Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 224(@300wpm)
Wasn’t that it? But what had Qi meant by it?
Should have asked, Raak thought, trying to keep his worry for Kara from showing on his face. Shouldn’t have just let her rush in and shrink them like that.
But she had been so eager—so happy. How could he deny her the very thing she’d been longing for, for years?
“…are we going?” Kara asked and Raak realized he’d zoned out, focusing on his worry instead of listening to the lovely little female speak.
“Where are we going? Well, I’ve always wanted to try trading on Yi’pisselon. It’s only a hop-skip-and a wormhole from Xephron Five,” he told her, picking up the thread of the conversation. “Yi’pisselon’s in a binary star system and the people there are binary too.”
“Binary?” Kara frowned. “What does that mean?”
“You’ll see.” He grinned at her. “Anyway, they’re known for producing some of the most exquisite artwork in the galaxy. Only problem is, Yi’pisselon is a closed planet. They don’t trade with outsiders at all.”
“They don’t?” Kara frowned. “Then how do you expect to get to trade with them?”
“I can’t…not by myself,” Raak told her. “But if you’re willing to help me, I think I have an idea…”
“What kind of idea?” she frowned. “Is it even legal?”
“Not quite,” Raak admitted. “Art from Yi’pisselon is extremely rare and outlawed in most other worlds because they don’t believe in fucking around with a closed planet. But I have some buyers lined up that will pay top-credit for anything I can bring them. If you help me make the deal, I’ll give you half,” he offered.
Kara nibbled her lower lip and he could see her thinking it over. She was a good girl who wasn’t used to breaking the law, but he could tell the situation appealed to her—not necessarily for the credit, though—more for the adventure.
“We won’t hurt them, will we? The Yi’pisselons, I mean? There must be a reason other planets don’t want to bother them.”
“They don’t want to mess up their culture,” Raak said. “But I have a way to trade with them without bothering them a bit. They won’t even know we’re there—even when we’re right under their noses.”
“Really?” Kara looked at him wide-eyed and he couldn’t help thinking how beautiful she was, even when she was indecisive. Gods, the little female had really gotten under his skin, somehow, hadn’t she?
“Really,” he promised her roughly. “I may be a soulless bastard, baby girl, but I don’t go around hurting other people for the hell of it. I can get us in and out of Yi’pisselon without anybody even knowing we’re there.”
He could see on her face the moment she decided to trust him and for some reason it made his heart squeeze like a fist.
“Well,” she said at last. “All right—what do I have to do?”
“I thought you’d never ask, baby girl,” Raak said, grinning at her again. “Let me show you…”
Twenty-Three
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Kara asked doubtfully, looking at the leather harness Raak had gotten his replicator to cobble together.
“Sure I’m sure.” He grinned at her. “Why baby girl—you getting hot feet? Wanna turkey out?”
She frowned. “For a Kindred who’s never been to Earth before, you’re not bad at the idioms. But it’s ‘cold feet’ and ‘chicken’ out. And no, I’m not getting cold feet. I’m just wondering what the natives of Yi’pisselon will do to us if they figure out we’re not one of them.”
“They’re never gonna figure it out,” Raak said confidently. He strapped on the harness and knelt so that his broad back was facing her. “Come on, baby girl—climb on and I’ll show you.”
Reluctantly, Kara slipped her legs into the two loops hanging down on either side of his hips and seated herself in the leather saddle-type seat which rested at the small of his back.
“There,” he said. “Comfortable?”
“I suppose so. It reminds me of the way you held me when we climbed up Rainbow Mountain,” Kara remarked, looking down at the way she was attached to him with her legs on either side of his hips and her arms around his neck. It was nice being so close to him again—close enough to breathe in the warm, spicy scent that smelled so good even if she was positive it couldn’t be his Mating Scent.
“It is like our first adventure together, isn’t it? Except for the harness.” He turned his head and grinned at her. “But this way we can stay together as long as we need to—no worries about you getting tired hanging on. Plus, we have to have four arms, like the natives.”
“Four arms and two heads,” Kara remarked. “But are you sure the holo-projection will really make us look like we come from Yi’pisselon?”
“Take a look for yourself and see.” Raak activated the holo collar he was wearing and, with a soft buzzing sound, they were suddenly covered in flowing green fabric which hid the fact that Kara was a separate person riding on Raak’s back.