by Morgan Hawke
Neat, tidy, efficient, and simple.
Fallon rolled her eyes. This whole plan was simply begging for something to go terribly wrong.
She turned to gaze at her men and sucked in a slow breath.
Sobehk looked very regal in heavy layered robes of pale silver and bright blue over a midnight blue kilt. His silver-white hair had been brushed into a thick mane and dressed with thousands of tiny braids that flashed with sapphire beads. He leaned on the carved handle of a heavy white cane.
Next to Sobehk’s broad-shouldered and robed elegance, Khan looked small and slender, but very menacing in overlapping and body-skimming studded black leather. More than half the studs on his breast, his sleeves, and down the sides of his boots were in fact the pommels of small knives. A rather long knife had been sheathed against his spine, and two decorative back-curved daggers were tucked into the blue-and-black sash around his hips.
His jacket opened all the way down, showing his muscular stomach to perfection. The skintight leather pants lovingly displayed his muscular thighs -- and his delectable ass. His semi-armored leather boots hugged him up to his thighs.
The attendants offered both men long hooded robes. They bowed and left.
Sobehk whistled softly as he slid into his over-robe of deep-charcoal gray velvet lined in white silk, taking care with the full sleeves of his dress robes. “Khan, if I wasn’t already sleeping with you, I’d rape you myself. Damn.”
Fallon grinned at Sobehk. “He has a very bite-able ass.”
Sobehk grinned back. “Oh, yes, he does.”
Khan arched a brow, but his cheeks tinted with pink as he shrugged into his supple black leather robe. “I’m glad you both approve.” His voice was very dry. He motioned toward Fallon. “I need to change your collar.”
Fallon walked toward him and very quickly discovered that the suit she wore had a tendency to rub against her nipples and her clit. It wasn’t painful or even annoying, but it was quite clear that she was going to have very hard nipples very fast. And wet panties -- if she had been wearing any sort of panties. “I don’t get a robe?”
Khan reached for the black chain she wore. “Your skin will not burn under station daylight.” The chain came apart in his hand and slid free. “Ours will.” He dropped it in the open drawer of his trunk.
Fallon felt an odd sort of loss without Khan’s chain.
Sobehk walked over to stand at their side. “Port Destiny was made to reproduce the conditions on human Terra. Skeldhor Prime does not have as strong a sun as the human world. We sunburn within minutes.”
Khan lifted a short chain of plain steel links and fastened it around her throat.
The heavy steel was a cool weight at the base of her throat. Fallon shivered. “I thought you guys healed faster than humans?”
Khan turned away to pull a steel chain lead from the drawer in the trunk. “Oh, we do, but sunburn is still damned uncomfortable.” He handed the lead to Sobehk.
Sobehk looped the long lead and tucked it halfway into his sash, leaving the steel chain clearly visible. “Ten seconds of blistered skin is still blistered skin for ten seconds.”
“I see.” Fallon stared at the steel lead in Sobehk’s sash and clenched her teeth. They were about to begin a dangerous game of bait and trap to find out who wanted a sleeper assassin, and why. And she was the bait. She had known this all along, and yet she hadn’t been bothered by it before. Now it bothered her.
She wasn’t worried about herself; she was more than capable of taking care of herself, but she wasn’t so sure about them. Sobehk was still wounded and while Khan was clearly deadly, his augmentations appeared to be strictly for physical strength. He didn’t have anywhere near her speed or dexterity.
Khan caught her face and dropped a swift kiss on her lips. His bright copper gaze bored into hers. “Everything will be just fine. All you have to do is not let anyone touch you physically and resist anyone’s attempt to part you from our company, no matter how slight.”
Fallon licked her lips. He must have picked up her concern. “Yes, ‘Syr.”
Khan released her and turned to Sobehk. “Ready?”
Sobehk smiled grimly, his silver mane spilling down over his breast. “I’m more than ready for this hunt.”
Fallon’s hands closed into fists. So was she. But this time, she wasn’t taking chances on anyone getting hurt because of her. She would make damned sure both her men stayed safe if she had to tear the weapon from their hands to do it.
Screw obedience.
* * * * *
Khan led them through the ship’s black-walled corridors and into a lift. Fallon found it interesting that while she and Sobehk drew curious glances, no one looked twice at Khan.
They stepped out of the lift into the ship’s cargo hold where she had learned to use the sword.
Khan’s strides were long and ground eating. He led them through the maze of stacked cargo to a circular airlock in the middle of the far right wall. Two fully armed guards stood on either side of the door. The guard on the left held out a sword in a white sheath to Sobehk and the guard on the right handed Khan two black-sheathed swords, one slightly longer than the other.
In an uncertain universe where thousands of races interacted, some friendlier than others, no one walked unarmed. However, in the sealed environment of a ship or a space station, where a pinhole could mean the deaths of thousands, energy weapons were tightly controlled; swords, though, were perfectly permissible. Even a state-of-the-art blade of live-steel could not cut through armored plating.
Sobehk shoved his sword into his sash.
Khan followed suit, then turned to Fallon with the shorter blade.
Fallon raised her brow at him. She wasn’t wearing a sash.
Khan scowled. “Shit.”
Sobehk chuckled and unwound his midnight blue sash from around his waist, leaving only the white. “Good thing I thought ahead.”
Khan snatched the sash from his outstretched palm. “You’re going to be a pain in my ass, I can tell.”
Sobehk arched a brow and his smile became decidedly predatory. “Absolutely.”
Khan snorted and wrapped the sash around Fallon’s hips with swift efficiency then tucked the ends in. He held the sword out to Fallon. “With this live-steel blade, I grant you the right to defend to the death.”
Fallon bowed and took the sheathed blade from his hands. “I accept the responsibility of life and the consequences of death.”
Khan blinked and looked over at Sobehk. “Did you teach her that?”
Fallon grinned as she slid the sword into her sash. “What? I saw it in a fictionvid.”
Sobehk chuckled and rolled his eyes.
Khan nodded at the guards.
One of the guards turned to the side. His fingers danced on the wall keypad. Machinery rumbled, air hissed, and the thick airlock door rolled to the left, revealing another door. Sobehk stepped in, then Khan and Fallon. The door rolled closed behind them.
Khan stepped back to stand on Fallon’s right.
The door before them opened and Sobehk stepped into a pale gray corridor.
Sehnbay’syr Tah nodded and smiled. “Welcome back to the Vortex .” He blinked at Khan. “Oh, I didn’t recognize you, ‘Syr.”
Khan smiled grimly. “With all due respect, Sehnbay’syr Tah, I would be most pleased if you continue to not recognize me, and address me as A’syr . In fact, I must insist that you deny any form of recognition whatsoever.”
Tah frowned slightly but nodded. “As you wish, A’syr .” He turned to their right. “This way, please.”
Tah led them through the gray-walled hallways straight to the gleaming medical bay. Sobehk lifted Fallon onto the padded surgery table and Tah did a swift check on Fallon’s transformation progression. One booster shot later, Sobehk was confirmed by blood type as her legal owner.
Tah turned to Sobehk at the foot of the table. “This will only last two days. After that ...” He glanced at Khan, who stood by the
table’s far side, away from the door. “The other DNA code will very visibly reassert itself as being primary.”
Sobehk nodded. “Understood.”
“Let me make sure everything is in order.” Tah passed by Sobehk and sat at his desk. A holographic display bloomed into existence above the surface of his desk.
Fallon hopped down from the medical table, landing on the far side by Khan.
The door spiraled open on the far side of the room.
Fallon froze.
A tall, slender Skeldhi entered the medical bay. He wore his pale hair pulled back into a long tail and a dark gray sleeveless robe over a dark blue kilt. He continued past them to stand before Tah’s desk and bowed slightly. “We are in final approach to dock within Port Destiny Station.”
Fallon frowned. She knew that voice. She sniffed. She definitely knew that scent. She focused on the Skeldhi. He smelled like...
Tah nodded. “Thank you, A’syr Mohr.”
Fallon nodded. Ah, so that’s what he looks like.
Mohr turned and his sharp gray eyes passed right over Khan to focus on Sobehk standing at the foot of the medical bed. “A’syr Sobehk! So that’s why we stopped, to pick you up.”
Sobehk smiled. “Only for a bit, before going on medical leave.”
Mohr’s gaze drifted to Fallon on the far side. He frowned. “I though that Mehdjay officer took custody of her?”
Fallon’s brows shot up. Mohr didn’t recognize Khan.
Sobehk waved his hand. “Turned out that she wasn’t who he thought she was.” He shrugged. “I got her back.” He smiled. “He gave me a nehkyx handler by way of apology.”
Mohr’s frowned at Khan, leaning against the table with his arms folded across his chest. “Nice.” Mohr looked away, clearly dismissing him.
Fallon snorted. Idiot .
Mohr looked back at Fallon. His smile was thin and tight. “I guess since she didn’t impress, you’re taking her to the auction?”
Sobehk nodded. “She’s worth a fortune.”
Fallon scowled at Sobehk.
Mohr’s smile sharpened. “She’s going to make you a very wealthy man.”
Fallon decided at that moment that she definitely did not like A’syr Mohr.
Sobehk pursed his lips. “I certainly hope so.”
Tah came out from behind his desk. “A’syr Mohr, I need to check on a few of the other rehkyt . Would you be so kind as to accompany me?”
Mohr nodded and followed Tah out of medical.
Sobehk looked at Fallon. You recognized A’syr Mohr by scent?
Fallon started and looked at Sobehk. His voice had echoed in her mind, not her ears. He had used the collar’s telepathic link. Uh, yeah .
Khan tilted his head slightly. I told you her thoughts were interesting on occasion.
Sobehk glanced at Khan. Why, so you did.
Fallon frowned. Must you have your conversation in my head?
Sobehk set his palms on the table and arched his brow smiling. Whose head?
Not you, too! Fallon very nearly growled her frustration.
Sobehk frowned at Khan. Does she need to be fed?
Khan looked over at Sobehk, then focused on Fallon. Since yesterday. I chose not to feed her so that she will appear to be the unimpressed upuaht rehkyt she is supposed to be.
Sobehk raised his brow at Fallon. That does explain her temper displays.
Fallon scowled. What temper displays?
Khan smiled. Her need to feed coupled with her nose sensitivity should make her less likely to allow anyone to get close enough to touch her. He pursed his lips and gave Fallon a measuring look. A little added frustration should keep her nice and aggressive.
Fallon felt the hair on her neck rise. What do you mean by “added frustration”?
Chapter Thirty-Two
Port Destiny Station
Imperial Space -- Outbound Corridor
Sehnbay’syr Tah came back into medical and left the door open behind him. “It is time.”
Sobehk moved toward the door and Khan followed with Fallon at his heels.
The sound of marching boot heels and whimpering gasps came from the hall, as did the rank smell of fear sweat.
The hair on Fallon’s neck rose and she stilled. She did not want to go out in that.
Sobehk stopped at the door and turned to look at her. “Isabeau?”
Khan turned and caught her gaze. His copper eyes narrowed. I’m right here . He set his warm palm on her shoulder.
Under the pressure of Khan’s palm, she walked to the door. Several pairs of armored mahf’dhyt marched past the door leading blind, naked, and frightened rehkyt between them.
Fallon shivered hard.
Sobehk stepped out into the hall.
Fallon followed, propelled by Khan’s hand. She made an effort to stay within the draft of Sobehk’s scent, but the smell of fear was overpowering. Her skin dampened with sweat.
A’syr Mohr abruptly stepped out of a side door right at Fallon’s left elbow.
Fallon started so hard she was on the far right side of the hall with her back against the wall and one of Khan’s small knives raised in her fist before she knew what happened. She closed her mouth over her long teeth, shutting off her frightened snarl.
Sobehk turned sharply, his eyes wide. “Sorry about that, A’syr.”
Mohr’s startled expression dissolved into a frown. “Still quite feral, I see.”
Sobehk lifted a cool brow at Mohr, his mouth tight. “Very feral and upuaht. You’re lucky she didn’t stab you.”
Mohr’s frown deepened to a scowl. “You would think that would have been tempered by now.”
Sobehk snorted. “I’m sure her Master will see to her tempering.”
Khan turned and held his hand out to Fallon while staring pointedly at the dagger in her fist.
Fallon felt her cheeks heat and approached Khan, offering him the dagger. “Sorry, ‘Syr.”
Khan smiled as he took the dagger from Fallon’s palm. Good reflexes. He sheathed it against his heart.
Fallon winced in embarrassment. Thanks .
Sobehk nodded at Mohr. “If you will excuse us, A’syr?”
Mohr’s scowl deepened. “Of course.”
Sobehk turned and began proceeding down the hall, leaving Mohr behind.
Fallon breathed a sigh of relief.
The hallway opened onto a loading bay that looked familiar. Fallon glanced around and saw Sobehk’s glider, the one she had stolen a very long time ago, fastened against the right wall by two others. This was where she had first come onto the Vortex . Dead ahead, the back hatch was wide open and darkness lay beyond it.
Fallon followed Sobehk down the ramp that led off the ship and into the station. Light was sparse, and shadows were everywhere. Ships of every kind and description were docked everywhere she looked. Their landing floods provided the bulk of what little light the dock had. The deeply shadowed dock ceiling was a very distant half-kilometer away and curved slightly downward with gigantic struts ribbing the curve like the exterior of a barrel. A quick glance down showed that the floor was curved slightly, like the bottom of a huge bowl. The floor’s gentle curve matched the ceiling’s distant curve. Apparently the dock was shaped like a hollow ring.
Soft sounds from the far right brought Fallon’s attention to the mahf’dhyt herding rehkyt with swift efficiency into an unmarked bulky gray hover transport.
Sobehk continued away from them toward a hovering steel gray shuttle car at the end of their dock space.
Fallon released a soft breath. She would not have been able to deal with all that fear.
A’syr Mohr has followed us. Khan’s thoughts shimmered with annoyance.
Fallon’s heart began trying to hammer its way out of her chest for no apparent reason whatsoever.
Sobehk glanced behind them. I’ll handle it. He stopped and sharply turned to face them.
Fallon stopped and Khan stopped at her side. Out of the corner of her eye, she co
uld see that Mohr was only half a length away. He caught up fairly quickly.
Sobehk lifted his chin and smiled. “Why don’t you take that shuttle, we’ll wait for the next?”
Mohr blinked, then frowned. “But ...” He glanced at Fallon. “The shuttle will fit all of us ...?”
Sobehk smiled. “I’m sure it will, A’syr, but I wanted to take care of something.” He tiled his head at Fallon. “Privately, if you don’t mind?”
Mohr’s brows shot up and then he smiled thinly. “Oh, of course.” He continued past them and climbed into the small shuttle.
Fallon kept track of Mohr from the corner of her eye. Then she noticed that Sobehk and Khan were watching him indirectly, too. They waited in a small tight knot until the shuttle lifted and moved away.
Fallon exhaled then glanced up at Sobehk. “What in fury was his problem?” She crossed her arms.
Khan lifted his brow and tilted his head at Fallon. “Very likely A’syr Mohr didn’t want to ride with the rehkyt any more than you did.”
Fallon rolled her eyes.
Sobehk frowned at Fallon. “Do you need a beating?”
Fallon felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. “Probably.”
Khan smiled at Sobehk. “Of course she needs a beating, she’s a Prime.”
Fallon bit back a sudden chuckle.
Sobehk rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Come on, you two, there’s a taxi stand not far from here.” He strode off
Fallon followed in her proper place on Khan’s left.
The docking bay was humongous. Fallon had been in spaceports before -- Dyson’s was technically one big spaceport -- but the variety of ships that she strode past -- size, color, shape – was mind boggling . Dyson’s was technically a backwater station, well off the trade routes but pretty deep in Imperial space. Most of Dyson’s traffic was human. Port Destiny occupied a crossroads. And it showed. There had to be hundreds of sentient species represented in this corner of the dock alone.
Every now and again, a monstrous mechanical noise would fill the bay, followed by an icy breeze, announcing that a new ship had been lifted into the dock.