Dragon in the Dark (Kindred Tales)

From making a drug that kills a third of the people who take it, Iyanna thought, feeling sick. What had she done? She hadn’t meant to make the pods so big and juicy but it seemed that her new powers didn’t discriminate as to the morality of healing any particular plant. Being a Viridi Femma simply meant she could heal plants and cause them to grow—not, apparently, that she could control their level of growth.

Well, it was done now and there was no taking it back. Hopefully they could call the Lix’dorian government and report this once they got back to the Monstrum Mother Ship. Right now the main thing was to get away.

“All right, you got what you wanted,” she said, lifting her chin and glaring at Baronet Sin’estor. “Now let us go!”

“That’s right—we’re taking the pleasure plants and leaving right fucking now,” Dra’vik growled.

“I don’t think so.”

Suddenly Sin’estor, who had been on Iyanna’s left, was right beside her. Wrapping one long arm around her throat, he pressed the muzzle of the small silver weapon he held against her temple.

Iyanna froze, her heart pounding so loud she could hear it in her ears.

Oh God, oh Sweet Lord, help me! What do I do now? she thought frantically.

Dra’vik’s expression had gone as dark as a thundercloud.

“Let her go!” The big Drake’s eyes were glowing as was the patch of scales on his chest. “Or I swear by all the Gods that ever were, I will fucking end you. Let her go right now, Iyanna is mine!”

“She was yours, but now she’s mine, Monstrum,” Sin’estor said calmly. “You see, after observing what miraculous work she did with sickly plants, it occurs to me that the wonders she could work with healthy ones would be quite miraculous. Having her will quadruple my production in a single solar month! This little Viridi Femma is simply too valuable to let go.”

“You fucker!” Dra’vik growled and there were wisps of black smoke curling from his nostrils and the corners of his mouth. “Let her go right now or you’re dead!”

“I think not, my dear Monstrum.” Suddenly, Sin’estor whipped the weapon away from Iyanna’s temple and pointed it at Dra’vik. “I think you’re the one who’s dead.”

A bolt of deadly green light left the barrel of the silver weapon and hit the big Drake full in the chest. To Iyanna’s horrified disbelief, it passed right through him, leaving a smoking hole where his heart should be.

A look of surprise passed over Dra’vik’s face. He looked down at the hole, which was the size of his fist, and shook his head, as though he couldn’t believe what had happened. Then, slowly, like a massive tree falling, he staggered to his knees…and then slumped onto his back.

Iyanna saw the light go out of his yellow-gold eyes and then his huge, muscular body twitched once before relaxing into death.

Dra’vik was gone.

FORTY-TWO

“No! No, you son of a bitch!” The wail that broke from Iyanna felt like it was torn from her throat. “You bastard!” she shrieked, turning to Baronet Sin’estor. “You killed him! You killed him!” She sank to her knees as tears poured down her cheeks. “You killed him,” she gasped.

“You killed him,” Minister Ostensio echoed faintly. “You killed a foreign diplomat who I am responsible for inviting to Lix’dor Prime in the first place!” His pale blue face had gone almost paper-white as he stared at the big Drake’s lifeless body. “Baronet, I thought we agreed there would be no loss of life during this joint venture of ours!” he protested.

Sin’estor shrugged his bony shoulders.

“I altered the deal,” he said smoothly. “And I’m about to alter it further—there will be no cut for you from this venture’s profits.”

“What? But I thought—”

“You thought what? That I’d actually give you half my profits if the Viridi Femma managed to heal my prize crop, like you promised?” Baronet Sin’estor laughed derisively. “I think not, Minister. Now that I have what I want, our business is concluded. Consider yourself lucky that you’re getting away with your life—I did strongly consider disposing of you as well.”

“But…but…you promised!” The Lix’dorian Minister looked like he couldn’t believe what was happening.

“Perhaps I should reconsider my decision?” Sin’estor pointed the silver weapon at him.

“No, no!” The rotund little Minister was suddenly on the move. “I’ll be on my way now and please don’t worry, I won’t breathe a word to anyone,” he exclaimed as he nearly fell over himself to run down the steps on the side of the stage.

“Good, that’s good.” Baronet Sin’estor nodded and smiled that orange Jack-o-lantern smile in apparent satisfaction. “And now, my dear,” he said, leaning over Iyanna. “I think you and I have some unfinished business to attend to.”

FORTY-THREE

“Warrior, wake. Your time is not yet. Wake…wake…”

It was the same voice he’d heard telling him that Iyanna was in danger when she’d been sent to the scanning room—Dra’vik was sure of it. And the voice seemed to be doing something to him.