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You should have brought Max or Morgan. It is not safe here.
“It is safe enough. No one would dare touch me.”
You think that your status protects you, but it makes you more likely to be kidnapped and ransomed back. Just because Sir has taken you in as his progeny does not give you protection, just the opposite, in fact.
“If you had a hole to shut, I would tell you to do so, Watson.”
Watson kept the line quiet instead.
The main marketplace was reminiscent of a street market from Earth. Vendors who did not have physical shops rested under broad pieces of brightly colored cloth with floating storage trays. They rolled the cover back over when the day’s business concluded. Those with physical shops used screens, force fields of a sort, turned transparent for the day so one could see what goods were for sale.
The translator installed in her implant worked overtime, bringing every language into the common tongue. She programmed it that way instead of on her native Praetorian. Advice from Toke, once upon a time, that had rather been like an order. She was not to represent Praetoria to the outside world, even if her appearance hardly fooled anyone.
Weaving in and out of the stalls, she had a specific destination in mind. Slipping into a side alley, a chill went up her spine. She ducked behind an old solid sign for a pharmacy, hung only for looks, and waited. Peering out behind it once she caught the reason, Bi’ast trailed behind her.
Kira leaned back crossing her arms, Watson spoke in her ear. I would say something about warning you or about Toke being concerned or-
“Watson,” her seething effectively hushed him.
Once she was clear of Bi’ast’s range, the sensation that rolled through disappeared. Skirting to the left instead of the right where he’d gone, she made a quick deal for a black overshirt, swapping it out directly for her coat in front of the woman selling it. Leaving the orange monstrosity, as Watson had called it once, she went the opposite direction, traversing the narrow side areas to avoid being monitored.
Adraxsions never set off her sixth sense. Praetorians were born more attuned to their instincts, a byproduct of old wars and enemies. But, Adraxsions, they were an enigma because of their ability to almost magically appear. It caught her off guard when the store owner did it. That and the drawling, deep voice unnerved her. But the mystery of the species scratched a part of her brain that sorely wished to uncover it.
“That is an excellent choice.” The pale man reached over her shoulder. His impossibly long fingers wrapping around the neck of the bottle, tilting it up towards the light. “An earth vintage,” he informed her. “Quite strong and aged.”
Kira froze. She was of middling height, between five and six feet. He reached almost seven. He did not exude a scent that she could pick up. His hand drew back, and the air felt undisturbed. Had the edge of his sleeve not brushed her shoulder, she might have believed him a ghost. His coloring was light enough, and dressed in a suit of muted gray, cut to fit him perfectly. If it weren’t for his eyes and hair, both dark as raven wings, it would have been believable. But his features were humanoid, lidded eyes like a human, formed lips, straight teeth. It was those eyes that differentiated them, no discernable pupil, just black in a circle.
“Then I’ll take it.”
“Excellent.”
Trailing after him to the counter, she set it on the edge. “Do you have anything put back for me?”
The Adraxsion laid a package wrapped in a silken blue fabric, tucked and tied with a singular ribbon in the same color on the counter.
Kira felt a lingering excitement at the sight of it. Months had passed since they’d come anywhere close to the Meeting Place. The temptation to open it then and there was almost overwhelming until he spoke. “Shall I forward this to Sir’s tab?”
“Ah, no, this is personal.”
Flipping her wrist over the scanner, she performed a mental calculation of her credits even as her implant advised her of the purchase.
“Thank you. I appreciate your time.”
“It is nothing for one of my favorite customers.” His fingers came together, the tips pressed loosely against one another. Again too long, too thin, but the right number of joints in each one.
Kira wished her ability to sense more was the reason behind the chill she felt. She deposited both the bottle and the wrapped package into her messenger bag and departed only to run into- “Bi’ast!”
“Kira.” the Talcien cocked his head in a bird-like gesture. “You are outssside the parametersss ssset.”
Should I-
Kira tapped the piece behind her ear to shut out the A.I. temporarily. “It seems I am. Would you be so kind as to escort me back?”
Bi’ast hissed with his tongue flicking forward. “Follow me.”
The sensation of something watching had not quite faded. So many eyes in one place had that effect. Kira noticed Bi’ast tensing. Every muscle tightening making him appear rigid as he leaned forward. Then backwards towards her, so far, it was clearly not intentional. His feet pointed out, making him top heavy, as like a chess piece being pushed for checkmate, he fell onto her.
Kira didn’t have time to react. One minute he was speaking, and the next she knew a stunner, which froze him in place, had him keeling back. Whoever shot the blaster wasn’t out to kill, which was a minor relief from the current predicament. Who hit him was less obvious, and there was no time to focus. His dead weight pinned her. His head hit her over her heart, knocking her to the ground. Sharp pain shot through her spine sending a tingling sensation down through her toes.
