Endgame (Voluntary Eradicators) by Nenia Campbell Page A

of help.”
    “ Yes, you do. You're in terrible danger.”
    His act might even convince her if not for the molten glow of his eyes. “Only from you.”
    “ No.” He shakes his head. “Not from me. I would never hurt you.”
    The way he says that, he seems to believe it.
    “ From who, then?” I can't believe him . I can't take that risk .
    “ From yourself.”
    Vol inhales sharply. “I don't need your psychoanalytic bull-crap.”
    They glare at each other. His mouth quirks. “Yes,” he muses. “I think I rather like you better this way, after all, with fire in your blood.” His fingers caress her cheek. “It's so much more entertaining.”
    “ Don't condescend to me, you bastard.”
    She punches out. He catches her wrist.
    “ Don't hit me.”
    His voice is calm, that's the scary part. Vol flinches, squeezing her eyes shut as she waits for a blow to her face that never comes. “Don't ever hit me.” He brings her hand gently, but firmly, to her side, and says, “Violence isn't the answer.”
    Then why do you keep killing me? What are you trying to prove?
    “ I think perhaps it would be best if you run along,” Catan adds, and steps back, giving her just enough room to do so.
    And feeling as though she has just escaped from something terrible, Vol does. But not to her room.
    She goes to the reception area, searching for Ariel. Ariel isn't there. Suryan is, though, and she smiles tiredly at Vol. “Suryan?” Vol halts in surprise. She hasn't seen Suryan for several days. There are dark circles beneath the God Mod's eyes. “How are you? You look …” terrible “… exhausted.”
    “ I am. I just started my shift.” She runs pale fingers through her fiery hair, which is hanging limp. “Didn't get much sleep.”
    “ I heard you were in trouble with Jillain. How did that go?”
    Her smile grew still more tired and a touch resentful. “I'm in trouble. That boy is apparently a relative of the Regent. He didn't appreciate being banished from the premises and complained to you-know-who.”
    “ Gods.”
    “ It could have been worse.” She tries, and fails, to sound flippant. “So much worse.” Vol wonders what threats Jillain held over her.
    “ Suryan, I'm so sorry.”
    “ If that girl hadn't filed a complaint as well, I would have lost my job.”
    Vol's eyes narrow. “What the fuck? That's completely messed up.”
    “ The argument was that since it's just a game, no actual harm was done. I overreacted and am not fit to perform my duties unsupervised, apparently. Now all my decisions must be ratified and signed off by both Catan and Ariel before I submit them to my superiors —and Jillain is docking the inconvenience of having Ariel and Catan work extra hours from my paycheck.”
    “ Bullshit,” Vol says explosively, flinching inwardly at the mention of Catan's name.
    “ I appreciate the sentiment, Vol. Really, I do. But I don't feel like talking about it. Or thinking about it. The whole situation just makes me so angry. I might say …” Suryan closes her eyes, draws in a deep breath. “Never mind. Now. Did you need something?”
    Vol looks away from the miserable attempt at a smile. “Do you know where I might find Ariel?”
    “ Ariel? Why?”
    “ It's kind of important.” And private . “Have you seen her?”
    “ She just left. I think she's in the cafe, though she might be at the bazaar with Tash. Those two are getting on like a house on fire.”
    Ariel isn't in the cafe. Nor is she in her room or in any of the lounges. Finding somebody is surprisingly difficult, especially if they don't want to be found. She wonders how Catan manages it so frequently and efficiently. The bastard.
    Vol draws the line at prowling around the bazaar. If Ariel is there with Tash, it's almost certainly a date. If she's going to ask for the Meridian girl's help at all, Vol doesn't want her pissed.
    Meanwhile, her body buzzes with impatience. Every minute that passes is another minute that the archives could