Blood Redemption (Blood Destiny #9) by Connie Suttle Read Free Book Online Page A

Karzac threw the term sex around as if it didn't embarrass me in the least. With as many mates as I had, I suppose it shouldn't embarrass me. It did.
    "I do not wish to be forced to heal the debilitating headache afterward," Karzac grumbled at me. "And you do not wish to have the headache either—be honest."
    "Fine," I muttered. If I were honest, as Karzac said, I was still feeling shaky.
    * * *
    The hot tub was where Rigo and Thurlow found me later, only seconds after my posse and I had gotten into it (all naked, of course). Then new guy showed up, just as Rigo and Thurlow were shucking clothes to get in, too. I slapped a hand over my face.
    "I am sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier; I am Norian Keef, Director of the ASD," new guy said and started shucking his clothes, too. Well, he might fit in, after all. He slipped into the water on the other side of Thurlow. "This is nice," he said. "Why didn't I know about this before?"
    "Uh, Lissa, your new assignment for the Alliance is working with the ASD Director, here," Tony jerked his head toward Norian Keef.
    "ASD—Alliance Security Detail?" I asked, my voice almost a squeak. "How the hell did that happen?"
    "The Founder and twenty members of the Grand Alliance Council always choose who works as Liaison, and the Liaison's world always houses the ASD for a period of thirty years," Norian cracked a smile, as if his current circumstances pleased him in some way. At least he was calm and relaxed today. Not only was he relaxed, he was naked, sitting in hot water up to his nipples and smiling. Nice . "Don't worry," Norian held out a hand, "we're paid by the Alliance, and our housing costs are reimbursed. I've already worked that out with Kyler—I understand she's your niece?"
    "Yes." I wasn't thrilled with her father at the moment, however. I still wanted to slap Glendes and Raffian through a wall. "The Founder and Twenty Charter members decided?" My question was flat and resigned. It was one of those things—you don't show up for the meeting, you get the assignment. Didn't matter that I'd been separated—body and spirit—at the time. The assignment and Norian's words brought worries and suspicions to my mind, but I shoved them aside before any of my mates picked up on them. This was my concern, and I didn't want to trouble the others with it. I'd just wait and see how it all played out.
    "They haven't lost sight of what happened on Refizan three centuries ago, even if the others haven't studied their Alliance history," Norian said, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.
    "The Governor of the Realm on Refizan hasn't forgotten," Karzac muttered.
    "I have copies of that footage, now. I didn't know what they were talking about—wasn't sure it was possible, even. I know differently, now." Norian lifted his head and stared at me.
    "Don't make me place compulsion not to spread that around," I grumbled.
    "Don't worry," Norian held out a hand. "I'm just looking forward to the next time. I sent out my agents this morning. I'll be getting information within days."
    "Lissa will not be going out again for at least two weeks, and that may be pushing it," Karzac glared at Norian.
    "Calm down, I was planning to ask when she might be able to help out," Norian replied. "And I'll depend on you to give me status reports in the future, if our Queen isn't up to these activities. I wasn't looking forward to this when I was notified of the assignment to Le-Ath Veronis. After yesterday, my heart rate and my stress level dropped dramatically. Not that they won't rise again," he offered a brief, roguish grin, "but for now, things are so much better."
    "You might ask me if I'm prepared to go off with you," I huffed. "Difik." I misted right out of the hot tub and into my suite.
    * * *
    "Not a good idea to press those buttons," Drake and Drew said together. Norian's eyebrows lifted in surprise. These twins were identical, except for the color of ink on their dragon tattoos.
    "She called me an