Stardancer (Tellaran Series) (4 page)

“I’m not an Az-kye woman. I actually have something intelligent to say.”

He burst out laughing. “What you Tellarans think of us! Truly, you amuse me.”

“I happen to know a great deal about your people, Az-kye. I studied you for months.”

“This is so?”

“Yes, this is so!” she snapped. “I know you are nothing but a bunch of uncivilized brutes, barbarians who respect nothing!”

He nodded gravely. “This is what you have learned in your studies.”

Kinara opened her mouth to reply but something in his face caught her attention and she scowled. “You’re making fun of me.”

“You are easily baited,
Cy’atta
,” he replied, his mouth twitching with amusement. “Why do you call me ‘Az-kye’?”

“Mainly because I don’t know your name. I can think of a couple other things I’d like to call you.”

“I am sure. You will address me as ‘my lord.’”

“Az-kye
don’t have names?”

“Yes, we have names. I am Aidar of the Az’anti. But this is not for you to say. You will call me ‘my lord.’”

“No one calls you by your name?”

“No slave calls me by my name. Unless,” he added softly, letting his fingers run through her hair again, “it is a favored slave and the name is spoken in privacy.”

“Stop that,” Kinara said shakily.

His fingers whispered over the skin of her cheek. “Will you disobey me even in this?”

“In what?”

He leaned forward, cupping her chin. 

“In bedding,” he murmured just before his mouth touched hers.

It was an act of will not to yield to the warm sweetness as his tongue explored.

He drew away to look at her, seeming genuinely perplexed. “I know you are roused. Why do you resist,
Cy’atta
? I will not hurt you.”

Her mouth was still tingling.
Gods, if any man can kiss like that why did it have to be a starblasted Az-kye?

Remembering Kyndan, the crew of the
Reliant
, her own people imprisoned on this ship, Kinara hardened her jaw. “You have my crew.  I can’t stop you from doing what you want.”

His fingers lightly traced her cheek. “I have not taken a bound mate and no other woman shares my bed now. You need not fear punishment or jealousy.” 

“Well, I’m glad I’m not going to get blamed if you chase me around the bed but I won’t join willingly with you.”

He searched her face. “Not even for your own pleasure?”

Her heart was hammering. “No.”

“You will disobey me?”

“No. You can order me to your bed but that isn’t the same as my choosing it, is it?”

He looked annoyed. “But you will lie with me if I order it?”

She wet her lips.
Was
he going to order her? “For the sake of my people?  Of course I will.”

He let go of her and took up his goblet again, his expression going cold. “It is a good thing, this. It is unseemly for one of my status to bed a slave, I think.”

She gave a nod. “Couldn’t agree more.”

His eyes narrowed. “But you have distracted me. Explain why I should retain this worthless Tellaran.”

“He isn’t—” Kinara began heatedly then with an effort made her tone calmer. “Tedah has a real gift with engine design and propulsion systems. He could work on this ship and have it fifty percent more efficient in no time.”

“That is no concern of mine. My time on this ship is finished once we reach Az-kye.”

“But Tedah could improve a civilian system just as easily as he could a military one. You can’t be so rich that it wouldn’t help. You could hire him out if you wanted—”

“I could hire you out as well.”

She couldn’t stop the spasm of fear from crossing her face. “Are you—” Her voice caught. “Are you going to do that?”

He looked away and put his cup down quickly. “I am tired.  I will think on what you have said.”

“But are you—”

“I am tired, Tellaran. Be you silent now!”

Rebuffed and frightened, Kinara stayed quiet as he stood and dimmed the lights. 

“Come.”

Kinara scrambled up and followed him to the bed, shifting her feet as he undressed. Nor was he at all shy about undressing in front of her. 

Her studies hadn’t told her anything about clan leaders or how they fit into Az-kye society but this man had power here, enough that the warriors guarding her crew instantly obeyed him and no warrior they passed in the hall had questioned him. Her stomach knotted. Could she really afford to reject him? She didn’t want this to be something she did because she had to. 

Kinara’s eyes widened as the last of his clothes were thrown aside. He got into bed and nodded to the place beside him. “You will sleep here.”

Kinara hesitated.
“Why?”

“Because it pleases me to have you so,” he fairly snapped. “Obey me.”

Awkwardly, Kinara climbed into bed with him. Any ideas she had about keeping her distance were squashed as he wrapped his arms around her. His body was warm but she shivered anyway.

“You are afraid?”

“I’m cold.  It’s freezing in here.”

He tucked the blankets around her then held her again, his body warm against her back.

Kinara lay stiffly in his embrace. She started when he rested his cheek against her shoulder. 

“What is it now?” he demanded.

“What are you
doing
?”

“Do Tellarans not sleep?”

“Of course we do, but I mean . . .” She gripped the blankets. “Is that all you are going to do?”

She felt him go still for a moment, then he said, “I am tired, Tellaran. Trouble me no more tonight.”

He cradled her. Between his body heat and the blankets it was the warmest she’d been in hours. As time went on and he didn’t try anything she began to relax a little. Maybe Az-kye got cold too and he just wanted her there for warmth.

The
Rapier
is towed by the
Ty’pran
. The crew is held nearby. We’ll get out of this.

Kinara listened to his breathing become deep and even.
Whatever he had planned for her wasn’t going to happen right now.

I don’t want to kill him if I don’t have to. I just need to give him some time to fall asleep then I’ll figure out a way out of here . . .

Kinara awoke to find the Az-kye standing beside the bed, already dressed again in warrior black. She had the uncomfortable feeling those dark eyes had been watching her for a long time.

He turned away. “You are lazy, Tellaran.”

Kinara rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, silently cursing herself for falling asleep like that, and sat up.

“I must have just passed out.” Kinara stretched, feeling the muscles in her back loosen. “I guess I really needed the sleep.”

“Think you I care?” he fairly snapped.

Kinara blinked. His mood was, if anything, worse than last night and her stomach tightened. Right now all she could do for her crew was try to get on this warrior’s good side. Hurriedly she got out of bed and stood awkwardly beside him.

“Is there something you want me to do, Ad— uh, my lord?”

“I am hungry,” he grumbled. “But to have you fetch my meal would turn my stomach, I think.” His hair was darker than it had been the night before and Kinara realized that it was wet. He smelled clean to her as he bent down to adjust the fastenings of his boot. 

“Maybe it’s the food.”

He looked up at her sharply. “What?”

Kinara pushed her hair away from her face. “I said, maybe it’s your food.  You might like Tellaran food better.  In fact, if you send for supplies from the
Rapier
, I could—”

“There is no
Rapier, Cy’atta
.”

“Oh, well, okay. Whatever you call it now, if you sent to my ship—”

“No,” he said, straightening. “There is no ship. I ordered it destroyed.”

The air went out of Kinara’s lungs in a rush of disbelief. “You did what?” 

“I have destroyed it. Will you have me repeat everything for you today?”

The floor seemed to tilt away from her feet. Kinara sat down on the bed hard and gripped the mattress. She thought the
Rapier
towed alongside the Az-kye ship, ready for the moment she could free her crew.  Without that ship how could they even
hope
to escape? 

She was trapped here, unarmed, alone, with who knew how many warriors between her and the crew and no ship to escape to even if she could get her people free.

Gods, none of us might ever see home again! 

“Will you keep me waiting, Tellaran?”

Kinara looked up at him. “But why? Why did you destroy my ship?”

“It was not your ship. It was mine. What I choose to do with mine own is no concern of yours, slave.”

“It was
mine
!” He’d blasted her best hope to get her crew home to dust. Kinara shook her head, rage breaking through her shock. “How could you?”

His blond brows rushed together and his dark eyes were smoldering. “You displease me greatly. Be you silent now.”

She shot to her feet, too furious to fear the dangerous glint in his eye. “How could you destroy it?  And why?” She held up a hand. “Oh, don’t bother! I know the answer! Because you filthy brutes don’t know how to do anything else but destroy!”

His nostrils flared. “You do not learn easily, Tellaran, but you
will
learn your place!”

He seized her upper arm and pulled her along with him into the hall. He had long strides and Kinara was nearly running to avoid being dragged along.

Her anger sharply gave way to alarm. Tellarans meant nothing to him. Was he going to make good on his threat to kill one of the crew?

But as unfamiliar as this ship was, she realized he was not taking her in the direction her crew was kept. 

“Where are we going?”

“Be you silent.”

That terse reply was all she received as he pulled her down a dark corridor. She began to struggle against his hold in earnest when with a quick movement he slapped his palm against the panel and opened the door.

Kinara’s eyes widened at the sight of several Az-kye dressed as she was, cowering in the rank room. Huddled together, they did not even lift their eyes at the intrusion. 

Abruptly, Aidar pushed her toward a fat Az-kye dressed in gray tunic and trousers.

“Another slave for your work detail, Barin. She is disobedient and difficult. I trust
you
will get work out of her.”

The overseer looked her over briefly and gave a nod. “Yes, my lord.”

“Set you the slaves to their work and attend me on the bridge.”

Barin bowed and Aidar turned to go.

It finally sank in that not only was he going to abandon her to this fat Az-kye, he was going to do it right now. Left to a work detail she’d have no opportunity at all to intervene for her crew.

“Aidar!”

Barin whirled on her, his pudgy face red with anger. “Be you silent!”

“Aidar, wait! Don’t leave me here!”  Kinara cried, pushing her way past.

The door slid closed behind Aidar. Kinara yelped as the overseer suddenly grabbed from behind by the hair. 

He gave her a shake. “I command, you do!” he snarled. “I command silence, you are silent! I command work, you work!” His grip tightened painfully in her hair. “I command, you do not, I punish!  Understand?”

“Wait, what was work again?” 

He yanked her hair so viciously she gasped.

Barin’s voice was low and dangerous. “Be you obedient, slave, or be you dead.”

Her eyes tearing, Kinara nodded. He released her with a shove that sent her to the floor and skinned her knees.

Her hand went to her throbbing head.

You were right, Kyndan. I really need to learn when to shut up.

Aidar stalked onto the bridge.  

He had hardly slept and had not eaten. The Tellaran tossed and turned in her sleep. Only when he drew her against him, soothing her with soft words and caresses, did she settle. He cradled her, finally able to look his fill at her as she slept beside him. His gaze traced the soft curves of her face, her pink mouth parted in slumber, the purpled shadows of care beneath her eyes.

By the standards of his people she would not even be considered pretty. Her Tellaran heritage made her too unusual, too foreign, not Az-kye.

But since first glance when boarding the Tellaran ship he simply could not stop
looking
at her. 

He had never seen hair such a color before. Brilliant and fiery, it shone like shimmersilk and fairly glowed when it caught the light. He had stroked it in wonderment while she slept. Silky soft, he shivered with pleasure at the feel of the strands slipping between his fingers.

He remembered her face absorbed with her talk of engines, her hands fluttering as gracefully as an Imperial dancer’s fans, her eyes shining with intelligence. Wide set and fringed with lashes as russet as her hair, her eyes were just the color of the sky over the Empress’ City during the summer months.

By the flickering light her hair was magnificent, the coppery waves falling down her back. Az-kye women had a warm, golden tone to their skin but hers was very pale, so delicate he could see the blue veins beneath the skin of her throat. She was taller, slimmer than Az-kye women usually were.

He glanced over the firm roundness of her breasts, tantalizingly outlined under the thin material of her slave’s dress, her small waist that flared into gently curving hips. He could hardly focus on her words so distracted was he with remembering the feel of her soft mouth beneath his, how her breath had quickened as he kissed her. 

He wanted to see her eyes soften and her cheeks flush with desire, hear her cries as he stroked her to her pleasure. He wanted the shimmersilk of her hair through his fingers as he buried himself inside her.

He wanted her to be as hungry for it as he was.

He let his breath out through clenched teeth as he glanced over the ship’s instruments, drawing nervous glances from the warriors around him as he worked.

Tellarans, uncivilized and utterly barbaric, scarcely seemed human at times. He had never had, nor wanted, one in his household and
she
was the most unruly, quick-tempered female he had ever encountered. 

He had bathed and dressed himself as she slept as bonelessly as a child in his bed. And in gratitude for more consideration than he had ever shown any servant, she stood and shouted at him! 

He found himself constantly glancing at the entrance to the bridge, growing more annoyed by the minute that the overseer had yet to make an appearance.

Shouted!
Heaping insults on him as if he were clanless and
she
the warrior! Meeting his eye as if she were not even a slave.

He listened to the warrior’s reports with only half an ear. Even with Dael, his foster-brother and closest friend, he found his voice sharp, his patience thin. Dael’s brow creased at his shortness and Aidar avoided his questioning look.

She was nothing more than a chair or a goblet to be used as he pleased, kept near or taken away as he wished!

It was far too long after he left her that the overseer came onto the bridge.

Barin made a deep bow. “My Lord of the Az’anti.”

“Barin, I was thinking you had forgotten to attend me at all,” he said, unable to keep the aggravation out of his voice. “I was about to send another in search of you.”

“My regrets, my lord. I was delayed.”

Aidar waved the apology away impatiently. “Tell me of your slaves’ tasks.”

“They have labored in the food stores. If it pleases my lord, I will next have the quarters of the under officers cleaned.”

“It pleases me greatly. Will it take many hours to complete?”

“If it pleases my lord, I think it shall take the rest of the day.”

Aidar finally felt his mood begin to lighten. After a day of such miserable labor she would sit a great deal more gratefully at his feet. 

Grateful. And welcoming of his attention.

“Good. At day’s end, have that Tellaran slave retur—”

The overseer shifted his eyes.

Aidar frowned. “What is it?”

“Nothing, my lord,” Barin said quickly. He cleared his throat. “It was her own fault.”

An unexpected shock of fear clenched his stomach. “
What
was her own fault?” 

Barin’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

“What has happened?” Aidar demanded, taking a step forward. “She is hurt?”

“My lord, I—”

“Answer me! She is hurt?”

“Y-yes, my lord, I—”

Aidar pushed past him. “Where?”

“My lord?”

“Where is she?”

“In food storage, my lord. I left to—”

“You left her?” Aidar demanded, looking round at the overseer. 

“My lord, I had to. Your command—”

Aidar’s pace was unseemly quick leaving the bridge and increased as he made his way below. He broke into a jog when he saw her on the floor at far end of the storage room.

Her sweet face was ashen, taut with pain, and her fiery hair stuck damply to her temples. She lay sprawled, a twisted, broken storage box open beside her, its ruined grain scattered on the floor. The filthy cloth she held pressed against her thigh was already soaked through with blood.