The Iriduan’s Mate by Susan Trombley
Fourteen
The week following her encounter with Shulgi was a busy one for Molly, though not busy enough to keep her mind occupied and away from dwelling on him.
And the fact that he didn’t contact her at all during that time.
That wasn’t to say that Ma’Nah’s shipping office wasn’t in contact. In fact, the very next day after Shulgi signed the contract, they received a request from Ma’Nah’s shipment crew to commission Jonah’s Whale for a large order.
Jenice oversaw the particulars, though their minions carried out the actions necessary on their end. Or Zaska’s minions, as they saw themselves. Everything should go smoothly, as this was a standard shipment of food product to a colony bordering the CivilRim. Jonah’s Whale had permission to travel through all the Jumpstations as well as any neutral territory within Syndicate space.
There was really no need for Sha Zaska to be personally involved in this end of the business, which meant there was no need for his mouthpiece. She realized there was no need for someone high up in Ma’Nah to be involved either.
Obviously, the company was smuggling some undisclosed products as well on Jonah’s Whale, and that was fine with “Zaska” as long as they were well hidden. Jonah’s crew was more than capable of dealing with nosy officials.
The good news was that they had a handful of escaped slaves in the pipeline and ready to smuggle off-world. The colony the Whale was traveling to required a Jumpstation transfer, and the slaves would be met there by a representative from an Akrellian organization dedicated to rescuing slaves, particularly human and Akrellian ones, though they would help all species—even Iriduans who’d been enslaved.
Ma’Nah’s agents knew about some of the smuggling holds on the Whale, but not all of them, so there would be plenty of space for the slaves, and a full cargo hold wouldn’t raise as many questions as one that was half empty.
Any success at smuggling slaves off Za’Kluth and onto the road to their freedom was a happy one, but Molly still felt dissatisfied. She was pleased that they had a way to get this group off-world, but she also wished she could see Shulgi again. She wondered if he’d forgotten all about her now that his part in the dealings was done.
Perhaps she really had been nothing but a product to him. Something to use while he had the opportunity, only to be forgotten and discarded after he’d sated himself.
She knew better than to expect anything else, yet it still hurt when he wouldn’t even contact her at all. Not even to let her know whether he’d enjoyed himself.
She had nearly given up on ever hearing from him again when she received a message routed to her by Jenice.
It was from Shulgi’s personal contact address, and it was very brief. Yet it still made her smile.
I was out of commission longer than I expected to be. Missed you. Can I see you again?
She didn’t know what he meant by “out of commission” but suspected that it was an explanation for why he hadn’t communicated with her since he’d left. She realized that it could just be an excuse, and she wasn’t usually so naïve as to believe such an excuse. Yet she felt like Shulgi was too honorable to make lies like that up. If he wanted to use her for her body, she felt like he’d make that clear and not play with her emotions by pretending he cared about more than that.
She recalled Jenice’s concern about her getting emotionally hurt, aware that was a distinct possibility in this case. Still, she replied to his message immediately, and directly, not routing it back through their central address for Jenice or anyone else to read.
Missed you too. Would love to see you again.
She bounced her foot as she sat on the couch, barely hearing the Ultiman video game going on in the background as Mogorl and Grundon engaged in a virtual battle. She’d been watching them when Jenice sent the message. Though really, she’d been staring at the holo screens without seeing them.
She thought she would have to wait a long time for a response, but he replied immediately, and since it was direct to her link, there was no delay.
His response appeared in a holographic display just above her wrist.
Tell me when. I need to see you soon.
She feared she might be misinterpreting his intent. She wasn’t sure if he needed to see her personally, or as Zaska’s mouthpiece. Why would he “need” her? Was it lust driving him to contact her? Or did he only need to discuss the contract, and the business Ma’Nah was now doing with Zaska’s Shipping?
She wasn’t in the mood for misunderstandings.
Mogorl glanced over at her as she whispered into her wrist com. Grundon crowed with victory as his avatar brutalized Mogorl’s character because of his momentary distraction.
Is this for business or pleasure?
She waited nervously for his reply, her knee bouncing even more now until she noticed Mogorl staring at it with concern bringing his heavy brows together over soulful dark brown eyes.
She gave him a weak smile. “Just a business transaction. Don’t let me distract you.”
He studied her face for a long moment, and she knew he didn’t believe her. Still, he nodded slowly, then returned his attention to the game, though she knew he remained alert to her mood.
She rose quickly to her feet and retreated to her room, knowing that would only raise both their suspicions. They were growing perhaps too overprotective of her. Fortunately, there wasn’t anything romantic about their devotion to her that would make her feel guilty about hiding Shulgi’s communications from them. She was more like a sibling to them.
Does Zaska monitor this contact?
Her heart thudded, aware that she was in a tight place with such questions. She had to be careful how she went about this. If she said no, it was completely private, Shulgi might wonder how a slave had so much freedom. If she said yes, Zaska did, he might not communicate fully with her.
“No,” she whispered into her com. “But he has given me some freedom to work with clients as I see fit.”
So I am only a client?
She slowly smiled, sensing he wouldn’t have asked the question if he didn’t really care about the answer.
As far as he’s concerned. But not to me.
Several long minutes passed before his response scrolled over her wrist.
What am I to you, Molly?
She hesitated before answering that question, unsure what would be the best way to phrase what he meant to her, or why. Obviously, she couldn’t be in love with him since she’d only just met him. Yet, she felt such a connection to him that she wondered if it wasn’t something on the path to love. At the same time, she wouldn’t want to assume too much on his side. She’d made that mistake before, and the pain of discovering she’d been wrong had almost been too much for her to bear.
You are something I don’t dare to believe in.
She gasped as she saw her own words appear on her com, not realizing she’d said them aloud. Tears clustered in her eyes as she pondered how true they were. She didn’t believe in love at first sight. Couldn’t. She wasn’t in a position to fall in love—least of all with someone like Shulgi. Someone who could never know her secret.
She sent the message anyway, her fingers shaking as she tapped her wrist. She took shallow breaths as she awaited a response, unsure what she wanted it to be.
It took a long time for him to reply, and each minute that ticked by without a response made her heart sink a little more. She was afraid she’d already went too far. Admitted too much. Made him more important in her mind than he intended to be. That was the biggest failing she’d always had, looking for someone to actually care about her so desperately that she ended up seeing it where it didn’t exist.
You can believe in me, Molly.
When his reply came back, she released her breath in a gust, relieved that he hadn’t completely denied any interest in her beyond her body. Still, the response was vague enough that she could take multiple meanings from it. He might be speaking of her being able to believe in his desire to rescue her from her slavery, rather than that he cared about her personally. She’d already seen that he disliked the practice, and Sha Zaska. She might be his project, rather than a potential love interest.
I will save you.
Her heart sank again at his follow-up message, realizing that her suspicions about his meaning were probably correct. She was a victim he wanted to save, not someone he wanted to love.
I don’t need saving. Just love.
Again, her words left her lips without her conscious intent, but once they were out there, she didn’t take them back, instead sending the message, even as she dreaded the response.
When he didn’t reply for another long stretch where she waited, almost breathless, she felt again like she’d gone too far, pushed too hard.
Love for our kind is not like it is for humans.
His reply wasn’t what she’d hoped, but it wasn’t as bad as she’d feared, either. He didn’t immediately shut her down and tell her she was a fool to even think he could ever love someone like her. Instead, he’d given her more questions than answers.
Before she could respond, he sent another message.
I want to explain, but some things should be said in person.
Molly’s leg bounced as she sat straight on the edge of the bed, nervously debating what she should say next. She wanted to see him again, naturally, but she also now felt worried about his response, and what it might mean. Maybe he just wanted to sleep with her again. While she wanted that too, she wasn’t sure that she could remain detached emotionally from him if she engaged in more physical intimacy. She might have already gone too far for emotional detachment.
I want to see you again, but I’m also worried.
She didn’t like admitting to her vulnerability. Her mask of professionalism was like armor for her. Allowing it to slip, even just a little, made her fear that she would lose herself to him, and that her heartache would be so much worse when he decided he’d finished with her, either growing tired of her, or discovering that she didn’t need his rescue and moving on to someone who did.
We can meet away from the under-tier, away from Zaska’s spying eyes. Perhaps we can find an excuse to get you away from him, even if only temporarily.
Clearly, he was aware Zaska saw everything that happened on the docks. She wondered if he knew their encounter had been recorded, then figured he did. She didn’t leave the under-tier often, mostly to avoid the off chance that she might run into someone who recognized her, though the dye and markings obscured her features significantly from when she’d been in Uthagol’s brothel. Still, there were tiers she could visit that Uthagol and her minions, as well as her usual clientele, wouldn’t be caught dead on.
I might be able to meet you on second-tier. In the marketplace. Sometimes I am permitted to shop there.
Her heart thudded in her chest as she waited for his response, realizing that if he agreed to meet her there, she would be away from the relative safety of under-tier and Zaska’s shadow.
That place isn’t safe for you alone. Is there any way I can come to escort you there without arousing Zaska’s suspicions?
She shook her head as if he were in the room with her, a smile perking her lips.
I will have my guards escort me. There’s an inn on second-tier where I sometimes meet clients who don’t like coming to the under-tier.
Mogorl and Grundon would not be happy about this meeting away from the under-tier, but they would help her because they loved her, and also because they knew she would go on her own if they refused to escort her. She would not be controlled by anyone ever again.
Give me the details. I hope to see you again, as soon as possible.
Her heart soared again, though she urged it to settle and not get too excited. She’d been down this path before and had felt her heart bounce about excitedly as butterflies filled her stomach. She knew how hurt she could end up getting in these situations.
Yet she also knew it was already too late.
