Legacy Contract (Stand Alone Tales Book 6) Read online

  The nurse smiled. “Yes. Are you excited?”

  It was a strange expression, but Dekora said, “Sure. I guess so. I just want to get back on my feet and out for new contracts.”

  “So soon? You aren’t going to stay here?” The nurse seemed shocked.

  “I am going to get through my recovery and then start living my life again. The sooner I can put this in my past, the better I will be.”

  “Ah, well there will be restrictions for the first year.”

  She snorted. “I will manage without doing any damage. I usually do.”

  The nurse smiled and left.

  There were a few more vids featuring the heroes, and then, she found herself drowsy again. It must be something in the pain killers.

  She woke up in a different room. Flowers were on the beside table, and her hand and arm were slightly pink but repaired. She was sitting in a soft and gauzy robe over a light and airy nightgown. When she sat up, she looked around and found a data pad. When her fingers touched the pad, a woman came through the door with Dr. Ock on her heels.

  “Well, Mistress Mills, you are a very fortunate woman.” The woman smiled brightly.

  “Am I? Pardon me, but who are you?”

  “Ah, I am your obstetrics professional, Dr. Kelway. Dr. Ock has told me how fortunate we were that you arrived when you did. You were exactly what we needed.”

  She looked at the woman. “How long have I been out?”

  “We kept you out for three days to make sure that the embryo was seated. You are now carrying the legacy of Khed Amur. We had despaired finding a surrogate for him. His genetic makeup makes him a tricky match.”

  She frowned. “I don’t understand. What are you talking about?”

  The doctor held up a data pad with the legacy contract on it. She frowned. “Your signature is on the bottom of this. Don’t tell me that you didn’t actually read it. That is sloppy.”

  Dekora frowned. “I have recently been injured, and I did offer contracts for a number of medical interventions that wouldn’t impair my ability to work. I remember requesting additional information for the legacy, but that was it.”

  Dr. Ock was shifting from foot to foot. “Perhaps you were on too much dynothol. Well, it is done now, the embryo is attached, and your body is working wonderfully to prepare for it.”

  She was staring at him, and he didn’t meet her gaze. Dr. Kelway tutted. “Well, we can figure out the bureaucracy issues later, but for now, you are a matter of national security. There will be photo shoots, press briefings, and you will be under guard for the next ten months.”

  “What?” The breath left her in a rush. “I need to see that contract.”

  Dr. Kelway picked up her data pad and frowned. “It isn’t on here.”

  Dr. Ock cleared his throat. “It must have been a glitch.”

  He sent her a copy with a few flicks of his fingers.

  The contract came up, and she blinked when she saw the amount of money that had already been released.

  “So, you are working on Sephal already, Dr. Ock?”

  He blinked, and then, he lifted his data pad. “The replacement organs are being generated. She will be into surgery by the end of the month.”

  That let the wind out of Dekora’s outrage. Renting out her body for the price of her friend’s life wasn’t something she was going to fight. A quick flick of the contract indicated that they would repair her body to show-room condition.

  She lifted the data pad. “I guess that I have some reading to do.”

  Dr. Kelway smiled at the release of tension. “Excellent. Well, you will remain here and do your physio for your injury. At the six-week mark, we will present you to the public, and then, we will have to see what the response is. Khed Amur is a well-loved hero. Our inability to provide him with a legacy has been a worry to the people. If he is ever injured or dies, we will have hope for the future.”

  Dr. Ock nodded. “I will leave you with Dr. Kelway now. Don’t worry, she has extensive experience with those who carry the legacies.”

  He escaped out the door, and Dr. Kelway looked at her. “There was some irregularity with the contract?”

  “Well, let’s say that he was probably running compatibility scans and got excited to see that I was Knothean. I am guessing that Khed Amur is one of my kind?”

  Dr. Kelway pulled up a chair next to her. “His grandfather was a Knothean. His parents had him using intervention, but there is apparently a component that his sperm needs that can only be found in a Knothean.”

  Dekora nodded. “His sperm have an extra protein sheath. If it doesn’t hit an egg to match, it will just punch through it.”

  “So, you know about this peculiarity.”

  “Of course. We are taught about it in school. It is the same reason that we travel around without worrying about pregnancy. It can happen, but it isn’t very likely. The guys can actually manage it with a drastic change in diet. I am guessing that Khed’s grandfather got really ill for a prolonged period before he got his wife pregnant.”

  “So, we could have managed it with diet?” Dr. Kelway was typing frantically.

  “Well, not just diet, he would have to nearly die. The protein is a product of the immune system, so the healthier he is, the less likely he is to get anyone who isn’t a Knothean pregnant, and then, it is still a one-in-five probability” She sighed. “I am guessing you did use my own egg.”

  She nodded. “You had signed the ovarian donation, right?”

  Dekora nodded. “That one I had signed, yes.”

  “Yes, we used your egg, added his sperm, they got along very well, and then, we implanted the embryo.”

  Dekora swung her legs over the bed and slowly stood up. “So, what is the deal with the robe and gown?”

  Dr. Kelway wrinkled her nose. “It is expected. Your body is going to be on display in this discrete way for the remainder of your pregnancy. It is protocol. There was once a carrier who lost the pregnancy but didn’t inform the authorities, and she wanted to keep the funds coming. She made a prosthetic and used it to hide the fact that the child was no longer with her.”

  “Oh, geez.”

  “The legacy she was carrying was that of a hero who had died in the line of duty. When the child died, so did his line, and there was no chance to create another child as the body had been disposed of. They had to clone one, and he was good but not great.”

  The casual mention of cloning stopped Dekora cold. “You clone here?”

  “Not anymore. It isn’t reliable.”

  That was a shocker, and Dekora went into the restroom and stared at herself in the mirror. Someone had groomed her. There was light lip tint, and her eyelashes were darker than nature had intended. Her hair was brushed, and the slight wave was in evidence. She was pretty sure that someone had taken a vid of her at some point.

  She looked... pretty. She hated looking pretty. She would rather be grimy than pretty, but submitting to grooming was in the first glance of the contract that she had read.

  Fine. She had to look like a lady, but nothing said she had to workout like one

  Chapter Three

  Dr. Kelway was a little taken aback when Dekora insisted on beginning physiotherapy. Immediately.

  Dekora sighed. “I have been in and out of consciousness for the last ten days. I need to begin getting myself back into a fit state. I depend on my body for my living. I am not going to let it atrophy to prop up someone’s idea of a proper pregnant woman. I read that part of the contract. I am allowed to continue my regular routine provided that I am not endangering the baby. My regular routine is a lot of weightlifting and some light cardio.”

  “I haven’t arranged a therapist yet.”

  Dekora smiled. “It’s fine. Just steer me toward the gym, and I will make do.”

  “I will have someone meet us there. You are sure?”

  “Well, I don’t want to lose muscle tone, and as a physician and someone who specialised in obstetrics, you know that
keeping up physical condition is good for the carrier and the child. It increases blood flow and improves the mood.”

  She pulled up a map of the hospital, and Dr. Kelway said, “Never mind. I will take you.”

  “Thank you. Do I have to work out in this? Or is there something else I can wear.”

  Kelway frowned. “There will be clothing available for you. There are bio-monitor suits that we keep at the gym for patients who require monitoring.”

  “Good. I don’t like running around in a gauzy bathrobe.”

  They walked out and headed for the gym.

  * * * *

  Khed was doing some paperwork when Levell came in with a huge grin. “Congratulations!”

  Khed frowned. “What?”

  “Your legacy is ensured. They found a surrogate, and she’s pregnant. It is on all the news vids. Didn’t they tell you?”

  He turned on the monitor and watched the excited announcement that it was early days, but the legacy contract for Khed Amur was in action. Somewhere, there was a woman carrying his child. It was a leaked statement, but it was out of Gryphal hospital. There was every reason to think it was real.

  Levell stood next to his desk. “Well? Aren’t you excited?”

  Khed blinked. “I will consider being excited once she passes the first trimester. The report said she was three weeks along. I need to make a call.”

  “Okay, but hurry up. The other guys want to make a toast.”

  Khed waited until his friend was out, and then, he called Dr. Ock. “Doc, this is Khed here. Can you tell me why the hell I am the last one to know that you found a carrier?”

  “Ah, Hero Amur, we wanted to make sure that the carrier was thriving with the pregnancy. She is also not the easiest woman to deal with, so we didn’t want to bother you or connect you for the standard interview.”

  “How is she difficult? How did you find an egg?” Khed frowned.

  “I will send you her files. She is very attractive and, surprisingly, a Knothean. A child brought to term by her will be tremendously healthy.” Dr. Ock’s voice was enthusiastic.

  Khed grunted. “Send me her file. Now.”

  He stopped the call, and the file appeared a moment later. The image of the woman sleeping with one hand near her face and her body barely clad in the robe and gown of a carrier sent a thud of emotion through his body. She looked so sweet, so vulnerable, how could she possibly carry a full-term child with enhanced abilities?

  He hoped that Dr. Ock knew what he was doing.

  Khed put the image of the woman on his screen before he headed to the impromptu party. She looked so peaceful asleep. Was she as delicate and feminine while waking? Looking at her woke his protective instincts, and he could hardly wait until he met her face to face.

  * * * *

  She pressed her body weight on the machine, and her therapist was hovering nearby in case she needed a spotter. The monitor suit was showing that all levels were good, but she was near her limit.

  Dekora set the bar back in place, and she stood talking to her therapist for a few minutes when a woman rushed in.

  “Where is she? Where is the bitch?”

  Dekora looked at the woman and knew crazy when she saw it. “Which bitch? Narrow it down.”

  The woman looked around all the machines, and it was then that the knife she was carrying was apparent.

  “I am looking for the cow who is carrying Khed Amur’s baby. I am his surrogate. I am going to carry his legacy.”

  The physiotherapist was calling for help.

  “Oh. You are looking for the pregnant lady.” Dekora nodded as if she just caught on. “That would be me.”

  The woman looked her up and down. “No. You have to wear the gauzy outfit. It’s the law.”

  Dekora walked toward her. “It turns out, that law is only in effect when I leave the facility. Right now, I am within a medical facility, and therefore, I am not required to wear the gauzy nightgown.”

  The woman shrieked and ran at her, arm overhead and slashing. Dekora waited and just grabbed her as she got within range, numbing her hand with a tight grip, and then, she took her to the floor. She pulled the woman’s arms behind her back and held her there.

  “Now, I did all that while under legacy contract. Imagine what I would have done if the baby was further along and actually in danger. You are the second attack, and I am done with you. Now, can I break your arms for trying to kill the child of your precious Khed Amur?”

  The woman babbled and shrieked, shaking her head.

  The security guards arrived and hauled her off.

  The physiotherapist took the folded gauzy clothing and handed it to her. “The investigation is going to start. You might want to get into uniform.”

  “Fine. Don’t forget to find out which nurse pointed her in this direction.” She grabbed her nightie and went to get changed.

  She removed the monitor suit and put on the nightgown then let the guard at the door escort her to her suite. She was going to catch hell for not running and hiding, but she had just finished a personal best workout, and she had been a bouncer when she was out of school. Her body was at its best when it could use the muscle groups that nature had gifted it with.

  Back on her lounge, she watched a series of news vids that, shockingly, included the immediate attack on her life. It was like the crowds of news folk were outside the doors.

  When her door opened and someone came in, she was expecting one of the nurses or Dr. Kelway. Khed Amur in full battle armour was not on her list of things to anticipate.

  She jumped to her feet and winced, suddenly remembering that the security fuss had delayed her meal. She looked at him, and he tilted sideways before the world went grey.

  * * * *

  The woman was just as pretty in person, but there was a pheromone in the air that made him move closer. He was opening his mouth to shout at her about the risky behaviour of confronting an armed assailant when her pupils dilated, and she collapsed. He caught her as she wilted and lifted her in his arms.

  Dr. Ock came through the door, and he asked, “What happened? Is she injured?”

  “She fainted. According to my family, it is pheromone lock. Her scent hit me when I entered her room.”

  He was walking toward the lift to the roof.

  “Where are you taking her?”

  “To the base. There is always someone there and on duty, and they are far better equipped to keep track of a lone woman than a hospital full of gossips.”

  “She will need prenatal care.”

  “Dr. Kelway can come to her at the base.”

  “How do you know she is in good condition? She may need medical care right now.”

  The woman squirmed, yawned, and leaned against his breastplate. The light snore caused by her being curled up on him was unmistakable.

  “My ocular display says she’s fine. I will keep the hospital informed, but right now, she is coming with me.”

  Khed held her carefully as he got on his flier. He took the cloak out of the hatch and wrapped her in the black and gold fabric. He didn’t want her getting cold, and it was an hour’s flight to the base.

  He settled her back in his arms and activated the homing function to the flier. He had an hour with his carrier, and he just had to wait for the beauty to wake.

  * * * *

  The cool air against her face brought her out of the faint. She stirred, but she was confined and that made her push harder.

  “Easy, we are three hundred feet above the treeline.”

  The low, smooth voice confirmed what she was thinking, she had gone nuts.

  She looked up, and he stared down at her with intense dark eyes. His hair was fluttering behind them, and the sky was a lot closer than it normally was.

  “Um, why am I not at the hospital?”

  “You were not safe there. Apparently, there is a cult of women who has decided that they want to be my carrier. There have been seventeen attempts to date, and you are the only
one that it stuck with.”

  She snorted. “I had an advantage if you can consider it that.”

  “What was that?”

  She sighed. “They said that your grandfather was Knothean.”

  “Yes.”

  “I am Knothean.”

  He nodded. He had read it, but he hadn’t credited it. Knotheans didn’t leave home. His grandfather had been coerced onto a colony ship. His mother and father required direct intervention to get pregnant with him, and they could not afford to do it a second time.

  “Why are you here?”

  She sighed and closed her eyes. “I have a friend who suffered a major chemical exposure. Her organs were replaced by synthetics, but the tissue damage wasn’t fixed. She is in a slow degradation cycle, and since there is only one place that is willing to do anything to get a patient back together, I sold everything I had, bought a stasis tube, and then rammed her into a freighter. We came here. I was able to pay to check her in, took another contract to pay for her assessment, and then, I was stuck looking for a way to pay for treatment.”

  “You thought that having a child was a good way to get money?”

  She snorted. “No. That was a surprise. I am guessing that Dr. Ock jumped the gun because he was thrilled by my compatibility. I was just going to sell organs, blood, and eggs. The pregnancy was done when I finished the burn treatment.”

  She shuddered. “That set me back.”

  “Burn? What happened?”

  She sighed. “I was working on the firebreak crew that got caught in the flashfire. The tree came down on my arm, and the right side of my body was scorched.”

  “Ah. I believe that I saw that on the news. They didn’t mention your name, though.”

  Dekora chuckled. “That is the only saving grace to the news. Because I am carrying, they can’t mention my name. It is considered harmful to the embryo.”

  He cocked his head. “You don’t have someone home on Knothean?”