Between Darkness and Light (Sholan Alliance)

by Lisanne Norman

  Kzizysus gestured his appreciation. He was touched. Shrulo knew it relaxed him, but didn’t like it when he used the scentblender—the Cabbaran’s nose was a little too sensitive, so its use had been confined to his own quarters. To suggest he bring it into their main lounge was a major concession to his continuing overanxiousness.

  Konis was busy when Kaid tried to reach him, so he was put through to Falma.

  “Master Konis has just received a communication from the TeLaxaudin regarding this matter,” said Falma. “He’s busy dealing with their Ambassador now. The general feeling is it should be kept under wraps for the time being as they are not directly responsible. It was Chy’qui and the Directorate, both of whom no longer exist.”

  “Someone must be made to answer for it!” said Kaid angrily.

  “The matter’s in hand,” said Falma firmly. “Master Konis will get back to you tonight if he can, and if not, tomorrow morning. We are not taking it lightly, I assure you, Kaid.”

  Stronghold, that evening

  Despite it being very late at Stronghold, after speaking to the TeLaxaudin Ambassador, Konis was in conference with Rhyaz and Lijou.

  “Did you know about this?” Konis was demanding. “It’s obvious that Kezule has these cubs and that’s why he wanted a meeting with Kusac.”

  “We decided to keep the matter as quiet as possible, Konis, given the obviously explosive nature of it,” said Rhyaz. “You know how much we need that treaty, we cannot let it be disrupted, even by something as serious as this. Those responsible for creating them are dead.”

  “The TeLaxaudin isn’t!”

  “Konis, listen to yourself,” said Rhyaz soothingly. “You’re enraged because this affects your son’s clan. You have to distance yourself. There’s far more at stake here. The TeLaxaudin are close allies of the Primes and have been for fifteen hundred years. We cannot hold them responsible and not endanger the Prime treaty.”

  With an effort, Konis forced his ears back up and took a few deep breaths. “You’re right,” he said shortly. “I’ve spoken to the TeLaxaudin Ambassador and he wants this kept as quiet as we do. Right now, only you and I are aware of it. I take it you do have the cubs.”

  “Yes,” said Lijou. “They’re safe and well at Haven. They’re ten years old, Konis. Somehow the Directorate accelerated their growth. We can’t return them to Kusac’s estate because it is only too obvious they are hybrids. That’s the other reason we said nothing to you.”

  “They belong with their parents, Lijou,” said Konis coldly. “You have no right to keep them.”

  “How do you explain their existence to your clan members without telling them how and by whom they were created?” asked Rhyaz. “They have to stay at Haven.”

  Konis fell silent, only too well aware that Rhyaz was right. “Where’s Kusac?” he asked at length. “You didn’t even tell me he’d returned.”

  “He went back to Kezule for a sixth cub,” said Rhyaz. “As you know, the General left K’oish’ik with a group of civilians and some of his sons, bred the same way the hybrid cubs were. He’s setting up house on an old Valtegan Outpost and wanted Kusac’s help to train them. Kezule kept back one of the cubs to make sure Kusac returned. The good news is all his crew apart from the female member, went with him. He’s not out there alone, Konis.”

  “I don’t intend to lie about my part in this, Rhyaz,” he said, after another pause. “So don’t expect me to when they ask me about it. Kaid and Carrie will add it all up and head out to you very soon.”

  “Say as little as you can. In fact, if I were you, I’d have pressing business at the capital. We’ll play it by ear when they come, Konis, see how much they know first. We’ll take the brunt of their anger. It mustn’t be allowed to damage you as a family.”

  “From what they told Falma, they know all about the cubs,” said Konis. “After that, everything else is blindingly obvious.”

  “That doesn’t mean they know we have them,” said Rhyaz. “Can you keep this matter from our government?”

  Konis nodded. “So long as I have Kaid’s and Carrie’s cooperation, and right now, they understandably want heads to roll.”

  “Do what you can. Pass them over to us if need be.” He hesitated a moment. “You do realize that we still can’t exonerate Kusac publicly when he does return, don’t you? Not without all of this coming out and doing irreparable damage.”

  “I understand perfectly, Rhyaz,” said Konis and hung up.

  “That did not go well,” sighed Rhyaz, switching off their large viewing screen.

  “How could it?” asked Lijou. “I never thought I’d say this, but Kusac’s probably safer with Kezule than coming home.”

  Rhyaz got up. “We’d better get back to bed. If I know Kaid, he’ll be on his way here at first light tomorrow.”

  En’Shalla estate, next day, Zhal-L’Shoh 29th day (January)

  Carrie and Kaid rose at dawn and were having first meal in the family kitchen when Nyan called Carrie on her wrist comm to tell her Falma was here to speak to them.

  “Show him in,” she said, surprised. “Zhala, another mug and plate, please.”

  He was shown in a few minutes later, and offered c’shar or coffee.

  “Thank you,” he said, choosing the c’shar jug and filling his mug.

  “Let me guess,” said Kaid, taking a stim twig out of the packet on the table beside him as Carrie began rolling a cigarette. “Master Konis has been called to the Palace.”

  “In a nutshell,” agreed Falma, declining Carrie’s offer of food with a polite negative gesture. “Let me explain. Normally, because they are such obviously fragile beings, the TeLaxaudin are accompanied by several of their own kind, if not by a Cabbaran bodyguard as well. This was not the case on the Kz’adul because Chy’qui requested Kzizysus specifically at the last minute and there was no one who could accompany him.” He stopped to take a sip of his drink.

  “Kzizysus, as well as being alone and with the obvious disadvantage of his morphology, is a youngster in TeLaxaudin terms, about the equivalent of Mara’s age in Human terms.”

  “Are you telling us we let a trainee medic operate on Kusac?” asked Kaid, a touch of anger in his voice. “What’s he doing here as a supposedly competent doctor?”

  “He is competent, and fully qualified,” Falma assured them. “They use intensive technology-assisted learning programs to educate their young. You have to understand he’s lived a lot more years than Mara, it’s just that in proportion to their long life span, it amounts to him being in his late teens, or early twenties.”

  “You’re telling us that’s why he was easily intimidated by Chy’qui,” said Carrie. She could understand that, remembering back to when she’d lived on Keiss under the Valtegans. It explained, but didn’t excuse him.

  “Not intimidated,” said Falma, with a slight grin, “frankly terrified. He couldn’t go to Zsurtul as the Prince suggested to you because he knew what little regard he was held in for the same reason—his age.”

  “This is the TeLaxaudin excuse?” asked Kaid, raising an eyebrow.

  “You’re forgetting the kind of person Chy’qui was,” said Falma. “And the fact he had the Enforcer, J’koshuk, as a henchman. That’s enough to terrify anyone. Don’t forget Kzizysus did send a plea for help and details of what he’d been made to do to his own people, Kaid. It wasn’t his fault that the message was delayed by Chy’qui and not sent out by the Kz’adul till much later.”

  “What’s your point, Falma?” asked Carrie. They were selling them out again, she could feel it.

  “Master Konis says this matter has to be dealt with in-house, between him and the TeLaxaudin Embassy, at their request, to prevent a scandal that would destroy public confidence in the new treaty and alliances with the Primes and the TeLaxaudin. He asks that your guards be stood down and Kzizysus’ shuttle returned to working condition. He isn’t going anywhere. Kzizysus has been ordered by his government to remain here and continue his essential teach
ing work at both your hospital and the main one in Valsgarth.”

  “Political expediency wins again,” said Carrie, angrily stubbing out her cigarette. “We’re talking six innocent cubs, here, Falma! We’re talking the theft of our DNA, the creation of life from us without our consent!”

  “Would you set the lives of those six cubs against those of the whole Alliance, Carrie? I can’t believe you would, nor does Master Konis,” said Falma quietly. “Personally, he, and I, agree with you, heads should roll, but all Kzizysus’ refusal to help would have achieved would have been his own death, and the cubs would still have been created. The TeLaxaudin assure us they will make reparations to you.”

  “Another ship?” Carrie asked, her tone derisory. “Seems the life and limbs of us hybrid telepaths are held a little cheaply by our allies.”

  Falma had the grace to wince at her reference to the gift from the Primes to Kusac for what he’d suffered at Chy’qui’s hands. “They’ll be contacting you themselves on that matter,” he said.

  “What about this scent mark on Kusac?” she demanded. “What part did Doctor Zayshul play in that since it’s her scent he’s been marked with?”

  “The TeLaxaudin know nothing about this, Carrie. It’s a matter that you’ll have to take up with Kusac when he does return.”

  “Where is he, Falma?” asked Kaid, removing the twig from his mouth. “Did he get sent to meet up with Kezule because of these cubs?”

  Falma shook his head before taking another mouthful of his c’shar. “I have no idea, Kaid. AlRel certainly knows nothing about it to my knowledge. There’s no reason I can see to link Kusac’s regrettable departure from Shola with this disclosure by Kzizysus. Can I tell Master Konis you will comply with AlRel’s request to stand down your security?”

  Kaid nodded once and got to his feet. “I’ll do it now, but I want my objections to go on your records. You’ll have to excuse us now, Falma, we’ve a trip of our own planned and need to leave very shortly.”

  “I noticed the speeder outside,” said Falma, rising. “Anywhere interesting?”

  “Family visit,” said Carrie as Kaid headed out of the kitchen to make his call to Ni’Zulhu. “And Kaid has some things he needs to collect from his home.”

  “Why a speeder?” asked Carrie as she settled into the front seat beside Kaid.

  “We’ll not be so tired when we get there,” he said, starting up the engine. “Also, it’ll be twenty-fourth hour there, still their night, so we’re going to my place to rest and eat before heading over to Stronghold.”

  “Makes sense,” she said, snapping her safety harness closed.

  As the small craft rose into the air, he glanced over at her. “You ever driven one of these?”

  “No.”

  “It’s easy. Want me to show you, then you can have a try later?”

  She looked at him in surprise.

  “My way of saying I’m sorry,” he said awkwardly, studiously keeping his attention on the controls. “I was wrong, there was a hidden message from Kusac on the crystal.”

  “Apology accepted,” she said, well aware how difficult it had been for him to admit he’d been wrong. “How fast can she go?”

  “Let’s find out,” he said with a smile as he accelerated.

  Dzahai Mountains, 24th hour

  Kaid stared at the pile of windblown snow almost covering the front of the house, and groaned.

  “I’d forgotten about that,” he muttered, folding his arms on the panel in front of him and resting his head on them. “I don’t think there’s even a shovel on board the speeder.”

  Carrie chuckled and dug him in the ribs, fairly gently, with something hard. “I didn’t. Here, take this,” she said.

  He grunted and automatically shied away from it, his hand coming down to clasp over hers before sliding away, the object now in his grasp. Sitting up, he examined it.

  “A portable sonic device for clearing snow. I’m impressed. Where did you get it?”

  “Taizia gave me it as a midwinter gift,” she said. “To keep me from getting in too deep, she said.”

  Kaid gave her a curious glance then began to unbuckle himself from the harness. “You stay here while I clear the snow. It’s got to be six feet deep in places. You’ll disappear under it,” he said with a grin, already ducking from the swipe that he sensed coming.

  She stopped the swing halfway. “You’re no fun,” she complained. “I’m not that small. You might at least let me take my revenge! I hope you remembered to close the shutters for the winter.”

  He threw her a scathing glance before opening the door and jumping down into the snow. The craft’s motors had melted an area several feet wide around it so he was able to get reasonably close to the door before turning on the device. He swept it in a narrow arc, corresponding to where the pathway should be, watching as the snow dissolved into water which flowed a few feet away before re-forming as ice.

  Five minutes later, he opened the speeder door again. “Finished,” he said, tossing the device back to her. “If they do larger ones, we should look at getting one for the villa.”

  “I’ll get Garras to check it out,” she said, picking up their kit bag and sliding over his seat to climb out.

  The temperature in the house was reasonable, considering it was only set to keep the chill off the air.

  Carrie stood in the main lounge as Kaid tossed his coat at the nearest chair and headed behind the room-dividing meal counter to the kitchen.

  “I’m not actually hungry yet,” she said, the memories coming back as she took her coat off and looked round.

  “Me neither,” he admitted, filling up a jug of water to make hot drinks. “But coffee would be good.”

  She glanced over at him. “You don’t drink coffee,” she said, flinging her jacket on the sofa and walking over to the counter to lean on it.

  “I could do with some after that drive,” he said, spooning it into the coffeepot. “Not that your driving was bad,” he added hastily.

  She ignored the comment, her mind obviously on their forthcoming visit. “I hate waiting.”

  “I noticed,” he said, grinning as he looked up at her and switched the pot on. “But going there now will gain us nothing, believe me. Better to wait till they’re up.”

  She shivered, wrapping her arms around her chest. “It’s cold. Can you turn up the heating?” Over her trousers, she only wore a light woolen tunic.

  “Of course,” he said, coming round to her side of the counter.

  He stopped behind her, matching his body to hers as he wrapped his arms around her. “I was thinking of keeping you warm slightly differently, though,” he said, pushing her hair aside to nuzzle her neck.

  She relaxed against him. “Were you, now? The bed’ll be freezing,” she objected as he turned her to face him.

  “I’m not,” he murmured, his tongue flicking lightly across her cheek. He wasn’t concerned with her objection because he could sense her teasing him.

  “I don’t know,” she demurred, arching her neck toward him as his licks went lower.

  “It would solve your dislike of waiting,” he said persuasively, taking several slow steps backward and drawing her with him. He felt her arms encircling him.

  “Well ...”

  “The coffee won’t be ready for a while.” He drew her farther, stopping to reach for the heating control as he began to gently nibble her jawline. “The only warm place is bed. With me.”

  She shivered again, but he knew it wasn’t from cold this time. “I don’t think even you could warm me up just now.” Her hand was pressing open the seal on his tunic.

  “Now that’s a Challenge if ever I heard one,” he purred, eyes glinting with humor as his lips and teeth worked their way closer to her mouth then closed over it in a gentle kiss. He could feel the magic of their Link flowing between them, knew the fire that burned in him had ignited her. Their anger with each other over the past months had dulled even that on their Link days.

/>   He felt cool air against his chest as she pushed his wool tunic aside, then her fingers were plowing through his pelt, looking for his nipples. He sucked in his breath, his teeth closing on her bottom lip and nipping it gently as he felt himself harden against her palms. The muscles in his groin began to contract but with an effort of will, he forced them to relax, his mouth closing on hers again as he reached for her tunic.

  When his hands cupped her breasts, her kiss grew wilder, deeper, threatening to break his self-imposed control. Her hands moved down, reaching for his belt, unfastening it and letting it thud to the floor behind him before returning to push his tunic aside. When she reached lower, he stopped her, sweeping her up into his arms.

  “Not yet,” he whispered, licking her ear as he took the few steps up to the bedroom level in one stride. “I promised to make you warm.”

  “I am,” she murmured, insistently trying to edge his robe off one shoulder.

  He stopped only long enough to flick the covers back before laying her down gently. Then, stripping off his tunic, he joined her, pulling the covers back over them both.

  “But I’m still dressed,” she objected, looking up at him with heavy lidded eyes.

  “Not for long, Dzinae,” he promised, his whole body vibrating with the depth of his purr. “Not for long.”

  He had it down to a fine art now. Her belt went first, then the boots, followed by her trousers, an inch at a time as he gently used his tongue and claw tips on each bit of newly-exposed flesh. By the time they were off, she was in a frenzy, trying to reach him. So was he as his groin muscles contracted suddenly and his genitals descended.

  Matching his body to hers, his tongue worked its way upward till he reached her breasts. There he began licking and nipping her until she began to climax, her mind reaching out for his as she whimpered his name in an agony of still-unfulfilled pleasure.

  Tallinu!

  Rearing up on his knees, he flipped her over onto her belly, lifting her hips and pulling her toward him. Matching his movements to hers, he entered her slowly, swelling almost instantly as their minds met as fully as their bodies.