Companion's Dilemma (Brace for Humanity Book 5) Read online

  Yoris stared in shock. “A companion? They normally wear only the loose upper vest.”

  Lekorh smiled. “As tempting as the thought is, I believe one of the new breast bands would be appropriate in the place of a naked torso.”

  “I will work on something. Sarah, I will need to take your measurements.”

  She nodded and walked to the back where he did his work.

  She stepped onto the scan plate, and he cleared his throat. “I need bare skin, please. The undergarments need to be an exact fit.”

  She sighed and removed her clothing, looking nervously toward the front of the shop. Lekorh was diverting everyone from entering the shop. She chuckled. She stood with her arms out and shoulders back.

  The scanner went up and down in a green halo, past her head and back down. When it was done, she sighed in relief.

  Getting dressed while a Nool checked the scan and Lekorh broadcasted a blank shop was a little odd, but when her clothing was back in place, she let out another sigh of relief.

  She exited the rear of the shop and went back to Lekorh.

  He looked at Yoris. “I am expecting some mock-ups before the design is finalized. She needs to be comfortable at all times.”

  Yoris inclined his head. “Yes, Saya.”

  Sarah blinked as her friend’s mind went into a calm and neutral state. “Dude, that is just odd.”

  Yoris perked up. “I will miss the pastries.”

  She grinned and winked. “So will I. Sommin has a good touch with the recipes though. He is just traditional.”

  Yoris smiled. “He is going to try some of the human recipes today. Your intercession on his behalf has changed his opinion on the matter.”

  Lekorh perked up. “That is very good news. I must admit that I was mourning the loss of Vedder and his deft touch with sweets.”

  Yoris chuckled. “I was always after the savouries. His skills will be a loss to our community. Have you heard how he is adapting?”

  Sarah looked to Lekorh, and he nodded. “He is in a lot of pain with the body stretching and rewiring. His instincts are rioting, and he thought he killed me until he was informed otherwise.”

  Yoris winced. “I can understand his pain.”

  Lekorh nodded. “As can I. Now, we must return to the administration building for this afternoon’s work.”

  She smiled. “Thanks, Yoris. I trust that you won’t make me look like an idiot.”

  “It would be impossible, Miss.”

  She inclined her head and took the arm that Lekorh offered her. It was that gesture that caused Yoris’s mouth to open in surprise.

  They walked back to the administration building with folks simply moving around them. He had wrapped them in invisibility for the moment. She leaned her head against his shoulders in the moment of privacy.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No. This just feels nice. A moment alone with the world swirling around us.”

  He pulled her in close and put his arm around her for the last of the few blocks to the administration building. When they entered and scanned in, the guard jumped in surprise, but they travelled up to their floor and returned to his office.

  She had to work on her personal barrier between her and the people around her, and he needed to scan the colony and watch the prep on the sting operation that was going to take place that afternoon during the concert.

  Part of her wished she could listen to the alien songstress that was being brought in by the administration, but there would be other concerts to listen to. She could do it another time when she could use her mind to protect herself.

  Lekorh’s protection was entertaining because it was new. If he weren’t teaching her to stand up on her own feet, she wouldn’t be nearly as pleased about the situation.

  She settled on her knees and decided to check on Isabella. Her friend was doing a lot of the actual admin work, arranging shifts, moving staff, and ordering supplies from the main depot.

  While she was a little bit intimidated, she checked on Iktabi, and he was working on the sting operation, making sure that everyone was in place. It appeared that the portal had already been identified, and when the raiders started grabbing women, the portal would be disconnected immediately. They held back their action to make sure that all players were in motion. They wanted to grab as many raiders as they could.

  She returned to her focus on pulling in a shield of concealment around herself. It didn’t feel any different, but she tried to hold it and stood up carefully to move around the room.

  Lekorh continued his work without a flicker of attention paid to her. She bent and twisted, touched her toes, and did a quiet little dance step, all while holding her shield in place.

  When she laughed, he looked up, his gaze going toward the floor and then darting to her. “Well done, Sarah. Now, check your physical status and see if you need anything.”

  She looked down and saw that all her clothing was in place. He got up from his desk and came around to her as she realized that he was referring to her having burned through her caloric intake for the day. He caught her as she swayed.

  “So, this is going to take a bit of keeping an eye on.” She smiled up at him.

  “How long were you invisible?”

  “Twenty minutes.”

  He grinned. “In that case, well done. I will get you some sugared tea.”

  He lifted her and carried her to the chair that was next to the window that overlooked the city.

  She sat there and stared at the expanse of living beings that were gathering in the park, and she sighed, taking the cup from Lekorh when he returned.

  “Thank you.” She smiled and sipped at the tea.

  He crouched next to her. “When your mind reads the waves, your brain becomes a sort of transmission and receiving station. That station needs power, and it takes it from your cells. This is why most Saya remain immobile while working and even while they are on their time off.”

  “Why don’t you?”

  “I have always felt the urge to be out in the world, and I was lucky to find an overseer who would allow me to.”

  “So, it is a good match then, you being here on Imrahl.”

  “It is. If I hadn’t been here, I would never have met you, and then, where would we be?”

  “Well, you would be involved in a more efficient day.”

  He nodded. “And the women at risk might be swept off-world before we could stop the raiders. You have helped, and you are not even trained yet. Give yourself time.”

  She quirked her lips in a smile. “I am trying, but I am impatient. It is the same reason I don’t cook.”

  “Other people can do it better.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “And faster. All I need to do is order it, and it magically appears.”

  He sighed. “We are going to have to work on your definition of magic.”

  She sipped at her tea and smiled as she looked out the window. At least she wasn’t kneeling on the floor again.

  He sat back at his desk. “I rather liked that image.”

  She spluttered, and he laughed while she recovered. The concert was starting, and she wanted to be down with all the couples and people on the greens.

  It could have been a perfect first date.

  Chapter Nine

  Sarah was staring outside until her stomach registered its protest that the sweet tea was all that was offered.

  Lekorh tossed her a ration bar.

  “Uh... gross. I can’t eat these. I have tried.” Sarah fed him a montage of the twelve times she had tried to eat the bars, each ending with her locked in a bathroom and praying that her digestive tract would stop completely.

  “Ouch. Right. Well, this is going against my better judgment, but run down to the market and get yourself something.”

  “Really?”

  “But take a guard.”

  She felt her shoulders slump. “Ah. Right.”

  A knock at the door a minute later showed her handler. S
he grinned. “Eegan!”

  Her friend and customer came in with a grin. “It is good to see you safe, Sarah. I hear that you are in need of an escort to the market?”

  “Yes. I might also need to lean on you from time to time, but no funny business.”

  Eegan grinned. “If you say so.”

  Lekorh spoke softly, “No funny business with my companion.”

  The Zjin blinked and straightened. “No, Saya. I will treat her with the utmost respect.”

  Sarah got to her feet and grabbed him by the elbow. “Come on. I am hungry.”

  Lekorh was chuckling inside her mind, and she could feel the tether he had attached to her thoughts. She was going to be out of sight but not out of mind.

  Down on the street, Eegan finally was able to talk again. “I had no idea that you were with the Saya.”

  “I am not with him. I am his companion. He sneaks his thoughts into me now and then. That is all.”

  Eegan nodded. “That makes sense, but Saya normally choose Rrassic for their companions. I have never heard of one out of species before.”

  “I guess Imrahl is a world for change; now, help me get to the teashop. I want to see if Sommin has gotten to work yet or if he is recovering.”

  “The shop is open. The pastries need some practice, but few folks have Vedder’s touch.”

  “I will just have to offer him a critique if he is still open.”

  Eegan walked with her and offered her his arm when she swayed a bit. “Why the pastries?”

  “The highest calorie content in the smallest bites.” She smiled tightly.

  “The only ones I have ever heard of with that requirement were Saya,” he joked and then paused. “Wait. You aren’t...”

  She gave him a look and said, “If I was, would I have been running around getting you guys tea cakes and meat pies in the middle of a crowded market shop?”

  He sighed in relief. “Of course not. An untrained Saya would have been driven insane by that point.”

  She nodded. “Lekorh has his issues, but as the city of Imrahl builds toward a mating frenzy, he just needs another mind to take the pressure off.”

  “Ah, yes. Have you found a likely Rrassic?”

  They walked into the shop, and she chuckled. “No, and if I have to go everywhere under guard, I probably won’t.”

  He chuckled, and she walked up to the counter, looking over the items on display.

  Sommin came out from the back, and he stopped when he saw her. “Miss Sarah.”

  She inclined her head. “Baker Sommin.”

  He came around, and to her shock, he gave her a hug. “I am so relieved that you are all right. Are you returning to work?”

  She shook her head. “No. I have been reassigned. I am stuck in the administration building now.”

  He nodded. “Ah. It is my loss. I heard what you tried to do for me, and I am so sorry you were injured.”

  “I am getting over it. Now, I want to try some of your baked goods. I am in urgent need of a calorie hit.”

  Sommin grinned and walked her through some of the new items he had crafted that day. He looked down. “I incorporated a few of the recipes that you left for me. You have very neat penmanship, by the way.”

  “Hand me one of those and pack up a selection of everything you are exceptionally proud of. There are sweet cravers on the upper levels of the admin building.”

  Sommin’s eyes brightened, and he handed her one treat on a napkin while the others were tucked into a box and tied with a string.

  She bit through the flaky pastry, and her eyes widened at the cheesecake and fruit filling. She wanted to savour it, but Sommin was looking anxious. She swallowed as quickly as she could. “It’s wonderful, Sommin. This is definitely going to be a winner.”

  She munched down the rest while Sommin’s expression flooded with relief.

  Eegan looked hopeful.

  She sighed. “And can Eegan have one as well?”

  Sommin took the last one out of the case. “Here you go. I am so relieved. The Rrassic seem to enjoy them, but none of the humans were in today.”

  “They get excited on concert days. Next time there is a concert, put together small quartets of treats in travel boxes and thermal carafes of iced fruit-flavour sweet teas. The humans will beat a path to the shop.”

  Sommin grinned. “Excellent. May I consult with you on such matters in the future?”

  “Of course.” She filled out the bill and swiped her wrist across the pay plate.

  Sommin’s eyes widened. “I wasn’t going to charge you.”

  She laughed. “That would really have put Vedder into a rage. No, I wanted to come here to see how you were and make sure that business is as usual. It is. Request a server from administration. Having a human female in here makes it less threatening for the clients.”

  He nodded. “I am beginning to see why Vedder was so insistent that I listen to you.”

  “If a business that employs me is successful, then that means I have a reliable place to work. That means I have purpose, and with purpose, I have direction. It is all very metaphysical.”

  Sommin laughed. “Well, come in any time. I welcome your input.”

  She nodded and brushed the crumbs off her hand. Eegan was holding his pastry like a newborn chick.

  She grabbed the box and hung the string from his fingers. “There you go. Guard the pastries.”

  He grinned, and they left the teashop after she waved at a few of the regulars.

  They walked through the market, and to her surprise, the sun seemed to be setting.

  “How long were we in there?” She turned to Eegan, but he was being dragged to the ground.

  She opened the senses that she had closed during Sommin’s hug, and she was surrounded by Luthin. A hypo to her neck caused her to slump, and a grinning Zjin and a visible Luthin took her arms, holding her up like a limp doll.

  They walked her to the edge of the greens where the concert-goers had almost cleared the space.

  Eegan was alive but in incredible pain.

  Lekorh was furious, and he was on the way.

  The gathering of raiders had found their targets, and she was one of them. The other one was a woman with tawny hair and an astonishing figure. She was walking with a Regiz, and she and her mate had an air of competence about them.

  When the woman charged the raiders, the two who had possession of Sarah bundled her up and into a vehicle. She wasn’t able to do much other than making the driver think he was going faster than he was. She saw a hand groping her thigh and breast through her clothing, but she was literally numb.

  They were muttering at each other in High Rrassic. She read their thoughts easily enough. They were taking her to the portal and hoping that their friends could subdue the blonde.

  Sarah was limp when the blonde in question ripped past on a cycle. It was a good thing too when Niiva ditched the cycle right in their path. Sarah was held slightly by the groping arm of the passenger. Her head hit the inside of the windscreen, and her body sent a rush of adrenaline that powered through the sedative.

  They had stopped. She felt the triumph of her rescuer before her world went dark. They had gotten Niiva, too.

  Sarah groaned and was able to press her hand to her forehead. The Luthin next to her was dead. The Zjin was still partially on top of her.

  More Hunters arrived, and she grunted and said, “I need to get out of here. She’s still nearby, but she can’t talk.”

  She kept hold of Niiva’s sleeping mind, but she couldn’t get out from under the damn Zjin.

  Hands pulled the man off her and helped her out of the vehicle.

  Niiva’s mate had staggered out of the vehicle next to the wreck. “You saw her?”

  “No, but she is here. She is close. She needs help.”

  She focused on Niiva’s shut-in mind. That woman could scream on the psychic plane.

  He nodded at her. “Where? Show me.”

  The other Hunters argued
with him, but Sarah led him down the alley with six men following them. She sent a bolt of panic through the man with Niiva. He dove for cover with his prize.

  Finding them was simple. The edge of Niiva’s boot was behind a stack of boxes. Sarah didn’t need to say anything, she just pointed.

  There was a rush as the Hunters followed the silent command, and when the Luthin was subdued, one of the Regiz carried an unconscious Niiva out from the spot behind the boxes. Her mate was beyond relieved.

  “Is she all right?”

  Sarah held herself upright by an effort of sheer will. Lekorh was getting closer, and then, she could relax. “She is. She has been given a paralytic. That is why I could hear her. She was screaming.”

  The Hunter was relieved that his mate was safe. He and his friends were speaking calmly, and he was bullied into a med transport to get the oozing wound seen to.

  Sarah turned and found Lekorh waiting, wrapped in the aura of a Regiz. She walked up to him, and he caught her by the elbows.

  “We need to get you to medical.”

  She felt him rummage through her entire system, and he nodded before he lifted her into his arms. “How is Eegan?”

  “He is being repaired. There was no way he could have fought off seven of them.”

  She chuckled and leaned her head on his chest. “There were six. Typical male exaggerating.”

  He sighed and said, “I can’t even get mad at you. You managed to disable the kidnappers, and you didn’t lose your head.”

  She touched her forehead. “No, but I banged it pretty good. I need to get minimal care for the sedative, and when Niiva wakes up, I will take the repair for my head. She needs to remember who I was and that I am safe. She was fixating on me as a victim, so I need to make sure that she gets closure.”

  “I am remaining at your side until this is done.”

  She smiled. “I was hoping you would say that.”

  She spent the night in the chair next to Niiva, and when she woke up, she reassured the woman that she was well. When Argo was on the way to sooth his mate, Sarah levered herself upright and walked to the door. Lekorh was waiting for her, and he pulled an interesting deception. He stretched his aura to look like two Hunters.