by Anna Carven
“Probably,” Kai agreed, as their coffee arrived. “But doesn’t that also apply to you?”
“My work has been my life ever since I left the Kythian Court.” Zyara held the steaming mug between her hands, savoring the warmth and the unique, heady aroma of her drink. Rich, bitter coffee was proving to be a great temptation for Kordolians on Earth. Zyara couldn’t get enough of the stuff.
“It figures,” Kai remarked. “From what I know of you, that makes sense.”
“When it comes to knowing about me, you’ve hardly scratched the surface, Human.”
“Then tell me more,” he rumbled, his hand moving to her thigh. He traced his fingers up and down, feeling her lean, muscular legs through the sumptuous fabric of her kashkan.
When Kai had given her time to dress and prepare for tonight, he’d shown her to the same luxurious chambers she’d fallen asleep in the last time she’d visited his compound. There had been a selection of clothes in the wardrobe. She’d been surprised to find a range of traditional Kordolian kashkans amongst the Human fashions. They had been constructed from beautifully patterned Earth fabrics, and the sizing was perfect.
Zyara had chosen a deep green one embroidered with subtle grey blooms.
Damn these Humans and their thoughtfulness. Weren’t they supposed to be criminals? Lawbreakers?
Abbey had referred to their trade as ‘organized crime.’
Zyara was beginning to think they were a little too organized. What had happened to the chaos, the violence, the air of carefully controlled menace?
Heat radiated from Kai’s fingertips, seeping underneath Zyara’s skin as delicious warmth rose up into her body.
Heady arousal threatened to overwhelm her.
Zyara set her coffee aside and dropped her hand, encircling his wrist with a grip like Callidum. “Is this how you plan to get to know me?”
“Amongst other things,” Kai responded smugly, and then darkness engulfed them.
The elaborate holograms, the trees, the floating fish, the stars, they all disappeared in an instant.
Of course, the darkness didn’t stop Zyara from seeing perfectly well. A lone figure stepped out onto the stage.
A hush came over the audience, the figure’s hollow footsteps splitting the silence.
She was a petite Human with a curvaceous figure. Her innocent, unlined face was that of a girl blossoming into womanhood.
So young. Almost too young to be in a place like this.
Zyara’s grip on Kai’s wrist tightened. A spotlight came on, illuminating the girl. Her platinum hair was arranged in an elegant updo, and she wore a simple red dress.
What kind of entertainment did these decadent Humans indulge in?
A curtain at the back of the stage opened, revealing three Humans wielding strange long-necked devices. At first, Zyara thought they were weapons. But then, they started to play.
Music.
The instruments howled, the sound gritty and discordant, at least to Zyara’s untrained ears. But after a few beats, she started to get it; started to feel it. It was a revelation. A third instrument joined in, adding a thrumming bass-line.
Then the girl sang.
She sang in Human-speak, in the language Zyara recognized as English. Her voice was not sweet and pure, as Zyara had been expecting. She sang in a low, throaty growl, as if the words were being torn from her raw soul.
Zyara couldn’t understand the words, but the emotions in the music transcended everything.
Pain, longing, sadness. Some things were Universal.
The singer conveyed suffering in a way that made it beautiful. Zyara hadn’t even known such a thing was possible.
Humans continued to surprise her in every way.
She turned to look at Kai. In the muted light, when he thought no-one was looking, his expression had become tender. He met Zyara’s gaze, offering her a wistful smile as the song drew to a close. “Pia’s a good kid, but she’s broken inside. Terrible things have happened in her life. That’s why she can sing the blues like that. Singing is the only thing that helps her.”
“She is an old soul,” Zyara whispered, as the aftershocks of the performance continued to ripple through her. What was this strange feeling in her chest?
“Darkside’s the only place on Earth you’ll hear singing like that. Only place in the Universe.” Kai’s arm slid around her waist, leaning into her. He inhaled deeply. “Did I tell you that you smell fucking incredible?”
“Kainan,” Zyara warned, although she didn’t pull away from him. As the musicians readied their instruments, preparing to launch into the next song, a commotion broke out behind them.
Raised voices made Zyara turn her head. A female android was headed in their direction, navigating between the tables. Her smooth oval face managed to convey a distressed expression.
“Master Kainan!” she cried, her sharp, artificial voice turning heads. She reached the front of their booth and dropped to her knees. “I am sorry. So very, very sorry!”
“What’s the problem, Persie?” He gently disengaged from Zyara and stood, placing his hand on the robot’s head. The android was dressed in a flowing white gown, and her long, golden hair was arranged in elaborate braids. A garland of leaves adorned her head.
“I have done bad things to you,” she wailed, “very, very bad!” She grasped the front of Kai’s jacket, bowing her head.
People were staring in their direction. Kai shot them a glare and curious eyes were quickly averted. The android was making a soft wailing sound. Zyara had never before encountered a robot that had been programmed to mimic real emotions.
What was the point of that?
“I need to handle this somewhere private,” Kai said, offering her a slight bow. He’d reverted to his usual cool, businesslike demeanor. “I’m sorry for the intrusion, Zyara. I’ll have my people come and attend to you. In the meantime, please enjoy the show. I won’t be long.” A hint of frustration had crept into his voice.
The robot was clutching Kai’s hand. There was something rather childlike about her behavior. Were these machines designed purely for Human entertainment?
What exactly was their purpose?
Zyara waved her hand in assent. She had no interest in getting involved in Kai’s affairs. This was Human business, and it was clear that Kai was never too far away from his work.
As Kai led the android away, the band struck up another number, and the driving, gritty music pulled her back into a world of beautiful suffering.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“Persephone,” Kai said softly, as the android entered the rear office. “What is this all about?”
Even though the walls were insulated against sound, he could still hear Pia Bloodrock’s mesmerizing growl and the driving rhythm of the bass guitar.
The android called Persephone dropped to her knees.
“Enough of that,” Kai snapped. “Take a seat.”
Keeping her glowing electronic eyes downcast, she sat down in one of the leather chairs across from Kai.
He tapped his fingers impatiently on the hard mahogany desk. Persephone said nothing, waiting for him to speak.
Kai sighed and activated his link-band. He spoke in Eskulin, because Persephone wasn’t programmed to understand street-talk. “Miriam, I’ve had to step out for a moment. Can you make sure Zyara is attended to? Send her a companion, and remember, she is my honored guest.”
He let implications of his words sink in. They were to treat her the same way they would treat him.
“Understood, Boss.” She paused, and Kai heard voices in the background. “Uh, Boss?”
“What is it, Miriam?”
“Araki’s at the door.”
Kai swore under his breath. “The Second?”
“Yeah.”
“How the hell did he get in undetected?” If Arik had entered the North Ward, Kai’s sensors should have picked up his intrusion a long time ago.
“He flew in,” Miriam said. “There’s a
fleet of hover-cars parked outside. People in the queue think it’s one big photo-op. It’s getting a bit messy out there.” She paused. “Should we let him in?”
“Wait.” Kai scanned his neural implant, accessing Entropy’s external vid-feed. Sure enough, the Boss’s son, more commonly known on the street as The Second, was weaving through the crowds with a sizable entourage of menacing looking enforcers in tow.
There was a long queue of revelers waiting to get in. If Arik decided to cause trouble on the street, it would hurt the reputation of the club and draw unnecessary attention.
Kai thought hard and fast. “Let them in,” he said finally.
“Are you sure, Boss?”
“Let them in, Miriam. They won’t start anything here.” Kai knew The Second all too well. Although Arik was as ruthless as they came, the Boss of the East Ward detested the sight of blood. It was a strange weakness for a gangster to possess, and Kai had once witnessed Arik puking his guts out on the side of the street after a particularly bloody ambush.
Vadim had always openly expressed his scorn for that particular trait.
“I’ll deal with Arik in a moment. Keep them distracted, and keep Arik away from Zyara.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Kai terminated the comm. It wasn’t coincidence that Arik was showing up at a time like this. What the hell did that asshole want?
Kai ran a hand through his hair and turned to his android. “Look at me, Persi.” The AI named Persephone had been one of their earliest acquisitions. She was a pleasure-bot with high emotional responsiveness. Her programming was designed to evolve over time, in response to certain stimuli.
But Persephone had always been a little different. She was more impulsive, more curious, and more open to attachment than the other androids.
Some might say she was a little defective.
In the early days, Kai had spent hours training her, so one could say their relationship went way back.
Slowly, the android looked up, her silver eyes glowing.
Androids couldn’t cry, but somehow, she managed to convey sadness.
“What has happened, Persephone?”
“I betrayed you,” she said, her voice low and hollow. “They came and used a device on me. I don’t know what it was, but they stole my data, Master Kainan. They violated me, and now I am corrupted. It would be best if you decommissioned me.” Her voice rose in pitch with every word.
“Persi,” Kai held up a hand, urging her to slow down. “Who did this to you, and what exactly did they take?”
“He pretended to be a client. He took me up to the room and stole everything about you. Your voice. Your appearance. Your touch. Your entire biological signature.” She began to shake. Her luminous eyes flickered. “Now I understand two more Human emotions. Anger and fear. I delayed to tell you. I hoped I could just bury it inside and it would all go away. I am sorry, Master Kainan.”
“When did this happen, Persephone?”
“A w-week ago from today. I am sorry. I was scared. I once overheard the staff saying you were scary when you were angry. I didn’t want you to be angry with me. Please don’t be angry with me.”
Kai rose and walked around to where the android sat. He put a hand on her shoulder. Units like Persephone were conditioned to feel calm and happy in response to Human touch.
“I’m not angry at you, Persi,” Kai said. Now he understood how his bio-sig had been hacked. It would have taken careful planning, some inside information, and some very specialized equipment.
The attack could have originated from any of the Families in Darkside. The North Ward was a highly coveted piece of real-estate, because Kai and his people had made it so damn profitable.
And it was probably no coincidence that Arik had decided to show up here and now of all times and places.
A familiar coldness settled over him. They would show their hand eventually, and then Kai would pull the trigger, and Darkside would be forever changed.
They couldn’t fight against what he was planning.
“Take a break, Persi,” Kai said gently as he removed his hand and headed towards the door. “I am not decommissioning you. Take the night off and give yourself a few extra hours in the recharge pod. I’ll deal with the aftermath of this.”
He always ended up dealing with the aftermath.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
A beautiful male android had arrived to keep Zyara company, and as she sat in the booth, transfixed by the band and their remarkable singer, he moved closer to her. He was warm, and he smelled of smoky, spicy sweetness. “I am yours to command, my lady.”
“Just sit here until your boss returns,” Zyara said calmly, not wanting to send him away just yet for fear of offending someone. The android was harmless, after all. She supposed some might find his exotic looks attractive, but she felt nothing for this artificial creature.
Kai’s sweet, dangerous presence had an entirely different effect on her, stirring a wild, savage desire within her. She’d never known such intense need before.
She’d had her share of Kordolian suitors when she’d been a daughter of House Sirian, and some of them had been incredibly skilled, but this was different.
Kai didn’t bow down to her or try and cater for her every whim. He wasn’t desperate to please her. He did things on his own terms.
This was his territory, and everything here revolved around him. He wielded quiet power, and because of that, Zyara was irresistibly drawn to him.
Humans. She was beginning to understand how the mighty General Tarak could have fallen for one.
They were beautifully flawed, and now she wanted one of her own.
The music grew louder, demanding her undivided attention as the singer reached the song’s climax, her voice cracking on the higher notes. Zyara sensed that the imperfection was intentional.
It was raw, brutal, and cathartic.
As the song drew to a close, movement and soft murmurs drew her attention. Someone was approaching her table. She glanced across and saw a man, no, a woman? At first, it was difficult to tell, but after a while, Zyara decided he was definitely male.
This Human had long silver hair and wore dark glasses even though the club was dimly lit. He was tall and lean, with long, graceful limbs encased in a deep purple suit. His wrists, neck, and ears were adorned with glittering jewels.
A swarm of black-suited men and women surrounded the man, engaging in a strange back-and-forth as the Human locked eyes with her and smiled, revealing perfectly black teeth.
Beside her, the android stiffened. “She is not to be disturbed, Master Araki. The Boss has ordered it.”
“Kainan can come and discuss things with me directly. After all, I came to talk business with him. But in the meantime, I don’t mind getting to know the beautiful Kordolian who saved my dear sister’s life.” The Human bowed, but there was something insincere about the gesture. “It’s a pleasure.”
All around them, the black-suited guards were engaged in a silent struggle. Zyara caught the bulge of weapons beneath their clothes. She couldn’t tell which ones were Kai’s people, and which ones belonged to the newcomer. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room was different, the air seething with menace. Even the music had changed in tone, becoming dark and sinister, or maybe that was just Zyara’s imagination.
The menacing Human slid into the booth beside Zyara as the robot growled. “You leave her be, Second.”
Zyara was mildly surprised. She had never encountered a protective AI unit before. Kordolians saw technology purely as a tool, a means to an end. It was unheard of for any AI to be given Kordolian traits or anything resembling emotion.
That was a dangerous path to go down, and their species had learned from past mistakes.
“Quiet, android,” the Human snapped, edging closer to Zyara. Great. She was now wedged between a robot and a Human.
Where the fuck was Kainan?
“As far as introductions go, that was a pretty paltry one,” Zyara grow
led, shifting away from the Human as he tried to get close to her. “Who are you, and what do you want?”
With one hand, she reached into her kashkan and felt for the familiar hilt of her Callidum dagger.
A high-pitched laugh escaped him. “Fearless and direct, I see. No wonder little Kai is so taken with you. I’ll forgive you this time, because you clearly have no idea who you’re addressing.”
“Arrogant and presumptuous, I see,” she retorted. “I could say the same for you, Human.” He had no idea of the fury she could rain down upon him. It would just take a quick comm message to the three First Division warriors who waited in the wings.
Those boys were always itching for a fight. It was in their blood.
But she wouldn’t call upon them. Not yet.
The situation wasn’t yet out of control.
Slowly, Zyara drew her weapon, flicking the blade across so that it rested against the Human’s belly. She leaned across so that her lips were almost brushing against his ear.
Noticing the curious stares of onlookers, Zyara smiled sweetly. “I have no idea who you are, Human, and quite frankly, I don’t care. But if you dare lay a hand on me or cause trouble for Kainan, I will spill your guts.” In the background, the male robot was babbling hysterical nonsense. His programming obviously wasn’t equipped for this sort of thing.
The Human slowly turned to face her, his smile widening. His obsidian teeth gleamed in the dim light, giving him a demonic appearance. “Pleased to meet you too, Kordolian. My name is Arik, and in our shadowy little world, I outrank Kai.” Arik removed his dark glasses, revealing crystalline blue eyes.
Zyara held her blade steady. Strangely, she sensed no fear from Arik. There was something a bit fey about him. Arik had a touch of the madness Zyara had seen in the Kythian royals. It was a madness born of unfettered power and unrestrained cruelty.
She had to be careful with this one. Arik was dangerous.
Inwardly, Zyara sighed. Her only free night just had to be interrupted by some kind of trouble. Of course it did.
With the kind of company she kept, it figured.