Her Cold-Blooded Master

by Lea Linnett

Ellie’s brow furrowed. “She just threw them out? What a waste.”

  He snorted derisively. “That wouldn’t be the first time my mother treated humans like that. My grandmother loved humans. She wanted to improve things for them. But my mother just saw them as a means to an end.”

  Just like you did not so long ago…

  He winced, shaking his head, but Ellie sat up in his arms.

  “What do you mean?” she asked, watching him with interest.

  A spike of panic shot through him as he realized he was about to spill it all. The story was on the tip of his tongue, dangling closer to the precipice than it ever had before. But he wanted to tell her. She deserved to know.

  He licked his lips, suddenly nervous, and tentatively opened his mouth to speak.

  BUZZ.

  Both he and Ellie started, the hairs on Ellie’s arms standing on end beneath his fingers.

  Helik looked around, his nerves fraying as he searched for the source of the noise. A moment later, it hit him; it was the notification for the elevator. He snatched up his wristlet from the bedside table, barking, “Show penthouse entrance feed.”

  Up popped the vid, and Helik’s heart stopped.

  “Who is that?” Ellie whispered, sitting up in the bed.

  Helik looked from the projection to Ellie—sitting naked in his bed—and gulped back what felt like a block of ice in his throat. “It’s Devis. She doesn’t have access,” he said, as if that mattered when she was hovering outside his front door. Ellie stared blankly at him for a long moment, before her eyes turned to saucers.

  “I need to get down to my room!” she hissed, panic evident. “I should be working already—why is she here? She never comes here!”

  Helik’s mind had gone blank, and his wristlet buzzed again as Devis slammed her palm against the wall panel, looking anxious even through the vid feed. With a thundering heart, he set up a link to the speakers by the door. “I’ll be right there, Devis. Give me a moment.”

  He killed the link and looked up at Ellie as she dragged her clothes on, stumbling slightly.

  “Get dressed!” she whispered harshly, though he could see a frantic smile crawling onto her lips. He caught himself smiling hysterically back, even as his stomach rolled with dread. Even in his own home, Ellie wasn’t completely safe, and the knowledge gnawed at him.

  He forced himself up and out of bed, pulling on his clothes from the day before. The two of them rushed downstairs like a couple of adolescents caught by their parents, and Helik hovered by the door, waiting for Ellie’s bedroom door to shut and for the water shower to turn on.

  He hit the door panel with a shaking hand, terrified that something was still out of place even as the door swung open to reveal Devis, her shoulders tensed and her crested forehead creased in a frown.

  “Sorry,” he said, letting her in. Devis just grunted.

  She paused in the atrium, her head cocked. “Is that your human showering? She’s up late.”

  Helik’s stomach dropped like a stone, and he fought the impulse to gape at the levekk female. “I don’t mind,” he explained, lamely. “As long as she gets her work done, she can keep her own schedule.”

  Devis gave him a long look. “I hope she’s doing a good job. The place kind of smells.”

  Helik almost forgot to breathe. How had he not noticed? How could he have thought the scent of human sex wouldn’t permeate the entire apartment? It probably clung to him, as well, he realized dully, the thought emanating from somewhere in the back of his mind as the forefront roiled with panic.

  “She does fine,” he bit out, his voice sounding even more mechanical than Roia’s. “She was cooking last night,” he blurted, hoping that worked as an excuse.

  Devis’ gaze turned distant, her eyes half-lidded, and she relented. “I need to speak with you,” she said as the human’s water shower turned off.

  “Okay.” They stood in silence for a moment, neither of them moving. “Shall we move to my office upstairs?” he tried, his stomach clenching uncomfortably at the idea of passing by his bedroom, where Ellie’s scent would be thickest.

  “Maybe.” A door opened and shut in Ellie’s corner of the apartment, and Devis flinched. “Maybe your human should go for a walk,” she suggested. “I’d appreciate some privacy.”

  “Of course,” he said, although his skin crawled at the idea of sending Ellie away. Even with Devis present, Ellie would be safer here. The Senekkar had too many unknowns.

  But when Ellie finally exited her bedroom, looking between him and Devis with worried eyes and a sunny smile, he still managed to say, “Why don’t you take the morning off? Go for a walk. You needed some extra pieces for the soot, right?”

  Ellie looked unsure, but ducked her head. “Yes, sir,” she said, and Helik had to bite his tongue against the thrill those little words now inspired in him. “I’ll just get my bag.”

  Helik and Devis didn’t leave the atrium until Ellie had slipped out the front door, but that didn’t calm the beating of his heart. It thundered in his chest even as he moved to the living room with Devis, and continued while he waited for the massive swathe of glass to cover the entrance to the balcony for privacy.

  Blue-toned light still streamed through, flaying Helik open almost as severely as Devis’ gaze did, and he struggled to face her.

  What could she want?

  And was his daydream coming to an end already?

  22

  Ellie couldn’t shake the furrow from her brow as she exited a fabric store a few blocks from Helik’s apartment. She knew it was silly, but a part of her was hurt at being sent out when Devis arrived. It made her feel like she didn’t belong—like she was a secret.

  Which she was, she supposed.

  She shook her head, trying to see the silver lining. At least she wasn’t cleaning. Instead, she was outside, her skin warmed by the towering climate-control domes and her world tinted blue.

  Helik was right, anyway: she did need to buy things for his soot. The Christmas party Anna had suggested for cultural exchange was less than two weeks away now, and she had a few finishing touches to make. It made Ellie’s head swim to think that, if she was back in Manufacturing, she’d be huddling under a blanket at Augusta’s shop counter right now, possibly watching the first dusting of snow fall through the windows.

  Instead, she was walking down a bone-dry street with her arms and legs exposed, and it might as well have been summer. She hadn’t been cold in weeks, and she had to admit it was a nice change from what she’d left behind.

  Maybe she should send something warm back to Augusta along with the credit transfer—a blanket, or a sweater, perhaps? She wasn’t even sure if the elderly woman would accept it after their parting words, but she should at least try. Her conversation with Helik had left her feeling raw when it came to Augusta, and her heart ached with guilt at having left the way she did, even if she was still upset about Lena.

  She nodded absently to herself. She would go looking for something next week. Today, she needed to get back to the penthouse and finish this soot. She’d given Devis and Helik enough time, she thought, patting her shopping bag reverently. Inside, there was a roll of rich, blue ribbon, some satin, and some buttons. She’d spent weeks trying to decide what would suit his strangely-colored skin best, but she was sure she’d got it right.

  A smile cracked her face, the thought of the soot buoying her spirits a little. She looked around as she headed home, no longer needing the navigator to find her way around. The Senekkar was beginning to feel less intimidating these days, the nagging voice in the back of her mind that sounded a lot like Lena finally going quiet. In a way, she felt safer here than she had back in Manufacturing, where people’s gazes were dark with desperation and their fingers quick. Here in the city center, there were only tired shopkeepers and bustling customers. Over the road, a bright, ruby-colored pindar was huffing down the street carrying a mountain of parcels, sweat rolling down his puffy body. Ahead of her, a bored-looking xy
lidian was handing out discount tokens to anyone who passed by her store, the light of the dome-covered sun bouncing blue off her shiny carapace. Ellie tried not to laugh when she noticed the few aliens walking by were giving the female a wide berth—whoever thought hiring a xylidian for advertising would be a good idea had a lot to learn.

  Her path was soon crossed by a levekk ducking out of a store beside her, and Ellie didn’t even flinch. The strange, scale-covered aliens that Augusta had spent so much time warning her about no longer seemed so terrifying to her. Instead of the evil overlords that she only ever saw in zines, levekk were now something she saw—and interacted with—every day. She’d even walked through stores beside them.

  She smiled to herself, her bag swinging at her side. She’d been so scared of everything around her when she first came to the city, but now things felt right. Even if Helik was embarrassed to be seen with her.

  She could deal with that. Helik made it worth it.

  The last of her bad mood fell away as she thought of the previous night. She rubbed at her shoulder. The muscle was still sore from the injection, but she didn’t regret it. Not one iota. She’d never felt that close to someone before in her life, and she was glad she’d felt it with Helik.

  The two of them fit together like a needle and thread, each pushing the other out of their comfort zone in the best way.

  She felt her cheeks redden, a smile worming onto her face.

  Her feelings had grown so intense that she almost didn’t know what to do with them. She wanted to announce them to everyone that passed by and shout from the top of the skyscrapers that Helik was hers and she was his.

  She couldn’t, of course, but that didn’t matter. Right now, Ellie couldn’t feel more at ease. The only thing she dreaded was the end of the program, but that was for future-Ellie to worry about. Right now, she was happier than she’d ever been.

  That is, until she felt a sharp tap on her uncovered shoulder.

  She jumped, spinning around, and came face to face with a tall cicarian, his large eyes half-lidded. His skin was the color of a deep, purple sunset, and she felt her good mood setting along with it as soon as she recognized who he was.

  “Hi there, Ellie. I was wondering if you remembered me?”

  Ellie went pale, a chill running down her spine despite the warm temperature. This was the cicarian from the commencement conference on her very first day—the one who’d asked about Helik’s past. She backed up a step.

  The cicarian smiled. “That’s a yes. I wanted to ask you how the program’s going.”

  “I don’t think I should be talking to you,” Ellie said, turning on her heel. But as she strode away from the alien, his soft footfalls followed behind, and he was soon abreast of her.

  “Come on. I’m just looking for an update. Mr. Kaan’s program is very newsworthy.”

  Ellie looked straight ahead, avoiding his eyes. “I’m sure you’ll find out all about it at the next conference.”

  “Have you been shopping? You must be paid pretty well to shop here. For a cleaner.”

  She pursed her lips, ducking her head against the bombardment.

  “What about your fellow humans? Have you spoken to the one called Scott lately? Apparently he’s been spotted with strange injuries.”

  “Would you please leave me alone?” Ellie cried, planting her feet.

  The cicarian came to an easy stop, craning over her like a predatory insect. His eyes looked more alive now, dominated by green irises that danced in the light. “I just need you to answer my questions, Ellie. Then you can be on your way.”

  “I can ‘be on my way’ whenever I like,” Ellie snapped, but while her voice stayed strong, her knuckles were white as they gripped her bags. “I have nothing to say to you.”

  She tried to walk on but was halted by thin fingers latching onto her upper arm just below her still-tender injection site. The cicarian’s hands were skeletal, covered in raspy skin that sent a shudder through Ellie’s entire body. She pulled against him, but his grip was firm, and she had to hide her wince as the movement pulled on her aching muscle.

  “I really must insist,” he said, lower now. Ellie looked around in a panic. Gone was the comforting hustle and bustle of the street. The modest crowd had thinned, and those passing by either avoided her eye or crossed the street to avoid them where they blocked the sidewalk. Her heart sank.

  No one was going to help her. This was the city, where humans were scarce, and if you did see one, it was probably someone’s property—in function, if not in name. She was automatically someone else’s problem.

  Suddenly, all of Lena and Augusta’s warnings came flooding back in a blur, while the outside world went quiet. All Ellie could focus on was the terrifying alien whose insectoid fingers were now tightening around her arm.

  “Now, what were you going to tell me about Devis Sidana and her human?” the cicarian purred, and Ellie felt a lump rise in her throat.

  “There’s nothing,” she insisted.

  “Oh, I think there i—”

  “Hey, Remmie, you wanna try letting go of her?”

  They both went still, and the cicarian’s eyes were suddenly wider than she’d ever seen them, the tiniest sliver of white now visible around his over-large irises. The vise around her arm abruptly released, and her own hand shot up to rub at the area, both to soothe the ache in her shoulder and to lessen the itching feeling his fingers had left behind.

  Two sets of eyes swung around to see the newcomer, and Ellie’s jaw dropped.

  “Scott?”

  The large human was standing in the middle of the sidewalk with his arms crossed, his eyes narrowing at the cicarian. He moved forward, stepping into the alien’s space, and Ellie was glad to see that Scott dwarfed him, both in height and breadth.

  “Maybe if you’d quit hassling the humans, you’d actually have something to write about, Remmie,” Scott continued, and the cicarian backed up, his wings rustling uncomfortably.

  “It’s Remoro Cal—”

  “No, I think it’s Remmie until you decide to treat us with even an iota of respect.”

  The cicarian’s mouth snapped shut, his eyes reducing to slits. Ellie glanced between the two, her hands shaking, until she couldn’t stand it anymore. She turned on her heel and marched away, leaving them behind. She didn’t want anything to do with ‘Remmie’ and his weird crusade. All she wanted was to get back to the safety of the penthouse.

  “Maybe you should ask Mr. Kaan about ‘Calliope’!” Remmie called out to her retreating back, and although Ellie forced herself to keep walking, her ears pricked. Calliope?

  She heard raised voices and a muffled grunt behind her, and then footsteps, but to her relief, it was Scott who appeared at her side.

  She sent him a flimsy smile. “Thanks for that.”

  “No problem. The asshole’s been camping out in front of Devis’ place almost every morning for weeks. Should’ve guessed he’d start bothering others.”

  Ellie’s heart clenched. “How did he find me? Do you think he has someone watching me?”

  Scott sighed. “Probably. Either that, or he has a second sense for when any of us leave our homes.”

  “And how did you find me?” She was pretty sure Devis Sidana’s place wasn’t in this area of the Senekkar, which meant…

  The other human looked away, his lips thinning for a moment before they morphed into a smile. “I’m here with Devis,” he said with a shrug.

  Ellie frowned in confusion. “With Ms. Sidana? She takes you places?”

  “No, I, uh—” He gave her a short look. “I told you I was a driver in a past life, right? Well, now I drive her around.”

  “You have access to her transport?” Ellie asked, eyes bugging, but Scott just shrugged self-consciously.

  “You’re making Mr. Kaan’s clothes, aren’t you?”

  Ellie shut her mouth at that. She peered up at the taller human, searching his face. His black eye had faded away, leaving only the fain
test yellow smudge beneath his eyelid, and the cut across his chin had turned pink and glossy. There were no new wounds, much to her relief.

  “How have things been with Ms. Sidana?” Ellie asked as they made their way down the street. “With that reporter hanging around, I mean.”

  Scott was quiet. He looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. But his gaze skittered away as he spoke. “It’s been stressful. She’s very good about scaring him off, though.”

  “She scares him off?” Ellie parroted, shaking the shocked look from her face when Scott’s expression turned guarded. “No, I mean, I thought you’d be the guard dog.” She gestured at the sheer size of him, towering over her measly frame, and the man relaxed.

  “Oh.” He paused, as if unsure whether he should say what came next, but barreled on regardless. “Truthfully? Devis is great to work for,” he said, and Ellie’s eyes widened. He’d definitely just used her first name—deliberately, even. “She doesn’t shit on my work,” Scott continued. “She doesn’t abuse me. Which is better than any other boss I’ve had…”

  Ellie’s pace slowed until they were only meandering towards Helik’s apartment, and she watched the human beside her with interest. “So… this”—she tapped her eye on the same side as Scott’s yellowing bruise—“wasn’t her?”

  Scott pursed his lips, his gaze on the sidewalk. “Not intentionally.”

  Ellie frowned.

  “It really was an accident,” Scott assured her, his comforting grin marred by the quirk in his brow. “Just one of the hazards of living with a levekk, I guess.”

  She didn’t know what he meant but backed off nonetheless. Scott’s eyes had turned playful, his posture relaxing, and Ellie couldn’t see any reason why he would fake that.

  “…Helik is good to work with as well,” she admitted, and the relief she felt at being able to call him by his first name hit her with surprising force. “You’d think he’d be the scariest of them all since he’s the guy running the show, but he’s really…”

  She paused, at a loss for a way of summing him up that wouldn’t reveal something she shouldn’t.