Part 7 (1/2)
”What better way to lure you into her confidence than to feed you truths? Besides, they are probably facts you could learn elsewhere.”
”No, they are Supreme Council secrets that come from her father. I'm not a fool, Jana of Earth. I don't trust her. I have her watched all the time.”
Then why, Jana mused, didn't you know of her approach? ”Is there another reason you let her come around?”
”Like what?” Suddenly he chuckled and caressed her cheek. ”You aren't jealous of that vile creature, are you?”
She faked a mute yes while she said, ”Of course not.”
He chuckled again and kissed her cheek. ”You are the only woman for me, so don't worry about her. I would never-”
”Sir, she's landed and approaching the house,” Kagan interrupted over the communication system.
The alien acknowledged, then suggested again she leave the room. He didn't want to subject his love to Ca.s.s's hatefulness.
The moment she was gone, Canissia Garthon swept into the room as if she owned it. She was wearing a tight purple jumpsuit that revealed she had nothing on underneath. Her nearperfect figure was as noticeable as the smug expression on her beautiful face. The flaming redhead had death rays firing from her turquoise eyes. She stalked to a plush sofa and sat down with one elbow propped on its low back. Her long hair was smoothed back from her face and secured at her nape with a purple band, accentuating the slender neck that held her head high and straight to glower at him.
Varian absorbed her c.o.c.ky and vain att.i.tude, and her fury. ”Do come in and make yourself comfortable,” he joked. He saw her gaze narrow and gleam in warning, her posture stiffen, and her mood chill even more.
”You and I have unfinished business.”
He raked his green gaze over her from fiery head to slender ankle. It was apparent she knew Ryker had tried to kill her, but he knew how to get out of the situation, thanks to his half brother's tapes and notes. ”Such as?” He sat down across from her and grinned like Ryker.
”You know what I've come to discuss, you treacherous-”
Jana seemed to float into the room. ”Ryker, my darling, what's taking you so long to join-” She halted and, as a shocked Canissia stared open-mouthed and wide-eyed at her, clutched the robe opening to the diaphanous negligee she had donned for her ruse. She had hurriedly brushed her hair, perfumed herself, and changed clothes to trick the spiteful woman who had aided Varian's dismissal of her. She faked modesty. ”Oh, I didn't realize we have a guest.”
Canissia glared at the alien girl in the sheer and s.e.xy garments, the female who had stolen Varian's eye and heart. The delicately hazy outfit left little to the imagination and, if Jana wasn't wearing a matching bra and panties, every perfect attribute would be showing! The redhead glared at Jana through the near-slits of her feral eyes.
”Sorry, my eager angel, but Ca.s.s stopped in for a short visit. We'll have to delay our .. .” He paused and chuckled. ”Amus.e.m.e.nts for a while.”
Canissia tried to embarra.s.s Jana by searing her with hot aqua eyes. She was irritated when her action failed. By now, she had expected and hoped Jana Greyson would be destroyed or broken and abused. ”What do we have here, Ryker, my sweet? A compliant slave? My, you do work fast. What's your secret?”
Varian allowed his emerald gaze to adore Jana. ”It seems my bride is hungry for my company elsewhere. You did drop by at a most inopportune moment, Ca.s.s. Perhaps you can send advance notice next time.”
”Bride? Did you say, bride? Surely my audiotranslator is broken.”
His heart pounded wildly when Jana came to sit on the edge of his chair and placed her arm across his shoulders. Her fragrance filled his nostrils and teased his senses. The sheer covering gave him a view of the exquisite territory he had explored well in days past. ”You heard me correctly. Jana and I are married, very married,” he murmured in a husky tone to annoy the flabbergasted redhead who was gaping at them and sending off rays of hostility.
”You're what? Surely you jest?”
”Married. Sixteen days ago to be precise.” He felt his body flame as Jana ignited his pa.s.sions by ruffling his hair and stroking his chest, all the while devouring him with her multicolored gaze of liquid caritrary.
Jana allowed her hand to halt over his heart to test her effect on him. It was pounding swift and hard. As she trailed her fingers up his neck, she found his pulse point throbbing there. He appeared amused by her wanton behavior. She traced her fingers over his lips and admired him with her eyes. ”You're keeping my husband from some very important and enjoyable business. Will your visit take long?”
”I can't believe you would do something so stupid, Ryker. How could you marry this ... this alien?”
”By freeing her first. She's no longer a charl, Ca.s.s. She's my wife, an Androasian princess, my heir, the future mother of my children. Careful how you speak about her. She now possesses far more wealth and status than you do, and more power. In addition, if anything happened to me, she inherits Trilabs, your supplier. If I were you, I'd be nice to her.”
”Be nice ... to her? You freed her?”
”How else could I marry her? I twisted Tirol's arm and he couldn't refuse me my request. I am irreplaceable to him and the Alliance. Jana adores me and does anything I desire. If you care to check, our marriage has already been registered and announced. I'm surprised you haven't heard that news by now; the Tri-Galaxy must be humming with it. I suppose you had important business to handle. I hope you got it accomplished.”
Canissia caught the clues in his words. ”Yes, I did, no thanks to you. Shall we talk in private? Or does your new wife know all of your secrets?”
”We'll go outside. I need fresh air anyway so I can think. Jana is most attention consuming.” To Jana he said, ”I'll return shortly, my love.”
”I'll await you in our suite, my darling.”
Canissia glared at the Earthling as she said, ”Well, I guess you have more bewitching power than I imagined. It seems we both got what we wanted. But I'll have the last laugh; I always do.”
”Don't count on it this time,” Jana replied. ”And you're right: with Ryker, I do have everything I could possibly want. I'm sure you hoped otherwise, and I'm happy to disappoint you.” Jana refused to mention or congratulate Canissia on her approaching marriage to Varian.
Outside and away from the house, Canissia whirled on him and demanded, ”How could you do that to me?”
”Marry a beautiful and delightful slave who obeys my every command? Thanks to my brother, she was free to wed me. You aren't in any trouble over her abduction. Everyone believes you helped Jana escape Varian to come to me. Before she goes out in public, I'll tell her the whole story. By then, it will be too late for her to say or do anything about it. I'll make certain she's carrying my child. Jana would never give up her baby to have a man. And Varian would never want her back with a Triloni in her belly.”
”That isn't what I meant. I don't care about you and that piece of cheap flesh cozying up in bed. I'm talking about you trying to kill me. Your little scheme didn't work. Oh, it killed Zan all right, but you missed me.”
”What are you talking about, woman?”
”I don't trust anybody, Ryker, especially a man like you. I had Zan go to the planet for the Zenufian water and mix it with the Myozenic acid there. It exploded and killed him. If I had done it on my s.h.i.+p ...”
He feigned surprise. ”Exploded? He must have mixed it incorrectly. Did you give him my instructions? Did he follow them?”
”Of course!” She repeated verbatim what Ryker had told her.
”What about the salt, Ca.s.s? Didn't you tell him to add one cup to the water to balance and stabilize the contents before adding the acid?”
”You never mentioned that part.”
”Surely I did,” Varian argued with the glowering female.
”You did not. Instead of dissolving every inch of him and pouring his remains into the soil, it blasted him to pieces we had to collect and bury. I'm lucky no one was around to witness and question the b.l.o.o.d.y incident.”
”Don't be stupid, Ca.s.s. You're far too intelligent to think I would try to kill you. You're too valuable to me alive. You supply me with too much information and do too many favors to get rid of you. Where else would I get a direct link to the Supreme Council and their secrets? I need you.” He watched her fume and reason on his words, then relax and smile.
”I suppose you're rights but it was suspicious and scary.”
”I'm sure it was, but don't let your imagination run wild. We've been allies for too long to let a misunderstanding come between us. What about your crew? What did they say about the explosion? Can they be trusted to keep their mouths shut? We can't afford trouble.”
”I convinced them it was a terrible accident, and they believed me. Why shouldn't they? I pay them enough for their loyalty and services. If any of them starts to doubt me, I'll arrange for the Moon wind's destruction with all of them aboard. If so, I'll expect you to replace my starcruiser. Its loss and the accident will be your fault, not mine.”
He grinned and teased, ”If I omitted part of the instructions, then you're to blame. You did distract me that day with your gift of Jana and news of her daring abduction. Don't unsettle yourself again; I'll replace your s.h.i.+p if it goes that far to protect us. Speaking of favors, tell me, Ca.s.s, how did you get rid of our problem, Lieutenant Baruch?” A noise behind him caused him to turn to check it out and he missed her reaction. It was only an android doing gardening work. He turned and smiled at her. ”I'm surprised you haven't boasted of your cunning to me about such a daring and dangerous feat. You made him vanish forever right under Varian's nose, no clues or witnesses, none that Zan is out of the way now. How did you do it?”
Canissia stroked the man's chest as she purred, ”Poor Zan, I hated to get rid of him. He was very good in bed. Out of it, he followed my orders without question or hesitation. But he loved me, and that's dangerous. A lover can be forced to do anything to save his heart's desire. I couldn't let that happen.” Canissia explained, for a second time.
Varian allowed her to continue caressing him while he probed for clues. ”That was very risky and very clever. I'm pleased with you and your precautions. What about Moloch? How did you do away with him?”
On guard now, the suspicious redhead explained, then listened to his praise of her talents, again for the second time. She knew something was wrong. He acted and looked like Ryker, but Ryker already knew the things he was questioning her about with such eagerness for details. She knew Ryker used a disguise to conceal his close resemblance to his half brother, as genetic law determined. Of course, most people thought Ryker truly had blond hair and green eyes. Wouldn't it be just as easy for Varian to- ”I suppose Moloch's sister won't suffer too much over his loss. She's always craved his position as the eleventh richest person in Maffei.”