Pursued (17 page)

“Elise? Baby?” he said, propping himself up on his elbows. “Why don’t you come to bed?”

“I don’t…” She shook her head uncertainly. “I’m sorry, Merrick but I don’t know if…if I feel comfortable sleeping in the same bed with you after all. I mean, what if I wake up while it’s still dark and see you and think you’re…I mean, what if I have another bad dream. A
really
bad one?” she whispered.

Merrick sighed wearily. It was tempting to feel frustrated at her for her sudden fear of him…but he’d seen the terror in her eyes, had heard the panic in her voice. Something had happened in the past and somehow, his appearance in the dark had triggered a flashback, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

“Look,” he said reasonably. “I’m sorry you’re uncomfortable but somehow this
has
to happen. I have to touch you, baby. Have to feed the
hunger
, or you’re not going to make it. You know that, right?”

“I know.” But still she stayed where she was, her slender body strung taut as a wire. It wasn’t just that she didn’t
want
to lie down on the bed so close to him—she physically couldn’t
make
herself do it, Merrick realized. The fear he’d inadvertently roused in her was too much, too strong to overcome. They had to find another way—but what?

Suddenly, he had an idea. It wasn’t going to be very comfortable but what the hell, after the day they’d had he was tired enough to sleep anywhere.

“Here,” he said. Moving slowly, so as not to startle her, he got up from the sleeping platform. Then, grabbing a couple of pillows, he lowered himself to the ground right beside the bed. Lying on his back, he got as comfortable as he could and then nodded at her. “Okay, it’s all yours.”

“But…” She frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“Get on the bed. You’ll see.”

“All right.” Still she hesitated. “And you…you won’t…”

“I’m staying right here,” Merrick told her firmly. “Won’t come up on the bed with you unless you ask me to.”

“Okay.” Gingerly, never taking her eyes off him, Elise crawled on the bed. “But I still don’t see how this will help.”

“Here.” The sleeping platform was low and he was big which meant Merrick was able to reach up and rest his hand on the mattress. It wasn’t super comfortable, but nothing about this situation was. He decided he’d better make the most of it. “Can you just hold my hand?” he asked softly. “Will that be okay?”

“Yes. Yes, I think so.” The relief in her voice was so great it almost sounded like tears. Merrick wanted to lift his head and see if she was crying but he knew if she was, he would want to comfort her, hold her. And right now she wasn’t up for that. Wasn’t up for anything more than holding hands.

He felt her small, cool hand touch his palm and then, hesitantly, she entwined their fingers. It felt like holding a child’s hand—a child who had been hurt so badly it was still in her somewhere, crying.
What happened to you, baby?
he thought as she settled in the bed above him.
Was it so bad you had to bury it? So bad you can’t even stand the thought of it?

Merrick had memories like that—plenty of them. He didn’t exactly bury them, but he didn’t dwell on them either. Better to deal and move on, to leave the past alone.

Except sometimes, the past wouldn’t leave
you
alone.

That, he sensed, was Elise’s problem. But until she was ready to deal with it, there was nothing he could do. Nothing but hold her hand patiently and hope that someday soon, she would trust him.

Before it was too late and their bond was broken forever.

“So,
Minverna,
it’s lovely to finally meet you in person.”

Minverna, ex-high priestess of the Empty Throne—now referred to as the Seat of Wisdom since the rightful Councilor had returned—frowned at the apparition, which had suddenly appeared in her quarters.

Actually, they were the novice quarters. The lowly rooms carved out of stone at the base of the holy mountain. The same place she had started her career more than thirty cycles ago.

Thirty cycles wasted,
she thought, the rage rising inside her again.
I gave my life, dedicated my soul to this place and what is my reward? A first class passage back to the bottom while that arrogant bastard and his sniveling mate, who isn’t even a priestess, occupy my rightful place! Well not for long. Soon I’ll be gone and they’ll have reason to regret the way they treated me—ample reason!

“I can see you’re busy fuming,” the apparition remarked, solidifying somewhat so that two odd, solid silver eyes were visible. “Should I come back later? I
hate
to intrude on anyone else’s ‘me’ time.”

“What do you want, Draven?” Minverna demanded. “Oh yes, I know your name, Hoard Master,” she added, lifting her chin with pride. “Long have I watched you, through the Eye of Foreknowledge, even though it was forbidden me. I know all about your evil ways and plans.”

“Yes, yes, me and my dastardly plans to wipe out the whole Kindred race.” The apparition waved negligently as though the subject bored him. “I know, I’m a
naughty
fellow but an analysis of my moral shortcomings isn’t the reason I went to the trouble of contacting you.”

“How
did
you contact me?” Minverna demanded. “I thought you were bound to Hrakaz.”

The silver eyes glowed. “Not for very much longer. The binding Kall placed on me over a thousand years ago grows weaker as I myself increase in strength. And I have such
delightful
plans for when I finally get off planet. That’s where
you
come in.”

“You want me to help you kill my entire race?” She glared at him. “What kind of female do you think I am?”

“Ah, getting all high and mighty now, are we?” Draven cocked one perfectly groomed black eyebrow at her. “Well, for starters, I don’t believe you’re quite as morally upright as you’d like to believe.”

“What are you talking about?” Minverna demanded.

“Why, about the drone ships that have been leaving from First World, bound for the Ganda system, of course. And the credit that’s been piling up in your personal off-planet account as a direct result.”

“What…what do you know about that?” A sick feeling gripped the pit of her stomach. “I mean…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“But of
course
you do.” Draven grinned at her charmingly. “Don’t worry, my dear, your secret is perfectly safe with me. I won’t tell a
soul
. Of course, the small hole you put in First World’s defense perimeter to send those ships out is the way I was able to gain access to your lovely planet in the first place. Such a
lovely
gift, and it isn’t even my birthday!”

“How dare you accuse me? I am a high priestess—”

“Not anymore.” He gave her a mocking smile. “If my spies are correct, you’ve recently suffered a demotion all the way back down to the bottom. Rather a blow to a career priestess like yourself, I should think.”

“Yes, it was.” Minverna lifted her chin and glared into the solid silver orbs. “But if you think I’ll help you kill my entire race just because—”

Loud knocking at the crude wooden door of the novice quarters interrupted her. “Minverna? Minverna, I need you to open this door at once,” the voice of the new high priestess demanded.

“Now who could
that
be, I wonder?” Draven made a motion toward the door. “Do go ahead and answer it. I can wait.” The apparition settled right behind the door into a casually elegant posture, legs crossed with its chin propped on one hand. “Go on,” he urged, when she hesitated. “And when you’re finished we’ll talk business. I’m prepared to offer you a once in a lifetime reward for your help. Think about
that
while you’re brushing off whoever it is out there.”

Minverna gritted her teeth and went to the door. “What is it?” she demanded, opening the crude wooden slab just a crack.

“I need to talk to you.” Lissa’s jade-green eyes met hers. They served to remind Minverna of the magnificent pure emerald of her own gaze—the color her eyes had been before she’d been stripped of her powers, that was.

“Not now. I’m busy,” Minverna snapped. She started to shut the door but Lissa pushed back with surprising strength, keeping it open.

“You will
make
time for me,” she said, giving Minverna a steady, direct look. “I am your high priestess and as such, you will give me the same respect I accorded you when you held that title.”

Minverna clenched her jaw, gritting her teeth until they were in danger of being ground to powder.
Oh, if only I still had my power! You would be a pile of ashes at my feet, you little bitch!
But she
didn’t
have the power—Lissa did. With extremely poor grace, Minverna opened the door some more.

“Very well, what can I do for you, your Holiness?” she inquired sweetly. “Perhaps you’ve come to ask me to intercede for you with the new Councilor? To beg him to forgive your past
indiscretions?”

“I…I don’t know what you mean.” Lissa frowned uncertainly.

“Yes, you do,” Minverna snapped, losing patience. “Don’t forget,
I
was the one who agreed to take you off your adopted mother’s hands.
I
was the one who offered you asylum here on First World so you wouldn’t be stoned to death for your sins.” She tilted her head to one side. “
What
was it she called you again? Was it kin-lover? Or, no…
brother-fucker.
Yes, I believe that’s the phrase.” From behind the door she heard a faint chuckle, meant for her ears alone, but she ignored it.

Lissa had gone as white as a sheet but to Minverna’s irritation, she held her ground. “I never received the Deep Touch from my brother and you know it,” she said in a low, steady voice. “And I have already revealed my past to Lady Nadiah. I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear from you.”

“Well then aren’t you the lucky one?” Minverna said sourly. “If that’s the case then what do you want?”

“For you to take your new duties seriously.” Lissa frowned sternly. “As you are now a novice, you will behave as a proper novice does.”

“Oh, and how is that?” Minverna snarled. “Do remind me,
your Holiness
. It’s been quite some time since my novice days.”

“You will report for work duties each morning and appear at each meal in a timely fashion. You will join the other priestesses and myself at daily devotions.” Lissa took a deep breath. “And you will no longer leave your quarters and go roaming the temple by yourself at night. Novices have a strict curfew which will be enforced from now on.” She raised an eyebrow at Minverna. “Have I made myself perfectly clear?”

Hatred choked Minverna like a bone in her throat. “You certainly have,” she grated. “Don’t worry my dear little
brother-fucker,
I completely comprehend your meaning.”

Lissa’s jade green eyes flashed. “You will
not
speak to me that way. It’s disrespectful, rude and
untrue.”

Minverna laughed angrily. “It’s true all right—your desires betray you even if your body does not, my dear. Don’t think I don’t see in your eyes how you still hunger for your brother’s touch. How you long to take him deep in your body—to take his thick cock in your little virgin
cunt
—and let him pump you full of his hot, incestuous cum.”

“How dare you!” Lissa’s eyes suddenly went blank, the jade green leaking outward from her pupils and covering the whites as well. “You will pay for your filthy words, Minverna.” She pointed one finger, aiming it right between Minverna’s eyes. “Pay dearly.”

A sudden jolt of energy leaped from her fingertip and struck the ex-high priestess, knocking her to the ground and sending jagged shards of pain through her entire body.

“Ahh!” She rolled on the sandy ground, all dignity lost as the agony overtook her. “Ahh, you little
bitch!”

“Oh!” At the sight of her pain, Lissa’s eyes were abruptly normal again. “Oh dear…I didn’t mean to…to do that. But you can’t talk to me that way.” She knelt to try and help Minverna up but the ex-high priestess shook of her hand.

“Leave me!” Staggering to her feet, she managed to get back inside her room. “Leave me or I swear by all that is unholy—by the Blackness that Eats the Stars—I will end your miserable existence and count the universe blessed to be rid of you.”

They were empty threats and both women knew it. But Lissa nodded her head and withdrew. “Perhaps I was a little hard on you—I will give you a few more days to yourself before you begin your new duties. Think about what I have said.”

“Oh, I’ll think about it, all right.” Minverna slammed the door closed with a booming
thud
. “I’ll think how best to make you
pay
you ungrateful little
bitch.”

“Bravo! Well played.”

Minverna turned to see the apparition of Draven, who she had completely forgotten about, laughing and clapping with apparent delight.

“You again,” she growled.

“Yes, I never left, as you know. I
did
enjoy that little scene, although it was rather
naughty
of you to take my name in vain towards the end there.” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Though I rather hope the fact that you invoked it means you’re willing to consider my offer?”

Minverna nodded. Any reservations she’d had before had been burned away by her encounter with Lissa. “What is it you need? And what are you prepared to offer me in return?”

“I need a tiny bit of information about someone who visited First World a few solar months ago—just before you got your shiny new Councilor, I believe.”

Minverna frowned. “We have many pilgrims who visit. Can you be more specific?”

Draven’s apparition made a mournful face. “Alas, the only thing I know is what kind of ship this particular pilgrim was flying. A small, unassuming star-duster.” He cocked his head to one side hopefully. “Ring any bells?”