Just at that moment, he turned his head and seemed to catch sight of Imani, who was standing there with her packet clutched to her chest. Imani met the huge bodyslave’s eyes and realized two things.
One, she had been standing there staring at a very intimate moment between him and his Mistress. And two, he was a Kindred—though what kind of Kindred, she couldn’t really tell, since he had mismatched eyes—one gold and one blue. No wonder he was so huge, though!
She looked away hurriedly, embarrassed that she’d been caught staring, but it was too late.
“Excuse me for a moment, Mistress,” the bodyslave murmured to the blonde girl. Coming over to Imani, he bent, as though picking something up from the floor and held out his hand to her. “I think you dropped this, Mistress,” he said and pressed a tiny fingernail-sized drive into her hand.
“Oh… thank you.” Imani stared down at the drive in her palm and then back up into the mismatched eyes of the Kindred warrior. So this was the undercover agent Commander Sylvan had told her to expect. Well, he was certainly playing his part well, she thought dryly. The little blonde Mistress who thought she owned him was obviously completely fooled. She wondered if he really cared for her, or if he was just pretending.
“You’re very welcome, Mistress.” He nodded respectfully and then murmured, “the Nightwalker’s name is J’are and he is in desperate trouble.” Then he nodded again and went back to the petite blonde girl.
“What was that about, Karn?” Imani heard her ask.
“Nothing, Mistress. I simply saw that the other Mistress had dropped something and I didn’t want her to lose it,” he rumbled, kneeling down beside her once more.
“Oh, Karn—you’re so sweet.” Leaning forward she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek—or she would have if the big Kindred hadn’t turned his face at the last minute so that her soft lips met his. For a moment, they held the kiss, and then she pulled back. “Karn, you’re so naughty! You know a Mistress mustn’t kiss her slave on the mouth.”
“Yes, I know, Mistress. Forgive me.” His mismatched eyes flashed again. “Maybe you can punish me later.”
The blonde girl giggled and then made an effort to be serious. She pointed a finger at him and frowned.
“Now, Karn, don’t tempt me! I might have to do exactly that.”
“I will submit, Mistress. To anything you do to me.” The Kindred’s deep voice was a rough purr and the intent way he was looking into his young Mistress’s eyes seemed to fluster her somehow.
“Let’s…let’s go home,” she murmured. “I mean, back to my suite.”
“Yes, Mistress.” He raised an eyebrow. “But I thought you wanted to tour the city before your appointment at the conception center?”
“Of course, but…I think I might have forgotten something back in the suite. Come, Karn.”
Rising from the round bench, she gave a gentle tug on the big Kindred’s leash. He followed her willingly enough to a bank of elevators with shiny gold doors.
Which was probably where Imani ought to be headed, she told herself. Looking down at the tiny drive in her palm again, she clutched it tight. Time to get to her suite and find out exactly what was going on with the Nightwalker Kindred whose name, apparently, was J’are.
Four
Like everything else she’d seen so far on Yonnie Six and the Luxx in particular, Imani’s room was both ostentatious and opulent. Thick golden carpeting that actually massaged her feet as she walked on it covered the floor. There were gold brocade bedclothes on the bed which was big enough for six people and golden drapes covering the windows which she opened to see all of Opulex laid out beneath her like a massive, many-faceted jewel.
The golden theme continued in the bathroom where the black marble tub and shower both had golden faucets and knobs. Even the toilet, hidden in a discrete little alcove, appeared to be made of solid gold.
“Geeze,” Imani muttered to herself. “Who decorated in here—a deranged billionaire?”
But she had no time to waste looking at her surroundings—she only had a week to prepare for this hearing and a man’s life hung in the balance.
Drawing the drapes again so she wouldn’t be distracted by the sights of the city, she settled down in a comfortable chair which molded itself to the contours of her body and opened the packet.
Inside were some legal documents—a lot of legal documents, actually, it was a good thing she had a week to get through all of them—as well as a flat tablet about the size of an e-reader. Imani flipped it on and was immediately greeted by the sight of yet another pink praying mantis.
“Good day, Counzzilor Williamzz,” the mantis said. “I am the court-appointed liaison to bring you up to zzpeed on the cazze of the City of Opulex vs the Nightwalker Kindered, J’are Tanlor. In order that you will be ready to plead on the court date of—”
The mantis mentioned a date which made Imani jump.
“What?” she muttered. “But that’s today!” She looked at her watch, which she had set to Yonnie Six time the minute the Kindred shuttle had dropped her off in front of the Luxx. In fact, the court date was less that two hours from now and she didn’t even know her way to the courtroom! She hadn’t even had time to study the evidence! What was she going to do?
Quickly she gathered her materials together, including the small drive which she hadn’t yet had time to watch. Whatever evidence was on it, she would have to wait and see it at the Opulex courtroom.
But getting to the legal building where the courtroom was located turned out to be an almost overwhelming task in and of itself. The first three ride services
