Vida has been looking for her parents since the Tokkel took them six years ago. Her sister has given up on her obsession and removed herself from the pain of her twin’s hunt.
When Vida has a breakthrough and gets transported to the mother ship, she is one step closer to achieving her quest, until her own body betrays her.
S’rin is a member of the Balance, and his help enables her to recover, as well as find a way to locate those who have been lost. He needs to strike a balance between seduction and companionship; it is harder than he would imagine.
With her bandages in place and a borrowed shirt covering the blood on hers, Vida headed for the embassy of the Nine.
The guards on either side of the gate stared at her as she passed them. She guessed the not a lot of bloody Gaian women hiked through the gates. She heard them calling up to the main building as she trudged past.
Daphne came out to greet her. “Vida, good lord. What happened?”
“I figured it out. I finally figured it out. I have a chance at finding them, but I need to get up there.” She staggered and clung to Daphne when she was close enough.
They walked slowly into the building where Daphne let out a shrill whistle.
A woman with ice blue skin came forward. “Yes, madam?”
“I need some grafting patches and a clean dress, please, Tynyan.”
“Yes, madam. Right away.”
The woman glided away, and Daphne coaxed Vida into the lift. Vida was impatient. She wanted to get up, to get on her way to finding those who were lost, but her vision blurred.
“Relax, Vida. I have you.”
With a woman she knew she could count as a friend, she relaxed. In a quiet room, her clothing was removed, her wounds were cleaned and whatever a grafting patch was, it kicked the ass of stitches. Pale, shining gel showed where the bolt had entered but the ugly threads were gone.
The dress was loose, but it belted snugly at the waist, providing shape.
“You know I am not a fan of dresses.”
Daphne smiled, “I am afraid that it is all I wear most days. Now, let’s settle you and you can tell me what the hell happened.”
With the help of the housekeeper, Daphne got Vida to her feet and into a comfortable chair in the sitting room.
She was still drowsy from the drugs they had given her at the hospital, but Vida stared into Daphne’s eyes. “I figured out how to do it.”
“Do what, Vida?”
“To find those who were stolen and never retrieved. I have been trying to see the trail for the last six years, and I have failed. I have been looking at it from the wrong angle. I need to get onto the mother ship and get into one of the shuttle pathways. If I can see the trail and the Nine are agreeable, we can get someone to go looking for them.” Vida swayed.
“How were you injured, Vida?”
“Oh, I was shot with a bolt gun by a serial killer.” She smiled. “I saw her and I found her.”
