I Dated a Secret Weapon, page 5
Nandy scowled. “I hope she makes more.”
He nodded and looked to see the light on the upper floor turn off. “May I grab some bedding?”
“Don’t be stupid. Sleep in the guestroom on the main floor.” She laughed.
“You didn’t give it to her, so I wasn’t sure if I was welcome.”
“I wanted her in your room. Once I saw the worry on your face when you brought her here, I knew it wasn’t just a casual assist for a friend.”
They got up, and he folded up the blanket. “Something about her called to me, even when I didn’t know who she was.”
Nandy smiled softly. “Your grandfather was like that. Very sweet, charming, and intent when he made up his mind. I was a little surprised when he picked me over the court ladies or caught omegas, but he did, and because of that, you are here.”
They walked back to the house, and Ados listened as Nandy talked about her deceased husband. He never tired of hearing about his grandfather. He had only known him for his first ten years, and each time Adothen had left, he had admonished his grandson to take care of Nandy. Ados had tried, but the wily woman didn’t make things easy. He put the blanket away and entered the guestroom, getting ready for bed and staring up, seeing the heat signature of Kyda above him. This was not going to be a restful night, but he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Chapter Five
There was a cup of coffee next to her again, and Kyda pushed her hair out of her eyes and sat up. She steadied her hands and grabbed the mug. When she took the first sip, she froze. This was the way she took her coffee, and there wasn’t any reason for Nandy to know.
Ados must be an early riser. The light out the window was barely pink.
She finished her coffee and found a robe. She paused. The wardrobe had more clothing in it. Most of it was date clothing. She wrinkled her nose. Arcady had handed her wardrobe over. Kyda sighed. That meant she wasn’t going back. Running again would be a pain if she couldn’t rearrange her face.
She got dressed in jeans and a tee, sneakers, and against her skin was practical underwear. That was how she knew she was still in the companion rating. No one would ever see her naked, so underwear didn’t matter. Function over fashion. With that in mind, she pulled her hair into a braid and found a tie to keep it contained. She grabbed her mug, headed downstairs, and went in search of breakfast.
The main floor was quiet, and she moved around as silently as she could while drinking another cup of coffee from the pot. She made a small buffet and put part of it in the warmer and the rest in the fridge. Having nibbled her way through the prep, she wasn’t hungry.
She walked outside and went to the foundation and two walls that she had seen the night before but didn’t see Ados. Kyda shrugged, read the markings on the flooring, and got to work. One of the skills that she had gotten was manufacturing. She measured out items from a stack of lumber and tested her new durable skin by lifting, cutting, and nailing the wall edge in place. She grinned and knew she was going to give Kynor hell. This was easy with the extra strength. Yes, he had been ten at the time, but he had the strength of a fully grown heavy-hitting active. She used some of her increased speed and had the outer walls in place, complete with doorframe.
She grabbed the framed-in door and set it in place, levelling and nailing it. Kyda stepped back and looked at her handiwork. The door got blurry, and she swayed, sitting down heavily.
Kyda rubbed her head as her eyes refused to focus. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she was lightheaded.
With her mouth dry, she looked toward the house and rolled to her hands and knees. She started creeping toward the house, having a pretty good guess as to what she had done. The speed had been one attempt too far.
Nandy rushed toward her and lifted her head, jetting a syringe of glucose into Kyda’s mouth.
“What did you use?”
She swallowed, and when her mouth was clear, she muttered, “Fabrication and speed as well as strength and accuracy.”
“I see. How did they work?”
“Pretty well. I should have had a bigger breakfast but didn’t want to eat alone.”
“Ah. Ados had to go to the stronghold. He had to file some requisitions. He should be back soon.”
“Okay. I am just going to lie here for a bit. The grass is nice.”
Nandy took a seat next to her and eased her head onto her lap. Kyda sighed as the older woman stroked her hair.
Five minutes later, she felt a little better. “Okay. I am ready to crawl to the house.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yup. Just put out the honey container and leave me to my shame.”
Nandy laughed, and Kyda struggled to her knees. A flash of lightning made her grimace. “Aw, balls.”
“Kyda, what happened?” An arm wrapped around her ribs and lifted her to her feet.
“I underestimated my calorie count. Can you haul me into the house?”
Ados helped his grandmother to her feet and supported Kyda into the house. Nandy got the honey, and as Kyda was seated at the kitchen table, she turned the container upside-down and stuck out her tongue. Ados made a strangled noise, and Nandy laughed.
Three tablespoons of sweet flower extract later and she stopped chugging honey. She set it down, and hands took the container away. A warm plate was slid in front of her, and Ados sat down next to her, cutting her food for her.
She struggled to swallow the last of the honey and grabbed for the mug. It was full of fruit juice. Too much sugar. She leaned back and blinked rapidly. “Ew.”
“You need fast calories. I have been checking your system stats, and you are depleting all of your reserves faster than you are putting them in.” Nandy held up a tablet. “I don’t know how I missed the alerts while you were burning out.”
“You were busy.”
Ados looked at her. “Eat. Protein is a slower release.”
She grimaced and made the food she had prepped earlier disappear. When it was all gone from biscuits to bacon, she sat back, knowing she should be full but also knowing she had more room.
She looked to Ados. “Did you have a good meeting?”
He paused and smiled slowly. “I did. My parents were a bit surprised, but they eventually came out on my side of things.”
Nandy paused. “Your father was there?”
“Yes. He’s on the advisory council now.”
She sighed. “Oh. He was looking well?”
“He and my mother were fine. They were not convinced, but after I spoke to them for a few minutes, they agreed. I also spoke to the donor.”
Kyda blinked. “Donor?”
“The egg donor. Lady Aluhara.”
Nandy hissed, “Why did you do that?”
“Why would I not? It would be obvious the moment that Kyda went to the stronghold. There is no hiding her features.”
Kyda was stunned. “I never thought she was alive for some reason. Did she have the children she wanted?”
Nandy paused. “No. Nothing outside of that first donation was viable.”
“Oh. That is sad.”
Ados nodded. “It is sad. Very sad. Three decades have passed, and she and her mate have been alone. She wants to meet you.”
Nandy gasped. “What?”
“She wants to meet Kyda. It was a condition to her agreement.”
Kyda blinked. “What do you mean? What would she agree to?”
“Do you have a birth parent to represent you in the Sethir court?”
She frowned. “No. I was grown in a surrogate; she was destroyed when I was six weeks old. Same with Kynor. They didn’t want anyone trying to rescue or reclaim us.”
Ados squeezed her hand. “Exactly. So, I showed Aluhara your image, and she cried. I then showed her images of Kynor with estimates of what he actually looks like. She has gone from never having children to learning there are two adults with her genes.”
Kyda thought about it and nodded. “Oh. Right.” She asked, “What about her mate?”
“He is delighted by the thought of children. Aluhara’s pain has echoed through him.”
Kyda blinked. “Huh. I have never thought about who the male donor was.”
Ados and Nandy stared. Nandy brought up a report and cocked her head. “Well, that explains a bit. If this is the case, you didn’t have a gestational parent. The Sarathoans provided gestation tubes, possibly in exchange for one of the embryos.”
“How can you tell?”
“You are half Sarathoan.”
Kyda looked at her hands. “I thought they were colourful.”
Ados smiled. “Your other half is Sethir. Aluhara’s genes were particularly strong. That is why the government wanted her to have children. Her activation stopped her from carrying to term.”
Nandy nodded. “Getting the initial samples forced her into a near-death state. When those were stolen, she and her mate were devastated.”
“Oh, that is horrible.” She had never given a thought to the genetic donors. She supposed she had always imagined it was voluntary.
“So, once you are stable, she and her mate would very much like to meet you.”
Nandy smiled. “If she has eaten, she is stable enough for a visit. She just needs to change into a court gown.”
Kyda blinked. “A what?”
“Court gown.” Ados nodded. “You have one. Arcady packed it for you.”
She frowned. “How did she know I would need it?”
“I suggested it might be necessary.”
“Why?”
“Because I need to bring you to court to finalize the contract.”
Nandy looked excited.
Kyda looked at the expectant Ados. “Oh, so like... now?”
“Please. I will come with you and show you the dress.”
She got to her feet and nodded. “Okay. So, I need a shower because I have been working and crawling around in the yard.”
“That’s fine. Let’s get that underway.”
She headed up the stairs, and he followed her. She went to the wardrobe and opened it. “Which one?”
He smirked and reached past her to pull out a garment bag that, when opened, exposed a midnight and crimson dress.
“Huh. Are there shoes for that?”
He hooked a finger on the hanger and pulled out a small pouch with matching slippers. “The sooner you are showered and changed, the sooner we can return home.”
“Home?”
“Oh, sorry. The sooner we can go to the Sethir-Nin stronghold, the sooner you can be back here with Nandy.”
She put the dress on the bed and glanced at him. “The sooner you are out of here, the sooner I will hit the shower.”
He nodded and left, closing the door.
She slid a hand under the fabric of the dress and exhaled. It was opaque. Barely. The fabric looked similar to her blue-black hair. She snorted and headed for the shower. While under the spray, she bet the dress wasn’t designed for undergarments. Sethir were pervs of the highest order. They were also focused on mating to a fault. When she learned that the patron who wanted the sweet dates was a Sethir, she nearly cancelled her account.
She dried off and brushed her hair. Going to the stronghold was nerve-racking, but she was pretty sure that Ados would bring her back to Nandy’s place.
Kyda put on some underwear, got dressed, and looked at her reflection. She grimaced and removed her underwear then resettled the dress. Yeah, it wasn’t designed for underwear or, at least, not the style that Kyda had available.
She went back to the wardrobe and found something that might work in the panty department. She slid on the whisper of lace and scowled, staring at her crotch in the mirror. She swished the dress, and it moved over the lace on her skin. It was a bit of relief, but she had been taught to dress herself with dignity. Now she could at least hold her head high without worrying about getting a draft.
She lifted the edge of her dress and walked down the steps until she was in the kitchen.
Nandy looked at her and gasped. “Oh, Kyda. You look lovely. Stunning. Aluhara will be so pleased.”
She smiled. “I hope so. I rarely meet strangers who don’t want a latte.”
Nandy laughed, and Ados walked in.
“Whoa. Kyda. You look...”
He walked up to her and ran a hand over her hair and down her back.
“So, we are grabby because?” She looked up at him, and he grinned down at her.
“Because I want to be? Now, we had better get going.”
He took her by the hand and kissed it before he nodded to Nandy and headed outside. The scientist followed them and smiled when Ados pulled Kyda into his arms.
He murmured, “Ready?”
She nodded. “Ready.”
She wrapped her arms around him, and he did the same with her.
“Hold tight.”
She held him tight, and lightning crackled around them. She kept her eyes closed, and when she opened them, they were in a courtyard with dozens of alphas staring at them. She whispered, “Is my dress still on?”
Ados grinned. “It is. Why?”
“They are looking at me like it isn’t.”
He squeezed her, and she felt him rumbling. It was a growl.
“Seriously?”
Ados shrugged and smiled. “It worked.”
He slowly let her go and held his hand out for her to take it in a formal grip. She sighed and slid her hand into his. He leaned down to kiss her knuckles, and they began a slow walk to the heavily guarded entrance to a very heavily built structure.
Ados checked them in, and they waited for clearance. The guard at the entrance nodded and said, “They are waiting in the southern hall.”
“Thank you.” Ados nodded, and then they started their walk through the stronghold, passing alphas in uniform at first and then alphas with females in the halls.
Kyda started to ask, “So, are we there yet?”
He chuckled. “Nearly.”
“So, does anyone here know that you are escorting in the blood witch of Uradda?”
“I thought you didn’t have any titles?”
“I was given that one in the lab when they used me to destroy some actives.” She grimaced. “They withdrew blood directly and injected it into them. Their deaths were not pleasant.”
“How old were you?”
“Five, I think. It was years before Kynor was decanted.”
“Did they use your blood after that?”
“Sure. It was used for assassinating actives around the world. They took samples every six months until we staged our escape.”
“How did you manage that?”
She chuckled. “Kynor got big fast. He carried me out and protected me from the bullets and projectiles. That’s when we learned he could fly.” She chuckled. “It was a fun flight. They couldn’t shoot us down, or they would lose their secret weapon.”
“Where did you go?”
“Thaddanic, then Saratho, the Capitol, and then we got asylum status in Aksalla. That is where we felt we could settle. That was five years ago.”
Ados murmured softly, “Why did you join the BDC?”
“Oh, one of my regulars at the coffee shop suggested that I might be able to find companionship in a limited capacity. He was right.”
They were approaching another huge archway that had guards on it, and as they passed through the doorway, the guards closed the door behind them.
She looked up at him. “Are we there yet?”
“We are there. Let’s have a seat.”
There was a table with water and glasses. Four chairs surrounded the tiny table. He held a chair out for her, and she settled, knotting her fingers against her abdomen. She was getting nervous.
Ados sat next to her, blocking the view of the doorway.
“So, Ados, why did you want a platonic playmate?”
He smiled. “Something different. I saw the smile on your lips in the mask. I read that you liked baking and sitting in the open air, and I thought it would be fun to go out once to see how it would feel to be normal with someone.”
“Was it good for you?”
He laughed. “I came back over and over, didn’t I?”
“I guess you did. I think you were just after the tarts.”
“They are very good tarts.” He pried one of her hands out of her death grip near her waist and pressed a kiss to her palm.
She shivered. “Why are you doing that?”
He laughed softly. “Because it makes you shiver.”
The door opened before she could tell him off, and she couldn’t see around him. He stood up and walked toward the newcomers. A masculine voice greeted him, but when the feminine one spoke nervously, Kyda got to her feet.
“Is she here?”
Kyda walked up behind Ados and leaned over until she could see around him. “If by she, you mean me, yes, I am.”
The woman with the iridescent blue eyes and blue-black hair gasped. What shocked Kyda was that the woman looked to be in her early twenties. The male with the blonde hair and golden eyes smiled slightly. “Well, look at you.”
Ados stepped aside and held her hand. “Lady Aluhara, this is Kyda Lyt. Kyda, this is your genetic donor, Aluhara of the Sethir-Nin.”
Kyda curtsied gracefully, glad she had focused on practicing all that sort of stuff. “I am pleased to meet you, ma’am.”
Aluhara pulled her up, and then Kyda was wrapped in a hug that she had no choice but to return. “Oh, my precious girl. Do you know of any others?”
“Sure. My brother, Kynor. He’s Ados’s work partner in Aksalla. They bust heads together. Well, my brother looks like an adult, but age-wise, he is your youngest. He’s sixteen.”
She gasped and leaned back without letting Kyda go. “Sixteen?”
Ados snorted. “His physical appearance is that of a male nearing thirty.”
“But he doesn’t age anymore. He’s fine now. Another few years and he can actually buy alcohol in public.” Kyda smiled. “Please, if you meet him, tell him I said that.”
Aluhara had tears in her glorious eyes. “A daughter. I don’t want to let you go.”
“You will have to eventually. Even with the best intentions, I can’t imagine using the ladies’ room like this.”
