Harbinger

by Cyndi Friberg

  Arrix followed her up the stairs, their overnight bag slung over his shoulder. She hadn’t been sure if they’d need to stay the night here and her ship was locked down in long-term parking, so they’d grabbed a change of clothes just in case. After trying the first two doors and finding them locked, she stepped into the third room. In keeping with the rest of the club, everything was rounded and smooth, featuring various shades of chrome.

  “So what’s on the digi-doc?” Arrix set the overnight bag down next to the bed then paused to look around.

  “All the documentation to prove we’re Linarian chefs hoping to open a café on Lunar Nine.”

  “Mmm, I haven’t had Linarian stew in years. And traedors. I could live on those things.”

  The fluffy little pastries were addictive. “You don’t happen to know how to make them, do you?”

  He laughed. “I can barely boil water.”

  “Well, let’s hope they don’t demand to taste our food.” She unfolded the digi-doc and swiped through the pages. Enjis had been wonderfully thorough. Along with a request for transfer to Lunar Nine, there was a restaurant license from their fictitious café on Outpost LA and several reference letters. She walked around the bed and set the devise on one of the nightstands.

  She hadn’t expected this trip to affect her emotionally. It was simple recon. She needed dependable information before she made her next move. So many factions were in play that she couldn’t trust this mission to anyone else. There were subtleties one of her sources might miss or misinterpret.

  The battle born rebels grew bolder with each passing day. It was almost inevitable that they remove Quinton. The real question was, who would replace him?

  The Integration Guild was currently without a master, thanks to Haven Tandori. At first Pyre had thought the IG snatched her back after Pyre kidnapped her. But Pyre had a vision revealing that a Bilarrian named Vox was helping the battle born rebels, which catapulted the rebels to the top of her suspect list. It made more sense for the rebels to rescue her than for the IG. Haven had murdered their beloved leader. The only reason the IG would want her back was to kill her.

  Which brought Pyre back to Vox. Why was a Bilarrian prince endangering himself to help a bunch of criminals? Vox had been Chandar’s final tutor. He’d prepared her for her season of testing, teaching her how to access the deepest recesses of her power without fear or hesitation. Was it simply his compassion for a former student that had brought him to Earth, or were the Bilarrians prepared to support the rebellion? She dismissed the possibility with a mental shrug. The second possibility was highly unlikely. The Bilarrian commitment to political neutrality verged on xenophobic.

  She’d received regular reports on Chandar’s recovery, but a firsthand assessment was long overdue. Her heart lurched at the thought of her daughter. Every harbinger had to be tested, subjected to hardship and pain. According to the ancient texts, harbinger energy was “purified by fire”. But Chandar’s season of testing had spiraled out of control. Quinton had assured her that Akim had no interest in females, that he would be strict, perhaps cruel, but Chandar would be safe while under his authority. That was the only reason Pyre had agreed to the placement. Then Quinton sent Akim on a mission to Earth, which had taken Chandar out of range of Pyre’s abilities. By the time her spies reported that Chandar might be in danger, she had already been subjected to months of abuse. Pyre wasn’t sure if Quinton had misled her intentionally or if he was unaware of Akim’s true nature. It didn’t matter. Either way Quinton would pay for the deception with his life. If the rebels didn’t remove him soon, she’d take care of it herself.

  Arrix came up behind her and wrapped one of his arms around her waist. “What are you thinking about? You’re expression is murderous.”

  “I don’t like waiting. It makes me grumpy.” She admitted her faults to no one and went to great lengths to conceal the limitations of her power. Her informants provided much of the information she claimed to have seen in visions. And all the deceptions were becoming cumbersome.

  “Maybe I can lighten your mood.” His other arm curved around her body, a pair of alloy restraints dangling from his fist. “Which would be more cathartic, mistress? Shall I discipline you or would you prefer to punish me?”

  Arrix’s willingness to play either role was the reason he still warmed her bed. Some days she needed to control every aspect of their interaction, yet other times she wanted to let go. Right now her mood was too dark, too conflicted for submission, so she took the restraints from his hand and said, “I want to punish you.”

  Chapter Five

  Haven took a deep breath and tried one last time to reason with her enraged brother. “This isn’t about me. It’s about the future of Tandori Tribe. Backing the battle born will allow us to—”

  “You expect me to believe that?” Ulrik scoffed, his face florid and blotchy. “You’re suddenly a selfless crusader?”

  Not trusting herself to speak, she just glared at him.

  “You’ve always been a faithless whore more concerned with your own comfort than the future of our people! Which one turned your head this time? Are you hot for the general or that strutting harbinger?”

  She tried to let the words roll off, knew Ulrik didn’t really mean them, but she’d heard the accusation once too often. Debate was pointless once Ulrik loosed his temper. “You don’t have the final say,” she stressed. “I’ll ask the guiding council.” Before he could launch another verbal attack, she stormed from his apartment.

  Shaking with a confusing combination of anger and hurt, she hurried down the corridor. She wasn’t sure where she was going. She just needed to be away from Ulrik’s hatefulness. The nearest bank of elevators was at the end of the hall. She slapped the bottom, summoning a car, then walked over to the large window that looked out on the residential village. She couldn’t see the cavern from this angle, so it was easier to pretend she was back on Earth, safely away from danger, surrounded by people who cared about her.

  Her throat tightened and her eyes burned as she frantically blinked back tears. Vinton had cared about her and she’d inadvertently gotten him killed. She’d thought Javin cared about her, but his love had been a strategy he’d used to deceive and manipulate her.

  Vinton’s image lingered in her mind, haunting her. Accusing her. A sob lodged in her throat, making it hard to breathe. Sending the message to Vinton had been an impulse, an arrogant mistake she would regret until her dying breath. She’d been trying to reassure him, to offer assistance, not…

  A signal chimed, announcing the car’s arrival. She turned from the window and rushed into the elevator, trying to outdistance her pain. The only reason she’d gone to Rodymia was the future of Tandori Tribe. She hadn’t been looking for a mate, hadn’t really wanted one. Her lip trembled and tears blurred her vision. Even though Ulrik’s charge was unfounded, the barb tore deeply.

  The elevator door slid open and she flew out of the car still blinded by unshed tears. She collided with another person and gasped as his muscular arms wrapped around her.

  “Easy, love.”

  She recognized Danvier’s voice and the dam holding back her emotions finally broke. It was all too much. No one could be expected to remain strong with pressure closing in from so many directions. She fisted the front of his tunic and pressed her face against his chest as hard sobs shook her body.

  He didn’t speak, just held her and let her cry. One arm banded her waist, pressing her firmly against him, while his other hand stroked her hair.

  It didn’t take long for her emotions to run their course. She’d never been much of a crier. Her personality was better suited to task-oriented strategies. She raised her head and tried to step back, but he didn’t let go.

  “Sorry.” She brushed at the front of his tunic where her tears had dampened the fabric.

  “There’s no reason to apologize.” He lightly cupped her chin and raised her face so he could see her eyes. “Did Ulrik upset you?”

>   “It wasn’t just him, but yes. He was being an ass.”

  “He’s good at that.” His expression grew even more intense as he searched her gaze. “What did he say to you?”

  “The specifics aren’t important.” She refused to waste energy on Ulrik when there was so much left to do, but Danvier wasn’t so easily dissuaded.

  “Tell me.” His deep voice rumbled with gentle command.

  “It was nothing I hadn’t heard before.” He just stared at her expectantly, so she surrendered with a sigh. “According to Ulrik, I’m a useless whore who cares only about myself.”

  “Your brother spoke those words to you?” His gaze narrowed dangerously.

  She waved away his concern. “He gets like that when he’s angry and he’s been angry with me since I left for Rodymia.”

  “That’s no excuse. He should not be so disrespectful to his sister.” His hand moved to the hilt of his flexblade, the silent threat unmistakable.

  “He shouldn’t be that disrespectful to anyone,” she countered. “But I can’t change Ulrik. Believe me, I’ve tried.”

  “Maybe it’s time for someone else to try.”

  She wasn’t sure if he was volunteering or simply encouraging her to avoid Ulrik when he was in one of his moods. Rather than explore the possibilities, she changed the subject. “I need to arrange a ride back to Earth. Who do I talk to about that?”

  “For what purpose?”

  “Ulrik refuses to consider an alliance now, but I suspect the guiding council will feel differently. They can authorize me to negotiate on behalf of Tandori Tribe.”

  Without releasing her from his embrace, his attention turned inward. Was he making travel arrangements for her or asking Garin if she could leave the outpost? Likely both. But why wouldn’t he let her step back?

  His scent sank into her with each agitated breath and her mouth began to water, anticipating his taste. She recognized the signals, had been through it all before. All it would take was a kiss to determine if she was right, to find out if Danvier was a potential mate.

  She looked up and found him staring at her, no longer distracted by telepathic communication. His free hand carefully fisted the back of her hair and his face lowered toward hers. She should turn her head and shove him away. It was the only rational reaction. Instead, she parted her lips and welcomed his kiss. He was so different from Javin. Danvier was stark and serious. There was no subterfuge in this male.

  His lips brushed over hers, part warning, part tease. “Taste me, Haven. Tell me what you feel.”

  A tingle dropped down her spine as his mouth fit to hers. His tongue eased forward, pushing his taste into her mouth. She curled her tongue around his and allowed her instincts to do the rest. He tasted fresh, like rain-soaked mountain air. She took the kiss deeper, exploring his mouth with her tongue as his hands began to wander.

  Desire uncoiled inside her, speeding her pulse and making her skin tingle. Oh yeah, they were compatible. They were extremely compatible. The kiss grew almost frantic as they grappled for control. She arched her back and rolled her hips, needing him closer, wanting him deep inside her aching body.

  He pressed her back against the wall beside the elevators and rubbed his erection against her belly. His mouth moved over hers, his tongue so demanding she could hardly breathe. One of his hands cupped her breast and the other drew the fullness of her skirt up along her leg.

  “Enough,” she cried as she sharply turned her head. “Are we going to do this right here in the lobby?”

  He looked dazed as he moved his hands to the wall on either side of her shoulders. “I’m sorry.” He was panting so hard the words sounded angry not contrite. “I shouldn’t have started this in such a public place.”

  If they’d been in her apartment right now, they’d probably be naked, so she was glad for his lack of planning. Clearly she couldn’t depend on her own self-control. “So now we know.” She looked at his throat, not trusting herself to meet his gaze. “We’re genetically compatible. So are a lot of couples. It doesn’t mean any more than we allow it to mean.”

  His long fingers curved around the back of her neck and he used his thumb to tilt her face up. “And if I want it to mean more?”

  “Then you’re going to be disappointed.” She squared her shoulders and looked directly into his eyes. “I have no interest in another mate.”

  With a slow, unmistakably predatory smile, he stepped back and lowered his arms. “I don’t believe you.”

  “Believe what you like.” She smoothed down her skirt and fluffed out her hair. “Did you find me a ride or not?”

  “Garin wants me to escort you personally.”

  “Of course he does.” She shook her head as she let amusement relax her. “He’s afraid I’ll make a run for it.”

  Danvier clasped his hands behind his back, a smile still tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Is that your intention?”

  “As if I’d tell you.” She motioned him toward the exit. “If I’m stuck with you, let’s get moving.”

  He crossed the lobby and triggered the door, but waited for her to precede him.

  Simulated sunshine warmed her face, reinforcing the urban illusion. Still, nothing compared with cool mountain air and wide-open spaces. “I need to make some phone calls on the way. Can that be arranged as well?”

  “Of course.” He strolled along at her side, easily matching her shorter strides. “Where are we going?”

  “I’m not sure yet. It depends on who I reach first.”

  “Do all the councilmembers reside in the same city?”

  “No. Each presides over a different territory.”

  He looked at her, his expression clearly quizzical. “Does each territory contain a sacred bonding ground?”

  “Where’d you hear that term?” It was extremely unlikely that Ulrik would have volunteered information about Tandori bonding rituals. When and how they found their mates was a closely guarded secret. The bonding grounds were called sacred for a reason.

  “Raina, the hybrid female who’s now bonded with my uncle Kotto, came to us with journals from a Bilarrian historian.”

  Haven paused and turned to face him, shocked by the casual revelation. “The Bilarrians sent a historian to Earth? How long have they been documenting our activities?”

  “That’s a long, involved story and I only know the basics.” Danvier resumed walking, so she did the same. “You should ask Raina to explain how it all happened. She’s rather quiet, but friendly once she gets to know you. I’m sure she’d welcome some female company.”

  “We are sort of outnumbered up here.”

  “A fact we intend to change in the very near future.”

  They walked through the commerce district, but didn’t pause at any of the shops. Still, the environment reminded Haven of the money she owed Berlynn. “Did you mention my assets to Garin?” She cringed as she heard her own words. No Rodyte male would resist that opening.

  Danvier flashed a sexy smile that made his silver phitons shimmer. “I don’t need to mention your assets to Garin or any other unmated male. You’re assets are all too tempting without drawing attention to them.”

  “That’s not what I meant and I’m pretty sure you know it. Was General Nox going to help me with my financial troubles?”

  “That depends on what you and the council decide.”

  “Oh, I see. If we become allies, he’ll steal back my funds. If we don’t, he’ll keep them for himself?”

  Danvier shrugged. “Revolutions are expensive.”

  She looked up at him again and found amusement still twinkling in his eyes. Her irritation fizzled out and warmth slowly flowed through her body. This wasn’t good. If all he had to do was smile to send her senses reeling, she was in serious trouble.

  They crossed the commerce tiers one level lower than they’d entered the day before, allowing them to emerge onto the lower concourse. She looked around curiously. With the main concourse directly above, her view was
partially obscured, yet the ships seemed closer, somehow larger.

  “Garin’s trying to get everyone accustomed to using the upper concourse for arrivals and this one for departures,” Danvier explained. “The dock-wherever-there’s-room concept worked fine while there were only a few ships. But now there seems to be more every day.”

  “Are the ships coming on their own or is Garin summoning them?”

  “Some of both.”

  She knew an evasion when she heard one. “Would you be more specific if I were your ally?”

  His gaze lingered on her face for a moment, but his features had fallen back into their emotionless arrangement. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

  He led her to one of the Phantom shuttles and opened the main hatch. “Is this the same ship we arrived on?” This one was docked in a different slip, but it looked identical.

  He shook his head. “We keep track of who’s out in which ship, but their transponders are all programed with the same information. Keeps our enemies guessing.”

  “What happened to the one we arrived on?”

  “They had some updates to run. We’re still working the bugs out to some degree. That’s unavoidable with any new technology.”

  They sat in the forward-facing seats and Danvier quickly completed his pre-flight checks. “Once we’re out of the cave I’ll be able to emulate a cell phone.”

  “I hope I can remember their numbers.” She pressed into her seatback, feeling rather useless. “Cell phones have made us lazy.” Twenty minutes later they rounded the moon and Earth filled the main viewscreen. Haven stared at the glowing blue orb, awed by the serene beauty. “I’ll never get tired of seeing it like this, so vivid and majestic.”

  “Do you have a specific number I should use for the caller? Many people won’t answer for an unknown number.”

  Dragging her gaze away from the spectacular view, she looked at Danvier and shivered. His sculpted profile might not be as grandiose as a space view of Earth, but he was even more intriguing. “I’ve been off world for the past two years. Can we create a fictitious account, something with a Nevada area code?”