The Alien Library (8 page)

Tendar stayed away, with Daniel. Pindari had selected the group and he trusted her implicitly. Every night for the long week, he’d stood at the window of his lookout tower, angled to catch passing glimpses of Cameron as she passed the library window. Daniel sat with him when he returned from Teemin’s estate.

“Sil says she is calmer,” he offered comment. “What do you feel of her?” Daniel knew Tendar had forged a link with Cameron already.

“Feel?” Tendar sighed. “Confusion. Resignation? But amidst it all, yes…calmness. Reconciliation.”

“Not sure I like the sounds of that. Reconciliation as in forgiveness? Or as in having no expectations?” Daniel leaned on Tendar’s bent legs. “I would have thought the sweet kiss would have made her certain of her place.”

Tendar shuddered. “Oh. The sweet kiss…”

“It was good, wasn’t it?” Daniel commented.

“Divine.” Tender took a shaky breath. “She is certain. But of what? That I don’t know.”

“How tangled! Do we risk seeing her alone before the unveiling? She must be calm and we might set her off again.” The doctor put a hand at his heart. “Has Sil seen any sign of difficulties with her implant?”

“He says not. Only that she is tired and sleeps poorly.” Tendar heard a commotion from the lower courtyard and glanced downward. “That slippery bastard…”

“Let me.” Daniel hurried from the room. He’d heard the sounds of protest from the woman below. Teemin was bullying one of the human workers. They’d done well at keeping the vulnerable out of danger, so far. Tendar actually didn’t have that many on the estate at any given time. Those sent here were in need of time off, injuries treated, or simply a renewal. It was understood that little was to be asked of those in residence.

He didn’t see Tendar’s father slip into the room behind him as he trotted down the stairway. Jefarin gripped the bottle Teemin had given him in one hand. His middle son had provided distraction. But Jefarin doubted Tendar would take a drink. He lifted the bottle to his lips and swallowed, enjoying the good vintage.

Tendar spoke without turning away from his watch. “Everything all right?”

“I have no idea.” Jefarin surprised his youngest son.

Tendar went still, then turned to gaze at the male, obviously surprised to find his father in the room. Seeing the bottle, Tendar sighed. Jefarin took another drink, knowing his son didn’t approve. He grimaced. “A gift from Teemin, but I knew you wouldn’t want it.”

“Feel free, Father.” Tendar looked back at the far window. Then he took a deep breath and spoke again, “Did you see Daniel?”

“Yes, your mother’s pet dashed to the rescue. Why is he still here?” Jefarin finished the bottle and tossed it to one side. It rolled against the wall and then slowly went still.

“Daniel accepted my scent, secondary to mother. He is home here.” Tendar made no secret of the arrangement, even if it hadn’t come up in conversation yet.

“He can’t do that.” Jefarin frowned. “I don’t think he can do that!?”

“He can. He did,” said Tendar flatly, as he moved from the window, and led his father to a chair. “Do you miss her?”

“Of course.” His father lowered his head. “But she left me long before she died.”

“She isn’t dead,” Tendar stated.

Jefarin shook his head. “I don’t lie to myself. If it comforts you, fine. Lie.”

“It comforts me,” Tendar said. “You do not have to stay with Teemin.”

“Yes, I do. I oversee his vineyards.” The older Kharmon claimed the family lie as his own. “He needs me. You don’t. Neither does Thandin. Don’t like fish anyway!” He snorted.

Tendar didn’t bother arguing. He didn’t need his father, which was true. The man would still be welcome, if he stopped drinking.

Jefarin blinked, returning to the topic of Daniel. “He took your scent! Damned human already thinks too much of himself.”

“Daniel is Daniel. It isn’t possible for him to think too much of himself.” Tendar frowned. “You’re spouting Teemin’s superior race jargon. Why do you hate Daniel so much? You once loved him and treasured him.”

Jefarin jerked to his feet. “Loved him? Never. Never trusted him! He weaseled his way into your mother’s favor and won you over. Now this nonsense of Teemin mistreating his property.”

“Property? You have been poisoned by that cant. Leave my rooms, Father.” Tendar felt a cold grip at his heart.

“You’re wrong, Tendar. We named you aptly, I’ll admit that. You are too
tender
. You coddle them, pamper them.” His father snarled as he distorted his son’s name. “They are property, nothing more than animals. The ones with brains are just trouble.”

“Leave my rooms.” Tendar took the Kharmon’s arm and urged him to the stairs. He followed, making sure the door was shut behind him. His father had never shown an actual stance regarding the human/Kharmon relationship. Until now.

Cameron’s word had already entered the lexicon at the estate. Teemin would bellow when he heard it. That argument would undoubtedly rise the next day. He’d instructed his people to take care not to use it around the delegation. He considered the real purpose of his father’s visit as he climbed back to the stairs. He found Teemin perched at the window, looking out at the lit library window.

“Interesting amount of activity going on there. Is that the sight of the new library?” his brother nonchalantly asked.

Tendar pretended a lack of concern at his brother’s appearance. He knew the wall was rough enough to climb, and Teemin had always been an excellent climber. Tendar noted a spot of blood on the sill and softly chuckled. “A hard route, brother?”

“Some challenges.” Teemin brushed at the slight cut on his arm. “Nothing that will scar.” He turned to meet Tendar’s eyes. “What is through the window, dear brother?”

“The library will open tomorrow, Teemin. Rein in your curiosity until then.” Tendar fetched up the fallen bottle. “You wish to take this back with you? To reuse?”

Teemin glanced at the bottle. “He drank it all so quickly! It’s very impressive, his capacity. The vineyards bring little profit with him in charge.”

“If it troubles you, deny him.” Tendar set the bottle down. Teemin had ignored the offer.

He snorted. “Unlikely. He’s handy to have around. He’s very good at gathering information, being a senior statesman.” He gestured at the window. “He’s heard some odd rumors regarding this new library. Is that the only window? Pity, the last was so open.”

“Yes, and vulnerable.” Tendar turned his back on his brother in a studied insult. He spoke over his shoulder. “This one is stronger and safer.”

“More of a trap, I would think. One door, only one window. No human librarian could scale that wall and survive a fall from that height!” Teemin shook his head. “Theo survived by jumping out a window.”

“Theo survived because I hauled him away from where Justin died,” Tendar stated. “No human, or…other…can scale that wall, Teemin. Not even you.”

“Or other? Or Ixian, you mean. Have you devised a new designation for us? So in love with words!” Teemin snorted. He brushed his hands together. “I’ll leave via the stairs, if you don’t mind. The wall was a challenge. Until tomorrow and your big moment with the books.”

Tendar watched him leave, listened to make certain he didn’t linger. He heard Daniel speaking at the door, hurrying down to see the human shutting the door in Teemin’s angry face. Daniel met Tendar’s eyes. “I know, he is so easy to bait. I shouldn’t.”

“You shouldn’t,” Tendar sighed. “We need to speak to Cameron before the morning. Teemin knows something. My father has been playing spy for him.”

“Jefarin is a fool,” Daniel replied. “Sil said she took the draught and is asleep, but I’m sure we could rouse her by working together. But let it wait. She needs the sleep.”

“A few more hours, yes,” Tendar answered. “Who spoke to him? Have you any ideas?”

“Your father can be quite charming when he tries. He’s been courting the women in charge of the clothing cupboards.” Daniel sighed. “What could they tell him? Pindari has taken an interest in a partial Thinker? Cameron is careful around those she does not know. Darjing said there is speculation about her, but few appear to know the truth. It isn’t too late to present her as Pindari’s kitchen helper.”

“No. Cameron has earned her position and she has earned the security it provides.” Tendar leaned once more at the window. “I am anxious to see what she has accomplished.”

“I believe it will be impressive.” Daniel saw the bottle at the table. He frowned. “Who brought that?”

“Jefarin was here. When did my father’s heart turn so sour toward you?” Tendar turned to see Daniel appear pained. “What happened?”

“It’s been so long. I simply thought him dead toward me. Now he is sour?” The doctor sniffed at the opening of the bottle and grimaced. “Not a good vintage.” He looked suddenly thoughtful. He shook the bottle and heard a small tinkle of liquid. He tore off a piece of fabric and fashioned a stopper. “I want to analyze this. Something smells off.”

“Sour wine? Not so unusual that Jefarin would be drinking sour wine and think it good. It’s a wonder he has any taste left at all.” Tendar reached over and drew Daniel close. “Yes, he is sour toward you. When?”

“Hell.” Daniel closed his eyes. “Seventy-five years ago, he asked me to stay with him. To quit looking. I refused. We argued. He accused me of acting above my station. Acting the part of husband. I have avoided him ever since. It was unpleasant.”

“More than unpleasant, I imagine. You’ve never said anything.” Tendar rocked the smaller human against him.

“I…Why trouble you with it? You are disappointed with him already.” Daniel relaxed and the two sat quietly for several minutes. Then he sighed and spoke again, returning to the earlier subject matter. “That kiss, I have never seen that offered to a human.”

“Daniel, Pindari found something in one of the new cookbooks. A small journal, hand written, from my mother.” He felt Daniel grow stiff, but continued. “It was written in prose. You know she researched rituals of protection. It outlined the use of the sweet kiss. She must have known about Cameron.”

“Known about?” Daniel pushed away from Tendar. “From her? And you pulled me from the road?”

“Daniel, you’ll never find her here. She isn’t on Ix. Pindari and I talked. Consider this, Cameron isn’t dead, but she will never be found on Earth.” Tendar watched Daniel understand and accept. A sadness crossed the doctor’s eyes and he sagged.

“You believe she works for the Gatherers,” he softly said.

“I believe that. I believe she selected the books that arrived with Cameron. I believe she selected Cameron,” Tendar spoke just as softly. “I know it would be…”

“Sacrilege.” Daniel snorted. “Oh, she’d love that! The irony would make her laugh. Oh, hell. I’m so tired...”

“Rest, my friend. Tomorrow, after lunch, the library opens. By sunset, I hope to see most of the troublesome company on the road. I’ll wake you near dawn and we will rouse Cameron, together.”

“May I see this journal?” Daniel asked.

“Ask Pindari. I left it with her.” Tendar watched the fragile appearing man stumble down the stairway. He waited until Daniel fell asleep before leaving the tower room.

Cameron moaned when Pindari touched her shoulder. “Go ‘way! Tired.”

“You’ve been asleep for nearly ten hours. It’s time to get up,” Pindari brightly replied. “The library opens today.”

Cam mumbled something inarticulate and pulled the covers tighter over her head. The cook tried again to get the woman out of bed. Cam didn’t budge, groaning, “Don’t feel right.”

“Right?” Pindari studied the lump of the covers. “What doesn’t feel right?”

“Head…tummy…eyes…” Cameron moaned again. “Go ‘way. Please.”

Pindari went to the door and spoke to someone in the outer room. A moment later, another weight settled on the edge of the bed.

Daniel spoke, “Cameron. You’ve slept well, what are you telling Pindari? Aren’t you hungry? There is coffee and rolls at the table.” He tried to bribe her from the bed.

She sniffed, sounding surprised. “Don’t hate you. Wow. But don’t feel right.” She let him peel the covers away from her face and blinked. “Eyes blurry.” She put a hand over her face a second later. Daniel had seen enough.

He sighed. “Pindari? What did you serve her last night? She’s drunk.”

“I am not!” Cameron suddenly giggled. “Oh, maybe I am?”

Pindari returned to the room. “Drunk? There was no drink. No, wait, wine. Wine was mixed with the stew. How vulnerable is she to spirits?”

“Very.” Daniel sighed.

“Very.” Cameron giggled. “Uh oh, might hate you when I sober up, Dan’l.”

“I’ll risk it.” He shook his head. “Let me get a shower going, then bring her in.” He left the bed and entered her bathroom. It was still terribly spare. He saw no lotions, perfumes, decorations. Just a large towel, off white. He’d noticed the only things in her rooms remained the gaba flower, a short stack of books and the small box her bracelet rested in.

When Pindari entered the bathroom, Cameron was in her arms, but unhappily so. She made a face at Daniel, sticking her tongue out and trying to collapse to the floor as Pindari let her down. Daniel simply pointed at the shower. She moaned and pulled herself into the large enclosure. Daniel shut the door, blocking her inside, then reached in and adjusted the spray.

She shrieked as the cold water hit her, “Cold! Cold!”

“Cold will wake you up quicker,” Daniel calmly replied.

“Cold!” Cameron tried to change the setting, but he held tightly to the faucets. She hit his hand, and he cranked it higher. She tried to get out of the spray and slammed into the back wall. She moaned. “Hate you!”

“I knew there was a risk,” he dryly replied. “Waking up?”

She moaned, and then whined about getting in trouble when she hadn’t done anything wrong and how unfair it was. She begged him to turn it warmer.

“No, you’ll just fall back asleep.” He gestured at Pindari. “Will you ask Tendar to come in?”

Pindari shook her head. “I’ll be careful what I use from now on.”

“Probably not your fault. Probably interacted with the sleeping draught,” he answered.

“Sleeping draught? You drugged me?” Cameron’s voice rose with focus. She sounded angry. “Why did you drug me, you shithead!”

“You weren’t allowing yourself enough sleep. We need you rested for today,” he told her. “I didn’t know there would be a problem.”

“Some doctor you are!” She huddled at the far corner, away from the door. “Stop it, Daniel. Too cold.” She shivered so hard he heard her teeth chatter.

Tendar entered, took up the towel and prepared to help her dry off.

Daniel eyed him. “Warm it on your frill.” Tender tilted his head at the doctor, then smiled and did as instructed. After a full minute of hearing Cameron curse, the water was turned off, the door opened and Tender wrapped Cameron inside the towel.

She inhaled deeply and her entire stance relaxed. Daniel knew how to use Kharmon chemistry. Tendar rubbed at her arms and backed her up toward a bench. He sat, pulling her onto his lap. She’d buried her face in the towel, nearly purring. Daniel pulled a chair close and took some of the loose towel up to begin drying her air.

Tendar rubbed his face against her head. “I missed you, Cameron.”

“Uh huh,” she murmured. Then she quit moving, pulled her head up and inhaled deeply. She shook her head. “Stop it.”

“Stop what? Drying you?” Daniel snorted. “You’re warming up nicely.”

“Stop the seduction?” She pushed away from Tendar. “Stop!”

Tendar sighed and eased her next to him instead of on his lap. She turned her back on him, took over drying with the towel.

Daniel frowned at her. “Seduction. Why are you so stubborn?”

She shot a look at him full of confusion. “Stubborn? I want choice, not trickery. Drugged me?”

“If you’d been told, go to bed early. Get sleep, you need to let others help. Tomorrow, the library will be full of strangers, more than half of them determined on hostility. Would you have gone to bed?” Daniel asked.

She chuckled. “No. But I might have agreed to take a sleeping pill. I’m not stupid.”

“You’re not stupid.” Tendar nodded. “Which is why we are here to speak with you. To prepare you for this day. How are you feeling now?”

Cameron set the towel down in her lap and ran a hand through her damp hair. She closed her eyes. “Better. I feel hungry. I’m not angry at you, Daniel. I just wish you’d trust me.”

“Trust you?” Daniel looked ready to fight when Tendar spoke again.

“No. No more arguing. She needs to eat and hear who is waiting to meet her and what it means. Save the fighting for later.” Tendar asked Daniel to get Cameron a robe while he finished her hair. She let him wrap the towel tightly at her thick tresses and squeeze. She knew he was strong, but was shocked that the technique basically worked. By the time Daniel returned with the robe, the hair barely held any dampness. Tender used a comb on it and she belted the robe closed.

Pindari sat at the small table, crowded with food. Cameron smiled at the cook. “It all looks good.”

“Prove it to me, and eat. Sil says you haven’t been eating well.” Pindari gestured at the chair. Cameron sat and picked up a roll, took a bite and began to fill a plate with eggs, some crispy meat, potatoes and grilled vegetables. She continued to eat as Daniel and Tendar sat down. Pindari fixed her a drink and set it at her side.

After a few minutes, Cameron took a breath. “What is going to happen?”

“That, no one knows for certain.” Tendar tried to joke. He sighed as the attempt fell flat. “I will present you as a settled situation. You arrived with the library. You and the library are one. I did not appoint you to the position.”

“Oh. We lie.” She snickered, shaking her head.

“I did not understand the truth at first. I believe what I’m telling you. You are a package,” he stated. “You arrived with the books, Cameron. You are meant to be here.”

She set her fork down and stared at her plate. “Yeah.” Slowly, her head raised and she looked Tendar in the eyes for the first time in more than a week. A crooked smile grew on her face, even as a tear ran down her cheek. “I know. I think I’ve always known. This week I’ve been in a prison cell of books and I haven’t been so content in years.”

“Why weren’t you eating? Or sleeping?” Daniel asked. “If you have been content?”

She lowered her eyes and sighed. “Oh, Daniel. I was preoccupied. Sil insisted I put down a blueprint. I knew the others were outside. Knew how they could take me away. I had to finish as much as I could.”

“Cameron, I will fight. You aren’t leaving me,” Tendar replied. “You aren’t leaving us.”

Daniel stood up and paced. “They can’t just take you. It will take time if they attempt to force the issue. There is a great deal of time. It shouldn’t take fighting. We have to stop it dead, if we can. You are the library.”

She lifted the drink, very still at the center of her being. The four in the room remained quiet. She set the cup down and picked up the fork again.

“Tendar? Who are they? Those who make trouble?”

“There are those who will side with us, also,” Tendar replied. “You have met Parlani. Daniel speaks for my mother.”

“Jefarin will argue against that,” Daniel butt in.

“He will. And he will lose.” Tendar nodded then continued, “There is also my eldest brother, Thandin. I have letters of support from two of my mother’s brothers. They couldn’t be here in person.”

“Okay. And the troublemakers? Teemin and your father?” Cameron kept eating, surprised at her appetite.

“My father, Jefarin, he drinks. But he can be also very personable.” The Kharmon held up his hand. “Teemin brought four uncles with him. My father’s brothers, Jemmi, Jitne-i, Jovani, and Jedidi.”

“Kharmon love alliteration?” Cameron snorted. “Sorry, just…” She shook her head, “…it doesn’t matter. Do I have to know all the names?”

“No. It isn’t all that important. They won’t care. They probably won’t expect you to remember all the names,” Tendar replied, smiling crookedly. “Jitne-i is the most likely to be directly nasty. Jovani is most likely to attempt sexual assault. Do not let him back you into anywhere by yourself. Jedidi and Jemmi let Teemin lead them. Jefarin is the unknown. I am not certain of my father’s goals.”

“A drunk, a bully and a letch. Sometimes family really sucks. Oh, I don’t want to forget the sociopath leader and his foot soldiers.” Cameron set down the fork. “I can’t eat anymore. I should get to the library and see how much more can be done before they arrive.”

“I want to check in on your implant,” Daniel stated. “You’ve had a week for your metabolism to begin shifting into a faster mode. Hopefully, not too fast.”

She glanced at him. “Oh, yeah. Not too fast.” Silently, she added,
…not before the library is done, right?

Tendar was watching her carefully, sensing the unspoken words, but didn’t address them. It wasn’t the time to do so.

Pindari said she’d see breakfast cleared if they wanted to proceed with her checkup. Daniel suggested they return to the bedroom. Cameron walked in, dropped her robe and stood, deliberately not looking at the doctor. He pointed at the bed. “Just sit for a moment.”

She did, hands folded at her lap. Daniel knelt at her feet. “Cameron, you say you don’t hate me. What do you feel?”

She sighed. “What does it have to do with my health?”

“Everything is connected. Do you trust me?”

“No,” she answered quickly, then shook her head. “Oh, hell. I don’t know. You don’t trust me.”

“I don’t trust how vulnerable you are to emotional upheaval,” the doctor admitted. “You trusted me in the beginning.”

“And you drug me, you trick me with Kharmon pheromones? Is that what it was?” She looked over his shoulders. “I felt it. The fast draw toward him, the vivid memory of him and there you were, ready to take advantage. I saw your erection.”

He snorted. “Yes. They worked on me also. I remembered. I felt the draw. I would not have taken advantage. I wish you were…I wish you had allowed it to work on you. You’d be relaxed right now, and not so guarded.”

“I have to be guarded…” she began to answer then watched Tendar enter the room. He calmly moved over to the bed and sat down at her back. She sighed. “I’ll work on it, Daniel.”

Tendar whispered, “It’s enough, Daniel. What do we need to do?”

Daniel bowed his head. He set his forehead at her clasped hands, and whispered, “Cameron, forgive me.”

She opened her mouth, uncertain what he was referring to. Then he pushed her toward Tendar. “Hold her still. Don’t fight him, Cam.”

Tendar carefully wrapped arms around her waist. She was so stunned, she didn’t fight as Daniel set his hand at her pubic hair and stroked. Tendar looked down at her eyes. “I have missed you so.”

Daniel set Tendar’s hand at her cunt and moved his to her chest. “Stir her. Hard.”

She arched as he did so. With his eyes closed, Daniel followed the beating of her heart as it galloped in reaction. Tendar bent his head and slowly kissed her all about the face. As Daniel concentrated on Cam’s heart, Tendar concentrated on stroking her higher and higher. Her scent filled the room and Daniel groaned in reaction.

She’d reached orgasm three times when Daniel pulled back from her and stood. Her eyes focused on him and she kicked away from the bed. Tendar was surprised, but didn’t pursue her. She knelt on the floor. “No. Stop. Enough.” She panted, hands curling and relaxing, over and over again.

Daniel turned and walked from the room. Tendar waited for her breathing to recover. She finally looked up at him. “Why…why do you…let him direct you?”

“Is that what you see?” Tendar rolled to his side and studied her. “Cameron, he is the doctor, and I trust him implicitly. He had told me that he needed to see how your heart beat, to stir you. I did so. Thankful it was pleasant.”

“If he told you to terrify me, would you?” She sat back on her ass, brought her legs in front of her.

“No, not without explanation.” He blinked. “I’m not sure even then that I could terrify you.”

“Oh, sure. You could.” She took a deep breath and slowly climbed to her feet. “Can I go out to the library now?”

“In a moment.” Tendar scooted over, held out his hand. “Sit. Daniel does need you. You are connected to the pair of us.”