Shades of Gray (10 page)

Grunting, he let his head fall back on his folded forearms. Thoughtful of him, but then that was Banner all over—he took his responsibilities seriously. She was working on the other shoulder now, spreading the warmed oil downward toward his shoulder blade, part of the complex joint system that allowed him to switch between upright and all-fours stance. The heating had been turned up because of the chill in the air they’d both been feeling earlier that day, and the scent of the oil was beginning to fill his small bedroom. He found it pleasant, with slightly soporific overtones, probably from the muscle-easing herbs.

“Tell me what’s worrying you. Sharing it by talking about it might clarify your thoughts,” she said, easing her way slowly, with regular pressure and strokes, down his back to his hips.

“Something and nothing,” he said. “I had plenty of time in my cell to think through the events of the past year or so, and it’s as if there was a thread running though them, a kind of hidden purpose.”

“To what ends?” she asked, beginning to spread the oil over his hips and thighs. “By the way, do I massage your tail?”

The incongruity of the question struck him, and he began to chuckle. “Not unless you want to. The muscles in it are fine.” He flicked it up, unerringly wrapping it around her wrist.

She pulled against the coils of it, finding they tightened briefly before releasing her. “Very amusing,” she said, swatting his butt lightly. “How am I supposed to know?”

“True,” he agreed amiably, allowing himself to sink into the pleasant sensations she was creating. “The ends are here, I think,” he added after a moment. “Being on Kij’ik, with you and Shaidan.”

“Us? But what about your family? Your mental Link to them is surely stronger than anything.”

“It was, but that was destroyed by Chy’qui, remember?” He eased his legs apart so she could work more easily on the inner surfaces of his thighs, wincing slightly at the pressure that put on his wound.

“How can I forget that,” she murmured. “But what’s your reason for thinking there’s a connection? I can’t see one.” He felt her hands passing around the bandage on his left thigh, leaving that area alone.

“I’m more vulnerable alone. Linked to them, they’ll notice anyone, or anything, trying to affect me.” As he said it, he realized this was the first time he’d actually put his feelings into words. His sense of unease began to grow, but he folded it deeper inside his mind where she couldn’t pick it up.

“What are they like as people?” she asked suddenly.

“My life-mates?” Again he looked around and down at her where she was now working on his lower legs. This time he didn’t have to lift his head.

“Yes. And your children. You’ll soon see them again.”

“They’re good people.”

“They must be more than that to you.”

“They complete me,” he said, the words out before he could think of what to say. “We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses as no one else could.”

“Will you tell them about my DNA in Shaidan?” Her fingers were suddenly less gentle.

“Careful, that’s hurting,” he said. “I don’t know, Zayshul. Eventually, yes, but not at first. I’m not afraid of how they’ll react, it’s more than that.” He was afraid for them, he realized, for them all, from Kaid and Carrie to Zayshul, Kezule, and their daughter, and Shaidan. Why, he wasn’t sure, but suddenly he was deathly afraid for them.

Her hands stilled. “You’re afraid,” she said softly, her expression changing as her eyes grew wide with apprehension. “I’ve never known you to be afraid.”

He turned over, sitting up to grasp her by the shoulders. “Something’s using us, Zayshul,” he whispered, flexing his claws so as to avoid hurting her. “Not the Directorate, it was only part of it. Something else, more powerful. I felt it just before I came up to the hydroponics level to confront Kezule that day.”

“Are you sure?” There was real fear on her face now.

“I’m positive.” He reached out with his mind, feeling for that presence he’d briefly sensed before, at the same time burying his thoughts deep into his subconscious, behind the walls he’d used during the early days of his Link to Carrie, lest something tried to make him forget what he’d discovered. He took the bottle of oil roughly from her hand, putting it on the night table. “We have to protect them, Zayshul—my family and yours—until we find out who it is and how to stop it!”

The lights flared briefly, died, then flared again, growing in brightness.

“What the hell ...” he began.

 

Giyarishis collapsed back onto his cushions with relief. He’d had no option but to employ the Isolator. Thankfully, they were in the Hunter’s quarters where they’d be undiscovered till they woke in time for the mission. There was not a shred of doubt now in his mind that the Hunter was not under their control. Obviously he had been thinking this through on some level for quite a time or he’d have been unable to discern the connections in his life. And yet, he’d picked up none of this! The null zones—they must have hidden him during those times. He had to contact the Camarilla immediately.

Sitting up again, he reached for the communications device on his belt and sent out the signal. Moments later, a holo image of Kuvaa formed in front of him.

“He is discovering the truth,” said Giyarishis. “Invoke the Isolator I had to, otherwise he and Sand-dweller female both know.”

“He must forget,” said the Cabbaran female. “In a few hours they leave for mission. Have you pushed him into the Link yet?”

“No, I was listening to them.”

“Try forcing the Link once more. If achievable that is not, I will not be concerned. You understand this? But forget he must! Her also.”

Giyarishis’ eyes whirled with indecision as his hands began to fold around each other. Kuvaa was being most unlike herself, most inconsistent. “I understand,” he said.

“Report to me when you’re done,” she said and signed off.

The TeLaxaudin sighed, putting his communicator away in one of the pouches hidden under his waist draperies. Why would Kuvaa now look on a failure of them to Link mentally as no bad thing when a few hours ago she was pushing for it? Could it be that the Camarilla had changed its mind yet again?

Puzzled still, he obediently began to sink into the requisite trance, calling on Unity to enhance what feeble natural ability he had. Then, with great stealth, he gently tried to insinuate his thoughts into the Hunter’s mind. It was difficult, because he’d learned his lessons well from Naacha, and many were the shields he had to penetrate then leave, without trace of his entry being found. Once there, he searched out any thoughts that didn’t suit their purpose, making them fade away until only faint echoes were left.

Time was passing too fast, and he had to withdraw and work on the female Sand-dweller. That done, with a light hold still on her mind, he drew the Hunter’s to him again, subtly bending them until a faint mingling of them had been accomplished. More, he couldn’t do. The mind was fragile in some ways yet strong in others, and forcing it against the natural inclinations of a person was not that easy.

Withdrawing completely, he triggered the release from the Isolator’s influence and sat back to watch them.

 

Kusac blinked then blinked again, seeing the afterimage from the bright flare of the lights.

“What the hell was that?” he asked, pulling her closer.

“Maybe they’re still checking out the electrical systems,” she said, snuggling into him, one oil-rich palm reaching up to caress his neck. “Forget about that, it isn’t important.”

He hesitated, trying to think back over what he’d been saying before the lights had acted up. Teeth closed over his shoulder muscle, the mock bite sending waves of desire spreading through his body. Her other hand was pushing through his fur, playing with one of his nipples, and suddenly whatever he’d been saying wasn’t important anymore.

 

She’d played with him, pouring the oil onto his chest, massaging it in gently, then moved lower, driving him frantic in his need for her. His conscious mind screamed he didn’t want this, not with his family arriving so soon, but the thought was stifled as her mind reached out for his and her sensations flooded through him.

He moaned at the enhancements it brought to his own pleasure, but he knew deep down inside that this was wrong, even as his mind not only accepted what she was sending to him but reached out for hers. Inside, where she couldn’t feel it, he was yowling his denial as the merging of their minds began. He was utterly powerless to stop it.

Then, like the force of a winter storm, coldness beyond anything he could imagine froze him, and it stopped. He instantly pulled his mind back, as in a panic he pulled himself forcefully away from her, collapsing on the bed beside her.

His head ached with a fury, and he was bitterly cold, frozen to the bone and beyond, but he hadn’t Linked to Zayshul.

Beside him, she cried out in terror, curling up on herself, nursing her own aching head. He leaned forward to comfort her. “It’s all right,” he said, pulling her up and folding her into his arms. “It’s over now.”

“My head,” she moaned. “I can barely see. What happened?”

The room had begun to warm again, but there was still a lingering chill in the air. “I don’t know. We began to Link, but something prevented it. That wasn’t us, Zayshul,” he whispered. “We were being forced into that Link. I was right—there is something trying to control us.”

She was beginning to recover a little, though still massaging her temples. “Then what stopped it?”

“I don’t know. But I do know we have to protect our families, as I said before.”

Her puzzled expression only made him more sure he’d been right.

“When did you say that?”

“You’ve forgotten it. Let’s get under the covers first and keep warm, then I’ll remind you.”

The
Venture 2
stowed safely in the belly of the
Mazzu
, Kezule watched on the Bridge screen as it pulled slowly away from Kij’ik. All they’d planned would now be won or lost with this first strike at the Orbital. He sighed and got to his feet.

“Put out a call to the ready rooms and tell the commandos for the
N’zishok
and
M’zayik
to meet me in the landing bay,” he said. “You have the Bridge.”

“Yes, General,” said the young officer on duty. “Good luck.”

He bit back a retort to the effect that luck had nothing to do with it, then thought better of it. Luck, indeed, would need to be on their side.

 

As he made his way to the
N’zishok’s
ramp, he heard a commotion from behind him and turned to see the TeLaxaudin, followed by one of his people who was weighed down with various cases and bags, exiting the elevator.

As Giyarishis stalked over toward him, he heard the low buzzing the alien was emitting increase until it was echoing in the bones of his head.

“I come, needed I might be,” the translator said as he was overtaken by the alien.

Kezule reached out to take hold of the civilian following him with the luggage.

“What’s this all about?” he demanded.

“I know as much as you, sir. He called me into his office and said he was joining you. Shall I take his stuff in?”

Kezule let him go and nodded. “Carry on.” Thoughtfully, he followed.

Giyarishis was not pleased. In fact he was outraged at this peremptory command from the Camarilla, to say nothing of Kuvaa’s reprimand for his failure to make them Link the night before.