Fire Dance Read online

  Hahvi returned to the bed and had a seat. Rackon took her hand and tugged her toward him.

  She had a thousand questions that would distract him from the intent in his eyes, but she swallowed them all and pressed her lips to his.

  They rolled together in the sheets, her Masuo disappearing as he touched her skin. The cuff on her leg didn’t get in the way as she stroked the hard planes of his skin and her fingers memorised the strange musculature of the Bormaic.

  She held her breath when he slid into her, and stars shattered behind her eyes as the dream master took her to the heights of pleasure and joined her there.

  Hahvi leaned against his chest and stroked the hand that he had wrapped around her abdomen. “How long will we have together?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Before the Citadel comes to claim me and send me to my next world.” She chuckled. Being sent to the next world was a euphemism for death on Resicor.

  “Ah, that. Well, I have been assigned as your pilot, escort and liaison. We will have as much time together as you wish.”

  She turned and pressed her head to his shoulder. “Are you serious?”

  “I am usually serious. Why, are you unhappy with it?”

  She grinned. “No. Delighted.” Snickering, she shifted slowly against him, waking his interest. “It is so hard to train good help nowadays.”

  He growled, nipped her shoulder and rolled her to her back. Together, they engaged in training and exploring his skills at liaising.

  Hahvi stood in front of the council of Bormaic for the final time.

  “Hahvi Karuda of the Citadel, thank you for your skills and efforts on our behalf. Not only did you save this city from disaster on the other plateau, but you also have managed to locate a far more desirable situation for us. We did not even know it was possible.”

  “It was a fascinating experience.” She inclined her head.

  He winked, “The funds have been transferred into your accounts, and we will remember your skills should we be able to create a second city in the future.”

  She smiled. “Planning for expansive futures is the privilege of those who lived through the difficult times. I hope you enjoy your new location.”

  The crowd cheered, and she raised a hand. “I would like to point out that I would not be here if it was not for Rackon and Aliora. They have put me where I needed to be, taken care of me and kept me healthy. That in itself deserves applause.”

  Hahvi watched as her two keepers blushed under the appreciation of their people.

  Snickering, she shook the hand of the councillors, waved riotously at the rest of the people and walked into the shuttle.

  Sighing, she strapped in and waited for Rackon. He was hugging his family goodbye.

  Aliora and Hahvi had had their goodbye that morning. Nothing had to be said on Hahvi’s part. Aliora knew what she was thinking.

  Rackon sealed the shuttle and joined her at the helm. “Now, this is how you do a pre-flight check.”

  He ran through the basics, double-checked that all the revellers were away from the shuttle and lifted off, using the heat coming off the lava field as propulsion. The Bormaic had adapted all of their power sources to use the heat when it could, and if Hahvi had her way, she would like to come back when the planet began to cool.

  She waited for the blackness of space before she turned to Rackon and asked, “I get paid for this?”

  He chuckled and snickered. “I am guessing that you did not have a chance to read the contract back on Morganti.”

  “No. I was adapting to having skin in places that used to be suit.”

  “The Citadel is a guild, education centre and training facility. You have a set rate based on the difficulty of your work and the commonness of your talent. You, my dear, are one of a kind.” He grinned and shifted their trajectory, heading for the jump point.

  She sighed, put her arms behind her head and crossed her ankles. “You are not the first to have said it, but I did like it the most coming from you.”

  He laughed again. “Your fire dance is making the rounds. Many species want you to show up simply for your celebrity status.”

  “Who decides where I go?”

  “The Citadel and the Sector Guard. We are being stationed at Morganti. They specialize in natural disasters. I think your talent qualifies you to deal with them.”

  “What about getting my family off Resicor?”

  “They are the best facility to deal with them. Relay has contacts in places that make the most exotically connected shudder.”

  Hahvi watched the stars get closer. “I want to free the talents from Resicor. I want to get them away from the dome.”

  Rackon sighed, “My mother always told me to make a list of all the things I want to accomplish in life. As I do them, strike one off and add something else to the bottom.”

  “That’s a good idea.” She looked around. “Where do I find a charcoal and paper?”

  “I will get it for you when we are in the Morganti Citadel. You will also be able to take courses there. Your education was covered in the contract.”

  She snickered. “It did seem rather specific to the Resicor.”

  “Why shouldn’t it be? You are the fourth Resicor to make it into the Alliance.”

  “I know. There is nothing like inside information to make the days go faster.”

  Hahvi sighed and watched the stars pass. Millions of stars, millions of planets and some of them were waiting for her and only her. She was content to rest now, but she hoped that it wouldn’t be too long before she could indulge in her fire dance.

  In the meantime, she would dream of Amlie and the day that freedom would come for the physical talents of Resicor. It was going to be high on her list.

  Author’s Note

  Sorry. I peeled another one. I hate the necessity, but since she had been in the suit for eight years, there was no chance of her not being in a working restrictor suit.

  There is a war coming to Resicor…or an invasion. I have not yet decided. If you have an idea on the matter, feel free to send a note.

  Thanks for reading,

  Viola Grace

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  http://www.violagrace.com

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  About the Author

  Viola Grace was born in Manitoba, Canada where she still resides today. She really likes it there. She has no pets and can barely keep sea monkeys alive for a reasonable amount of time. Her line of day job tends to be analytical which leaves her mind hopping to weave stories. No co-worker is safe from her character analysis. In keeping with busy hands are happy hands, her hobbies have included cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, costuming, cake decorating, baking, cooking, metal work, beading, sculpting, painting, doll making, henna tattoos, chain mail, and a few others that have been forgotten. It is quite often that these hobbies make their way into her tales.

  Viola’s fetishes include boots and corsetry, and her greatest weakness is her uncontrollable blush. Her writing actively pursues the Happily Ever After that so rarely occurs in nature. It is an admirable thing and something that we should all strive for. To find one that we truly like, as well as love.

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