. Holdingher by the arm, he led her across to a side entrance then up the flight of stairs till they came to a woodendoor. Knocking first, he pushed the door open and took her in.
A figure dressed in long purple robes rose and came over to greet her. "Thank you for accepting ourinvitation, my dear," he said, holding his palm out to her. "My name is Lijou. I'm head of the Priests of Vartra. My colleague is Ghezu, Leader of the Brotherhood."
Vanna ignored the outstretched hand. "I've been brought here against my will, and drugged so I can'treach my Leska," she said, her voice low and angry. "I demand to be taken back to the Aldatan estateimmediately."
Lijou turned and walked back toward the desk set in the center of the room. "Oh, I think you'll be gladwe… per-suaded you to come when you've seen what I want to show you," he said. "Bring her over, Dzaka, if you please. You see, Physician Kyjishi, we have need of your experience, and yourprofessional eye."
Despite trying to dig her claws into the thick carpeting un-derfoot, Dzaka urged her over toward where
Ghezu sat. A white cloth covered the desk, concealing what was on top of it.
"In return for identifying these objects, we're prepared to offer you something we hope you will consider
carefully," continued Lijou.
"We're offering you membership in the Brotherhood," said Ghezu. "With us you needn't fear that we'll treat you the way the Telepath Guild did. We've more respect for our members. Since you and your Leska can fight, here you can train those skills without the mental discomfort you would suffer at the Warrior Guild."
Vanna looked at them in disbelief. "You've had me knocked out, drugged with psychic suppressants, andkid-napped here, and you say you'll treat me better than the Telepath Guild? Do I look like a congenitalidiot?" she asked angrily, trying to pull away from Dzaka, who contin-ued to hold onto her firmly.
"I regret the necessity for our less than gentle treatment," said Lijou. "However, it will not be repeated, I
assure you.
We want your cooperation not your fear. Will you look at what we have to show you now that you'rehere?"
"Forget it! I refuse to help you at all! If you want my co-operation, return me to the Aldatan estate then
invite me here. I might just come, but I wouldn't bet on it," she said sarcastically.
Lijou lifted the cloth off the table. "Just look, Physician Kyjishi. We needed someone with a medicalbackground-who could identify these remains."
Despite herself, Vanna looked. With a hiss of indrawn breath, she moved closer to the table, reaching outto touch the bones lying there.
"Where the hell did you get these? They're Valtegan bones!"
"They were found in one of our ancient ruined cities," said Lijou…