Wind Demon Triology: Book II: Evil Wind (26 page)

Cree delved quickly into the woman's mind and was surprised she allowed it. He could not read any duplicity, any deception there, only loneliness and confusion in her thoughts. “Where are the other two?” he asked.

"Miriam went insane during the initial Transition,” she told him. “She had to be put down."

The Reaper winced at the matter of fact words. “And the third?"

"No one knows where Kate went,” she replied. “She disappeared that first night and has not been seen since. I believe she is in the mountains of Rysalia Prime but since no one but Dr. Sejm and Dr. Sorn knew of her, there is no one here to go searching."

He narrowed his eyes. “Delyn Sorn?” he questioned.

She nodded. “The one and the same."

"Why did you not leave with the other?"

"And do what, milord?” Sadness entered the woman's pale blue eyes. “Where was there for me to go? All I know is here. Each of us was from Terra. We have no family here. I want to go home, milord. I want to go back home to Kansas."

Cree watched tears gathering in the woman's eyes. “What is your name?"

"Danielle,” she said. “Danielle Conway."

Once more he slipped through her mind and could find no trickery or dishonestly in her thoughts. “Go find Dr. Kym. Tell her what you've told me,” he ordered.

Danielle's face brightened. “You will take me with you, then?"

"Do you realize many years will have passed in Terran time since you were taken?” he asked. “The chances of you finding any of your family alive are remote."

"But I would be home,” she said. “My heart aches for Terra. If I am to endure the burden of the parasite, at least I would be home."

"Go to Kym,” he repeated. “That is all I can tell you."

She let go of the bars, studied him for a moment then she smiled again though her cheeks were wet with tears. “I'll not pose a problem for you, milord,” she said and hurried off toward Fleet Command.

Cree watched her until she had disappeared inside the building. She had intercepted the dream that had awakened him and had reminded him what it had been about. Fleeting wisps of it darted across his memory as he stood gripping the bars as Danielle had. He cursed beneath his breath and turned away from the bars, going back to his blanket, and dropping down on the hard concrete with a grunt.

"Gods-be-damned, Sejm,” he snarled. He found himself wanting to rend and tear the blanket in his fury but the first drops of rain splattered on his head and he looked up, blinking as more droplets fell into his face. Lighting flared in the distance—a precursor to a violent storm heading his way—and thunder rolled across the plaza.

"Now isn't that just great?” the Reaper complained. “Just jim-fucking dandy great!” He growled more Terran-based curses beneath his breath as the rain drenched his pillow, turning it into a soggy lump.

Jerking the blanket from beneath his ass, he swirled it around him, holding it over his head to block the onslaught of rain that was by then coming down in an avalanche of pounding drops. Already the seat of his jumpsuit was soaked through. Sitting there—miserable and infuriated—he stared into the gathering gloom and deluge of rain and cursed Jarl, both Sejm, Delyn Sorn and anyone else who'd ever rated his ire.

"He is not a happy camper,” Sern commented as she stared out the window of Fleet Command. She, too, found the Terran vernacular better descriptive than that of her native Amazeen.

"You wouldn't be, either, if you had to sit out there in that downpour,” Deon said.

"His pillow is sopping wet,” Aegean injected.

"Thus, he will be fit to be tied,” Sern stated on a long sigh. “He does love his little pillow."

Akkadia Kahmal was standing with her crew, looking out at the cage where the Reaper hunched in misery. Her heart went out to him and if it had been up to her, she would have retrieved him from his outdoor cell. As it was, all she could do was ask Tyrian if the coordinates of the pendants for Cree and Dorrie had been programmed into the ship's computer.

"Along with the positions of the ten execution poles,” Tyrian answered the same question for the third time.

"What about the Necromani?"

Tyrian sighed. “I have Zainabu's pendant programmed in, as well, Major."

"The Feast is tomorrow,” Kahmal needlessly reminded them for each of the women was very aware of the approach of the intended execution of the ten cadets. “We must make sure everything goes according to plans. Every
t
needs to be..."

"Crossed and every
i
dotted,” Chanz finished for her commanding officer. “Don't worry, ‘Kadia. We know what has to be done."

"Then why is it I am as nervous as a green recruit?” Kahmal sniped.

"Because that is your way,” Deon spoke for all of them.

"I told Dr. Kym we would be returning to the
Alluvia
this afternoon and would not be back for the festivities at dawn,” Kahmal said. “Perhaps we should go to the ship now while it is storming. No one will think it strange."

"I hate leaving him out there in the rain,” Sern said and they all turned their gazes to the Reaper. “The lightning is coming closer. What if he should get hit? With all the iron around him..."

"Stop it!” Kahmal hissed. “I can't stand thinking of such things!"

The Amazeens watched their commander spin on her heel and stalk off, her shoulders hunched as she stormed down the corridor toward the monorail station that would take her to the docking bay.

"She's lost her heart to him,” Deon said softly.

"Aye, she has,” Chanz agreed. “And she's not handling it very well."

"Let's get back to the ship,” Tyrian said. “She shouldn't be alone to sit there and stew about tomorrow."

As the women made their way down the corridor, Shei-Ling, Kym's secretary came toward them, a tall woman walking beside her. The diminutive Chrystallusian woman stopped and gave a deep bow to Chanz, the second in command of the
Alluvia
.

"The Auxiliary Prophetess bids you accept this Terran woman amongst your crew,” Shei-Ling said, holding out a delicate hand toward the tall woman. “This is Danielle and she is of his blood."

Cirolia Sern took a step back and automatically scanned the woman Shei-Ling was introducing. The Amazeen sent her psychic ability straight into Danielle's heart and felt the unhappiness that dwelled there. She also sensed the parasite nestled within the woman's body. “You are a female Reaper?” Sern gasped.

Danielle nodded slowly. “I am."

"There is no such thing!” Aegean said.

"Unfortunately, there is,” Danielle said. “He knows of me and it was he who sent me to Dr. Kym."

Shei-Ling handed a disklette to Chanz. “These are the coordinates of two rooms deep within the Fleet Command complex. You must quickly transport the contents of Room A as soon as you've brought the Reapers on board. The room is filled with Triso and Sustenance. As for Room B, it and everything within it must be destroyed. For the love of the goddess don't confuse which room is which. If you have questions, ask the Prime Reaper."

"What's in Room B?” Chanz demanded.

"Parasites,” Sern said in a shocked voice as she delved quickly into Danielle's mind to test the young woman's truthfulness. “Thousands upon thousands of them!"

"Revenant worms?” Chanz whispered.

"Aye."

"As I said, do not confuse the rooms,” Shei-Ling stressed. “You don't want a cargo hold full of revenant worms."

"By the goddess, no!” Sern breathed.

Chanz’ face turned pale and her hand shook as she took the disklette from Shei-Ling. “The Multitude has been making female Reapers?"

"Only three of us so far and one of us had to be put down. She went insane during Transition. Many more are awaiting implantation,” Danielle said. “That was to begin after the Feast when Dr. Sejm had harvested the Prime's queen."

"The crazy bitch,” Chanz snarled, pocketing the disklette. “To have done that they would have had to kill Cree."

"Well, that was what they had planned, after all,” Tyrian reminded her.

"And still plan to do,” Danielle said.

"What do you mean?” Aegean asked.

"The Prophetess Mother had ordered the Prime be assassinated at the height of the executions, when all eyes are upon the burning cadets,” Danielle answered. “The assassin was to spray him with an incendiary fluid and ignite it."

"Where the hell is this assassin?” Chanz asked. “I will see to her!"

"There is no need,” Danielle said, rubbing her belly. “She is no more."

"Dishonorable hag,” Chanz named Cyle Acet, the Prophetess Mother. She looked away from Danielle to keep from gagging.

"I have been assured she will not survive the Feast,” Danielle whispered. “There are few who will mourn her loss."

"And Dr. Kym will assume the position,” Shei-Ling said with a slight smile. “She will make a wise and benevolent Prophetess Mother."

"I am sure she will,” Chanz said, still feeling queasy.

Overhead, the lights flickered then a sharp shriek of lightning cracked. The ground beneath the Fleet Command headquarters building shook with the boom of thunder that followed.

"There will be no one out and about during one of our bad storms,” Shei-Ling said. “Now would be a good time for you to take Danielle to your ship."

Chanz looked to Cirolia Sern with an arched brow.

"She's copasetic,” Sern said, giving her stamp of approval to the Terran.

"You're sure?"

"I'm positive,” Sern stated. “And somewhere there is a second female Reaper, but Danielle doesn't know where she is or if she poses a threat to our mission."

Shei-Ling walked with them as far as the Auxiliary Prophetess’ office then bowed to them. “We'll keep looking for the other female Reaper. May the Wind be always at your backs, daughters of the Amazeen,” she blessed them.

"Give Dr. Kym our best wishes,” Chanz replied. “And you take care, Shei-Ling."

The small woman straightened to her full height of well below five feet. “Thank you, Lieutenant."

"She's a good woman,” Danielle commented as she followed behind Tyrian and Aegean.

"Seems to be,” Deon agreed.

"She will be promoted when Dr. Kym becomes the Prophetess Mother."

"Who'll be her secretary then?” Aegean inquired.

Danielle's lips tightened. “A technician who has butt kissing down to a science. McNeer's her name. Marilyn McNeer."

"I gather you don't like her,” Deon said.

"She hates Reapers,” Danielle said. “God only knows what she'd do if she knew I was one. I don't trust her any further than I can see her."

"Well, you won't be seeing her again if everything goes as we plan,” Chanz told her.

"From your mouth to God's ear,” Danielle mumbled, making the Sign of the Cross.

"What is that you just did?” Tyrian asked.

As the women continued to the monorail station, Danielle explained about her Terran God, finding she had a rapt audience as she spoke.

Twice, jagged bolts of lightning came perilously close to the cage in which Cree sat huddled in cold wretchedness. He'd flinched with the first zap of lightning as it struck the coping around what he had once known to be the Reflecting Pool of Alel's Force that lay in front of Fleet Command headquarters. The second hit had brought out a vicious curse that had turned the air around him blue.

"I hate fucking lightning,” he said and the parasite within him shifted uneasily. It, too, feared the shrill sing of the blazing electrical discharges that could turn a man into a burning cinder. The scintillations stair stepping down from the heavens caused the revenant worm to twist and turn beneath the Reaper's flesh even though the creature could not see the displays of light.

Soaking wet beneath the dripping blanket at least the material over his head kept Cree from the brunt of the driving water. The wind had increased in volume and speed and was lashing at him with cold fingers that reached up under his makeshift canopy to chill him. Never had he been so miserable out in the elements. Even his sweltering sojourn on Hellio-12 had not been as brutal as this sodden confinement.

In the sudden flare of light pulsing overhead, he saw the lone figure of a woman standing to one side of the Multitude's Obelisk. He narrowed his gaze, trying to find her in the dark gray of the stormy afternoon but when the next flash of lightning lit the skies, she was no longer there. He closed his eyes, searching for her with his mind, and realized she was somewhere behind him now.

"Kate?” he asked softly. When there was no answer, he opened his eyes and when he did, found her standing where Danielle had been earlier.

"I felt your presence so I came down from the mountains,” the woman said. She was drenched, her long brown hair plastered to her head.

"You have one of my parasites, too,” he said.

She shrugged. “Your bloodkin are to die tomorrow,” she said.

"How does that make you feel?"

She shrugged again then ran her arm under her dripping nose. “It's nothing to me,” she answered. “I've never even seen the bastards."

He delved lightly into her mind and was taken aback by the fury than boiled within her soul. It was a killing rage he knew all too well. To sense it coming from a woman in such hard waves unsettled him.

"What is it you want, Kate?"

"Kathleen,” she corrected him, lifting her chin. “My name is Kathleen."

"What is it you want, Kathleen,” he amended.

"To kill the ones who did this to me!” she snapped.

"Sejm is dead,” he told her.

"Not good enough. I want Sorn's head on a platter! I want to pull her guts out inch by inch as she lies there screaming! I want her to know what it feels like to Transition!"

The image floated through Cree's brain and he smiled. “I must admit that would entertain me, as well."

"Then help me do it, Reaper!” she hissed, taking hold of the bars of his cage. “Help me avenge the evil done to me and Miriam!"

"What of Danielle?” he asked.

"She is no concern of mine."

"Why not?"

"That one has embraced the change,” Kate said bitterly. “She believes she can use it once she's back on Terra."