Sandy’s long jaw dropped, and the look in his eyes was almost wild. “How can you possibly know all these things?” he demanded in near hysteria. “I can almost believe some of the rumors that are whispered about Prime XenoMediators.Terry are you a telepath, too?”
“Don’t be ridiculous!” I snorted. “It isn’t telepathy when you use your eyes and head. Sandy, you’re already in over your ears. Do yourself a favor and tell him to let me go.”
“I can’t,” he agonized. “I must call Murdock. Tammad, bring her along to the house, please.”
Sandy hurried on ahead, and his pal Tammad followed leisurely after him. Since I was still firmly attached to the giant’s hand, I ended up going in that direction, too. The lawn stretched out quiet and green from house to house as far as I could see, but there wasn’t a single person in view on it anywhere. That lack made me decide on a course of action I normally would never even have considered.
“Peacemen!” I shouted at the Neighborhood in general, trying to be loud enough to be heard. “Somebody call a -mmf!”
My yell cut off when the giant’s hand slid firmly across my mouth and stayed there. I struggled against him, trying to pull his hand away with both of mine, but it was a waste of time. I’m slightly above average in height, but my head didn’t even reach his chin. With his right hand over my mouth, he reached his left arm around my waist and lifted me off the ground, then continued on toward Sandy’s house. The trip ended in Sandy’s inner study The room was as flat and unimaginative as Sandy himself, done in various shades of brown and tan. It had a long, wide couch in dark brown leather against the back wall, four lighter brown leather chairs scattered here and there across the tan carpeting, a very neat and totally outdated light brown rembowood desk and chair on the wall to the left of the door, and matching floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on the wall to the right of the door. Brown and tan woodland scenes set in limited-frame movement squares hung on the walls above the couch and desk, but none of that was of any help to me. I’d been beating my heels against Tammad’s right leg, hoping to make him shift his grip and thereby give me a chance to break loose, but I’d had no luck. Tammad ignored the kicks as if they were happening to somebody else, carried me down the hall and into the study finally dumping me on the room’s wide couch. I landed on my hands and knees on the soft leather pillows, and took a minute to flex my jaw before sitting straight. Tammad was in an easy crouch not three feet away from me, his arms resting on his broad thighs, the same idiotic grin on his face.
“The next time you try that you’ll lose a finger;” I snarled, pushing my hair back out of my eyes. “And what the hell are you staring at?”
“You,” he answered in a deep, strong voice that matched the rest of him. “The thought has come that should you brush your hair, you would not be unattractive.”
“You can’t afford to talk.” I countered, pulling my hand away from my hair. “Your hair looks like it was hacked off with a knife. And unless I’m mistaken, that’s a nice, thick Rimilian accent you’ve got there. What are you doing so far from home?”
“Green eyes,” he mused, ignoring my question as he looked me over in a way I’d never experienced before. “Such eyes are highly prized on my world. Most have eyes like mine, blue as the skies when no storms blow, but some very few have eyes green as the seas. I am pleased to see a woman with green eyes.”
That insolent grin was getting me angrier and angrier, and his attitude wasn’t doing much to help matters, so I decided to see how easily he might be reached.
“Venda banarad,” I told him distinctly and watched as his blue eyes hardened with anger, then immediately changed back with his laughter.
“You place me well.” He grinned in amusement. “I am indeed l’lenda—a warrior. But it is not wise to order a warrior not to overstep himself unless you carry sword in hand. I do not believe you could easily lift a sword.”
“I’m stronger than I look.” I said, eyeing the still open door. The inner study didn’t have a window, but it did have that nice, open door. “Now why I wonder, would Murdock McKenzie be hiding a Rimilian barbarian here?” I mused, shifting slightly to get my legs out from under me. “Because he plans on doing something with you? But why, then, doesn’t he do it? Possibly because the time isn’t right. Does he have to wait for something? Do you know what Murdock is waiting for, l’lenda? Or is he just using you, as a poor, helpless pawn? Poor barbarian, being used by others.”
“No man uses me!” the barbarian growled, rising again to his full height. He was angry, and that’s what I’d been trying for. I quickly flipped a couch pillow at his face and dived for the doorway but as fast as I’d moved, he moved even faster. His hand went up, knocking the pillow aside, and he caught me with his other arm before I’d taken two full steps. He casually tossed me back onto the couch, and stood studying me.
“Neither am I to be used by a woman,” he told me, and then the grin was back stronger than ever. “Now do I see why the Sandy Kemper regarded your presence as he did. He is not man enough to hold you in place.”
“And you are?” I asked, my hands curled into fists as I fought to keep my temper. I had to get out of there!
“I am what I am,” he answered, still amused. “Deeds may speak where words stand mute.”
“That has all the earmarks of an ancient adage.” I said in disgust, putting my arm up on the back of the couch. “How long are you going to keep me here?”
“Only until the Sandy Kemper has spoken with the Murdock McKenzie.” He grinned, folding his arms as he looked me over in that exasperating way again. “The Sandy Kemper has then given you leave to go. I will not be pleased to see you go.”
“You won’t be pleased to see me come back, either!” I snapped. “When my boss hears about this, he’ll have all of you locked up for kidnapping! I can’t wait to see the peacemen take you away in force binders!”
“Perhaps such will occur,” he agreed with a sober nod. “I, too, am a man of peace. Should your men of peace be greater warriors than I, then I will surely be taken.”
I tucked my legs under me and turned away from him, determined not to waste my breath any further. Peripherally I saw him fold into that easy crouch again, showing all the patience of a big cat on the hunt.
About fifteen minutes later, Sandy appeared in the doorway He was still drawn and nervous looking, and he glanced uneasily at Tammad, then turned worried eyes to me.
“Terry I’m afraid I have bad news,” he apologized hurriedly. “Murdock asks that you stay here until he arrives to settle the matter. Unfortunately, he’ll be tied up for some time yet, but will come as soon as possible. I’m sure that if you’ll just be patient...”
“About thirty years, I’d say, Sandy” I interrupted thoughtfully. “That’s how long you can expect to be in compulsive rehabilitation for kidnapping a PXM. What would you like me to bring you on the days they allow you to be free of pain?”
Sandy swallowed hard and began trembling slightly, but he was made of sterner stuff than I’d thought. “I’m sorry, Terry I truly am,” he said miserably. “I should stay, but I must have that wagon repaired. I can have it done and be back before Murdock arrives if I go right now. Since I won’t be here, I give you into Tammad’s care. He’ll see to your needs.”
He closed the door fast, to keep from hearing the next thing I had to say, I suppose, but I wasn’t saying anything. I stared at the door with my mouth and eyes wide open, then moved my head a little to look at Tammad. The barbarian warrior was laughing softly and slowly rising up out of the crouch.