[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
would give him that I-know-what-you-want-to-do-with-my-daughter look. He felt anger growing. They were looking at him as though he was only the latest amusement to be examined. For a moment Mark wrestled to control his mounting rage.The hell with it, he decided,and if she doesn't like it, the hell with her too. Jartan nodded in acknowledgment and lowered his gaze. "My apologies, Captain Phillips. Again you have shown me that you are a man of courage and pride. So often the men who approach my daughter conceal their true intent, which is only political advancement. You strike me as a man with too much pride for that type of concern." Storm gave him a glowing smile, sensing his anger. "Will you walk with me this evening?" she asked, almost shyly. Mark forced his gaze to the floor. He wanted to go with her, but he'd be damned if he was going to be mesmerized, or probed again, or anything else that had to do with powers and magic. "You two mind if I leave you guys for a while?" Mark asked, looking at Ikawa and Kochanski. "Christ, I should be so lucky," Kochanski mumbled, nodding. Mark stood and held his hand out to Storm. Turning, they left the room. Jartan was quietly studying the reaction of the two friends left behind and noted that where Kochanski merely shook his head with a feeling of friendly envy, Ikawa was in a profound depression. Perhaps he should also have someone of his own. He could see that honor was the driving force within Ikawa, but a tie to Haven would make him stronger and happier. An instant later, Jartan knew. Mark could feel the desire burning in them both as they walked through the gardens to her rooms. He almost felt as though there were an actual current running through the air, ready to strike off sparks. His mind was a maelstrom of emotions. At the same time he was receiving a direct flow from Storm through their clasped hands, and it was a match for his. The moment the door closed she was in his arms, her breasts against him, his hardness against her loins. He slid his hands up the smoothness of her back and caressed the back of her head as he kissed her. She pressed against him as he undid the clasp of her gown. *I want you to be as deep in my body as you are in my mind.* Her thoughts came to him as she gestured and his clothes seemed to liquify and flow to the floor. "Now that's a handy parlor trick," he responded as he lowered her to the thick carpet. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html Time seemed to freeze as the combined waves of their passion flowed over them, and their minds began to mesh as completely as their bodies. Ikawa was finally drunk enough to really enter into the give-and-take with Jartan, Allic, and Kochanski, and had just finished destroying the logic of one of Kochanski's truisms with a wicked little parable that left them all laughing helplessly, when a tremendous flash of lightning snapped across the sky. There was a rolling boom of thunder and both Allic and Jartan looked at each other for a moment and broke into fresh gales of laughter. Ikawa rose and walked to the window. Leaning out, he saw a pulsing light from a tower at the opposite end of the courtyard. There was another flash of lightning, followed seconds later by a third and then a tremendous fourth. "Four so far," Allic roared. "I say, he must be quite good." "I just wish I could have seen his expression when that first flash hit," Jartan boomed. "Is this what I think it is?" Ikawa asked. "Couldn't be anything else," Allic replied, wiping the tears from his eyes. "And each of those flashes means... ?" He was embarrassed to ask. "But of course," and as if in reply there was another flash and boom of thunder, and they looked at each other and started to laugh again. Jartan finally fell quiet and looked back to Ikawa, who wasn't sure how to react. "Don't worry," Jartan said softly. "There is a power in you which will soon be matched, as the sun is by the darkness of night." Allic stirred at that. He glanced at Ikawa, and nodded to Jartan. Another flash of lightning crossed the sky, causing father and son to look at each other, and then to Ikawa, and smile. Lieutenant Younger knew the gross pig opposite him was perhaps the wealthiest man he had met on Haven so far. Allic and his party had barely left Landra before the invitation to dine at this man's manor house had arrived. The overstated richness of the manor showed Younger that there was a social class other than the gods and sorcerers with money and position, and he wanted to learn more about the great merchant guilds. When he had met Redfa at a castle reception for Allic just before the departure for Asmara, Younger had surmised that the fawning good will and curiosity were a ploy to get potentially valuable information and knowledge. Hell, he didn't mind. He was always looking to get ahead himself, and this was the first tycoon he had met on Haven. So he had let his interest show, and wasn't too surprised at the invitation which arrived for a "private meal where we can discuss concerns of mutual interest." Redfa looked shrewdly at Younger. "Would you care to take a walk in the gardens? I would be Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html interested in hearing more about your home world." Younger smiled lazily and nodded. "I've a few questions of my own. Are all the sorcerers in this land tied to feudal lords, or can a man have a few enterprises of his own?" The sharp eyes tightened for an instant, then Redfa smiled and rose, taking a snifter from a servant as he led the way to the door. "Less than half of all sorcerers with your power are in service to any lord at a given time. Oh, to be sure, if there is an emergency most of them can be impressed into service, but many of them belong to their own guilds or work in the service of various merchant guilds." "To a man such as you," Redfa continued, "there are limitless potentials. All you need is a contact with someone who can help to show you the way." "And benefit by my powers," Younger countered, not wanting to be negotiated down at the very start. "But of course," Redfa replied smoothly. "I am a merchant of rare fabrics, artifacts, gems and, ah, collections of unusual quality." Meaning he probably was a fence for stolen goods,Younger thought. "I could always use your services, as you could use mine. I believe that we can make an arrangement to our mutual benefit." "What's the percentage, and what do I do?" Younger said evenly. "Ah, my friend, formal percentages are difficult to discuss as Allic's tax collectors will eventually find it in my contracts and books. My own thought is to make this more of a profitable friendship--both you and I can gain much from knowing each other. Do remember, my friend, that you are new here, and there is an old saying amongst us that he who runs with the gods might one day find himself under their feet, crushed and forgotten." Younger looked at Redfa, his features expressionless, but Redfa could see that he had hit a nerve. "Of course, service received will not only build in the bank of my good will, but can produce more tangible and immediate returns." Redfa continued to walk beside Younger, waiting for some kind of response. When none was forthcoming, he mentally gave the outlander credit for being a hard bargainer and tried a different tactic. "Before we get down to details I'd like to share with you one of my special little collections." Reaching the far side of the garden Redfa guided his companion into a darkened corridor. There was a faint scent on the breeze that Younger recognized as norna, an opiate forbidden to those in service to Allic, as an intoxicant and aphrodisiac too powerful for most to handle. He had smelled it before, while wandering Landra's back alleys, but had never dared to try it. "Ah, yes, my little collection knew you were coming, and they wanted to be ready to entertain us." Younger looked at his companion and smiled. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |