If he was feeling anything, his face didn't betray it. The diplomat's mask. Haylie leaned in and brushed a kiss across his lips. She didn't want to lose him, not after everything they'd gone through.

"We don't know anything at this point. We could be bonded and these other dreams are totally unrelated. Once we both get out of here, we can investigate. Okay?"

He nodded his agreement.

"You better get back to your bed. Hey, wait a minute, you're out of your bed," she said and smiled.

"Briel can recover from injuries quickly, and I still feel terrible, but I wanted to make sure you weren't hurt. When you disappeared, I feared the worst."

She ran her hand along his cheek. "You didn't look this good when I arrived earlier.

It's amazing you're even on your feet."

"I have an attractive incentive to get better," he said. Kamran then gave her a kiss of his own before standing. "I hope to be out of here later today. We need to meet and talk."

"Agreed. Contact me when you can. I'll be working on your files."

He bowed slightly and left her makeshift room, dragging some sort of IV behind him.

Once she was alone, her body began to shake. What the h.e.l.l was going on with her?

She wiped a lone tear from the side of her face and began to dress. She had to get out of here and figure out what was happening on this station.

She'd worry about her situation with Kamran later.

Kamran had been drowning. Every time he'd tried to reach the surface, someone pulled him back down. It wasn't until Haylie arrived that things began to focus.

111.

At first, he couldn't make out the words, but he knew it was really her. Not some phantom that had been chasing him for...however long he'd been trapped. He was finally able to start to claw his way back to the surface of reality.

He opened his eyes and knew he'd been dreaming again. This was insanity.

Sara came in a few minutes later, "How are you feeling, Amba.s.sador?"

"Better." His voice still felt strange, like he hadn't used it in a long time.

"Dr. Ray will be by in a few...oh, never mind, here he is. Ray wanted to talk to you about your status and when you can get out of here. I'm going to check on a few other patients."

The Briel doctor stood silently in the hallway. Kamran was forced to stay an extra day in the med bay because Ray wanted to confirm some tests. The results would hopefully mean his freedom.

"Thank you, Dr. Fergus," Kamran said and sat up.

Neither man spoke until Sara had left the area. The man she referred to as Dr. Ray regarded him closely, before speaking in their native language.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been trapped in fluid. I can't shake the feeling that I just survived a drowning."

Ray frowned. "That could be the result of the explosion, but I doubt it."

"The dreams?" Kamran gave his head a shake. He'd told Ray what was happening and the doctor had given him a drug to help him sleep. It had the fortunate side effect of keeping the dreams at bay.

"Do you remember any more of what happened the other day?"

"The explosion?" Kamran frowned. "Not really." He'd gone over what had happened a thousand times in his head.

He'd been walking down the hall. Tia was standing at the opening to the meeting room. He saw something out of the corner of his eye. A person.

"A human."

Ray didn't respond.

"There was a human there. Leaving down the side hallway. That's why I was there.

I followed to see who it was."

"I suspect Chief Bond will want to know that piece of the puzzle. Dr. Fergus told me her friend has been tearing the station apart looking for answers since we freed her from med bay."

Kamran smiled. That sounded like Haylie. He imagined she had half of the miners whipped into shape or scared half to death.

"You like the chief?"

He was startled by the doctor's question. "Yes. The chief is a very interesting human. I enjoyed the time we have spent together."

112.

Ray hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "I noticed something strange when I looked at the results of her tests earlier. Human brain activity is quite different from our own. The patterns should have looked quite foreign to me. Strangely enough, they didn't."

Kamran's stomach sickened. "How strange. What was it you recognized?"

"Oddly, they were very similar to those of a mated Briel female. That is, of course, impossible, since she is very human."

Kamran put on his most practiced, diplomatic mask. "An interesting puzzle for you. Please let me know if there is something I can help you with."

"I would love to check all the Briel males to see if any of them are showing similar signs. But that isn't possible." Ray chuckled.

Kamran knew he was serious.

"I would imagine any mated Briel would be so excited the whole station would know of the match."

"Very true, Amba.s.sador. I think you are well enough to be released. I will let Dr.

Fergus know."

"Thank you, for everything."

He had to warn Haylie. They were in trouble.

113.

Chapter Eleven.

Kamran winced as he tried to manage to get through the door to his quarters. It didn't help that the orderlies were fumbling around him, getting in his way. Despite taking his meds before leaving med bay, every inch of his body ached. The Briel medical staff flitted around him, trying to ensure his comfort to speed his recovery. It took far longer for them to leave than he wanted. It took them several minutes to calibrate the computer to monitor his condition.

His body was improving quickly, faster than that d.a.m.ned Dr. Ray had antic.i.p.ated.

He'd been able to convince them to release him to his quarters for bed rest. Not that he had any intention of resting. As the doors shut, Kamran threw off the blankets and shakily got to his feet. He wasn't as strong as he needed to be. His response to Haylie's dream in med bay had been instinct, not an indication at how well he was doing.

But he wasn't going to let an explosion prevent him from helping Haylie now. He slowly walked over to the computer and called Taber using a secure channel.

"We have a situation. I need your help again."

"Not until you've rested. Things can wait until the morning." His friend's message was distorted.

"Where are you? You're breaking up."

"We received a report of some strange activity in the lower section of the station.

The humans don't have enough resources to cover everything, so we are a.s.sisting."

Kamran's frustration gnawed at him. "As soon as you're able, stop by my quarters.

I have something I need to discuss with you."

"I don't think-"

"Taber, please."

His friend sighed and gave a single nod. "I should be finished in thirty standard minutes." The screen went black, cutting short their conversation.

He wanted to pace, but the throbbing in his head prevented any such movement.

Instead he sent a message to the Elder Council requesting a meeting and climbed back into bed to try and relax.

Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply. Haylie had been here only the night before. Her scent still clung thickly to the sheets and pillows. He desperately wanted to contact her but knew he shouldn't.

Ray knew something was going on.

G.o.ddess, life would be so much easier if this was out in the open. As much as he wanted to convince Haylie that Briel was a beautiful place to live, now wasn't the time.

114.

The station and everything he'd worked so hard for was in danger. He'd never let his personal wants get in the way before and he wasn't about to start now.

She can take care of herself. And knowing Haylie the way he did, he was sure she'd punch him for thinking otherwise.

Someone had tried to kill him. Briel doc.u.ments were being tampered with and people were being murdered. Right now, the only person who was in a position to do anything to help him was Haylie.

For once in his life, he wasn't alone. He had someone who was bound to him and he to her. If they were discovered, he would lose everything he'd worked a lifetime to achieve. A part of him, a very selfish but small part, didn't want to give up his amba.s.sadorship. Not now. Not with things in such a critical state.

The larger part of him missed her. Terribly.

He shifted over to his side and closed his eyes. Haylie's face drifted to the surface of his mind. She smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She looked so happy, every trace of worry erased from her face. Arousal nipped at him. He leaned forward to kiss her and her face dissolved before him into nothing.

Kamran's eyes flew open, but he kept his body still. The d.a.m.ned dreams were bad enough when they involved things happening to him. But for the past day, they'd revolved around nothing but Haylie. This had to stop.

The chime for his door sounded.

"Who is it?"

"Taber."

Kamran shook his head. "Computer, unlock door."

Taber entered the room, looking exhausted. "I apologize for being late. Were you sleeping? I rang several times."

"I must have dozed off. Though I swear I only just closed my eyes. What happened to you?"

Taber walked closer to the bed and a.s.sumed his normal military stance. "We ran into some trouble in the lower levels."

That didn't sound good. "Was anyone hurt?"

"A few humans, miners, were acting strange. Trying to go outside without their EV suits on. We were forced to subdue them for their own safety. I am not even sure what they were doing down there."

Kamran shook his head. "There are too many anomalies. Something is happening here and I fear we are running out of time."

"Agreed. Now what is it you wished to discuss with me?"

Kamran hesitated. His friend was exhausted, most likely not having slept in the days since the explosion. Or at least not sleeping well. The dark blue circles under his eyes were p.r.o.nounced.

115.

"Have you had trouble sleeping?"

Taber frowned. "Pardon?"

"Have you had trouble sleeping? Experienced any strange dreams?" Kamran's voice trailed off. He couldn't put his finger on it, but somehow this was all tied together.