The Chalice (9 page)

“Mouth touching?” Shagal scrubbed his lips, concerned. “Why would they

indulge in such an unsanitary practice? Do they bite?”

“It is practiced as a form  of tenderness for a loved one such as we do on the neck and cheeks. I do not see the benefit, but Kormak believed it is a necessary evil if we are to succeed with these females.”

“You m ight have mentioned this before.” Tegan scowled at the tech, annoyed

by the oversight. “Knowing how to do such a thing would have aided our cause.”

“Perhaps you should say something,” Mordaq pushed him  forward. “Say one of

the greetings Kormak indicated we should use.”

“As my bodyguard, perhaps you should be the one.” He didn’t savor the idea of speaking the words aloud. The nuances were hard to form, guttural and prim itive. He felt like a fool even attempting such a feat.

“Well, som eone has to say something,” Shagal exclaim ed. “We can’t stand here

staring at the wall as well.”

“As my counselor, perhaps the duty should be yours.”

Shagal blanched, mouth drooping down. “I’m  not your counselor. You only

want me to speak so you don’t have to.”

“My father’s counselors always spoke first,” Tegan rem inded him, striving to

sound convincing. “The King never speaks first until it is warranted.”

“Didn’t you tell m e that we are all equals in this brave new venture.” Mordaq’s

lips quirked at the rem inder. “W e’re all equal.”

Curse my mindless remarks! “If we’re all equal, then I’m  no more obligated to

speak than are you.”

Vaux exhaled, growling under his breath. “I suppose it’s up to me. As the sonof an am bassador to the outer rim s, that makes me the closest thing we have toan envoy.” His irritated glare raked the bystanders. “If they attack, I expect yoursupport. I do not wish to die by the hand of an alien fem ale.”

One last look at his hand-reader, Vaux inched closer to the females. He clearedhis throat, glancing over his shoulder at the expectant throng. He looked asuncomfortable as Tegan felt.

Nervous and awkward, Vaux opened his mouth. “Heh-woe,” he called out.

****

Heh-woe? W hat the hell was heh-woe?

“W hat’s he saying?” Dread m urm ured.

“Just don’t acknowledge him .” Anne’s slim  hand sliced the air. “Keep to the

program .”

Ahead of her, Kara studied the body language of the others. Some hunched,some sat up straighter while others cringed as if expecting to be beaten. The napeof her neck tingled, the shorter hairs standing on end. Itchy tingles ran up herspine, like spiders crawling across her backside. Breathing in shallow pants, shefroze, waiting for something—anything to happen.

Nearby, Moira kept up the whining, a nerve-wracking droning hum . Might haveto strangle her! Sniffles and soft sobs came from  other directions. The strain ofthe inaction was tearing at their resolve.

How long could they keep this up before the breeders grew impatient?

The male voice, deep and melodious, called out again. “Heh-woe ert goos.”

They were trying to com municate. The breeders were trying to com municate!

It sounded like hello earth whatever—sort of.

“They’re talking to us,” Kara whispered. “Maybe one of us should say

something.”

Dread bent forward just an inch. “You volunteering?”

“I just said one of us—doesn’t have to be me.” Last thing she wanted to do was stand up and turn around. Might go blind from  the shock. Besides, why should she be the sacrificial lam b?

She could hear Anne’s deep inhale. “Maybe the five of us together should stand

up.”

“I am  vith you,” Hanna said. “Ven you are ready, say the vord.”

Ume leaned forward, tilting her head to face them . “W hen we stand up, m ove

into a tight semi-circle. We can protect each other easier that way.”

“You sure we should do this?” Kara groaned. An anxiety [attacked/ attack]

pounded at her tem ples. “I’m  perfectly content just to sit here.”

“Heh-woe ert goos,” the voice tried again.

She heaved a sigh. At least the breeders weren’t acting hostile. Might as well

get it over with. “W ho’s going to do the talking?”

“We leave it to you, O Great Leader,” Dread voice sounded am used. “Besides, we can afford to lose you, not the rest of us. We need Anne’s smarts and our fighting skills. Hate to say it, but you’re expendable.”

“Suck my crackhead boyfriend’s dick.”

“Is he good-looking?”

Kara gnashed her teeth, fists clenching, envisioning her hands around Dread’ssorry neck. If she lived through the next few m inutes, she’d plan her revenge—something slow and painful.

“I’ll count to five and then we stand up and turn around.” Anne’s lilting English

voice quavered

“Is that enough?”

Dread unfurled her legs, leaning on her hands. “Just stand the frick up,” she

snapped, scram bling to her feet.

Sick to her stomach, pissed off and terrified, Kara stood up. W hen all five were

upright, they turned.

****

Five fem ales stood up and turned. Intrigued, he perused each one, captivatedby their distinctive characteristics—size, hair and skin tones—so different in manyrespects from  the Chiagan-Se. His gaze came to rest on the center Chalice. Longpale hair draped features as delicate as a child’s— but this was no child. Sm all andfragile, she nonetheless had the look of a prime adult fem ale. She stared back,dainty chin up, lush lips quivering.

Two of the females arranged themselves slightly ahead of the others. Guardsperhaps. Of the two, one was a giantess in com parison, towering over the others,alm ost as tall as any Chiagan-Se. Except for the im pressive height, little elseweighed against the features of the breeders. The huge nourishment glands, widehips and coloring decried any hereditary connection. On the other end, a smalldark Chalice stood poised, prepared to do battle. Her visual features m atched theimage chosen for Mordaq, though she appeared even tinier than he’d firstimagined.

Positioned next to the central Chalice, her demeanor tense and aggressive, adark one with long coiled hair literally glared from  flashing black eyes. She lookedfierce— outraged. The one to the left seemed to be the most com posed, appearingrelaxed and curious. Self-assured and unruffled, she regarded them  with coolappraisal.

His lips curved. He pressed them  together to keep from  laughing. That thefemales were uncomfortable with the casual garb of the Chiagan-Se was veryapparent. They’d contrived chest bands from  several loin cloths stretched tightacross their upper torsos. The expanded bands covered little, m ost notably on thegiantess. The monstrous globes looked ready to burst from  their inadequaterestraints. He’d have to ask the techs to research the clothing standards of these Chalices.

Vaux edged back, gripping his reader in tight-fisted hands. “I think they must

have understood me,” he m uttered, sidling behind Mordaq.

“You have to address them,” Shagal advised, prodding Tegan with his finger.

“They need to hear from  our leader.”

“I only know the words Vaux used. W hat more can I say?”

“They need to know who you are—who we all are.”

A sm all spark of perversity sprang to life. He was not the only one who had a

stake in these proceedings. “Then you step forward and give them  your name.”

“We are all nervous,” Mordaq hissed. “But as the son of our King, it is your

place to welcom e them .”

He knew. Curse his lot! But the situation was unlike any he’d ever foundhimself in before. These females evoked strong feelings of insecurity. W hat if theyregretted their decision to come? W hat would the breeders do if such acircumstance arose? He knew not, but standing here bemoaning his station onlyadded to the uncertainty.

He focused on the center Chalice. If he’d guessed correctly, she was the one Kormak’d chosen for him . He could not find fault with that selection. To his mind,she was a perfect choice.

Across the room, the fem ales were m uttering amongst themselves, eyeing him

with wary trepidation, making no effort to advance.

Inhaling, he fought for control, the weight of all the hopes of the rem aining Chiagan-Se resting on his shoulders. He stepped forward and spread his lips in awelcom ing sm ile.

****

“Look like a bunch of dam n albinos, except their eyes aren’t red,” Dread

whispered, lips barely moving.

No, their eyes weren’t red, Kara adm itted. Large and soulful, they varied fromshades of ice blue to sea green, sparkling with iridescent highlights. Each breedersported a mass of silver-white hair, either arranged in com plicated braids or tiedback, like the big guy in front. Most were bare from  the waist up, displaying broadshoulders, wash-board abs and rock hard pecs. Arm s rippled with corded m uscle,adorned by shiny metal armbands ringing their bulging biceps. Her eyes roameddown, noting the powerfully built thighs and strong calves. The breeders woreonly loin coverings m uch like the ones the women wore, but fancier, m oreelaborate. Interspaced among them, a few smaller types wore abbreviated toga-like garments draped over their left shoulder and tied at the waist. Shoes were Roman-style sandals, the laces crisscrossed and ending just below the knee.

As a whole, they looked altogether dangerous and unapproachable.

“ Did any of you ever watch Stargate Atlantis? These guys look like the Wraiths.” Dread m urm ured, adding unnecessarily. “The Wraiths sucked out their victim s’ life force.”

Moira’s whine rose to a pathetic m oaning.

“Only these guys’re better looking. A whole room  full of man candy,” Dread conceded, her voice laden with reluctant adm iration. “Never seen so many gorgeous hunks in one place before. Even if they are dead white.”

Kara’s fists knotted. Good-looking or not, hunky or puny, they were stillkidnappers and deserved nothing but com plete contem pt. She gritted her teeth,stilling the trem bling of her lips. The big guy came even closer.

He smiled.

“And Vampire teeth!” Dread’s shocked voice blurted the words out.

The room  exploded. Scream ing wom en rocketed to their feet and ran howlingtowards the sleeping quarters, a m ass of feminine hysteria jostling each other intheir mad rush to escape. Kara fell to her knees, knocked off her feet by thepanic-stricken mob. Even Anne abandoned her post and fled. A hand gripped hershoulder and pulled her upright. She was dragged behind Hanna as the bigwoman fought through the frantic women. Um e crowded her on the right,

glancing repeatedly over her shoulder as they ran.

“Close the entrance,” the usually calm  Anne shrieked, pounding on a panel of

lights. “W hich of these frickers works?”

Ume punched a green one and the panel slid shut. “The blue opens.”

Kara shook so hard her teeth clacked. Vam pires! The breeders were a bunch of

vampires. They’d been brought here as food for crissakes!

“Moira’s still out there,” a woman chattered. “She passed out and got left

behind.”

“Oh my God,” Kara sobbed, fighting the waves of blackness hammering at her

skull. “W hat’re we going to do?”

****

Tegan   watched   in   stunned   bewilderment   as   the   Chalices   took   flight,stampeding towards the fem ales’ cham ber and sliding shut the door. On the floorbefore them, one lone figure rem ained.

“They left us one,” Shagal com mented wryly, toeing the body. “She looks

dead.”

“I can see her chest rise and fall.” Tegan leaned over the fallen Chalice,

touching her cheek. “She’s just fainted.”

“They’re terrified.” Mordaq drew near, checking the female’s breathing. “I can

smell their fear.”

“W hy would they be afraid? Are we more unusual than they’d expected?”

“W hat did you do?” Shagal’s gaze was troubled, accusatory. “They ran after

you did som ething.”

“I sm iled. I was attem pting to show them  we’re friends.”

Shagal peered into his face. “Sm ile for me.”

He stretched his lips, feeling awkward, foolish.

Shrugging, Shagal grinned. “Looks fine to m e. Maybe they don’t smile in their

culture.”

“But they do,” Vaux com m ented. “Sm iling is considered welcom ing. I found

reference to it many times in my scans.”

“I don’t understand. I made no threatening gestures. I approached them

slowly.” His hands came up in supplication. “I did nothing wrong.”

Mordaq strode to the far wall and pressed several lights. Another restingchamber opened up, large enough to house the breeders. “Perhaps they need