At Night's End

by Katherine Matzen

  Amman abruptly motioned for the guards.

  Lateef raced over the short distance, falling heavily to the floor. One hand went on Dani and the other on the unconscious Thane, heedless of the green and red blood soaking into his rumpled jeans.

  He closed his eyes in concentration and Dani gasped in relief, opening her eyes to look at him.

  “You have to save him, Lateef.”

  “I will.” Lateef cut her off as he concentrated. “I know what I have to do.” His breath caught as he realized how precarious the situation was. He would have to give up his last few certain moments with her on the slim chance he’d be able to neutralize the poison and heal the damage from the bolt. He ignored the agony of his heart, praying Dani would understand.

  “I need Brandon’s help.” He appealed directly to Amman, allowing his fear to show in his eyes. “The poison is too strong for me to save both of them. And I have to…”

  The Matriarch nodded and Brandon rushed over as Dani’s breathing grew more ragged.

  “Stay with me, Danielle Hamilton. I can’t lose you now.” His voice faded as the Thane’s heartbeat stuttered to a stop. “Keep her stable, Brandon.”

  Dani jerked as pain flared from her lower back for a split second as Lateef passed her care to Brandon.

  ‘Don’t let her die.’

  ‘I won’t.’

  Lateef buried his fear beneath the routine of healing a critical patient. He couldn’t afford to worry about what happened around him. Fear sapped the healing abilities, and the poison flowing through the pinned bodies was nasty. The Thane took a deep breath and Lateef realized several hands held his patients steady as the clan leader’s body shook.

  “We won’t let you hurt.” Lateef was dimly aware Rissa had joined them, lending her healing energy as she reassured Dani. “You have to trust us. Lateef and Brandon are both very, very good at what they do. You have to relax and work with us, Dani.”

  “What do you need from us?” Taltos spoke and Dani moved.

  “Hold still!” Brandon snapped.

  Lateef’s breath caught harshly in his throat. He shared the bright shaft of agony in her back that traveled up and down her spine in sharp, spiky waves. Her back arched and convulsions shook her entire body, nearly ripping her away from the hands trying to keep her steady.

  Several people yelled simultaneously. Bodies shifted toward them, radiating confused anger. Lateef tightened his hold on the Thane, calming his tremors and spared a tiny bit of concentration to help Brandon block Dani’s pain. Their situation was precarious. If the Hatti felt the Thane was lost, they could all still die.

  “Got it!” Brandon’s triumphant shout cut through the confusion and Dani gasped.

  Rissa knelt between Brandon and Lateef and gently took one of Dani’s hands in hers as she sent waves of calm through the physical link. “Okay, Dani. Brandon had to put an extreme block on you. You won’t feel any pain. You can’t sleep until we know how much damage there is. But you have to stop fighting the healing.”

  Most of Lateef’s attention was focused on the Hatti Thane, but he thought he sensed a shadowy presence watching Dani. His patient shuddered convulsively, and he had to concentrate on the delicate task of chasing down all of the poison, ignoring his sister’s muttered comments about heroes being bad patients.

  Sweat plastered Lateef’s hair to his face. His eyes remained closed in intense concentration as he ensured the blood vessels near the bolt were sealed. “It’s time to move her.” He trusted his companions to prepare Dani.

  Once Dani had been lifted away from Hantili, Lateef sank deeper into a healing trance. His head bowed in concentration as he pressed his hands on either side of the metal shaft, healing the pierced organs so the Thane would not bleed out.

  Rissa wrapped a cloth around the exposed length of the bolt. At Lateef’s unspoken signal she pulled the metal shaft straight out before handing it to a waiting white-robed Hatti medic. Lateef immediately shifted his hands to cover the wound, stemming the welling of rich, green blood following the metal shaft. Sweat dripped from his brow, and his entire universe tightened to the battle to keep Thane Hantili alive.

  ****

  Kyle knelt beside Dani, one hand lightly touching her shoulder. “You okay?” He struggled not to look over his shoulder at the alien guard watching him so closely. Dani’s act of heroism had given the rest of her group a reprieve, but they were not yet out of the woods. Something unexpected had happened to the assassin and the aliens were not too happy about it.

  “Lateef needs help,” she repeated. Her words slurred, but she was insistent.

  “He has help,” Kyle said. “There are a dozen medics over there. Everyone seems calm. Stay with me, Hamilton,” he said firmly as her eyes started to glaze over. “This party is just getting started. You wouldn’t want to miss anything.” Kyle glanced at Brandon.

  “Keep her talking.” The words were strained.

  Beads of sweat dripped down the healer’s furrowed brow and Kyle’s heart slammed in his chest. This was so not a good sign.

  “The leader guy seems to be okay. The medics around him are calm.” He was babbling now. Dani’s face had lost all trace of color and though her eyes tracked him they did not focus. He looked over at Brandon and saw more sweat beaded on his flushed face.

  Amarantha stalked over, cursing up a blue streak as she approached. She paused briefly in her litany when she noticed the strain on Brandon’s face. “The thrice be-damned-goat-loving-worthless-waste-of-skin died,” she said. “He screamed like a girl and croaked the second Madame Tamarra started to get something useful out of his worthless hide. Way too bloody convenient if you ask me. Her methods weren’t even that harsh.” She shot an admiring glance back at the Matriarch in question. “I think his boss is still around, though I’ll be damned if I can figure out how he’s getting any kind of reliable psionics through the fragging shield and all electronics can be tracked. Security claims everyone in the hanger belongs, except for us.”

  Kyle gulped at the callous remarks. Every death deserves some regret, doesn’t it?

  “What’s taking so long over here? I’ve seen this guy re-grow entire limbs in less time than this and she still looks like utter crap.” Amarantha pointed her chin in Dani’s direction.

  Kyle blinked at the dark-haired woman in surprise then shuddered at the coldness lurking in those eyes. This beautiful, alien creature was definitely a candidate for some serious mental health help.

  She gave him a wintery smile and he immediately felt like a lamb staring at a hungry wolf. “I’ve had lots of therapy,” she said. “Turns out I have trouble dealing with assholes who hurt other people. I’m also extremely good at holding grudges.”

  The chill fury radiating off the tall figure made him shudder convulsively. He vowed to do anything he could to stay on the lethal woman’s good side.

  “Don’t worry.” Her toothy smirk didn’t reassure him. “I didn’t kill the assassin. Did confirm he was a mother-loving Falgaran disguised as a Hatti guard. Can’t believe we didn’t figure out the how or why before the bastard croaked. Would have reported events to my handler, but can’t get through the fracking shields these people have. Can barely get anything from Rissa when we’re practically touching, and can’t teleport an inch. Glad the healing isn’t affected”

  Kyle had no idea what the odd-woman meant and trying to understand was making his brain hurt so he asked the most important question.

  “Can you help Brandon?”

  Amarantha snorted derisively. “I can’t even heal my own injuries. I’m not one of those fancy, multi-talented field agents. I’m a soldier.” There was a hint of bitterness in her voice as she observed Lateef and Rissa who still hovered over the Hatti leader.

  Suddenly a huge smile lit up Dani’s face.

  “Caity,” she whispered. “I missed you, baby-girl!”

/>   “Shit!” The exclamation seemed to explode from the frazzled Brandon. “I need Lateef.”

  “Hold on, Dani!” Kyle grasped her chin in an attempt to make her focus on him instead of ghosts from her past. “You can’t leave us.”

  Amman and Taltos hurried over at Brandon’s exclamation. Amman gently pushed Kyle aside to grab Dani’s chin to sniff her breath. One side of her mouth lifted in an involuntary snarl before she nodded sharply at her companion.

  “You may call for more help,” Taltos said. “We will not block your healers.” He spoke quietly into a communicator as Amman took a small bottle from a pocket and dripped three careful drops into Dani’s lax mouth.

  Brandon unsuccessfully stifled a protest.

  “This will strengthen her,” the Matriarch said. Her stare was merciless. “The other healer found it useful.” She straightened and nodded her head at Brandon’s whispered thanks then returned to her leader.

  “I’ll call,” Amarantha said. “You want Mellora?”

  Brandon nodded, most of his attention focused on his patient.

  Kyle waited until the lethal woman opened her eyes again and then exploded when nothing else happened.

  “I thought you were getting help? How is someone supposed to get here in time? Shouldn’t we leave for a hospital instead of standing here?”

  “Why would you want to do that?”

  Kyle whirled to see a new woman glaring at him. She wore brightly-colored scrubs capable of passing at any medical office or hospital on Earth. Icy blue eyes dominated a heart-shaped face framed by thick, black hair pulled in a ponytail.

  “How did…?”

  Her icy glare intensified and Kyle raised his hands and backed away with his question unfinished.

  “I was expecting to find Rissa in trouble again.” She ignored everyone as she sank to her knees beside Brandon. “As usual, our ’Rantha was a bit short on details.”

  “It was a bloody emergency, Mellora. You always ask the exact same fracktastic questions again when you get here so why waste time repeating things?” Amarantha grabbed Kyle’s shoulder and began edging away.

  “Still haven’t improved your vocabulary, I see.” Mellora shot her a single glance before placing a well-manicured hand on Dani’s head. “What are we looking at?”

  Brandon began his report as Mellora closed her eyes. “Unknown poison on a dart…”

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Lateef extended his exhausted senses in one last scan through the Hatti leader’s body.

  ‘It’s all good, ’Teef.’ Rissa’s equally exhausted mental voice chided him. ‘Let the man wake up now. His people are getting worried.’

  He obeyed, withdrawing his senses as the Hatti Thane began to stir. Settling back on his heels he watched as the leader sat up, aided by the formidable Madame Amman and a med tech.

  A flurry of activity erupted when the man rose to his feet.

  Lateef’s head fell forward and he tried to convince his body he still had some energy.

  ‘You okay?’ Rissa’s mental voice was barely strong enough for him to hear.

  ‘Will be. The poison was nasty.’ He briefly wondered why his sister was helping out at the Hall, but then hoped his assistant would have a mug of restorative broth ready. Then he could collapse in bed to ride out the inevitable migraine. It had been a long time since he had needed to extend his abilities so close to the point of burnout, but this patient was important. A week of sleep would do wonders. Maybe someone could drop him off on Earth and he could recover with Dani. Her presence would do more good than any of Mellora’s herbal concoctions.

  Suddenly the fog lifted and he remembered where he was.

  “Dani.” His eyes popped open and he stumbled to his feet, only to fall to all fours as his exhausted body failed him. His mind reached out, but there was nothing but silence.

  “Steady there.” Kyle grabbed him around the waist and helped him to sit on a gurney.

  “I have to get to Dani.” Lateef fought to stand.

  “You need to rest at least a couple of minutes.” Rissa’s voice was barely louder than the background noise. She allowed one of the hovering medical technicians to help her onto another gurney.

  Lateef groaned. “I abandoned Dani. I have to help her.” Each breath felt like an ancient massvore sat on his chest.

  A Hatti crewmember appeared with finger foods and mugs of rich broth. Amarantha helped Rissa drink the broth, ignoring the agent’s tired protests she’d rather sleep.

  “Drink this,” Kyle said as he held a mug to Lateef’s lips.

  He swallowed automatically, hands rising to help hold the cup. Welcome warmth flooded his system and the fog swaddling his brain thinned.

  “Dani.” Lateef renewed his struggles to get to his love.

  “Dani has help. You need to eat and then we’ll go check on her.” Kyle popped a piece of cheesy bread in Lateef’s open mouth.

  He chewed and swallowed, accepting several more chunks even as he complained about being restrained.

  “Enough,” Amarantha snapped. “You can’t do anything right now, Lateef. Brandon and Mellora have it under control, but if you collapse or continue to cause a scene, then one of them will have to come deal with you instead of working on her. So, shut up and eat.”

  Lateef glared at her, guilt gnawing at his gut.

  Taltos approached and Lateef tried to struggle to his feet, only to have the soldier wave for him to remain where he was.

  “Thank you for the sustenance,” Lateef inclined his head respectfully. “I look forward to the opportunity to repay the favor.”

  “And I wait with impatience for the opportunity to join you at your table.” The formal phrases were stilted and Taltos looked uncomfortably around the room, unable to meet the Beryllian healer’s eyes for a long moment.

  “Thank you for saving my Thane. Our medics tell us he would not have survived without your help.” The words came in a rush.

  “He wouldn’t have lived long enough to hit the floor if Dani hadn’t absorbed most of the poison.” Lateef’s voice caught, and he blinked, struggling not to shed the tears that wanted to fall. He looked at the cluster of people around Dani’s gurney, needing to do something. He couldn’t feel her but wasn’t sure if the silence was because of the shields on the ship or because he was so wiped. He refused to consider the possibility she was dead. No one would be around her if she was gone.

  “Master Chef Danielle Hamilton is very brave,” Taltos said. “It is hard to believe she lives so far from civilization and yet…” His voice trailed off as he apparently remembered his audience. He took a deep breath. “Her small body contains a huge life-source. I would not yet give in to despair.”

  An awkward silence took hold as Kyle continued to hand him bits of food he wolfed down unconsciously, distantly aware Rissa was up and walked to Brandon’s side with the aid of the medic.

  “Did you figure out what this assassin was trying to accomplish?” Lateef asked. “Or how he got on board?”

  The bald man flushed a dark shade of green and looked at the floor. “He was in disguise as a crewmember. He joined us when we met another clan-ship a few weeks ago. No one ever knew much about him, beyond the fact he was vocal in his opposition to listening to what he called the Alliance propaganda.”

  “The Alliance?” Kyle repeated.

  Amarantha grunted loudly and moved to the far side of Kyle as she explained. “The Falgarans are evil bastards, destroying what they don’t eat just to keep anyone else from using it. They provoke all sorts of wars and crap to create havoc. The more pain and misery they can generate the happier the fracking jerk-offs are. They’ve made a lot of enemies over the years and we’ve banded together to make them pay.”

  “So, what happened here?” Kyle looked confused, or in shock, but he continued to hand Lateef food. />
  “The goat-loving Falgarans aren’t imbeciles,” Amarantha said. She tossed her long hair back over her shoulder and shot Kyle a look saying he was stupid beyond belief. “They start with a con game. Seems like getting a race to give up peacefully really gets their rocks off. Slime molds have managed to get us to play their sicko game with them. Damn parasites have a list of rules and rigid job descriptions for diplomats and field agents.” She shook her head in disgust. “And we follow those ridiculous rules for what they can do and what can be done to them, but they stretch those same damn rules out of shape.”

  “It’s given us a chance to defeat the Empire.” Lateef protested, feeling a bizarre need to defend the policy. “They outnumber us, even with our allies.”

  Amarantha snorted, the expression in her cold eyes growing wilder. “The mother-loving-eat-their-own-young slimy bastards always break treaties and we do nothing but send polite protests to Tarnkappe. And then apologize for the disturbance. How many of our women are missing, leaving a trail directly to the Empire, and yet we won’t begin to pursue clues for fear of creating an ‘incident’?”

  Kyle looked between the two Beryllians, his eyes wide.

  Taltos broke the tense silence. “Before he died, we did learn this assassin was responsible for the event that made us think you were less than honorable.” The admission was obviously hard for him. “Madame Tamarra confirmed he deliberately directed you to the kitchen at the worst possible time.”

  “That’s good news.” Lateef let his frustration at Amarantha go. She was irrational where the Falgarans were concerned. Her mother was one of the missing. And he had to admit he was not exactly in his own right mind right now. For the first time he felt the tiniest bit of sympathy for her erratic behavior. If he lost… He refused to allow the thought to continue. “I hated to think I was so clueless. It was never my intent to cause offense.”

  “We understand.” Taltos said. “And for our part, we are sorry to have reacted so strongly prior to an investigation. We are not normally so… excitable.”