Just as she reached the hallway, her gaze went to the portrait of the first Dancer. He seemed to be holding secrets along with his sword. Secrets that could end them all.

Trying not to think about it, she headed back to Dancer, hoping and praying that whatever happened, he didn’t die because of her.

CHAPTER 28

Flat on his stomach, Hauk blinked his eyes open to find himself at home. In his own bed. At first, he thought everything had been a dream until he realized the warmth against his side wasn’t a pillow and there was a long, shapely leg draped over his buttocks and a delicate hand buried in his hair. Best of all were the warm, naked breasts pressed flat against his arm.

A wave of peaceful contentment washed over him. He didn’t want to move and disturb her in any way.

At least that was his thought until he felt her fingers slowly massaging his scalp.

“You awake?” he whispered.

“Yes. You?”

He rolled over slowly so that he could draw her into his arms. “If I’m not, don’t wake me from this dream. I want to stay here forever.”

She brushed her hand carefully over his bandages. “How do you feel?”

“Wonderful.”

She snorted doubtfully as she plucked at the bandage over his abdomen. “I find that hard to believe.”

“I would gladly take a thousand beatings if it meant I could wake up with you, like this.”

“You’re a sick Andarion, Dancer.”

Smiling, he laced his fingers with hers. “Eleron, status on my searches.”

“Wait!”

He frowned at Sumi’s almost shrill tone. That was as close to hysteria as he ever wanted her to come. “What?”

She bit her lip. “I didn’t want you to hear it from the computer. The search on your chip came back last night and…”

“And what?”

“It originally belonged to Keris.”

Hauk couldn’t breathe as that news slapped him hard. “How is that possible?”

“I don’t know. Fain said —”

“You told Fain?”

She nodded. “You were asleep and I didn’t want to wake you. He took it to Syn so that he could run diagnostics on it.”

“He hasn’t found anything other than the DOM,” Eleron broke in. “He also pulled the autopsy files for Keris Hauk, as well as his full medical history.”

Hauk was taken aback to see Eleron in his doorway. She normally didn’t assume her Andarion form without asking him first. But at least she did take his last command to wear more human-like clothing. “Thanks, El.”

“My pleasure.” She continued to stare at them from the doorway.

Feeling a little awkward to have a computer voyeur, Hauk pulled his blanket higher. “Is there anything else, El?”

“No.”

“You planning to stay there for a while?”

Eleron blinked innocently. “Do you not want to look at me?”

Sumi arched a brow over that comment.