BlackWing: First Ordinance, Book 3 (14 page)

"Here, my Lord—both quite handsome. Twins, as you can see."

"Good—very good," Vardil examined the images. "How long after the drug before they will be ready?"

"You must understand that the drug is only half of it," Dorgus explained. "We must take blood from each—not so much at a time so they'll be weakened, but enough eventually so that you will be assured of new, identical bodies for many years to come."

"How long?"

"A month, perhaps. Two at most."

"Get on with it, then," Vardil snapped, waving Dorgus away. "I must go to Deris and Daris. This body chafes and dies about me."

Chapter 9

Quin

"How does it feel to be an outlaw on an outlaw planet?" Bel teased as we sorted through our belongings. We now occupied a previously empty mansion outside the industrial city of Mundia.

The mansion was owned by the Juffa family. In my mind, Drood owed us—while he still lived, anyway. After his death, it wouldn't matter anyway. Sal had already advised Kooper Griff of our move—and the reasons for it.

He also let him know that Drood Juffa was behind the pirating of the plans for personal shields employed by the ASD. Drood's objective had been twofold—experiment for ways to get through the shields, then make replicas of them when needed.

We knew he'd not perfected the shield yet—Justis' life was saved by spelled stones. Justis now wore a new cuff and ring—someone was watching over him and I was grateful.

Someone else—perhaps Daragar—had gathered the rest of the ASD agents living in Der'Vek and brought them with us. Those who didn't know much were advised by Pellen, Jeslin and Mell after their arrival.

"The ball is tonight—what do you think will happen?" Bel Erland
Pulled
in a sweater and helped me into it, his hands warm and gentle as he adjusted the shawl collar. The house was slow to warm—winter had hit Mundia harder than it had Der'Vek, and the heat was off when we arrived at the empty mansion.

"Juffa will die. He has no idea how much opposition he has. The weapons were stored in that building on the Cardino estate, but most of the Second Tier had contributed to that arsenal, including the Xilvas."

"Juffa's family?"

"We can't save them," I mumbled, clamping my wings against my back.

"If he had any sense at all, he'd send his children away from the estate," Sal walked in, a cup of hot tea in his hands.

"We've already seen that he doesn't always have the best judgment," Lafe followed Sal into the dining hall, which doubled as a clearinghouse for all our belongings. Like Sal, Lafe's hands were wrapped around a cup of hot tea as he surveyed the piles of clothing and other items cluttering the floor. I knew which items belonged to whom—by employing my ability to find things.

"My love, are you cold?" Lafe asked.

My breath stopped and I didn't speak for a moment. He'd seen me pull the sweater more tightly around myself. I'd gone still because he'd declared his love.

"I am. A little," I admitted, forcing my lips to form words. "Bel Erland brought the sweater, but this place will take forever to warm up."

"The kitchen is warmer," Lafe held out a hand. I took it; I thought I hid the trembling well enough; I could tell by the grip of Lafe's fingers that he'd noticed anyway. "Come with me—you'll sit in the kitchen for a while. Your fingers are blue," he said with a slight grin.

Jayna, who worked beside Jeslin and Mell in the kitchen, made a cup of tea for me while I sat in the shelter of Lafe's arms.

You feel good here
, Lafe informed me as I sipped tea and warmed my hands with the cup at the same time. With a sigh, I closed my eyes, relaxed and leaned back against Lafe's chest.
Even better
, I could hear the grin in his mental voice.

Bel Erland arrived to sit across from us and accepted a cup of tea from Mell. I smiled at him when my eyes opened to acknowledge his presence; he gave me a wink and a smile in return.

"Lafe?" I said.

"What, love?"

"Will you teach me how to braid my hair?"

"Of course I will."

* * *

Zephili

"Here is the update from Vic'Law," Magul handed a comp-vid to Vardil. "Everything went as planned, even with the destruction of the weapons cache held by the Cardino family. I worried after Juffa sent his troops to kill the Cardinos that we'd have a difficult time taking over during the ball. It turned out easier than we thought."

"All dead?" Vardil slid his finger down the screen to read the report.

"Every Juffa on the estate is now dead," Magul confirmed. "By your command."

"They think we're backing them," Vardil huffed before smiling. "Juffa was the largest obstacle in our path to Vic'Law. Soon, we will have all of it."

"I have something else," Magul said.

"What is that?"

"The only one I could find with the name Liron is a child—barely five turns in age."

"Kill him," Vardil shrugged.

"He is the crown prince of the Avii, who now reside on Le-Ath Veronis."

"The Avii who were supposed to be destroyed with Siriaa?" Vardil lifted an eyebrow.

"The same, my Lord."

"He would have reason for a vendetta when he comes of age, would he not?"

"I believe that to be true, my Lord."

"Kill him at your earliest convenience," Vardil waved a hand. "His parents, too, if he has any."

"I will see it done, Lord Cayetes."

"One more thing," Vardil tapped fingertips together, as if he were in deep thought.

"I am at your command," Magul dipped his head.

"See to it that our army is prepared to go—when the infighting is over on Vic'Law, I will have Bleek lead our troops in to destroy any who survive."

"As you command, Lord."

* * *

Le-Ath Veronis

Lissa

Six children.
Six orphans
, I reminded myself. Bel Erland sent them to me—he didn't want their blood on his or the others' hands.

I waited for Amara and Edan's arrival—they'd take them and find a good home for the lot of them.

Bel had only taken those under the age of fifteen—those older had been old enough to know what they were doing. These six were from Drood Juffa's youngest wives. They'd seen enough of the violence going on before Bel pulled them away to realize their parents were dead.

For now, several comesuli were caring for them while we waited. Amara would ensure that they were loved and cared for—she and Edan were more than adept at matching children with prospective parents.

I worried at what appeared to be happening on Vic'Law. My suspicions were raised that it was happening now—shortly after Cayetes' disappearance from Vogeffa I.

In addition, I'd learned recently from some of Kooper's agents that Vogeffa II no longer held living humanoids—those from Gungl were either dead or conscripted into Cayetes' service.

If he intended to take Vic'Law eventually, he'd need a small army to accomplish it. If he had another ranos cannon at his disposal, it would only strengthen his position. Kooper and I still had no evidence as to where the cannon used to destroy Siriaa was manufactured; we continued to search with no results as yet.

"Lissa?" Amara's voice was low and soothing.

"Thank you for coming," I breathed as she held her arms open. I accepted her embrace gratefully. Besides my sister and Ashe, Amara was the only other I considered family.

My father—well, I hadn't spoken to him in years.

That didn't bother me at all. Bree and I—we'd written him out of our story. Ry saw him now and then, but their relationship was far from comfortable.

"You're thinking about Brenten, aren't you?" Amara stepped back and let me go.

"Yes," I hunched my shoulders.

"He has his own agenda and always will," she said. "Don't let him upset you any more than he already has."

"Good advice," I agreed, although the thought of him had already disturbed me more than I cared to admit. "Will you find a good home for these?" I nodded toward the children, all of whom were frightened.

"We will," she promised. "I'll make sure you know where they are."

"Thank you."

* * *

Vic'Law

Quin

"Bel?" I found him in the library, which he'd warmed with a wood fire in the fireplace and power he'd provided himself.

"Quinnie?" He shut the book he'd been holding—at least this library was stuffed with books—unlike the other places I'd seen so far during my stay on Vic'Law.

"Thank you for those lives," I dropped my gaze. I'd known earlier that he'd rescued six children from the Juffa estate—before the coup claimed their lives. I'd seen it in his gaze, but chose not to bring it up in front of any of the others.

"Come sit with me," he patted the seat beside him. "It's warm in here."

"Thank you." I settled beside him; he draped an arm around me. Then, leaning in, he placed a kiss on my temple. "Gran already took care of them—they'll have a new home with somebody who loves them."

"Thank you." I drew my knees up and snuggled against him.

"Quin, I only have so much control with you," he warned. "I think almost everybody here is going crazy because they want you."

"I don't know what to do," I whispered. "Really. And how can I choose the first?" I blew out a breath and moved to stand.

"No, don't go," he pulled me back.

"I may have a solution," Daragar appeared. "But you must be in the proper mood, first."

"By proper mood, I think he means wanting sex badly enough to jump somebody," Bel grinned.

"How should I get in that mood?"

"Like this." Bel leaned in to kiss me. It was a kiss meant to make toes curl. Justis had come close to it at times, but he'd always held back.

Bel Erland wasn't holding back.

So beautiful
, Terrett's voice sounded in my head.

I love you
, from Justis.
More than anything
.

Whose fingers removed my blouse?

Heat suffused my body.

I have waited for you so long
, Kaldill breathed against my ear.

Ai yevu—my only
, Lafe sighed.

My love
—from Yanzi.

My heart
, Berel crooned.

Where was I? I felt as if I were floating. Another kiss scorched my body. Hands on my breasts—whose hands were they? Fingers caressed. Thumbed my nipples. I moaned.

My love, there will be no pain—this or anytime
, Daragar sighed.
Your first time—as is fitting, will be energy sex with all your mates
.

The world exploded around me, my body writhed in ecstasy and I lost consciousness shortly after.

* * *

I woke tangled in black feathers.

They weren't mine—they belonged to Justis. I was in his bed. "Someday," he nuzzled my cheek before kissing me, "we will mate in the air."

"Will it be that good?" I asked, innocently.

"I don't know if anything will be that good," he smiled before kissing me again. "Kaldill told me about the pleasure of energy sex, but the reality was far better than the description."

"You knew? It was planned?" I attempted to move away from him.

"Shhh," he soothed, pulling me back. "Daragar said he was waiting for the right time. That happened an hour ago. You have been asleep since the climax."

"I was the only one to lose consciousness?"

"No, we all did for a while—we merely woke before you. Daragar asked Queen Lissa's Larentii mates to guard us while we were asleep."

"How did we end up in your bed?" I asked.

"You are very persistent," Justis tapped my nose. "Connegar and Reemagar sorted us into our beds, so we'd be comfortable. Waking on the hard floor in the library wasn't an option any of us would appreciate when we woke."

"True," I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment, savoring the warm comfort of Justis' wings. "Is that where everyone ended up—in the library?" I opened my eyes again and studied Justis' face.

"Yes. Daragar pulled all of us in. Somehow, we were floating—all of us coming in contact with you eventually. Before the climax."

"I thought I was dreaming," I said.

"No, love. It was no dream."

* * *

Terrett

Yanzi and I sat in the library—I think each of us wanted to savor the experience we'd had with Quin, courtesy of the Larentii. Yes, I'd had sex before—when I was ordered at times, or in stolen moments at others, but those were far in my past.

This—with Quin and a Larentii's help—nothing may ever come close to that again. "Churg dead, son kill," Yanzi sighed.

The war has begun?
I asked.

"Fast," Yanzi agreed. "Nardes Churg, Barstle Cardino, allies."

The only Cardino who survived Juffa's attack?
I asked.

"Yes."

Fighting for the control of Vic'Law and Juffa holdings
, I snorted. I'd been part of several crime family holdings in the past—like a gold coin or piece of jewelry. Something valuable enough to keep alive, but little else. I'd been won and lost, just as Drood Juffa's things were now a point of contention among those who remained.

"He not threaten, he still be alive," Yanzi pointed out.