Going Cold Read online

  He reached up and smoothed his hands over her ribs. “I know you are tired, so why don’t we just cuddle?”

  She smiled and lowered herself against him. “I need to sleep, but I want to be with you. Is that going to wear off, do you think?”

  “I am going to make every attempt to keep you in that mindset.” Valat wrapped his arms around her and rolled to his side. With careful moves, he shifted them around until her back was to his and his arms were around her.

  She felt the heavy weight of his erection at her back, and then he started to move his hands.

  When she was sighing and squirming, he slid slowly into her and rocked his hips against her until he was fully seated.

  He pressed a kiss to her. “Now sleep, if you can.”

  She snorted. “That is not likely.”

  He smiled. “Try.”

  She settled, but there was a throbbing inside her that was part her and part him. She moved her hips in a slow and minute rocking motion, and he simply held her against him as her soft moans got faster, as did her motions. He took one of her hands and pressed her fingers over her clit. She tried pressing, stroking, circling, and she finally shivered against him with a choked sound.

  He sighed and held her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Now, let’s get some rest.”

  She sighed. “This is not going to be a restful night.”

  He chuckled. “It is completely up to you.”

  Hesker twisted in his arms, and he grinned at her. She chuckled. “Enjoying yourself?”

  “Immensely. So very relieved that you have excellent reflexes.”

  She chuckled. “I can take care of myself.”

  “That is the point of this exercise. You need to be comfortable seeking pleasure.”

  “You consider this comfortable?” she circled her hips slowly.

  His lids drooped, and he gritted his teeth as he muttered, “Definitely not, but I do consider it educational.”

  “For you or for me?” She circled her hips again, stirring him inside her.

  He grunted as she continued lazily moving on him. “Apparently, I am the one learning the lesson.”

  She chuckled until he pressed a hand to her belly and started to thrust slowly. The air was driven from her lungs, and she lost interest in laughing.

  He turned her upper body and kissed her as he continued his slow forays into her, and they continued on and off for hours.

  He was humming happily as he looped up coils of her hair in preparation for their landing at Neheeva. Three days of not leaving her quarters and having meals delivered by Valat popping in and out had been interesting and strange. He hadn’t been able to regain his Nyal form steadily until that morning. He had been flicking through other species forms as well as the Kadar shape.

  He smiled at her in the mirror. “Did you know that Yish has begun courting Idress?”

  “Fascinating. Does she seem to be responding?”

  Valat paused. “She does. She is blushing, giggling, and trying to get into physical contact with him. He is looking dazed but pleased.”

  She sighed. “Good. I am getting used to seeing things in a different spectrum, but it is hard to figure out what I am seeing aside from dangerous and not dangerous.”

  He settled her headpiece in place. “And intoxicants.”

  “Yeah. Those. Why are there so many in Kadar food?”

  “Sedatives to assist with the survival of species around them.” His smile spoke volumes.

  “Right. I am going to be leaning on you a bit today.”

  He grinned. “I shall be there to support you, Dame Hesker.”

  She sighed and stood up in the elegantly wrapped ribbons that passed for Neheeva formal wear. Her makeup gave her all the charm of an enraged demon, so she was ready to go to work.

  She got the box for Neheeva and felt the envelope underneath. She pulled it and read it, nodding. “This one has a little something for everyone.”

  They walked slowly down the hall to the shuttle bay. Valat asked softly, “Will you be in danger?”

  “Only for a few seconds. I can manage it.”

  He grumbled as they got settled, and when her team was in place, they settled in, and she smiled as she noticed that only Valat was wearing the imperial uniform anymore. The other three were wearing guardian suits.

  “So, why the change in uniform for them and not you?”

  Valat smiled. “I am in service to Dame Hesker, and you are a Dame of the Nyal Imperium. When our duty is done, I will put on my suit again.”

  She gave him a sidelong glance. “Would you maybe consider showing me the suit sometime?”

  He blinked. “You are interested in such things?”

  Hesker sighed. “I wasn’t, but now I am. So, what is your answer?”

  He leaned over and whispered, “Whatever you like, as much as you would like it.”

  She stifled the shiver, but her nipples were still visible beneath the wrapped ribbons. “Don’t tease. This isn’t the time.”

  “No teasing, only promises.”

  She shivered again. “You are very bad for my self-control.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips. “I am happy to hear it. Now, what is in the letter?”

  She sighed and showed him the warrant with the death sentence on it. He raised his brows. “I will be ready when the warrant is read.”

  “Good.” She leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Wear the suit.”

  He shivered and looked at her with narrowed eyes. “That was cheating.”

  She smiled, “That was a promise.”

  She kissed his hand, and they sat together while they waited to land on Neveeha.

  She carried the box toward the throne in the court. The court was tense. The nobles were quiet and kept themselves nearly motionless.

  Hesker walked forward to where the old man was sitting with a leer on his expression. “I bring you a gift from the imperial heirs, King Tharno.”

  “Well, bring it here, bitch. What are you anyway?”

  Hesker felt cold running through her veins. “I am the imperial envoy.”

  “No, what are you? What species.”

  She stepped up to present the chest, opening the box with the wave of her hand.

  “I am generally the same species as the imperial princess.”

  “You will be in my bed tonight.” He nodded and opened the box to look into the box. “It is empty. What is this?”

  She smiled and read the warrant. “For the murders of your entire family, your queen, children, and grandchildren, for the murders of one thousand seventy-three citizens of the Ior village, you, King Tharno of Neveeha, are sentenced to death. I hereby summon your death in the name of the Nyal Imperial heirs. They do not need your kind.”

  He looked at her and the warrant in her hands. He started screaming for them to kill her.

  Her body was like ice. She felt the hot dot on her shoulder as Valat surged past her to carry out his commission. She dropped to the ground a second after her skin felt the hit. She grabbed the guard lunging at her, pulled him, spun around behind him, and killed him with his own blade across his neck.

  She stood, and the guards were frozen, and the nobles were locked in place.

  The guardians had entered the throne room and were keeping the folk from exiting.

  “There is something super scary behind me, isn’t there?” She smiled and turned to see Valat in his dark and terrifying aspect with blood dripping from his fingers. “I will be with you in a minute.”

  “The imperial heirs are assigning Lord Haduan’s eldest son—Barthuan—as the current regent until a vote can be held to choose a new king. Is Barthuan here?”

  A sombre young man emerged from the crowd. “I am.”

  “Have someone wash the crown off and keep it in storage. You will be receiving a communication from the heirs in the next few days after I file my report.”

  “Dame He
sker?”

  She smiled. “Yes?”

  “You are bleeding.”

  “I know. I was shot. I will get some appropriate repair on my shuttle.”

  “I can heal you.”

  The long fingers of Valat wrapped around her waist and directed her toward the young man.

  “Can you do it here? My mate is a little irritated right now, and if the sniper who hit me hasn’t begun running by now, he should really start.”

  Barthuan nodded and stepped closer to her. “He is your mate?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I did not think that the Kadar mated outside their species.”

  He rubbed his hands together and then pressed one to either side of her shoulder.

  “With a few exceptions, they don’t.”

  He focused, and she could feel the heat coming in through the wounds. “What exceptions?”

  “Well, the avatar’s mate wasn’t Kadar, but now, she is. And me. I wasn’t Kadar, but it is an increasing influence every passing day.”

  “I thought you were the same species as the imperial princess.”

  “I was. I might remain this way, but I am not upset either way.”

  “The damage here was near a nerve bundle. Why aren’t you screaming?” Barthuan finished the healing.

  “If I start screaming, he will be upset. Do you really want to know what happens if he is upset?” She smiled and bowed. “Have a good day, Regent Barthuan. Wait for the heirs’ call.”

  “Yes, Dame Hesker. Thank you for the visit.”

  “Thank you for the healing.” She turned to Valat. “I need that arm now.”

  He picked her up and pulled her into the shadows. A moment later, they were in the medical bay, and Valat was in his Nyal form preparing scanners and injections.

  “You knew the shot was coming.”

  “I did.”

  “You didn’t drop in time.”

  “I didn’t. There was a servant in the line of fire. If I had dropped early, someone would have lost a relative. I had to take the hit in a non-essential area.”

  He rounded on her, and his shadows flared. “All of you is essential!”

  She patted him. “It was a flesh wound. Nothing more.”

  Valat shuddered. “I don’t like to see you hurt.”

  “I will try to avoid damage in the future.” She smiled.

  He huffed and appeared to realize that she was fine. “You lost a lot of blood.”

  She shrugged and then winced at the tug on her shoulder. “I am sure that I will be injured a few times during our tour. I know that there is still a price on my head, so I am just going to keep doing what I am doing with our little set of guardians. A few more years, and I would like to find a nice stationary place where they can come at me directly.” She smiled as he jabbed her with hypos. “Or maybe just work to get a ship and spend the rest of my life in the stars.”

  He grunted. “I know of a world where we can find a place of our own. They draw those who have a situation like ours.”

  He started cleaning her blood off her skin.

  “Where would that be?”

  “There is a planet called Rekfa, and one of your kind has taken the position of avatar. She has issued an invitation to me before, so I can only imagine how thrilled she would be to have two death gods on her soil.”

  “Death gods?” She was amused.

  “Of course. What else would you call us?”

  She touched his cheek, and then, he turned to her. “Sweet, charming, caring, and yeah, a little deathy.”

  * * * *

  They were still locked together when the medic came in to check on the activity in his offices. It was a sight he was going to have to live with. The envoy enveloped in Summoned Death and not minding a bit.

  Epilogue

  The last box was delivered to the heirs of the Nyal Imperium themselves.

  Hesker extended the box and waved her hand over it. Caalos Renix and Hydrangea took the box and opened it.

  The funeral for the emperor had been two days earlier, and the lack of the crowns had not been missed.

  Hydrangea smiled and took her husband’s crown in her hands. He took hers in his, and they crowned each other in front of the gathered Nyal court.

  She smiled and bowed at the emperor and empress. “And with this final dispatch concluded. I will tender my resignation and withdraw into the shadows.”

  Krin chuckled. Yish grinned with his arm linked in Idress’s. And Kirlus looked relieved.

  Caalos cocked his head. “If you are amenable, we would like to speak with you and your gathering about a posting in a similar manner to the Sector Guard.”

  She inclined her head. “I believe that the guardians may be interested, but I will need to figure out my next occupation.”

  Hydrangea smiled. “We are including you in that invitation. It is not like Summoned Death will be parted from you.”

  Hydrangea paused, and then, she reached beside her throne. “Ah, we were told to provide this to you as a sign of completion.”

  Hesker stepped forward and took the object. She knew she had to open it, but having it in here went against protocol.

  As she unwrapped it, Caalos mentioned casually, “Dame Hesker is the only person who shall be granted the authorization to wear blades in the throne room or every chamber of the palace. It is only fair as her mate carries them wherever he goes.”

  Hesker felt Valat behind her, and he examined the blade. “It is a good one. Small enough to be concealed, sharp enough to do some damage.”

  She looked up at him, and he kissed her upside down. When they finished, she looked to the bemused couple and said, “Thank you, but why does it have imperial sigils on it?”

  Hydrangea smiled. “It is to continue our ties. The blade in your hand is a death warrant. You need never wait for authorization within the Nyal Imperium.”

  “Oooh.” She pursed her lips together. “Thank you again.”

  Caalos rose to his feet and nodded. “Right. Let’s get something to eat. Guardians, come with me.”

  Hesker tried to hold back, but Valat picked her up and hauled her along. Hydrangea smiled. “Get used to it. Once you are with them, it is all the way.”

  Hesker looked at Valat’s shadows and smiled. “I think I knew I was all in at the moment I saw his claws. That was the guy for me.”

  He kissed her as they walked, and they spent the rest of their fourth anniversary with the imperial couple and talking about Idress and Yish’s little ones on W’lyn.

  During dinner, Hesker asked, “So, where is the new base to be built?”

  “On Nyal. The Adonai family has offered financing for the project, and the Avedis monarchy has authorized you to come and go as needed in the sector. The ladies will be offered special circumstances, as will your children, but perhaps you can stem the tide of women stolen and sent to the arena.”

  Hesker grinned and flexed her fingers. “Oh, I think that will be a very entertaining hobby.”

  Idress looked gleeful, and Kirlus was slightly appalled.

  The conversation discussed interplanetary trade and a few female aliens going missing. Someone was needed to work on the inconsequential issues, and Hesker looked forward to it. Tracking her prey was her favourite part of the hunt.

  “Hesker, you can’t kill them all.”

  She smiled. “Didn’t I ever tell you? I was always better at slow torture before death. These men are in desperate need of a Darwin award.”

  Hydrangea spluttered on her wine, and she grinned. “That is a thought.”

  Caalos frowned. “What is a Darwin award?”

  Hydrangea explained, and Hesker summed it up. “They are removed from the evolution of the species.”

  Several of the men winced, but the ladies chuckled. They enjoyed the rest of the dinner, and before they left, Hydrangea brought her a box.

  “I had heard that you were this kind of pe
rson, so if you do remain with the guardians, I can confirm that you will get a ready supply.”

  Hesker opened the box, and the scent hit her and nearly sent her to her knees. Coffee! “Where did you get this?”

  “They send it to me, and we have begun our own plantations around the sector. It isn’t to everyone’s taste, but if we can keep the Terrans around here a little more comfortable, make the Imperium feel like home, then it is worth the effort.” Hydrangea smiled and hugged Hesker.

  “Thank you for your work, Hesker. I do not think that anyone else could have managed what you did.”

  “There were probably a few who could have done it without bloodshed.”

  Hydrangea smiled. “They weren’t available.”

  Hesker giggled and hugged the empress with the precious box of coffee tucked under her arm.

  Late at night, she sat and stared at the box, inhaling the scent. Valat went up on one elbow. “What exactly is it?”

  “I used to live on this stuff. It smells amazing and tastes a bit bitter and bland, but it has caffeine in it, and it got me up and going every morning.”

  He frowned. “Isn’t that...”

  “Bright fucking pink. I guess I have to save it for special occasions or plastered every time I have a cup.”

  “I stand by to guard your honour.”

  She closed the box and looked at him, crawling over him. “You have a vested interest in my surrendering to intoxicants. All three times I have done it, you have had a ridiculous grin on your features no matter the form.”

  He raised his brows. “I was happy that you relaxed and had a nice time.”

  She laughed and kissed him. “It was a very nice time, and I was sore in some very suspicious places afterward.”

  “Perhaps I was overly enthusiastic.”

  She slid down his body, and she licked at his chest.

  “Hesker, what are you doing?”

  “I am becoming overly enthusiastic. Care to join me?”

  He rolled her to her back and joined her. They would be at Nyal in two days, and then, she would get her own guardian suit. She was extremely enthusiastic about that as she could never resist Valat in his.