“You can clear Daniel’s work for use,” she said, knowing he’d never do it. “Make sure he gets credit for it. I know the enclave will put his name on it if you ask.”
“Done.”
The one word shocked through her, and she stared at him, not appreciating the little quirk of amusement in his eyes. “Done?” she echoed, and he nodded.
“I have no idea what I’m going to do now,” he said, focus blurring as he looked out over the green fields. “I came here expecting to have to fix your errors and use that as a way to get myself a new job, but you’re right. It’s his virus. His and yours. I’ll let them all know tomorrow, and I’ll be out of your hair by the end of the month.”
Done? Trisk licked her lips, not sure she believed him even now. “I didn’t do much.”
“You made it safe for us,” he said, rocking back on his heels and giving her a faint smile.
He turned as if to leave, and she exhaled, nervously rubbing her forehead. I can’t believe I’m doing this. “Thank you, Kal,” she said, the unusual feelings of understanding drifting through her.
Kal’s entire body slumped. “You’re welcome.” His breath came in slow, and he exhaled. “Trisk, I know it’s soon, but I wish you’d give some thought to coming back with me to Florida. Once NASA sees what you did with Dr. Plank’s virus, they’re going to want you.”
Trisk’s eyes widened, and she stared at him.
“Ulbrine said that he’d make the introductions,” Kal gushed, his words falling over themselves in his effort to get them out before she shut him down. “I know at the very least they’ll want to hear about your work in developing a universal donor virus. I can see hints of it in Daniel’s work, and it can’t be allowed to falter here in a human-run lab.”
NASA? Trisk thought, shocked. Ulbrine would introduce her to someone in NASA?
From the office shack came a whoop of alarm, and then a clattering crash. Kal chuckled, and her eyes flicked from the direction of Saladan’s continuing bellow of anger to Kal. His eyes were glinting with mischief, and she remembered that tiny charm he’d flicked at the witch. “What was it?” she asked as Kal ducked his head and hid a grin.
“Remember how clumsy you were your freshman year?” he said as he looked up.
Her smile vanished. “That was you?” she said as two fieldhands poked their heads into the office, then shouted for some help.
Beaming, Kal took her hands, almost pulling her off balance as he went down on one knee in a mocking, overdone show. He was being charmingly submissive, and damn it if it wasn’t working. “I am so, so sorry,” he blurted. “You have no idea. I was such an ass.”
“Get up,” she muttered, pulling him to his feet before the three fieldhands running to help Saladan could see. “I might forgive you if you teach it to me.”
Kal gave her hands a squeeze before he let go and opened her truck door for her. “Maybe over dinner?” he asked as she pulled the door shut with a familiar, rattling thump.
She felt safe there, liking the way he was looking at her. And she wanted to belong, liked hearing him say he was sorry. Daniel is going to freak out that his name is going to be on his virus. “Okay,” she said, but even as he beamed, promising to pick her up at the office at six, she didn’t believe him.
The scars went too deep.
10
Kal sat on the edge of the couch in the greenroom, not comfortable consigning himself entirely to the soft cushions that had cradled an unknown number of nervous, sweaty guests. He knew his favorite suit made him look especially trim and as if he owned the world, but he wanted to look better than good for his first press release, even if it wasn’t his product.
Trisk looked amazing in her gray business skirt and matching top, the silver threads running through it elevating her sophistication even as the gold helix necklace and metallic-tipped, blunt-toed heels she wore boosted her feminine charms. Her long hair, which she usually kept back in a loose clip, had been bound into a tight, no-nonsense bun that accentuated her cheekbones. But it was her calm that surprised him the most as she stood at the table and made him a cup of tea. To Kal, she looked better in her minimal makeup and honest beauty than Heather, the overpainted, over-accessorized host of the show.
Across the room, Rick flirted with the young sound tech, the man completely overwhelmed by the lanky vampire’s charms. Saladan watched with thinly veiled disgust from the opposite corner, slumped in his chair with one thin ankle on the other knee. A cast poked out from the cuff of his black suit coat. Kal had watched him go through two cigarettes in fifteen minutes. Either he was as nervous as a cat in the dog pound, or he was using the smoke to block the vampiric pheromones Rick was pumping into the air as he toyed with the sound tech.
Kal’s attention shifted as Trisk’s heels clicked on the tile floor. “Here you go,” she said as she handed Kal a mug with the station’s logo on it. “You can give it a try, but honestly, I think the water has been sitting since morning.”
“It can’t be that bad,” Kal said as he took a sip. The bitter tea hit the back of his throat and he forced himself to swallow. “On second thought, I don’t need any caffeine,” he said with a smile. “Not that badly.” Shuddering, he set it out of his easy reach. “Thanks anyway.”
Sighing, she sat down on the couch, surprising him when her weight almost slid him into her. The scent of cinnamon rose from her like a perfume. Only elves rich in power smelled like that. How had he never noticed before? But then again, it had only been the last few days that she’d let him get that close. Their bonding over Saladan’s slights at the farm last week had led to six dates—six dates at the pace of a thawing glacier. Trisk wasn’t cold, but she wasn’t forthcoming, either, and he found he enjoyed the challenge.
“Any more caffeine, and I’ll get the shakes,” she said as she looked at the coffee-stained side table with its mugs and sugar cubes. “Daniel asked me out for lunch today afterward. You don’t mind, do you? He wanted to talk to me about something.” Her brow furrowed. “He should be here by now. He said he wanted to watch the show.”
“No, I don’t mind,” he said distantly, wondering if the awkward man was going to try to make a last-ditch play for her. Maybe he should address that. “It’s not like we’re going steady.” He hesitated for a telling moment. “Are we?”
Trisk visibly colored, clearly caught off balance. “Uh, I don’t know,” she said, then turned to Rick’s infectious laugh.
“I can’t keep track of the little thing,” Rick said as he half spun, the cord from the state-of-the-art mic dangling from one hand. “I’m so sorry. Perhaps if I remove my jacket,” he added as he handed the mic to the technician. Groaning sensually, he slipped his jacket off, stretching his shoulders and tossing his silky, wavy hair to make the tech blink in consternation. Clearly Rick was enjoying himself, and Kal smirked as Saladan watched in a high-eyebrow question.
“Dr. Cambri?” a second technician said, and Trisk stood, the first hint of nervousness showing as she ran the black cord under her jacket. Saladan, too, was being miked, and Kal rose when the tech finished with him and came over. Kal clipped the mic to his lapel and tucked the wad of cord into a pocket. He’d never been in front of the cameras before, but he wouldn’t let any of them know that by a show of ignorance.
“I have one of your fuzzy tomato plants in my backyard, Dr. Cambri,” the technician working with her said. His shoes were scuffed and his clip-on tie was askew, but he clearly knew his job. “Got it for free at the grocery store. It’s grown almost as high as my garage. I’ve been giving tomatoes away all summer.”
“They tend to do that when they’re taken care of,” Trisk said, her shoulders shifting as she felt the weight of the wire. “It isn’t on yet, is it?”
“Not yet.” The older man fiddled with a little box before timidly fastening it to the back of her skirt’s waistband. “We’ll plug you in before you sit down. No need to overwhelm the guys in the booth. Four guests at once is our tops. Have f
un out there. And remember, everyone will forget what you said the instant the next segment comes on, so don’t sweat it.”
Trisk flashed him a nervous smile as she sat back down. “Thanks.” Her knees jiggled as she fidgeted. “Come on, Daniel. You’re going to miss it,” she whispered as she looked at the door and then at the muted TV in the corner showing the current segment wrapping up.
Kal cleared his throat. “Where is Daniel taking you for lunch?” he asked. “Sander’s is open this time of day. It’s right on the river. You can get a mimosa.”
“Champagne before six?” Trisk said good-naturedly. “That’s a little early, isn’t it?”
“Yes, well, I don’t know about you, but I’m going to need a little something after this.” He sat down again, and wincing, he forced himself to take another pained sip of that horrid tea. “Rick, are you up for lunch before heading back to the office?”
“I’m taking the rest of the day off,” the living vampire intoned, his gaze heavy on the tech still lingering in the greenroom. “I may have other plans.”
“Trisk!” Dress shoes sliding loudly on the tile floor, Daniel lurched into the greenroom. Behind him, his studio escort turned and jogged off. “I made it.”
Kal’s expression stiffened at the relief that spilled over Trisk’s face as she stood. “I was starting to get worried,” she said, and Daniel took her hands, holding her at arm’s length to look her up and down in appreciation.
“I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” Daniel’s smile was just as wide. “Wow, you look great. A real credit to Global Genetics. Trisk, I’m so proud of you.”
“I’m nervous,” she admitted, touching her hair and fiddling with her necklace. Her vulnerability struck Kal, and a surprising feeling of jealousy cascaded through him. She was free with herself around Daniel, a common human, but with him, she was distant and politically polite—and that was on a good day. Seeing her tentative smile and the support she got from the man, Kal decided he didn’t like it.
“You can’t tell.” Daniel tucked a strand of her hair back in place. “You’ll be fine. Everyone loves their fuzzy tomatoes, and they’re going to love that you made them.”
Her gaze flicked to Saladan, who was stoically ignoring Rick sitting beside him, the vampire trying to draw him into conversation. “Yes, well, just wait. It will be you up there next year.”
Still smiling proudly, Daniel shook his head. “I doubt it. The virus might have my name on it, but the government isn’t going to advertise it. No press conferences for me.”
Kal’s eyes narrowed as Trisk gave Daniel a comforting half hug. Bothered, he unthinkingly took a sip of that awful tea. Spitting it back into the cup, Kal set it on the coffee table.
“Please tell me it’s time,” Saladan said faintly when a tech came in, the expression on the witch’s long face as weary as Rick’s was annoyingly upbeat.
But the tech shook his head, eyes on Trisk. “Dr. Cambri. I need to adjust your mic.”
Immediately she turned to him with a helpful openness. Daniel went to get himself a cup of coffee, and Kal watched Trisk’s confidence return as the tech fumbled with her mic, the man able to take liberties that most would get slapped for. Kal didn’t like that, either.
Over the last couple of weeks, he’d gotten used to her dark hair, finding the silky strands in odd places to remind him she was around. Her strong cheekbones and narrow nose were far more attractive when she was smiling at him than when she’d been throwing curses, and her laugh was infectious.
With a start, Kal realized Daniel was watching him watch her, more than a sliver of jealous warning in the back of the man’s eyes. I’ve got time to take care of that, Kal thought, his gaze flicking to the clock.
Kal stood. Horrid tea in hand, he ambled over to Daniel at the coffee bar. “I don’t think I’ve said congratulations yet, Dr. Plank,” he said as he set his mug down on the return tray.
“Thank you.” Daniel looked at Kal’s extended hand, then shook it. “It’s odd, but now that the government has cleared it for trials, I’m as nervous as hell that it won’t work.”
Kal laughed, the pleasant sound filling the small room. “It will. It’s a beautiful piece of work from what I understand.”
“Thank you,” he said again, but his eyes were on Trisk as he pushed his glasses back up his nose. “Dr. Cambri had a lot to do with it. Her name should be on it as well.”
“No, it’s your project. Your baby.” Kal hesitated. “You’re right, though. Trisk is talented. What she did with the T4 Angel is amazing.”
Daniel nodded, both men still looking at her. “She’s better than I’ll ever be. If she were a man, she’d be my boss by now.”
“Funny you should mention that,” Kal said, stifling a surge of satisfaction when Daniel stiffened. “I’ve been talking with NASA, and they think they might have a place for her. I keep asking her to put in her application now that her tomato has been sold, but she won’t. She could shine there,” Kal added, feigning obliviousness to Daniel’s sudden disquiet. “If I could convince her to go, that is. I wouldn’t mind the chance to get to know her again, either. NASA is just down the road from where I work.”
“Seriously?” Daniel said, his voice rough. “She told me some of the things you did.”
Kal’s wandering attention slid back to Daniel, his lips tight as he lied. “Little boys often torment little girls to get their attention. I was a fool.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I will not be that same fool again.”
“There you go, Dr. Cambri,” the tech said, and Trisk straightened her skirt. “Gentlemen, we have five minutes.” he added loudly as he checked his watch. “If you have to use the bathroom, now’s the time.”
“I’m fine.” Rick stood before the long mirror and adjusted the drape of his suit.
“Can we just get on with it?” Saladan muttered, crushing out his cigarette.
Satisfied from the look of Daniel’s tight jaw that his words would fester, Kal surreptitiously pushed his tie off-kilter. “I’m good,” he said, then smiled at Trisk. “Do I look okay?”
“You look fine,” Trisk said, reaching to fix his tie. Behind her, the head technician vanished. The door shifted closed only a few inches before stopping. Faint in the distance, Kal could hear the current segment, a good eight seconds off from what was playing on the TV. “How come you’re not nervous?” she asked as she gave his tie a last tweak.
“I am,” he admitted. “But it’s not my baby in the beauty contest. I don’t even know why I’m here.”
“Are you kidding?” Trisk said as Rick sniffed his opinion, the vain man continuing to primp in the mirror. “You’re a bona fide Florida geneticist. Everyone wants to meet you.” She shifted slightly to put her back to Daniel.
“Kal, I can’t thank you enough for clearing Daniel’s virus for live trials last week,” Trisk whispered. “And then making sure his name was attached to it. This is Daniel’s life. Thank you.”
Kal smiled, not a whisper of guilt in him. “Yes, well, he deserves everything coming his way. You too.”
Her eyes dropped modestly, and they all turned to the door when the head technician leaned into the greenroom and said authoritatively, “Mr. Rales, you first, please, then Mr. Saladan, Dr. Cambri, then Dr. Kalamack. This way.” They hustled down the hall after him, cautioned to be quiet before they stole out onto the live floor.
Under a bright spotlight surrounded by a moat of space where cameras swam like silent alligators, their host, Heather, chatted with the off-site reporter out at one of Sacramento’s middle schools.
“Thank you, Tom,” Heather said brightly as she beamed at one of the cameras pulling in close on her. “We’ll be right back to talk to our own Dr. Cambri from Global Genetics and Mr. Saladan from Saladan Industries and Farms about how they’re working to put an end to hunger overseas as well as boost the economy here at home.”
“We’re clear!” someone shouted, and the woman’s smile widened.
&nbs
p; “Good, good,” she said, hand over her eyes as she peered off set at them. “Wow. You guys look great. Don’t they look great, Howard?”
“They look great,” that same faceless voice said. “Three minutes.”
“Well, come on up,” she urged, waving them forward. “Let’s get you plugged in. Here, Mr. Saladan, I want you beside me. Then Mr. Rales, Dr. Cambri, and then Dr. Kalamack all on the couch. Rose between thorns, gentlemen. Quick like bunnies, now!”
The warmth of the lights was pleasant, and Kal obediently sat where she’d told him to, wondering why Heather had changed their positions as the technicians plugged his mic in. Saladan took the chair beside Heather with a dignified air, clearly pleased to have the place of honor. Trisk gingerly sat between Rick and Kal on the couch. The living vampire was brimming with a sexually charged confidence in his tight, British-inspired suit, making Kal think Heather was trying to keep her distance. Her enthusiasm didn’t seem fake as much as forced.
“You all look as if you should be on the cover of Vogue, not Scientific American,” the buxom blonde said as she touched her hair, wound up into a huge beehive. “I’m going to bring up a few things we talked about earlier, maybe delve deeper into one or two topics, but try to keep the science light. Our audience is a wide mix of housewives and professionals, and we don’t want anyone feeling threatened by their lack of education. Good? Good.”
“Five,” Howard said from the darkness. “Four, three . . .”
Suddenly Kal felt like the mayonnaise on a triple-decker sandwich, a tiny part of a revolving system of guests and shows, to be quickly replaced and forgotten in the ever grasping need for ratings. Sitting straight, he adjusted his tie to knock it off-kilter again so it would stand out more.
Heather beamed at the camera, taking the last second to brush her front smooth. “It’s all about fuzzy tomatoes this afternoon,” she said warmly. “We have with us today Mr. Rick Rales, the CEO of Global Genetics, based right here in Sacramento. With him is Mr. Max Saladan of Saladan Industries and Farms, who just bought the patent on the new Angel cultivar. Also with us is Dr. Trisk Cambri, the woman geneticist who created that fuzzy tomato everyone is talking about. Beside her is Dr. Trenton Kalamack, who has been chaperoning its shift from commercial trials to full production. Thank you all for joining me and my watchers for our lunchtime segment.”