Amy

AMY

Razov proved himself to be a study in contrasts.

On the one hand, as one of the Fangs, he was one of the most feared beings on the entire station. That's saying something when a Vinduthi, any Vinduthi, can lay claim to being a source of terror.

On the other hand, Razov made me feel safe, protected.

Cherished.

He even seemed to have a genuine interest in rescuing Mera. I didn't know if the last bit had to do with his devotion to his superior, Alkard, but I didn't care.

If he wanted to help find my friend, I was on his side.

We didn't get a lot of sleep at Kalak's apartment…even though we spent almost the entire time in bed.

I would have pegged Razov for the kind of guy who was out for his own pleasure, but I would have been dead wrong. He made sure that I was taken care of. And then some.

Maybe that's why when I finally did fall asleep, I slept like the dead. When I'd been down in the Under, deep sleep was a luxury I couldn't afford. You never knew when someone was going to try and take what you had…even if all you had was yourself.

But in Razov's arms, I could let myself relax completely.

I awakened to the sound of voices out in the main section of Kalak's home. Even before my eyes opened, I felt the warmth of Razov's body spooning my own. I snuggled into him and sighed.

This wasn't going to last. It couldn't. I knew that, but just for the moment, I could pretend.

Maybe he'd be done with me tomorrow, but I intended to enjoy this moment to the fullest.

Which of course meant I would be interrupted.

The soft rap at the door was insistent and yet somehow polite.

"Master Kwayd?" Kalak sounded like he was genuinely upset about having to disturb us. "Are you awake?"

Razov stirred instantly, which made me wonder if he had actually been asleep or not. His cock twitched hard right before he rolled away from me and stood on the floor. I drew the blankets over myself in the nick of time as Razov opened the door. He stood framed in the doorway, naked as a jaybird, his form a silhouette.

If Kalak had any reaction to Razov standing there with it all hanging out, he gave no sign.

"What is it?" Razov asked.

"I wanted to inform you that the Metro is no longer under lockdown. You may leave if you wish…however, that other matter I spoke of has been moved up on my itinerary. If you'd like to be involved, I can make it worth your while."

Razov stiffened up.

"You still haven't told me what this job is. I need to at least know a general idea of what I will be doing."

"I can't tell you too much, except that it involves military grade equipment."

Razov perked up. I felt it more than saw it, but I could tell he thought this would be a lead on the missing guns.

"I'm in."

"Ah, excellent. Your associates on this job are already here, and await your convenience."

Kalak's eyes darted over to me, and I did my best to look as if I'd been thoroughly ravished and broken.

"I understand if you need a little more time."

Kalak grinned as the door shut. As soon as it closed, Razov turned to me.

"My apologies. It appears I will not be able to get you to safety just yet," he said at length.

"I understand. If there's anything I can do to help you find Mera, I'll do it."

He nodded, and gathered his clothing.

"I do not know what the Nazok intends. Please be careful, and if it looks like things will become dangerous, then flee. Head to the Fallen Star, and wait for me there."

"I'll be careful," I replied, something going a little cold in my chest. "Do you get dancing jobs for all your girls when you're done with them?"

He reacted as if I'd slapped him and considered me for a long moment. "I only wish to make sure you are well," he muttered under his breath. But who was he trying to convince?

Me…or himself?

"Well, I appreciate it in any event. Thank you."

Razov nodded, still with that confused look in his eyes. I'm sure he didn't know what to make of me.

I didn't know what to make of him.

Fate had kind of thrown us together.

He was looking for Mera and found me instead. I'd been kind of going along for the ride, glad to be free of Ewani captivity, but now I felt like our dynamic had shifted.

Maybe it was all in my mind. Probably.

Razov pulled on his pants, then considered the oversized shirt I wore. I hadn't noticed before, but apparently in our haste, the front had been shredded.

"This won't do," he muttered.

"Maybe I can tie it closed?" I offered.

"Let's see what we can find here." He turned to the closet, pulling out clothing and discarding them just as quickly.

Considering most of the outfits looked like something I might have danced in, I didn't argue with his decisions.

"Perhaps this will do."

I held the little black dress up in front of me. Technically it would cover me, but the skin-tight cut would be pretty revealing.

Still, better than the rest of the options.

"What do you think?" I asked, as I wriggled into the garment.

Razov's eyes locked on my chest, his eyes widening as he took a step towards me.

Kalak' voice sounded from the other room. "Are you ready yet?"

Razov froze, turning away from me with a jerk. It was almost like the big, bad alien was afraid of me. Or maybe it was the dress.

We headed out of the bedroom and into the main living area. Outside the panoramic window, air cars moved slowly through the Metro. For a moment, I watched in wonder. The lifestyles of these people were so far removed from my own I almost couldn't comprehend it.

"Oh, it's you," Suggs said when he saw us.

Shit. Apparently, the crooked station cops were going to be our escorts once again. "I see you're still wearing your Vinduthi disguise."

"Nobody messes with me when I look like this." Razov shrugged his massive shoulders. "And if there's trouble, it'll point in the wrong direction."

"Fair enough," Kalak said, spreading out his hands wide. "Now that we've got that all sorted out, let's talk business." The joviality drained from Kalak' face and voice. "But first, one more sweep."

He moved around the room, holding a small squarish device in his hand. Kalak ran the device through the air, and it made a series of soft beeps.

"Okay," he said, "no one is listening in, for now at least."

My stomach knotted. Razov had been right to not try to contact the Fangs. If Kalak was doing regular sweeps for any monitoring devices, the apartment was probably shielded from unauthorized communications.

Kalak pushed a button and the shades on the windows lowered as the station cops settled into their seats. Razov took the last remaining chair. I had nowhere to sit. My eyes met Razov's gaze, and for a moment, I saw his desire dancing in his eyes.

Was he really going to drag me into his lap for this?

Instead, he drew an imperious glare on his face and pointed at the floor, his manner a total change from the sweetness he'd displayed in private.

"Kneel, girl. Know your place."

That would have made me angry a short time ago. Now, though, I knew he was just playing his role. I figured it was my job to play along as well…and if I could mess with Razov a tiny bit in the process, even better.

"Yes, sir," I said meekly, with a bit of a lilt to my voice. I bit my lower lip and gave him a hungry look as I sank to my knees beside his chair.

It worked. Razov shifted in his chair, crossing his legs, no doubt to hide the growing erection there.

"Why don't you start by telling me what kind of job you need to do?" Razov directed the question at our host.

"It's a simple, though risky prospect," Kalak said.

Suggs shifted in his seat and gave an anxious look at the Nazok. "Are you sure you want to tell him all of this?"

Kalak pulled out a death stick, lit it and puffed deeply before answering.

"I trust Kwayd. I've used him for years. He's the type who likes his creature comforts. Dangle enough credits in front of him and he'd sell his own mother to the Ewani."

"It wouldn't even take that many credits," Razov said with a harrumph. "Cranky bitch."

Suggs laughed and relaxed. I saw it in his eyes, what he was thinking. This Kwayd is our kind of scum.

It turned my stomach, but I knew Razov wasn't really like that, so I did my best to act demure and submissive while absorbing every word spoken like a sponge.

"All right," Suggs said, addressing Razov. "How familiar are you with military grade explosives?"

"Explosives?" A flash of disappointment crossed Razov's features for a moment and I knew he had hoped the missing guns were the cargo, not a bomb.

"Yes," Kalak said. "Shouldn't be anything you can't handle, Kwayd. Another reason you're a good candidate for the job. This isn't much different from the jobs you did for the freedom fighters. Just a much bigger bomb this time."

"How big?"

Razov sounded casual, but I had a ball of ice in the pit of my stomach. The very idea of a bomb on a space station terrified me—as it should anyone.

Kalak smirked and sat back in his chair, drawing hard on the death stick.

"Let's just say, once it goes off, the Vinduthi Fangs and the Mondion Syndicate…and anyone else Conii doesn't like…will all be out of the picture, permanently."

"We're going to set off the bomb at a strategic point," Suggs explained, his eyes disturbingly excited as he tapped a point on the station map on the wall. "It will open up the hull on the Promenade's starboard wing. No one will have time to do anything to save themselves. Those who don't die in the explosion will be sucked into the void of space."

"Hundreds of innocent people will die," I sputtered.

The room grew quiet. I had forgotten my ‘place.' To my surprise, Kalak actually answered me, although in a condescending tone, as one might speak to a child.

"Thousands," he said. "Thousands of people will die, my naive little human."

I couldn't keep the horror off my face as Suggs and his partner chuckled darkly and an ugly sneer crossed Kalak's face.

"There are no innocents. The Nazok people have been conquered and enslaved dozens of times throughout our planet's history. The galaxy has made it clear—it's them against us. And if I have a choice…I choose us."

All of that geniality, the sophistication, the veneer of civility…all of it meant nothing. Kalak the Nazok was a psychopath.

And if no one stopped him, he would be responsible for the deaths of thousands.