“Rees, what the fuck?”
“You asshole,” Rees said. “Why’d you stop me? There’s no way we’ll get a transport. I’m not running out of here straight into a patroller with a shock rod. I’m done with shock rods.”
Kieran lost his temper. Didn’t happen often. He grew angry, yes, but the chemicals that suppressed him always kept him from letting go.
Felice had changed him in the short time he’d known her, had released something buried deep inside him, something chemicals and pieces being sliced out of his brain couldn’t stop.
You’re Kieran, she’d said. Not the Dom, not the level-three, not a Shareem. Kieran.
Kieran roared, every bit of anger he’d bottled up for years pouring out of him. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” He went for Rees, his perfected techniques for subduing subs homing in on one big, annoying Shareem. “You’re a full-of-yourself, fucked-up, pain in the ass who’s busy feeling sorry for himself.”
Rees threw no insults in return. He fought back, his punches and holds matching Kieran’s.
Kieran got Rees in a headlock. Rees batted at him, plunging his elbow into Kieran’s ribs. Kieran held on. Fighting and snarling, they made it across the floor, and Kieran started to drag Rees up the stairs. He’d haul the asshole all the way to the cargo bay of a freighter and sit on him. Rees could swear and yell at him after they made it to safety.
Rees fought him every step, the madness Rees possessed manifesting. Kieran was pretty pissed off himself, but he’d mastered control, while Rees’s brain was busy losing it.
Up and up, into the dungeon, and then the stairs on the other side. Fire stairs, because the lifts weren’t going to work, thanks to Rees.
Halfway up, they were surrounded by a dozen patrollers coming down. Patrollers not only carrying stun guns, but with hypos full of nasty things hypos could be full of.
“Shit,” Kieran said, as Rees was ripped away from him. “So much for this place being secret.”
“Thank his woman,” the patroller said, hypo in hand as five others held Kieran against a wall. “Lady Talan d’Urvey told us where to find it.”
Kieran had the satisfaction of Rees looking utterly shocked before the hypo touched Kieran’s struggling body, and that was the end of that.
Chapter Nineteen
Kieran woke up on top of Rees, who was mostly naked. As Kieran’s awareness grew, he realized that he was mostly naked too.
Kieran had woken up plenty of times on top of other Shareem, after they’d done a ménage a trois or foursome or fifth-some with a woman, or women. He preferred waking up on the women or the women on him—he only put up with the other Shareem because the ladies enjoyed it.
Rees grunted and kept his eyes closed. Kieran started to peel himself from Rees’s body when the business end of a stun rifle poked him.
“Stand up.”
Kieran blinked his bleary eyes a few times. “I must be uptown,” he rumbled. “Better class of patroller.”
This patroller wore a crisp black uniform, not the dusty gray coveralls of the Pas City variety. She had every hair in place under a square hat and no expression on her face. None at all. She might be an android—if Bor Narga had androids.
The patroller didn’t repeat the command. She simply waited for Kieran to obey. She’d make a good dominatrix—if Bor Narga had dominatrices.
Kieran pushed himself off Rees and got unsteadily to his feet. Around him, under a high ceiling with a hologram of sunlight streaming through stained glass windows, other Shareem were standing up, shaking off stuns, looking around.
All the Shareem who hadn’t made it off planet seemed to be here. Eland was across the room, the man looking lost and alone without Jeanne. Kieran saw Rylan, and with him, never far from his side, Maia. Then Justin, stoic without his Deanna.
To his absolute dismay, Kieran also saw Mitch. No Judith, just Mitch, waiting with another patroller. He hadn’t been stunned or tranqued—he didn’t have the just-woke-up look the Shareem had.
Mitch here meant he wasn’t flying off to a space station with Judith and Felice. Did it mean he’d been there already and come back? Or hadn’t been able to leave? Or had Mitch betrayed them?
Kieran started across the hall for Mitch, only to be stopped by black-clad patrollers who pointed stun weapons at him.
“Stand still,” the dominatrix patroller snapped. “She’s coming to speak with you.”
“Who is?” Kieran asked.
The patroller didn’t answer. She didn’t have to, because at that moment, the room dimmed, the rays through the stained glass focusing on a raised platform at the far end of the hall. A procession of women, each covered head to foot with multicolored robes, entered in a slow and stately manner, and arranged themselves on the raised platform.
The holographic sun—why fake sunshine when Bor Narga had so much of the real thing?—narrowed to one point, and into that light stepped a woman.
She was tall and knew how to use her height to her advantage. Her back was straight, the opulent robes covering her not too ostentatious but elegant enough for attention.
Her face was covered, and after one dramatic moment, she pushed back her veils. She looked familiar, but Kieran knew he didn’t recognize her from vids, because he never bothered watching them.
The woman raised her hands for silence, and she got it. A commanding personality. Another dominatrix. The highborn were hiding them up here, were they?
When the woman began to speak, Kieran realized where he’d seen her, or rather, someone like her. She was an older and more arrogant version of Brianne d’Aroth, but lacking Brianne’s softness and warmth, her show of compassion. This must be Brianne’s grandmother, the head of the ruling family.
“Shareem,” Clothilde d’Aroth said, some sound system carrying her words clearly the length of the hall. “Twenty years ago, I signed the order that stayed your execution, allowing you to live on this planet if you followed certain basic rules.” Her tone turned ironic. “It seems you aren’t satisfied with that.”
“Would you be?” one of the Shareem yelled. Laughter followed. Resigned laughter. They were going to die; they might as well go out being pains in the ass.
Lady d’Aroth went on as though he hadn’t spoken. “You have violated one of the most basic rules the council laid down, that of not leaving the planet without permission. You are a created species, genetically engineered in laboratories. We can have no idea what we’ll spread to other populations if we allow the specimens to leave the planet.”
“I’ve got your specimen right here, sweetheart,” another Shareem shouted. More laughter.
Rees said nothing, only stood with his arms folded, expressionless, his gaze fixed on Clothilde d’Aroth.
“Let her talk,” Kieran called out. “The sooner she says her piece, the sooner we’re done with this shit.”
Lady d’Aroth pinned Kieran with a sharp stare before she went on. “For violating this rule, the punishment is termination. In the last twenty years, however, the Shareem have gained some . . . influence. Very powerful women have spoken up for you, begging for your lives. You stand before me arrogant and angry, but the only reason you are alive at all this night is because of them. I would be humbled.”
The laughter dissipated a little. Rees didn’t move, and Kieran’s heart thumped.
“Who are these sweeties?” Eland called. “We’d like to thank them.”
Lady d’Aroth inclined her head. “I will name them, so the record shows which women of Bor Narga had the bad taste to favor Shareem. Lady Elisa n’Arell, once a celibate, a director of libraries. Lady Katarina d’Arnal, a brilliant doctor who turned her back on a prestigious hospital to work in a Pas City clinic. Lady Talan d’Urvey, daughter of one of the highest families of Bor Narga. My own granddaughter, Lady Brianne d’Aroth. Nella of Ariel, of the ruling family of that world. Lady Ursula d’Mato, formerly of the Way of the Star. Less highborn women as well—a dock worker called, I think, Jeanne. Deanna Surre
ll, once a city patroller. Felice Henderson, an elite fighter from Old Earth.” She paused for effect. “These are your champions, gentlemen. Women, whom you would enjoy seeing subjugated, are ready to do battle for you. Think on that.”
Her words after she’d said Felice’s name passed by Kieran entirely. Was Felice here? In custody? Hurt? Or shoved onto the nearest transport headed toward Earth?
Rees also looked as though someone had dropped a heavy brick on him. The other Shareem had stopped laughing and listened, watchful. Lady d’Aroth hadn’t told them the fates of these ladies, only that they’d spoken up for the Shareem.
“In light of these developments,” Lady d’Aroth was saying, “which have been building for twenty and more years, culminating in this night’s unfortunate events, I am waiving the restriction for Shareem leaving the planet. For those Shareem in this hall, now. But the waiver is only good for tonight. Tomorrow, I might feel differently.”
Dead silence. Kieran drew a long breath as her words sunk in . . . Waiving the restriction on Shareem leaving the planet . . .
Shareem started to move uneasily, looking at each other then back at Lady d’Aroth. Was she serious? Or was this another cruel trick?
“I say we take it,” Kieran said loudly.
Lady d’Aroth raised her hands. “Let me be clear. Once you go, you can never return. Ever. You will be terminated on sight if you set foot on Bor Narga again.”
“What if we decide to stay?” A deep voice asked. Justin. His tone was somber. “What happens then?”
“Stay?” Lady d’Aroth’s brows climbed, as though she hadn’t anticipated that question. “If you stay, and stop this nonsense, you can return home unhindered. But you will remain subject to the laws of Bor Narga regarding your kind. If you decide to leave later . . .” She was making this up on the fly, but Kieran had to respect her for having the balls to do it. The rest of the ruling council would probably shit themselves when they found out. “If you decide later you want to leave, you may apply for a permit. Your conduct while living here will determine the outcome.”
Murmurs began, the Shareem finally starting to believe she meant what she said. Rylan put his arm around Maia and kissed her hair. A few Shareem high-fived each other.
“I will arrange transport for all of you,” Lady d’Aroth said. “Immediately.”
“No,” Rees said. His voice broke over the rising tumult, and the other Shareem stopped talking and fixed on him. “Thank you,” Rees said, giving Lady d’Aroth a slight bow. “But we’ll arrange our own transport.”
Lady d’Aroth’s eyes narrowed. “You will pay for it, then. I’m not offering charity.”
“We will,” Rees said, and fell silent again.
He had a point. Lady d’Aroth might generously arrange one transport ship for all Shareem, auto-piloted to run straight into a sun. End of Shareem problem.
Kieran couldn’t keep silent any longer. “I’m out of here!” he shouted. “Who’s with me?”
A roar followed, Shareem letting loose in whoops and yells, grabbing each other for a little joyous male hugging. “Lady d’Aroth!” One of them called. “Let’s hear it for our lady.”
They cheered her—no one could do it more boisterously and honestly than Shareem.
Lady d’Aroth listened, waited, and then her words came, amplified even more to be heard over the noise. “If you can possibly leave my hall in an orderly fashion, you will be escorted to the docks to find your transport. I want you gone within the next twenty-four hours. In other words, gentlemen, please get off my planet.”
“You got it, sweetheart!” another yelled, and laughter followed.
The Shareem left in a cacophony of sound, of joy. The patrollers stood by, looking annoyed, their weapons ready in case the unruly Shareem tried anything, but they let them go.
Kieran heard his name. He turned in time to see a streak flying through the crowd, and then five-foot-six worth of woman leapt into his arms and wrapped strong legs around him. Felice was crying, her gray-green eyes alight as she clung to him.
Kieran crushed her mouth in a kiss. This was where he belonged, his arms around his lady.
Felice broke the long kiss and smiled widely at him. “Kieran. Damn.”
“You little shit,” Kieran said fiercely. “What the fuck are you doing here? You’re supposed to be safe on a space station.”
“I made Mitch bring me here. I couldn’t leave you.”
Kieran growled, but his excitement was too big at the moment for any anger. “Let’s get the hell out of here,” he said. “I’ll spank you later.”
Felice gave him a huge grin as Kieran set her down. “Looking forward to it.”
“Rees!” Another streak, this one with gauzy robes fluttering in her wake, then the small woman threw her arms around the big, annoying Shareem. “She did it! We’re going!”
Rees lifted Talan, spinning around once with her. Kieran caught sight of his face. The crazed look had vanished from Rees’s blue eyes; he was now simply a man who’d thought he’d lost the one he loved, and against the odds, found her again. Rees kissed Talan’s lips, her face, her hair. Then he thumped her back on her feet and started yelling at her.
Talan took in Rees with an enraptured look for a second, then she started yelling right back at him.
“That’s true love,” Kieran said, watching them. “Let’s go, babe.” He planted his hand on Felice’s backside. “Before she changes her mind.”
On the way out, they passed Justin, reunited with Deanna, both of them hugging, kissing, Deanna crying, and Justin moist-eyed himself.
“Seriously?” Kieran asked Justin. “You want to stay?”
“For a while,” Justin said. “I think you know why.” Kieran did. He kept silent even now—Shareem might be free to go, but announcing that a young Bor Nargan woman out there was Justin’s daughter probably wasn’t the best move.
Kieran held out his hand. “See you then. When you decide to finally leave, look us up. We’ll be . . . Somewhere. Probably having sex.”
Justin took his hand and squeezed it hard. “When aren’t you?” He grinned. “Take care of him,” he said to Felice. “Someone has to watch over this big guy.”
“I’ll let her,” Kieran said. He said good-bye again, and he and Felice walked away.
Rylan had also opted to stay, with Maia. Rylan and Maia lived away from the city, out in the desert mountains. They’d found freedom there, of a sort. Rylan was a skilled artist, making beautiful singing spheres out of the quartz deposits the mountains had in abundance. Kieran had stayed with him a while, and still didn’t understand how Rylan could coax something so amazing out of a pile of rocks.
“We’re happy where we are for now,” Rylan said. “No one bothers us—except when other Shareem come to visit.” He gave Kieran a big, teasing grin.
Maia hugged Kieran, her lush body throwing warmth and pheromones over him. Kieran thought he understood why Rylan believed it better for them to hole up in the remote mountains—the way males reacted to Maia, she needed protection. A space station full of horny pilots and dock workers was not the best place to take her.
More good-byes, and then Kieran and Felice were walking through the halls of the ruling family’s palace—a place Kieran never thought he’d find himself—and out into the bright light of a Bor Nargan morning.
Already, it was filthy hot. Ground transport stood by ready for them, but Kieran ignored it to lead Felice to a hover train headed down to Pas City. Back to reality.
Except the universe had changed.
Chapter Twenty
Rees, back in his favorite position of organizing everything, had transports lined up within hours, ready to take the rest of the Shareem out. Kieran knew the funding came from the ladies, and he vowed that when he got himself a real job on someplace like Sirius or Ariel, he’d pay them back every penny.
For now, Kieran decided that he and Felice would hitch a ride with Mitch, whose little ship had returned on autopilot. Fe
lice had explained what she’d done, which only made Kieran want to get alone with her more. Her audacity both made him proud and want to yell at her at the same time. What she’d done was fucking dangerous, and fucking brave.
Judith was riding with them to Station 579—she and Mitch deserved a little vacation, she said. However, Judith was electing to remain on Bor Narga—she still had a business here. Plus, she wanted to make sure the Shareem staying behind weren’t mistreated, and Mitch had a lot of contracts with Bor Nargans, so he’d be coming there a lot. Judith’s eyes, though, told Kieran she’d go wherever Mitch roamed.
Kieran wasn’t sure what he felt as the dust-colored rock of Bor Narga dropped away beneath him, Mitch climbing for the stars. Relief? Regret? Shock? Joy?
He saw the inevitable wave of yellow sand encroach on then swallow the city—another day, another sandstorm. Kieran’s breath mask, which he’d habitually grabbed when he’d stopped at his apartment to throw a few things into a bag, was stowed with his stuff. No longer needed.
“You all right?” Felice asked him. Kieran realized he was squeezing her hand as the engines kicked in to lift them far away from the atmosphere.
For answer, Kieran leaned across the seat, battling the restraining webbing, and kissed her. “Never been this good.” Her answering smile was all he needed.
Kieran held Felice’s hand all the way to Station 579, which was not only the closest space station—a few hours’ journey—but an independent port, lying outside the jurisdiction of neighboring planets. Station 579 obeyed no one but its corporate directors, and had no laws except station rules and the universal humanitarian ones. Mitch went through all the hoops pilots had to jump through in order to dock, then Felice and Kieran had to jump through some more to be able to disembark. Freedom meant paperwork, Kieran soon learned, but it was worth it.
In the end, Kieran was issued a pass that let him into most parts of the station. Whenever he wanted to leave, he could go, provided he paid for his transportation. After that, he was on his own. Felice, as a citizen of Old Earth, was pretty much granted a pass for everywhere.
Kieran (Tales of the Shareem) Page 18