Bring Me the Dead, page 4
But he shouldn’t think about that. Park might be after him. He had to find out. If he wasn’t trying to avoid being seen by Beau, then why had he been hiding down here in the cheap end of the ship?
“It’s hardly a big coincidence to find me on my way to the Imperial sector,” Ki-tae said. “Most of my fieldwork is based there, obviously.”
“Ooh, so you’re on a mission?” Beau said. “How thrilling. Do tell.” Despite the mocking tone of the question, he watched Ki-tae’s face carefully, looking for any tell, any giveaway. His contemplation was spoiled when a waiter brought over his and Marz’s drinks.
“I’m doing my job, yes,” Ki-tae said when the waiter left. “I’m on official business. Which is none of yours.”
“Because you know, I wondered if you were still trying to pin something on me.”
“Why would you think that? Do you have something I can pin on you?”
“You can hope, Kitty, you can hope.” Beau knew how much the nickname Kitty annoyed him. Nearly as much as that picture Marz had created of him once with cat ears and whiskers. Though he had looked very cute. “But I am glad you’re here. My staff has had no good action for weeks.”
Marz burst into a laugh at that. Ki-tae sat up straighter and, if it was even possible, seemed to apply an extra layer of frost to his exterior.
“Excuse me?” he said, so loftily that the words nearly needed a parachute to work their way down to Beau.
“What? My jō.” Beau grinned. “Why? What did you think I meant?”
“I…nothing.” The ice cracked. He looked embarrassed.
“I haven’t had a worthy opponent for months,” Beau said.
“Hey,” Marz said. “What am I, chopped liver?”
“You’re not bad,” Beau said, “but jō’s only a secondary discipline for you.”
He was quite serious. His practice was not as it should be lately, and Marz was okay with a staff, but her main martial art was Kendo. Ki-tae had always been a good opponent. It would be not only useful, but also fun to spar with him. Beau turned back to Ki-tae.
“I mean it. Since we’re both stuck on here for the next couple of weeks, let’s spar. It will be as good for you as it is for me.” And getting to talk to him informally might encourage him to let something slip…“What are you doing? Solo practice? That’s never as much fun as using your staff on someone else.” He smirked when Ki-tae rolled his eyes.
“As classy as ever, Johnson.” He turned to Marz, who was also smirking. “I’m surprised to see you still hanging around with this renegade. You could have been senior in the languages department by now.”
“When I think of all those staff meetings I’ve missed out on, my heart breaks.”
“You could be doing important research on source documents. That’s why you had the ocular implants, isn’t it?”
“Nah, I got sick of tripping over stuff when using the bathroom in the middle of the night.”
He favored her with a blistering scowl. Hard to believe they’d been quite good friends once. But when Beau had arrived, he’d drawn her into his circle. She’d been pretty stiff back then, nearly as much as Ki-tae, but Beau had recognized her brilliance and had the feeling there was more to the rather staid scholar than met the eye. He’d blatantly stolen her from Ki-tae’s group. Before Ki-tae could steal her back, she was dying her hair purple and taking the drug that gave her skin a purple cast—terribly trendy among hardcore students of the empire.
Ki-tae turned back to Beau. “Yes, all right, we can have some sparring sessions. If you will refrain from…being irritating.”
“There’s no way he can do that,” Marz said. “It’s in him. He’s irritating right to the bone marrow.”
“You’re fired,” Beau said amiably.
“I own half the ship,” she pointed out.
“Okay, then your cat is fired. She doesn’t accept my authority at all.”
“She doesn’t accept the authority of lesser species. Oh, are you leaving?” This last was to Ki-tae, who had resumed gathering up his things.
“Since this conversation has become entirely ridiculous, then yes.” He stood. “I’ll contact you to arrange a sparring session,” he added, to Beau.
“How’s your hand-to-hand?” Marz asked. “I’d be happy to help you brush up.”
“I believe it’s up to spec, thank you.”
“You don’t want to wrassle?” Beau asked. “Most men would pay for the chance to have Marz give them a thorough beating.”
“Goodbye.” He marched out, jō resting on his shoulder.
“I think that man is so good at stick-fighting because he’s got the biggest stick of all jammed up his ass,” Marz said.
“Can’t say I noticed it,” Beau said, smirking, a little eyebrow waggle. “You know, when I was in that vicinity.”
“Hah. I tried to investigate more closely myself once, you know.”
“What? You and Agent Kitty?”
“I tried to seduce his frosty ass. Second year of master’s.”
“No way.”
“Yeah, exactly. It didn’t work. I say seduce, but it didn’t get much further than the flirting stage. He didn’t even seem to grasp what I was doing. Just wanted to go on debating a translation I was working on at the time.”
“He’s a six on the Kinsey scale for sure. But never mind that. Why do you think he’s here? You think it’s a coincidence that he’s heading to the Imperial sector when we are?”
“You think he knows about the job?” She put both feet on the floor and leaned in closer, going serious.
“It’s his job to know about stuff. Maybe the Institute has a spy on King’s staff? They watch all the big collectors closely.”
“King was pretty careful, though. Even sent his sex bot out of the room when he talked to us about it.”
“True, but someone passed on those leads to him, so someone other than him knows about the mission and could have squealed to the Institute.”
“Damn. You think it’s true? It might be a coincidence. Like Park said, his job takes him to the Imperial sector a lot. He must be on this transport several times a year, the same as we are. Inevitable that our paths would cross one day.”
“He looked like he was trying to sneak out of here without us seeing him. Why do that if he didn’t care about us seeing him?”
She bit her lip. “So, what do we do? If he starts tailing us after we arrive, it’s going to cramp our style.”
“The first thing I have to do is find out if we’re his mission or not. That’s why I asked for the sparring sessions.”
She grinned. “You going to beat it out of him?”
“Nah, the sparring will be a warm-up. I’ll bet I can get him to invite me back to his quarters. And then I just have to make sure he falls asleep and gives me the run of the place.”
“Any plans for making sure he falls asleep?”
“One or two.” They exchanged grins. “You may have failed to crack the shell of our dear Kitty, but I didn’t.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t forget I had the room next to yours. I heard you cracking that shell all night long.”
Beau wasn’t remotely ashamed of it. Remembering hearing Ki-tae’s cries as Beau fucked him into a state of blissful oblivion was a warm memory on cold and lonely nights on the ship. One night. It wasn’t enough. And now he had a good reason to try to make it happen again. A reason for the good of his crew, not only to satisfy his desires. Though that would be a hell of a bonus.
Chapter 5
Ki-tae unpacked his duffel bags and placed his clothes and other possessions in the closet and drawers of the empty officer’s quarters, the loan of which he’d accepted at last. He should have taken this room from the start. The ship’s officers had their own mess hall and a gym for their exclusive use only. He could have stayed in here behind that locked entrance and never been spotted by Beau and Marz.
It still bothered him to see that Marz hadn’t come to her senses and left Beau behind to resume a serious academic career. She and Ki-tae had arrived at the Institute in the same intake, and they’d become friends. She’d been so different when they were undergraduates together. A shy girl from Warsaw, educated by nuns, self-conscious about her height. She’d stooped. Other students made catty remarks about the Amazon. But the remarks stopped after she took to Kendo like a natural and gained an enormous amount of physical confidence. But then when Beau arrived, suddenly everyone wanted to be around the handsome American.
Such a bad influence on her, he’d proved. It was probably too late to get her back to the right side. The thought occurred to him that they might be sleeping together, her and Beau. It made his stomach fill with bubbling acid. That would be typical Beau. He’d have no ethical qualms about sleeping with someone on his crew. After all, while Beau still had a wife, he’d had no ethical qualms about sleeping with Ki-tae.
No, that was an…unproductive train of thought. He would not sit in here and brood about it. Since he didn’t have to hide out anymore, there was no reason not to take advantage of the rest of the facilities on the ship. He could finish unpacking later. He combed his hair, changed his shirt, and left, heading for the central zone, where stores, cafés and restaurants, entertainment, and other services were spread over several levels. In the center of it was a large circular plaza.
Ki-tae stepped off the elevator that brought him to the viewing gallery that looked down into the plaza seven levels below. There was a wide walkway and some drinking and dining establishments up here. Quite expensive drinking and dining, so it wasn’t as busy as the lower areas. He stopped by the rail and leaned over to watch the activity down on the bottom level. A noise-suppressing field muffled the sounds of the crowd, so he easily heard the step behind him a few minutes later. Beau Johnson stepped up to the rail beside him and held out a glass to him.
“Single malt,” he said. “Rocks. That still your drink?”
Ki-tae hadn’t drunk much for years, since getting drunk at that conference had impaired his judgment so catastrophically. But it was likely to be a good single malt from one of the expensive bars here. Tempting, but still…
“Why would I drink with you?” he asked Beau.
“Don’t be such a stiff. Think of us as a couple of fellow travelers. Old friends, sharing a drink together.”
Ki-tae took the offered glass and sipped the whiskey. Ah, yes, very good.
“Thank you. But we’re not old friends, Johnson.”
“I withdraw the old. But I consider you a friend.”
“You can consider me whatever you like. It doesn’t change the facts.”
“Is that because I’m your mission this trip?”
So he was on a fishing expedition. “Don’t flatter yourself that you’re the only one the Artifact Protection department cares about. There are bigger fish than you.”
“Ooh, sounds exciting. But I’m insulted. I’m not a big fish?” He grinned, teeth flashing in the moody lighting. “I think of myself as at least a medium-sized shark.”
Ki-tae snorted. “I think of you more as one of those bottom-feeding fish that siphons the mud on the sea floor.”
“Harsh.” Beau sipped his drink and turned to lean back on the rail with his elbows. “Can’t be a very big fish you’re after if you’re only here on your own.”
“Who says I’m here on my own?”
“Given that you’re the sneakiest little bastard in Artifact Protection, then if there were any others like you aboard, we’d have spotted them blundering around already.”
“Oh please, you only ran into me by pure chance.”
“Did I now?”
Had it been chance? What if he’d been ferreting around in the ship’s systems and had gone looking for Ki-tae?
“Maybe we’re fated to be together,” Beau said, voice wistful, but a wicked smile and a wink showed how seriously he took that idea.
“I’m sure I’ve never done anything bad enough to deserve that.”
“You haven’t?” Beau said. “How dull. I’ve done enough bad stuff to deserve running into Great Aidorh, the Hell Beast of Tazgarn, Devourer of the Sinful, every time I turn a corner.”
“But what did Great Aidorh do to deserve running into you?”
“Another blow landed. And you don’t even have your staff with you. Speaking of which, I was serious, you know, about us practicing together. Nobody in my crew can give me a workout the way you can.”
Ki-tae looked at him steadily, searching for the lie, or the setup for another joke at Ki-tae’s expense. But Beau remained straight-faced for a change.
“A chance to batter you with a stick is always an attractive prospect, I have to admit,” he said.
“And you surely want to stay in shape for this mission you’re on. The one that’s not in any way about me, right?”
Ki-tae did miss his practice. Going through forms solo could only take you so far. He’d lose his edge if he didn’t practice against a real opponent.
And who better to practice on than the person he might have to fight for real soon enough? He’d learn if Beau had any new moves. If he’d advanced much from their time at the Institute. Ki-tae suspected he hadn’t. How would he have the opportunity? Ki-tae had three sessions a week with an advanced instructor and was always refining his skills. Beau only had people less skilled than him to spar with. He tried to keep from smiling. Yes, this should be very instructive indeed. He’d learn all of Beau’s weaknesses.
Also, how fit was he? Beau had once been the type who could abuse his body with too much drink and rich food and still come back looking as good as ever. But he’d been in his early twenties then. Once a man hit say, twenty-five, he couldn’t get away with that anymore. Beau didn’t look obviously out of shape. But his clothes might hide a lot of sins. Did he even have a six-pack anymore?
Those rock-hard ridges Ki-tae had run his fingers over, marveling at them, relishing the strength in him…He coughed and sipped his drink again, concentrated on the fact that Beau’s eyes were dark-circled, so he probably didn’t get enough sleep. A sure sign he didn’t take good care of himself.
“All right,” Ki-tae said. “Call me to set up a time.”
“Will do,” Beau said, looking pleased. “Where are you staying?” he asked in a conversational tone. “The Institute pay for a decent suite for you? Or a stateroom at least?”
No way was Ki-tae telling Beau where his quarters were. He didn’t want him showing up for some kind of…mischief.
“My accommodation is entirely adequate, thank you.”
“Adequate. Sounds thrilling. Where, though?”
“The dark side of none of your business.”
Beau laughed. He did laugh a lot. It was probably a sign of moral degeneracy. “Okay, Captain Kitty Cat. Don’t you worry. I’ll figure it out.”
“Kitty Cat?”
“Ooh, make your eyes flash like that again. You looked as if you were about to throw me over the rail there. It was super sexy.”
Ki-tae’s grip on his glass tightened. He tossed the rest of the whiskey back and shoved the glass with its partially melted ice cubes into Beau’s hand.
“Stop trying to provoke me. It will not work.”
“Pretty sure it already did.”
He was probably right, which was even more provoking to be honest. Ki-tae decided the time had come to extract himself, because the idea of indeed throwing Beau over the rail had become most attractive—though only because there were force fields to catch any falling bodies from the high walkways. But it wasn’t nearly as attractive as the idea of bending him over the rail and…Good grief, no!
“Send me an invitation for the sparring session. Nothing else. I have no interest in…verbal sparring with you.”
“That’s because y’all hate to lose.”
“What a profound insight, one that only applies to one hundred percent of the population.”
“But y’all really hate to lose. Like more than ninety-nine point nine percent of the population.”
“If only your grasp of psychology was as good as your grasp of statistics. Good evening.” He turned away, heading for the elevator. Beau’s voice came from behind him. That lazy drawl, which always sounded amused and on the verge of a laugh.
“And y’all hate not getting the last word, am I right?”
Ki-tae paused. But if he spoke, he proved Beau’s point. Damn the man to the eighteenth level of Xalros hell. He didn’t turn. He didn’t speak. He strode on and ignored the soft call from behind him.
“Good night, Agent Kitty Cat.”
* * * *
Beau walked back to the accommodation sector, a smirk on his face he couldn’t have wiped off if the ship had broken up right that second. Fighting with Agent Kitty Cat was always fun. And every time it brought back the memories of that night. How they’d argued in the bar, Beau provoking him more and more, getting him angry, because he was so damn hot when he was angry.
Nothing could have stopped him following Ki-tae that night to find him out on that terrace, and then leading Ki-tae to his suite.
The door had slammed closed, and Beau turned around to activate the Do Not Disturb mode, but he had no time, because Ki-tae was in his arms, steering him back into the room. Beau didn’t have time to get nervous about tripping up, because Ki-tae was kissing him, and then he was falling onto the bed, Ki-tae on top of him. The soft glow of the lamps by the bed made Ki-tae’s face full of deep shadows and highlights, made it beautiful. More beautiful.
Ki-tae knelt up on the bed, straddling Beau, who swallowed. He should have known Ki-tae would be as assertive in bed as he was out of it. But for some reason he’d had a fantasy of a Ki-tae who would positively swoon into his arms and beg Beau to take him. That all his hostility had been a way to conceal his desire to belong to Beau Johnson.
As Marz would say, wrong again, asshole.
Ki-tae was confident and assertive, with years of experience Beau didn’t have. In the lecture hall, they were equals. In the dojo, they were equals. Here? Here Ki-tae was in charge. With strong, confident, and unhesitating hands, he began to strip Beau. Beau joined in the fun and games, reaching for Ki-tae, helping him out of clothes, until the pair of them were naked, clothes in a heap on the floor.
