BloodLust (Rise of the Iliri Book 1) Read online

  She turned back. "Yes, sir?"

  "Shit." He gestured for her to wait. She can hear us. A pause followed, then, I touched her. She's pure, and we have no experience with that. There's so few left. Another pause. I can't be sure. I didn't link her in to begin with. I can shut the whole thing down, but I have no idea if I can cut her line. The next pause was longer. Understood. His eyes focused on her again. "So how much of that did you get?"

  Years of practice kept her face expressionless. "I heard you call my name, sir."

  "Bullshit." He smiled slyly. "Let's try this again, because I didn't do more than think your name and you smell like lies."

  Ice washed down her body leaving her skin tingling in its wake. She'd heard, he knew she'd heard, and he didn't think she was crazy. Had she hit her head that hard? Why wasn't he surprised? "It's only a minor bruise, sir. I'm sure I'll be fine in a moment."

  "You think that's because you were hit in the head?"

  "I'm an iliri, sir, not a fool." She dared him to deny it.

  Arctic actually laughed. "I never thought otherwise, Luxx. Now, let me assure you that your answer will not disqualify you from the trials. How much of that did you catch?"

  Defeated, but comforted by the promise that they wouldn't be kicking her out yet, Sal answered. "I heard you say I had a bruise, that you didn't want to get someone's hopes up, that you can shut the thing down, and then you called my name."

  "And did you hear the other person?" His eyes scanned her face. "Don't worry, I just need to know."

  Relaxing slightly, Sal said, "No, sir. Just you, sir."

  "At least there's that." He sighed, running his fingers through his long dark hair. "No, you're not losing your mind. What you're hearing is a trick of my own iliran ancestry. Usually, I have to consciously allow someone to hear our thoughts. When did it start?"

  She thought back. "When you touched me, sir."

  "Ah." He nodded to himself. "Physical contact. That makes sense. I guess you came with the switch on. Look, I can't lock you out, not yet – since I'm not sure exactly how you got in – but I'd appreciate if you keep this to yourself for the time being."

  A chuckle escaped. "And who would I tell, sir?"

  "Good point." His shoulders relaxed and he tilted his chin behind her. "Now go find Shift. He'll assign you rooms." Arctic turned away before she could salute.

  Confused, she tried to push the strangeness out of her mind. She wasn't here to wonder about the mysteries of the world or believe in miracles. She just had to get a position as an elite soldier. Maybe the whole thing was some practical joke, intended to make her look crazy. That would be a good way to get her excused from the trials, but it seemed she hadn't ruined her chances yet.

  Sal jogged to the meeting area just on the other side of the fountain. The man called Shift leaned casually against the fence, three soldiers in blue uniforms standing before him. The color of his skin hinted at iliran ancestry in him, as well. He looked up before she got close, pushing away from the wood rails to offer his hand. Sal took it out of habit, then fell into place beside the other soldiers.

  Don't worry, Shift said inside her head, I've already been told. I'm pretty sure you can hear me.

  I really can, Sal thought, amazed, her eyes widening.

  Nice, and I can hear you easily. Looks like you're a natural. His face showed no hint of their conversation, the thought ending as he switched to his voice. "Glad they finally let you go, Private," he teased. "You almost missed getting a room. The rest of you have your cabins and meeting times. Luxx, you'll have cabin 12. That's with the rest of the Black Blades. Being the only woman in the group, the Lieutenant wants to discourage extra curricular activities. Now, the rest of you are dismissed. Luxx, he'd like to meet with you now, rather than in the morning." Don't worry, he doesn't bite. We just need to sort out the incident earlier, he assured her.

  Sal nodded. Am I going to be dismissed? she wondered.

  Nah, Shift thought while he escorted her across the compound. Pretty sure you didn't mean to send that, but you did. Look, we're not a bunch of assholes, ok? You won't be dismissed because some damned primates try to harass ya. And this little deal, Shift gestured between their heads, can't exactly be ignored.

  She nodded professionally but her heart was hammering. She'd already been noticed, and she wasn't sure it was in a good way. When Shift gestured for her to follow, she fell in beside him, careful to stay just behind his shoulder. He might not be completely human, but she didn't want to cause any more problems than she already had. Obviously, they accepted the crossbreds well enough. Maybe if she could convince them she was tame, they'd give her a chance?

  He slowed his steps until she was beside him. Don't do that. You're not in shit, we just need to sort out a few things.

  "Sorry, sir," she muttered.

  And don't fuckin' 'sir' me. Look, we're not like that, ok? I don't care what some human says you should do, we know what you are. If anything, I should be walking around behind you.

  His thoughts shocked her. What?

  Shift looked over to her quickly. You weren't raised by an iliri, were you.

  It wasn't a question, but she decided to try answering. No. I was purchased young, as a pet and servant. I've never really met any other iliri.

  Well, that's going to make things harder. He gently touched her shoulder. It's ok, though. You're not alone anymore. Just breathe, I'm sure you can smell it.

  Smell what?

  Shift grinned. The truth. There's so much more going on than you could ever guess. What we're about to show you is just a hint.

  Chapter 2

  Shift grabbed the plain wood door before them and pulled it open, gesturing for her to go first. Sal pulled off her cap as she entered and took a deep breath, looking around. The ever-present sweet smell was faint, little more than a tickle in her nose. Instead, she savored scents that felt natural and comforting. They reminded her of something from long ago.

  Across the room, Lieutenant Blaec Doll stood with his bare back to them. At the sound of the door, his head tilted, he grabbed a clean shirt from the chair beside him, and shoved his arms into the sleeves as he turned. His chest was smooth, perfect except for one pale line across his hip that vanished under the waist of his pants. She wondered how a soldier could've fought for so long without the marks to prove it. When her eyes finally made their way to his face, he was waiting.

  "She doesn't have a clue," Shift said, leaving her side to drop into a chair before a massive desk. "Pretty good instincts, though. We've been chatting."

  The Lieutenant nodded. "I see that. Any reason you didn't give me a warning?"

  "Nope." Shift grinned and leaned back, the chair creaking in protest. "Brought her to the office like I was told. Not my fault you're half naked."

  He chuckled. "If you'd been any earlier, I would have been all naked."

  "What," Shift teased, "didn't want to stay in armor all day?"

  "Nor show my bare ass to the recruits." The Lieutenant grinned before turning to Sal. "So, Private. Heard you've been making things interesting."

  Sal wasn't sure if she was already off to a bad start, but dared to hope that Shift was right. "I'm sorry, sir."

  He stopped just a step away, his hard green eyes boring into hers. When she refused to look down, he smiled slowly. "I see. And how long can you keep that up, little iliri?"

  He was challenging her intentionally! As long as I need to, she thought, but said, "Pardon me, sir?" Her ears flicked forward, locked on him, wondering what he was trying to do.

  "Her mind and her tongue don't agree," Shift said. "I'm getting a drink if you're gonna start that shit."

  "Pour her one, too," the Lieutenant ordered, never breaking the gaze. "She'll need it." He stepped closer, his attention back on her. "Now tell me, are you always this submissive?"

  He was taunting her. When she refused to blink, he stared back, a smile playing at his mouth. Sal tried to ignore the sudden desire to see him look away
. He outranked her, but every fiber in her body said she deserved to see him submit. While Shift poured the drink, she tracked him with an ear, never breaking her stare with the Lieutenant.

  "How long can you really hold it?" he whispered.

  The arrogance in his tone was too human, too sure of himself. Her ears locked back and a rumble started in her throat. When he leaned forward she snarled, allowing her lips to pull back, revealing both sets of cutting teeth. He was too close.

  The Lieutenant smiled. "You really think you can make me back down? Are you really that sure of yourself?"

  "That would be improper, sir," Sal said, refusing to look away. Her tone was professional even if the growl wasn't.

  He leaned even closer. "Iliri rarely care about the ranks of humans, girl. Either you're more dominant than me, or you aren't. Pick one, and prove it." His voice was so quiet she assumed Shift hadn't heard.

  "Don't push it," Shift said as the door opened behind them. "She's running on pure instinct. Never met our kind before."

  "Shit." The new voice sounded like Razor, the officer who'd spoken to them earlier. "Feral?"

  "No." The Lieutenant's voice was a purr. "Not at all. Strong, but not feral." He leaned back, looking pleased. "Now go sit down, Private. That's an order."

  Sal paused. Her instincts said she should not look away or she'd give him control. Her mind realized that disobeying the order would be a good way to end her trials early. Desperately, she tried to decide which would be the greater loss. Eventually, she forced herself to blink, took a deep breath to halt the growl, and sighed before moving to the chair beside Shift, refusing to rub at her ears to relax them. She wouldn't give him that much satisfaction. The door opened again.

  "I smell that," Arctic said. "What did you do to her?"

  "Made her submit," Razor told him. "She's not too pleased about it."

  Sal's head snapped around, looking at the men she sat with. "I didn't say anything!"

  Razor tapped his nose. "Didn't have to. Even Shift can smell that. Defeat. It's not a good scent for you, Kaisae."

  "She doesn't know," The Lieutenant said, claiming the chair behind the desk.

  Arctic took the chair beside her. "So I was right."

  The other three answered in unison, all with some variation of yes. It seemed they'd already had a discussion about her, and Sal felt like she was playing catch up.

  "Tamed?" Arctic sounded terrified of the answer.

  "Not at all," the Lieutenant said. "No, not at all. She knows nothing, but she hasn't been tamed, even though she tries really hard to act like it."

  "I'm not a beast," Sal insisted, looking at them, one after the other. "I know you think my kind are primitive, but I've studied for years, I am well versed in both military and civilian protocols, I – "

  The Lieutenant shook his head, cutting her off with a lift of his hand. "Don't assume, Private. Breathe. How much human sugar do you smell?"

  She shook her head, confused.

  "That sweet scent. Do you smell it?"

  "Barely," she admitted.

  "That's probably me," Shift said.

  Sal glanced toward the Lieutenant. "And him."

  Razor sucked in a breath. "Whoa. That's perceptive."

  She turned to him. "A hint on you, too."

  Arctic chuckled. "How about me?"

  Sal inhaled. "Barely. It's there, but I have to search for it. Humans never said anything about it, I thought everyone smelled sweet, except after combat."

  LT laughed. "After combat we smell even sweeter, from the human blood. From your file, you have little experience with iliri, so I'm not surprised that you have no idea. I'm just pleased to see you're still able to think for yourself. Too many of us have lost that."

  She noticed he included himself in the iliri. Blaec Doll had fair skin, but the wrong shade to be suspected of iliran ancestry. No different than any other citizen of the Conglomerate.

  The Lieutenant watched her eyes roam across him and smiled. "I'm half. Shift is a quarter. Razor is around forty percent. Arctic, you're three quarters, right?"

  "A bit over, but about that."

  Sal felt her heart stop. "Iliri?"

  "Yes." The Lieutenant smiled and leaned closer. "We're iliri crossbreds. That's why we're so good. Now you want to tell me how you managed to get into our mental link, Salryc Luxx?"

  "Sal." She looked up, hoping she hadn't over stepped her bounds.

  His pale eyes warmed and he inhaled deeply before daring to taste her name. "Sal." It rolled off his tongue naturally.

  Trying to cover her confusion with a direct answer, she rambled on, "I don't know how I heard your thoughts, sir. The First Sergeant touched me and I began to hear his voice in my head. I've never had it happen before."

  "And I shook her hand," Shift added. "She's a natural. Comes through clear."

  Really? The Lieutenant's voice slid into her mind. How?

  I don't know, sir. I just hear it.

  And you just think back? How do you know what to do?

  I don't know. She looked down, unable to hold his eyes.

  Arctic broke in. "She's not leaking at all. She's locked onto her channel but receptive to all of them. I don't know how she's doing it. If I wasn't looking for her, I probably wouldn't even know she's here." He tapped his head. "Pretty sure she's piggybacking without knowing it."

  The Lieutenant dragged his hand across his mouth. "But you can't shut her off?"

  "Dunno, never met anyone who could do it before. I've only heard about it. But it might help to put her into the link. That would at least let me moderate her access." Arctic shrugged. "Tethering her will be easy enough."

  A deep baritone asked in her head, So, do you have to touch each of us, or can you just hear us? He sounded like he was talking from a distance.

  Sal cocked her head slightly. "No. I hear that, but it's muffled."

  Razor offered his hand and Sal touched it lightly. How about now? he asked.

  As clear as if you used your voice, Sal told him.

  "Yep, touching clears it up, but the lack isn't stopping her any."

  "But I didn't need to touch the Lieutenant to hear him." She looked over to Arctic, hoping for an explanation.

  He shrugged. "LT's been doing this his whole life. He sends better than the rest of us."

  "I had no idea this was even possible. I assure you, I had no intention of causing you problems."

  LT laughed. "I'm pretty sure you didn't." He turned to Arctic and nodded. "Do it."

  She felt a strange shift in her head, but nothing else. Beside her, the men sighed, obviously experiencing something as well. "She's in," Arctic said.

  Slowly, the Lieutenant held out his hand, palm up. "Let me show you something."

  She didn't want to touch him but knew it's what he expected. Meekly, Sal reached over and lay her hand against his, hearing him inhale as if surprised. Instead of the slick, disturbing feeling she expected, his skin was warm and soft, the calluses from hours of sword work comfortable and reassuring. He closed his eyes and let his fingers wrap around the back of her palm, holding her to him. For a long moment he didn't move, then his eyes snapped open.

  My mother had eyes like yours, he thought, followed with a picture of an iliri woman. There aren't many like you left.

  Do they know? She meant the other officers.

  Yes. We don't keep secrets from each other, but we also don't share them with outsiders.

  I understand. She shuffled the image far back in her mind.

  "Anything?" LT asked suddenly.

  "Nope." Razor shook his head.

  "Not a hint," Shift said.

  "I got every word, and the location she stored the memory," Arctic assured him.

  LT nodded, "And?"

  "It's put back about as tight as she can. I can show her how to do it better, but I've never seen a novice with such control."

  Sal looked back and forth between them, barely keeping up with the new line of talk. "You
mean that was a test?"

  "To some extent," LT said. "We can't keep you out without more work than I want, so we might as well see how far we can trust you. And if you're wondering, it's impossible to lie mind to mind. That really is my mother. I'm one of the few here who has met a pure iliri female."

  "Oh."

  "Now that you've seen how it's done, can I see what happened earlier?"

  When she nodded, a tickle in her mind brought forth a memory. She didn't try to hide her shame, anger, or how hard she worked to control her beastly instincts. She lived each second of the encounter, hoping the memory would explain her actions better than words could. Every detail of her disagreement with the recruits Odi and Bardus flashed behind her eyes, her fears, disgust and concerns relived in seconds. The memory complete, the Lieutenant nodded his head slowly.

  "Dismiss them. They would never work with our unit, not with that much hate for us."

  "Zep asked for the pleasure," Arctic said.

  Razor chuckled. "That'll make a few things easier."

  "Just don't let Cyno help," the Lieutenant told them, still holding her hand. "Ok, men, we're done here."

  They stood, tossing back their drinks, but Sal stayed, his grip holding her in place. As the door closed behind the last man, her heart beat faster. She was alone with him. He could order her to do anything and she couldn't refuse. Being part iliri, he had to know that she was beholden to him now, whether she liked it or not.

  "Breathe," he said softly.

  "Yes, sir."

  "My name is Blaec. They call me LT. It's ok for you to do the same." He slowly pulled his hand away. "You're taking all of this rather well."

  "Not really, sir," she said honestly. "I just got hit in the head then started hearing voices. It's just that I'd better learn to roll with it or I'll be sitting back at a desk tomorrow."

  He smiled as he stood. "Fair 'nough. Ok, soldier. The next trial starts at 1300 tomorrow."

  "Yes, sir. I wouldn't miss it for the world. And before you say it, I understand my place and that being able to hear your thoughts does not guarantee that I will be chosen."

  The Lieutenant moved a step closer. His hand found her shoulder, one finger brushing the skin at her neck. "There's nothing wrong with being iliri, Sal. Whether you pass the trials or not, our kind tends to stick together." He tried to meet her eyes, but she couldn't. "Do you understand me?"