Traditional instruments began the opening to the Thai dance performance.
“Miss Sakda,” Kuroda called to her from a few seats down at her table. “You seem well versed in Thai folklore. Do you recognize this performance?”
She nodded absently, scanning the room for potential dangers. The bastard was around here somewhere. She scrutinized every single waiter and waitress. But Michael had every one of them checked and also searched. “This is a selection from the epic tale of Manora, the bird princess.”
The strains of music tapered as a talented singer began the introduction. There would be more than one singer as they narrated the various roles acted out by the dancers on stage. She noted their positions to one side but continued her search. It was unlikely attack would come from them the way they were sitting in traditional style with their legs tucked to one side. It would be awkward for them to move quickly and they had no likely weapons close by.
“The prince has traveled a long way through arduous trials to find his bride, Manora, after she literally flew from danger in his palace when he was away at war.” She studied the instrumentalists a moment longer. The instrument cases could’ve hidden weapons normal security might not have seen during a check. “He’s arrived at the land of the bird people and come before the king, Manora’s father, to ask for her back.”
The dancers were actually quite good. Their motions were both graceful and distinct as they acted out their parts in time with the singers’ words.
“The king insists the prince pass one more test.” She nodded toward the dancers joining the prince on the stage. “The prince must dance with all seven of the king’s daughters, each one as beautiful as the others and dressed identically. If the prince truly loves Manora, he should be able to tell her apart from her sisters.”
In this rendition of the performance, the dancers wore not only the traditional Thai dresses but the wings and tails signifying the bird princesses too. They also wore ornate golden head dresses and long gold fingernails. The fingernails were eye catching and actually fashioned of thin metal sheets rolled into slender cones with the pointed ends turned up. The cones fitted over the top of each finger tip and extended several inches beyond the fingertips. It took practice not to tangle the points as the dancer transitioned from one hand gesture to another.
Su had studied Thai dance from her mother and it’d taken her a long time to train her hands and fingers to stretch into the proper positions. It wasn’t easy and making each transition graceful was another challenge all on its own. The effect on stage was striking, though, and characteristic of Thai traditional dance. She tore her gaze from the dancers and glanced over to her partner.
Next to her, Michael was searching the room as well. Ben Ward was seated across from Michael and watching her. Adam Durant was even closer to the stage on their side of the long table, but he’d pushed back his chair to be able to listen to her narration as he watched the dancers.
“And does the prince correctly identify his bride?” Kuroda asked.
Su shook her head. “No. They are all dazzling. The bird princesses are so alike, so amazingly beautiful, and they all dance so perfectly in coordination, he isn’t able to tell.”
All the bird princesses were coming down off the stage to dance between the long tables. The prince was dancing among them, first with one, then another. It was the kind of performance that broke the fourth wall in its own way, very contemporary.
“Then how does the story end?” Kuroda pressed further.
“Manora loves the prince in return. She wore the wedding ring he gave her to help give him a clue.” Su scanned the dancers again. “One of the dancers should be…”
She trailed off and studied the dancers carefully. None of them were wearing a ring. Usually it was flashy, easy to see from the audience once the onlookers knew what to look for. But every dancer really was dressed exactly the same and there was no ring. The only difference was one dancer had managed to get a few of the ornate long fingernails twisted around to curve inward like claws rather than turned up in the proper position.
The nails.
Su burst out of her chair and vaulted over the table, charging past Ben Ward.
* * *
Michael was out of his chair and standing as Su darted into motion. He wanted to help her but she could handle herself. He scanned the faces of the diners instead, looking for someone not startled by the commotion she was causing, looking for someone trying to leave.
One of Durant’s men placed his napkin carefully aside, his face a neutral mask. Durant’s advisor sat next to him, attention on Su and her struggle, screaming assertions that he’d been right all along and completely oblivious as the other man pushed his chair back slowly to remain as inconspicuous as possible.
Michael dove across the space between tables before his target could drop his hands out of sight. Shouting rose up around him. Security from all three organizations converged on the dining tables. Up and down the aisle between tables, a few of the dancers were screaming.
Michael kept his eye on his target. He took the man with him to the ground and wrestled with him briefly. The man wasn’t a fighter though. It took almost no effort to restrain him and lift him up to a standing position. Adam Durant himself was shouting at his own security to give Michael room.
On the other side of the table, one of the bird princesses was sprawled, unconscious or possibly dead. A few feet farther away, Su lay unmoving too.
“Su!” Michael shouted. Damn it. “Su, get up!”
But she didn’t.
7
Su struggled to breathe as sleep weighed down on her. She dreamed she was swimming toward consciousness but she couldn’t quite break the surface. Waves pressed her down, her hands and legs tangled in sheets.
“Easy.” The voice echoed around her. She recognized it but it was a new one, someone she’d met recently. She couldn’t fit a name to the sound. “Michael will be upset if he can’t get you to wake up, so it would be best for all of us if you came back to us sooner rather than later.”
Michael. She remembered him calling to her, demanding she get up. Then there’d been the sound of a bone breaking and a man screaming in agony. She opened her eyes.
“There you are.” Ben Ward sat next to her. Apparently, she was in a bed. “I’ll speak quickly, because Michael is outside ranting at the medical personnel at the moment but he won’t be away from your side for long. He cares very much for you, my dear Su.”
She struggled to sit up and Ben helped her with gentle hands, propping soft pillows up behind her. She was in Ben’s suite, she thought, or at least still in the resort, based on the décor, but not in Michael’s rooms.
“Thank you for identifying and apprehending the assassin.” Ben’s tone was solemn. “I don’t think any of us have witnessed a flying tackle like the one you executed, nor the kind of dirty wrestling match both you and Michael managed to win with your respective opponents. You suffered a scratch in the process and got yourself mildly poisoned.”
No shit. Su opted not to try to talk because her throat was incredibly dry, and also because anything she might say would probably be seriously rude.
Ben opened a bottle of water and poured a measured amount into a glass. He offered it to her, holding it until she’d managed to wrap her hands carefully around it. “I imagine you knew exactly what risk there was, and I am even more grateful for your choice.”
The cool water slipped over her tongue and eased the raw ache in her throat. What the hell kind of poison had been on those nails?
“Kuroda-san had medical personnel with him and they were able to coordinate with local doctors to get you treatment to counteract the effects. I’m told we were very lucky you were only barely scratched.” Ben tapped the inside of her left arm. It said a lot about how awful she was feeling that she hadn’t even realized she had an IV.
“Thank you.” The words came out more as a croak. Instant medical attention was definitely something to
be grateful for.
Ben nodded an acknowledgement. “You are very precious to Michael.”
His statement chased away the chills she’d been experiencing.
“You also may have gathered from Michael that this organization has a culture in which we become a family of sorts.” Ben pulled up the blankets and tucked them more securely around her. “You’ve risked your life for us, for me. I want you to know you always have a place with this family because of it.”
As much as she appreciated the gesture, and she would think harder about it once she had a chance to gather her wits, she wondered if Ben realized how much like a mafia boss he sounded to her.
“I can also think of many ways a professional with your skill set could be helpful.” Ben stood. “I appreciate your skills, and if you choose to continue as a wetwork specialist, we would definitely be interested in maintaining you on retainer. Or if you prefer to explore other pursuits, our corporation values assets like you. We could be flexible in developing a role to fit any career aspiration that might interest you.”
She stared at him. He was offering her a home, basically, and a means to make a living with his company. Indefinitely.
Ben smiled at her. “I’ll let Michael in now before he takes down his own security team.”
She watched Michael’s boss leave.
Maybe she hadn’t woken up yet.
* * *
Michael was through waiting. He’d give the men bonuses for their diligence later, but he was getting into Ben’s suite and clearly it required taking them out. He dropped his hands to his sides and looked toward the door to his own rooms down the hall. His men relaxed—probably relieved he was giving up—as he centered his weight over his left foot preparing to bring his right knee up into the gut of the nearest. He’d follow up with a palm strike to the other man’s throat and he’d be through. But the door opened suddenly and there was Ben.
“Michael, she’s awake.” Ben stepped aside and held the door open.
Michael rushed through and headed directly for the bedroom.
Su lay on the king-size bed, pale under her golden-brown complexion. Her lips parted, and he intended to say something too, but he climbed onto the bed instead and pressed a kiss over her mouth.
They stayed like that for a moment, enjoying the soft caress of their lips brushing against each other, then Su raised her hand and caressed his cheek. He rose up and sat back on the bed next to her, holding her hand and rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.
“That was close, Su.”
She nodded. “I survived. What’s next?”
He stared at her. “I sort of thought there’d be a lot more conversation here.”
Her lips curved in a smile. “Your boss offered me a job. I’m guessing he or one of the other two leads is going to see about the contract out on me. I figure all of that can be straightened out. What matters is what’s between us and what our next step is.”
She paused.
“If there’s a next step for us.” Her voice tapered off to a whisper on the last few words.
For the first time in his experience knowing Su, there was vulnerability in her gaze.
“Where you go, I go.” He made the commitment equally as quietly but with as much conviction as he could put into his words. “I’ll stay here in Thailand if this is where you want to be.”
She bit her lip. Then she reached up and took a handful of his shirt, tugging him down for another kiss.
“No. I’m ready to head back out into the world. Let’s go have an adventure.”
Afterword
Thank you for reading FINDING HIS MARK!
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About the Author
Piper J. Drake is a bestselling author of romantic suspense and edgy contemporary romance, a frequent flyer, and day job road warrior. Wherever she goes, she enjoys tasting the world and embarking on foodie adventures. Dogs—and horses—have been known to spontaneously join her for a stroll and she enjoys pausing for a nice chat with cats of all sizes, from domestic to tiger size and beyond.
Piper aspires to give her readers stories with a taste of the hard challenges in life, a breath of laughter, a broad range of strengths and weaknesses, the sweet taste of kisses, and the heat of excitement across multiple genres including science fiction and fantasy.
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piperjdrake.com
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