Author's Note: Yaaay, Chapter 11! Only took me two months *sheepish* But really, I do apologize for the long wait. I got bit by the summeritis bug (symptoms include laziness and daily addiction to minecraft) and have been recuperating the last couple weeks. A big thanks to Asperger's Mind's for his review. Also, shout out to my readers in Kyrgyzstan. Seriously lovin' the random places you readers pop up in :) The first part does feature Iyeiden, but fear not, you will be with our heroine shortly. It's my longest chapter yet, something you, my patient audience, deserve. As always: read, review and enjoy!
Pronunciation Guide:
chaza – KAH-zah – a carnivore with huge eyes- the creature secrets pheromones that slowly sedate the prey while its large eyes change color and pattern like a kaleidoscope, inducing a hypnotic state
daka – dah-kah – insult- idiot
De'then-de – deh-THIN-day – founder of the Singing Blades clan
Feirraya – feh-RAI-yah – fire singer
Hesra – HESS-rah
ku'rozei – KOO-ro-ZEY – Why? - Kuzei and Kuro are colloquialisms occasionally used by lower class yautja and small children, but can also be used when someone wants the information quickly
Nava – NAH-vah
Ouroboros – The serpent/dragon eating its own tail - represents infinity or wholeness. In this case, I've created a "double Ouroboros", in which two serpents form a circle and eat the other's tail.
Talac –TAA-lack
Tchath'ka –CHAATH-kah
thras'ka – thrahss-kah – "shifter"- refers to those genetically altered
u'laude kalai – oo-LAO-day kah-LAI – ("LAO" rhymes with "ow") female/child maker (Note: Since the Ashan'ii (aka Bloods) broke away from the Hunters centuries ago, language differences have arisen. "U'laude kalai" comes from the original word "lou-dte kale". This evolution of language is also the reason for the unique spelling and name differences of many characters and cities. Example: Since De'then-de (see above) was part of the first generation who settled on Ashann, his name would resemble those of the Hunters.
Va'yithya – vah-YITH-yah – High Clan of an Ashan'ii city-state. There are dozens of cities across the world, the burden of battling the serpents rotated each hunting season so the city can repopulate and recover.
xashi -ZAH-shee
zazin – ZAA-zin – to be centered within oneself, usually achieved through meditation
Zeyin – ZEI-yin
Ouroboros
Iyeiden stared up into the darkness, having given up on the idea of sleep several hours ago. He didn't sleep much these days. It had been this way ever since Shaidra approached him with his plan. That damn plan. If it worked it would be a stroke of brilliance. If it failed, Shaidra and the Thousand Blades would fall into ruinous shame and risk oblivion from the histories for heresy. And Iyeiden was caught in the middle. It galled him to be manipulated. He, Iyeiden Silver Tongue, whose very words could make or break a clan's chance at glory, backed into a corner with no way out. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, feet planted on the floor, the cold stone sending welcomed shivers over his hot limbs. It was weakness that drove him to this point. Too weak to save her, too weak to finish the job, and now his cowardice kept him from revealing the truth to Auran. He'd tried to tell him so many times, but never could. Because Auran would kill him. Because the truth might break Auran, or set him free. And worst of all, Shaidra knew it. The cunning bastard.
Iyeiden stood, the secret hanging from his neck like a great stone, sapping him of will, suffocating his dreams whenever he tried to sleep. For the first time, he was beginning to feel the weight of his years and more, as if he'd aged twenty in the last two. His hair had turned gray, brittle tips occasionally breaking off. The color of his flesh was fading; the spotted pattern which had impressed so many females disappearing more and more with each turn Ashann took around the two suns. Iyeiden smirked at the memory of his exploits as a youth and the impossibility of old age. He'd been invincible. If he couldn't win with his fists, he could usually talk his way out of trouble. Enemies became friends and few females could resist his charms. Except the one that mattered. The only female he'd truly desired. He swallowed the bitterness before it consumed him. Not tonight, he vowed, clenching his fights.
Moonlight glinting off silver caught his eye and he turned to where his sword hung. His hands itched to hold the blade once more, to feel the heft and weight of its perfectly balanced form. He strode forward, his eyes scanning its familiar shape; long and lean, straight and true. It had been a long time, too long in fact. Reverently, he lifted it up from its resting place, caressing the jeweled sheath and tracing the intricate golden feathers and ruby eyes of the fire bird emblazoned over the hilt. Feirraya, the Fire Singer, an ancient blade baptized in the blood of many enemies, its shrieking siren's call the last thing its opponent ever heard. Gripping the handle tightly he jerked the sword free, its piercing cry resonating with his warrior soul. The Singing Blades' swords were legendary. Even the enemy hunters who belonged to the yautja race's birth world had heard tales of fearsome warriors who wielded shrieking blades. The sword hummed in his hand, as if alive, shivering in anticipation. He set the sheath on its hook and stood in the center of the room. Eyes closed, he slowly raised the sword overhead, waiting for the moment of zazin,when a warrior achieved the perfect balance between mind, body and soul. Each time he wielded his blade, it felt as if took him longer and longer to achieve that balance; he feared the day he would be unable to do so. But that time had not yet come. Serenity swelled up from the hidden depths of his spirit, rushing through his limbs and lungs, the great burden forgotten and he exhaled his fears into the night air. Iyeiden gently sliced the air, the sword crooning a sensual aria. The melodies returned to him with each slash and twirl, the familiar tunes a comfort. Warriors of the Singing Blades did not just learn techniques specific to each sword. They learned battle songs, ancient masterpieces handed down since De'then-de of the Singing Blade first created them. Aspirant warriors learned how to harmonize their blades with their brothers' and to create their own war songs after they had mastered the old teachings.
Iyeiden's blade hummed and sighed, his muscles reflexively recalling a tune his mind had forgotten. The blade flipped and twirled in his right hand, slashing left, pulling up and overhead before snaking to the ground. A simple song, full of meaning. His armed jerked at the sudden memory, the sword shrieking in dismay at the interruption of its graceful arc. It was a lullaby his mother used to sing to him when he couldn't sleep. He'd been so small, too young to even wield a knife. How then did he know how to play it with a sword?
His wrist computer screeched in alert, distracting him from the memory. He growled at it in irritation, the spell of zazin broken. As it dissolved from his flesh the burdens of his heart came crashing down upon him with a vengeance. Iyeiden slammed his sword back into its sheath, ignoring its wail of despair. There were few who could contact him directly, especially in the middle of the night, and Iyeiden was betting he knew who was on the other end. He considered just ignoring the summons. But the timing was unusual. Contact with the High Clan of Kuuroch was to be kept to a minimum during this phase of the plan. If it was Shaidra's representative, something might be wrong. Iyeiden cursed and grabbed the whining object, grabbing the image from the device and flinging it into the air before him.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" drawled Iyeiden as if he'd just woken up.
"Shut up Silver Tongue," hissed Shaidra. Iyeiden did his best to hide his surprise that it was the Shan himself making the call. Whatever had happened was serious, and he had a sinking feeling that Auran was somehow involved.
"Apologies, I did not expect—"
"I don't have time for formalities. Where is he?"
So Auran was involved. Perfect. "I don't know."
"Enough of your lies!" Shaidra roared, his fist slamming down in front of him. Iyeiden heard something shatter.
"If I knew I would tell you."
"You're telling me that the Shadow bastard has been gone three days and he hasn't once appeared to you?"
Three days? Auran's been gone three days? "Auran's disappeared? What about his bond mate?"
"They're both gone," growled Shaidra. "And there's one more thing: the priestess is dead."
"Dead? How?"
"During one of the interrogation sessions." Shaidra paused, his eyes narrowing. "The torturers' usually do not allow their prisoner's to die so quickly… Nothing was found in the autopsy scan but the circumstances surrounding her death remain suspicious. The guards reported Auran and the thras'ka missing not long after."
Iyeiden's mind raced at the implications of Shaidra's revelations. Their only lead was dead, possibly assassinated by either Auran or a spy hidden within the ranks of the Thousand Blades. Auran had kidnapped the female and had managed to avoid capture for three days. It was an irrational move on his part, but one that Iyeiden should've seen coming. This wasn't the first time. Auran barely trusted him as it was, and he certainly didn't trust Shaidra.
"It is unusual," Iyeiden said after a moment, "But I do not think Auran was involved in the priestess' death."
"How can you be sure?" Shaidra eyed him, suspicious.
"Auran wouldn't waste time seeking vengeance if he believed his bond mate was still in danger. He probably took her almost immediately after the antidote had been administered. But in her weakened condition he wouldn't risk traveling outside the city. It's been three days and the sweeps haven't been able to locate him, which means he's managed to remain off the city's sensor grid. There's only one place he could've gone in order for him to remain so well hidden."
"The Tunnels," Shaidra echoed, nodding. "The Arbiters lose many criminals in those dark and twisting streets of the lower levels."
"It's possible he has contacts down there."
Shaidra nodded again, his earlier impatience replaced with a cool, calculating aura. "There is still time. With Kuuroch mobilizing its hunting forces the city will be emptied of males." Shaidra rubbed his chin in thought.
"How many seasons will Kuuroch fight?" inquired Iyeiden.
"Three. I will not be outdone by those ganja loving Va'yithya."
"Nine months is a long time to battle the serpents. Will Kuuroch have the strength to defend itself afterwards should things become… tense? There are many purists who will oppose your plan."
Shaidra's smile did not reach his eyes. "Which is why the Thousand Blades' ascension will be all the more glorious."
Iyeiden said nothing. Shaidra's ambition sometimes narrowed his vision and dulled his hearing. To contradict him risked his wrath; Iyeiden had the scars to prove it. But the Shan was no fool and fiercer than any warrior he knew.
"Iyeiden?"
"Yes, Shaidra'shan?"
"If I find out that you're helping Drakenatharr…"
Iyeiden stiffened at the humiliating reminder of the leash Shaidra'd placed him and choked back a snarl. "The Singing Blades serves the Thousand Blades. Both Auran and the female will be found before your return, my lord. I swear it." Iyeiden clasped his hands behind his back and bowed his head.
"I will hold you to that oath, Silver Tongue."
Shaidra's words echoed in his mind even as the holo-image dissipated. He ran trembling fingers over his scalp, aware of how close he had come to losing it in front of the Shan. The God curse me and my weakness, where the hell have you run away to this time Auran?
-|/ \-' -',
Tyler had figured out the story carved into the walls. She'd had plenty of time, days in fact, although she wasn't sure how many. Four, maybe five. She tapped the ends of her fingertips as she silently counted out how many times Auran had left, never saying where he was going or why she had to stay behind. Five. He'd left her in this stone prison five times. Five "days" of endless boredom. There were only so many push-ups and sit-ups she could do. Leaving her plenty of time to decipher the strange art decorating the wall panels. It had taken her two days to realize that the story was actually composed of two parallel storylines, beginning on either side of the fireplace. It was a tale of two warriors. The right side followed the heroic feats of a mighty warrior crowned with the sun and wielding a flaming double-headed axe. In the first panel he stood, proud and tall atop a mountain of elongated alien skulls, weapon lifted high above his head in triumph. The panels merged and flowed together, the warrior charging a dragon with a scorpion tail, leaping into the air above a double-jawed insectoid and plunging his axe into the chest of an armored feline with venomous fangs. The favored warrior of the sun god achieved many victories over rival and beast alike. Glowing symbols decorated the background and occasionally the warrior and animals themselves. Whether they told a story or were simply part of the overall aesthetic was something Tyler could not say for certain. Tyler hugged her knees to her chest and looked over at the opposing panels.
The warrior featured on the left could not be more different from its right side counterpart. This warrior wore a mask; its smaller, scarred body crouched beneath a leafless tree, moonlight streaming between its twisted branches and casting the mysterious figure into deeper shadow. Twin long knives glinted in its hands, held in front of his darkened chest in the shape of an X. For every feat the golden warrior achieved, the shadow warrior achieved with cunning and stealth. Tyler turned and faced the back wall, watching as the two combatants climbed up opposing temple staircases to meet each other in the center frame for the final battle, to settle which of them was the greater warrior once and for all. Here Tyler struggled to understand the meaning of the climactic battle. Despite missing an arm, the smaller fighter stood victorious, one of his blades buried in his rival's heart, the stone glowing ruby red where the fallen warrior's blood spilt upon the stone. Instead of raising his arm in triumph however, the smaller warrior had stabbed his other blade into his own chest, head bowed in what appeared to be either grief or shame. It made little sense. Neither seemed evil and Tyler assumed the fight had been fair, for there were witnesses carved into the background. Perhaps they were brothers caught up in deadly game of sibling rivalry? Or maybe they were fighting to prove which martial style was superior? Tyler crossed her arms over her knees and rested her chin on top. She growled in frustration, still unable to decipher the story's ending. She hadn't questioned Auran about it. Maybe she should. It would be nice to talk about something other than nothing. Tyler frowned and stared down at the furs. He might be keeping her prisoner here, but he was only person she could talk to. She was actually starting to look forward to his returns, even if he didn't say much.
He was hiding something, Tyler was sure of it. It might be for her protection, but body guards could provide as much security as four walls. Something else was going on, something he believed she wouldn't understand. Just like that time on the ship when Auran had thrown her into that room after the exchange had somehow been compromised. She'd figured a way out when staying put would've been the smart thing to do, but she'd never been that smart. Slightly above average grades, running away to join the Marines and signing away her body to some mad scientists. Oh, and sleeping with that jerk, Kasem. Tyler growled, then sighed and rested her forehead against her arms. Five days in solitary gave a person a lot to remember and regret.
Another growl crawled up her throat as she raised her head, eyes narrowed. No, she wouldn't regret anything. She'd gotten out of that cell on the ship and what had happened to her? Nothing. Instead she'd been rewarded with the view of an extraterrestrial world and a vast alien metropolis. The only thing she'd regret would be giving up and allowing Auran to break her. His mistake if he thought hiding the truth from her was the right thing to do.
She hopped off the bed and walked over to the sealed entrance, tracing her fingers over crevices and pressing on parts of the carvings. She'd searched the panels and floor a dozen times already, but hope compelled her to try again. Maybe, just maybe, this time she'd find the way out.
\|; '-, \'
Tyler hissed in frustration. She was sure the mysterious central panel held the key to her freedom, if only she could understand what the final scene meant. Or maybe the meaning of the story and the release mechanism had absolutely nothing to do with each other and she was staring at the carvings because she was running out of ideas. Tyler flopped back against the furs, rubbing her forehead in an attempt to relieve some tension. Caffeine sounded wonderful right about now. Tyler sucked in a frustrated breath only to gag. She sniffed again and grimaced. She smelt awful. Tyler sat up, chirping in confusion, then disgust as she peeled off a blanket of fur stuck to her sweaty back. Caffeine and a bath were what she needed, she thought as she tossed the matted piece of fur to the floor. Or at least relief from this obnoxious heat. She turned and glowered at the fireplace, the fire inside burning as bright and hot as it had since she'd first woken up after being poisoned. Auran hadn't touched the thing, so she had no idea if it was even possible to turn it off. She bet that wrist computer he always wore could turn it off, just like it could open the door. The thing was like a super universal remote.
Tyler wiped the beads of sweat forming across her forehead as she stood in front of the wide circular fireplace, the highest point almost reaching her neck. With infrared vision the flames were even more entrancing, the flickering light sending out ripples of coruscating air that curled and crinkled when it came into contact with the cooler air of the room. She'd spent a good portion her time staring into those flickering tongues of light, thinking of everything and nothing. It had saved her from many hours of boredom. But right now, at this moment, she would've liked nothing more than to toss a bucket of water on the thing. She'd have to settle for a switch. Tyler's eyes darted over the bare wall and the double Ouroboros decorating the circumference, the black, skeletal serpents' jaws locked onto each other's tails, their ruby studded eyes gleaming in amusement, as if sharing in a private joke at her expense. Tyler let out a snarl of frustration and punched the top creature's head. "No switch? You've got to be kiddi—"
The familiar sound of stone sliding over the floor interrupted Tyler's outburst and she glanced over to see that the door had opened. Auran was back. She pulled her fist away from the snake creature and waited. Much to her surprise, he did not enter and the door sealed itself shut. Tyler stood there for a moment, staring, the crackling of the fire the only sound to be heard. "You've got to be kidding…" she repeated, her voice barely rising above a whisper. She stared at the snake-thing, its lidless, blood red eye staring back, a trace of a smile etched into the corner of its mouth as it engorged itself on its equally amused twin. She'd gone crazy. Tyler gently pushed in the eye and again, the door opened. Tyler laughed and clapped her hands together, bringing them to her mandibles and squeezing her eyes shut as relief and excitement flushed through her. She quickly grabbed the satchel of dried meat Auran had left and slung it over her shoulder. A growing sense of urgency filled her now that she'd obtained the key to her freedom. Auran could return at any moment and she wanted to at least have a chance to look around.
Thank God he'd left her clothing. Sort of. It was just a thick leather thong really. It looked like it belonged to a set of kinky lingerie, but based on what Auran wore, minus the armor, Tyler concluded females probably didn't wear much either. Modesty, apparently, wasn't as big an issue for their species. It wasn't something she could get comfortable with easily; she'd always liked her privacy. It helped that her breasts were pretty much nonexistent; the urge to cover herself though, had yet to disappear. Tyler remembered Auran's bemused expression when she'd done it the first time. He'd pulled her arms away and examined her chest to see if she were hurt. Explaining that it was simply because she was nervous seemed to unsettle him. "You are afraid?" he asked, eyes narrowing. Tyler's pride had kept her from answering and she'd immediately regretted mentioning her fear to a member of an alien species that seemed to feel none and despised weakness. "Ku'rozei?" Tyler couldn't hold his penetrating amber gaze, the intense edge to his question unsettling.
Because you're a seven foot tall, barbaric warrior alien I've been forced to marry and have sex with, who could kill or leave me any time he chooses. Because I have trust issues since almost everyone in my life has either abandoned me or died.
Of course, she'd confessed none of those things. She mumbled something about not being used to wearing so little clothing. Whether he'd accepted her explanation she did not know. And what he would do if he found out she'd snuck out? She hesitated as her fingers brushed against the serpent's eye. She was about to wander into unknown territory, filled with aggressive aliens and advanced technology which she had no idea how to operate. On top of that, Auran might never trust her again. Was a taste of freedom worth that? Tyler glanced behind at the room she'd spent countless hours in alone, the eerie shadows, dark walls and leering skull torches sending shivers down her spine. She wasn't staying in this room for another minute. She would return, Tyler decided as she pushed the ruby switch. A walk, just to explore and get her bearings. An hour perhaps, maybe two and she would be done, maybe even before he returned. Tyler stepped through the open doorway, her resolve crystallizing with each step. Even if he didn't love her, he should at least respect her and her desires. Tyler knew she was rationalizing her irrational grab at freedom, but it was too late to turn back. The stone slab sealed shut behind her and with it her fate.
Her breath became stuck somewhere in her lungs as she took in the sight before her. Strange metals and stones melded and swirled across the floor, glowing with an inner aura that was unnerving and fascinating at the same time. Heat rippled from the surface, lazy tendrils caressing her calves as if she'd stepped into a waterless golden seabed. Concentric rings of differing colors decorated the floor, but even though she could see the varying shades of warmth, her feet detected no difference, the stone surprisingly cool. Rings of gold, saffron, copper and amber circled the floor, the tendrils of light shivering as she walked past to the center of the room. Sensual swirls and arching curves adorned the ceiling, the chamber's light and beauty a stark contrast to the heat and gloom of her prison. It was, she decided, mesmerizing.
It was then she noticed the carvings adorning the curved walls. She paused, the unearthly floor momentarily forgotten. Tall, willowy females posed in tantalizing positions, one arm reaching to the ceiling, the other reaching between their legs or running a hand over their smooth chests. Between each nude enchantress was a door, Tyler counting seven in all as she spun in a slow circle at the center of the room. Upon the doors posed curvaceous females, their bodies writhing in erotic ecstasy, each ensnared by a lustful monster. Tyler studied the door to her room and her gut clenched at the eerie symbolism carved into its face. A young female caressed two snakes, their long, sinuous tails wrapped about her limbs, flickering tongues licking her exposed neck and stomach. Tyler crossed herself, despite having abandoned her Catholic heritage years ago. The gesture felt appropriate.
The faint ringing of warning bells sounded within her mind, but she dismissed her uneasiness as ignorant. It was not her place to judge another culture, especially when she scarcely knew anything about it. She shot a glance at a female trapped within the clutches of a tentacled creature with an unnatural leer spread over its features, and quickly turned her attention elsewhere as she hurried to the open archway and gently sloping stairwell.
She was immediately plunged into darkness and Tyler faltered halfway down, waiting for her eyesight to adjust to the icy gloom. Veins of amethyst spread across the obsidian walls of the cavernous room, their faint violet glow barely illuminating the ground below. Entangled silhouettes hung from the walls, frozen in a moment of a thousand dark and desperate desires. Watching over their domain at the center towered two females, entwined about each other's bodies. Tyler paused as she drew closer, nearly blushing, the depth of the pair's passion overwhelmingly vivid, blurring the line between tenderness and lust. She moved slowly across the glassy floor, careful not to make any noise. One small gasp and the spell would be broken, the debauched mass and mistresses awakening to finish what was started. She dragged her attention from the two lovers, squinting at the luminous golden light hovering just above the stairway behind her, as if it dared not enter. Just like the golden chamber and its seven doors, the dark chamber led to seven golden rooms. Tyler peered through the gloom. An exit at the opposite end of the chamber beckoned. She hesitated. This was enough wasn't it? She could confront Auran about what she'd seen and he would have no choice but to explain. She'd return, so he couldn't be angry. Yet, a part of her doubted. He had refused to explain before. She had one card up her sleeve; he possessed a full deck. He had no reason to fold.
It hit her then how little trust there was between them, both of them chipping away at the foundation of their bond in a race to see who could do the most damage. Hadn't she said she trusted him? She'd seen his expression, the change that had briefly melted his hardened features when she'd murmured the words. Even if she hadn't really meant them, he'd believed every word. Tyler decided to turn back, before she did irreparable injury to their tenuous 'relationship' or whatever it was they shared. 'Mutual agreement' sounded closer.
Tyler sighed and turned to head back to the room when a large hand roughly jerked her back around.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm sorry! I was on my way back, I—" Her words ran dry when she realized it was not Auran who'd found her. He was huge, easily twice Auran's size. Slabs of thick fat covered cords of huge muscles like a natural layer of armor. Deep scars littered his coal black skin and glowing tattoos looped around his arms and neck. A deep, baritone growl rolled up his throat.
"I can spot a runaway blindfolded."
"I-I wasn't running away." How in the world had this huge guy snuck up on her?
"Oh really?" His free hand grabbed the satchel, snapping the cord and sending a small sting across her shoulder. He brought it up to his mouth and inhaled. "Then explain why you're carrying two days worth of rations." He dangled it in the air, a smirk stretching his swarthy jowls.
"That's none of your business," spat Tyler. "This is a misunderstanding. Let me go and I'll—"
"You'll what? Escape and leave Jaul to be punished? I don't think so. Pretty flesh like yours wouldn't last long outside these walls and I don't much care for anymore scars." He pulled her along beside him and Tyler could see they were headed for the unfamiliar archway. Away from her room. Tyler kicked, squirmed and cursed, having all the effect of ragdoll beating against a boulder. "Let me go! You're making a mistake!" Her outbursts earned her a booming chuckle from the behemoth guard. "You have spirit girl, but if you do not learn to control that tongue of yours, the Mistress will have it cut out." He paused before pushing open the doors, a serious expression falling over his features. "That is a promise."
Though she glared up at him, mandibles splayed in defiance, uncertainty clenched her gut. Jaul shoved open the thick metal doors and Tyler's senses were immediately overwhelmed, bombarded by a cacophony of sound, light and smell. Near infrasonic bass shook the room, the pounding vibrations a sledgehammer to the chest. An eerie wail pierced the air, her eardrums turning into bleeding pincushions with each keening note. The room was soaked in the color of blood, bright red lasers and holograms darting through the air, like tracer rounds. Like Watts' blood after a Korey bullet blew out the side of his head and his brain spattered into her face. The ghost taste of his coppery blood filling her mouth made her gag. The bass punched in her lungs and suddenly she was in the lab again, drowning in the tank filled with crimson liquid. She stumbled, her trembling legs struggling to keep up with her long limbed captor in the face of the sensory assault. Jaul didn't seem to notice and neither did the crowd of drunk males and scantily clad females, both giving the two a wide berth, instinctively aware that her captor was on a mission. No one wanted to get in the way of the eight foot, 450 pound juggernaut. He skirted around the circular chamber's edge to avoid the more crowded center, where dozens of males jostled for drink, company and an unobstructed view of the gyrating dancers. The smell of musk hung thick in the air and Tyler coughed in a vain attempt to get the bitter taste out of her mouth.
Jaul nodded to a pair of guards standing in the shadows, a beaded curtain concealing an obscure side entrance between them. Like Jaul, thick leather straps with a hexagonal symbol at the center crisscrossed their chests. Which meant her captor was also a guard. He led her through entryway and into a tight stairwell. Pipes, wiring and slaves scurried up and down the narrow corridor, the silent servants pressing themselves flat against walls when Jaul passed by. Tyler estimated they'd traveled down three stories. Any hopes of it being quieter at the bottom were quickly dashed. Controlled chaos greeted the pair, females of every age, size and color darting between dressing rooms, kitchens and communal living areas. Jaul ignored the hubbub and half naked females, leaving the gawking to Tyler. Colorful costumes from see through silk to the elaborate adorned scintillating bodies. Perfume underpinned with the heavy musk of sex hung thick in air. A cacophony of high pitched chirps, chitters and hisses filled the halls and roofed plazas, completely at odds with deep grunts and long silences she'd experienced amongst the males of the species. A troupe of females sauntering by, wearing only masks stuck with feathers and horns, noticed her stares. Several of them clicked angrily, one giving her what looked like a rather nasty gesture. Tyler flared her mandibles slightly, but kept her head down the rest of the trek as she tried to process everything she'd just witnessed.
A whore house. The straps across the guard's chest. Auran wore those same straps every time he left. Tyler slowly put two and two together, not really caring who she bumped into. Auran… was a guard… at a whore house. Tyler cursed, earning her odd looks from several bystanders. Questions raced through her mind, the first and foremost being why the hell they were at a brothel.
Jaul's grip on her upper arm hadn't loosened one iota as he dragged her through the throng of sweating bodies and it was starting to go numb. The chorus of complaints and laughter faded behind them as they drew near the center of the underground labyrinth and Tyler took advantage of the quieter atmosphere.
"Listen. I don't work here, okay? If you could just find Auran, he can explain and—"
"I don't know any 'Auran'. And I don't need an explanation. I've heard every lie, plea, bribe, justification, defense and excuse in the galaxy you girls use to get out of work. Jaul's ears are full of them and this has made him deaf. Save your words. It will save you trouble."
The weight of his words drowned her retort and she sunk into silence, shoulders slumped over.
Jaul headed for an entrance draped in red silk, stopping several paces short of the threshold. He cleared his throat. "Matron Hesra." Tyler heard movement but couldn't see anyone. Jaul waited patiently, a bored expression on his face. His swarthy neck made it look as if his face were reclining against his skull. Finally, an older female with tightly bound gray hair ducked beneath the drapes, her sharp eyes fixing onto Tyler. Tyler resisted the urge make herself appear smaller, straightening instead. "What is this thing you've brought me?" The Matron kept her piercing gaze on her. She was tall for a female, her black, high necked robe accentuating her height and authority in equal measure.
"A runaway. Thought she might need a lesson in gratitude, so I brought her here."
The Matron folded her hands into her wide sleeves and finally turned her attention to Jaul. "This thing will disturb the girls. She stares too long, like a wide-eyed chaza. Is she feral?"
"No," Jaul smirked. "She tried to fight Jaul though. Tries to fight even now." He looked down at her, his grip tightening on her forearm even more, almost daring her to try and do something stupid. Tyler glared at him.
Matron Hesra clucked. "Take her to Nava. See if she can break her. I have too much to do without having to add disobedient children to the list."
Tyler's heart sped up. Break her? Not if she had anything to say about. She'd asked nice. Time to play dirty. As Jaul turned to haul her off in a new direction Tyler twisted and clamped her legs around his thigh. Then bit. Hard. Jaul roared and let go, clutching his bleeding forearm. Tyler hit the ground rolling and took off, sputtering as she tried to spit out his bitter blood from her mouth. She was going away from the red room, but with Jaul right behind her going back wasn't an option. Tyler sprinted down the corridor, shoving past slaves and dancers and knocking over anything that might impede her pursuer. Jaul roared only a few paces behind, sending her skin crawling with adrenaline. She ducked into the narrowest looking passages, never looking back. She was utterly lost. Tyler spotted a beaded doorway with stairs leading up and shot for the exit; Jaul's thundering footsteps not far behind. He skidded out from the narrow alley, nearly ramming the far wall. He was breathing hard. "Don't let her escape!" he yelled. The lounging guard who'd been flirting with a pair of identical looking females lunged for her. Too slow. She scampered up the stairs, two at a time. Beneath Jaul's enraged shouts she could hear the guard alerting his comrades posted throughout the sector. Tyler burst through the curtained exit, the beaded strands hissing in protest. She darted across the honeycomb shaped chamber to what looked like an elevator shaft, cursing when she didn't see any buttons. What did these people have against buttons and door handles? Suddenly, the elevator doors pealed back and it was then Tyler noticed the sensor above the doorframe. Oh. She slipped in, the doors sealing shut, cutting off Jaul's deep grunts as he raced up the stairway. The ride up felt agonizingly long. Tyler bounced her leg, anxious to get as far away from her pursuer as possible. A couple seconds to herself. Just enough time to panic. Tyler's hands trembled as the adrenaline rush began to taper off. Suddenly the doors slid open, a large male blocking the exit. His remaining eye rolled over her body as he approached the elevator and Tyler decided this was one awkward ride she did not want to share with a stranger cover in spikes with drool hanging from the corner of his mouth. She hugged the doorframe, trying keep as much distance between herself and her admirer as possible. Tyler squeaked and leapt away, clutching her sore bottom. She turned and glared at the male, a smug grin splayed across his mandibles. Pervert. Rubbing the sore spot, Tyler glanced around. Another hexagonal room. She sniffed the air. No Jaul. No Auran either. Just sex and lots of it. After a few moments she could hear it too, everywhere. Questions and emotions tumbled inside her head. Auran was going to be pissed. Jaul was going to kill her. Then give her over to be broken. Of all places, why the hell did he bring her to a whore house?
"Hey." Tyler nearly jumped out of her skin. She quickly backed away, fear racing through her at the sight of the new guard. He staggered slightly, his droopy eyes wandering until they managed to settle on her.
"Hey… som'in' wrong? I heard som'in'." The guard's glazed eyes followed something above her head. Tyler looked up. Nothing. She looked back him, eyebrow raised. Was he drunk? This could work in her favor. She did her best to smile. "Um, I'm fine. Could you help me though? I'm a little lost." He stared at her, squinting his eyes and blinking as he rocked back on his heels. "Wassa matter with your face?"
Alien facial expressions sucked. She tried again.
"I'm lost. Where does the elevator go?" He grinned at her, ignoring the several males exiting the elevator and walking off towards the rooms down the hallway. Tyler sighed. Drunk or not, this idiot couldn't help her. She walked towards the open elevator, grateful Jaul hadn't found her yet. Pain lanced through her skull, the guard snapping her head back by her dreadlocks. He pulled her against him, running his free hand over her stomach.
"I didn't say you could leave," he growled, his sour breath washing over her face. "None of the others'll talk to me. You're stayin'." He'd gone from carefree druggie to a quiet rage in a split second. He was hitting some serious stuff and she didn't want any part of what was going on inside his head.
"I don't think so." Tyler smashed her heel into his toes. A slam to the ribs with her elbow allowed her to wiggle free. Into the arms of another guard.
"Hey, watch it!" Tyler shoved the new guard backwards, only to hit a wall of muscle from behind. The first guard grabbed her shoulders and spun her around. Anger burned through the haze of the drugs. His mandibles drew back in a snarl.
Tyler heard the second guard suck in his breath. "Hey Tchath'ka, I think it's her."
"What?" he snapped, his gaze not leaving Tyler.
"That's the runaway they've been yellin' about. Apparently she bit Jaul and gave him the runaround." The guard snickered. "Can you imagine Jaul trying to sprint?"
"Shut up, Talac." Talac quieted. "This little u'laude kalai needs to be taught a lesson. Disrespecting the Mistress's generosity when she could be rotting in the Tunnels and assaulting three of her protectors." He clicked in displeasure, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "What should we do with her Talac?"
"Uhh… take her to Jaul?"
"Iyan daka!"
Talac growled. "You've been taking xashi again haven't you? Do you know what the others will do if they find out you brought that stuff into the Mistress' territory?"
While the two argued Tyler gently slipped Tchath'ka's knife from his belt and pressed it against her thigh. She took a deep breath, wincing as Tchath'ka's nails bit into her skin. God, I'm going to need a little luck right now.
"Hey! What do you think you'r— AaaAAAaaahhggghh! My eye! Bitch cut my eye!" Tyler kicked the screaming guard in the groin and turned to deal with Talac. He lunged, grabbing for her waist. Tyler batted both his arms aside and delivered several rapid punches to his chest. He backed off, momentarily stunned. She ducked Tchath'ka's overreaching punch and grabbed his arm. With a grunt, she twisted it, a satisfying pop of bone separating from socket ringing in her ears as she flipped him over her shoulder and into a surprised Talac. She ducked into side passage, skidding to a stop as Talac emerged at the far end. She turned to head back and froze. Tchath'ka blocked the entire archway. Blood oozed down the left side of his face, dripping to the floor.
"Dead end bitch," he growled, a dark light entering his remaining eye. Tyler stood her ground, a part of her actually hoping Jaul would find them. The guard took his time, casually making his way down the hall, a cold smile spreading over his face. Tyler held the knife out in front, doing her best to keep her hands from trembling. He stopped just a few yards from her, waiting for Talac to move in. Tchath'ka's gaze slid over her body. Tyler felt dirty, like grease had been wiped over her skin.
"Good, I'll call it in. Might get a reward you know," Talac clicked as he approached from behind, tapping his wrist computer.
"Yan."
Talac hesistated. "What? I don't understand. We got her."
"I want her. She took my eye and I want her to pay." Tchath'ka was quivering with rage. "I will breakher..."
Talac glanced between Tyler and his companion. "We aren't allowed to touch them—"
"Shut up!" Tchath'ka whipped out what looked like a gun. Tyler ducked. A keening shriek zipped through the air and Talac collapsed, his body jerking as electricity pulsed through it. Tyler didn't wait to see if he would use it on her, charging and screaming in an attempt to get him off balance. At the last second she ducked his fist and spun around. But he was faster. A well placed kick caught her in the back, sending her crashing to the floor. Pain lanced through her as a foot smashed against her ribs, the kick slamming her into the wall. Stars clouded her vision as blows rained down. Tyler heard several awful crunching sounds. It hurt to breath. Tchath'ka grabbed her ankles and dragged her into an empty room. Tyler thought she heard voices in the corridor.
He snatched the knife from her flailing arms, slashing at her clothes and cutting into her thighs. Tyler kicked his hands away and hissed. Suddenly the serrated knife was pressed against her throat. "One more sound," he growled, slowly dragging the knife down to her chest, "and I'll carve you up." His single red eye burned with hate. He'd kill her now if she gave him an excuse. She closed her eyes, body trembling as she waited for the inevitable pain. Tyler flinched as Tchath'ka roared, sucking in a surprised gasp as he pushed away from her and stood.
Just as she opened her eyes a bright red bolt of energy punched through his head. Tchath'ka's body twitched and jerked as if attached to strings, his arm swinging the knife wildly through the air, before finally slumping to the floor. Tyler crawled away from the body and huddled against the wall, fixated on the steaming hole that had once been a head. The stench of burned flesh filled the air. Tyler gagged, vision blurring as her eyes watered.
Suddenly Auran was crouched before her. He said something, but she didn't understand. She flinched when he tried to pry her arms open. Over Auran's shoulder she saw curious onlookers peering through the door. Auran placed his hands on either side of her face and turned her towards him. She stared into eyes, the color of deep amber, filled with anger and pain, but above all, concern.
"You're safe," he said.
Tyler sobbed and threw herself into his arms. He held her, his embrace gentle but firm. A deep rumble rolled up his body, the vibrations soothing. He wasn't angry. Not at her. The fire in his eyes had been reserved for his enemy. Auran sunk to his knees and cradled her as she clung to him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered into his neck. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…
Auran rested his chin on top of her head, his purrs deep and steady. Tyler found herself answering with her own broken, uncertain chitters, the moment almost too good to be true and any second now she was certain Tchath'ka would get up and finish what he started. Auran gently scooped her into his arms and carried her out, ignoring the on looking females and their clients crowding the hall. Tyler let out a pained sigh of relief as she left the room, wishing the dark memories would stay behind to die with their maker.
The right side of her body felt smashed in, her breath coming in short gasps. Coughing only made it worse. "Deep, slow breaths," he murmured. The effort was taxing. Exhaustion began to seep into her skin. All she wanted to do was curl up under a thick blanket and sleep for a week. A cadre of males, all guards, surrounded them, their deep, growling voices sending shivers down her spine and she tightened her grip around Auran's neck.
"Zeyin." Jaul's gruff voice snapped at Auran. "Hand her over. That little runaway needs to be taught some manners… wait." He sniffed. "I smell blood."
"Tchath'ka's," stated Auran. "You'll find his body down the hall. Talac is unconscious."
A chorus of questions rang out: What happened? Who killed him?
"It seems Tchath'ka stunned Talac. I killed Tchath'ka." Clicks and murmurs rippled amongst the guards.
"You four, clean up. You," Jaul growled to Auran, "Come with me. The Mistress will want an explanation."
Anxiety set her heart pounding and Tyler wheezed as broken bone raked against her lungs.
"Au—" He cut her off with a sharp click.
"Zeyin," he whispered.
"Zeyin… what are they going to do to me?"
"Nothing."
"But I… I ran away."
"I told you before, you are safe. This is my fault. The Mistress can do with me what she likes."
Tyler rested against his shoulder, the urge to cry hurting her chest. He not only rescued her, he blamed himself. It didn't make any sense. She'd left the room. The one thing he told her not to do. It was her fault. Everything. So why, whywasn't he angry?
Auran laid her on a pallet, herbs dangling from the ceiling, the scent of perfume and bitter medicines wafting through the air. A small female dug around work benches and drawers, chirping in satisfaction whenever she found certain unguents and bandages she needed. Auran remained crouched beside her despite Jaul's impatient growls.
"Stay here."
"She's not going to punish you is she?" Tyler's vision blurred but she fought through the pain. Auran shook his head. "Yan. Most make her out to be more fearsome than she actually is. I know her well." Jaul snorted in disbelief. She watched the pair leave, trying to quell the sharp sting of panic when Auran finally disappeared from view. She was safe. Auran was safe. She repeated over and over, a mantra to ward off the dark visions resting just beneath the surface of her mind.
