City Of Tears (12 page)

She recognized the sensations, but they had never been this strong before. With exquisite care, he eased his long fingers between her folds. He slid back and forth, back and forth. She must be
so
wet for him to move this easily. Deepening the kiss, she felt her breasts quiver with each ragged breath.

He pushed his fingers into her passage, and she cried out. It felt so much better than the simulator. Was that two? No, it must be three; her inner muscles gripped him tightly. Warm and long, his fingers moved inside her. His thumb pressed over her clit, and her body arched, her inner muscles rippling rhythmically.

Separating their mouths, he smiled into her eyes. “I think you like Foreplay World.” She couldn’t speak because his fingers kept right on moving. He paired each firm thrust with a brush of his thumb. “Let go. I want to watch you come.”

Legs sprawled, hips arching to meet his thrusting fingers, she clutched his shoulders and let the sensations build. The dark demand in his expression thrilled her all the more. He could easily force his will upon her, yet he put her pleasure above his own.

Her orgasm unfurled with languid pleasure. He pushed his fingers deep and kept the spasms going with his thumb. On and on her body responded to his skill, his caring. She trembled and moaned, and a tear escaped the corner of her eye. He caught the drop with the tip of his tongue, then kissed her tenderly.

“What about you?” she whispered when he finally pulled away.

“Let’s get under the covers, and we’ll visit another world.”

Smiling, she pulled back the covers and crawled onto the bed. He lay down on his side and turned her so her back pressed against his chest. Pausing long enough to pull up the covers, he settled his big body against her back. He slipped one arm beneath her neck and cupped her breast with his hand.

“What’s this world called?”

His body pressed against her, contouring to her back and cradling her bottom. He stroked her breast and nibbled on her earlobe, his breath warm against her skin. “This world is called anticipation.” He moved his arm to her waist and splayed his fingers across her ribs. “It’s a rest stop on the way to sweeter destinations.”

“Commander Trey — oh, pardon me,
Director
Trey — would like to speak with you.” Dro Tar motioned over her shoulder toward the main room of her flat.

“He’s here?” Lyrik set down his mug of blish and pushed back from the kitchen table.

“No, he’s on the secure comlink in my bedroom.”

“How did he know I was here?”

She chuckled. “Trey has a way of finding things out. Might be why they put him in charge of Covert Ops.”

Lyrik heard the subtle hiss of water as he passed the room he’d shared with Saebin the night before. Picturing her in the shower, a fine cleansing mist languidly descending along her lithe form, made his steps falter. He hadn’t planned their passionate interlude, but he certainly didn’t regret what passed between him. Holding her through the night had been sweet torture. They would make love, of that he had no doubt, but he could wait until she was emotionally ready for the experience.

“Mixing business and pleasure is dangerous,” Dro Tar said with a knowing smile. “You can protect her better if you don’t get involved.”

She was right, of course, but he suspected it was already too late. She reactivated the comlink, then left him alone in her bedroom.

Trey sat behind his desk, his multi-colored hair drawn back away from his face and bound at the nape of his neck. “Do you have Saebin with you?”

“Are you sure this channel is secure?”

Trey smiled. “I’ll take that to mean you do.”

“What’s going on? Why did you track me down?”

“I thought you might like to know the
Tempest
departed for Bilarri this morning under the command of Larcet dar Joon.”

“
What?
” Lyrik staggered back a step. “We aren’t scheduled to depart until the end of the week.”

“That isn’t even the most interesting development.”

Lyrik braced himself for the rest. “How can this get worse?”

“Hermlin stormed into my office shortly after the
Tempest
launched.”

“Hermlin? Why isn’t the
Tempest’s
chief engineer aboard?”

“Why isn’t her captain aboard?” Trey countered. “Either your father has lost his mind, or he’s up to no good.”

“We both know which. What did Hermlin tell you?”

“Two men showed up during Swaybern’s watch, claiming to be with maintenance. They installed a device and left before anyone could stop them.”

“A maintenance team made mods to the
Tempest?
” Lyrik raked his hands through his hair, shocked by the implications. Was someone tampering with his ship, or had they been dispatched by his father? Either possibility could compromise the Bilarrian alliance, an alliance the Joint Council had spent the better part of the past cycle negotiating. “What system did they modify?”

“Shields, but that’s all we know. Hermlin hardly got a glance at the thing before Larcet showed up.” He paused as Lyrik absorbed the significance. The shielding technology utilized on the
Tempest
made her virtually undetectable to all conventional scanners. “I’ve been informed they’re working on the
Gale
now.”

“Who are these guys? What did you learn from their ident files?”

“A basic inquiry attaches them to maintenance, so I used my clearance to dig a little deeper. Their identities evaporate like mist. They’re phantoms. They’re just not mine.”

“Shit.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Trey paused, tapping his thumb against his desktop. “I hate to say it, but there is only one person who could be pulling these strings.”

Lyrik nodded. “And they’re not the only strings he’s pulling. Saebin has been in and out of stasis since she arrived on the Day Moon. Her handler is still alive and fully supported by the puppet master.” He paused, tension gripping his stomach. A part of him still fought the concept that his father was not only in the middle of these intrigues, he was likely directing them. “Looks like an ugly part of Operation Hydra relocated to the COT.”

“Unbelievable.” Trey paused, jaw clinched, nostrils flaring. After blowing out an audible breath, he vowed, “Anything. I’ll do anything I can to help you.”

“Who else knows about the
Tempest?
”

“Me, Hermlin, and Zane.”

“What has Zane got to do with this?” He was only two cycles into Zane’s training, but the lad was the best apprentice Lyrik had ever had.

“Please.” Trey snorted. “Zane would follow you into hell, and you know it. He marched off the
Tempest
right behind Hermlin.”

“I’ve got to get on the
Gale
.”

Trey finally smiled. “Krysta’s having lunch with her aunt. I’ll have her stop by before she heads back to the COT. I suspect the two of you can come up with something creative.”

* * * * *

“You’ve been in the suit for almost four hours. Do you need to take a break?”

The concern in Lyrik’s expression made Saebin smile. Each time their gazes met, warm tingles skittered down her spine. She couldn’t help remembering every touch, every deep, passionate kiss. If what they’d shared last night was his idea of … foreplay, he’d called it foreplay … then she couldn’t wait to experience the rest.

“My thinking is clear, and my emotions are balanced.” Her voice broke as a heated flush crept up her neck.
Except when I look at you
. “I haven’t even been tempted to turn anybody off.”

Dro Tar knocked on the open door drawing their attention. “We have a visitor.”

Saebin pushed back from the workstation in Dro Tar’s office and followed Lyrik into the main room of the flat. Krysta stood just inside the doorway, immaculately dressed in a violet pant suit. Her honey-blonde hair had been styled in an elaborate combination of thin braids and curls, which framed her delicate face. Hesitation mixed with the affection shining in her thick-lashed eyes. Thin ribbons of turquoise now marbled her purple gaze.

“What caused the change in your eyes?” It wasn’t much of a greeting, but someone had to break the strained silence.

“That’s a long, involved story. I’m not unwilling to share it with you, but Trey made it sound as if there is some sort of emergency.”

“There have been some interesting developments since we returned from Firestone Valley,” Lyrik said.

“Interesting to whom?” Dro Tar plopped down in her hand-shaped chair.

“I’ll let you decide,” Lyrik responded. “Two phantom agents installed an unknown device on the
Tempest
, and it launched for Bilarri under the command of Larcet dar Joon. The overlord not only knows about this, he almost certainly ordered it.”

“You have got to be joking.” Anger ignited in Krysta’s eyes. She moved farther into the apartment.

“Cyrus sent your ship on a mission without you?” Saebin shook her head, amazed by the overlord’s arrogance. He had to have realized the move would infuriate Lyrik. “When did you learn about this? Why didn’t you say something before?”

“Trey updated me while you were in the shower. I figured I’d brief everyone at the same time.”

“Is he punishing you for helping me?”

“This is bigger than rattling Lyrik’s cage,” Dro Tar said. “The Joint Council has worked long and hard to solidify an alliance with Bilarri. If Cyrus is trying to compromise the alliance, this is a very bad thing.”

“Bilarri is Lord Drakkin’s planet?”

“You remember Lord Drakkin?” Krysta seemed surprised.

“I have a vague impression in my mind, nothing more.” She had a vague recollection of most everything. Saebin sighed. “What is the purpose of the alliance?”

“The Bilarrians are genetically predisposed to produce more females than males,” Krysta explained. “Their ratio isn’t nearly as disproportionate as ours, but the Bilarrians have agreed to encourage their females to consider emigrating to Ontariese.”

“‘Agreed to encourage their females to consider?’ That doesn’t sound like much of an alliance.”

“It’s more involved than that,” Lyrik said. “I’ll explain the details when we get home.”

Home. Saebin’s heart stumbled over the word. Krysta had obviously found a home among the Ontarians, while she had traded one master for another. She shook away the pessimistic thought. Thanks to Lyrik, she was free now. She just had to stay that way.

“Back to the device,” Dro Tar prompted. “What does it do?”

“I’m not sure,” Lyrik paused for a grin, “but I intend to find out.”

“Oh, no.” Krysta stepped closer to Lyrik. “I’ve seen that look before. You’re plotting something outrageous.”

He shrugged, his green eyes gleaming with mischief. “Is stealing the
Gale
outrageous?”

“What’s the
Gale?
” Saebin asked.

“The
Tempest’s
little sister,” Lyrik told her. “The technological innovations that make the
Tempest
unique were developed in the
Gale
.”

Frustrated by her ignorance, Saebin sighed. “And these technological innovations are?”

“Both ships have shields that make them invisible to most scanners.” Krysta’s smile was warm and encouraging. Saebin nodded her thanks for the information.

“Whatever the phantom operatives installed on the
Tempest
, they also installed on the
Gale
,” Lyrik went on. “So, I assembled a minimal crew, and we’re going to take off with her.”

“What if an explosion is triggered by the device?” Dro Tar asked. “You can’t just flip the thing on.”

“Hermlin, my chief engineer, ran some preliminary tests before they kicked him off the
Tempest
. There is nothing to indicate weaponry of any sort. This thing modifies the shields. We need to know how and why.”

“How exactly do you intend to fly away with the
Gale?
” Krysta asked. “Especially if some mysterious device has just been installed on it? Security is bound to be optimum.”

He raked his hand through his hair, pushing the thick strands away from his face. “That’s why you’re here. I need you to shuttle me to the COT.”

“Cyrus will have a security contingent waiting before we dock.”

“Not if he doesn’t realize I’m your passenger.” He grinned. “I sabotaged my micryte.”

Dro Tar stood and moved closer to Lyrik. “This sounds like fun. Can I play?”

“If you hadn’t volunteered, I was going to ask.” He extended his hand. “Welcome to the crew.”

Krysta’s brow furrowed, and her expression turned speculative as Lyrik shook Dro Tar’s hand. “Even without a micryte, the first scanner you pass will alert your father.”

“I don’t intend to pass a scanner. Trey used one of his aliases to reserve the slip directly below the
Gale
. The crew members will be waiting for my signal. We’ll fly your shuttle into the landing bay, and you’ll open a transport conduit connecting the two ships.”

“You’ve got it all figured out.” Saebin wasn’t sure if Krysta was amused or annoyed. Her expression could be interpreted either way.

“If Krysta lands her shuttle moments before the
Gale
takes off, won’t that make the overlord suspicious of her?” Saebin asked. “And how will she explain her passengers?”

“I’m a royal ambassador,” Krysta replied. “I bring visitors to the COT all the time. As for Cyrus’s suspicion, I don’t give a damn. He’s lucky I don’t take a more direct approach.”

Saebin couldn’t argue with that. The defiance in Krysta’s eyes warmed her heart. After so many years of isolation, it was wonderful to be surrounded by allies. “What role will I play in this adventure?”

“That’s entirely up to you,” Lyrik said. “We could always use another soldier, but I’ll understand if you want to sit it out.”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

* * * * *

“Have you remained in contact with any of the refugees?” Saebin asked Krysta. They were in a holding pattern above the COT, waiting for landing clearance. Lyrik had detailed the plan and reviewed the details. Everyone knew what they were expected to do.

“For the first few months many of us tried to stay in touch, but starting over is easier without continual reminders of the past.” Krysta tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Did she always look elegant and composed? A vague image in Saebin’s mind contradicted the impression. “Larissa and Bekka are the only ones I see on a regular basis.”