Between Darkness and Light (111 page)

Frantically he tried to remember where they were on the current line—was there a nexus soon? If there was, who was involved, where and when would it be? The endless permutations began to run through his mind without him consciously thinking of them: he didn't know what to do and he couldn't contact the Camarilla! It paralyzed him, left him rooted to the spot like a broken toy.

 

Kusac left the elevator and headed down the pathway, automatically taking in everything around him. His thinking was sharp, the world around him crystal clear as he noted the security guard standing opposite the gate, and Q'almo disappearing with a team of five into the clump of trees surrounding the hut. Opening the gate, he started across the field.

Ahead, Kezule was in conversation with Banner, with Khadui and Jayza standing behind him and slightly to one side. Beyond Kezule, Zayshul stood talking to M'kou. His vision began to narrow as soon as he saw them. Doubtless she was telling M'kou of his suspicions. Behind them, Shaidan stood quietly, his eyes on his father from the moment he'd come into sight.

As he drew closer to Kezule, the General turned around, looking surprised to see him. Banner frowned, starting forward, but he signed him to stay put and be ready for action.

Stopping, he looked directly at Shaidan, pitching the sending so the psi damper couldn't prevent it.

The cub hesitated, looking from him to Banner then back. He took several small steps forward until he was in front of Zayshul but was stopped as she automatically reached out to pull him to her side. It was the instinctive reaction of a mother, but it made his anger burn brighter, and his vision slowly start to shrink.

“I didn't expect to see you here, Kusac,” Kezule was saying.

“I found the female, Kezule,” he said, his voice even and calm. “Liyak, a Ch'almuthian working on the Command level in the sick bay. I expect you to deal with her immediately.”

Caught completely by surprise, Kezule's mouth fell open.

M'kou's head instantly jerked up to look at them and the color drained from Zayshul's face.

“But you knew that already, didn't you?” he said softly. “All of you.” His gaze flicked from Kezule to M'kou and Zayshul then back again.

“I'm sorry, I don't understand you,” said Kezule, unclasping his hands and letting them fall to his sides.

He stepped closer, narrowing the distance between them. “One chance, Kezule, the last one,” he said softly. “Be honest with me. You arranged this, set me up. Why?”

“Your imagination is getting the better of you, Kusac,” Kezule said, his tone slightly mocking. “You obviously have a thing for our females but seem to need the help of drugs or alcohol first!”

He ignored the insult. “Your son, M'kou, asked this female to come to my quarters,” he said, a low growl underscoring his words as the beginnings of huntersight began to narrow his vision even further. “She was to replace your wife's scent marker with her own. M'kou wouldn't do that without you ordering it. You broke our agreement, Kezule. You had me raped to save yourself embarrassment! I want Shaidan now. We're leaving immediately.”

Kezule began to laugh and turn away. “From what I heard you were a willing participant! Leave when you like, Kusac, I've never kept you here, but the child stays,” said Kezule, his tone hardening. “He amuses me.”

All he could see and smell was his prey—Kezule—as a red mist formed before him. He lashed out, mentally and physically, with a blow that sent the Valtegan flying. With a roar of rage, he launched himself on the fallen male.

M'kou thrust Zayshul and Shaidan behind him and took a step toward the General.

“Leave them,” Banner snarled at M'kou as Khadui and Jayza sprinted into supportive positions. “This has been building long enough! They've both got it coming to them!”

M'kou hesitated.

“You want it to escalate?” demanded Banner, moving out of the way of the fight, his hand going to rest on the pommel of his knife.

“No,” said M'kou, obviously torn. “I want no deaths!”

“Then leave them to us! You can't handle a Sholan in kzushu!”

They'd been aware of Shaidan struggling against Zayshul's grip, but when he began to yell, they turned automatically to him.

“Let me go!” he shrieked, turning suddenly into a kicking, fighting fury. “I want my father!” He lowered his head and bit, his teeth sinking deep into Zayshul's hand.

She, in turn, let out a yell of pain and suddenly Shaidan was free.

 

Stunned, and the breath knocked from his lungs as Kusac landed astride him, for several seconds Kezule could do little but lie there and take the punishing blows. As the next one came in, he snaked his right arm under it. Simultaneously grabbing him by the shoulder and grasping him above the wrist with his other hand, he twisted Kusac's arm into a lock that put painful pressure on the Sholan's complex shoulder joint.

It had the desired effect as, lifting himself just off Kezule's hips, Kusac twisted round to ease the pressure. The slight relief from the Sholan's weight was enough. Ducking the blow aimed at his face, he kept up the pressure on Kusac's shoulder and threw him to the ground. Scrambling to his feet as he released his grip, Kezule aimed a vicious kick at Kusac's side. As he backed off, the Sholan rolled with the blow and came up crouching on all fours.

They faced off, circling each other, Kezule trying not to be intimidated by the fact that with his long hair bushed out almost vertically from his head, and his tail bristling, Kusac looked twice his normal size. When a kick came in, he dodged at the last moment, countering it with a powerful, downward blow that caused Kusac to pull back, briefly favoring that leg.

Kusac was good, and far faster than he'd thought a Sholan could be. Triggering more adrenaline into his system, he went on the offensive, aiming a flurry of blows toward the Sholan's face and chest. A few got through, but not as many as he'd hoped as he found himself suddenly having to block a series of savage kicks to his legs and groin. Stumbling when one got through, he backed off panting, realizing this was nowhere near as easy as he'd assumed it would be. For some reason, he had no natural physical superiority over this Sholan.

 

As one of Kezule's punches caught Kusac hard on the jaw, sanity began return and the red mist rage receded. Backing off, he shook his head, trying to force his hair back down again.

Suddenly a small figure rushed at him, flinging his arms around him and clinging to him, sobbing desperately.

“I want to go with you, Father! Take me home now!”

Hunter-sight faded abruptly, as did the heat of his rage. Clutching Shaidan to him, he backed off farther and risked glancing around to find Banner while his other hand reached into his jacket for the la'quo gun.

Go to Banner! Do what he says instantly,
he sent to the cub, then pushed him away and drew the gun, pointing it at the Valtegan.

“Take my son, Banner, and tell Dzaou to join us,” he said, training the gun on Kezule and slowly advancing toward him. “We're leaving now, Kezule, all of us, and you're my hostage as far as the landing bay.”

“Stop it, both of you!” Zayshul yelled, the shock of her accompanying mental outburst freezing him to the spot.

There was a blur of motion and the whine of an energy bolt. Pain exploded in his left leg and it suddenly collapsed under him. His finger clenched instinctively round the trigger and the gun went off. The next moment, the ground came up to hit him. As he fell, he reached out to neutralize the shooter, sending out a mental blast of rage and pain that killed him instantly.

 

Banner barely had time to absorb that Kusac was Shaidan's father before chaos broke out. As the cub was running toward him, and M'kou sprinted in front of Kezule, an energy rifle spat, followed almost immediately by a shot. Kusac went down as if poleaxed and M'kou spun about clutching his arm then he, too, fell to the ground.

He leaped for the cub, pulling him close and was about to run to Kusac when Jayza, appearing from nowhere, snatched the cub from him.

“Go!” shouted Jayza, sprinting for the trees twenty feet ahead.

 

Kusac lay there, gasping for breath as his whole left side suddenly exploded in intense pain. The smell of burning flesh and singed fur filled his nostrils, making his stomach turn over. A sudden weight landed on top of him, causing him fresh torment. He tried to move, push whoever it was off, but the agony in his side made him cry out.

“Lie still!” hissed Banner, shifting his weight slightly. “You numb-witted bastard! Why the hell didn't you say Shaidan was your son?” he demanded, then added. “He's safe, Jayza's got him. They've gone for cover.”

He was aware of loud voices around them, but the burning pain completely dominated him.

 

Kezule had to work out later what actually happened. At the time, all he saw was Kusac suddenly pull a gun on him, and M'kou rushing forward between them. Then two shots rang out and both Kusac and M'kou were down, injured.

As Jayza ran past him carrying the cub, Kezule suddenly unfroze, realizing the whole situation could turn into a bloodbath in seconds—not because of his people, because apart from himself, M'kou, and the damned Security guard, they only had tag guns—but from the Sholans who were armed with lethal claws and knives.

“Hold your fire!” he roared, crest rising in anger. Ahead he could see Keeshu's unit racing back, and from his rear, he heard Q'almo shouting orders to his group.

Glancing down at his son, he was reassured to see that M'kou was only holding his arm and there was very little blood.

Zayshul ran forward, hesitated briefly as she looked over to where Kusac lay under Banner, then knelt down to see to M'kou.

“Let me see your arm,” she demanded. “Someone get a medical kit from the First Aid room!”

“Already on the way,” said Q'almo, coming to a stop beside her.

“Zsafar, immobilize Banner and Kusac,” Kezule ordered.

“Q'almo, disarm that damned Security guard and bring him to me!”

“Aye, sir,” said Q'almo, disappearing.

Zayshul helped M'kou as, clutching his bleeding upper arm, he struggled to sit up. Moving his hand, she quickly checked it—there was a small hole in the shirt. As the blood started to flow, she pressed his hand back over the wound, checking the rest of his arm and his side for an exit wound.

“Bullet's still in there,” she said as one of the Ch'almuthians came running over with a medical kit. Putting it down beside her, he opened it and located the dressings.

Kezule knelt down beside them as she slit his son's sleeve open and quickly bound a pressure dressing over the wound.

“How are you?” he asked, his voice rough with concern. “That was foolish.”

M'kou gave a half smile. “I'll live,” he said, then suddenly turned a sickly pale green and keeled over.

“Shock,” said Zayshul succinctly, leaning forward to finish securing the bandage. She looked up at Kezule. “Get him sent down to the Officers sick bay, he'll need surgery. The bullet's still in there. Tell them to call Ghidd'ah on the way, tell her we've two gunshot wounds, one a projectile. She'll know what to do.”

“I'll see to it,” said Keeshu.

“No,” said Kezule. “Send someone else. You take the guard's rifle and help find the missing Sholans.” Standing up, he saw they had Banner and Kusac on their feet.

Zayshul closed the kit and got to her feet, starting to move toward where Kusac was being held up between Zsafar and one of the newcomers.

Reaching out, Kezule pulled her back. “No,” he said unequivocally, gesturing one of the Ch'almuthians over. “Keep her here,” he ordered.

“He needs treatment, Kezule,” she said disbelievingly but he was already walking away. “Dammit, you can see he's got a serious thigh wound! Kezule!”

He stopped in front of Kusac. “Order your people to surrender,” he said with barely suppressed rage. “You know they can't escape.”

Kusac, attempting to keep his weight off his injured leg, glared at him, his lips pulling back from his teeth. “Get them yourself, you egg-licking reptile! And keep that cold-blooded qwene of yours away from me!”

Kezule hit him a stinging blow across his face, shocked when, with an incoherent snarling roar, Kusac's jaws snapped at him, narrowly missing his hand.

Almost feral with rage and pain, the Sholan managed to pull one arm free, lashing out at him with deadly claws that sank deep into his shoulder. He was jerked forward, Kusac's massive jaws almost closing on his throat before suddenly the Sholan froze.