WhiteWing

by Connie Suttle

  "At least Ashe is willing to let Kay participate. He wouldn't let her out of his sight for the longest time."

  "I know. He's terrified he'll lose her, somehow."

  "That's what Bree says."

  At times, I forgot that Kooper was one of my sister's mates. The original Three answered only to themselves and most often didn't respond to mindspeech sent by anyone else, mates included.

  "How else will the rest of you grow if we swoop in to solve all your problems?" Bree arrived and teased Kooper and me at the same time.

  "Baby," Kooper was on his feet immediately and pulling Bree into his arms for a quick, determined kiss.

  "Uh, okay," I said, preparing to fold away from my study to give them some privacy.

  "No," Bree waved a hand and pulled back from Kooper. He was disappointed, I could tell.

  "You're about to have other difficulties," Bree turned her gaze on me, her cobalt-blue eyes shining from the depths. "Just remember, not everything is how it seems on the surface."

  With that, she and Kooper disappeared.

  "Great. I have questions and she's making whoopee," I muttered.

  * * *

  Paricos II

  Ilya

  Velker supervised the loading of his equipment a second time—on the star cruiser that would transport us to Kelburr. Velker hadn't given us particulars, including the location, so I refrained from asking questions.

  I and my crew were merely bodyguards—muscle for Velker's excursions into thievery. I worried that we could be getting in over our heads—at least according to the abilities we reportedly held.

  If Zaria or I employed our true talents to obtain anything Velker wanted, or to save ourselves if it became necessary, it would blow holes in our cover.

  We need a vampire, I informed Zaria.

  What?

  To lay compulsion if Velker sees something he shouldn't.

  I'll consider that—and who might fit the bill, she replied. Larentii can lay a form of compulsion, but it's almost never employed because of the interference rules.

  I know. Let's hope we get through this first assignment with no trouble, and we'll hire a vampire who can walk in daylight.

  * * *

  BlackWing VII

  Terrett

  I received mindspeech from Zaria last night, I told Quin at breakfast.

  "How is she?" Quin asked right away.

  She says fine, although she sounded tired, I said. She wanted to ask an unusual question—about dead Sirenali.

  "Why?" Quin's brow furrowed. "She didn't frighten you, did she?"

  No, love, nothing like that. She wanted to know what most Sirenali are reluctant to tell—that the ability to conceal things from the powerful continues after our deaths. We hold that secret close to prolong our lives, you understand. Why feed and house a live Sirenali when his moldy bones will do just as well? My kind often lie, to perpetuate the belief that a dead Sirenali is of no use whatsoever.

  "Terrett, that's frightening." Quin was suddenly terrified.

  Dearest, the mute ones are in the greatest danger—those who speak can prevent someone from taking their lives, unless they are taken by surprise. I patted Quin's hand to calm her fears.

  "But your brothers," she whispered, her eyes locking with mine.

  I know. I worry that it would be too much to ask those powerful enough to restore their speech. Once this becomes known, however, it could be prudent to do so anyway. I hope they have earned the trust of those around us well enough to have their speech returned.

  "Is there any way to prevent this—a dead Sirenali from concealing something?" Quin asked.

  The body must be burned completely and the ashes scattered. That is the only way I know.

  "Terrett, this frightens me," she said.

  Dearest, I wouldn't have told you if it weren't so important.

  "Heads up," Sal strode into the dining hall, crackling with energy. "The ship's being fired on. The shields are holding; that's why we don't feel it, but somebody out there needs a lesson in manners. Who wants to board a real pirate ship with me?"

  "I will go," Terrett said aloud. Sal looked at him for a moment before jerking his head in a nod. Terrett could command the pirates to tell Sal everything, and forget his commands afterward.

  * * *

  Star Cruiser Hellion

  Zaria

  Kelburr was two days away at Hellion's best speed. Ilya moved like a restless cat in the small dining room as we waited in line for lunch. He didn't like traveling this way, and he certainly didn't like being at the mercy of an unknown crew in Zarbec's employ.

  Few worth saving in this lot, Flyer informed me as we inched forward in the food line. Flyer was a member of the Saa Thalarr. He'd Looked into the background of the crew members.

  All were considered criminals, like the criminal who paid them.

  They're paid to get us to and from Kelburr in one piece, I told Flyer. If they decide to go rogue, we'll handle it.

  I worry that Zarbec will want whatever Velker finds, Ilya huffed.

  I haven't seen that in any of them; they have their orders and that wasn't included, I said. Tamp has hired this crew before—I know that much. They're experienced and reliable, at least.

  Are you comfortable sleeping while surrounded by murderers? Flyer asked.

  No, I answered truthfully. I haven't slept well since I got to Paricos II. You have no idea how many ghosts walk that planet. At least I can place a shield to keep the live murderers out of my bedroom.

  You just raised the hair on my neck, Bleek muttered.

  I hunched my shoulders and stopped talking. Bleek noticed. Two hands dropped onto my shoulders before he pulled me back against him. Those hands remained where they were; the other two arms circled my waist to hold me close.

  His warmth reminded me how cold I felt. I wanted to turn into that warmth and let Bleek take my worries away for a while. I couldn't. Not with the cook and galley crew watching.

  Tales would find their way to Velker, who hated Bleek already. If Velker made one wrong move toward the Blevakian Mountain, the treasure hunter would have no idea what I could unleash against him.

  Larentii were allowed to protect their mates. Velker's life meant nothing to me. Another treasure hunter could be found, I'm sure.

  Too bad Velker didn't know that.

  * * *

  BlackWing VII

  Terrett

  Any of them obsessed? Sal sent.

  None that I can see, I replied. It had been ridiculously simple to take the pirate ship firing on us; there were only twelve crew members on board, and they hadn't been expecting an attack from behind.

  The prisoners stood against a wall of their ship as Sal, Lafe, Jana and I studied them. Quin will see through them well enough, I added.

  Lissa's sending some of hers; she'll be transported here soon, Sal said.

  Quin arrived a few moments later, flanked by Lissa's Falchani twins, Drake and Drew.

  "They want the reward and intended to sell us twice," Quin turned to Sal after reading the pirate captain's intentions.

  "How?" Drake asked.

  "By splitting the crew. They already have another woman they've disguised as me," Quin sighed. "With black wings and everything. They want nothing to do with Cayetes; they want to fleece the Alliances instead. The captain isn't concerned that Bleek isn't here. Cayetes would demand that, I think."

  "That gives me an idea," Drew's lips curled into a smile. "Quinnie, where are they holding the black-winged decoy?"

  * * *

  Le-Ath Veronis

  V'ili

  I stood with the crowd as the black-winged woman and her pirate crew were herded toward the holding cells at ASD headquarters. They'd be questioned and a date for hearings and judgment set.

  Word ran through the crowd that they'd been captured by the ASD while firing on another ship.

  Fortuitous for Master Cayetes and me. Here was his black-winged healer that he desired so
much. The only one missing was the Blevakian, but that could wait. I would work my way through the holding cells, one obsession at a time, until I reached the girl.

  She would tell me where the Blevakian was hiding, or whether he'd died in the fight for their ship.

  Either way, I'd have news for Vardil. It could take a few days, but the search for the girl was over.

  She'd be under my thumb very soon.

  Chapter 6

  Queen's Palace, Le-Ath Veronis

  Lissa

  "Anyone with power, from the Powers That Be and upward, will be immune to V'ili's obsession," Belen explained. "King and Queen vampires, some vampires that are very old, pod'l-morphs and the Larentii are also immune."

  "We'll make sure enough of ours are disguised and sprinkled throughout the holding cells after V'ili places his obsessions. The Sirenali will be fooled into thinking he's placed an obsession on the ones who'll replace the original guards," I said. "Once V'ili arrives to take Quin's decoy, we'll strike. He'll die and Cayetes will then be easier to find if everything goes as planned."

  We'd used the crew from the actual pirate ship as decoys for BlackWing VII's crew, and found the woman they'd disguised as the black-winged Quin. I'd employed power to tweak their disguises so that nobody would know they weren't real.

  I'd gotten mindspeech from Rylend, too, asking for a vampire capable of walking in daylight. Ilya had sent the request. It was a reasonable one.

  "Are the location chips hidden well enough on the prisoner, in case V'ili gets away with her?" Merrill asked.

  "As well as a Larentii can hide them," Connegar acknowledged.

  The plan was sound. The execution of it would either fail or succeed, depending upon the fake Quin and V'ili's ability to sniff out our deception.

  If he became suspicious at any time and left the woman behind—we'd be no better off than we were before. It was a huge gamble, and the odds fluctuated from one moment to the next.

  "How long will it take him to attempt to place obsession on those we plant in the holding cell facility?" Kiarra asked.

  "Three days at most," Trajan appeared. "Ashe says so."

  "Then we have three days," I tossed out a hand. "Let's hope this works. We kill V'ili, we find Cayetes. We find Cayetes, we find those stolen spheres. Then we can concentrate on finding those leaking containment spheres that Marid hid or sold."

  "Has anyone spoken to Morid?" Dragon asked.

  "At length. He can't tell us a thing. He only said that Marid disappeared, taking Terrett and the containment spheres with him. He has no idea where his father went before he ended up on Siriaa. We do know, through Quin, that he didn't have those things with him when he landed on that world. She read him before he killed himself and said that he'd released hundreds of containment spheres on hundreds of worlds, but Morid reported that his father held hundreds, if not thousands, at the least, of those spheres. He held some in reserve, so he could sell them later, no doubt."

  "They could be anywhere, then," Kiarra shook her head. She knew, just as I did, that we should have been hunting those things all along.

  * * *

  Star Cruiser Hellion

  Zaria

  "That's not Quin," I said, gazing at the images of a shackled pirate crew being led to ASD holding cells on Le-Ath Veronis. "The entire crew is from an actual pirate ship that fired on BlackWing VII. They intended to sell their victims twice, to the ASD and CSD. The decoy that looks like Quin was their insurance to collect both rewards."

  Ilya had brought his comp-vid to me to show me the images on the news-vids sweeping both Alliances and all networks outside them. This particular feed had come from Carek Prime, which was likely the most reliable of outside sources.

  "Good. I hoped she wasn't in danger." Ilya sat on the side of my bed—the berth was small and the bed only large enough for one person. I'd gotten a private berth; Ilya and the others had to share.

  "You think she'd be in danger on Le-Ath Veronis?" I blinked at Ilya.

  "Now that you say that, no."

  "Lissa would never stand for that. I can see the sense in allowing this lie to go forward," I tapped the woman's image. She looked exactly like Quin. "I think this is a trap, to draw V'ili and Cayetes out."

  "That makes sense," Ilya raked fingers through his dark hair. "Bleek wanted to know, too. I'll go tell him now."

  I watched Ilya walk toward the auto-door. It swung open to allow his exit. He'd come, and still there was nothing from him about our past, or what we'd be in the future—either together or separately.

  I'd blocked myself from reading him; I didn't want to see the mix of emotions that boiled inside him.

  I was terrified he had no care for me any longer, and that, in itself, would break my heart.

  "Where's the Ilya I met long ago on Earth?" I whispered. I wanted him with me so badly.

  * * *

  Carek Prime

  King's chambers

  Devarr

  "My King, this is all I can do on such short notice," Hulce handed the packet of identification chips to me.

  "These will get my troops onto Le-Ath Veronis?" I demanded.

  "There is no difference between these and what the Reth Alliance produces," Hulce claimed. "This will gain them passage on any Alliance ship. They will arrive on the vampire planet in a day and a half if we move now."

  "Then we move now. Captain Lenk has chosen those he trusts. They will release the winged woman and bring her to me. Carek Prime's wealth and well-being are depending on your abilities," I held up the packet he'd given me.

  "They will work," Hulce asserted.

  "Good. Send for Captain Lenk immediately."

  * * *

  Star Cruiser Hellion

  Ilya

  Tamp waited until we were three quarters of the way to Kelburr to reveal our target, which gave Velker and his team half a day to make plans.

  I was glad, because the target wasn't one I would ever have chosen, or have taken on willingly after I knew.

  Yes, I thought we'd be digging in the dirt or among ruins. Tamp pointed us toward another criminal compound located on the non-Alliance world of Kelburr.

  Velker prattled on about the gadgets he'd brought with him that would fool any surveillance system. I wanted to laugh in his face. His gadgets wouldn't get past a wizard's or warlock's boundary if they held any sort of power at all.

  Tamp had the Rock warded; I could feel the wards every time I walked past their perimeter. I imagined that this would be no different and we'd either be thwarted in our attempt or forced to employ power Velker didn't know we had.

  I wanted to curse as my team and I stood around the three-dimensional image Velker displayed at the meeting table and described how we were going to break into the massive compound. We would then make our way to a basement treasury, where the thing Tamp wanted was placed.

  Unless the containment sphere has been warded by a better wizard or warlock, it will have leaked poison on everything in that treasury, Zaria pointed out.

  We don't know that's what Velker is hunting here—do we? Flyer asked.

  We do. Zaria sounded defeated.

  Can we check the people inside the compound for poison sickness before going in? Turtle asked silently.

  I can do that, Zaria agreed. I'll wait until we're in orbit around the planet, first, in case I need to fold into the compound.

  You think they may have Sirenali protection, don't you? I asked her.

  It makes sense. We really need to find out who is manufacturing all these clones for Cayetes and who knows who else, she grumbled.

  That will have to wait—we need to do this first, I pointed out.

  "Zaria," Velker barked, "Repeat what I've said."

  Without a hitch, Zaria repeated his words verbatim. I wanted to kill Velker for picking on her, thinking she was our weakest link. Why would he think she'd be interested in him after that?

  If he'd come after me, which is what he wanted, I'd have strangled h
im, Bleek informed me. I now want to strangle him on Zaria's behalf, Bleek went on. The Blevakian answered the question I had; Velker would attack the one he could be sure wouldn't fight back.

  How little he knew.

  * * *

  Le-Ath Veronis

  Captain Lenk

  My instructions were clear. Take the winged woman. Get her to the ship and make our way back to Carek Prime as swiftly as possible.

  The king had paid dearly for our passage, and for no questions asked. That meant we traveled on a ship that occasionally accepted bribes and smuggled items. This time, the items were members of the King's guard and a winged woman.

  Should we be captured or some of us killed, the instructions were also clear. Disavow any connection to the King of Carek Prime. We were outlaws looking for reward money only.

  Devarr had placed his trust—and the fate of our world—in my hands. I was determined not to fail him.

  Hulce, on the other hand, had placed one of his latest devices in my hands and instructed my men and me on how to employ it.

  So far, it had gotten us past customs at the space station. I hoped it worked as well at the ASD facility. If not, I had visions of being killed the moment we walked past the first level of guards.

  Shoving my ranos pistol into its holster beneath my jacket, I looked around the Casino City hotel room at my men.

  Live or die, we were in this together.

  * * *

  Le-Ath Veronis

  Casino City

  V'ili

  The ASD guards are falling for my charms like leaves in a whirlwind, I informed Vardil via secured comp-vid.

  As expected, Vardil responded. Bring her to me swiftly; I want her to examine me. I worry constantly the poison disease will return.

  I understand. The moment she is in my grasp; I will fold space to you.

  Good.

  * * *

  Queen's Palace

  Lissa

  "The trap is laid," Kooper said. "He placed obsession on six of our human guards, as you know. He intends to go straight into the holding cells and get out alive. We've replaced those six obsessed guards with the ones who won't be susceptible to his charms. Kay has removed the obsessions already, and the humans are at the facility on the light side."