by Lea Kirk
A spark of energy flashed in Nixy’s eyes and her excitement plunged into his heart, even though he had not opened himself to her emotions. “Yes, exactly. I love it when a couple I’ve introduced tells me they’re getting married…or mated. I’ve only had two couples not work out so far. Both made me sad.”
“Ah, yes, I agree.” He must regain control, refocus himself on his goal of rooting out useable information. He shifted on the perch, folding his arms over the top of the chest rest. “How do you know who to introduce an applicant to?”
She glanced at the computer monitor on her desk. “Oh, well….” Her gaze snapped back to him and she narrowed her eyes. “That’s something I only discuss with clients, Elder Firewing.”
Pah. He had almost had an answer. “So, you will not share?”
“No, of course not. It’s company policy.”
He pushed himself off the perch. “Then we have nothing more to discuss.”
Her eyes widened, as if she was surprised. “I…I guess not.”
“Good day to you, Ms. Vogel.” He gave her a curt nod. “I will find my own way out.”
“O-kaay.”
The office door opened before he reached it, and Adam stepped in carrying a tray. “Iced tea’s here…um…. Too late?”
Kai glared down his nose at the youngling. “I am sure Ms. Vogel will enjoy her refreshment more without me.”
He stepped around the human male and strode out of the office. This was not the end of it, though. Not by a long flight. He would get the information from her eventually, then begin undermining the agency’s process. The only thing standing in his way…besides Ms. Vogel…was exactly how to complete his task.
Poor Adam looked so bewildered by Elder Kai’s abrupt departure. The young man turned a confused gaze on her. “Was it something I said?”
Nixy expelled a small chuckle. “He’s a prickly one, for sure. But don’t worry, it wasn’t you. It was all me. Come on in and have some iced tea with me, Adam.”
It wasn’t the first time they’d shared a break together. Adam carried the tray to her desk and busied himself with setting up. “Want to talk about it?”
“He’s up to something, I can just feel it.” She reached for the tall, narrow glass Adam handed to her, the surface slick and cool under her fingers. “He seemed awfully interested in our vetting process.”
There was not telling why, but the urge to resist that question had felt like the right decision.
“You mean he was awfully interested in you.” Adam wore a smug expression as he took the seat across the desk from her. “I mean, the Punjabi-style pants are nice, but they’re not the ass-huggers the Raptorclaw guys wear.”
She raised her eyebrows at him. “Oh, stop.”
And here she’d thought it’d just been her libido out of whack. But, before Kai had left in a snit, she’d been feeling the same vibes.
Adam grinned wickedly over the rim of his glass.
“Oh, for God’s sake, Adam, did you see him? He’s way too old.” And no matter what her body said, she wasn’t keen on being widowed again.
“Say what you will, I saw how that guy looked at you. And you at him.”
Wow, that hit a little too close to the mark. “Hey, let’s change the subject, shall we?”
“Because you know I’m right?”
“How about you? Got a special girl…or guy…in your life yet?” Adam had never hidden that part of himself from her, and she treasured his confidence.
It wasn’t that being bisexual, or any part of LGBTQ, meant what it once did on Earth. The advent of first contact with the Alliance had led to many positive changes. But still, there were some hold outs on the subject, and some unions were outright banned. Namely groups of more than two.
A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes, then was gone. “Not yet, Mom.”
“Well? What are you waiting for?”
“For you to retire.” He raised his brows and one corner of his mouth rose in a smug half-grin, then he took a sip of his tea.
This time a full-on laugh bubbled out of her. “You’re going to be waiting a long time then, my friend.” Or not, depending on when Jordan figured out her little transgression.
“I know.” Adam’s grin took on an affectionate curve. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Chapter 4
One week later.
Storms and lightning, the situation was outrageous. Kai paced the length of the travelers’ nest’s common room. In the week since he had parted Ms. Vogel’s company, she had turned down all his requests for another meeting. But then, thank the eternal ones, Kyzel’s human match, Robyn Martin Donahue had refused to mate with him. Everything had been settled, and Kai had been eager to return home, victorious, with Raptorclaw’s entourage.
That was when it all fell apart. The sedate departure from the galactic spaceport two days ago had blown up into a fiasco when Rol—Rol—had flown Ms. Donahue in just moments before the ship had been scheduled to depart. And she had left with Kyzel to be his mate, and the newest monarch of the Raptorclaw clan, while he, Kai, had remained on Earth, searching for a way to stop the Silverstar Agency from destroying his clan.
The gum in his feathers was that only he knew the true reason Kyzel and Robyn were together.
He stopped and gripped the seat of one of the tall perches, or stools, as the Earthlings in this region called them. “How? How are they love mates?”
Love. What a shock it had been to discover that this was the exact element that had been missing from all those matches he had botched. Love was the only explanation for the wave of bright, shimmering warmth that had radiated from the pair. Like the birth of a new star. That sort of connection was exceedingly rare, to the point of myth. No one on Bezchi was mated for love.
Mating is not about love.
A surge of wrongness lurched through his belly at the thought. It must be a mistake. That glorious feeling he had picked up from Kyzel and Robyn must be nothing more than his imagination.
But, would it not be wonderous if all matches were this way?
“Pah.” This went against everything he believed.
He must remember his mission. He had already failed to stop Kyzel from mating, but he would not fail in stopping the Silverstar Agency from stealing away any more Bezchians. The little event at the spaceport was no more than a fluke, not even worth mentioning to the most esteemed.
The swoosh of the front door opening drew his attention to the two beings entering the travelers’ nest.
Or, more specifically, Fyad dragging a human female inside.
“Oh, good.” the female raised her chin. “A witness to my kidnapping.”
Fyad stopped. Surprise and guilt flashed in his black eyes. “Elder Kai. I did not realize you would be here. Is this not the normal time for your daily fly-about?”
Kai moved his gaze between Kyzel’s black-winged bodyguard and the female dressed mostly in black. A warm effervescent lightness, like soaring on the air currents of a spring morning in the desert, swept through him.
Love mates.
Again.
How is this even possible?
“Elder?”
It could not be. He gave his head a shake. Absolutely could not be.
The female frowned. “Is he okay?”
Fyad nodded. “Sometimes his kind go into trances.”
This was not a trance. He had simply been stunned into immobility. Which, it could be argued, was almost the same thing.
“They can do that standing up?” The female peered at him like he was an interesting artifact worthy of closer scrutiny.
“Standing, sitting, flying, wherever they happen to be. If he collapsed or burst into flames, that would be a problem. But this,” Fyad waved one hand in his general direction, “is normal.”
The female’s mouth fell open. “Burst into flames? This sounds like a great story.”
“Can you stop being
a reporter for longer than three minutes, Ms. Crawford?”
“Nope.” She placed her fists on her hips and glared up at Fyad. “And it’s Raven. I think that abducting a girl off the beach puts us on a first name basis.”
Kai managed to open his mouth. “I am not in danger.”
Amazing that he had managed to croak out a string of words that made sense.
Both of the younglings relaxed, then Fyad tugged the female’s hand. “We still need to talk, Raven.”
“No shit, Sherlock.”
“My name is Fyad, not Sherlock.”
“Funny. I thought it was Shit-for-brains.”
They passed Kai and headed into the corridor leading to the suite’s private quarters—their bickering trailing behind them.
Two love-mated mixed pairs…that was inconceivable. Unless this divine, yet inexplicable, sensation of rightness was actually a new symptom of impending rebirth.
Stop letting yourself be distracted.
He curled his fingers into fists. Ms. Vogel must have done something to influence the younglings. It was time for a new strategy to stop the Silverstar Agency before anymore Bezchians fell prey to their service. But, how? Ms. Vogel refused to share how the agency matched their clients. It had something to do with her computer, though. She had glanced at it when he had asked. She had also alluded to other matching agencies, like Silverstar, on Earth. Maybe, just maybe, they would be more willing to share their processes.
Aye, that might work. Rol had proven to be unreliable in his mission. Even now, the prime advisor was meeting with the female Silverstar had matched him with. It would be just his luck that they too would be love mates.
A dry laugh escaped Kai and he resumed his pacing. First order of business was to find privacy, a place to do his research without the potential of interruptions or questions from Rol. It would mean leaving this travelers’ nest and finding a new one. There were other types of travelers’ nests on Earth called hotels—that much he had learned since his arrival. All he had to do was figure out where they were located, and which ones accepted Alliance currency. Then he would find a way to slip away without the prime advisor finding out.
A cold shiver ran up Kai’s spine and through his wings. It would be nice if he could retire to the meditation garden at home right now. Soak up the comforting rays of the sun as he formulated his plan.
“Raise common room temperature twenty Bezchian degrees.” If he could not be home, then at least he could be warm and comfortable.
Chapter 5
The sound of a commotion drifted from the lobby area through the open office door. Nixy raised her head and frowned. What in the world was going on out there?
“Ms. Vogel.”
Her heart rate accelerated at the sound of a man’s voice. Kai’s voice. He hadn’t gone back to Bezchi with Kyzel and Robyn after all. So where had he been the last few days?
Kai strode into her office followed closely by Adam, who, being all of five feet ten inches, looked like an angry cocker spaniel chasing a Doberman.
“I told him he wasn’t welcome….”
Kai came to a stop by the client chairs in front of her desk. “I will speak with you, Ms. Nixy Vogel.”
Adam insinuated himself between her and Kai. “You’ll have to go through me.”
Kai blinked and looked down, as though just realizing Adam was there. Then he raised one sleek eyebrow.
Oh, boy. Time to step in. “Adam, it’s okay. I’ll talk to him.”
Adam shot an incredulous look at her from over his shoulder. “You sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” She made a shooing motion. “I’ll buzz you if I need anything.”
Adam sighed and retreated, glaring at Kai until the office doors swished closed.
“So, Elder Kai, what can I do for you?” Shame on her for not asking him to have a seat, but really, she didn’t want him getting too comfortable.
Yes, you do.
No, you don’t.
Oh, boy, now she was arguing with herself.
He closed the final few steps between himself and her desk. “I have done many hours of research, and have concluded that several other Earth-based match-making companies use applications to bring their clients together.”
There was that cinnamon scent again, setting her mouth to watering. She swallowed. “Good to know the computer in the suite is getting some use.”
“I moved to a hotel yesterday.”
Now why would he do that? Not that she cared…she didn’t. Right?
Kai narrowed his eyes at her. “Through this manner of data collection, one person can get several suggestions for potential matches.”
“People like variety.” That wasn’t Silverstar’s M.O., though, which was why the additional DNA requirement had been effected.
“They do not even attempt to provide a valid mate.” He slammed one fist against her desk, and the photo of her and Efrem rattled. “This is insulting, degrading. They mock the necessity of bringing two beings together in a match that benefits both their flocks.”
“I suppose….” She hadn’t really thought of it from that angle before.
“How do you process your clients, Ms. Vogel? With an application?” He spat the word like it was something foul.
Wow, he seemed over-the-top offended. “Why do you want to know?”
Her gaze was drawn to the little tick of his jaw. A sudden urge to kiss it until it stopped twitching rose.
“Why do you refuse to answer my questions?” He ground out the words as sheer frustration flowed from him in waves.
Because I have a sneaking suspicion you wouldn’t use the information for good.
If she’d learned anything in her five-plus decades, it was to trust her gut.
He braced his fists on her desk and leaned close. “I know why. Because your agency is a fraud. You are a fraud, Ms. Vogel.”
Oh, now wait a gosh-darn minute. “You know what? I am so done with you. Get out.”
Was he paler than he had been a second ago?
“No.” He swayed a bit, then recovered his balance.
No?
She opened her mouth, but no words came out. How dare he? Kissable jaw twitch or not, this had gone on long enough.
“All right then.” She gripped her armrests, pushed out of her chair, and strode toward the coat closet in the corner.
A moment later, she emerged with the fire extinguisher.
He drew himself upright with a haughty frown. “What is that?”
“Out.” She pulled the trigger, and a gust of chemical fire retardant blasted in the direction of his sandaled feet with a loud whoosh.
He retreated a few steps, drawing one wing around himself for protection. “How dare—”
Whoosh.
This time he made it to the door before turning. “I will—”
Whoosh.
She followed him out to the lobby, past a wide-eyed Adam, as Kai sprinted into the elevator leaving a trail of foam footprints across the floor. The doors opened immediately to his frantic pounding of the call button, and slid closed behind him with a soft thump.
Blessed silence settled through the disheveled waiting area.
Adam stared at her, mouth open and eyes alight as if she were some sort of Amazonian queen. His shoulders quivered and a sound rumbled in his chest, then exploded out of him and he doubled over with laughter. Her own laughter bubbled out, but sounded somewhat hollow to her ears.
“Well.” Adam swiped a knuckle under each eye. “The cleaning crew won’t be happy, but that’s one way to get rid of a nuisance.”
“True.” Kai had been a nuisance. Adorable, but still a nuisance.
Had she really been contemplating kissing the jaw of someone who had such a low opinion of her—and the agency?
Even so, it still didn’t sit right that she had chased him out like a stray dog.
Kai curled his hand over his belly as he staggered
into the penthouse hotel suite, his wings dragging across the marble floor behind him as if weighted down by rocks. Rebirth had many symptoms, but feeling physically ill was not one of them. Thank the eternal ones Fyad had ignored his order to remain here. There was no telling where Kai would be if the youngling had not followed him to the Silverstar building.
Another round of needle-sharp jabs tore at his gut and a groan welled up. “Need to…lay down.”
“Allow me to help you to the couch, Elder.”
“No…bed.” Kai leaned fully into the bodyguard’s side. “Over-extended…myself…this afternoon.”
He had been fine until he had called Nixy a fraud. That had been when the first pains shot through him, but there was no reasonable explanation as to why.
Fyad grunted and changed trajectory toward the bedroom door.
“Fyad.” Kai wrapped his fingers around the youngling’s wrist. “Do not fret. Not rebirth symptoms, only exhaustion. I will be better in the morning.”
“If you say so, Elder.” Fyad’s black eyes were full of concern and doubt.
Nothing he could say would ease the bodyguard’s misgivings now. “I do say so, and best you remember. I am the elder.”
Fyad smiled as he eased Kai face-down on the bed. “I will not forget. Sleep well, Elder.”
“Aye.” He breathed out the word on a sigh as exhaustion creeped over him like a dark blanket.
If only he had not been so harsh to Nixy….
The garden was familiar, lush in its floral laden greenery. Roses. Kai ran a finger over the velvety softness of the brilliant red petals. And the springy green turf under his feet was grass. He knew that now. This was an Earth garden, and so different from the meditation garden back home.
He bent and inhaled through his nose, but no scent came from the roses. It was as if they were soulless images of their real-life counterparts.
A sweet instrumental melody floated on the sun-lit air, calling to him, urging him forward to find its source. He moved with reverence between the rose bushes. It was odd that his feet made no sound, even though he clearly heard the music. It all had a dream-like quality, but why would he dream of a place he had never been before?