BloodLust (Rise of the Iliri Book 1) (16 page)

"I feel like I'm made of water, but I can still hear that."  Sighing deeply, she pulled herself onto her own feet and turned to face him.  "Are you sure you're ok with this?"

"No," he admitted, "but I'm going to have to learn.  Just treat me the same as the other love-sick puppies around here and I'll get over it.  I promise I will."

"I'm not so sure I want you to, but I do understand.  I'll try."  She pushed the stray hair away from her face.  "Just remember, I haven't had a whole lot of men fawning over me.  It's flattering and distracting to me as well."

"I'm trying, Sal.  That's why I'm giving you the lessons.  The more time I spend with you, the more comfortable I'll be with this, and the less the others will think of it.  At least I have a good excuse for being your instructor."

"Because you're my commanding officer?"

"Well, that, yeah, and I'm the best rider we have.  I grew up on horses, unlike most of these guys.  I trained them all.  Now let's tack down poor Boo and get some food in you before you waste away."

Chapter 19

"So, is he going to spend all day with her, or does he plan to let her eat?  I'm not waiting for them anymore."  Zep grabbed a plate then reached for the food on the table.

"I just asked, and you know how he gets," Arctic said.  "She started doing well, and he just kept pushing."

"Yeah, and Sal won't stop.  She'll try until she drops, if I'm reading that girl right," Shift added.

"Ya are," Cyno agreed around a mouthful of food.  "She's got a spine on her, that'n.  Does na know that she can na do somethan, and would rather die than show any weakness."

"Oh?  Did you read her?" Shift asked.

"Can na help but.  When Zep got her drunk, she danced with me and all her guards were down.  She's the real deal, guys.  Do na fuck with her."

"Even I can smell it," Risk piped in.

Arctic nodded.  "But having her around is going to make things complicated."  He sighed.  "We can't rush this.  Just treat her with respect and she'll learn everything soon enough."

"And she's ours," Cyno muttered.  "That's gonna change ever'thing."

The Blades nodded at that, but the more Shift thought about it, the more questions Cyno's cryptic remarks made.  Most of the Blades found her iliran features attractive; she was one of their own.  That also meant they'd show her nothing but respect.  For the first time in years, they had a recruit they felt truly comfortable with.  The last one to blend in so seamlessly had been Cyno, two years before. 

Too often, new recruits worried about impressing the outfit and found themselves dead for it.  Circus had been one of those stupid mistakes and LT had taken it too personally.  While Sal was nothing like the melancholy soldier, she had no idea how perfectly she filled the hole he left.

"What's her story, Cyno?" Shift asked.

"Na my story ta tell.  Ask Sal."

"Ok, well, let me be blunt then, since the pair of them will be a while still.  What's the deal with her and LT?"  They'd all seen the looks the pair passed between them.

"I dunno nothin' about that.  Look, I just know she does na think as well of herself as we think of her, k?"

"Guys, I can't be the only one that saw it.  Or are all of you so interested in catching her eye first that you're trying to ignore it?"  Shift refused to just let this go.

Across the table, the men looked at each other.  Zep put his fork down, pushed his plate back, and took a long drink of mead before answering.  "Yeah, we saw it.  We also know LT doesn't tend to throw himself at women casually, not even when he can, and he sure as hell wouldn't force his attentions on
her
.  If something happens there, I say let it happen."

"She's diff'rent," Cyno said.  "She's nice to look at, she smells amazing, and yeh, it's na gonna be easy to treat her like one of ya, but..."  He let the thought trail off.

"Go on," Shift pushed, "You're the one that knows."

"Ok, look.  That girl's had the shit kicked outta her in her life, ya get me?"  Cyno looked at each of them.  "Her heart's pretty tough, she's na made of glass or anything, but she does na need ta get the same crap from us.  She's never had anyone she could rely on b'fore, and does na know shit about our ways.  If ya wanna impress her, then just do na fuck with her."

"Fair 'nough," Shift said, letting the talk die down for a moment.

"So, does it bother you, Shift?" Risk asked into the awkward silence.

"Huh?" Shift couldn't keep up with the way Risk's mind worked.

"Her and LT, a couple, does that bother you?"

"Nah.  She smells like my sister, so I'm out of the running right there.  I like to see her smile, but I'd prefer she's fully dressed when doing it."  He raised an eyebrow, wondering where this was going.

"So, why do you care so much?" Risk asked.

"Well."  Shift leaned back in his chair.  "I kinda like the idea of LT having someone he can trust.  We know how he's pulled away lately."

"Lately?" Zep asked.  "Only if you consider over a year to be 'lately'!"

"Well, true.  But isn't that more reason for that," and Shift gestured to the two empty seats, "to happen?  Or like I asked before, do any of you have a problem with it?"

Unanimously, the men shook their heads.

"Then what will it take to make it happen?" Shift persisted.  "Is it Sal or is it LT that's throwing ice on things between them, you think?"

"Seriously, Shift," Arctic said.  "You're worse than a human at times."

"Yeah, and you still know I'm right.  If we don't push this, nothing will ever happen.  I just want to make sure I'm pushing in the right place."

"LT," Cyno said.

"Ah ha!" Shift exclaimed.  "You do know something!"

"Shove it man, ya know I do na say shit about what I catch off any of ya.  But yeh, it's LT, na Sal.  And it is na gonna be a bit of pushing, but more like moving a mountain, so just let it alone already."

"Damn, man," Shift said.  "Sometimes you really kinda scare me, ya know that, Cyno?"

"And it's na cuz I could kill ya in yer sleep?" the assassin mocked.

"Nah, anyone here could do that.  It's cuz you could kill me when I'm awake."

Arctic casually returned the conversation to the intelligence they'd been seeking all morning.  As details came out about each target, it became clear that this mission would not be an easy one.  One of them might not come back, and in their usual way, they refused to speak openly about it.  Shift worried about Sal the most, since this looked to be one of the hardest in years and her inexperience would be a weakness that could get her killed.  He tried to remind himself that she was nothing like their other recruits, but kept finding himself thinking about the worst.

"Cyno?" Shift asked.

"Again?"  The wiry man snarled at him.

"No teeth, man, damn," Shift said.  "Just train her good.  We can't lose her.  K?"

"Shift."  Cyno looked up at him with ice in his eyes.  "She'll be better than me in less than a week.  She will be fine.  Now let it alone."

"So..." Arctic said, "About those reports, guys?"  The mental echo of their companions proved the last two were close.  By the time the door opened, the men were pointing at papers and barely looked up, but they all caught LT's hand on Sal's back as he guided her to a chair.

"How'd Boo do for ya?" Shift asked.

"He stands very nicely," Sal said, grimacing to show her distaste for the day's lesson.

LT chuckled.  "I think she's got it.  She made it up quite a few times, and I had her working on her seat when Arctic reminded me that I have no track of time around horses.  I'm giving her an extra hour before she has to get back in the saddle to make up for it."

"Good," Razor said, "because after we eat, I need you to hire us a horseman.  That Tilso kid.  Seems his superior is more than happy to let him go.  LT, what are you planning with him?"

"With Sal's recent fan club, I just think that it's a good idea to have our horses housed together, with staff who doesn't care how pale the skin of the rider is.  Why?"

"His old manager said the kid gets a bit above himself, wanting to change the horse's rations, tracking their training, and such.  I did some poking into his background, and I'm thinking he'd make a better barn manager, so I got the paperwork filled out.  Just need you to sign it.  Get him to keep his eyes open for, say, two more stablehands, and you and Zep won't have to worry about all that.  Sal's mare is one the kid had an interest in and she's well ahead of her year mates in training and condition, plus she's still sane.  Says a lot to me."

"Cyno?" LT asked.  "Think he can handle it?"

"Yeh, I think he's made fer it, and ya might wanna think about using him fer more than just the home base.  Kid's got the knack, he's loyal to a fault, an' he sees the horses as an equal part of our outfit."

"They are," LT said.

"Yeah," Zep pointed out, "but we know most of the staff think we can get another and not bat an eye."

"I dug up some pretty interesting information on him," Razor added, passing a set of papers across the table.  The Lieutenant read through it, a smile spreading across his face.

"Ok.  Sal, would you like to make the offer?" LT asked.

"Actually, I'd love to.  Do you care how public I make it?"

"Nope.  Here."  He reached over and grabbed her wrist, sending the thought right into her mind.  "Look at that.  That's what I'm thinking for a position."

"Did you seriously just light her mind on fire?" Shift asked.  He had experienced the Lieutenant's fondness for sharing memory flames a few times more then he wanted.  They burned brightly, making them impossible to ignore.  "I hate it when you do that to me."

"It's the easiest way to send a concept, man," LT said.

Sal sat quietly, looking at the thought LT had given her.  "You realize you just made him very happy, right?" she asked LT.

"I hope so," he said.  "Loyalty deserves to be rewarded."

Chapter 20

Dust clung to her black uniform and her legs still felt weak, but the walk would do her good.  Sal strode through Barn 3, looking for Tilso.  No one was around, but she hoped to give him the bragging rights of being publicly offered a promotion.  Finding nothing, she turned toward Barn 4.  When she walked through the doors, she heard the jeers of teenagers. 

A group of boys crowded around Tilso, who stood defiantly before a stall.  She squared her shoulders and walked toward them, letting her footsteps ring out on the stone floor.

"Look, here's yer scrubber bitch now," one of them muttered, thinking Sal wouldn't be able to hear him.

"Shut it, or I'll put you in a coma, boy," she snarled at the teen, allowing her teeth to show.  His mouth flapped open and closed while her white eyes bore into his.  Seeing their leader speechless, the others backed away.

Sal turned to Tilso, who stood with his chin up, glaring at the group before him.  "Tilso, I wanted to thank you for helping me earlier.  It's nice to see a man willing to step up and do what he believes is right."

"It wasn't a big deal, Ms. Luxx.  You got a good eye for horses is all.  I can respect anyone that knows a good horse.  That's all."

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," she said. "LT sent me here to see if I could find you.  He moved our horses over to Barn 21, next to our arena."

"Yes, sir.  I was trying to take Arden over there just now."  Tilso gestured at her horse.  "I didn't mean to keep the Lieutenant waiting, sir."

"Actually, we're hoping that you'd be willing to transfer with our horses, to the new barn."  She smiled up at him.

"Yes, sir!  I'd be honored to tend to your horses.  I've been keeping an eye on them – "

She held up her hand, stopping him mid-sentence, and shook her head.  His face started to fall but she kept hers stoic.  "Well, we need a couple of stablehands, too, but that's not what LT was thinking for you."

"I see.  Well, I'd still be willing to do what ya need, sir," he said hopefully.

"Good, because we're in desperate need of a barn manager."  For a moment the words didn't seem to register. 

Tilso had been working as a mere stall cleaner for the last six months, hoping to prove his skill in caring for the horses.  Razor also learned that before the war, the kid had grown up on a border farm, one known for quality horses.  His father had been killed in a skirmish out there, leaving Tilso, his mother, and two sisters to move further into the Conglomerate, abandoning their farm and all of his ties to horses.

When he realized she meant the position of barn manager was for him, his face brightened, but he didn't dare believe it.  "You want me to manage the Black Blades' barn, Ms. Luxx?"

"Yes, Mr. Tilso," she answered, giving him the honorific that such a position would deserve.  "Your family produced some of the best horses around here, and if I'm not mistaken, most of ours can trace their lines back to those from your family farm?"

He nodded, his eyes wide but happy.

"LT didn't realize we had such quality horsemen here at Stonewater Stables until you stood up today.  Since you understand how important they are to the Blades, we'd like to offer you the position first.  He's been unable to find anyone more suited to the position than himself or Zep, but most elite units have someone assigned to handle their mounts.  I understand if you choose to decline, but," she passed him a piece of paper, "here's the wages we can offer you.

"Unfortunately, the position would require you to move into the loft – naturally your family is welcome as well, if you have one – and you might be required to travel with us." 

The boy nodded and she continued, "You would also be responsible for obtaining our pack animals, arranging the training of our mounts around our schedules, adjusting their feeding rations as needed, and caring for any injuries they sustain in battle.  We would expect you to hire an assistant manager, with the Lieutenant's approval, who would watch the barns during such times as we're deployed, and we will need at least two stablehands that can be trusted to care for the horses in the manner they require.  Are you interested?"

Tilso's eyes never left the paper.  The figure was impressive for a barn manager and astronomical for a stablehand, but the Blades would make him earn every krit of it.  "Ms. Luxx, am I required to hire an assistant from within the Stables already?"

"No," she said, wondering where his mind was heading.  "But you'll need to speak to the Lieutenant before making the offer.  He wanted me to relay that if you're interested, he would appreciate you making sure the horses are settled, and then meeting with him in his cabin."

"Yes, sir," he said, turning to the boys across the aisle.  "And if you don't want to get fired, step away from my horse."

"Tilso?" Sal asked when the boy turned for a halter to grab her mare from the stall.  "Is that her name?  Arden?"

"Yes, sir.  Ardent Dawn.  She's the last foal bred from my da's farm.  We always called her Arden."

"It suits her, thank you.  I'd been trying to find something that fit."  She held out her hand, clean this time, to the horseman before her.  He glanced at his own, covered in dirt, but reached up to clasp hers regardless.  "I promise to treat her right, Mr. Tilso, and to listen when you tell me how to treat her better."

"Thank you, Ms. Luxx," he said smiling.  "Thank you very much, sir."