Twelve
Dita wasn’t merely an assassin. She was Kralj’s mate. That felt good. It felt right.
And she was free. Todt-932, the second clone, had been killed. Todt-933, the third clone, wherever he was within the settlement, must have been killed also. Kralj wouldn’t have allowed him to live. Her vow to the survivors had been fulfilled.
Dita danced beside Kralj, nanohumanic-infused energy bubbling inside her. His mouth was as grimly set as it usually was but gold specks glittered in his dark eyes. He was happy also.
She wasn’t a fool. His abilities scared her a little. But he couldn’t use them against her. Even if he could, he wouldn’t. He’d never hurt her any more than she wanted to be hurt.
She drifted her fingertips over her neck, finding the bite marks. Although the skin was healed, she continued to feel his fangs inside her, the arousing tug and pull as he fed.
“Show me respect.” Kralj’s deep voice rolled over her, tightening her nipples.
“I’ll show you respect.” She grinned. “While we are in public.”
She understood more clearly now why he required her to blindly obey him while others watched them. Rebellion was contagious, those were his words, and when beings rebelled inside the Refuge, those beings died.
She had no doubt, if she hadn’t interceded, he would have killed every member of the mob. He was designed for that action, as she was.
Dita gripped his hand, securing her hold, straightened her arm, and lifted herself off the pathway, slowly extending her legs in front of her. Kralj carried her, not breaking his stride.
Beings stared at them. It was a display of strength for him and for her. Her muscles burned. Her arm shook. Sweat trickled down her spine.
“You’re impossible.” Kralj grabbed her by the waist, draped her over one shoulder and slapped her ass, flesh connecting with tight leather. “What am I going to do with you?”
“I have some ideas.” She wiggled.
“Not now, little one.” He slapped her ass a second time.
Later was implied. He’d sink his fangs into her neck. Her pussy grew wet at that thought. And he’d fuck her into the sleeping support, driving into her, giving her a taste of his tremendous power.
There was a flapping of wings. Wind rushed over them. Kralj slowed, stopped.
Dita twisted her body to look behind her. Orol, Kralj’s second-in-command, had landed in front of them, his feathers fluttering. He grinned at her. She grinned back at him.
“Sir, there’s a Humanoid Alliance warrior at the gate, requesting sanctuary.” He relayed information she suspected her all-seeing, all-hearing male already knew.
“Deny him entrance.” Kralj’s answer was curt.
The Refuge’s Ruler didn’t like the Humanoid Alliance. That was understandable. They’d genetically designed him, had enslaved him, tortured him, burnt his face.
That didn’t stop those warriors from requesting admission to the Refuge. Now that the Humanoid Alliance had been defeated in war, they were hunted, homeless.
That garnered no sympathy from Kralj. He denied all of them.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Orol didn’t like the Humanoid Alliance either. “I’ll communicate that to Balvan.”
The winged male didn’t move.
“And?” Kralj didn’t try to hide his impatience.
It was caused by sexual frustration. Her rigidly controlled, ruthlessly self-sufficient male desired her. Dita squirmed, overwhelmed by that same need.
He strapped his arms over her legs, inhibiting her range of movement. That restraint, perversely, increased her excitement. She liked it when he held her to him, as though he never wished to let her go.
“About what happened, back there.” Orol dipped his head toward the site of the mob confrontation. “I’d heard rumors of your powers. All of the modified humanoids had. I saw the guards, what was left of them, when you freed us from our holding chambers. But…”
A painfully awkward silence fell between them as the winged male struggled to voice his thoughts.
That was unnecessary. Kralj must have already read them.
Dita wanted to hear the conversation. “You didn’t realize the full extent of his abilities,” she prompted. “They make you uneasy.”
Kralj stiffened, lowering her until her booted feet touched the pathway. He was sensitive about his powers, viewed himself as being a monster for having them.
“Yes, they make me uneasy.” Orol snorted. “Any intelligent being would feel that way.”
“You fear him.” Most beings feared her also.
“Fear. Respect. Is there a difference?” The winged male shrugged.
“You’re in no danger.” Kralj’s tone was curt, his face like stone. “I won’t lose control again.”
“We’re modified humanoids, weapons any faction would love to wield. We’ll always be in danger.” Orol’s lips flattened. “And if that was you losing control, sir, no being has anything to worry about. You were facing a mob. They attacked you, attacked your female.” He glanced at Dita. “If that had happened to me, I would have killed all of them, every single one.”
“I wanted to kill all of them.” Kralj looked at Dita also.
“But you didn’t.” She beamed at both of them. “We restrained our monsters. Yay for us.”
Orol laughed. Kralj shook his head and hugged her closer to him.
Another awkward silence followed.
“You don’t have to say more, Orol.” Kralj told him gruffly.
“I want to say more.” The winged male lifted his chin. “I should have told you this solar cycles ago.” He took a deep breath, released it. “It is an honor to report to you, sir. I’m proud to be part of your team.”
Kralj stared at him for one, two, three heartbeats. “I freed hundreds of modified humanoids. Many asked to be part of my team. I only chose the best, the males I could trust.”
“I see.” Orol’s voice was choked.
They gazed at each other for several moments.
“Hulagu isn’t the best. He’s not even close but he has been working hard, trying to earn a place on the team.” The winged male hid his other emotions behind a grin. “Some of us have been rooting for him.”
“Some of you shouldn’t encourage the kid.” Kralj’s lips twisted. “Relay to Balvan my decision about the Humanoid Alliance warrior.” He dismissed his second-in-command.
“Yes, sir.” Orol winked at Dita and walked away, a jaunty bounce to his stride.
“He’s a good friend.” Dita smiled, happy for both of them.
“He’s not a friend.” Kralj grasped her hand and dragged her forward.
They walked without talking. She silently disagreed with him. Orol might report to Kralj and follow his orders. He might be at a disadvantage, not being able to block the reading of his mind. But they had a friendship of sorts.
“Damn it.” Kralj scowled at the crowd before them. “What now?”
Females of all different sizes, shapes, species lingered near the main entrance to the beverage outlet. She recognized Sari, Azalea and a couple of the others.
As Dita and Kralj approached them, they lifted their hands, making fists.
She’d taught that to Sari. A warmth filled Dita chest.
“This is a peaceful mob.” She patted Kralj’s arm. “They probably want to talk to me.” She took one, two, three steps toward the females.
“Little one.” Kralj grabbed her wrist, pulled her back to him. Their bodies smacked together, her curves flattening against his muscle.
He ran one of his hands up her spine, between her shoulder blades, sank his fingers into her hair and tugged, forcing her head back, his dominance exciting her.
Her gaze met his. His dark eyes glowed with an inner fire. It fed a corresponding flame inside her.
Kralj dipped his head and skimmed his sharp fangs along her neck, not breaking the sensitive skin or her gaze. Dita trembled, the message unspoken yet clear.
He craved her blood, wanted her, the ridge in his ass coverings pronounced, as hard and unyielding as his scarred face.
“It’ll be a quick conversation.” She found it difficult to catch her breath. He sucked on her neck and her fingers curled. “Very quick.”
“I’ll wait.” His voice was a deep cavern of arousing sound, spiraling her passion upward. “But don’t push my patience. I’m not in a mood to be played with, Dita.”
“I’m as needy as you are, handsome.” She touched his marred cheek, not hiding her wanting of him. “Maybe even more so.”
“That’s not possible.” He held her to him.
They stared at each other, everything, everyone else, forgotten. The air snapped and sizzled with sexual tension. His heat engulfed her.
Her yearning escalated until it pained her.
Kralj released her. “If they try to hurt you, I’ll kill them.” Menace edged his words.
“They can’t hurt me.” Dita forced a carefree laugh. “I might have taught them everything they know.” She strode toward the waiting females, putting an extra sway into her walk, aware that he was watching her. “But I haven’t taught them everything I know.”
Sari approached her. Her gaze darted to Kralj and then back to Dita. “Is our Ruler angry with us?” she whispered.
He was sexually frustrated, not angry. Dita suppressed a grin. “As long as you follow the Refuge’s rules, you have nothing to fear.”
Sari didn’t appear convinced. “We saw what happened.”
“How did you see it?” Dita frowned. Sari hadn’t been present.
“We saw it here.” The female tapped her right index finger against her temple.
Dita’s lips flattened. Kralj must have pushed the images into the brains of all Refuge residents. He insisted on being viewed as a monster.
She knew why he did it. Beings who are feared are often also obeyed. But it was a lonely life to lead.
“We wanted to help you.” Sari shifted her weight from her left foot to her right. “But we couldn’t move and we didn’t know how.”
“Your Ruler didn’t require any assistance,” Dita assured her. Kralj could handle any threat facing him or the settlement.
“We wanted to help you.”
She blinked. They were concerned about her. She didn’t know how to respond.
“For most of my lifespan, I have been selfishly focused on my own survival.” Regret reflected in Sari’s eyes. “I’ve now been shown I have a different role in the universe.” She glanced over her shoulder at Azalea. “I was meant to be a protector.” Her gaze returned to Dita. “Like you.”
Dita stared at her. She wasn’t a protector. She was a killer.
“Can you teach me how to protect others?” Sari asked.
“Can you teach all of us.” Azalea stepped forward. “I know that using weapons leads to violence. Violence leads to evil and evil leads to an afterlife of nothingness. Our leader taught us that. But our hands and feet aren’t weapons.” She gazed at her palms. “They’re a part of our body and that makes using them natural and right. I’ve also been told that learning self defense can stop violence, can stop the cycle of wickedness.”
“That’s true. It can stop violence.” Dita suspected Hulagu, the young Chamele warrior, had convinced the girl of that.
“Then will you show all of us how to protect ourselves?”
The other females nodded.
They wanted her to teach them. They saw her as a protector, had been concerned about her. Dita swallowed the lump in her throat. “Do you know how to punch and how to block?”
The females demonstrated. Sari had done well, relaying what she had learned from Dita. Their technique was rough but it would be perfected with time and practice. They understood the fundamentals.
“Anyone attacking you will believe he has the advantage.” Dita paced back and forth in front of them, unable to remain still. “He sees you as a victim, as someone easy to torment.”
“Aren’t we victims?” an elderly female asked. “We’re smaller, weaker, less skilled.”
“You are smaller, weaker, less skilled.” She agreed. “But you have one huge advantage—the element of surprise. Your attacker expects you to be the helpless victim. He doesn’t expect you to defend yourself.”
Jaws dropped.
“Sari, come here.” Dita gestured to her. She had considered demonstrating on Kralj but that might be pushing his tolerance too far. “The trick is to give the attacker no warning that you plan to defend yourself.” She smiled at the nervous female. “Watch my eyes, my face, my hands. When you think I’m about to strike you, put up your arms to block me.”
“Okay.” Sari braced herself, planting her feet wide apart, lowering her body.
Dita feigned fear, cowering, cringing, playing the victim. Sari was wary at first, looking for the strike. Then she started to relax, pretended to threaten her.
Dita punched, her expression not changing, her eyes giving no inclination of her intentions. She stopped her fist a breath away from the female’s stomach.
Sari moved her arms to block, slow to react.
That was as it should be. Dita grinned. She was an assassin, the best. No one could anticipate her attacks.
“Your eyes didn’t change.” Sari’s tone was accusatory.
“And neither will yours…with practice.” Dita glanced at the females. “Pair up. Stand a good distance apart. You don’t really want to hit your partner. And practice. Five punches for one female. The other female blocks. Then switch roles. Coach your partner. Tell her how you knew she’d strike.”
The exercise would teach them to hide their intentions, how to anticipate blows and it would give them an ally in the settlement.
They wouldn’t feel alone.
Dita looked at Kralj. He leaned against a domicile. Shadows covered his scarred face, concealing his eyes, but she knew he was watching her.
She was no longer solitary.
Dita coached the females, correcting their punches, their blocks, giving them tips on how to conceal their next moves. Other beings observed them. A couple of children mimicked their stances.
Not all of the beings were supportive. A few males sneered, discounting their efforts, making some of the females uncomfortable. Zeb, the settler leader, droned on about the evils of violence. His arrival caused Azalea to hide in the back of the group. Hulagu, the young Chamele warrior, joined the group, placing his larger body in front of the girl, shielding her from view.
“I’ll find a less public location for our next training session,” Dita promised.
“Little one,” Kralj rumbled.
“We’ll have another training session?” Sari asked. “You’ll teach us more techniques?”
“I’ll teach you as many techniques as you wish.” Her vow to the Guild was to keep as many of the females on Carinae E as safe as she possibly could. Teaching them to defend themselves would achieve that goal.
“Now,” Kralj roared. A blast of warm wind hit her.
The females froze, their eyes widening in terror.
“He’s impatient.” Dita laughed. “Keep practicing.” She waved at the females as she returned to Kralj’s side. “We’ll meet here next planet rotation at the same time.”
“Will we?” He crossed his arms in front of his chest, his lips set in a severe line.
“We have to.” She smiled sweetly up at him. “We must ensure we don’t kill anyone while we demonstrate the moves. Which we didn’t.” She raised her arms in victory. “Yet again.”
His grim expression didn’t lighten. “And what about your vow to kill the clones?”
“You fulfilled that vow for me.” Dita lowered her arms. “I saw Todt-932 explode and I assume Todt-933, wherever he was, met his end the same way.”
Kralj didn’t say anything, his silence worrying her.
“Isn’t that what happened?” Tell me he’s dead, she mentally urged, pleading with her eyes. Tell me I’m free, my promise to the survivors kept.
“Todt-933 left the settlement at sunrise.”
No. No. No. “You didn’t kill him?”
“He was outside my range.” That irked Kralj. She heard that in his voice.
Would he have killed Todt-933 if he’d been within his range? That would be have broken one of his precious rules. The clone was outside the Refuge, no longer Kralj’s responsibility.
Killing Todt-933 was her duty, whether he was in the settlement, on the far side of planet or across the universe. She’d made a vow, had to keep it. “Then I have to hunt him down.”
“Do you?” Kralj asked softly.
She clasped his hands and gazed up at him. “I have no choice, handsome.” Dita summoned a smile. “All we have is our honor. That’s our last hold on our humanity.”