Alien Redemption [Clans of Kalquor 06] (51 page)

No one said a word. Everyone, Erybet included, simply stared in shock at Kivokan, not believing the horror of the story.

Kivokan looked at each of them in turn, his eyes finally lighting on Erybet. “You know what Akrij went through! You were there with him!”

Erybet’s fists clenched. “But I didn’t intentionally kill innocent women. Neither did Sletran. Akrij destroyed lives. He damned near destroyed my Nobek … my entire clan! And you let him do it!”

Clajak nodded. “If anyone deserves execution more than Akrij, it’s you, Kivokan.”

Kivokan’s eyes widened. “You can’t execute my Nobek! He’s as much a victim as anyone else. You can’t—”

Erybet couldn’t listen to anymore. He darted forward, passing the Nobek officers with ease.

Later, he would decide they had let him through, to gain some small measure of the abuse they all wanted to heap on Kivokan.

At that moment, he didn’t pause to wonder how he’d gotten through elite fighters.

Kivokan’s face, still puffy from the slaps Breft had dealt earlier at the headquarters, smashed beautifully beneath Erybet’s fist. The Dramok managed three hard punches before Kivokan dropped. Before Erybet could do anymore, Breft and Raxstad yanked him away.

Breft’s tone was as comforting as when he’d spoken to the unfortunate Trusec. “That’s all the damage I can allow you, Dramok. I’m sorry. I know he deserves so much more.”

Bevau called, “If it will help, your clan will have a front row seat for his and Akrij’s executions. I guarantee it.”

Erybet stared at Kivokan’s broken face, blood streaming, a number of his teeth now broken.

He stood there, feeling all the blame he’d heaped upon himself for New Bethlehem, for Sletran’s emotional agony, for Conyod’s estrangement and injuries, and for Rachel nearly dying at the hands of his former commander, a man he had trusted above all others. And while he would have welcomed the opportunity to continue beating Kivokan and Akrij until they both died, he also knew it would never be enough to make up for the losses.

Erybet staggered back to stand next to Rachel’s still senseless body. He looked down at her, at the bruises she bore. His head fell back and he screamed his grief and outrage to the blameless blue sky overhead, a long howl of unspeakable pain.

Erybet fell to his knees and gathered Rachel in his arms to hold her close. Over her head, he stared at the moaning Kivokan and unconscious Akrij as officers dragged them to the shuttle.

His voice grating with emotion too great to fully express, Erybet said, “You gurlucks almost took everything from me, the people I love best. You could be tortured for thousands of years, suffer millions of deaths, and you will never know enough pain, Kivokan. Never.”

Erybet pulled Rachel closer still. He buried his face between the softness of her breasts, like a small boy seeking comfort in the shelter of his mother. It was an appropriate emotion; he’d never known such vulnerability as the knowledge of how easily loved ones could be lost.

Chapter 20

Rachel checked the chronometer when Degorsk wasn’t looking. Clan therapy time was almost up. This round hadn’t been too bad. In fact, the sessions for the last month had been pretty easy to get through.

Only Sletran was still remanded fulltime to the psychiatric facility they’d all lived in since Global Security released him. The rest of the clan remained housed with him, loathe to go home without their Nobek. All three men still required one-on-one therapy six months after she and Conyod had nearly been killed by Akrij, and clan therapy was a given.

The facility Govi had sent them to, and for which Emperor Bevau paid the bill, was as nice as any country club Rachel had ever imagined. It offered quiet gardens, relaxing pools, and plenty of activities suited for everyone from a sedate Earther woman to an action-oriented Nobek. Rachel took part in a music appreciation class as her first step towards realizing her old dream of singing and playing.

Even the therapy room they now sat in had little to show it was actually a medical facility.

The vids showed the outdoors in all their late summer glory, with trees festooned with leaves all colors of the rainbow. A spectacular fountain shot streamers of colored water. Rachel knew the window-vid behind her depicted an exercise group of nearly naked Kalquorian men going through poses meant to strengthen the body and quiet the mind. She didn’t dare peek. It made her clan grumpy when she looked.

As if I’d ever want any of those others. They should be happy I’ve got a libido to match that
of three men. What’s wrong with a little eye candy, anyway?

Degorsk gave her a smile, as if discerning where her thoughts had strayed. Sletran had established an almost instant rapport with the Imdiko and requested him as his primary therapist.

Degorsk had generously set aside his Matara-based psychological training to accommodate Rachel’s Nobek, flying an hour three times a week to work with him and the entire clan.

So many had done so much to put the broken pieces of Clan Erybet back together. Rachel had never known as much gratitude as she did since coming to Kalquor.

Degorsk asked, “Tell me the first thing you want to do when you go home, Sletran?”

The Nobek’s gaze cut to Rachel. The other men snickered, and she felt her cheeks burning in response. Damn him. It wasn’t as if he was living like a monk here at the facility. Degorsk might be in charge of Sletran’s emotional health, but she was more than taking care of other needs.

Degorsk pretended to note something on his handheld. “Okay, and second thing you’ll do will be either a shower or a nap…”

Rachel grabbed a nearby seating cushion and threw it at the comical Imdiko. He yelped and ducked.

In almost flawless Kalquorian, Rachel told him, “I send your Matara my condolences every day. Today is no exception.”

Degorsk snorted. “Cassidy appreciates my humor.”

“Maybe you’ll share it with us some day.”

He winced. “Ouch. That one smarted. And here I was going to give you the good news that Sletran can go home.”

Silence fell over the group. Rachel’s heart lifted, but Sletran’s expression was uncertain.

He said, “You mean – right now?”

Degorsk dipped a nod. “No nightmares in six weeks. No lost time for the last four months.

Your profile is much improved.”

Sletran licked his lips. “The whole team agrees?”

“The latest tests on subconscious responses show you carry much less blame for the events at New Bethlehem. Coming to terms that it was Akrij who was at fault has gone a long way toward healing your perception of yourself. We all believe you’re ready for this.”

A grin slowly spread over Erybet’s face. “You’ll be out in time for his and Kivokan’s trials.

We can celebrate their executions.”

The uproar over the disclosure of what had really happened on New Bethlehem and Akrij’s murder spree had prompted Global Security to remove the Nobek and his Dramok from Kalquor.

They were incarcerated at a secret location, from which their trials would also be carried out. It was a foregone conclusion neither man would be found innocent. Only the necessity of hiding them so they could undergo the formality of legal proceedings had delayed the inevitable executions. Their Imdiko Trusec had also been taken off Kalquor, for fear that the innocent man would bear the brunt of public rage, possibly being murdered in his clanmates’ stead. Little had been leaked about his situation. Even Breft, who visited on occasion, had only heard rumors.

“Someone told me he’d been re-wiped to erase all his memories of Kivokan and Akrij. His rehabilitation will include an entirely new identity and history. He could even join a new clan, since his records will show he’s never been a part of one before,” Breft had told them.

Conyod had scowled at that information. “While I can appreciate the uniqueness of Trusec’s circumstances, I wish they’d outlaw that procedure from now on. It’s an abomination.”

Right now, Degorsk’s eyebrow was raised at Erybet’s comments about celebrating the executions of unlucky Trusec’s clanmates. “Are you doing your anger-control exercises, Erybet?

Attending all your classes?”

The Dramok’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, Doctor. I haven’t punched anyone in quite a while.

However, I’m sure you can understand that I will never be able to forgive what that pair did to us.”

Immediately following Akrij’s capture, Erybet had gone through a period of violent outbursts. He’d not turned his rage on his clan, but more than one staff member at the facility had been forced to fend off the Dramok’s fists. Usually such fits happened if Erybet felt one of his clanmates had been slighted in some way. He’d been released from ongoing care only a month earlier.

“As long as you no longer let what Akrij and Kivokan did to you dictate your life. Don’t give them that power. Remember, you have much to be grateful for.” Degorsk smiled at Rachel.

Conyod nodded his agreement. One slender scar outlined his cheek. It was the only indication left from the beating he’d taken at Akrij’s hands. The same talented surgeons who’d erased the majority of Rachel’s terrible wounds had done a fine job fixing the damage.

He reminded Erybet. “We have a lot to celebrate.”

Erybet smiled at his Imdiko. Their relationship had been healed over the past months, all the secrets laid out, all the hurt they’d inflicted on each other forgiven.

Erybet said, “We certainly do.” He turned his smile to Sletran. “Come home, my Nobek.”

Sletran swallowed. “I want to. But I’m worried.”

Degorsk said, “That’s normal. Remember, you’ll still be seeing me for therapy twice a week, and you’ll have a direct com link. Call me anytime, no matter how insignificant you think an issue might be.”

Sletran relaxed with the Imdiko’s encouragement. “I will. Thank you. For everything.”

Degorsk rose from his cushion. “I’ll let you get your things together. I’ll arrange everything at the dismissal desk, including a shuttle to get you home. Congratulations to you all.

And welcome back to life.”

He walked out, leaving them staring at each other. Rachel felt a little unreal. They’d been at the facility for so long, going home sounded like a trip to an exotic location.

In English, she said, “Holy cow, you’re sprung.”

Conyod grinned at them all. “I don’t know why everyone is acting so surprised. Degorsk has been talking about how Sletran will resume his normal life for the last three weeks. We knew we were going back to the real world soon.”

Sletran gave his clanmate a bald look. “It’s one thing to talk about it. It’s another to actually do it.” He blew out a breath. “What if I get out and it all starts up again? The blank periods, the wandering around?”

Conyod put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “If the doctors thought there was the slightest chance of that, you wouldn’t be leaving. Look at all you have to look forward to, Sletran. Counselor to soldiers traumatized by the war at the War Veterans Hospital. Advisor for Matara security at the new complex that’s being built on the Anob continent. An offer to teach at the new training center for at-risk Nobeks.”

Sletran chuckled. “I’m not begging for work, that’s certain.”

Erybet grinned. “If you go mad, it won’t be from boredom.”

“My release happens just in time since Conyod’s leave from work is almost up and your new duties as Emperor Bevau’s assistant start soon.” Sletran took a deep breath.

Rachel went to him, eager to convince him to go home as well. She sat on his lap, straddling his thighs. She found he was very happy to have her there. “Not only that, unlike our barely adequate sleeping mat here, the bed at home is huge. It needs you in it. I’ll get cold with just a Dramok and Imdiko next to me.”

Erybet snorted. “I think we can keep you warm enough, though I do prefer our fourth there as well.”

Conyod grinned. “Sletran sleeps on the other side of me anyway, not next to you. You can’t tell me you were cold last night sleeping with my and Erybet’s cocks shoved up your—”

Rachel slapped at him. “Hey! Trying to get our clanmate home here?”

Sletran snickered. He was hard as steel beneath her, obviously enjoying her sitting there.

He slowly unseamed her blouse and slipped his hand in to play with her breasts. He growled to find she’d gone without a bra today.

He told Rachel, “Maybe you could tempt me with a little preview of what I can expect at home?”

She casually twirled her finger around a lock of his shoulder-length hair, pretending she wasn’t getting wet from his touch. “Just a little preview. After all, we should be packing, you know.”

Sletran slid her blouse entirely off her shoulders. His head dipped down, his mouth taking custody of one breast and then the other. Rachel squirmed as tendrils of excitement unraveled in her belly.

“Just a little preview? I think I need more than that. Just to be sure.” His mouthing became much more energetic.

Rachel shoved against him, her pussy glowing with radiant heat. “Oh no. I think that’s quite enough.”

“Just the tiniest bit more incentive…” Sletran sucked hard on her flesh, making her nipples ache with excitement.

She was laughing breathlessly as he suckled with brutal ardor. All her struggles didn’t loosen his grip the slightest bit. The Nobek held her easily, not even straining to keep her on his eager lap.

Rachel turned to their laughing clanmates for assistance. “Guys? A little help here?”

Erybet and Conyod exchanged a look. The Dramok answered, “If you insist, my Matara.”

The pair moved forward. Erybet seized Rachel’s arms, holding them up and out of the way while Conyod reached under her skirt to rip her panties off. He unleashed Sletran’s cocks for him, leaving the Nobek ready to pierce her.

“Hey! You’re supposed to help me, not him!” she protested, but she was laughing hard now at their antics.

Sletran slid her up and forward, and he entered her easily. Suddenly all the hilarity was over for Rachel. She arched and groaned as her passages filled delightfully.