Wind Demon Triology: Book II: Evil Wind (8 page)

"Lay it right here, stud,” she said, patting her lap and was shocked even more when he did as she suggested. He slid his hand under the upper part of her leg and curled his fingers around her thigh.

They sat like that for a long while. At some point, his free hand crept around hers and their fingers entwined. She stroked his forehead and hummed gently.

"You're a good friend to me, Dorrie,” she heard him say.

"Aye, well, I'd make you a better lover."

He made a chuffing sound to that statement.

In a few moments, she knew by his breathing that he was sleeping.

"What kind of ship?” Kahmal asked. She'd been awakened after only an hour of rest and was out of sorts as she hurried beside Chanz.

"We believe its Serenian,” Chanz reported. “A StarRaider class with one hell of a heat signature. It is loaded to the gills with weapons."

"Did you try to raise it?"

"Aye, but they are ignoring us. We did a scan and it's a vessel manned exclusively by women."

"Aye, well the scan may be accurate but then again it might not,” Kahmal said, “if they have the engineering Waberi mentioned to Zainabu and Dorrie, there could be men on that ship."

"Could they be going where we're going?” Aegean inquired.

"Serenians on their way to Rysalia Prime for the Feast?” Sern questioned. “I wouldn't think so. They have Daughters of the Multitude on Serenia but they aren't as rabid as the ones on Rysalia Prime."

"What about Serenians on their way to rescue Reaper cadets?” Dorrie asked, hope glowing in her cornflower blue eyes. “What you want to bet there's a man in there with the last name McGregor?"

"If they are heading for Rysalia Prime to rescue the cadets, they'd better have men on board,” Chanz said, “for Serenian women aren't known for their fighting skills.” She thought for a moment. “Although I've heard the royal house has had some pretty powerful warrior women in the past."

"Maybe their leader is a McGregor woman,” Dorrie suggested. “Could this be the ship your brother mentioned?"

"Demissie said it was a man with whom he dealt,” Zainabu insisted. “He would not deal with a woman. You saw how reluctant he was to deal with me and I am family."

"If the StarRaider docks on Rysalia Prime, they will be inspected, not just scanned. You and I both know the Rysalians aren't going to allow even a single male anywhere near the Titaness,” Dorrie said. “If the Serenians are mounting a rescue they'd know that and it stands to reason they'd send only women. I imagine the scan is accurate where this ship is concerned. Try opening a channel, Deon,” Kahmal ordered.

Deon did as she was told. “Unknown Serenian StarRaider. This is the LRC the
Alluvia
captained by Major Akkadia Kahmal on route to Rysalia Prime. What is your destination?"

Silence met the hail.

"They are gearing up their weapons,” Aegean said quietly.

"Expecting us to attack them?” Kahmal inquired, her eyes wide.

"So it would seem."

"Put me on screen,” Kahmal ordered.

"Unknown Serenian StarRaider, I am...."

"We know who you are, ‘Kadia."

An image settled on the vid-com screen and Kahmal slumped back in her seat. She stared at the young woman who was glaring at her. “It's been a long time, Raphaella,” Kahmal said.

"Not long enough,” the daughter of the Domestic queen stated. “Turn your ship around and go back to Amazeen or we will blow you out of the sky. Believe me when I tell you we have the capability and the desire to do so."

"I am on a mission to Rysalia Prime,” Kahmal stated.

"It doesn't matter. Turn back or suffer the consequences of your failure to do as I command,” Raphaella snapped.

Cree walked onto the bridge at that moment. He stared at the beautiful woman on the vid-com and wondered why she bore Kahmal such hatred. He switched his gaze to Sern.

"She is the Princess Raphaella, daughter of the Domestic Queen. She is Terran born so that accounts for her rudeness,"
Sern sent to him.
"And she is a traitor to our people. There is a bounty for her capture."

"What did she do?"

"She helped a Reaper escape Amazeen, taking four members of his crew with them. If she's caught she will be executed for her crime."

"Which Reaper did she aid?"

Sern frowned.
"Why don't you ask her? She is priming her weapons to annihilate us and I've got my hands full here, Cree."

The Reaper walked over to Kahmal's command chair and laid his hands on the Amazeen Major's shoulders, feeling her tense beneath his touch. “Princess Raphaella,” he said. “I am Kamerone Cree."

Raphaella gasped, the sound loud over the vid-com. “Cree,” she whispered, the word said in awe. “That is your mission, Akkadia? Taking the Prime Reaper to Rysalia Prime for execution?"

"I understand there is a bounty out for you,” Cree continued. “As one who knows all too intimately the feel of an Amazeen noose tightening around his neck, I can sympathize."

"Why are you not restrained?” Raphaella asked.

"There is no reason to shackle him,” Kahmal said. “He's a free man."

"You are not a prisoner on Kahmal's ship?” Raphaella asked, her gaze locked on Cree.

"It started out that way,” he admitted.

"But no longer?"

"Attribution was declared by me, Lt. Melankhoia Chanz and Lt. Cirolia Sern,” Kahmal said, reaching up to cover one of Cree's hands with hers. “Our lives belong to him as does the loyalty of my crew."

"Attribution,” Raphaella said. “That is an honorable act, indeed, and deserving of your loyalty, ‘Kadia."

"It is a loyalty he has richly earned and we mean to uphold,” Kahmal said. “That holds for my entire crew."

Raphaella seemed to relax. “Reapers are not what we were led to believe, are they, ‘Kadia?"

"I only know this one and he is nothing like the way he was portrayed to me,” Kahmal responded.

"We would appreciate it if you would have your gunners stand down,” Cree said. “I've got enough of a headache already without having the top of my cranium blown off in the bargain."

Raphaella nodded and looked off to one side, apparently giving the order to her crew.

"How is it you are in command of a Serenian vessel, Raphie?” Kahmal asked.

"You are going to Rysalia Prime?” Raphaella countered, ignoring the question.

"To rescue my bloodkin,” Cree admitted.

"Like father, like son,” Raphaella said.

Cree stiffened. “Son? Of whom do you speak?"

"If you are caught there, you will be hanged,” Kahmal said, knowing full well the identity of the son to whom Raphaella referred. “You know that, Raphaella."

Raphaella cocked a shoulder. “We all have to die sometime,” she said. “Unless you're a Reaper."

"Even Reaper's die, young one,” Cree told her. He did not miss Kahmal trying to forestall the identity of the Reaper to whom Raphaella alluded.

"Not on my watch they won't,” Raphaella said. “Your bloodkin will not meet the fate set aside for them. I am here to make sure of that. We will run interference for those snatching the cadets from harm's way. There isn't a ship in the Rysalian fleet that can hold a candle to mine and we are loaded with more firepower than you can imagine."

"You have a McGregor woman on board?” Dorrie asked, coming to stand beside Cree.

Raphaella nodded. “Maeve Lynne McGregor? Who are you and why do you ask?"

"She's the leader,” Dorrie whispered to Cree. “Not this one."

"I wouldn't be so sure,” Kahmal disagreed.

"I am Dorrie Burkhart, a Terran once hostage of the Rysalians."

"Why do you ask about McGregor?” Raphaella persisted.

"I was the mate of Prince Raine McGregor,” Dorrie said. “On Terra."

"He is my cousin!” a young blonde woman said as she rushed to Raphaella's side. “He is alive? He is well?"

"When we were taken from Terra he was,” Dorrie replied. She looked at the woman and had to admit she certainly didn't look like a war leader. She was petite and rather fragile-looking.

"Why are you being hunted, young one?” Cree asked Raphaella, deciding she was the one in charge. “What crime did you commit against your race?"

Raphaella lifted her chin, her eyes flashing with pride. “Nothing of consequence, milord Prime Reaper. I am merely the mate of Khiershon Cree and it was I who set him free!"

Khiershon Cree, eldest son of Kamerone, rolled over in the over-sized bunk and gathered his wife to him. He nuzzled her neck to wake her. “You are becoming lazy in your advancing years, Cait,” he murmured, his tongue swirling over her flesh.

"You wore me out last night, Reaper,” Caitlin said with a grunt. “You are insatiable."

"Only where you are concerned,” he stated.

A chime sounded and the vid-com came on. “'And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting',” Khiershon's cybot answered the incoming call.

"Knock it off, Raven,” Iyan McGregor snapped in an annoyed voice. “Khier, you're needed on the bridge."

"'Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning',” the ‘bot said and trundled away.

"Was he in here again last night?” Caitlin demanded of her husband.

Khiershon sighed. “I believe he was."

"Voyeur!” Caitlin shouted after the ‘bot. “Peeping Tom!"

"'By you—by yours, the evil eye,—by yours, the slanderous tongue',” Raven snipped.

"I'll pull your plug, Raven!” Caitlin vowed.

"'No more—no more upon thy verdant slopes!'” the ‘bot rattled off, shaking its cumbersome head.

"You'd best believe not, Raven!” Caitlin flung at the retreating A.I.U.

"'Nevermore.’”

Khiershon laughed. He'd programmed the ‘bot with the words of a famous Terran poet and it seemed to irritate Caitlin no end.

"Khier?” McGregor demanded. “Did you hear what I said?"

"Aye, Iyan, I heard you. I'm on my way."

Caitlin watched her husband fling aside the covers and walk naked to the closet to retrieve his uniform. She liked to watch the play of muscles on his brawny body and never grew tired of ogling him. He shunned underwear and was stepping into the sleek tight black leather britches that fit him so lovingly.

"Don't be calling Raven a voyeur, wench,” the Reaper threw over his shoulder. “My cheeks are burning from the heat of your stare."

"Which set of cheeks, milord?” she asked innocently, folding the sheet down from her lush breasts.

"Stop teasing,” he warned as he plucked a black silk shirt from among the many that hung in his wardrobe.

Caitlin lifted her arms and stretched, her bare nipples rising in invitation. “I don't know what you mean,” she said with a yawn.

He was flying through the air and landing on her before she could scramble away, his powerful body pressing her into the mattress, his hands on her breasts, and his mouth at the tempting hollow of her throat. “Stay right here until I return, wench,” he ordered. “I won't be long."

Caitlin lowered her arms and ran her hands through his thick dark brown hair, anchoring his head to her throat as he licked at her flesh, moving lower to claim one rosy nipple before he released her and got up from the bunk. She sighed as he began tucking his shirt into his britches. “I like you naked beneath the sheets with me, Reaper,” she said.

"No more so than I like being there, wench,” he retorted, sitting on the edge of the bunk to pull on his boots, “but duty calls."

"No, McGregor calls,” Caitlin said with a snort.

"Same thing,” he reminded her and was out the door before she could tell him goodbye.

Walking down the corridor to the elevator that would take him up to the
DarkWind's
bridge, Khiershon passed two of the Terran women who had been members of the ship's crew when it had been a Terran medivac ship called the
Orion
. He nodded to the women.

"How's Cait this morning?” Pat Rasey inquired.

"Satiated beyond her wildest dreams, Pitty Pat,” he said smugly and continued on his way. He could feel the women staring after him and grinned. He liked annoying Cait's friends almost as much as he enjoyed aggravating his own.

Iyan was pacing in front of the command chair when Khiershon took the bridge.

"Captain on the bridge!” Dakim Hesar, the Com Officer, called out simply because he knew it irritated the Reaper.

"Everyone at ease save Hesar!” Khiershon muttered. He felt a niggling worry crawling down his spine and flexed his shoulders. “What's going on, Iyan?"

"She took the gods-be-damned StarRaider,” Iyan snapped. “Her and a crew of sixty Serenian and Oceanian women warrioresses with nothing better to do than to drive a sane man to drink! Imagine what she's doing to me!"

Khiershon frowned. “Who?"

"That Amazeen virago of yours!” Iyan told him. “She loaded the cruiser down with laser pulse cannons and left Corinth two days after we did! We just picked up her signal and believe me when I say I could throttle that woman!"

Groaning, Khiershon dropped down into the captain's command chair. “Where the fuck is she now?” His worry was growing in leaps and bounds and it was an unease that disturbed him greatly.

"At last report sitting somewhere near Ionary in a face off with an Amazeen LRC.” At Khiershon's grimace, Iyan nodded. “Aye and with weapons primed and locked on target."

"The stupid little bitch,” Khiershon cursed. “How far away are we?"

"Not close enough to intervene before she engages in full all out combat with the LRC,” Iyan complained.

"We need that StarRaider,” Khiershon stated. “It's the only vessel we have that has enough power and equipment to get us to Terra once we have my bloodkin in tow."

"The
Orion
got us to Montyne Vex,” Marti Holloway, the Terran who had been an engineer on the
Orion
and was now co-engineer along with Nyndham Dax of the
DarkWind
said. “It can get us back to Terra."

"Not with the amount of crew we'll have on board by then,” Dax disagreed. “We'll need more E.S.U.s and containment cells."

"And the
DarkWind
is not as quick as the StarRaider nor does it have as much firepower,” Khiershon put in.