Farin the Dark Read online

  Lyric came out of her room carrying her bag. The rest of her things would be waiting for her in the dressing room, so she did not have much to carry. She glared at Ember. "We are not sacrificing you to the Tellox for a job."

  Charm shrugged. "We've been doing this long enough for it to get boring. If they make it difficult to make a living this way we'll try something else."

  Ember groaned. "Are you still trying to convince us that piracy is a solid career choice?"

  "Smuggling," Charm said smiling her sharp smile again. "Or exploring with an eye for profit," she added. As if that sounded legitimate.

  Lyric shrugged. "She's not wrong. We never expected to do this long term, and I for one am fine with changing things up. If I never have to go on the stage again it would not hurt my feelings. Though it has made us obscenely rich in a short amount of time."

  "Exactly," Charm said. "We have enough put away we can do what we want instead of what we have to."

  Ember looked from one to the other and wondered when they had started hating the job as much as she did. "So are we hoping the Alliance breaks the contract or that they don't?" she asked with only a little sarcasm.

  Charm shrugged again. "I'm good either way."

  Lyric smiled at Ember. "I like singing, and it pays well, but I could do without all the hoopla, so..." She copied her friend’s shrug. "I guess I'm also good either way." She shivered just a little her eyes going distant. "I think we have all done enough medical exams to last us a lifetime in any case, and that is not something I am prepared to budge on."

  Ember sighed. She did not want to travel back into those memories any more than she wanted that for her friends. They had gotten out, that was all that was important. And she could understand why they were so adamant about this. But no matter what they said, she still felt bad that she was the reason they might be moving on. Say what she will, she knew Lyric more than liked singing, even if the rest of it was a pain. And if they did leave there was no guarantee that they would fall into anything else that paid quite so well with as little danger as this. But she knew there was no convincing her friends that taking the test they wanted her to take did not matter to her. They had been in the labs same as she had, and they would know it for the lie it was.

  Besides, suppose she somehow tested positive for a match with a Tellox? She shivered at the thought of Farin the Dark. He might have been beautiful and deadly, but no man was worth the trouble that would bring for her and hers. "I will send word that we are not required to submit ourselves to any medical but the basic contamination tests we took when we arrived. Then we will see if we still have a job tonight. In the meantime let’s get to the performance space and do our prechecks. In case we actually get to perform tonight."

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Falon received the missive from the Alliance just as he was heading out for the meeting with Brax. He almost opened it, but if it was negative then it was not something he needed to know ahead of time, and if it was positive than he would not want to meet Brax at all, and it would be better to have this done before he was free to hunt other prey.

  "Commander, General Brax and his crew are awaiting us at the landing sight."

  "Let him know we are coming now and meet me in the portal room." Farin stood up and turned to head out, only to curse his own impatience and pull up his personal wrist com. The message was short and to the point and it had his teeth grinding and a growl forming across his lips before he had made it to the apologizing part of the missive.

  She had refused the test, and as she was not an Alliance citizen and had diplomatic immunity as a part of their performing contract the Alliance has no recourse to force the issue. The representative of the Alliance then went on to say some more but what it all came down to was that the female, and it seemed anyone else associated with her crew, were not under the jurisdiction of the Alliance.

  Farin read it twice before he dropped his arm and stepped into the lift. He glared at the walls surrounding him for the entirety of the trip to the portal room. Then when he arrived and found his calvern awaiting him he proceeded to glare at them as well.

  "Whoa" Celo said taking a step back from the look in his commander’s eyes. "Please tell me the discussion with Earth did not go that bad."

  Farin flicked that away with a quick hand. "No, that was fine, our people have the right to hunt on their planet for mates per our original agreement, so long as it is understood the females would be tested not bitten and claimed, and only those without mates already and old enough to be considered adult in their culture. Nothing has changed. Though they did insist that the term hunt would be replaced for a word less volatile and demeaning to their females, and that said females would need to be willing before she could be taken off planet."

  "Demeaning?" Aos asked with an arrogantly raised brow. "They should be so honored."

  Farin grunted not interested in reminding Aos that his arrogance was misplaced again.

  "So what has you looking like death then?" Celo asked, looking at Aos with censure for his words and tone, but also ignoring it for now.

  "I heard back from the Alliance. Ember, Siren of the Trios, has declined the testing."

  "She can't," Nox said before anyone else could. Unlike Aos his voice was devoid of Arrogance and was his usual cold fact. "The trade agreement stipulates we can have any female tested who resides in Alliance space."

  "She is not part of Alliance and therefor they cannot force her to test. Something about her also having diplomatic immunity means they cannot insist she leave Alliance space if she refuses to follow their laws. They are very sorry, but the woman and her crew, I think was how they phrased it, are not under the jurisdiction of the Alliance by their own performance contract."

  "If they are not under Alliance jurisdiction, then they are also not under Alliance protection," Dig said coldly.

  "What were the exact terms of their performance contract?" Celo asked while the rest of them absorbed those words and the menace behind them.

  "They did not say but I want you to find out," Farin said grimly. "That and everything else. Where they are scheduled to perform, what they do, and when the contract with the Alliance is finished."

  "Do you intend to wait?" Aos asked incredulous.

  "That would depend," Farin said with a predatory smile. "On how long it would take. For now we have a meeting to attend. When we return is soon enough to start this hunt."

  No matter what the Earth people thought, to the Tellox there was no other word that described their search for a mate better than hunt. The humans could call it what they wanted, but he would chase down his prey, in this instance the lovely and dangerous Ember of the Trios. And not a man among them would even suggest they should let this one go. When a Tellox found a woman he believed could be the one he had been waiting for, no warrior would walk away.

  She would be tested. And if she would not do it the 'civilized' way they had compromised on, well that just left the hard way. A way every Tellox male would prefer if given the choice.

  Remembering the female with the pale luminescent skin, wild silky hair and lavender eyes, he wondered that he could already feel the taste of her blood in his mouth. Whatever she would eventually be to him, he would have that at the very least, before he was forced to let her go and continue the hunt.

  He had added his DNA to the database with all the rest of the warriors, but this was the first time he had requested a test on a female. Perhaps the reason was as simple as she was unlike any female he had ever seen or smelled, but something about her called to him and he would not rest until he tasted that shimmering pale flesh, and made sure one way or the other what she was to him. And he would get that chance because Dig was right. If she was not under the jurisdiction of the Alliance, then she was also not under its protection. Which meant she was vulnerable to more than him, and it did not matter that he had only seen her briefly in passing, because the thought of her being without protection was unacceptable.

 
***

  Farin and the rest of his calvern were the last to arrive at the rendezvous point. The meeting place was a deserted moon with a strange flat area cleared of the carnivorous jungle that covered the rest of the small moon. Just large enough for two shuttles the green wall of plants always drew his eyes in wonder no matter how many times he had been to this place. It did not draw his eyes more than a moment because Brax and his own calvern stood before them. Along with his mate. A female even Farin the Dark would be loath to go up against in battle.

  The formerly of Earth female was unmistakably Tellox with her golden skin and eyes. One of only a few females that had been found compatible to his species, so much so that the bite of her mate had transformed her into a true nearly indestructible Tellox. She was also scarily powerful in her own right.

  At five nine she was the tallest of her more petite sisters, slender and beautiful she stood a foot shorter than the Tellox that surrounded her. She had the ability to interact with tech in a way he had never seen before, and she was scarily brilliant besides that. But it was still a surprise to see her. Truthfully he had not expected Brax to allow his mate off the ship. But then the former Earth female spoke up and he remembered what he had forgotten in the last twenty plus years since he had seen her and her sisters. The sisters from Earth that had been the first mates found for the Tellox were not the kind to be left or let.

  He was happy to see she had not aged a day since he had last seen her. Many of the Tellox had wondered and worried that the females that had been transformed by a mate’s bite would not have the same life span as their nearly immortal mates, but it seemed they had nothing to worry about. It made him wonder how the others were faring, the other sisters Megan and Sara. And the children they had birthed.

  "Lady Ariel," Farin said with a small bow. "You are looking as lovely as ever. I trust that your sister and their families are doing well?"

  Since they were on a world protected by The Travelers it was not something he could find out for himself. No one could see them but a select few that had been invited. He had never had the privilege. Mostly because from what he had gleaned, the travelers who protected their world with their nearly limitless power, did not let just anyone find it, and because for the first time in a thousand years there were Tellox females and young to be guarded.

  "The last time we visited they were all disgustingly happy and content." Her words did not match the tone of her voice which was both humorous and wondering.

  "And the children are doing well?" Every man on his team perked up at his question. Even he could not hide his interest behind his usual facade. She would not have believed it anyway. The fact that there were three adult unclaimed Tellox females on a planet that none of them could get to was a secret only Brax and his men, and Farin and his knew.

  Ariel smirked at him, raising a brow at his obvious interest. "By children do you refer to the five boys ranging from two to twenty-four, or the three adult women who have not been considered children for at least two years?"

  Farin bowed his head at her in apology. "All of them, though your question does raise another for me. Are all of the ladies of your family content to be cosseted away as your sisters are?"

  Ariel snorted. "It's not my sisters who are trying to keep them children," she muttered before she gave him an appraising eye and went directly to what she wanted to know in her usual blunt way. "What are you doing these days? I mean I know you move around as much as we do, but in what capacity?"

  "Ariel," Brax muttered out a warning, which she ignored.

  Farin studied her, wondering what she had in mind even as he answered. "After meeting with the human delegation, we are here to discuss the possibility of General Brax and his lady being host and protection for some of their delegates to the next diplomatic mission." She looked intrigued by that and he raised his eyes to Brax doing his best not to smirk. Brax switched his glare from his mate to Farin and growled.

  "You always were a wily bastard," Brax cursed him with his eyes. "And why are you not hosting this delegation?"

  "I am sure it will fall to me eventually, but the human politicians are wary of trusting too much, they have requested one of the Tellox females to come along as escort."

  "And what do you get in return?"

  Farin smiled and it was full on predator. "I insisted that no male would be comfortable with his female around other males and requested that any ambassadors they send me be female, preferably unmated, as we do not approve of separating mates for such journeys."

  Ariel laughed. "Did you also stipulate age and looks?"

  "Not looks," he said meeting her eyes again. "But I did mention they would have to pass a physical to handle the rigors of space travel."

  "And they fell for that load of horse shit?"

  "I believe they understood what was truly behind our requirements, but since we had acceptable reasons for all the stipulations they did not put up too much of a fuss."

  "Because they don't care," she muttered her face darkening. "They would hand over every female you wanted as long as they keep getting your protection and tech."

  "That was the feeling I got as well. Though the way your Earthlings play with words it's a wonder they don't tie themselves into knots."

  "Nice to know some things don't change." She looked him over again. "You know if you had not dealt so well with them twenty-six years ago they would have given you all the women on silver platters, and I think things would be vastly different than they are now. From what I have gathered, most of the issues of equality between men and female has changed. More woman are in places of power because of the Tellox and their treatment of them." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I seriously believe that if it had been Rygan who approached first, the humans would have been delegated as cattle to be slaughtered, the females as barter. Instead women are taking their place as representation among the stars. Not a bad way for history to go, even if it started out bloody."

  Farin eyed her and did not bother to hide his surprise at her words. He bowed his head deeply in respect. "I am honored." Then he raised his head and speared her with a look. "Now that you have sufficiently buttered me up, what are you going to ask me?"

  Brax chuckled. Ariel narrowed her eyes. "Rory wants to leave the nest, and I think you are your crew would be the best fit as escorts."

  Brax lost his laughter immediately. "Ariel?" He nearly growled the word in warning, clearly not agreeing with whatever plan she had formed.

  "She wants to go with us, but we are still a target of both rogue Tellox and pirates who want to cash in on capturing a female Tellox to sell. Add an unmated female and however many Earth woman to our ship and we become an even bigger target. You however are the Tellox High commander, which means you could escort them quite easily while insuring enough Tellox ships as escort that they would be safe, and let’s face it. If all you need is a Tellox female on board then Rory can come aboard as escort to the humans, with whatever guard you see the need for, of course."

  "Rory is Creeg’s oldest daughter is she not? She is young and would need to be trained..." He started to say, only to be cut off.

  "Just turned twenty and has been trained in diplomacy, language and history by the Travelers. Her father and uncles taught her fighting and weapons." Ariel smiled at him and he knew she had to see the surprise in his eyes. She smirked at him. "Her aunts taught her computers and gardening. Though her...interests lie elsewhere."

  Farin took that to mean the girl had displays some of the special skills the rest of the family was known for and was intrigued. He raised a questioning brow.

  Ariel shrugged. "It should not be an issue in space, but when you are planet side," she sighed. "Try to keep her in a good mood or the weather could take a turn for the worse."

  Farin took her meaning and wondered exactly what that meant. Some affinity to weather was not unheard of but it did range from being able to predict when it would rain to causing storm and tornadoes to form. Knowing the family
of females she came from he would not be surprised if it was the extreme version. "An untrained weather mage?" he growled in disbelief.

  "Oh, she's trained. The travelers saw to that, but she is also young, and it is tied to her emotions." Ariel smirked. "Let’s just say puberty was a bitch."

  Farin shook his head at the pressure building there. "Do you have any idea what people would do to get their hands on a weather mage? That does not even take into account that she is an unmated Tellox female, who I am assuming from the other females in her family, is not hard to look at?"

  A few of the men in Brax's party reacted to that, smirks, grunts and affirmative sounds, and Farin looked over them all. Then sighed. "I take it she took after her mother and aunts in the looks department?"

  Brax glared at his men and then turned back to Farin. "She will be noticed. No doubting that, which is why no one would agree to her doing this if she had not spent as much time working with the travelers as with her Tellox menfolk. When Ariel says she has been trained by them in weapons and fighting, you would be wise to take that seriously." He pointed to the men at his back. "To be able to even talk about the possibility of her leaving she had to be able to best her father and his calvern in a fight."

  Nox snorted in obvious disbelief behind him. "Then why are we even having this discussion?"

  "Because," Ariel said her eyes glaring daggers at the man. "As of our last visit the only one she had not defeated yet was Creeg and Morax themselves. And only because neither of them wants to fight her, no matter that any injuries short of death could be healed immediately by her cousin."

  Farin raised a brow. "One of the other girls is a healer?"

  "Megan's daughter Emma. She’s sixteen. Also training with the travelers. As was her twin brother, and all the rest. I think you will find that when they are ready to brave the other worlds, not much training will be needed for it." Ariel said with a big smile for all of them. "Though I would not get your hopes up of her joining your crew at any time. She has her mother’s softness. She might want to leave at some point but if she does it will only be years from now and with her twin brothers escort or not at all." Ariel looked thoughtful. "And I'm thinking not at all."