Silver Tongued Devils by Dawn Montgomery Page B

of
protection?”
    “Andovian.”
    She stared down at the datapad.
Andovian? The same bastards who had taken away her life, killed her
father. Raesa clenched her jaw and tried to sort through the mix of
emotion in her head and heart. Was Na’varr an enemy or a war
survivor? Her gut told her the latter. “You’re in
hiding.”
    “Yes. There are many people who’d like
to take me down.”
    So he was dangerous to current regime,
just like her father had been. “Do you have a schematic of this
facility? Anyone who can feed me information?”
    “None.”
    “Great.” She considered their options
and an inkling of a plan formed. “I remember something about body
slaves being able to accompany and Andovian diplomat. Do you have
that document somewhere?”
    “I’ll pulse it to you.”
    Na’varr picked up her hair and let it
fall gently over her shoulder.
    Warmth fluttered in her stomach. “What
are you doing?” She glanced up and saw a strange smile on Na’varr’s
face.
    “You have an idea.”
    Her face grew hot. Was he praising her?
“That depends on whether Brom can still make someone look like a
hybrid.”
    If he was surprised she knew about it,
he hid it well. “He can, but why a hybrid?”
    “Haven Crisis is a cesspool of hybrid
trafficking. It’s easy to sneak hybrids on and around their station
since they’re overlooked.”
    “You sound like you know this place
pretty well.”
    She tilted her head. “I know this for
the same reason I know what Brom can do with a body etching
kit.”
    “I need to know the rights of your body
slaves in a diplomatic situation.”
    “You’ll have it by the time Brom comes
to you.” He took her hand and guided her out of the armchair. “I
have something for you.”
    “What?”
    He brushed his thumb over the curve of
her ear and then something cold clamped on the side. Na’varr
stepped away and put a hand over his mouth. “Can you hear
me?”
    His voice came straight into her ear.
She reached up to touch it. An ear cuff?
    “It looks like jewelry. Don’t get it
wet.”
    She nodded and he caressed her lip
before giving her a tender kiss. Raesa expected her body to kick
into overdrive, but her heart rate was the only thing
racing.
    Na’varr ended the kiss. “If we’re going
to claim diplomatic immunity, I have preparations to make. Brom
will come to you. Until then, work on that plan.”
    “Send me that document.”
    “I will.”
    He smiled and walked away.
    Every time he touched her, something
strange happened in her chest. Raesa shook her head.
     
    ***
     
    Brom held a slim bag clenched in his
hand as he strode down the passageway. Na’varr had sent Brom to
Raesa again. Didn’t he know how much it killed Brom to be this
close to her?
    We have less than an hour
before they come and take me. Change into the Andovian body slave
gear. Give her this. She’ll have a plan already. What did Na’varr mean by that? What had happened
between them to make Na’varr so confident in her? Should he be
worried?
    He shook off his doubts and reached the
door to her room. Brom knocked lightly on the door.
    It opened and Raesa’s worried
expression lightened the moment she saw him. “Brom.” Her shy smile
unraveled the tension coiling in his stomach. Without hesitation
she brushed a kiss on his cheek.
    Shock hit him with a sledge hammer
while warmth radiated from her touch. Would he ever get used to her
open affection?
    “How long do we have?” She pulled him
in and shut the door.
    His gaze narrowed. “Until
what?”
    “They’ll come for Na’varr. I heard the
command order.” She gestured toward the wall and he realized the
security panel was open.
    Wires were attached in a worrisome
spread. “Were you listening in?”
    She grinned. “On Na’varr’s orders,
actually. What do you have there?”
    “A gift from the Captain. He said you’d
have a plan. We’re to dress up like body slaves.”
    Raesa’s cheeks flushed with pleasure.
“I do have one. Let’s see