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Leaving Adlet on Hera, Drake, Ferda and Rand take on Jina, a retired constructor prepared to offer blood and sex in exchange for a passage to the Hallidan Hub. On arrival at the Hub, while Rand and Drake look for a permanent crew member, Ferda goes in search of Zadde and his associates and learns Zadde was tortured and killed a few days after they left Hallidan with his cargo. Rand receives an unofficial warning that he is about to be arrested for the "disturbance' he was involved in during their last visit and his ship will be impounded. Leaving the Hub just ahead of the magistrates, our crew and their new members set out for Frannin, Zadde's home base, and another major trading station, hoping to learn something of Zadde and his dealings and Gelda's origins.
“Well?” Drak asked as Ferda took her place at the console. “Everything went alright while I took my well earned meal break?” “I asked first,” Drak said. “You go off to eat and come back with a glint in your eyes and your ‘I know something you don’t’ smile. So tell.” She should tell him to mind his own beeswax bit he was a vamp after all. No point in winding him up just for the sake of it. “I met Rand on the the way back up. I think he wore our new crew member out. Hope he lasts the rest of the voyage.” Drak raised an eyebrow. “You think he took too much?” “Rand certainly had an air of being well satisfied. Note I say satisfied, not sated. I can’t see Rand over doing it.” The few times he’d fed from her he’d been considerate in the extreme, only taking the absolute necessary, Mind you, that could just have been because she had the wrong sort of plumbing. “What do you think of him?” “Who, Rand or Jina?” Drak creased his brows at her. “Jina, of course.” Very good question. “I assuming he was hired for talents other than his ability to manage the ship. Or was the pool of applicants really that spares.” “It was sparse but Rand wanted him. It’s only as far as the Hub after all. We can pick up someone competent there.” That pretty much said it all. “An old lover, perhaps?” Drak shrugged and angled his head to indicate someone approaching. A few moments later, Rand stood in the doorway. Beaming and rosy. “You look very satisfied,” Ferda said. “Downright perky.” “Perky!” If vamps could still splutter, Drak would have just then. “Honestly Ferda, Perky doesn’t begin to cover it. How about sated, satisfied and surfeited?” “That’s about the essence of it.” “Cut it out,” Rand said, or rather snarled. “How’s Jina?” Ferda asked. As if she needed to ask. “Sated, satisfied and seduced?” “Don’t you start,” Rand said. “I came up to see how things are and ask what thoughts, if any, you have for when we land. We need a good cargo. The one we just picked up won’t pay for the trip.” “Before that we need a permanent crew member who can actually contribute more than their blood.” Drak was rubbing it in. “Why don’t you boys take care of that. I’ll find Zadde and wring the truth out of him if I have to and we’ll all keep our eyes and ears peeled for a cargo. How long a landing permit are we getting?” “Not long, I hope” Rand said. Understandable. His last sojourn on the hub, he’d barely escaped with his unlife. “We should easily manage what we need in forty-eight Terran hours, refuel and be off,” Drak said. No one argued. “Good,” Ferda said. It was. Rand wasn’t suggesting they keep on Jina and that was just peachy by her.
They were twelve Terran hours from planetside and so far Jina hadn’t scuppered the ship or opened the airlocks. In fact he’d spent most of the time busy in Rand’s cabin or recovering from being busy in Rand’s cabin. “Rand seems happy,” Ferda said, as Rand walked down the companionway to the control deck, whistling. Made her wonder how a vamp managed to whistle. “Yes,” Drak replied, “he is. Everything set on autopilot?” “Of course.” “I think it’s my turn to be happy.” She chuckled. “Only you? What about me?” “When have I ever left you anything less than ecstatic?” Male egos certainly inflated over the centuries, but she wasn’t about to argue with a vampire. “There’s always a first time.” “Not with me, Ferda. Not with me.” That she’d believe. He’d always been a considerate lover - for a vamp, but seemed since they left Damphir IV, Drak had made a truly vampiric effort to excel in that department. Trying to compete with her old lover Julius, no doubt. Silly, as if Drak could. Not that she was about to say that out loud. “You’re right,” she said, with a little grin. “And I’m in the mood to be really impressed.” Drak went still as only a vamp could. “Indeed, mortal. Then best go to my cabin and you’d better be naked by the time I get there.” Yes. She swallowed hard to get her voice back. “Alright, then,” she said, her voice tight and squeaky, “I will be.” And walked out just as Rand entered the bridge.
Publisher:Changeling Press
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