Thrace glared at Two. “What’s wrong with her? What didyou do to her?”

“Why, I have no idea what’s wrong with her.”Two shrugged his boney shoulders eloquently. “She was like this when she gothere.”

“Trin listen to me—what happened?” Thrace leanedcloser to her but Two drew back, pressing the muzzle of the dissipater hardagainst her temple.

“Ah-ah-ah, my dear Havoc. Keep your distance fornow.”

“But what happened? What’s wrong with her?”

“He…he gave me a drink.” Trin’s eyes wereheavy-lidded and she seemed to be struggling to get the words out. “Back on…onYonnie Six. After I ran…ran away from you.”

“Two gave you a drink?”

“No…” She shook her head sluggishly. “Lord…Lord X.He gave me a drink. Made my lips numb. Started feeling…funny. And now I’m so…sohot. So thirsty.”

Thrace was beginning to get a bad feeling about this. A verybad feeling.

“It made you hot, you say? What did he give you?”

“Don’t know.” She shook her head weakly.

“Well, I do,” Two said brightly. He turnedto Trin. “But that doesn’t matter. What matters is how thirsty poor little Trinis now.”

The long boney hand wrapped around Trin’s waistsnaked down out of sight and returned holding a flask. Two popped off the lidand waved it enticingly under her nose.

“Wh..what is that?” Trin’s eyes opened a littlewider. “So thirsty…something to drink?”

“Something delicious,” Two promised with asneering smile. “Something that will quench your thirst forever.”

“No!” Suddenly it all clicked into place for Thrace.“No, don’t Trin! Don’t drink it—it’s poison!”

He lunged forward but she was already grasping theflask Two held to her lips and gulping thirstily.

Shoving the dissipater Two held to one side, Thracetore the flask away from Trin’s lips. But it was too late—he could see theblood-red ribbon of wine sliding from the corner of her mouth. Drugged wine,and he knew what it was drugged with.

“Ah-ah—step back for just a moment, if you please.”Two had regained his grip on the dissipater and was holding it on Thrace now.“Just give it a moment to take effect.” He looked down at Trin. “Better now, mydear?”

“I…think so.” Trin straightened up, her eyeslooking clearer than they had before. But her cheeks were still flushed and herbreathing was rapid and shallow. “What happened?”

“Why, you took the third drink, my dear.” Twosmiled at her nastily. “The third drink of passion berry wine. Don’t youremember? The first drink makes you cold…the second makes you hot…and the thirddrink…”

“Makes you dead. Oh my Goddess!” Trin put a hand toher mouth. “But, that’s not possible! I was sure the first drink was completelyout of my system.”

“It would have been…with normal passion berries.”Two grinned. “But you see, these are a special strain I’ve been developing inmy spare time. You know, between killing people for B’Rugh, tracking down thetwo of you, hiring the most deadly assassin in this galaxy or any other foranother little side project I have… He shrugged modestly. “It’s just a hobby,really.”

“You bastard, you’ve killed her.” Thrace felt like he was going todie himself. He couldn’t bear to lose Trin—not now that he was aligned withher, not when he finally knew his own mind and heart and knew that he lovedher.

Thisis why the Havoc don’t bond, he thoughtdully, watching her flushed cheeks and rapid breathing. Because tyingyourself so closely to a female rips your fucking heart out. But it was toolate—he was tied to her. Tied so closely that if she died, he knew hewould want to follow her into death.

“No, I haven’t killed her.” Two smiled, showing hismetal teeth again. “She can still be saved, as you well know.”

“Not by you,” Thrace snarled, feeling sick. “Getyour fucking hands off her, now!”

“Gladly.” Two removed his hands from Trin’s waistand shoulder and gave her a little push towards Thrace. “Now that she’s had thethird drink, she’s all yours, Havoc.”

“Thrace?”Trin looked up at him as he pulled her against his side.

“It’s all right, baby,” he murmured, stroking hershoulders. “Everything is going to be all right.” Which was a complete lie andhe knew it. He glared at Two. “Why did you do this?” he demanded. “Why targetus in this way? Is it revenge for what happened in The Demon’s Eye?”

“Well, that is the nominal reason, yes. Ipromised B’Rugh that I would make you both suffer—which is why I arranged forTrin to see your past using the nightmare vapor. I wanted her to know exactlywhat kind of male you were—wanted her to know what had been done to you.”

“So you’re the one who pumped the gas intoour room,” Thracegrowled

“No, no—I said I arranged for it to happen.I had hoped that when faced with Lady Tam-tam’s request, Trin would…ah violateyou in the same way you had been hurt in the past. Such an event wouldsurely have triggered a most violent and interesting reaction.” He sigheddeeply. “Unfortunately she refused to do so and I was forced to resort to planB—the passion berry juice.”

“You bastard,” Thrace said thickly.

“Indeed.” Two’s eyes gleamed. “I promised B’Rughyou would suffer and suffer you shall. Now it will be you who isforced to do the violating, my dear Havoc. You can still save her—if youtake her in a way she has sworn never to be taken.”

“You know I can’t do that,” Thrace saidangrily.

“You’ll have to. You can save her body and damn hersoul…or you can save her soul and watch her die in your arms.” Two spread his hands.“The choice is yours.”

“Why?” Trin whispered and Thrace could feel her tremblingagainst his side. “I still don’t understand why you’re doing this to us.”

“You don’t need to know.” Two smiled coldly.“Suffice it to say my reasons have to do with a foretelling of the future. Thefuture not just of you two, but of a whole race. But we can talk later.” Helooked at Thrace.“For now, hadn’t you better tend to your mistress? She’s looking a little worsefor the wear.”

Suddenly Thrace felt Trin sag against him.He looked down to see that her eyes were half-lidded and she was panting.

“Thrace,something is wrong. I feel…so strange,” she whispered. “What’s wrong with me?Is it the passion berries?”

“Probably.” He lifted her gently into his arms andcradled her against him. Then he glared at Two. “This isn’t over.”

“No, of course not.” Two looked positively gleeful.“And it won’t be until you either cure her in a way that is forbidden to her…orwatch her die. Either way, I’ll wait.” He folded his arms across his skinnychest and grinned. “Just take your time.”

** * * *

Trin was feeling decidedly strange as Thracecarried her back to her quarters, the long green dress dragging limply down hisarm. At least it no longer felt like it was made of stifling fur and her skinwasn’t burning up anymore. But something else was wrong with her—something thatwent deeper than heat or cold.

Thepassion berries, she thought numbly. I’ve hadthree drinks. I’m going to die.

“You’re not going to die.” Thrace muttered, as if answeringher morbid thoughts. He carried her into her quarters and locked the door. Thenhe set her on her feet. “I won’t let you die, Trin—I swear it.”

“How…how are you going to stop it?”

He tilted her chin so he could gaze into her eyes.His face was deadly serious and his voice was soft.

“You know there’s only one way to stop it.”

“Only one way,” she echoed, feeling dizzy and weak.“You…you have to penetrate me. Fuck me.”

“I have to make love to you.” He stroked her cheek.“We have to make love together until I fill you with my seed. It’s the onlyway.”

“We can’t…I can’t.” But even as she spoke,she felt the familiar heat building in her body. The tingling in the tips ofher breasts, the hot, swollen feeling between her legs that meant she wantedhis touch. Why did she want him so much? Was it just the passion berries…orsomething else?