BloodLust (Rise of the Iliri Book 1) (36 page)

The General nodded, processing the information.  He reached for a pen, scrawled a few notes.  "Do we have any idea of where the real bribe is?"

"Not yet, sir," Arctic answered.

"Thank you, soldier."  He turned to Blaec, changing the subject.  "Don't you think it's improper for your officers to fraternize so openly?"  

Blaec felt the growl in Cyno's mind and shot his soldier a warning glance.  "Sir, since there is no rule against officers of equal rank co-mingling, I refuse to make my men remain chaste any more than you do yours.  Cynortas and Luxx are the best assassins I have, and I've heard no complaints from you about their efficacy.  The Black Blades are an elite unit.  My men are required to have skills that often carry baggage.  If one of your soldiers hadn't spilled blood in the middle of camp, their relationship wouldn't have become public knowledge outside of our own ranks."

"Agreed.  I can't say that I understand your urges, soldier," the General told Cyno, "but so long as you can maintain proper protocols, I won't make an issue of this."

"Sir?" Blaec asked.  "What will Bardus's punishment be, and will I have a say in it?"

"Most likely he'll be digging latrines for a month."  The General shrugged it off.  "That should make him think next time."

"That's unacceptable, General," Blaec said too calmly.  "That man just tried to murder a superior officer and has removed one eighth of my operational forces."

"What do you want me to do, Lieutenant?  Court-martial him?"

"That's exactly what I expect you to do, General." 

"Shit, man!" the General gasped. "I can't go hanging a soldier for damaging a conscript.  There's five more where she came from."

"Cyno!" Blaec snapped.  "Wait for me outside.  That's an order.  The rest of you as well."

"Yes sir," Cyno said, his jaw clenched tightly.  When he stormed from the tent, Blaec whispered thanks into his mind, conveying reassurance.  The others followed him quietly.

"General," Blaec began, "I know this is hard for you to understand, but each of my soldiers is a unique unit.  Regardless of the color of their skin, my men have passed extensive trials.  Each one is worth five of your common soldiers on a bad day.  The Conglomerate has invested hundreds of krits into their training and they should be viewed as an asset to the nation, if nothing else."

"Damn it, Lieutenant, are you a scrubber sympathizer?"

"I value my troops, sir.  That iliri woman your man just put in the infirmary could take me down on her worst day.  How many humans do you think could say the same?"

"Fine.  What do you want me to do?  If I hang the man, we'll have a riot in the ranks."

"Treat her like an asset?  Court-martial him for damaging the property of the Conglomerate.  The punishment for destroying that many krits worth of inventory is death, isn't it?"  Blaec raised an eyebrow smugly at the General, knowing he had no option but to agree.

"Fine.  The jury will be made of his peers, though, and I'll have witnesses both from the ranks as well as your Black Blades.  If the jury finds him guilty, we'll let them set the sentence, within the laws."

"Agreed."  Blaec nodded once.  "Now if you need nothing further, I have a soldier who may be dying.  I'd like to check on her status."

"Fine.  Just answer me one thing."

"Sir?"

"Did just eight of you take out the Black Widow Company?"

"Yes sir, we did."  Blaec smiled. 

Maybe Sal had been right after all.  Maybe proving they were better than humans really was the only way to win, but he knew it wouldn't be an easy fight.  He just had to decide what he was willing to give up: her, his position, or the security they'd enjoyed for so long by pretending to be human.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," the General mumbled, "you're dismissed."

Blaec saluted and left the tent.

Chapter 41

She burned.  Every nerve ending in her body cried out, first in pain, then desire.  Her back arched, her nipples pressed against the rough black linen of her shirt, and she screamed, begging for more, wishing for it to end.  Strong hands pinned her shoulders to the bed and she pulled at them, her pale skin stark against his black, the blood on her hands clinging to him, her thoughts whispering how much she wanted him closer.  Her mind teased the edges of his thoughts.

Another wave of pain and another scream slipped from her.  Sal's ears turned to the deep voice soothing her, but all she could manage to do was beg.

"Please," she whispered. "Please!"

"How much more, Risk?" Zep asked, her cries cutting through him.  "I can't hold her forever, and she's clawing at my mind."

The golden iliri nodded, never taking his eyes from Sal.  Her shirt was unbuttoned, exposing the wound, her pale breast only inches from his hand.  The deep red gash refused to close.  He nodded again, filling his lungs, and when he exhaled, he focused so hard his brow wrinkled.

Sal screamed.  Her pale eyes saw nothing as they flicked across the room, her body trying its best to preserve her sanity.  When the convulsion passed, she began to relax, breathing deeply, excitedly, then screamed again at the next wave.  Zep felt her mind begging for his as he watched the wound close, an angry pink line the only sign that it had been there.

"Please," she whispered, grabbing at his arms.

"Risk?"  Zep asked.

"She's good, as good as I can get her.  The damned blade was poisoned.  I got her fixed up, but it's going to leave the mark."

"She can deal with that.  Damn it, man.  I think it's time for you to go.  It's got her hard."

Risk nodded and struggled to his feet.  He swayed, grabbing Zep's shoulder for support before making his way out of the tent.

Seeing her laying in the street, Zep thought she was already dead.  When Blaec handed her up to him, he'd seen the look on Cyno's face, every protective instinct screaming at the assassin to guard what was his.  Holding her now, Zep walked a fine line, but he hoped his history with the little assassin would save him from the man's wrath.  He released his hold on the girl, her body writhing, and glanced around the tent – Cyno's tent.

"Ah, shit," he breathed when Sal's eyes found his.  The passion was truly on her, the taste of her own blood and the pain of the healing throwing her beyond any hope of control.  "I'm here, Sal," he told her, brushing her hair from her face, hoping Cyno wasn't too far behind.

Her mind hit him hard, smothering him with sexual need.

She moaned softly and leaned toward him, grabbing his neck, dragging him to her.  The feel of her skin made his heart beat faster, calling to something inside him, and he wrapped one arm around her back, pulling her closer.  Her breath caressed his lips just before he felt her tongue.  Struggling for control, Zep crushed her against him, groaning when her hand slid up his thigh and her tongue down his throat.

He kissed down her neck, the bitter taste of her skin flavored by the salt of old blood, and he felt his need rising to meet hers.  Sal struggled with his shirt, fumbling with the buttons in her haze.  He pulled away only long enough to lift it over his head.  Her small hands forced him back against her.  Their lips met again, her fingers sliding below his waistband, smooth against the soft hair below his navel.  He grabbed her wrists.

She was strong, he thought, damned strong, and his own desires were trying to convince him to let her have her way.  He could feel his heart beating, pounding in his chest, and he heard his own breath, ragged in his ears. 

Cyno!
  he called, begging the little man to hurry. 

Her tongue traced lines against his shoulder and she drew a row of kisses, broken by rough bites, across his chest.  Zep moaned softly.  She heard his desire and bit harder, his flesh tearing beneath the pleasure of her teeth.  When he gasped in pain, she pulled back before her teeth returned – gently this time.  Bleeding, but caught inside Sal's mind, he felt his resistance slipping away. 

Zep pulled her face to him, biting her lip and licking at the taste of her mouth.  His hand slipped across her hip, cupping her rounded ass, and he shoved her against his erection, grinding against her soft body.  He felt her reach for it and again grabbed her wrist, pinning her arm between them.  He kissed her harder, until she bit him back.  Deep in his throat, a groan slipped out.  His need for her was more than he could control.  Lifting her onto his lap, only their clothes prevented them from being one. 

Her weight settled against his hips and he slipped his hands beneath her open shirt, sliding up her body slowly, feeling her back arch as she accepted his touch.  The feel of her new scar was tantalizing, but made him pause.  Watching her from his dark, human eyes, her exotic features called to him, so different from his own.  He tried to stop, but she needed him – and he couldn't resist what she begged for.  Holding her ribs, refusing to allow his hands higher, he was helpless against the demon writhing against his lap, the leather of his pants achingly soft against him.  Zep closed his eyes and tried to resist, his breath coming fast, his blood pounding in his ears.

Cold ceramic on his neck made his eyes jerk open, at odds with the sultry warmth of the woman seducing him so completely.

"Enough," a rough voice snarled in his ear.

The sharp edge just sliced the top layer of skin across his jugular.  Sweat stung as it trickled down his neck.  He nodded, all too aware of the real threat he faced.  "Cyno, let me up and she's yours.  You know I had to keep her off Risk.  You know that, little brother."

The blade vanished and Zep pushed Sal away even as she tried to cling to him in her animalistic desire.  Cyno stepped behind her, wrapping his arms across her chest, holding her to him.  His cold blue eyes never left Zep's face.  His look screamed his claim on her as he kissed her neck too gently.

"She's mine," Cyno snarled possessively.

"I know, brother," Zep said moving slowly to his feet.  "You call her kitten.  I know, man."

"I can na stop it." Cyno closed his eyes when Sal began to nip at his throat.  He sounded apologetic.  "I'm meant for her.  I need her."

"I know," Zep said again as he backed away from the couple.  "I couldn't take her from you if I tried.  She's yours, Jassant."  He sighed and grabbed his shirt from the floor, whispering to himself, "Even if the rest of them haven't figured it out yet."

Outside the tent, he came face to face with the Lieutenant.  LT glanced at him once, his eyes dropping to the wound across Zep's chest.

"You too?" he asked.

"It's not like that, LT," Zep answered.  "Just had to stall her long enough to get Risk out."

LT nodded, glancing back to the tent.  Screams and moans passed through the canvas.  "I don't know how I can match that, you know?" 

"You don't if you keep shoving her away."  Zep raised his eyebrow pointedly.

"I can't control her," LT said.  "If she doesn't get control of herself..." he let the thought trail off.

"You're full of shit.  I'm a damned human and I know better than that.  You're pissed because she's as good as you.  You're scared because you want it."  Zep's jaw was set, and he shook his head, trying to will his anger away.

"She'll go feral!"

Zep laughed ironically.  "She's fucking feral right now!"  He pointed at his chest.  "She's as far in the lust as I've ever seen.  She bit me, LT.  Once.  She bit me one fucking time, and stopped as soon as she realized it hurts."

"I can't control her," he said again.

"Then stop trying."

LT growled softly and leaned into Zep, their faces inches apart.  "My berserkers just lost it in the middle of the fucking CFC army.  The secret's out, Zep.  Cyno just lost his shit, and Sal?  She's like something the rest of you can't get enough of."

"Or you."

"Or me!  I can't let the Black Blades fall apart because of one damned girl!"

Zep huffed ironically.  "You think we're falling apart?  Are you fucking serious, LT?  We haven't been this tight since the First Sergeant died."  He leaned further down, his eyes meeting the Lieutenant's.  "I'm a fucking human, and I know what's going on.  She's a Kaisae – the real kind – and you're scared she'll figure out what that means.  Let me tell ya something, man.  Get over it real fucking quick."

"Zep," LT warned.

"We've been friends a long-ass time, sir.  In those years, we've been through a hell of a lot together, so trust me when I tell you this.  That little bitch is the best damned thing that ever happened to this unit."  He held LT's eyes a second longer, then leaned back, and patted his commander on the shoulder.  "Figure it out, Blaec, but stop blaming her for being better than us."

"I can't take the risk," LT said, turning away.

"Of what?!" Zep demanded of his retreating officer.

"Of Parliament disbanding us," Blaec said, not looking back.