Daysider

the few Opiri who treated Darketans as equals and believed they should have full representation in the government.”

Alexia remained very still, barely breathing. “A Bloodmaster,” she said. “Are you saying he was your friend? ”

Damon remembered the long, philosophical discussions with Theron in his tower apartments, the only span of time in which Damon was free to speak, feel as he chose without consequences. It had all been so much illusion in the end.

“Friendship is not a concept easily understood in Erebus,” he explained. “Darketans cannot advance in Opir society, and any relationships not based on alliances for power are considered deviant.”

“Like your relationship with Eirene,” she said.

There was no malice in her question, but Damon still felt the blow. “Yes,” he said, “but Theron had sufficient influence to circumvent the restrictions placed on Darketans in Erebus. He had many unpopular ideas, including the concept of establishing what you would call more democratic methods of government. He did what he could to further the rights of Darketans and vassals, even though his stance put him in some danger from more conservative Opiri.”

“The Expansionists,” Alexia murmured. “Did Theron believe in human equality, too?”

Damon had known the question was coming. He had considered Theron far more than a friend; the Bloodmaster had been like a benevolent Sire as far back as Damon’s memory reached, when he had discovered that Damon was one of the few Darketans unable to suppress his emotions with the rigid discipline imposed on all his kind.

But Theron had still been a Bloodmaster. He would never have considered that humans could be equal to Opiri of any rank. That would require setting them free, and losing access to the blood every citizen of Erebus must have to survive. Such a radical concept would shake the very foundations of Opir belief and society. It could destroy Erebus, and every Citadel like it.

“No,” Damon said softly. “He did not.”

Alexia was quiet for a while, but when she spoke again her voice held no trace of anger. “Is that why he decided to establish outside Erebus?” she asked. “To implement his philosophy?”

“So it appears. I was not privy to his plans to do so. The Council would have prevented it if they had known, so he must have worked subtly to evade their notice.”

“So subtly you didn’t know anything about what your ‘friend’ was doing?”

Damon smiled grimly. It was so much like Alexia to cut straight to the heart of the matter, like a surgeon with a scalpel.

“Theron disappeared from Erebus a year ago,” he said. “I had no idea what had happened to him. Apparently neither did the Council.”

“So you were led to believe.”

He inclined his head to acknowledge her scathing comment. “Yes.”

“But if the Expansionists knew about the colony early on and supported it, at least secretly, didn’t they know that Theron’s ideas went against everything they believed in?”

“Either they were unaware Theron himself was in charge,” Damon said, “or they believed they could manipulate or force him into furthering their cause. Knowing what I do of him, I doubt Theron would have hesitated to deceive them as to his purpose if it would further his goals.”

Alexia sighed sharply. “All right,” she said. “But you’re sure that your past connection will get us into the colony now, even though your ‘friend’ didn’t bother to tell you what he was doing or invite you to join his experiment?”

“As sure as I can be.”

She pushed her bangs away from her forehead as if she were brushing away her doubts. “Doesn’t he know you’re working for the Council?”

“He always knew.”

“If he shot at us...”

He frowned. “I can’t believe snipers from his colony would have known exactly who they were shooting at.”

“They might not give you a chance to tell them who you are. You’re taking a big chance, Damon.”

“So are you,” he said, hating the need for what he was about to say. “I told you about the potential worth dhampires have to Opiri. It will be impossible to disguise your eyes.

The colonists will know what you are at once.”

“And that means?”

“I will have to lay claim to you as my serf.”

Chapter 14

Alexia pulled back, her eyes unreadable. “How is this going to work when they’ll know Darketans don’t have serfs of their own?”

“Ordinarily, they would not. But there is nothing ordinary about what Theron has apparently attempted to do. Assuming he has enough control over his people that there will be no open challenges—which would make his entire philosophy untenable—I may be able to keep you with me. But I don’t know how he deals with serfs at all. He might

—” He stopped, wondering how he could make what he was about to say remotely palatable. “He might keep them in common for the use of all Opiri in the colony, as is the case in the Darketan dormitories.”

“What would you do in that case?” she asked as if the answer were nothing more than a matter of idle curiosity.

“I would fight for you.”

Her eyes widened. “That would be a very bad idea.”

Remembering how it had been with Lysander, Damon couldn’t have agreed more.

“Normally, a Darketan is no match for an Opir in a head-to-head fight,” he said. “And there is also the complication of your nature as a dhampir. That may create conflict where there might have been none.”

“Sounds reasonable.”

He stared at her. “I don’t think you understand me.”

“Oh, I understand just fine. We go in, I’m your slave, someone decides they want me and challenges you, a fight ensues...what then?”

“If I win, I keep you. If I lose...”

“But this whole challenge thing might not happen at all.”

“There is no way of knowing. It is possible that, in recognizing you as a dhampir, they will realize you are an Enclave agent and will leave you alone, or even let you go.”

“Maybe they would answer our questions without all this playacting.”

“I would not risk a direct approach with so little information to go on. But your danger would be great, either way. That is why I must ask again that you return to the Enclave—

or, failing that, remain under cover until I return from the colony.”

For the first time since this painful conversation had begun, there was a real light in her eyes, a vivid reflection of the life and spirit that had drawn him to her from the very beginning like a bee to a blossom.

“Do you think I’ll let you have all the fun?” she asked with an impish grin.

“Alexia—”

“When do you want to leave?”

It was quite hopeless. He knew that, and though part of him wanted to rage at her and threaten her into submission, he knew she would never be cowed by him again.

“We will leave tomorrow afternoon,” he said, “after I have fully explained the situation to you and you understand what you must do.”

She adjusted the strap of her VS130 on her shoulder, her smile fading. “Do you want to do anything with