Frisk (2 page)

Lance was stripped to the waist and speaking quietly to the lineup of men and women on the side of the arena floor.

When he left them, he took a small metal bar from his belt and it expanded into a spear with a wickedly sharp tip. This was Lance’s skill, and he began to go through movements. His mastery of his own body was apparent.

His pale hair swung around his chalky body, his muscles began to gleam with sweat, and the blade he whipped around so effortlessly moved in deadly arcs through the air with every movement. It was a dance, and he was an excellent dancer.

The dark pigmentation around his eyes gave him a natural mask that made the gold of his eyes gleam, even from Lera’s vantage point. He was beautiful to watch, and she could stare at him for days.

His lower limbs were encased in loose trousers held in place with a tight sash and tucked into knee-high boots. He lunged, twisted and whirled, and it was only when he walked back to face the first of the recruits that Lera exhaled the breath she was holding.

Hormik was amused. “You are giving off pheromones that even I can sense. Is his physique that impressive?”

Lera leaned in and whispered, “Sometimes it is all about the first impression. The first impression here is that he is quite fit and very graceful. It is one of the first times since I came here that I have been struck like this.”

“What were the other times?”

“A Darkoli ambassador who was disturbed by my interest and a Genaran who wasn’t sure that I would be a good match. He was willing to screw me though, so I pushed that one aside and concentrated on training.”

“You don’t engage in sex for pleasure?” Hormik was surprised, and a few folk in the crowd around them were listening.

“We do. I do, but only when there is a chance for a bit more than a one-night stand. Never just for the purpose of satisfying the curiosity of a male.”

Hormik nodded. “So, it is a matter of pride then.”

“I suppose so. Hormones can only take you so far. Eventually, you have to look to the future.” Her words were spoken absently. Lance was up against one of the possible Guardian recruits.

The male had two blades and whirled them expertly, but he couldn’t land any solid contact with the graceful shifts that controlled Lance’s fighting. In a few strikes, the blades were in two pieces.

The attacker got a pat on his shoulders for his efforts, and Lance was on to the next recruit.

When Lance had taken care of his recruits, Shatter came up to work with his own batch of opponents, and the folk of Feural had the joy of watching one after the next fail the attack.

Lera sighed. “They don’t get it.”

Hormik was surprised. “What? What don’t they get?”

“A Guardian rarely attacks. They have to defend themselves and others behind them. It is in their very name.”

Coma was sitting still, and her head came up. She reached for the com unit, and as Lera made eye contact, she spoke. “Will the Peacekeeper who was at the prison shuttle yesterday please come down? You know who you are.”

Hormik grinned, “She doesn’t mean me.”

“I don’t want to muss my hair.”

“You won’t. Just wait for their attack.” Hormik grinned and prodded Lera down to the arena floor level.

Lera grumbled and went over to speak to Coma. “You called?”

Coma grinned. “You certainly look different.”

“It is my day off.” Lera put her hands on her hips.

“I would like you to pair off against Shatter. I heard what you said about waiting, and you were right.”

“Whoa. Shatter? I don’t have an active talent that can counteract his.”

“But you do have Enforcer and Peacekeeper training. Those can be useful. I promise to replace your dress if you rip it.” Coma’s orange hair complimented her pale yellow skin.

“Fine. Can I at least go now so that I can head off to dinner with my friend?”

Coma grinned and got to her feet. “Come along then. They will enjoy seeing this.”

The
they
she referred to was the audience. There was a general murmuring since Lera had sashayed across the arena floor. Shatter was busy using his concussive force to knock attackers off their feet, and he blinked with surprise when she stepped toward him and put her hands on her hips.

“Let’s get this over with.” She waited for Shatter to move.

“No!” Lance shouted from the sidelines where he had been involved in deep flirtation with one of his recruits.

Shatter lifted one eyebrow. “Lance? Would you prefer her to be your target?”

Lance frowned. “No. No one should be fighting with her.”

Lera sighed. “Then, why did you repeatedly try to get me here? Let’s get this over with. I have a dinner to get to, and Hormik is paying.”

Lance sighed. “Fine, Shatter, she is your opponent. I will not raise a hand to her.”

It was all the warning Lera got. Shatter attacked, and the ground under her feet cracked and rocked.

She sidestepped the attack, and when the next one came, she dodged the column of power instinctually. She shifted, moving closer to Shatter but still avoiding his attacks until she was able to kick him in the abdomen and elbow him in the sternum.

He dropped to the floor, and she stepped away as the audience gasped. Lera nodded to Coma and swept out toward the shadowed hallway where Hormik was waiting for her.

They laughed together and headed out to the restaurant for drinks before dinner.

* * * *

“She’s the one that I want. She’s the scent that has driven me to the edge of control. Impressive against Shatter too. He wasn’t expecting that.” Lance laughed. “Neither was I.”

Shatter rubbed his chest. “She’s good. I will give you that. But a Guardian? She only has the one ability. To see the weapons that people hide.”

“She has one ability that we know of. Who knows how it could be developed if she practiced a lot. Not to mention, she knocked you down without ruining her dress or her nails. That has to count for something.” Coma was firm.

“Can we get authorization from the Alliance?” Shatter was grim.

“I already have it. And authorization from the Nyal Peacekeepers organization. They both say that if she will agree, we can have her.” Coma nodded.

Lance grinned at the phrasing. “We can have her? Excellent. I have been looking forward to someone giving me a nod in her direction.”

Coma grinned. “Well, if you want to accidentally bump into her this evening, she is dining with a gender-neutral colleague in town. You could ask her to dance or something.”

He was surprised. “She told you all that?”

“No. She was broadcasting it while talking with her friend. They were headed for drinks when I saw them last.”

“Where are they going?” Lance got up and was ready to leave that instant.

Coma looked him up and down. “You are going to need a shirt.”

He sighed and headed to their shuttle where more formal clothing was waiting. He was trying to make a good impression, and now that he had seen her out of uniform, he was even more determined to make her his. The curve of her thighs and hips was going to haunt him. She was made for his hands, and he knew it. He just had to figure out a way to introduce that fact into conversation.

Coma and Shatter followed him.

Shatter checked his notes as they walked. “Well, we found four candidates for Guardianship, not including your Peacekeeper friend.”

Lance sighed, “She isn’t my friend, but she did knock you on your ass, so that gives her extra points on my front.”

Coma laughed, “Mine too. She did a good job, and I don’t think she smeared her pedicure.”

Shatter was scowling. “Fine, she knocked me over fair and square. With that talent for finding weapons, she would be a great candidate to be a Guardian. Satisfied?”

Lance shuddered at Shatter’s turn of phrase. “No. Not yet. But I hope she will be agreeable.”

* * * *

Hormik raised its glass. “To showing the Guardians that they aren’t the best fighters on the planet.”

Lera lifted her own glass and grinned. “To a good day off and a better evening.”

They sipped and set their beverages down. Hormik had taken on softer features in the last four months. The hard-sculpted mahogany blank that had been Hormik’s face was gradually shifting into something a little more recognizable as a face.

“So, you have decided on female then?” Lera chuckled as the server came by to bring them new drinks.

“I have. You seem to have so much fun with it that you were able to bring an aspect to it that I hadn’t considered before. I do love to tease, and it will be easier to do as a female than a male.” Hormik smiled, and the soft curve of its lips was definitely taking shape.

“So, you want to be a female to satisfy your sense of humour? I can get behind that. If you don’t like it, can you change again?”

Hormik shrugged. “Sure, it will just take a year or two. With my kind, the physical is changeable. Besides, I have already had my requisite five offspring. My body is my own now.”

“It must be nice to self-procreate without a worry about sexual roles and such. Where are your children now?”

“Two are adults and the other three are in the crèche. They will be educated and eventually find their own way in the worlds, or they will die. Hopefully, they will reproduce before they leave home.”

“So, that is your only social duty?” Lera sipped at her third drink and was feeling decidedly relaxed.

“Pretty much. I got into peacekeeping because it let me use my peculiar strength to an advantage. Plus, it would give me the opportunity to meet the greatest spectrum of life forms on which to base my retirement shape.”

“So, who have you picked?” Lera idly looked around the elegant lounge attached to the most exclusive restaurant in Feural.

“You. Well, your species. I am using you as my template.”

Lera spluttered. “I knew you wanted to ask me about home, but I had no idea that you were going to use me as a building block.”

“Why wouldn’t I? You have a skill that sets you apart, but you still thrive in a group environment. You are well respected by your peers but have an independence aside from the group dynamic. You are yourself, and it is a very rare thing in social species that a member can be a solid individual and an excellent co-operator. You are a wonderful role model.”

Lera blushed and swallowed. “Thank you. That is quite the honour. I have never considered myself as a role model.”

“I know, that is what makes you perfect for my template. You honestly don’t care.” Hormik raised her glass, and they toasted each other.

A server came up to them, and he seemed a little star struck and nervous at the same time. “Ladies, your table is ready, but there has been a slight alteration to your reservation. I am sure that it will not be objectionable to you.”

Hormik and Lera looked at each other, getting to their feet slowly.

Hormik scowled. “I made these reservations last week. What is wrong?”

“Well, Peacekeeper, the Guardians are in town, and they didn’t have time to make a reservation, so since you are both in law enforcement, we put them at your table.”

Lera groaned. “Wonderful. The restaurant is picking up my beverage tab for this inconvenience. Is that understood?”

“Yes, lady. It will be done.” The waiter looked relieved.

He led the way into the dining room with the fountain in the centre of it. Tables and booths were arranged in a wide circle that allowed for both privacy and maximum people watching.

The Guardians were ensconced in a large booth, and they got to their feet as Lera and Hormik arrived.

“Ladies, we apologize for hijacking your reservation.” Coma smiled winningly.

Lera gave her a narrow-eyed look. “Really? I do not accept your apology as you planned this event. Let me guess, passive telepath?”

Coma blushed, and Lance immediately spoke. “She knew I wished to speak with you again, Peacekeeper. This was the most expedient way, as we leave tomorrow.”

Hormik was amused. Lera could almost see her making notes in her mind.

“Fine, let’s just have dinner and some polite conversation as you are leaving tomorrow.” Lera inclined her head, and they all shuffled back into seats in the curved booth.

Lance ended up on Lera’s left, Shatter on Lera’s right. Coma and Hormik immediately launched into a quiet conversation, and Lera caught the waiter’s attention. She definitely needed another drink.

Chapter Three

Lance’s thigh was pressed against hers under the table, and she was having a hard time concentrating on Shatter’s question.

“Do you always drink this much?”

Lera grimaced. “When I only have one day off every eight weeks, when that one day is taken over by my being weaseled into a public display and then my nice evening with a friend is run over by three bullies, then yes, I drink this much. Do your ribs still hurt?”

He looked at her with dark silver eyes that were almost lost in the grey mask that was made of skin pigments against the midnight of the rest of his skin. His black hair was tipped with red. It was the only colour nature had provided him with. The rest of him was monochrome.

“My ribs are fine. Coma also has healing skills. How is it that you were able to dodge my strikes?”

“Well, you were not trying very hard, and I have been training for the last six years to avoid getting struck. It comes as second nature by now.” She shrugged and took the cocktail that the waiter placed in front of her.

Lance spoke softly. “Why did you come to the recruitment?”

She swallowed and looked at him under her lashes. His gold eyes glowed in the pale expanse of his face. “Into the arena or in the audience?”

“The audience.”

“I wanted to watch. You are very graceful.” She inclined her head as she gave the compliment.

He smiled. “Thank you. Years of practice. Have you ever done any blade work?”

“Not like that. My work has been mostly with short blades at close range. It is how I learned to dodge and how I was able to check out the Feural medical system.” She chuckled and sipped at her drink again.

That got Shatter’s attention. “You have been wounded in the line of duty?”