Karos

by Susan Hayes

  She smiled at the memory of all the things they’d done once Karos had made their clothing vanish. Thinking of him elicited a pang of longing, as if they’d been separated for months instead of a matter of minutes. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered and stomped back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. Try as she might, she couldn’t shake the feeling.

  Annoyed at herself, she leaned in close to the mirror, staring at her reflection. “Get it together. We have a job to do. We can get all mushy and moon-eyed over Karos after the job is done.”

  “Karos.” Someone whispered the word in a dreamy, decidedly feminine voice.

  Her adrenaline spiked and she spun around, expecting to find someone standing behind her. “Who's there?” she demanded, looking around. No one was there.

  “And now I’m hearing things. Great.” She turned back to the mirror. “You can’t afford to go crazy right now, Richards. How about we re-schedule this psychotic break for later, hmm?”

  That’s when it occurred to her - she wasn’t hallucinating at all. “Dragon?” She said softly.

  “I am here,” the same voice sounded in her head.

  She froze. Holy shit. It was real, and it was talking to her.

  “Of course I am real.” The voice sounded both amused and faintly reproachful.

  The tiny part of her that kept denying what was happening finally gave up and flew a tiny white flag. This was happening.

  “It’s going to take me a bit to get used to all this.”

  “I am a surprise. I understand. And you do not need to speak with voice. If you think at me, I will hear. We are one.”

  Her mouth opened, then she closed it again and thought back her response. “You can hear this?”

  “Yes.”

  She should have spent less time snuggling and more time asking questions. There was too much she still didn’t know.

  “So, I can turn into a dragon now? Like Karos can?”

  “Yes. We fly together. Fight together. We find friends. Save them. Protect them. Hurt ones who took them.”

  She liked the way her dragon thought. “We will.”

  “Soon?”

  “I hope so.”

  Her head was still spinning as she donned the tactical webbing and weaponry she’d claimed from the armoury yesterday. She pushed her anger and shock aside and focused on what needed to happen next. She mentally rehearsed where each item was and how it worked, memorizing it so that if things got crazy, she wouldn’t forget.

  That was when her phone erupted into a strident whoop-whoop noise that sent her racing across the room to where it sat, recharging.

  She unlocked the screen and opened the tracking app, then threw her hands in the air and cheered. “Yes, yes, yes! Way to go, Lily!” She raced out of the room, flying by bemused looking staffers as she pelted down the hall toward the elevator that led to the lower levels – and the command center. She knew where they were. Now, they just needed to figure out how to get them back.

  Chapter Seven

  Megan was in such a hurry she almost forgot to use the temporary access badge Karos had given her to activate the elevator. By the time she got the thing moving, her hands were shaking with excitement and the first rays of hope. It felt good, but she knew better than to give in to emotion. Any emotion. Hope was as dangerous as anger. Both led to bad decisions, and they were only going to get one shot at this. She needed to be thinking clearly. Karos would call the shots, but she was his partner. They’d figured this out together.

  Keth was still in the command center, surrounded by several other Pyrosians as he barked orders in what she assumed was his native language. Maps of the city of Vancouver covered every monitor, and it only took her a few seconds to locate a pulsing orange beacon on the center screen, showing the same location as the app on her phone. He beckoned her to join them, a smile touching the corners of his mouth. He looked like he hadn’t gotten much sleep, but then again, none of them had.

  “You found them,” he stated, relief and exhaustion in his voice. The others moved away, each returning to their assigned tasks, leaving the two of them alone.

  “We found them,” she replied. “Did you let Karos know? When I was in the armoury yesterday I forgot to ask about a radio. I had no way of letting him know, and I didn’t want to miss anything, so I came straight here.”

  “Karos will be here momentarily.” Keth’s smile widened. “I believe he intended to stop by your room on the way to make sure you were aware of the situation.”

  “Oops.”

  Keth just fixed her with a mildly amused expression. “Given how close you two seem to be, I should probably assign you a room closer to his. It would save you both some walking.”

  Son of a bitch. He knew. Heat flooded her cheeks. Part of her wanted to duck her head and babble, but she ignored it. Denial wasn’t going to do a damned bit of good. Karos had said that the others would be happy for them. It was time to see if he was right.

  “Security cameras?” she asked in a conversational tone.

  “Are everywhere,” he confirmed. “And tend to get checked when someone melts the circuitry of one of the doors.”

  Crap. Talk about awkward. “Yeah. Sorry about the door. That wasn’t my doing.”

  Keth nodded. “I’m aware. You won’t have that kind of power for some time yet.”

  She blinked. “You know about that, too?”

  “The camera captures images in…” he frowned. “I believe the term is high resolution,” he said mildly.

  “Then those cameras might end up capturing a murder when Karos gets here.”

  Keth laughed. “Please don’t kill my head of security. I need him to get our people back.”

  The door opened and Keth’s gaze moved from her to the new arrival. She knew without looking it was Karos. She could sense his presence. The energy in the room changed and something in her soul resonated to it.

  “No murders,” Keth murmured.

  “I’m not making any promises.” She looked around at the bustling room, then at the beacon flashing on the monitor. This wasn’t the time or place for that conversation. Besides, Karos had been in the thrall of the rux. She knew he’d feel bad when he learned they’d been caught on film. He’d add it to the list of things he was already blaming himself for. Those broad shoulders of his must be carrying a hell of a lot of weight the way he kept adding to his burdens.

  Karos strode over to them. She heard him coming but made an effort not to turn around despite an almost overwhelming desire to look his way. For a second, she thought she heard her dragon growling in frustration. “We’ll see him in a second. Cool your jets.”

  “I am fire dragon, not wimpy ice dragon. I melt things, not cool them.”

  She bit back a giggle. Her dragon had an attitude, just like her.

  Karos joined them a second later. He wore the same dark uniform as the other embassy guards, but he’d added a tactical harness festooned with enough weaponry to start a one-man war.

  “Where are they being held?” he asked by way of greeting, and then turned to smile down at her. “Hello, sadina.”

  “They are just outside one of the city’s major ports. Small warehouse. Minimal foot and vehicle traffic in the area,” Keth reported.

  “Good. Minimal risk of bystanders becoming involved that way,” Karos said.

  “And no chance of getting close without being seen,” Keth replied.

  “We’ve got no chance of surprising them,” Megan agreed. The Firsters had picked their location well, and she had no doubt it would be heavily defended.

  Karos bared his fangs. “I have yet to meet a human who is not surprised when they spot a dragon headed their way.”

  Keth grinned fiercely. “Bring our companions home. I will alert the local authorities. They are aware we wish to handle this ourselves.”

  “I’m sure they’re thrilled they’re being excluded. How did you manage it?” Megan asked Keth.

  “I called the Prime Minister.
He’d rather this entire mess went away quickly and quietly. We’re the ones best able to make that happen.”

  Karos chuckled. “You have been spending too much time with Jet.”

  Keth shrugged. “Diplomacy is not my preferred approach, but this time, it worked. I’ll coordinate everything from here.” He looked at Megan. “It’s a good thing your device worked. The protesters we arrested yesterday have remained silent, and as you know, the government has a strict policy of never making deals with terrorists. As much as everyone wanted to safeguard the lives of those taken, no one was willing to release the prisoners.”

  She’d known that was a possibility, but she’d half-expected Keth and the Pyrosians to find a way around the rule. After all, this had the potential to set back alien/human relations for years – which was probably what the damned kidnappers were hoping for. “I’m glad, too. This way, we get to ruin those assholes’ day. They think they’ve got us trapped between a rock and a hard place. Time for us to drop that rock on their heads.” She smacked her left hand down on her right fist for emphasis.

  Karos nodded, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze. “I will end this.”

  “You mean we will. We. Plural. Because you agreed we were partners, Karos. We’re doing this together, remember?

  “I know what I agreed to, sadina. But the circumstances have changed since then.”

  “No, they haven’t. My people are still in danger. It’s my job, my responsibility, to get them out.”

  “You must stay here,” he said.

  Keth gave her an apologetic smile. “You need to speak with your mate about this, and there isn’t much time.” He pointed to a small door off one of the inner walls. You can use that room to speak privately. I’ll continue to oversee things here.”

  He wanted them out of earshot for this conversation? That didn’t bode well. She glanced at Karos, then nodded. “Lead the way.”

  Karos didn’t say a word until the door slid shut behind them. It was a storage room holding extra chairs, and shelves containing a mixture of ordinary office supplies along with a few things she’d never seen before. Translucent cubes, thick items that looked like heavy pens of some kind, and an array of communication devices all lined up in what looked like charging docks.

  “This better be good,” she said.

  Karos ran a hand through his hair, sending the red and silver strands into disarray. As unhappy as she was, she still had to fight the urge to walk over to him and smooth his hair back into place.

  “I want you to know that this is not what I intended. I wanted you by my side today. I understand how important this is to you, “ he said.

  “And yet, you’re telling me I can’t be there, and I’m still waiting to hear a reason why.”

  “Because it’s not safe.”

  She frowned. “I’m a professional bodyguard. It’s my job to put myself into unsafe situations. That’s pretty much my job description, in fact. And that was when I was human. Thanks to you, I’m a lot more than that.”

  “I know, but you still can’t go.”

  “Why not?” she demanded, frustrated. “Is this some Romaki dragon macho thing? The little woman stays home while the man goes out to crack skulls and kick ass? Because that is not going to happen.”

  He actually smiled a little at that. And damn, it looked good on him. So good she wanted to—Stay focused, dammit.

  “No, sadina. I will never ask you to stand down. Not once you have learned how to use your new abilities.”

  She caught on. “You bit me, and now you’re telling me I can’t go because I’m a dragon?”

  “Your dragon’s spirit will manifest soon. In the beginning, she will be undisciplined and difficult to control. If you go into battle with me now, before you have learned how to work with her, you could be hurt, or more likely, you will hurt someone else. Magic is driven by instinct and emotion, and you don’t yet have the knowledge to use it safely. I have to protect you.”

  “No.”

  He blinked. “What?”

  “I said no. No, you don’t have to protect me. My job is to protect others. It’s not just a job, either, it’s who I am. You can’t take that away from me.”

  “You are a danger to yourself and others right now, which means you aren’t coming. I’ve already left instructions that you are to be kept here, under guard. If you try to leave the embassy, you will be stopped. I will not fail to protect someone else I care about. I cannot go through that again.”

  “Again? Is this about your friend?” She was angry, but not so much that she didn’t hear the undertone of grief and pain in his voice. She didn’t want to be a source of pain for him.

  “I lost every friend I had during the war. Most of them in a single day.” He exhaled sharply and his eyes clouded over. “The day after I was wounded, my friends decided to avenge me. They formed a raiding party and went after the ones who had injured me. They did it without authority, and no one knew where they had gone until it was too late. They were discovered by a much larger force. None of them returned.”

  This was making more sense by the minute. “Was one of them called Tali?”

  It took him a few seconds to answer. “How do you know that name?”

  “You called out to her in your sleep. You were having a nightmare, I think. You kept calling her name and asking her to forgive you. I thought maybe she was a lover, someone who left you.”

  He shook his head. “Not my lover. My best friend. The one I trusted to guard my back. I failed her. Wasn’t there when she needed me most.”

  She cocked her head to one side and fixed him with a questioning stare as the pieces started to fall into place. “How did you fail her, exactly?”

  “I told you. I wasn’t there for her. They all died because of me.”

  “That’s bullshit. They died because they did something foolish and got caught.”

  He stiffened and took a step back from her, his head shaking in denial. “That’s not what happened.”

  “You’re the one who told me the story. What did I get wrong?” She folded her arms across her chest and watched as he started to pace, his gestures agitated.

  “I should have been there. We made a pledge to watch out for each other. To guard each other’s lives with our own.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” Megan said.

  He looked at her in confusion. “It makes sense to me.”

  “Clearly. But whatever happened to your friends, it’s not going to happen to me. I need to be there today.” She let him hear her frustration and anger, but it didn’t make any difference.

  He shook his head. “It’s too great a risk. You are mine to protect. Later, I will teach you all you need to know, and together we will protect everyone we care about. Today, please trust me to do what you cannot.”

  “You mean what you won’t let me do.” She threw her hands in the air in frustration. “I can do this.”

  “I am sorry.” He reached for her again, but she stepped out of reach.

  “Stop apologizing and start listening to me! Teach me what I need to know and let me come with you.” She already knew he wasn’t going to relent. He was afraid he’d lose her the way he’d lost Tali and the others.

  “I am listening. I hear you, but I can’t allow it. When this is over, I will take you to my bower and talk to you about anything you wish. Teach you all you need to know. And make love to you until we are both exhausted. I will make you a home fit for a queen and fill it with every comfort I can imagine. This is how it should be amongst my race. I have been a poor mate to you.” He sighed, and some of the light went out of his eyes. “I don’t deserve to have you as my mate.”

  “Your Gods seem to think otherwise.” And if she was honest with herself, so did she. He was overprotective and bossy, sure, but he was also honourable, noble, and hers.

  Karos waited for her to say something more, but his beautiful mate had lapsed into silence, her arguments at an end. It didn’t give him the peace of
mind he’d hoped for. All it did was add to his doubts. He’d taken this choice from her when he’d claimed her. Could she forgive him for that?

  Squaring his shoulders, he met her gaze and offered her the only solace he could. “I will bring our friends home safely. I swear it.”

  Her eyes still shadowed by frustration and hurt, she mustered a bittersweet smile and nodded. “You’d better.”

  He understood how difficult this was for her. A warrior’s place was in battle, but her abilities were too new. Too much could go wrong. He’d lost everyone he cared about once already. He couldn’t go through that again. He pressed his hand to his heart. “I will not fail.”

  He wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and kiss her until her smile returned, but there wasn’t time. His heart tore open as he turned away, denying himself another taste of her sweet lips. He was needed elsewhere, and she had to remain here, where she was safe. He was partway out the door when she spoke again. “And you better come back in one piece, too. I’m not done being mad at you, yet.”

  He walked back into the command center feeling like he’d failed – again. This time he’d do what he couldn’t the last time, though. This time, he’d protect everyone.

  “She is angry,” his dragon commented.

  “But I am right. We must protect our mate.”

  The beast within was silent for a long moment before it finally replied. “She is our mate. We protect.”

  Having Megan with them was too great a risk, both for her, and for everyone around her.

  Keth shot him a look and joined him as he walked toward the door. “I feel like I should be offering congratulations on your mating, but given the situation…” He trailed off. “How displeased is she?”

  “Very,” Karos said tersely. “And she has good reason.”

  “More than one. You forgot about the security cameras in the gym, my friend. I’ve wiped the footage and ensured no one else saw it, but I had to tell her.”

  “Daga’s flaming wrath, I never thought about that.” Another wave of shame and anger washed over him.