Read The Conscripts: Fight or Die (Blood War Book 3) for Free Online

to tiny posts because of his belief in the need for the new infantry. Then, to his own surprise, he began to talk about Aijuba and how their professional partnership had slowly changed into a love affair. He told her how they had fought the powers that be in the Legion to establish the new infantry units. How the infantry had been formed and the secretary general had found out how useful they could be in settling disputes between colonies and corporations. Then her decision to give him the money and staff to develop the armored infantry. Finally how, before the new armored infantry could be proven, the Xotoli had attacked Rift, where he was developing the new unit. He told her about the desperate battle on Rift against the Xotoli hybrids, how close a thing it had been and how his troops had fought and died. How proud he was of them and how humbled he was by their faith in him. The armored infantry had proven its worth in the crucible of battle and saved the Confederation in doing so.
    Kat sat there silently during most of the long story, only asking questions to keep him talking, exhibiting no phony sympathy or exaggerated reactions. Her reactions were those of someone who had fought battles in her life too. She seemed genuinely interested in everything he said. She took it all in. She leaned forward for another cigarette.
    “Could I get one of those?” Dasan asked.
    Kat gave him one, lit it, then lit her own.
    “Aijuba sounds like quite a woman. I would have liked to meet her. You must miss her terribly.”
    Dasan looked at Kat’s face for a long moment, trying to read it. There was no false sympathy, only appreciation for Aijuba and Dasan’s story.
    “Yes, yes I do. I seem to have gone on for quite a while. I guess I’ve taken up enough of your time. You should get back to the party.”
    Kat smiled one of her rare smiles. “Dear, the party has been over for hours.”
    Dasan turned and saw the room was empty. He had completely lost track of time in the presence of this extraordinary woman. He blushed and said, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to monopolize your time.”
    “Dear, I do nothing that I don’t want to do. And the only thing I wanted to do tonight was sit here and listen to you tell me the story of the handkerchief. It is quite a story. One that I will never forget. I feel privileged that you told me it all. Especially your relationship with Aijuba.” Her beautiful blue eyes met his.
    “I’ve never done that before. I’ve only talked like this to one other person.”
    “Aijuba?”
    “How did you know?”
    “Woman’s intuition.”
    Dasan paused and said something that had been in the back of his mind for hours, but he had hesitated to say. “You know, I hope you take this as a compliment. You remind me very much of her.”
    Kat looked pleased. “How?”
    “You have this strength and confidence about you that Aijuba had. You are both experienced warriors, just in different arenas.”
    Kat looked very pleased and smiled one of her rare smiles. “Now that, my new friend, is possibly the best compliment I have ever received.” Kat leaned back against the couch and stared at him for a long moment. “Dasan, I want you to stay here tonight.”
    Dasan was stunned. He had not felt an attraction to any woman since Aijuba’s death, but Kat seemed to have blown all of that aside.
    “I…I…don’t know…uh.” Dasan felt like a schoolboy in her presence.
    Kat stood and held out her hand. Dasan took it and let this beautiful woman lead him back into the penthouse.
    “Dear, I had you the moment you laid eyes on me. Since you say I remind you of Aijuba, then I can say she would approve of us. So don’t worry,” Kat said over her shoulder as she led him by the hand. Dasan stopped, not sure he liked being led around by someone who seemed to know so much about this game between men and women.
    “What about your husbands and wives?”
    Kat stopped and looked up at him. “Dear, I am not sure there is