Wearing nothing but her skin-tight practice jersey, Lira turned away from the window. Her eyes closed, movements slow and defined, she began the ritual of Kinji Watah. The pain Lira felt from the bruises focused her, strengthened her, and she visualized a kick to the throat of Tuth Regnan, to the head of the guard named Speth, and to the sternum of General Battarq.
* * * *
“Hey, Kepp, get a load of this.” Watching the video cam, Wat stuffed a hunk of bread into his mouth. “This for our benefit or the guards’?” He grabbed a crisp, red apple from the tray of food one of the kitchen staff had brought up to the room.
Kepp and Red stopped cleaning their weapons and looked over Wat’s shoulder to check out the picture on the video cam.
“You don’t recognize that?” asked Red. “Remember the training vids about combat with the Zealots?”
Wat shook his head. “Nah, I think I slept through most of those vids.” He glanced up at Kepp. “Sorry, Captain. Looks like she’s doing ballet or something.”
“Not ballet,” replied Kepp. “It’s the Death Dance, the Kinji Watah, a Zhinshu form of martial arts practiced by men and women. A well-placed kick to the groin, the solar plexus, the knee, or the Achilles tendon will disable a man. A kick to the throat, the sternum, the side of the head, or the back of the neck will kill him.” Kepp leaned over the screen. “Red, tell me again about that tat on her wrist.”
Red stretched out on the floor and tossed grapes up into the air, catching them in his mouth. “The Ouroboros. A snake biting its tail. It’s a circle. The people of Zhinshu say, “One is the all.” It’s a symbol of infinity, I guess. Like I said, every royal female receives the tattoo on her right wrist when she proves her fertility. So the question is…”
“What is a female of the Royal House of Zhinshu doing here, married to Secretary Regnan?” Kepp finished for him.
“Married my ass,” commented Wat, his eyes glued to the video screen. “You want to say it or should I?”
Captain Kepp sat in silence for a moment. He tapped a finger on the edge of the video screen.
“General Battarq asked us to come here.”
“You mean he asked you to come here,” Red interrupted. “Wat and I are just along for moral support.”
Kepp snorted. “He ordered me to bring two men. He must have had a good reason. Didn’t seem to me like Regnan would have asked for me, or anyone for that matter, without a little push. He’s got his guards to keep tabs on his wife, if that’s what she is. No. There’s a lot more going on here than meets the eye, and we all know it. Wat, what you were about to say, keep it to yourself for now. Red and I both know what you’re thinking, and if we’re right, our mouths stay shut for her sake.”
“And if she’s who we think she is?” asked Wat.
“I don’t know. Red?”
“Yeah, boss?”
Kepp stared at the woman moving on the video screen. “When you were out getting food, you find a gym or a place to lift? I need to work off some steam.”
“Fully equipped. Two floors down. I got the grand tour. Showed my dimples to the cook’s assistant and she couldn’t resist.” Red grinned.
Tearing his eyes from the screen, Kepp grabbed his sweats.
“Get changed, and show me. Wat, one of us will relieve you in an hour and you can have a turn.” He tossed a tiny perdi to his friend and shoved another in the pocket of his sweatpants. “That asshole Speth or any other guard shows up here, you buzz me.”
Wat grinned.
“Sure, I’ll buzz you after I cut off his dick and shove it in his mouth. That sound good?”
“Sounds good to me,” said Red, stripping off his shirt and tugging on a pair of loose sweatpants. “C’mon, Kepp, let’s go. Afterwards, I’ll show you around the grounds, and we can talk without worrying about any prying ears. I can tell you what I learned from the kitchen staff.”
Chapter Five
Lira stood on her balcony, head thrown back, allowing the ocean breeze to cool her over-heated body. Beneath the rush of the wind and the crash of the waves far below, she heard her stomach rumble. The sound amused her. This was the first time she’d felt hungry in the two months she’d been held captive in this rich functionary’s hellhole. She’d eaten, but only because she had to in order to maintain her strength, to fight for her life if need be. Now she thought she might be hungry enough to eat a proverbial horse.
As Lira turned back towards the room, planning to shower off and call for a tray, she caught sight of two of the men, the ones called Tanner Kepp and Redda Till. They’d doffed their shirts, and their bodies glistened with sweat in the red light of the setting sun. Lira found her eyes riveted on one freckled set of broad shoulders and one sun-tanned, rock-hard chest. As she watched, the men turned and strolled in the direction of the side gatehouse. Their posture was that of warriors, on their toes, at the ready. She saw how they bent their heads close together, talking so that no one could overhear. Discussing her situation, why they’d gotten themselves involved, and how the hell they could get out of it, no doubt.
She would have to connect with them tonight. Delay was a luxury she could ill afford. Without these three, all was lost. One thing concerned her. Why had Regnan asked them to come? His guards were perfectly capable of monitoring her movements about the compound. Speth and his two buddies had bullied her often enough that Regnan knew she’d stay in her rooms and out of their way as much as possible. Unless he didn’t trust them to keep certain parts of their bodies to themselves. After what Speth and his cronies had already shown themselves willing to do, rape wouldn’t surprise her.
These three men were different, almost like another species. They had been pulled from Battarq’s elite forces. Why? Battarq wanted her kept a prisoner, didn’t he? Why would Regnan ask for them and risk exposure? She already knew part of the answer to that question. He wouldn’t. Battarq must have forced him to do so. But again, her question was, why? What sick political game did the general play?
Her eyes followed the two men, and she perused the movement of their buttocks beneath the sweats they wore. Despite the seriousness of her predicament, Lira smiled. She couldn’t help herself. Perhaps it was the sight of two strong, beautiful, healthy male bodies striding across the thick, green lawn in the fading light. Perhaps it was simply the nearness of honorable men. The dark shadows the two soldiers cast upon the ground gave her an idea. She’d have to wait until the dead of night when the compound was quiet and all three were in their suite. It would be a risk, but the men didn’t seem like mere functionaries. In fact, they seemed quite the opposite, more like the knights in shining armor she’d read about in books from the palace library. Chivalrous, courageous, respectful men, the kind of men she had dreamed would be her consorts one day.
This was why she’d trained in the high pavilions, so she would understand how to give and receive pleasure, so she could bind her chosen consorts to her. Her body would be her bond. If they accepted her, she would be honor-bound to give up her life for them, to protect her consorts until she breathed her last.
Lira tore her eyes away from the darkening lawn. Her father would take her back, she didn’t doubt that. He would welcome her and her young sister with open arms if they could escape their captors, but her people would be another matter altogether. There was a good chance she would no longer be an acceptable heir to the throne. They might not believe that she had been forced by Regnan. She feared her people would consider her tainted, and she worried about her sister’s reputation. In order to rule, she or her sister needed to retain the respect of the people.
On the other hand, if she was able to rescue her sister and return home accompanied by three strong, virile, loyal consorts, not only would she salvage her reputation, it would go a long way to ensure something like this never happened again. She imagined her appearance before the World Court to accuse Battarq and his ruling junta of warmongering, subversion, and kidnap. If nothing else, her words would condemn the man in the court
of world opinion.
To these three soldiers, such an action would be treasonous. But if they were the honorable men they seemed, wouldn’t they view Battarq’s actions as treason? By kidnapping the heir to the throne of Zhinshu, it was as if the general had flipped a switch and turned on a light that could only be turned off by death on a battlefield.
Many men on both sides will die. There’s more at stake than my life. There’s more at stake than my sister. With these men standing beside me, I might be able to prevent all-out war.
Chapter Six
“All right,” said Kepp, “let’s hear it. What did you find out?”
The men walked across the thick, green lawn as the sun set beyond the mountains across the channel. The building behind them cast a soft, rosy light over the grass.
“I didn’t learn much,” replied Red. “But what I did learn, you’re not gonna like.”
“The maid?”
“Nah, she ran off like a house afire. Besides, according to the kitchen staff, she’s a mute, not that I believe that shit for a second. Smart way to get information. If people think you can’t repeat what they say, they’ll say anything in front of you.”
“So who’d you speak to?”
“This second cook, or whatever they call ‘em. Cute little girl, a local, got hired on a year or so ago. She said two months back, Regnan shows up with this woman veiled from head to toe in black. He claims he got married and she’s his wife. Then he orders the staff not to speak to her without his permission. If he’s not here, he tells them they need Speth’s permission. He grabs her by the arm and throws her in his bedroom and locks the door.”
“He happen to mention to anyone he was getting married beforehand?”
“No. And this girl says he didn’t come in through either gate. He brought her up from the cellar with that terrified maid in tow like he’d smuggled her into the place in a crate or something. That’s not the bad part.”
Kepp stopped.
“I think I know where this is headed,” he growled.
“Yeah, well. I don’t like it any better than you, but I don’t know what the hell to do about it right now.” Red paused. “I’m guessing she fought him something fierce because he called for three guards to go into his room with him. She must have resisted because they beat her. After that first time, one of the guards quit. His body was found a couple days later in a ditch outside of the village. The local doc claimed he died of alcohol poisoning.”
“Who’s the other guard involved? Besides Speth, I mean.”
“One of his buddies up front, and there are four more of Regnan’s personal guards manning the main gate. The crew that works the side gate is made up of locals. Seems like nobody is too happy with the situation, but the pay is good, and Regnan is the biggest employer around here. You saw when we flew over. Land’s End sits smack in the middle of nowhere.”
“She, this woman he’s calling Lisa, try to talk to anyone? Has she asked for help?”
“Not that the girl mentioned. The woman is barely allowed out of her suite of rooms.”
“Red,” Kepp strode forward, “I know you remember the name of King Pakan’s daughter, the one he claims General Battarq kidnapped.”
“Yeah, I remember. So do you. So does Wat. Lisa…Lira, doesn’t take much imagination. Her private jet vanished over the ocean. As you recall, she was on her way to interview candidates to be her consorts. You know,” Red commented, “the heir to the throne of Zhinshu chooses three mates.” Kepp sped up his pace, and Red caught up to him. “If the heir is a woman, she spends a few weeks in what they call the pleasure pavilions so she doesn’t have to go to her marriage bed inexperienced. If she allows three men to take her at once, Captain…you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Kepp snorted. “You mean about three consorts?” Kepp laughed. “I’m trying not to think about that. No, I’m wondering about Battarq, wondering if the general arranged for her disappearance or if he discovered that Regnan did. The second reason makes more sense. That’s why Regnan pulls his sudden disappearing act and Battarq sends us to protect the little hausfrau,” said Kepp.
“We’re fucked, huh?”
“No. Not yet. I think he wants us to get him out of this mess without causing an international incident. The general wants to keep his hands clean. We do his dirty work.”
“So, what dirty work do we do, Kepp?”
“What we always do, reconnaissance and confirmation. And if she’s who we think she is, if she’s Lira and not Lisa, we get her out of here as quick as possible and hole up somewhere safe. If there’s a way out through the cellar, we need to find it.”
“Ain’t gonna be easy. Might have to bash a few heads,” Red commented. He glanced back toward the building. “Wat’s probably gettin’ antsy about now. I’ll go relieve him. Want me to give him the word?”
“I suspect he’s already figured it out for himself.”
Red turned to leave.
“Hold up,” said Kepp.
“Yeah?”
“You might want to knock. The way Wat was staring at the video cam, he’s probably jacking off.”
Red laughed.
“Shit, he’s done by now. I’m sure he hit it the minute we left the room.”
Chapter Seven
For the first time since she’d set foot in her suite of rooms, Lira thanked the Gods for the thick, lightproof electronic shutters Regnan had installed. He’d ordered her to keep them shut after sunset, so she asked her maid to close them, just as she had every night for two months. She prepared for bed as usual, brushing her teeth and donning one of the gowns Regnan had provided for her. Lira loosened her braid. When she came out of the bathroom, F’yit had already turned down the lighting. The maid brushed her mistress’ waist-length chestnut hair until it glistened in the soft, golden light.
When F’yit had finished and cleaned the brush, Lira spoke. “You are dismissed for the night. You may sleep in your own quarters.”
“Mistress, you don’t want me to, to spend the night with you?” F’yit whispered.
“It’s not necessary,” Lira insisted, keeping her voice even and just as soft as the maid’s. “He’s not here. There are three men next door who will keep Mr. Speth far away from me. There’s no need for you to worry. I’ll be perfectly safe.”
The maid rose from the bed, reluctance and concern evident in her face, but Lira pretended not to notice. “Please turn off the lights on your way out, F’yit. Good night.”
The maid’s steps were slow, but she did as she was told. The rooms were plunged into darkness as thick as heavy black satin. Lira heard the door close, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Her stomach churning with anxiety, she lay back on the bed and pulled the quilts up to her chin. Reminding herself that she must feign sleep, Lira attempted to slow her breathing. Tonight, when the house was still, she would attempt the impossible. She must convert three of her enemies into friends. Not just friends, but her protectors, her defenders, her lovers. Her life, as well as the lives of many men on both sides, depended upon the outcome of this one night.
Chapter Eight
“Wat, get some sleep. I’ll take watch.” His friend could barely keep awake.
“Yeah, sure, Kepp.” Wat rubbed his eyes. “Just don’t stare directly at the screen, it’s too dark in her rooms to see anything if you do.”
“So, use my peripheral vision to pick up movement, and sit tight, unless Speth opens her door and then we bust through the wall.”
Wat chuckled and headed to the bathroom. When he came out, he stopped behind Kepp.
“We gotta find an opportunity to talk to her. Now might be a good time.”
“And scare the hell out of her?” Kepp shook his head. “Not tonight. Let’s give her a day or two before we climb into her bed.”
“Well,” said Wat, “if her bed is anything like these, we won’t have a problem sharing. I’ve never slept in a bed this big. I’m not sure I like this, too lonely. You wanna come on over an
d warm me up, boss?”
Kepp snorted. “Get some sleep. We’ll find someone to warm your bed tomorrow.”
Wat lay down and wrapped himself in the blankets.
“No question in my mind who I want warming it,” he muttered, and he promptly dropped off to sleep.
The only light in the room came from the edges of the video screen. The woman’s room was black as pitch. The captain sat sideways and leaned back in his chair, one eye on the screen. Damn. He tried to make sense of the situation. If Battarq had kidnapped a royal princess, the heir to the House Zhinshu, why would he risk exposure, international censure, and even open warfare by ordering Kepp here? He had to know Kepp and his men would realize that one plus one did not add up to two in this case. The only answer Kepp could come up with was that Battarq had uncovered Regnan’s treason but couldn’t afford to appear involved. He’d sent Kepp, not only to figure things out, but to deal with the problem in a way that would somehow keep the General’s reputation unsullied and, if they were lucky, avoid all-out war with the Zealots.
Battarq obviously didn’t want the woman vanished. The man was a pragmatist above all else. If the general wanted her disappeared, then she’d already be gone.
“She’d be dead and buried or burned or fish food,” Kepp murmured, careful not to wake the sleeping men.
No, Battarq wanted Kepp to rescue him from this predicament. That was the only explanation that made any sense. Well, how the fuck was he supposed to do that? Spirit her out in the middle of the night covered by a black veil, like she’d been spirited in? How the hell did Regnan do that, anyway? She hadn’t climbed out of a heli-jet or driven up in a car. There must be another way in, a way known only to Regnan and a few of the guards.
Barrett, Julia Rachel - One Four All (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 3