Pursued Read online

  “Ahh!” She rolled on the sandy ground, all dignity lost as the agony overtook her. “Ahh, you little bitch!”

  “Oh!” At the sight of her pain, Lissa’s eyes were abruptly normal again. “Oh dear…I didn’t mean to…to do that. But you can’t talk to me that way.” She knelt to try and help Minverna up but the ex-high priestess shook of her hand.

  “Leave me!” Staggering to her feet, she managed to get back inside her room. “Leave me or I swear by all that is unholy—by the Blackness that Eats the Stars—I will end your miserable existence and count the universe blessed to be rid of you.”

  They were empty threats and both women knew it. But Lissa nodded her head and withdrew. “Perhaps I was a little hard on you—I will give you a few more days to yourself before you begin your new duties. Think about what I have said.”

  “Oh, I’ll think about it, all right.” Minverna slammed the door closed with a booming thud. “I’ll think how best to make you pay you ungrateful little bitch.”

  “Bravo! Well played.”

  Minverna turned to see the apparition of Draven, who she had completely forgotten about, laughing and clapping with apparent delight.

  “You again,” she growled.

  “Yes, I never left, as you know. I did enjoy that little scene, although it was rather naughty of you to take my name in vain towards the end there.” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Though I rather hope the fact that you invoked it means you’re willing to consider my offer?”

  Minverna nodded. Any reservations she’d had before had been burned away by her encounter with Lissa. “What is it you need? And what are you prepared to offer me in return?”

  “I need a tiny bit of information about someone who visited First World a few solar months ago—just before you got your shiny new Councilor, I believe.”

  Minverna frowned. “We have many pilgrims who visit. Can you be more specific?”

  Draven’s apparition made a mournful face. “Alas, the only thing I know is what kind of ship this particular pilgrim was flying. A small, unassuming star-duster.” He cocked his head to one side hopefully. “Ring any bells?”

  “Well, no. I—” She frowned. “Wait. I do remember someone flying that sort of ship. He was no ordinary pilgrim, though.”

  “Oh no?” Draven made an expansive gesture. “Do, please continue.”

  Minverna shrugged. “I don’t know why you care to know, but he was a hybrid—half Beast Kindred and half Blood Kindred.”

  “Mmm.” Draven’s silver eyes were bright. “Better and better. Hybrids are exceedingly rare, are they not?”

  “I don’t believe there is more than one born a generation. Possibly two.” Minverna frowned. “Which is a good thing.”

  “Oh? How so?”

  “The male in question was an exceedingly crude specimen, unworthy of my time or attention. Surprisingly enough, however, the Goddess chose to send him a prophesy.”

  “Oh, a prophesy. How dreary. Won’t you Kindred ever tire of them?” Draven sighed. “Still, you’d better tell me what it was.”

  “Not until you tell me what you’ll give me. What is this ‘once in a life time reward’ you spoke of?”

  “Don’t think of it as what I will give you, but what you will give yourself, my dear, by your cooperation. I cannot name it aloud just now but I assure it will be a most enriching experience.” Draven looked at her intently. “The prophesy, if you please?”

  “An enriching experience, hmm?” Minverna frowned. She’d gained much from the items she’d exported to the Ganda system but a little more credit to cushion her account couldn’t hurt. “Very well. The prophesy had to do with a female.”

  Draven frowned. “A female? What kind of female? What was her significance?”

  “None as far as I know. She was destined for him—for this hybrid, I believe.”

  “And why should that matter?”

  “It doesn’t—not to me.” Minverna sniffed. “But hybrids, as you know, are generally unable to form bonds with females and have offspring. Supposedly this one was to be the exception.”

  Draven raised one eyebrow. “So he flew off in his star-duster to look for his true love? How exceedingly prosaic.”

  “Not exactly.” Minverna smirked. “Not before I cursed him. This female—this love—will bring him pain beyond imagining and will threaten his very life.”

  Draven nodded approvingly. “Turning a blessing into a dire curse—nicely done. I’m not much of a cursing male myself but I do recognize a master at work when I see one.”

  “Thank you.” She nodded stiffly. “But I don’t see how knowing any of this will help you.”

  “Oh, but it will,” Draven assured her. “Just think—on his own, a hybrid Kindred is a very dangerous creature. A killing machine that won’t stop until the job is done—why, you should hear what he did to the bunch of Trissian pirates who attacked his ship. You know, I wondered what kind of creature was capable of such slaughter…but I digress. The point is, if he’s distracted by hearts and flowers he won’t be watching his back.”

  Minverna nodded doubtfully. “I suppose…”

  “Suppose? Don’t you see? Love is in the air…but so are pain, treachery, and death. Just my kind of weather.” Draven beamed. “It’s perfect.”

  “I’m glad you think so.” Minverna drew herself up. “And now I’d like my reward.”

  “Certainly. You’ve earned it.” Draven smiled and nodded at her. “Open your hand.”

  Raising her right hand, which had been clenched loosely at her side, Minverna opened her fingers. Lying on her palm was a large rectangular gem as silver as Draven’s strange eyes. She caught her breath at the beauty of it. “A mirror-mere! And such a large one!” It was one of the rarest gems in the universe, harder than a diamond and yet more malleable than gold. She closed her hand greedily around the cool, reflective stone.

  Draven laughed. “Quite large enough to keep you in style for the rest of your natural life, my dear Minverna. Are you happy you helped me now?”

  She nodded. “I’m quite satisfied with our bargain.”

  “I’m so glad.” He nodded. “Unfortunately though, satisfaction is often fleeting.”

  “What do you mean?” Minverna frowned.

  “Exactly what I said.” The apparition of Draven made a sudden gesture and the mirror-mere jewel suddenly began to elongate in her hand. As Minverna watched, stunned, it doubled in length and one faceted end suddenly became a long, needle sharp blade.

  “What…what is it doing?” She tried to drop the mirror-mere, which now looked exactly like a dagger. But she found her fingers wouldn’t unclench from its cool surface. Instead of obeying her and throwing the strange new weapon away, her hand rose and hovered in the air in front of her face. To Minverna’s horror, the tip of the mirror-mere dagger was pointed directly at her right eye. “Stop it!” she sputtered. “Make it stop!”

  “Didn’t I tell you it would be a gift you gave to yourself?” Draven’s solid silver eyes had grown as cold and blank as new coins. “Alas it will have to be, as I cannot be with you in person.”

  “Wait…stop!” Minverna gasped as the silver dagger began to push itself toward her eye. But her hand and arm refused to obey her.

  Draven chuckled coldly. “Don’t fight it, my dear. After all, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience—death always is.”

  The dagger suddenly accelerated, slicing forward in a silver blur that ended in darkness. Pain exploded as her eye popped. Minverna shrieked but the sound came out oddly muffled.

  “Now, now.” Draven chuckled in her ear and she realized the apparition’s ghostly hand was across her mouth. It felt like something dead and rotted pressing against her lips. “Can’t have them finding you before the job is finished,” he murmured. “Well, do go on.” He gestured with the hand not pressed to her mouth and Minverna felt her hand tighten on the cool handle as it prepared to press forward again. Suddenly a familiar feeling flooded her, the feeling of power