The Bond That Ties Us (12 page)

“Ummm, isn’t the ambassador’s office that way?” She pointed to the left hallway.

Taber stopped moving and looked at her. “Yes. However, the ambassador is in his quarters.”

A wave of arousal coursed through her and Haylie stopped in her tracks.

“His quarters?”

“Yes. Is there a problem, Ms. Bond?”

She could think of a few.

“Isn’t it a bit unusual for the ambassador to be receiving reports from the human security chief in his bedroom?”

“Not entirely. The ambassador keeps a private office where he does a large portion of his daily work. He receives many reports from a variety of different people from this station.”

She hadn’t considered that.

“While his bedchamber is close by, I don’t believe there have been any meetings conducted there.”

Haylie swore she heard an unspoken
yet
. She looked Taber over carefully, but he betrayed nothing.

“Ah. Lead on, then,” Haylie said.

They walked for a moment in silence before he spoke again.

“How did you know the ambassador’s office was down that hallway? Had you been there before?”

The question caught her off guard. No one had ever questioned her unerring sense of direction. “I studied the station schematics before arriving at the colony.”

“You must have a good memory.” He spoke but didn’t look at her, so Haylie couldn’t read his expression.

She stopped again. “Do you find that odd?”

Taber nodded and smiled slightly. “Yes. In my experience, humans have difficulty remembering what they ate the meal before. You must have a unique ability to be able to remember detailed schematics of a facility you are completely unfamiliar with.”

Haylie blinked. That was the most he’d said to her at any one time. And it sounded suspiciously like an accusation.

“I have a photographic memory.”

It was his turn to look confused. “Pardon?”

“Very few humans are able to do this. Somehow my brain is able to remember in great detail the things that I read. I don’t know how it works for others, but I see the things like a picture in my head. Images, words, mathematical equations, all stuck there.” She tapped her temple.

“A useful skill as a security officer.”

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“It gives me a headache sometimes.”

Taber frowned. “Not many people know of your ability to do this?”

“No. It makes people paranoid. They think I’m going to study everything about them and store it away for a future interrogation,” she said.

“But you do. Don’t you?”

She shrugged. “Wouldn’t you?”

Memories of her last boyfriend surfaced. He wasn’t happy when he found out a communication from Earth he’d let her see briefly had been his undoing. She’d spent days deciphering the message in her head. The second she’d cracked the code, Haylie arrested his sorry ass. Smuggling Boost, a hallucinogen manufactured on Luna, to Earth was a very lucrative business. Too bad he was stupid.

Taber gestured for them to move again. “Does the ambassador know?”

“It’s not something I bring up in normal conversation. If you think he should know, then I’ll make sure to tell him.”

“Not necessarily. But he may find it interesting.”

Haylie filed that away under the suggestions section of her brain.

They walked the rest of the way to the Briel section in silence. This was the second time she’d made a late-night journey through the station. Everything was cast in shadows from the artificial lights, giving the station a haunted look. There was little life to the place. The people they passed looked drained, barely having the energy to nod a hello to them as they passsed. Tomorrow she’d make a point of coming out during the daytime. Maybe things would be different then.

Haylie noticed the subtle differences in layout became more pronounced as they moved farther within the Briel residential section of the station. The halls weren’t as harshly lit as they were on the human side. There were plants of some kind placed along the corridor. The long vines traveled along the walls, giving them an organic feel.

The air seemed fresher even without the background hum of the air reclamation system buzzing in her ear. Even the paint on the walls was a different color. Gone was the black and gray, replaced with a moss green that added to the feeling of life.

The alien residence felt more like home.

“I’m surprised at the differences between the human and Briel living areas.”

“Yes. The ambassador insisted on certain…necessities for our people.” Taber ushered Haylie down a long corridor that was flanked by two Briel guards. She noticed an increase in security measures as they moved deeper into the Briel section of the station. Taber had taken great pains to hide their security sensors and cameras. No one was getting into this section without him knowing.

“I take it Donaldson was responsible for the décor on the human side.”

“Not surprising, is it?”

Haylie smiled. “No, not at all.”

78

“Some say the ambassador is an idealist. That he sees good in those where there’s no good to be found. Unlike some, he truly believes if people are given what they need in this life, they can’t help but do good.”

“And the administrator. What does he believe in?”

“Order. The chain of command. Rules are the only thing holding a chaotic society together. And he must be the one in charge.”

No wonder she got the creeps around Donaldson.

“Not that he’s always been like that. But he’s changed over the past year,” Taber said, and Haylie was sure she detected a note a regret in his voice.

“I got the impression that Donaldson and the ambassador had been friends at one time.”

Taber nodded as he slowed his steady march and came to a stop in front of a door.

“The ambassador would never admit it, but he misses the friendship they once shared.”

“The ambassador’s room?” Haylie asked and ran her tongue over her lips.

“Yes. I’d offer to escort you back to your quarters, but I doubt you’ll need my assistance.”

She smiled at him again. “That’s not necessary. I’ll be fine.”

“I thought not. Have a good evening, Chief.”

Without waiting for her response, Taber spun on his heels, nodded to the guard on duty and retreated back up the corridor.

Haylie stood facing Kamran’s door, left with the sinking suspicion that this was a bad idea. The guard beside her never made eye contact or gave any indication she was even there.

Now what?
Ring the chime, she supposed. He was expecting her, after all. Haylie took a deep breath. The air outside his quarters held no sign of Kamran’s scent.

Maybe their bond wasn’t as strong as Kamran had led her to believe.

She lifted her hand to trigger the computer sensor when his door suddenly whooshed open. Kamran stood there, his tunic half buttoned, looking concerned.

“Are you well?” His voice sounded as grave as hers had a short time earlier. His eyes were wide, checking her over, looking for some invisible mark.

“Yes. Are
you
?”

His hair looked as if he’d been running his hands through it repeatedly. His tunic, which looked vaguely like the one in her dream, did little to conceal his body. Her heart began to pound as bits of her dream came rushing back. Her mouth watered at the thought of seeing him naked. She felt her body sway closer to his, the invisible push-pull between them more powerful than ever.

Kamran didn’t immediately respond, but instead checked the hallway and pulled her quickly inside. The room remained a mystery to Haylie, as his large frame blocked everything from sight.

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“What are you doing here?” His fingers tightened around her biceps.

“Kamran, stop that. I’m here because you asked me to be.”

“I did no such thing. Having you here is the worst thing we could do right now. I have to get ready for a meeting first thing in the morning.”

“Well, Taber brought me here at your request. Something about not trusting the vid screens, but needing information.”

She looked down at where his fingers gripped her arm. His grip was firm, but not painful. It only took a single look from her and he released her.

“Sorry,” he muttered and ran his hand through his hair.

“So, would you like your update now,
Ambassador
, or would you like to continue with the interrogation?”

“Interrogation? I’m trying to do my job. “

“That’s what I’m trying to do as well. You need information, I have it.”

He started to speak again, but only a groan came out instead. She knew how he felt.

“This is ridiculous. From now on, please use the vid screens. I’m sure they’re fine,”

he said, his breathing labored.

“You were the one who said we’d have to work together. Now, can we get this over with? I’m tired and, other than a ten-minute nap, I haven’t slept much recently.” Haylie managed to sidestep Kamran, made her way over to what she assumed was a large couch and sat down. She refused to look at him and instead found a painting on his wall and stared at it. At least she liked his taste in art.

“I assumed…” he started.

Impatient, Haylie closed her eyes to keep her temper in check. “Ambassador, would you like me to begin with the accidental death of our hacker in the bar fight last night?

Sorry, after the bar fight, but not when he was security’s custody. Or perhaps how he did an excellent job of covering his tracks? More than that, how it was surprisingly simple for me to discover his identity
after
he was dead? Or perhaps we can discuss how the information contained in these documents is relatively benign. If you are unwell and would like me to meet you tomorrow in your official office, I can do that also.”

When she opened her eyes, Haylie’s breath caught. Kamran was staring at her with such hunger in his eyes, she felt her blush immediately warm her face.

“What’s wrong?” her words stammered out.

He took a deep breath before he spoke. “I’m going to kill Taber for bringing you here.”

“Why?” Haylie felt compelled to bring her hand up to her neck to stroke the sensitive skin. She sighed. “What has you so upset?”

“Another matter, not you. I’ve been buried in my work all day. I try to sleep and I…have strange dreams. I wasn’t prepared to see you. Especially like that.”

80

Haylie felt a surge in her arousal. “Like what?”

She watched fascinated as the muscle in his jaw tightened.

“Sitting on my bed, touching your neck like that.”

“Ouch!” Haylie whacked her shins on the edge of the table as she stood quickly.

Kamran didn’t move, smiling at her. He looked dangerous, like a predator who has his supper in sight. She liked that he was looking at her that way.

“I knew you were going to do that.”

“Just like you knew I was at the door?” She bent to rub the pain from her legs.

When he didn’t answer at first, she looked up. “What?”

“You spoke my name through the intercom.”

“When?”

“When you were at my door. You spoke my name and I answered it. I even had to scramble to get my shirt on.”

Straightening to her full height, Haylie paused. It took her a minute to replay what happened in the corridor. Taber had left her, she was thinking about Kamran when she reached for the door…

“No, I didn’t.”

“Didn’t what?”

“Speak your name through the intercom. You opened the door just as I was reaching for it. I was standing there thinking about you when the door opened.”

“Are you sure?”

Haylie didn’t need to replay it again, she knew what had happened. Again she touched her neck. Her skin felt nice under her fingertips, her pulse beating strongly beneath them. She then traced the hollow of her neck.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of the touch, small shivers driving the goose bumps up on her skin. Lost in her own world, she didn’t even notice Kamran move beside her.

“Why are you doing that?” His voice was surprisingly close and gentle.

Haylie opened her eyes and felt her skin grow warm. “Doing what?”

“We were talking. You closed your eyes and started caressing your neck. Why?”

She had to give her head a shake, trying to clear the fog. “I…I don’t know. I had an overwhelming desire to touch myself there.”

“I know why.” Kamran brought his hand up, stopping just short of touching her neck. “I was looking at you and thinking how soft you looked. I wanted to touch you right here.” His fingers skimmed the surface of her skin.

Her eyes fluttered closed, the sensation too overpowering. “What the hell is going on?”

81

He didn’t answer and Haylie was too distracted by his touch to question further.