“Nothingcompared to what?” he demanded and she could feel him trying to find the answer in her thoughts through thestrange new link they’d somehow forged while making love.

“Stopit!” She put a hand to her forehead as though to keep him out. “Don’t do that!Stay out of my mind!”

“Sorry.”He had the grace to look ashamed. “I’m just worried about you. I won’t do itagain.”

“You’dbetter not.” Trin shook her head. “Look, let’s dispose of this piece of wasteand then we can talk. Out loud—not inour heads.”

Heroffer to talk later seemed to placate the big Havoc somewhat.

“Allright,” he growled. “Well that’s what I’ve been asking you—how do you want todispose of him?”

Trinpretended to consider but what she was really doing was imagining a wall—ahuge, thick, tall wall to guard her mind from Thrace’s probing. She had no ideaif the mental barrier she was picturing would keep him out or not but she hopedso—she couldn’t have him eavesdropping on her now. Not with what she wasplanning.

“Iwant you to take him down to the planet—to Yonnie Six,” she said at last,handing Thracethe blaster which he took automatically and tucked into his belt. “Deliver himto Lord X with my compliments. They seem to be in league with each othersomehow—let X take care of Two.”

“What?No…no!” Two howled. “I told you, Icannot end myself! I cannot.”

“Nobody’sasking you to, you piece of slime.” Thrace shook him briefly. “Besilent.”

ButTwo continued to howl and contort, continuing to insist that Thrace was meant to be his “doom.”Trin didn’t mind—all of the crying and carrying on Two was doing was obviouslydistracting Thracetoo much to try using their new link.

“Justtake him,” she said, gesturing at the door to the life pod. “Get him out ofhere. See how well Lady Tam-tam likes having Lord X as a guest when he’s got amoaning, crying wretch of a male to deal with.”

Thrace nodded,a corner of his mouth quirking up.

“Soundslike justice to me. I’ll take him down to X and come directly back.”

“Youdo that.” Trin nodded and smiled, hoping the expression didn’t look fake.“I…I’ll see you when you get back.”

“Allright.” Thraceopened the life pod door and pushed the moaning Two into it. He was about toclimb in himself but then he turned back, studying Trin with a frown on hisface. “Are you sure you’re okay,baby?” he asked in a low voice.

“No,”Trin said truthfully. “But I’ll manage.”

Thrace sighed.“I know what happened was bad and I know things aren’t resolved between us…” Hereached out a hand to cup her cheek but Trin evaded it just as Two voiced aparticularly loud howl.

“Andthey won’t be until you get rid of that piece of trash,” she said, nodding atthe open door to the life pod. “Drop him off with Lord X and then we can talk.”

Thebig Havoc hesitated, as though he wanted to protest or say something else. ButTwo howled again and he only nodded his head.

“Allright, Mistress. As you command, so shall it be done.”

Trindidn’t miss his formal speech or the implications it carried. He was doing thisfor her as a slave but the other part of him—the male who had claimed her heartand body—wanted to stay and talk.

There’s nothing to talk about. Notanymore, she thought and was glad for the layer of ice which seemed tohave formed around her emotions. It was the only thing that made what she hadto do bearable.

“Goodbye,Thrace,”she said aloud. “I’ll see you…later. When you get back.”

“Allright.” But he still didn’t go. Instead he leaned down and kissed her—justletting his mouth brush hers. A feather-light touch that sent a shiver throughher entire body.

“Oh…”Trin whispered. “Thrace,I—”

Hepulled back and looked into her eyes.

“Youown me,” he murmured. Then, at lasthe turned and left, shutting the door of the life pod behind him and cuttingoff Two’s anguished cries abruptly.

Trinwatched until the life pod left the ship’s side, disappearing to a tiny silverdot in the small round airlock window. Then she bowed her head.

Itwas done—Thracewas gone.

Chapter Thirty-one

“What’sthis?” The slave tending to the shuttle parking area looked truly startled whenThraceclimbed out of the pod, dragging the writhing, crying Two behind him.

“Thisis payback,” Thracegrowled at him. “Now go get Lord X for me and make it quick. Bring him here atonce.”

“Bringhim here? But he’s an important visitor—Lady Tam-tam’s special guest. I can’tjust demand he drop everything and come out to the landing field!”

“Youcan and you will.” Thracegave the attendant a menacing stare. “Just tell him his old friend Two is hereto see him. I’m sure he’ll come right away.”

“I…butI…”

“Go!”Thraceroared and at last the attendant stopped dithering and raced away to get X.“Now shut up,” he added, nudging Two none too gently with his boot. Theconstant screaming, howling, and crying had gotten on his nerves on the waydown to the planet’s surface.

Butinstead of shutting up, Two began to cackle madly—a shrill, high-pitched noisewhich was at least as bad as his screams of pain had been.

“It’stoo late,” he babbled, writhing on the ground. “Too late for her! A member ofthe Verrak has already been engaged.She has a target on her back—she’s as good as dead!”

Thrace felt acold chill wash over him. He knew a little of the Verrak and everything he knew was bad—very bad.

“What?What the fuck are you talking about?” He grabbed Two by the black leatherlapels of his strange coat and dragged him up to stare into his pale face. Thestench of rot hung around him strongly, making Thrace’s stomach turn but he heldhim just the same. “What about the Verrak?”he demanded.

“Theykill—kill without mercy. I took out the contract days ago—she’s as good as deadalready,” Two babbled, his single eye filled with a mad, gleaming light.

“Youtook out a contract on Trin?” Thraceshook him so hard his metal teeth clicked together. “Answer me, scum!”

“Notyour precious Trin.” Two was giggling again, a sound that grated on Thrace’snerves. “She’s already taken care of—both of you are. It was as B’Rugh Saw—theeasiest way to pull you apart was to push you together.”

“Youdid that all right,” Thracegrowled. “But if you’re not talking about Trin, then who did you put a contracton?”

“Her!The mother of the new race! She has two faces and lives on the planet theKindred guard—her child is the answer to their future! But I’ve taken care ofthat—there will be no future now. No child and no future. Only death!”

“What?Two faces?” Thraceshook his head in disgust. “You’re insane. I think the passion berry wine isaffecting what little brain you have left.”

“Ah,but I was much saner before the rot spread—much saner when I asked B’Rugh toSee for me.” Two smiled craftily.

Thrace beganto get an uneasy feeling in his gut. He knew that B’Rugh’s people hadclairvoyant abilities. They had far reaching second sight but they could use itonly three times in their lifetime before the ability left them. Luckily they werea greedy people and mostly used their abilities to further their own ambitionsor to forestall their own deaths. But it sounded like Two had somehow convincedhis old boss to See for a much greater and more destructive purpose.

“Whatare you talking about?” he demanded, shaking Two again. “What did you ask himto See for you?”

“Why,I asked him how to destroy the people who had destroyed my people—I asked him how to destroy the Kindred.” Two’s spit-shinymetal teeth gleamed in the weak Yonnie Six sun. “And he told me, too. Imaginemy surprise when your name came up,my dear Havoc. And your Mistress’s as well.”

“Whatdo you mean? I’m only distantly related to the Kindred—and what could Trin haveto do with them?”