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  “Who?” Rast frowned even as he climbed into the tiny structure. It was a good thing he wasn’t claustrophobic—his shoulders touched the walls on either side.

  “My twin. I’m sorry—didn’t Sylvan tell you about us? I’m Lock, his second brother.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Rast nodded.

  “You as well.” Lock studied him intently. “Forgive me for asking, but did you know our father? Our second father, I should say—Sylvan and Baird’s sire.”

  Rast shook his head. “How would I know your father?”

  “He was one of the First Kindred, from the home planet—there aren’t many of them left, you know. And with eyes that color of green, I thought…but obviously I was mistaken.”

  “What does my eye color have to do with anything?” Rast was thoroughly confused by now but the warrior was already punching a series of commands into the panel of buttons on the side of the tube.

  “Never mind—we’re just glad to have you here.” He smiled at Rast. “It’s a bumpy ride but it doesn’t take long. Deep will meet you at the end and get you dressed.”

  “Get me dressed in what?” Rast demanded but the silver door had already whooshed shut before he could get an answer. With a jerk, the tiny tube began to move and there was no time to think—it was all he could do to hold on for dear life and hope he made it safely to wherever Commander Sylvan was waiting for their interview.

  Chapter Three

  Lauren stared at the tall man with pale blond hair and strange purple eyes apprehensively. “How do you know my name?”

  “Many things are known to me, my dear Lauren. But let me introduce myself. My name is Anik Blix but my business associates call me The Spider.” He made a sweeping bow and rose to give her a charming smile.

  “Why do they call you that?” Lauren crossed her arms over her chest protectively. “Are you a splicer? Do you cut people up like flies and suck out their DNA or something?”

  “Heavens no!” Blix looked suitably horrified. “I am a purveyor of beauty. They call me Spider because once I have a customer in my web of goodies, they have no chance to escape without buying.” He smiled. “A little joke, don’t you see?”

  “Uh, well that’s really nice but I don’t have anything to buy or sell so if you wouldn’t mind leaving…” She nodded at the door.

  “On the contrary, my dear.” Blix took a step toward her. “I believe you have some valuable commodities here. Some very valuable commodities indeed.”

  Lauren backed away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Of course you do.” He took another step toward her and Lauren shrank back. If only she had a weapon of some kind! Xairn had left her the finger-sized stunner but there were no pockets in the voluminous silver muumuu so she didn’t have anyplace to put it. She’d been keeping it on the counter across from the rehydrator machine but now the tall blond alien was blocking her way.

  Blix leaned over her, so close that she could smell the strange, musty scent of his breath. Lauren was about to knee him and hope that it would hurt a male of his species as much as it would a human, when he suddenly reached past her and threw open the cupboard above her head with a flourish. “Food cubes!” he announced in the ecstatic tones of a prospector striking gold. “Genuine Kindred food cubes.” He turned to Lauren. “I knew it—you have hundreds. They’re quite valuable, you know.”

  “They are?” Lauren put a hand to her chest to still her pounding heart. “So that’s what this is all about? That’s what you’re interested in—just the food cubes?”

  “But of course!” Blix laughed. “What else would I want?”

  “I…I don’t know.” There was no way she was going to tell him she’d been afraid he wanted her.

  “I was certain you would have some in a vessel like this. They always stocked this particular model with plenty to spare.” Blix looked around the small ship approvingly. “But you didn’t seem inclined to let me in—which was why I created a small, ah, illusion, to facilitate my entrance into your lovely ship.”

  Lauren shook her head. “I still don’t understand how you were able to do that. How did you make yourself look exactly like a rabbit? Like…”

  “Like Mr. Kittles?” He raised one pale blond eyebrow at her. “It wasn’t hard at all, my dear. You think very loudly. You really should try to stop that.”

  “I do?” Lauren put a hand to her temple and frowned. “But what about the weird dragon thing that was after you?”

  “All part of the illusion.” Blix assured her.

  “Illusion? But that thing was real. The door cut off a piece of its tongue.” Launre pointed to the slimy black chunk still twitching on the metal floor.

  “That did smart a bit.” Blix went to stand by the chunk of tongue. Pointing one foot delicately, he touched it with the toe of his brown boot. There was a faint but disgusting sucking sound and the slimy mess was somehow suddenly absorbed into his foot. “It was me,” he explained as Lauren’s eyes got wide. “All of it. The bunny, the dragon—this form too. Don’t I look slightly familiar?”

  Lauren looked at him, frowning. “If you had brown eyes instead of purple I’d say you looked like a grown up version of—”

  “Scott Snyder—the first boy you ever kissed.” Blix smiled at her, his purple eyes flashing briefly brown. “He was a senior and you were just a freshman. You weren’t supposed to be out with him at all but you couldn’t resist—he was forbidden fruit. And the way he kissed. Just thinking about it still makes your toes curl, doesn’t it, my dear? Positively yummy.”

  “Don’t do that.” Lauren frowned. “Don’t go into my head. I don’t like that.”

  “I beg your pardon,” Blix managed to sound contrite and amused at the same time. “I didn’t mean to upset you. On the contrary—I wish to put you at ease.”

  “Well you’re not doing a very good job.” Lauren put a hand on her hip. “Look, it was nice of you to drop in and all but my, uh…” She started to say ‘boyfriend’ but that description of Xairn didn’t really fit. “My protector who happens to be a very large, aggressive Scourge warrior will be back at any second,” she continued. “So it’s probably better if you leave. Now.”

  “Very well.” Blix nodded humbly. “I realize that I used trickery to gain entry to your ship and my harmless little illusion has made you angry so I will go. But please consider doing business with me in the future. For just a few of those food cubes I’d be willing to give you enough creds to live comfortably here in O’ah for a year.”

  “A year?” Lauren looked at the cupboard filled with cubes uncertainly. It wasn’t like she could eat them all. And maybe she could just sell him the ones that rehydrated into worms. Those she was never going to eat. If Xairn really was gone, she’d need a way to survive. No, don’t think like that. He’s not really gone—he’ll be back. But she was no longer so sure.

  “Indeed.” Blix nodded gravely. “And a year on my planet is the length of five of your Earth years. As a token of my good faith and willingness to do business with you, please accept these.” With a flourish, he produced what looked like a stack of colorful scarves from beneath his purple cloak and pressed them into Lauren’s hands.

  “What are they?” She frowned at the neatly folded bundle.

  “Contemporary fashions from the Narn district right here in the city. If you put them on, you can blend right in at the marketplace.” Blix sniffed delicately. “I’m afraid the outfit you have on now would brand you as something of a country bumpkin. Only peasants and old ladies would wear such a thing.”

  Lauren looked down at the shapeless silver-blue muumuu and made a face. “Yeah, on my planet too.”

  “Well then.” Blix smiled at her and made a low bow. “I’ll take my leave. But please feel free to visit my booth in the marketplace. It’s just to the right of the mouth of the alley. And bring a few food cubes if you’re willing to sell. Only…” He hesitated dramatically.

  “Only what?” Lauren asked, tryi