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  Relak looked at her with a dawning respect playing around his lips.

  Sox worked her way through her meal and didn’t say another word. Enough had been said to bring conversation to a halt for a while.

  While she tried to concentrate on her food, Cor felt the happy hum of Lero in her mind. He was glad to have her there, and it made her wonder once again, What the hell had Dahla been?

  Chapter Five

  A woman brought dessert out, and she grinned at Relak as she passed. “Good to see you, Avatar.”

  “Thank you. It is good to be out again.” Relak smiled.

  That brought something to Cora’s mind. “Did you really stand there as a tree for seven centuries?”

  He nodded. “I did. It seemed the best option for me. It allowed me to be near my home, near Dahla’s grave and watch the sacrifices at the same time.”

  Cora blinked, “But why a fruit tree?”

  He sighed, “That was Lero’s idea. I sprouted fruit the day before yesterday.”

  Sox choked slightly, and Cor winced. “Sorry, how was I to know?”

  Sox mentioned, “Please tell me we didn’t eat anything important.”

  Relak laughed out loud. “It was the equivalent of a strand of hair. I would have been in danger if Cora had decided to use me for firewood.”

  They shared the joke over the fresh fruit, and after, Sox pushed it around a little, causing giggles to make their rounds around the table. It took Relak five minutes to assure Sox that he had not contributed any of the fruit and Cora could not stop laughing.

  She slumped back into her chair. When she finished her dessert and had some more wine, she couldn’t wipe the silly smile off her face.

  Relak leaned toward her. “Your hair is a most unusual colour.”

  She blinked, suddenly tired from her very long day. “Not that unusual. My friends used to say it was the colour of blood.”

  That made him sit up straight. “Your blood is the same colour?”

  “It is.”

  He left the table without another word.

  Sox frowned, “What was that about?”

  Cor drained her glass and smiled. “I have no idea. Shall we head to the girls and turn in?”

  “I think it is time to relieve Borik.” Sox smiled innocently.

  “I think you should enjoy debriefing him at the earliest opportunity.” Cor got to her feet and wobbled alarmingly. “Whoa. Did that wine steal your knees too?”

  Sox frowned. “No, not really. It was pleasant but not nearly what you are experiencing. Are you all right?”

  “I think I am going to find a nice hallway to prop myself up in. I don’t wanna face the sacrifices like this. I feel funny.” She tried to take a few steps and jerked to the right. “Oh, my.”

  Where are you going, Cora?

  Oh, hi, Lero. I need to have a nap. The wine is making me all wobbly.

  Relak is coming to help you. We didn’t realize what you were.

  What I am? I am a Terran.

  We know, but we didn’t know that Dahla was one as well until now. Her senses were so keen that the factors in the wine made her very drunk very quickly. Relak has gone to get a treatment to help you process the intoxicant.

  Oh. Okay. It was a nice wine.

  Gentle laughter cascaded through her mind. You will develop a tolerance to it, but if you don’t get a treatment, you will regret it in the morning.

  I will be on the steps near the campsite. He can find me there.

  Why there?

  It is a pretty place and it feels good to be there. It isn’t home, but it’s close. I like it.

  She hummed a tune as she walked down the hall, leaning against the wall when it was available and tottering past the open expanses when it wasn’t. Sox tried to help, but Cor batted her away.

  “No. I wanna walk by myself.” She beamed that she was able to enunciate her statement.

  “Fine, but don’t blame me if you fall over. Come to think of it, I don’t think I have ever seen you consume alcohol before. Why did you do it this evening?”

  “I wanted to be polite,” Cor paused to burp, “and I wasn’t driving.”

  The doorway nearest the camp was ahead and Cor dropped onto the steps with a sigh of relief, leaning back against the wall. “Yay! Made it.” She smiled happily and looked up at the strange constellations marching across the sky above her head.

  Sox grinned and made her way back to the camp where the nervous sacrifices seemed to have taken shelter in their silken tents. The Alliance tents were small, efficient and very portable. While Cor watched, Sox pretended to have trouble setting up her tent, bringing Borik close to offer help.

  Cora watched the peculiar courtship as Sox made all the moves and Borik responded as predicted and desired. The moment those two had made a connection it had been obvious to Cora that they were perfect for each other. He had an aura of strength and good humour about him that would suit Sox very well.

  “Are you enjoying the show?” Relak’s voice was next to her, and when she carefully turned her head, he was sitting less than a foot away.

  “I am, Sox needs someone. Borik would be good for her.”

  “She has you.”

  “I am not her mate. She needs to share her life, her love and her bed with someone. It is encoded in her genes.”

  Relak looked out at the couple as they stood and spoke close together. “Her genes, not yours?”

  “My people don’t all jump into pair bonds. I have never even been tempted. It is funny, because back on Earth my talent made me keep folks away, and out here, it attracts them. I still can barely stand to be touched, but I like it out here.” She knew she was rambling, but it seemed the thing to do.

  “Ah, well, I think everyone has the chance of finding happiness with another being. You just have to open your mind to the possibilities.” He smiled at her and showed her a hypo. “I didn’t know about your weakness to the wine until it was too late. I have brought this to help you metabolize it. Will you allow the injection?”

  Cora frowned. Her nerves were hypersensitive at the best of times, but he did seem worried. “Okay. Can I hold the hand you aren’t using on the hypo?”

  “Of course.”

  His hand gripped hers, and she hung on for dear life as the hypo was pressed to her shoulder and the hiss of the injection preceded the searing, fiery pain by a moment. She whimpered and closed her eyes, holding his hand with a death grip and memorizing every rough callous, every scar and the placement of each digit.

  He stroked her hair and murmured softly to her as the fire slowly receded.

  Her universe was slightly less fuzzy almost immediately. When her vision settled, she looked up at him. “How did you know what compound to use?”

  “It seems that you and Dahla were basically the same species. She had the same reaction at her coming-out party, and it was necessary for her to water her wine down for a year or two afterward until she had developed a tolerance.”

  “Basically?”

  “She had some traits that were Terran but others as well. It appears that the Terran physiology was stronger when it came to drinking. You may have trouble walking for a while, so may I put you in a bed more comfortable than your tent?”

  She yawned and rubbed at her eyes. “Okay, but no funny stuff. I sleep alone.”

  He laughed and got to his feet with her in his arms. “I stand warned.”

  To her surprise, Relak walked with her to the spot where Sox was flirting shamelessly.

  He made a small chirp in his throat and Borik straightened to attention. “Avatar, how can I be of assistance?”

  Relak smiled. “Cora requires some additional medical intervention, so I will be taking care of her this evening. I would like your assurance that you will remain with Guard Socorea until she no longer requires your services.”

  Sox looked delighted, and so did Borik.

  Cor couldn’t stop herself. “Go, Sox.”

  That earned her a glare
from her partner, but Cor had to suffer the brunt of it looking over Relak’s shoulder as he walked steadily to his home. The rhythmic steps caused a swaying effect that had her dozing by the time he reached a bed.

  “My room is the only one set up so far. You will have the bed to yourself. I have slept long enough.”

  She nodded and rolled over onto her side, curling her arms around the pillow, dropping into a deep and healing sleep.

  * * * *

  Relak watched his new mate as she flexed her thighs, inhaled deeply and began to snore in a very ladylike drone. The Alliance had authorized her transfer without even speaking to her, but he was considered a special case.

  Dahla had been a wonderful companion, and he had looked forward to her wedding, but having a Terran woman whom he had not raised as a daughter held far more appeal to him at this moment.

  He had loved Dahla as a daughter and later as a companion. His life had a hole in it when she was killed due to the lust and fury of a lesser people. For centuries, Lero had allowed him to grieve, but now, the time for grieving was over. He didn’t know what kindness he had done to fate to get her here, but she was now here and his senses were alive every time she looked at him.

  His skin vibrated with tension, his cock ached and Lero laughed at him each moment that she looked at him. Lero was delighted by his response, and Relak couldn’t blame him. In the eleven hundred years that he had been Lero’s Avatar, he had never seen a woman that made his stomach flip like Cora did.

  He hoped that her body was telling her the same thing, because her snoring told him nothing.

  Chapter Six

  Her mouth was dry and her head was sore, but it could have been so much worse. Cor sat up and pressed her hand to her forehead.

  A hand pulled hers down and pressed a glass of water into it. “Drink, miss.”

  One of the Leroans was smiling at her. She slugged down the water and felt remarkably improved in under a minute.

  “Avatar Relak needed to attend to something, but he will return soon.” The woman appeared to be Cor’s age, but there was something much older in her eyes.

  Cor reached out, and the woman refilled her glass. “I am Cora.”

  “Laveen. I am the twelfth generation of my family in service to the Avatar. I have been instructed to offer you a meal or anything else you wish.”

  Cor examined her carefully. The woman’s nut-brown skin was similar to Relak’s. “Relak was a Leroan before he was the Avatar?”

  Laveen nodded and started to straighten the covers around Cor. “He was the son of a baker, and when Haluu, the old Avatar, wanted to leave this world, Lero chose Relak as the next one on this world to represent him and us.”

  “How has he done?”

  “He has made us proud. Even after he suffered that devastating loss, he made sure that we were taken care of, coming into the light and speaking to us through a crystal projection. Though we did not meet him in person until yesterday, all those living in Lero have known him all their lives.”

  Cor had never been sitting in a bed while someone fluffed pillows around her, but Laveen was determined, and soon, Cor was sitting pretty with another glass of water and a view of the gardens through the pulled-back drapes.

  Smiling, Cor looked over toward the spot where the tents should be and saw only the abandoned fire pit. Her smile faded quickly. “Where are the girls?”

  Laveen was tidying the room and glanced over her shoulder. “Relak and your companion took them to the space station where they will return to Vahsh. They are not needed.”

  “But…Socorea would not have left without telling me.”

  “Even Relak could not wake you. You have been asleep for two days. Your snoring was most impressive, but your friend said you only did that when you were ill.” Laveen straightened the flowers and smiled. “Would you like something to eat?”

  “Please.” Cor carefully folded the bedding back, slipped out of the neatly made bed and looked around. A strange hum filled the air for a moment “Is there a lav nearby?”

  “Through the hall and to the left. I have made the request for a meal.”

  Cor paused. “Telepaths?”

  Laveen looked confused for a moment. “I don’t understand.”

  “If you have made the request without speaking, I am guessing you used your mind.”

  She sighed with understanding. “Oh. No. I just used my second set of vocal cords. They are ultrasonic and sent the message down the hall to the kitchen. It is why we build in open schemes with material that conducts sound.”

  Cor couldn’t ignore the call of her body any longer. “Can we discuss this some more?”

  “Of course. Relak said I was to answer all of your questions.”

  Cor went down the hall and found the lav right where it was supposed to be. The Leroans were getting Relak’s home up and running, starting with his personal quarters. It made his rooms the place to be.

  * * * *

  Sox pulled the controls back as they left the atmosphere of Lero. “I can’t believe you talked me into this.”

  Relak was at her side and sitting comfortably. “You heard the Alliance Rep, you have to follow my instructions in this matter.”

  Sox sighed. It was true. While Cor slept, Relak had powered up a communicator, and Sox and Relak had faced the screen while an Alliance functionary complimented Relak on his return to the walking world.

  Socorea explained to them what had occurred when Cora woke the sleeping Avatar, and Relak confirmed it. The Ontex Representative nodded, and with a few movements of his hand, assigned Cora Rhodes as permanent liaison to Lero. She received an upgrade in pay scale, a promotion to liaison and a bodyguard in the form of Socorea. Cor had snored through the whole thing, and it had taxed Sox’s acting skills to pretend that it was an abnormal occurrence. Cor snored loud enough to wake the dead at the best of times, but Sox didn’t want to scare the first respectable male Cor had been interested in.

  “Yes, Avatar, I heard him. But let me be completely clear, I don’t want you hurting my friend and leaving her alone without a word is definitely a bad start. She won’t like that.”

  He let out a sigh and ran his hand through the dark expanse of his hair. “I know, but this must be done.”

  They approached the orbital station, and Sox took in the polished and elaborate vehicles that the Vahsh owned. The shuttle that she was flying was giving her fits, and it seemed that the Vahsh kept their own high tech for their own nobles. The hired hands and the sacrifices could live or die, but the nobles would have the best of the best.

  Sox parked in the shuttle bay, triple checked the atmospheric seals and announced, “Okay, we are back on the station. Everyone off.”

  The girls couldn’t get out of the shuttle fast enough. Tobeena had made a half-hearted attempt at seduction, but Relak had pulled her arms away from his neck and turned her firmly toward the shuttle.

  He seemed genuinely fascinated by Cor, and the fascination went deeper than his reaction to her at first. His erection had definitely been enthusiastic, but he had gotten it under control. The first kiss was what had told her that Cor was as keen on him as he was on her. Cor didn’t kiss men randomly, her senses didn’t allow it.

  The sacrifices filed out of the shuttle to be met by their pleased parents.

  The prefect who was overseeing the entire arrangement came forward and extended his hand to Relak. “Avatar. So good to see you up and about. Which one of our lovelies did the trick?”

  Sox winced at the furious expression on Relak’s face. He really hated the Vahsh, and it seemed that everyone but the Vahsh could see it.

  “It was not one of your women who managed to see the truth of Lero, it was the guard you sent with the sacrifices.”

  The prefect looked at Sox in shock, and she raised her hands in a gesture indicating that it wasn’t her.

  She was asked, “Where is the other one?”

  Relak crossed his arms over his chest, and Lero spilled into
his voice. “She is safe and has been given over to me by her people. Now, as for the Vahsh…”

  The prefect rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Yes, now…when may we resume trade with Lero?”

  Lero looked down at Sox and his red eyes blazed.

  Sox was amazed that no one else was seeing it.

  “Lero will not resume trade with the Vahsh. Your character is unsound, your people are deceitful and you have warped history to suit your own air of dignity.”

  “What?”

  “You lie, men and women of Vahsh, and I am done with you.” Lero turned to Sox. “Pilot, my shuttle has been maintained, and it will see us home in short order.”

  The prefect tried to follow as Sox trailed after the hostile Avatar. He and the other Vahsh were blocked from following with an excluder screen.

  “You are really going to just leave them up here?”

  Lero answered, “This station is manned by Alliance personnel. They will see to the ejection of the Vahsh now that they have no excuse to stay.”

  “You said you have a shuttle?”

  He looked down at her and smiled, “I do. You will like her. She has had regular maintenance for the last seven centuries.”

  His palm pressed to a panel, and the wall slid to one side.

  Sox looked at the gorgeous creature in front of her, and Relak ceased to exist. The lines were graceful and indicated capability of tremendous speed. Her engines were tight to her body, and every inch of her gleamed glowing, mirrored silver.

  “Oh my dear. I think I am in love.”

  Relak chuckled and clapped her on the shoulder. “I will break it to Borik.”

  She laughed and walked to the ship and caressed the smooth metal. “I think I can manage both of them, her in the sky and him on the ground.”

  Relak may have been laughing his ass off, but she was dead serious. This ship was all hers—there was no price she wouldn’t pay to spend time behind those controls.

  Chapter Seven

  Cora spent the morning with Laveen, asking questions and getting frank answers.

  They were sitting at a table in the garden when Cora asked the question that had been hopping up and down in her mind since she had seen the Leroans walking the halls. “Where is the entrance to your underground city?”