Page 14

Raek paused. That is not solely the domain of alphas, but I think there is a point. How long are you planning on living without one?

Until I go nuts, so maybe another five or six years. Ten if I start using toys.

Cadence blinked. You don t?

She looked around. May I be indelicate?

Cadence grinned. Go nuts.

Raek and Im-bar nodded. Please.

If I know that I can get a release exactly the way I like it, whenever I want, I will lose my job, my savings, and my apartment.

It s an addiction once it starts. I have talked to a few omegas, and they all agree.

The more they have, the more they want. It s why I never got into the dating side of Z-Corp.

Cadence glanced at Raek and blushed. Right.

Raek looked back and gave her a slow smile.

Im-bar looked thoughtful. I had not considered that. If your hormones drive you, you would be at a disadvantage.

An extreme disadvantage. If hormones lead you around, you are easy prey for anyone who remotely matches what your body is craving. I don t even know what my next activation is yet.

Raek blinked. You have another activation?

Cadence nodded. Can t you feel it? It is just in there, waiting.

Leska sat up. What s it waiting for?

Power. It wants a jump start. Cadence nodded. It isn t on my frequency, though, so I can t help.

Raek looked at her and said softly, Nor mine. That is a very specific thing.

She shrugged. I am generally a difficult fit.

Cadence chuckled. Being difficult is part of your charm.

She laughed. Thanks for that.

Oh, I have some new songs. I have been writing up a storm since I have been in confinement. I really want to hear them.

Fine. How many?

Uh, twenty?

Raek looked at her. Twenty songs?

Twenty that I finished. I have a guitar. She frowned. But we might need a harp for some of it.

Leska laughed. Pick five for tonight. I am not going anywhere.

Cadence grinned. Okay.

She jumped up and darted for her room, where she had what she needed. She could hear them talking.

Raek asked, She likes to listen to you?

Yeah, apparently my mutation is fun to listen to.

Im-bar murmured, You have a mutation?

Multiple vocal cords. I kick ass at karaoke. She laughed. No one ever checks the throat.

Cadence came back in with a guitar and the projection orb.

Im-bar laughed. We have dessert.

Cadence looked sheepish. Sorry. She went into the other room and set the items down. She and Leska hadn t had a sleepover in a while.

Raek looked at her and grinned. You are excited.

We haven t had any time to spend just having fun together since we started at Z-Corp.

Leska nodded. That is true, Cadence, but you have plenty of time to hang out with me. Get to know your mate. Uh, partner. Sorry. Omega reflex.

Cadence stared. You really think like that?

Yeah, it s getting worse as time goes on. I should be switching to slutty outfits in a year or so. The baby will have respectable first images of its auntie before I have to go to the Sethir and beg for a mate. Bleah. She made a face and shook her head.

Cadence shook her head. You aren t going anywhere. I ll figure out a way to stop your heats.

Raek took her arm. You will not. If she s an omega, her body is designed for it. She needs the cycle.

No, she doesn t. I can fix it.

Leska looked at her. Cadence, if you start tinkering with my genome, I will never forgive you. Let s just draw that line right now. Okay?

Cadence looked at her and saw the serious expression on her normally cheerful friend. She could feel the tension and determination in Leska. Okay. I can just feel that I can do so many things. I want everybody close to me to be happy and healthy.

Leska smiled. I know, but for me, confine your urges to giving me songs to sing.

Im-bar brought a cake out and set it down near Cadence. There you go. You asked for chocolate, you get chocolate.

Leska grinned as Cadence cut the cake and portioned out slices to them all, putting two on Raek s plate.

They sat around and ate dessert, talking about the cake and complimenting the baker.

Im-bar smiled at Leska. The feminine arts seemed like a good focus after my activation.

Cadence cocked her head. What activation did you get?

Healing, and my body overlaid feminine attributes. I now acknowledge that it might be a known activation.

Raek patted Im-bar s arm. Im-bar is a male name.

Cadence blinked. Oh. Like Dr. Torenne.

Im-bar laughed. Yes.

Cadence got a song in her head, and she said, Please excuse me.

She got up and headed for her room, grabbing her tablet and quickly writing the music and lyrics. She ran back down the stairs after that and grinned at Leska. I made another one. It s in the projector.

Finish your cake, Cadence. Leska sipped at her water.

Raek paused. I have to take this call. Please excuse me.

Cadence frowned. What s wrong?

I don t know. Kritz is insisting on privacy. Raek nodded to Im-bar, and they both left the room.

Cadence looked at her friend. What do you think it is?

I think my bloodwork came back, and alarms went off.

Why?

I don t think they kept me four levels underground in solitary for my own health.

* * * *

We have found that she is genetically related to a member of the BDC and a direct descendant of a member of the BDC.

Raek sighed. I don t know who you are referring to.

She shares a parent with Tirra, the angel, and her other parent is Nelith, the Blade of Uradda.

Im-bar said, Holy hells.

Raek blinked. That Blade of Uradda?

Im-bar blinked. There is only one. I had heard they cloned her, but this is incredible.

Kritz said, Horseman is also a half sister of hers.

Zera joined the call. There is also a very large bounty on her from the Sethir. They are desperate for any of those ladies to join their bloodlines.

So, once they find out who she is, they will be after her? Raek growled. Cadence is very attached to her.

Zera rubbed her nose. We have a few alpha patrons, but they tend to have their favourites.

Kritz said, We will look for alphas to audition for her.

Wait. You will simply parade males in front of her?

Zera sighed. With omegas, either they pick, or the alphas take the decision out of their hands. If you are planning to have her as Cadence s companion, you need to hide her or find her an alpha who will be obliging.

Raek paused. I have to contact a few. They may have aged out or found mates. If they are single, I will bring them here to meet her.

Zera paused. Maybe not your home. The BDC retreat is down the road from you. It can be held there with a one-time dispensation for those who aren t patrons.

Raek looked to Im-bar. Do you have any suggestions?

Well, they have to like music. Need to be able to portal, and they have to not be put off by her very well-developed musculature.

Raek narrowed his eyes. And not Sethir.

Correct . Zera nodded.

I can think of six. I will contact them when we are off this call. Raek said, I suppose after twenty-two years, a few may be dead already.

Zera cleared her throat. What ?

Oh, I am aware of the passage of time, but Cadence is with me now, and that is what matters. Keeping her calm and happy is high on my list of pleasant occupations.

Zera smiled. She did more here than her coworkers paid attention to. No one has realized Leska isn t coming back yet. I expect an uproar in accounting. Our loss is your gain.

Raek nodded. Can you send me files on the family of Leska? I wish to get a feel for the possibilities her genetics can open.

Im-bar nodded. I will attach some of the performance vids.

Cadence stuck her head in. Leska did a boudoir shoot. Did you want some photos of that?

Raek sighed. You were listening?

No, your voice carries.

Im-bar grinned. Send those photos. If any of Raek s older friends are still alive, they might stir them to action.

Raek got the images and quickly closed them. Holy hells. She did that for fun?

We both did. Cadence smiled and left the room.

Im-bar whistled softly. She is certainly photogenic.

He laughed. If anyone but my partner had sent me those, I would have been frantically apologizing.

Zera cleared her throat. Could I see them?

Cadence sang out. No.

Raek chuckled. You heard her. That is a no.

Zera exhaled. Damn .

Right, we will discuss this more in a few days.

I will check my list of old friends and see who is either alive or has a grown son who would be interested, with the caveat that they come to visit weekly.

Raek smiled. I was thinking about introducing myself to my old friends. This is just motivation.

He ended the call and looked at his sister. So, shall we see what the music sounds like?

I think that is a good idea. Who are you thinking of?

The obsidian eagle, reaper Vorik, and of course, the omega king, all off-hand.

Good choices. I would also recommend the living shadow and the bright thunder. I believe they are both portal-capable.

Nice selection.

Raek sighed. I hope she thinks so. I have seen a rush for a powerful omega before. It didn t end well.

They rejoined the ladies in the now-tidied kitchen. Raek hugged Cadence, and she sighed and leaned against him. She whispered, What happened?

What do you mean?

In a rush for a powerful omega? What happened?

Raek looked at Leska, and she had knowledge in her gaze. The omega was killed in the scramble.

Leska said, She was torn apart and crushed as lust turned to bloodlust, and they began a tug of war over her.

When they calmed, she was a bloody, pulpy mess.

That is why he wants to do a controlled introduction with limited participants.

He wants it to be people he knows so he has an idea how to react when he rings the dinner bell.

Cadence looked up at him. You are trying to get rid of her? She started to hum in agitation.