Fallen Star (29 page)

Khan snorted. “It seems that the probe picked up your spectral coding, so I don’t have to do another one.”

Fallon stilled. “It did? How?”

“The probe is set to map the entire brain, biological and mechanical, as well as track program strings. Your spectral coding registers as somewhat biological, so it actually traced it to some degree. It is listed as a benign anomaly.”

Fallon frowned. “Then you must have seen it ...”

“No. Until I had your coding keys, the actual formation was still invisible. I had spotted the biological anomalies, but they didn’t look like programming traces, so I didn’t note them.”

“Wait a minute, my program looks
biological?
”

“The pattern it makes is completely biological, rather like blood vessels.” His foot rolled against her waist absently. “Which leads me to my other bit of good news.”

Fallon rolled her eyes. “Great.” Her invisible programming code wasn’t invisible after all, and he had more “good” news.
I can hardly wait.

“Apparently your spectral programming also acts biological in nature.”

“Huh?”

“Your coding appears to be defending itself. It’s attacking the program the Moribund Company placed in you. Given enough time, it appears that it will eventually dismantle it.”

Fallon’s mouth fell open. Her coding was dismantling the trapdoor in her head? “Yes!” She slapped the carpet. “Now that
is
good news! Then, if the other half of the trap-code ends up in my head -- it won’t work!”

“It would still work.”

“But you just said ...?”

“I said your code is dismantling it, but it appears to have only made progress along the edges. It’s entirely possible that should the other half of the trap-code end up in your head, it will restore the entire thing.”

Fallon groaned. “Shit.”

“Quite. When we get to Port Destiny station, you are to allow no one, and I mean absolutely no one beyond Sobehk and myself, to physically touch you.”

Fallon snorted. “I may have to bite a few people,
‘Syr
.”

Khan chuckled. “You’re an
upuaht
Prime; they’ll expect you to bite them.”

Fallon smiled. “Oh, goody, more good news.”

“You will bite no one, Isabeau.”

“What? But you just said ...?”

“Do you know how this trapdoor got into your head?”

Fallon frowned. “No. I don’t remember being unconscious at all. I collected the data, handed the memory crystal to Rudi, took my tip, and left. There isn’t even a blip on my internal chronometer. No missing time at all.”

“Then the program was either passed by skin to skin contact or some other way that involves physical contact, so no biting. I don’t want anyone close enough to make contact.”

Fallon’s temper flared. “If I stay out of hand range, they’re going to think I’m afraid of them.” She thumped her fist on the carpeting. Damn it, she wasn’t afraid of anyone. Her gaze slid to the foot sitting on her waist. Khan didn’t count; only an idiot wouldn’t be afraid of him.

“Why bite them when you can stab them?”

Fallon stilled. “Huh?”

“Sobehk says that you are quite skilled with knives, and I do believe he’s going to show you how to handle a sword.”

Fallon’s mouth went dry. “You’re going to let me carry a
sword?
”

Khan chuckled. “You’re an
upuaht
Prime; you’re supposed to carry blades. That’s what those clips in your ears are for. They allow your ears to heal with the assassin’s split. As a
rehkyt
, you do not scar, so to maintain any kind of mark, metal has to be inserted into the cuts to prevent them from healing closed. Anyone who sees the clips or the resulting cuts will know immediately that you have weapon skills.”

Fallon blinked.
Oh, so those cuts in everybody’s ears actually meant something.
Her mouth fell open. She was going to carry
blades!
“Hot damn!” She choked. “I meant, thank you,
‘Syr
.”

“Thanks are not needed. Regardless of the situation we are currently involved in, I would not let you walk anywhere unarmed. Simply being my
rehkyt
is hazardous enough.”

Fallon swallowed. “Hazardous?
‘Syr?
”

“I am an investigative lord-officer. There are a number of people who would take great delight in killing a helpless
saysehn
rehkyt
, simply because they could not kill me instead.”

Fallon felt a chill rush down her skin. “Shit ...” Then she frowned. “I’m not helpless,
‘Syr
.”

Khan chuckled. “Very true. However, I intend to keep quite a tight leash on you. I do not believe in taking risks.”

Fallon set her chin on her hand. A tight leash ...
Great
.

“Speaking of leashes, crawl out from under there; it’s time to meet Sobehk for midday supper.”

Lunch!
Fallon’s stomach gurgled, loudly.

Khan laughed.

* * * * *

Following Khan back through the populated hallways at the end of a leash, Fallon didn’t quite limp. The screaming agony in her back had finally settled down to only a moderate seething. She did, however, make a conscious effort to keep her steps as smooth as possible and absolutely avoided bumping into anyone or anything. While somewhat endurable enough to walk, the slightest of jarring step or suddenly change in direction was punished with slashing pain.

The fact that Khan had insisted on tying her sash snugly over her robes did not help. She could not wait to get naked.

By the time Khan opened the door to his chamber, Fallon’s jaw ached from clenching her teeth against inadvertent sounds. One did not growl, hiss, snarl, or whimper around unknown Skeldhi.

Sobehk was a welcome sight sitting at the table. A small, bright blue ceramic pitcher of steaming something or other sat on a tray with two small and equally blue handle-less cups. A third cup sat in Sobehk’s palm. He caught sight of Fallon, frowned, and set his cup down. “What happened?”

Khan turned and released Fallon from the leash. “My whip happened.” He coiled the chain, set it in his robe pocket, and began unknotting Fallon’s sash. “It seems that Isabeau had secret encoding that she didn’t bother to mention.”

Sobehk’s brows rose. “Coding your probe didn’t find?”

“Oh, it found it; it just didn’t recognize it as coding.” Khan pulled the sash free. “I now have a working copy of it.” He turned her around and gently drew the over-robe from her shoulders, leaving the thin red sleeveless under-robe on. “But the omission presented the perfect opportunity to carve a little respect into Isabeau’s back.”

Fallon gasped. He wasn’t kidding about the carving. The silk of her under-robe was sticking to her back. She hadn’t thought he’d actually cut her skin. Apparently, she was wrong.

He tugged on the robe just a little.

Her back exploded with pain. A small cry escaped her lips.

Khan stopped. “Damn.”

Sobehk growled. “Just how bad did you carve her?”

“Apparently deep enough to seep.” Khan sighed and set the silk back up on her shoulders. “We’re going to have to wait until I can get you in the shower to soak the silk before we attempt to take that off.”

Fallon stomped her foot, jarring her back, and her temper more. “What? You’re not going to just rip it off? I thought you liked hurting people.” She knew as soon as the words left her mouth that she had made a huge mistake, but she was too tired and in too much pain to care.

Khan caught her shoulders and turned her to face him. His copper gaze was narrow and heated. “I do not hurt others by accident. When I choose to deliver pain, be assured that it is quite deliberate.” His frown deepened. “You need to be fed.”

Fallon blinked. “Huh?”

Sobehk frowned. “Dinner is already on the way.”

Khan turned to Sobehk. “She needs blood.”

So she could get drunk and stupid again? Fallon jerked back. “I’ll be fine, thanks.”

Khan turned her toward the table. “Sit.”

Fallon dropped to her knees on the carpet next to Sobehk. She gasped, then hissed through her teeth. “Shit.”

Sobehk caught her elbow before it could smack the tabletop. “She doesn’t look good, Khan.”

“And I have a migraine trying to split my skull wide open.” Khan dropped onto the pillow beside her and pulled up his sleeve. He presented his forearm. “Bite.”

Fallon stared at his arm and felt a deep longing. She turned her face away. “No, thank you
‘Syr
. I’ll deal with it.”

Khan growled. “I prefer not to deal with the severe headache that comes from
not
feeding you.”

“What?” Fallon turned to stare at him. “You get headaches?”

“Migraines. In times of stress or pain, impression drives you to drink my blood, and my blood pressure rises to match your need.” Khan winced and a vein throbbed at his temple. “If you do not feed, we both suffer.”

Fallon frowned. “And if you’re in pain or stress?”

Khan smiled briefly. “Then you get the migraine, and I drink your blood.”

“Drink it.” Sobehk poured whatever was in the blue pitcher into a small cup. “His blood doesn’t just knock out the pain; it helps you heal faster.” He pushed the cup toward Khan.

Khan chuckled. “I keep telling you the same thing.”

Sobehk’s brows dropped. “She’s already bonded. I’d rather not be.”

Khan scowled. “Sobehk, you’ve been ...”

“Khan, don’t!” Sobehk’s blue eyes widened before shifting to feline slits. “Just don’t.”

Khan growled and turned to face Fallon. “Face Sobehk, now.”

Fallon flinched back from his anger and turned her back to him as he’d asked.

Khan curled his arm around her and thrust his forearm under her nose. “Drink, now.”

The scent of his skin and the blood pulsing under it was more than Fallon could bear. She opened her mouth on his forearm and bit down.

Khan released a small gasp and groaned. “Chaos, her venom ...”

She pulled her teeth back out and covered the puncture from her teeth with her mouth. She sucked in a mouthful of copper-sweet fire and swallowed. Heat burned down her throat and expanded in her stomach. The blaze in her back faded almost immediately. It wasn’t gone, it was just ignorable.

Khan sighed. “Much better.” He caught her upper arm. “Lie down. Put your head in my lap.”

Fallon let him pull her down, his arm curled around her and his forearm tight against her mouth. She eased down on her side with her head turned up, resting on the silk between his thighs. She had a nice view of the chamber’s ceiling and Sobehk’s face. If she tilted her chin up, she could see Khan’s, too. They were both here, with her. They were both safe. It was ... comforting.

Khan released her upper arm and stroked her brow. “Good, keep drinking.”

She sighed and relaxed. The heat in her stomach curled up into her mind and pulled cohesive thought further apart with each swallow.

Khan used his free hand to lift the small blue cup. “Sobehk, she may have caused my blood pressure to spike, but my blood pressure has been high since I first saw you on the
Vortex
.”

“No.” Sobehk growled.

Khan growled right back. “Yes, damn you. I know you feel it. I can smell it on your skin!”

Sobehk curled his lips back from his teeth, but his chin lifted to bare his throat. “I denied recognition when I left the academy; I deny it now!” He made a visible effort to drop his chin.

Khan sneered, his head low and his long teeth flashing. “You can deny it all you like. That doesn’t change the biological fact that it’s there!”

“Khan, I will
not
submit!” Sobehk snarled openly, baring the full length of his teeth, but his eyes were wide. “Not then, not now!”

“Sobehk ...” Khan sighed, the snarl fading from his expression and from his voice. He took a deep breath and released it. “You already gave me your submission years ago.” He set the cup down. “All that’s left are the legal formalities.”

“No. I don’t want to ... serve.” He turned away.

“Why is this so difficult for you? Your father was
Dhe’syah
to mine; it’s only right that you are
Dhe’syah
to me. Why do you think your father put you with me?”

“I said no.” Sobehk shook his head then turned to glare at him. “If you push this, I will return to my original quarters.”

Khan’s brow lifted and a very nasty smile curled his lip. “Sobehk, this is my ship, and my crew. You go nowhere that I do not approve of.”

Sobehk jerked back. “What?”

Khan’s eyes narrowed, but his smile remained. “I prefer to have your voluntary admission, but I have no difficulty waiting for your body to make that decision for you. And don’t think I won’t make you kneel for it.”

Sobehk glared, but his chin began to lift. “You wouldn’t ...”

Khan’s brows rose and his smile broadened to show teeth. “I told you before, the only constant is change. The Academy was a long time ago.” He sighed and his smile disappeared. “I need you. I need you with me, Sobehk.”

Sobehk dropped his gaze to the table. “Please, don’t force this on me.”

Khan picked up the small blue cup. “I’d rather not, but I am ... tired of being alone. Of having no one I can ... trust.”

“Trust.” Sobehk groaned. “That was a foul shot.”

Khan snorted. “You’ve always been a pain in my ass, but you have never been untrustworthy.” He sipped.

Sobehk rolled his eyes. “You had to have at least one ...?”

“No.” Khan set the cup on the table very carefully. “This ... occupation is not conducive to anything but ambition.”

Sobehk looked up and smiled just a little. “And greed?”

Khan groaned. “Go ahead and say it.”

Sobehk assumed a completely innocent expression. “Say what?”

Khan glared at him.

Sobehk’s smile broadened. “Well, if it will make you feel better.”

Khan rolled his eyes.

Sobehk set his chin on his hand and smiled, just a little sadly. “I told you so.”

“Ah ...” Khan snarled. “I hate it when you’re right.”

“Oh, come on!” Sobehk snorted. “You hate it when anyone is right -- but you.”