Free Tethered by Pippa Jay Page A

agreed. “They haven’t.”
    “The Manikins must have been a backup plan if the neurosonics failed.”
    “My thought too.” She drew herself tall. Zander’s expression had gone blank but she could sense his anger even through her shielding. See it in the tautness of his stance. “Are you all right?”
    “All right?” The smooth composure faltered for an instant. “I’m fine. Are you hurt?”
    “No.” Tyree put a hand to her ribs. Sore, but she’d heal without any treatment and she wasn’t about to admit to it.
    “Let Callista check you—”
    “No. I don’t need checking.”
    “Fine.” Zander cast one final glare over the damaged Manikins. “I’m going to get security in to check these over and cleanse the Monitor system. Clearly something was missed after the first attempt.”
    The sharp edge to his voice made her shiver. So controlled and yet so much suppressed fury in it. She almost pitied the security team. “I’ll do a quick sweep to check for anything else.”
    “No, I want you to go back to your quarters. For safety.”
    She gave him a glower that he returned steadily. “May I remind you that I am your protection, not the other way around?”
    He made an exasperated sound. “Then come with me. Talk to security. And then you can walk me back to my quarters.” He led the way out and didn’t speak to her again. His silence felt like an accusation, and for once she couldn’t think of anything to say to break it.
    This assignment sucks...

Chapter Five
    Sleep time, and Tyree went on patrol. A new Monitor had been installed, bought in secret and under Zander’s supervision, but she no longer trusted their safety on the station. From now on she’d be double-checking everything herself.
    As always, passing through the walls of the Seclusion left her chilled. Although they weren’t Su-proof in the inner section, the residue of energy that made the outer walls of the space station impregnable to her kind left its signature throughout the structure. But every night since her recovery, she had done a random tour of the inner section for her own peace of mind—what precious little it gave her.
    A dozen rooms made up their private area: quarters for herself, Zander, Visaya, Pevanne, and Callista; the huge, scenic conference room where she and Zander ate and studied; the media suite, bathrooms, a food preparation area, and a medical bay. The outer section, surrounding their inner sanctum on three sides, was home to the security squad that protected them, with Su-proof, shielded walls, docking bays, and controls systems. No one from the outside could get into them—except, of course, the assassin who had come aboard with Tyree herself. Much to her chagrin.
    On her first patrol, she had discovered that Visaya and Pevanne were bonded, or at least involved. Little embarrassed a Su, but finding them rigging as she passed through a wall had sent her scuttling back to her own room until her breathing had settled. Now she made a point of listening carefully before ghosting through their quarters on her tour of duty. She was no voyeur.
    Tonight both of them were sleeping as she flitted thorough, her body incorporeal as she drifted. Callista sat reading as Tyree passed behind her, apparently unaware of the Su’s presence. The other rooms were dark and empty...until she reached Zander’s.
    Here, she hesitated. Despite the initial attack on her, he was the one most at risk. The lights were out in his quarters, but that was no impediment with her augmented night vision. She passed through the living room and into his bedroom, to stop at the end of his bed.
    Muted lights gave off a pale glow. Zander lay on his back, a sheet covering him almost to chest height, his broad torso bare. His breathing was deep and even, his face turned so that his scars were hidden against the pillow. Tyree crept closer, taking solid form as she did so, noting the firm muscles of his chest despite the scarring on one side. He’d