The Renegades (The Superiors) (6 page)

Chapter 15

The
wind whipped Draven’s shirt around him like a sail. Though he wore denim
trousers to temper the wind, it sliced through his other clothing. He should
have worn the canvas jacket Sally had rescued with his other clothing, but he
did not want to go back for it—he was too close to Cali’s. He waited for the
torrent of wind to desist before he leapt over an alleyway to land softly on Cali’s roof.

As
he did each night, he skirted the building and checked for Byron’s Rosso before
visiting Cali’s garden. Tonight the parking lot lay empty. After the last time,
he could not risk calling with Byron home. He had nearly caught Draven drawing
from Cali. If the wind had not abated for a moment before Byron opened the
door, Draven would not have heard his approach. He had already betrayed Byron
through disobedience and defiance, and he could not risk Byron discovering that
he now called upon Cali on a regular basis.

Draven
dropped from the roof to the side of the garden that Cali could reach with her
chain. Though he could not reach the door through the bars, he could reach a
pot of soil and a few scattered pebbles the sapiens had culled from the dirt.
When he grew impatient of waiting, he began tossing small pieces of gravel at
the door. After a few minutes, the door opened and Cali’s mate stepped through.

“Hey
you,” he said, swishing his hips on his way to the bars. “Cali don’t want to
see you. But you can suck on me if you’re hungry.”

“Oh?”

“You
know it.”

“Thank
you.”

“I’m
Shelly, if you wondered. And you’re the famous Draven I’ve heard so much about.
Been itching to meet you for real.” Shelly pressed himself against the bars.

“I
would draw from your arm.”

“Any
way you like it.”

Draven
shook his head and tried not to smile. Men who liked men always noticed him,
for reasons he didn’t understand—even sapien males who liked males, apparently.
Shelly seemed intent on emitting a steady stream of chatter while Draven ate.
Draven could hardly mention his annoyance, though. He ignored the boy’s voice
and drew quickly, knowing he was lucky to eat at all.

“Thank
you. Is Cali alright?” he asked when he’d finished eating.

“Oh,
you know,” the sap said with a wave of his hand. “She’s just being a girl.”

“Does
she not wish to see me tonight?”

Shelly
shrugged and cast his eyes about, refusing to meet Draven’s.

“She
does not wish to see me ever?”

“Who
knows,” Shelly said, then lowered his voice. “You know how she gets.”

“Will
you ask her to come and bid me adieu then?”

Shelly
paused and then sighed. “Oh, alright. The two of you, I swear. Not that I blame
her. You’re pretty cute for a Superior.”

“Thank
you. And you are a cute sapien,” Draven said, though the words jarred strangely
in his mind and hung just as strangely in the air.

Shelly
laughed and went back inside, shaking his head. Draven waited for Cali again,
wondering what Shelly had meant—not that he blamed her for what?

After
a few minutes, Cali came out dressed in her usual jumpsuit with a thin towel
wrapped around her shoulders as well. “What do you want?” she asked before
she’d finished closing the door. She turned to him. Her face looked pinched,
though Draven could not make out any new bruises.

“I
only wished to know why you wouldn’t see me.”

“Well,
here I am. But you can’t come back here. Master will kill us both. I had to lie
the other night, and I’m not sure he believed me. I hope he didn’t see you. But
I can’t risk my life just so you can eat. Go find someone else to feed on.”

“You’re
quite right. I’m sorry that I was careless last time. Byron is out tonight,
though. I will not return when he is here.”

“Then
why didn’t you come last night?” she asked, her voice accusing.

Draven
drew back to study her. “You’re angry with me.”

“Why
would I be angry?”

“I
don’t know,” he said slowly. “Are you upset that I didn’t call upon you last
night?”

“Of
course not.”

He
reached out and took her arm and drew her close. “Cali, he was here last night.
I checked several times, and his car was here each time. I did not want to risk
your life or my own. I know as well as you what sort of man he is.”

“Oh.”
She looked down at his hand on her forearm.

“I
am sorry I didn’t get to close your bite. Does it hurt you very much?”

“Some,”
she said. They stood together for a few minutes, the wind shrilling around them
and slapping strands of her hair and her warm breath into his face.

“You’re
bleeding,” he said finally. He could hardly stand to be so near to her when he
could savor sap on her, yet not have her.

She
pulled away. “Yeah. And now Master is going to get another breeder, three more
times, before he gives up on me having a baby.”

“But
you have a baby.”

She
began crushing a small clump of dirt with her toe. “It’s not mine.”

“Whose
is it?”

“One
of the other escapees. She died, and Master took the baby.”

Draven
blinked, unable to comprehend. “But…that’s stealing. That’s illegal. The baby
is the property of the owners of the parents.”

Cali
shrugged. She did not appear concerned. But Draven knew something about Byron,
something the Enforcer had done illegally. He had witnessed it. And Byron knew
that. He would not want a witness to his crime. If he had the chance, he would
ensure Draven’s silence by whatever means necessary.

“I
see,” Draven said, not sure what else to say. “Do you not want offspring, even
now that you’re mated?”

“No.
I mean, I love Leo, but Master’s just going to sell all the babies I have.” She
stepped closer to Draven again, dragging her chain across the concrete. “But he
said if I can’t have a baby, he’s going to sell Shelly anyway, and buy another
female who can produce babies to sell. So I either have to lose Shelly or let
those breeders…” She ceased speaking, and the wind took the place of her voice
for a few moments while a lull fell over them. “They’re really scary,” Cali
said, raising her eyes to Draven’s. Simply speaking of them made her heartbeat
quicken, and Draven could savor a trace of fear seeping from her.

“Let
me take you,” he said, reaching through the bars to touch her face. “I’ll not
force you to breed or produce offspring, and I’ll not take your mate from you.”

Her
eyes filled with uncertainty. Although she no longer protested, she had not
agreed, either. At last, she had begun considering his offer.

“Where
do you live?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“We’d
have to run at once. I’d have to steal you. Byron is an important man, an Enforcer
of the Law. He would have us tracked. We’d find a place far away and hide until
he was content with new saps, and then we’d gradually introduce ourselves to a
new place. I’ll not tell you it will be easy. Especially with a baby.”

“But
I won’t have to have babies. Not ever? What if you change your mind?”

“I
won’t. I’ve never cared for them.”

“Let
me talk to Shelly,” she said, turning away.

“Cali.”
He caught the corner of her towel. “I want you to come with me. I value you.
But if you don’t, I imagine you will do fine in childbirth. You are older than
many of the sapien mothers I’ve seen.”

Cali
studied the hand grasping her towel. When she tugged, he released it, and she
pulled it around her shoulders and huddled against the wind before sliding the
door open and passing into the apartment. Draven waited for quite some time,
the iron bars chilling his hands. When Cali returned, she wouldn’t meet his
eyes.

“I
can’t come,” she said.

“Oh?”

“Shelly
doesn’t want to. He’s afraid for the baby.”

“Then
I will take you alone.”

She
raised her eyes to Draven before dropping them again. “Last time…and I have
this chain…”

“I’ve
told you, I’ll break it.”

“How
can you break this huge chain?”

“With
my hands.”

“You
can break this chain with your bare hands?”

Draven
smiled. “Yes. Why are you so astonished? Do you doubt me?”

“I
don’t know,” Cali said, shaking her head. “I mean, I can’t leave my family.”

“Then
stay. Perhaps you will change your mind after you’re bred. Perhaps you will
want something better for your own child.”

“Do
you know all about them? The breeders, I mean…”

“I
know of them. They are said to be quite successful.” Her heart beat strangely
for a moment. She shivered, but Draven could not determine whether cold or fear
caused it. “I cannot continue calling like this, Cali. Someone will see me if I
return so often. Perhaps, if I only come once in a while... I would like to
know that you are safe. I owe you much gratitude for feeding me all these
nights.”

“Does
that mean you won’t come back? Like that time back home when you left?”

He
smiled and took her hand through the bars. “What is this? Will you miss me?”

She
scoffed. “What? Of course not. Why would I? You only make me weak.”

“You
have made me stronger, my
jaani
. I will miss your taste.” When he moved
to take his hand away, Cali held tight. “What is it?” he asked.

“Do
you know when he—Master, will bring him here?”

“Byron
is not one to waste time. But still your mind, little pet. I’ve seen humans who
were no more than children give birth quite successfully. If it’s motherhood
you worry over, you’re already a mother. And your mate seems suitable enough,
although I find no surprise that he is unable to perform the duty correctly
himself.”

“What
does that mean?”

“He
treats you well, yes? You’re fortunate that you are kindly matched. I imagine
he will be quite adept at helping you with your baby.”

“No,
why’d you say that other part?”

Draven
smiled. “Oh, I don’t know. I do not wish to be involved in your match. If you
are well cared for, that is enough for me to know. If only your master would do
the same.”

“Why
won’t you answer my question?”

“You’re
intelligent enough, Cali. You must know that your mate likes men.”

“Oh.”
Cali ran her thumb along his. “I did know that.”

“Sometimes
that changes with time. For Superiors, anyhow. Some like both. It’s good that
yours is trying.”

“Wait,
Superiors are like that, too?”

“Some.”

“Oh.”
She paused “You do, too?”

He
pulled his hand away. “No. I’m a man who very much likes women.”

“So
you think Shelly will change?”

“I’d
like to offer you reassurance, if that is what you seek. I’m certain your mate
cares for you and will share the burden of raising your offspring once they are
born, even if he is unable to give you one. The more often you try, the more
likely you’ll succeed. Byron will likely hire breeders any time you are without
offspring, if you are unsuccessful with your mate.”

“Would
you have chosen him as a match for me?”

“I’d
not choose a match for you until you requested one. But if you convince yours
to join us, I’ll take you both.”

“You’re
not very good at answering questions.”

Draven
considered his words before answering. “I’d not choose a mate for you unless I
thought you well matched. Choosing a male who prefers males is not the best
match. I’m surprised Byron didn’t notice. If he wanted you bred quickly, he
should have chosen differently.”

“You
really think Byron will make me keep having babies?” Cali asked, turning away
from Draven again and focusing instead on the soil in her garden.

“I
could speculate, but you would not like my answer.” Cali began to speak, but
Draven held up a hand. “A car approaches. I must go onto the roof. Will you
wait a moment?”

“Yeah,
a minute.”

Draven
swung up the bars and leapt onto the roof. He crossed to check the parking
area. Moments later, he dropped onto the bars above Cali and made a sound to
alert her.

“I
must go,” he said. “Your master has returned with a human male.”

The
wind rushed past him in a cold burst. Cali pulled her towel tighter around her
shoulders. Her eyes had grown very large. “A breeder?”

“I’ve
no means to know his purpose.”

“But
he’s a human? Are you sure?”

“Quite.”

“Then
take me with you.”

“You’re
certain?”

“Yes,
now hurry. One of the bars comes off. But you need tools.”

“Really?”
Draven asked, leaning back to study Cali’s face. “Do you mean this? You’ll
come?”

“Yes.
But it takes a while, so please hurry.”

Draven
knelt, braced himself and strained against the bars. After an initial
hesitation, they bent to let him through. He dropped into the garden beside
Cali, who stood staring at him with a hand over her mouth.

“He
has yet to enter his apartment,” Draven said, crouching to study the chain on
her ankle. He sat on the concrete, braced his feet against the cuff while
gripping the chain, and pulled. After far too long, it broke. The cuff and a
short length of chain remained on Cali’s ankle, but he’d deal with that later.
He could hear Byron’s footsteps approaching.

He
launched himself at the top of the cage and swung himself up, squeezing out the
opening. “Come,” he said, reaching down for Cali.

Inside,
Byron entered Cali’s apartment.

Cali
grasped Draven’s hand and he lifted her through the opening. When he bent the
bars back, they had a strange look to them, slightly crooked and twisted, but
it might buy them a few minutes if the escape route was not instantly
identifiable.

Byron
inquired after Cali inside the apartment.