Unchained (19 page)

“
You’re quiet.” Grey
interrupted her thoughts as he sat comfortably at the helm of the
K12.

She slanted him a meaningful glance. “Just
wondering how many brilliant minds had been wasted because they
happened to be in female bodies.”

Grey raised an eyebrow. “I assume we are
talking about Saurelians.”

“
You assume correctly,” she
said. Cidra leaned back in the co-pilot seat and crossed her arms
over her chest. “How do you feel about Saurelians and their
male-dominated nation?”

He eyed her with the same respect he’d give
a loaded laser pistol. “I think it’s the way they run their
society.”

“
Coward.”

She said it with a smile and he chuckled.
“That’s right, but since we are on the subject,” he spun his seat
around to face her, “are you familiar with the roles we need to
play on Saurel?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re going
to enjoy this, aren’t you?”

He gave a mock look of shock. “Having you at
my absolute beck and call? Serving my meals? Obeying my every wish
without question?” He shook his head solemnly, but the smile
remained. “No, I won’t enjoy that at all.”

“
I could strangle
you.”

His laugh filled the small cabin. “Don’t
worry, I won’t get used to it.” Then he turned serious. “But it is
necessary if we want to get any information from Bohr.”

Cidra sighed deeply. “Yes, it is. I’ll do my
part. It’s just that I have a problem with virtual slavery in any
form.”

He nodded. “So do I. Let’s hope Decker
located the right Saurelian seller of those fighters. I don’t want
to stay here any longer than we have to.”

As they made their final approach, a
massive, protective cover dilated open and exposed the landing bay
pit. Saurel was dotted with thousands of such circular covers. They
served as a defensive strategy and an environmental necessity. The
covers were virtually indestructible and immune to attack. They
could also be tightly sealed to preserve Saurel’s supply of
manufactured oxygen underground and were a critical part of
Saurel’s survival. No self-respecting spacecraft or living being
could survive the blazing temperature of the surface.

Under Grey’s expert hand, the K12 descended
and landed with a thump. Overhead, the cover contracted shut,
plunging the landing bay in darkness. A bank of lights flashed red
and a steady hissing sound denoted the replenishment of oxygen in
the landing bay. Slowly the hissing stopped. The lights flashed
green and then off. Oxygen levels had stabilized to acceptable
levels.

It took Cidra several minutes to adjust to
the dim lighting. The large, circular landing bay was earthen and
empty. Several large entrances were carved into the smooth walls
and softly illuminated. Markings on the walls were unreadable in
the faint light.

“
Apparently, they don’t
want to waste energy.” Grey struggled to discern his surroundings.
When his eyes had adjusted fully, he stood up and headed for the
rear hatch. “They should be waiting for us at the main entrance of
the bay. Let’s get on with it.” He shot a pleased look over his
shoulder. “And don’t forget. Try to look like you worship the
ground I walk on.”

She rose to follow him and let out a
dramatic sigh. “The sacrifices I make for Avion. I’ll suffer
through it.”

He laughed. “Maybe you’ll get a
commendation.”

Then he spun around and pulled her into his
arms. “There’s one more thing.” His mouth descended over hers with
all the pent-up passion he’d stored up over the past few days.
Cidra threw her arms around his neck. Her fingers slid up his neck
and into his hair, gently pulling him closer.

Heat roared through him. Her immediate
response momentarily dazed him. He had been expecting hesitation,
uncertainty. She gave him neither. Instead, she met his desire
equally, fueling an already wild fire. He knew if they continued,
he’d take her right here in the K12. Grey broke off the kiss,
breathing like he’d just run for this life and pressed his forehead
against hers.

“
Cidra.” He couldn’t think
of another word for a few moments.

Under tenuous control at best, he raised his
hands to cup her face and gazed into the clear blue of her eyes.
“Saurelians have a very sensitive sense of smell. That’s to let our
host know that you belong to me.”

Cidra searched his face. “And that’s the
only reason?”

“
No, but it’ll have to do
for now. We can’t keep our hosts waiting.” He dropped his hands to
his sides, but there was resolute promise in his eyes and
undisguised hunger in his body.

“
Then lead the way,
Captain,” she said with a sudden smile. “It’s a nice view from back
here.”

Cidra’s first impression of Bohr was that
the man had huge feet. She stood behind and beside Grey with her
eyes lowered in customary fashion while he introduced himself to
Bohr. The women were ignored until Bohr’s blunt introduction.

“
This is my mate, Sil. She
will provide you with anything you require.” He hissed through his
teeth. He addressed Grey. “You may introduce me to this
female.”

Cidra felt Grey tense beside her.

“
This is Cidra. My
mate.”

The message was unmistakable. Apparently,
Bohr didn’t hear it. The Saurelian stepped up and abruptly lifted
Cidra’s face with a scaly finger under her chin.

Grey bit off every word, “She is
unavailable.”

“
Pity.” Bohr released
her.

Cidra dropped her eyes back to the ground,
stunned. It had only been a few seconds, but what she saw left her
thunderstruck. The Saurelian’s eyes held greedy lust. For her.

Physically, he was bigger and stronger than
she had guessed. Probably a real prize by Saurelian standards and
he knew it. Like the rest of his race, a deeply grooved fin-like
ridge ran along the top of his hairless head. His eyes were golden
slits, his nose two narrow dimples. A triangle-shaped space formed
between his upper and lower unlined lips for the flicking
tongue.

He was dressed in conspicuously embellished
attire, a sharp contrast to the simple garb worn by his mate. Cidra
guessed him to be Grey’s height, but much heavier, more muscled.
His demeanor was superior and cruel. The blatant, arrogant way he’d
sized her up told her something else. Like a spoiled child, he was
used to getting what he wanted.

She could hear Grey’s deep breathing next to
her, feel the anger simmering in him. It was only in deference to
their mission, her mission, that he tolerated Bohr’s treatment of
her.

“
Sil will show the female
to your chambers. You and I have business to discuss.” Bohr nodded
once to Sil. Properly cowed, she led the way through the massive
entrance and down the main corridor to their residence.

Cidra could feel both sets of male eyes upon
her as she followed Sil. Once out of view, she raised her head,
drawing her first real breath since she exited the transport.

As they walked side by side, Sil glanced up
at her and smiled sadly. “You get used to it.”

“
Never,” Cidra said with
more bitterness than she could suppress. “I would never get used to
it.”

Sil nodded and turned down a side corridor.
“If you had no choice, you would.”

Cidra assessed the woman unfortunate enough
to have been chosen by Bohr. She was very lovely and walked with
quiet grace. Her gentle voice held a heavyhearted kindness. Her
Saurelian features were classically delicate, well-bred and
refined. The complete opposite of Bohr and probably the reason he
selected her. Cidra couldn’t imagine what Sil’s life must be
like.

“
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean
to offend you. We come from such different worlds,” Cidra
apologized.

Sil led her down yet another unidentified
side corridor. Cidra struggled to keep her bearings. She realized
all the hallways looked identical. All upward and downward
orientation was gone.

“
No offense taken. You are
correct. Our paths are different. Perhaps we are not so different
in other ways.” Sil glanced at her. The flicker of fire in her eyes
caught Cidra by surprise. She smiled. Apparently, there was more to
Sil than met the eye.

As they turned into another corridor, Cidra
slowed to study the intricate details on the walls more closely.
Every surface consisted of rock and was decorated with patterns cut
directly into the stone itself. A deep, diagonal design covered the
walls and ceilings. A patchwork pattern decorated the floor. The
craftsmanship was exquisite, especially considering the sheer
volume of the extensive corridors.

“
The carvings are
beautiful,” Cidra said in awe.

Sil smiled. “Yes, aren’t they? Our cutters
are the finest. They have to be. Our entire world is down here.
They get a tremendous amount of practice.”

“
I’ll bet,” Cidra agreed.
Looking around, she was forced to admit that she was hopelessly
lost. If the corridors were set in any pattern, she had been unable
to detect it.

Sil finally stopped in front of a smooth,
metal door. It opened obediently. Sil ushered Cidra into the guest
chambers with a low bow.

“
I hope you find everything
to your liking. We rarely have the pleasure of guests. Please
summon me if you require anything. Dinner will be served within the
hour.”

Cidra smiled warmly at her. “It’s lovely.
Thank you.”

Sil bowed again and backed out of the room
without a sound.

Cidra surveyed the spacious room with
amazement. Every inch of it was carved out of solid rock, but it
was different from the stone in the corridors. It sparkled. Cidra
took a closer look. Flecks of light emanated from the stone itself.
She realized that this entire room had been cut from a vein of
precious stone. She grudgingly admitted that Bohr must be very
successful. Only wealthy Saurelians could afford such prized
property.

She flattened her hand against the wall and
found that everywhere she touched, the temperature was the same.
The furnishings were functional, simple, and slightly larger than
standard human size. There were no windows, but ambient light
cascading from the high ceiling lit the entire room evenly.
Technology gleamed conspicuous against the natural materials.

Her eyes finally came to rest on the lone,
large bed occupying center stage. Glancing around quickly, the
significance sunk in. She should have realized this would happen.
He couldn’t very well sleep on the floor. And there was no reason
to.

Cidra drew a deep breath. She would not back
down again.

As the guest chamber door closed behind him,
Grey glanced around the room for Cidra and could hear her in the
lav. He threw himself into a chair and noted the one bed. He blew
out a long breath. He was in no mood to deal with that issue right
now. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, preparing himself
for what promised to be a torturous evening.

The short time Grey had spent with Bohr had
reinforced his intense dislike of the man. Bohr was little more
than a child, his manners crude and his demeanor overbearing. There
was no doubt that Decker had picked the right seller for those
ships. Based on Grey’s brief observation, the man would cut a deal
with anyone with credits. Forget the ethics, honesty or
integrity.

He had spent the last hour showing the
Crystal Zemi to Bohr, guaranteeing its authenticity and exalting
its value. It was one of the most valuable artifacts in his
collection on Vaasa, but its monetary value meant little to him.
He’d give up more than that for the name of the Saurelian fighter
buyer.

Although the greed had been evident in
Bohr’s eyes, if he didn’t bite, this trip would be a complete loss.
They had to find who purchased those ships. He wanted it for Cidra.
She was counting on him. If he failed, the questions would haunt
her forever. The guilt would haunt him longer.

The lav door slid open. Grey looked up
quickly. He was about to tell Cidra about his meeting, but the
words never came out. She stopped just outside the doorway,
stunning in a sleeveless, silky azure sheath dress. The subtle
lighting glowed across her bare shoulders down to the scoop
neckline. Her auburn hair flowed down her back.

But it was the material of the dress that
caught Grey’s attention, a shimmering, glowing fabric that seemed
to move of its own accord. He gripped the arms of the chair
fiercely.

“
Rosa insisted I purchase
this.” Cidra hesitated. “Do you think it’s appropriate?”

Grey launched himself out of the chair and
covered the distance between them in a few long strides. Cidra’s
eyes were huge as he stopped within inches of her.

He reached for the fabric at her hip and
rubbed the silky material between his fingers. It was gazar, a fine
weave of silken threads, a product of the ethereal world of Mimos.
Against human skin it felt cool, petal soft, and all but alive. It
was practically an aphrodisiac for the male species and he was no
exception.

He searched her face. Did she know it could
drive him wild? Was she deliberately baiting him? All he could see
in her eyes was apprehension and confusion. It suddenly occurred to
him that this was Rosa’s doing. He could almost hear her rich
laughter ringing in his ears. The woman was incorrigible.

“
Grey?” Cidra whispered
with concern in her voice.

“
It’s fine.” He ruthlessly
curbed his passion.

Under his intense scrutiny, Cidra’s
breathing had increased to match his. She was acutely aware of her
breasts rising and falling inches from his chest. She was unsure
what to say next. The dress was obviously having a profound impact
on Grey.