by Auryn Hadley
She flopped back to look up at the sky. "I miss you all already, you know that? All of you."
"We're just a thought away, Sal. You handled Anglia just fine. Why is this so different?"
"I don't know. I had Jase in Anglia, I think. And Roo and Hwa."
He nodded. "Well, ya basically have me. I know I'm not the same, but you're not alone, ok?"
"I know. I just hate having to play a part. I hate not being able to be myself."
Zep leaned back and tugged the basket closer. "I dunno, demon. Sounds to me like you were doing a great 'man-eating beast' act. Oh, wait! That really is who you are." Grinning, he opened one of the wicker flaps and removed a nicely wrapped lunch.
Sal tore into it. That only brought more jokes, and they didn't get better. They laughed and talked until the food was gone, and then talked some more. She didn't worry about the time. She'd barely gotten used to being around the Blades again after Anglia, so everything else could wait. As soon as they got here, she'd been arrested. It felt like the world was trying to keep her away from the people she cared about the most.
Licking his fingers clean, Zep lay back onto the blanket and looked up at the leaves swaying gently. "I'm bunked above you a floor, I think. You got the ground floor, right?" He pushed the picnic basket away.
"Yeah." She leaned back, reclining against him. Her head fit perfectly against his ribs. "How'd the Blades manage to always get cabins?"
"LT's got some pull. Had, at least. He's pulled the Conglomerate out of shit more times than we can count." Zep chuckled. "Guess not even saving the country a few times over can make up for being iliri. Back when we started, no one really cared. I mean, Arctic wasn't the only one who shows his ancestry."
"Yeah. I wonder what changed, ya know? Is it us, or them?"
"Some of both, demon. We've definitely changed. We used to play human real well. Now? Not really. And with LT admitting what he is? Well, I guess they always thought that having a human in charge would keep you beasts in line or something."
Sal laughed, thinking back to that morning and her new human commander. "You'll love this. Drago asked me if I understood his order when I was checking in. He told me I'd do something or run laps. Something stupid like that, and I told him no."
"Damn, that's ballsy. How'd he take it?"
"He just moved on like it didn't happen." Sal rolled over and rested her arms on Zep's muscled chest, her chin cradled atop her hands. "I have no interest in playing their games anymore, ya know? I'm a better soldier than any of them, and they refuse to admit it because my ears are on top of my head instead of beside it."
Zep looked up at her and nodded, his hand tucking a stray wisp of hair behind one of those tiny ears. "They don't know you. I figure if you can convince everyone in Anglia to love you - "
"Not everyone," she corrected. "Just the soldiers I worked with, mainly. One of the nobles hates me, and there are a whole lot of citizens who couldn't care either way. Zep, I'm not special."
"Yeah, kid. Ya are. No matter what anyone else says, I think you're pretty damned special. So does Cyno. Yeah, and Blaec."
Sal turned her head and rested it against him. Zep gently ran his hand across her back. For a moment, the silence was all the conversation she needed. Over and over, his fingers tenderly traced the line of her spine through her leathers. Sal closed her eyes and inhaled.
"When did you change your mind, Zep?" she asked.
"About what?"
She chuckled softly. "You'll figure it out soon enough. Come on. I need to get back. I don't have quite as understanding of an officer as I'm used to."
"Tell him to bite you," Zep teased. "No wait, don't. That might end up badly." Then he rumpled the hair between her ears.
Grumbling playfully, she tried to smooth it back into place. "You know they’re going to try something, right?"
"What do you mean?"
"Raj and his cronies. They want to show me I'm not as good as them. I can smell it on them. They're going to try something to get even with me."
Zep touched his finger to the center of her forehead. "Yell, demon. Even if you got it, still yell. Cyno would kill me if I didn't at least make an effort, and I'm too old to die."
Sal laughed and pulled away from him. "Ok. Promise. Now get up and walk me back."
"Oh, now that's a privilege I don't usually get," he said climbing to his feet.
Sal slapped him gently, "Keep telling yourself that. You're the third most likely..." She paused.
"What?" Zep asked.
"Zep?" Sal looked up at him. "Really. When did you change your mind?" His cheeks turned a shade darker and he looked away. She just reached up and turned his face back to her. "When?"
With a sigh, he pulled her hand from his jaw. "Anglia. You told me I was iliri. I'm good, Sal. Ya just made me think about things a bit different. Ryali is back in Prin, and we both know the chances of me ever seeing her again are slim. The military just doesn’t work like that. Then, with you and LT and Cyno being so comfortable, it makes us all more comfortable. I'm good, demon. We're good."
"Ok." She could smell his nervousness. "You are iliri, though. I meant it." Grabbing his hand, she squeezed it, aware that her fingers barely reached around his palm. "Just relax, ok? We're iliri. It's not offensive."
Zep chuckled. "Yeah. Unfortunately, I didn't inherit the instincts, kid. I still need to think shit through. Come on. Let me be a gentleman."
Chapter 10
Drago Trax tried to make Sal's disappearance for lunch into an ordeal, but she ignored him. When he pushed her to her limit, she demanded that he just give her the formations she needed to know, then performed them better than the other members of Azure Silence. Admitting defeat, the unit had been dismissed for the evening with a warning that they would start again at 0700 the next morning.
She’d begrudgingly used the bathing area and then made her way to her bed. After spending a few moments talking to each member of her family, she shut her eyes in an attempt to drift into sleep. It was too easy. As soon as her eyes closed, she was out.
It felt like no more than a second later when strong hands gripped her arms and pinned down her legs. She tried to pry her eyes open, but her body resisted. When she struggled, the men around her laughed.
"Come on, bitch," Raj whispered. "You don't fight so hard when you've been sedated, do ya."
Sal wrenched her eyes open, seeing Raj, Erol, and Tine from Azure Silence looming over her body. Tine worked at the laces of her breeches, cussing under his breath. The scent of fear was overwhelming, and it wasn't just her own. The musk of anger blended poorly with it.
"Seriously?" Erol asked. "The bitch sleeps in her clothes?"
"Fucking iliri," Raj spat.
Sal struggled again, her wits working slowly, and her muscles ignored her demands. When Tine yanked her pants to her ankles, Sal realized she was helpless. No matter how hard she tried, she was not regaining control. That’s when the panic hit.
GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! she screamed in her head, her mouth refusing to work. I will kill you for this. I will make you pay!
Sal! Jase's mind bellowed back.
Stop touching me! she begged as Erol yanked one leg to the left and Tine pulled the other to the right. She tried to move her arms, but they were bound to her bed. No, no no no!
Raj began unlacing his own breeches, his erection pushing against the material. She tried to fight, but the men only laughed. The best she could do was twitch, and that wasn't enough to get away. Sal begged louder, hoping someone would hear, but her mouth wouldn't work.
Raj grabbed his crotch, making a show of it. "Scrubber, I'll show you what it means to be an iliri. After this, your pride should be right where it belongs. Around my damned dick. Understand, bitch?"
The best she could do was wobble her head, but it wasn't even a true no. Her body was completely out of her control - but a loud crash outside her door interrupted them. A second later, the thin wood flew open.
Zep s
tormed into her room, grabbed Tine, and flung him against the wall, then knocked Erol's feet out from under him. At the same time, a grey streak darted through the open door and stood over her. Sal recognized him by his scent. Hwa snarled fiercely as his short fingers dug at the restraints.
The pillow, she thought. Understanding immediately, Hwa reached under her head, grabbed the blade she kept there, and sawed at the bindings.
"What the fuck?" Raj screamed.
His pants hung open and he looked at the Black Blade before him wide eyed. Zep turned to face him. Neither was armed.
"How the fuck," Raj gasped again.
"I will kill you," Zep growled, walking slowly toward the man. Every muscle in his body was prepared for battle as he stalked the man from Azure. "I will make you pay for this." Zep's fist slowly clenched, the muscles in his forearm bunching for what came next.
Behind them, Sal heard a commotion. She tried to turn her head, but it flopped loosely, betraying her.
"Stop!" a voice commanded in a tone that all soldiers knew to obey. Zep paused, his jaw set, but he refused to take his eyes off Raj. Glaring, his hand flexed again before relaxing, but his jaw was still clenched. General Sturmgren stormed into the barracks, and Sal heard the clicking of grauori claws beside him. "What the hell is going on in my damned barracks?" he demanded from the room beyond.
"Sir," Zep called out.
The General heard him and pushed his way into the room. Sal finally convinced her head to turn the way she wanted and saw a cluster of soldiers outside her door.
"Someone get her untied and covered. This had better be a good story."
Zep rushed to Sal’s side, taking the knife from Hwa, and finished cutting the cords holding her. When she was free, he pulled her to him, hugging her to his chest with one arm while the other pulled her shirt down to her thighs. "I got ya, Sal. We all heard ya, and I got ya kid."
What did they give me? she begged him. I can barely move.
"I need a grauori," Zep demanded. "She's been drugged."
"There had better be a very good story then," Sturmgren said, staring at Raj, Erol, and Tine, who had all backed into a corner of her room.
"We just found her like that," Erol said, gesturing.
"Bad story," Sturmgren said. "Try again. Someone get me Drago Trax, like yesterday."
"I need a fucking grauori, damn it!" Zep yelled, interrupting the General.
A rumble behind the humans caused men to jump out of their way, and a pale bitch shoved to Sal's side.
"Kaisae," she said, reaching up to grab Sal's arm and glancing at Zep.
He nodded, and she concentrated. Sal felt her world spin. Zep, she begged the nausea more than the could control. He tilted her over the bed, cradling her. Sal began to heave, but the bitch never let go.
This was lethal for her kind, the grauori said.
"Tell him that." Zep jerked his head at Sturmgren.
I do not speak in Glish, cousin. I need one to translate for me.
"Fuck," Zep growled. "I need a damned Grauoran translator, too."
"Just tell me," Sturmgren ordered.
"They drugged her, sir. The nacione is trying." He paused as Sal heaved again, brushing her hair away from her face. "She said it's a lethal dose." Zep looked down at Sal, then back at the General. "There's about to be a lot of really pissed off iliri and Anglians in here, and I can't even begin to count the grauori. If you want a trial - and not a slaughter - you'd better get those fools out of my sight."
"Fuck you," Raj snapped at him.
Sal heaved again, and Zep held her. He looked over her body and a cruel smile spread across his face. "Cyno's coming. He's coming fast, too."
"And?"
General Sturmgren grabbed the soldier's shoulder and shoved him forward. "And if you want to live to see the dawn, you don't want to be anywhere he is right now. I need six armed soldiers to escort these men to a cell. A separate one for each, you hear me? Move! We have a diplomatic incident here. I said, move!"
Soldiers scrambled at his orders and dragged the three men through the door at the back of the barracks as grauori poured through the main entrances, snarling. Dozens of white beasts looked around, seeking a target for their anger. Even Zep could smell the scent of human fear around him.
I need a stronger healer, the bitch called to them.
Grauori surged toward her, three of them grabbing at Sal's skin. In turns, each focused, the healing constant across her body.
Hang in there, Sal. We got you, demon. We got you, Zep said to her over and over, until he couldn't tell if he spoke the words or thought them.
Blaec and Cyno arrived almost simultaneously. Cyno ducked through the throng of people, but Blaec shoved them forcefully out of his path. Not caring how it looked, Sal's mates charged into the room - and stopped. The four grauori focused on her shocked them both out of their protective rage. Blaec's head snapped over to Cyno and he grabbed the assassin's arm, sucking in a deep breath.
"What do ya see?" Jase demanded.
Blaec's fingers tightened and he gasped, releasing him just to turn to Zep. His hand dug into Zep's shoulder and held him. For a moment he was silent, too silent. Then he relaxed. "She's fine. She's pissed, but she's fine."
"She's not fine," Zep told him.
"Na," Jase said, kneeling at his side to touch Sal. "But she will be. That's what he saw."
Blaec let out a heavy sigh and dropped his body against the wall. "Risk is coming. They're holding her stable, but it's andromedotoxin. They can't clear it from her. Risk can."
"You sure, LT?" Zep asked. "You sure that's not just a chance?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty damned sure, man. Zep, I saw her telling you about it. She'll be good enough to be pissed in a few days. There's no other option. And the grauori just assured me that they have her stable until we get a better healer."
Zep closed his eyes and let his head rest against Sal's arm. "Ayati. Come on, demon," he begged. Sal heaved again, her stomach empty, and Jase caressed her face. "I can't let her go, bro, she doesn't have the strength to hold herself up, and we don't want the gerus to break contact."
"Yer good, man," Jase told him, patting his friend on the shoulder.
Hwa shifted to Blaec's side and rested his paw against the Kaisor's leg. That is not all you saw, is it?
Blaec shook his head. "No, Hwa, it never is. But she'll be fine - and I approve of her choice."
At his words, Jase glanced up, looking at Zep quickly. "Ya saw Taunor?"
Blaec shrugged. "I'm not sure. I think so, but I can't be sure."
Zep groaned in frustration. "Stop being so cryptic man. What did you see?"
Jase chuckled softly and brushed the hair from Sal's face again as Blaec spoke. "Sal was vehemently telling you about it, Zep. I didn't hear the words; I just know what she was raging about. She was tapping your chest to make her point."
Zep nodded, finally able to relax. "Yeah, she's always enjoyed backing me off."
Blaec shook his head, a little smile teasing the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, she wasn't backing you off, man. She had you pinned against a bed."
Jase patted Zep on the shoulder, but the next wave of concerned friends entered the room before he could say anything. Roo rushed to Sal's side with the pups scampering in her wake. The men leaned over to make room. With so many people trying to get their hands on her, the small chamber was crowded.
Sal! Roo whined when she saw her friend.
I can't make myself move. Everything is spinning. Sal thought back, barely coherent.
"Amma!" Rhyx cried, pushing beside Jase.
Raast froze, staring at the grauori leaning over Sal, focused on their healing. She cocked her head to the side, glanced up at Blaec, then back to the grauori. Is wrong, the gentle pup thought, grabbing for the cot and trying to pull herself on it.
"Raast," Hwa barked at her. Do not get in their way, the healers have to help your amma.
The pup shook her head. "Na, dava. Na es
durza." Is wrong.
She's fine, one of the grauori said to the men. Let her see her amma. It won't hurt the Kaisae.
Blaec stepped up and lifted Raast onto the bed beside Sal. Raast looked at the healers again, then at Sal, her ears up. Intent, she crawled forward and spread her small paws, touching Sal's bare leg, then looked up at Jase. He nodded at her.
"If ya think ya can, then try. Ya can na hurt her," he whispered.
Raast nodded, and stared at the swirls of ink across Sal's thigh, focusing intently and breathing slowly. Sal tensed and sucked in a breath - then suddenly relaxed, completely limp. Jase turned her face up, and rested his hand against her pulse.
"She's still with us," he told the rest.
Ayati, the first grauori said, sitting back pulling her hands from Sal. Ayati, the pup is doing it.
"What?" Zep demanded. "What!"
The other three healers relaxed, some sighing, all of them releasing their hold on Sal and looking at Raast strangely.
The nacione spoke again. The pup, she's purging it, she thought, as she reached out to touch Raast's shoulder. I don't know the words, but the pup does it different.
Raast nodded, never taking her eyes from Sal's tattoos even as Risk pushed in behind them.
"Shit," he muttered, reaching to grab Sal in one hand and Raast in the other. "Someone get Shift. Quick!"
The Blades began to scramble. Blaec charged out of the door, shoving men aside while he mentally screamed for Shift. Humans leapt out of his path, and grauori fell to the floor in submission. He burst into the night air outside, a cluster of men surrounding a soldier trying to push through.
"Get the fuck out of his way," Blaec yelled. "Shift, Risk needs you. Now!"
Shift shoved the human before him to the ground, and ran, leaving Blaec to deal with the angry crowd.
"He does not report to you," Captain Tharp snapped at Blaec, leaning into his face.