Deadly Pursuit (A Blood Hunter Novel, #2) (22 page)

“Why?”
he
interrupted.
“Why
go
back?”

She
thought
of
all
the
people
who
had
given
up
their
lives
for
her,
of
Sister
Martha
who
had
basically
raised
her.
Alex
was
the
center
of
their
universe—their
reason
for
being.
They
believed
in
her—that
she
was
God’s
chosen
emissary.
Even
if
she
didn’t
believe
it
herself,
could
she
abandon
them?

But
there
was
more
to
it
than
that.
This
time
away
had
made
her
see
things
clearly
for
the
first
time.
One
of
the
reasons
she’d
hated
her
life
so
much
was
because
she’d
felt
like
some
sort
of
drone-droid,
unable
to
take
control
or
change
anything.
And
there
were
so
many
things
within
the
Church
that
needed
changing.
As
High
Priestess,
she
could
become
a
force
for
good,
make
things
better.
But
she
wasn’t
telling
him
that.

“Just
because,”
she
mumbled.
“The
point
is,
I
will
go
back.
I’ll
do
my
duty,
and
I’ll
make
believe
I’m
good.
But
before
I
do,
I’m
going
to
do
a
few
of
those
bad
things.
All
I’m
asking
for
is
a
little
cooperation.”

He
was
silent
as
he
studied
her.
Alex
held
her
breath.

Finally,
he
shrugged.
“Much
as
I
appreciate
the
honor,
I
don’t
do
innocents.
And
I
especially
don’t
do
needy
innocents.”

Her
fists
clenched
at
her
side.
“I
am
not
needy.”

“You’re
about
as
needy
as
they
come,
darling.
Now
I’m
tired.
I’m
going
to
lie
down—perhaps
you
could
close
the
door
on
your
way
out.”

Jon
strolled
over,
settled
on
the
bed,
and
closed
his
eyes
as
if
to
shut
her
out.
His
muscular
body
stretched
out,
his
hands
clasped
behind
his
head,
showing
the
dark
tufts
of
hair
in
the
hollows
of
his
armpits.
There
was
so
much
of
him.

“Quit
staring,”
he
murmured.

Alex
sighed.
She
wanted
to
argue
the
needy
thing
some
more,
but
what
was
the
point?
She
picked
up
her
bag
of
cleaning
things
and
trudged
to
the
entrance.

“Hey,
Al.”

She
paused,
turned
back
to
face
him,
a
little
flame
of
hope
igniting
in
her
chest.
“What?”

“Maybe
I
am
feeling
a
little
horny
after
all.
You
think
you
could
get
me
a
date
with
that
other
redhead?”

It
took
her
a
moment
to
realize
he
meant
Janey.
Hurling
the
bag
at
his
head,
she
spun
around
and
stalked
from
the
room.

His
chuckle
followed
her
as
she
stomped
down
the
corridor.

“Fucking
bastard,”
she
muttered
under
her
breath.

Swearing,
she
decided,
was
easy.
All
you
needed
was
the
right
incentive.

Chapter
Five

Alex
spent
the
next
two
days
helping
the
Trog
in
the
engine
rooms.
She
liked
the
Trog
and
found
his
company
restful.
There
had
never
been
any
need
to
pretend
with
him.
Even
when
she’d
been
in
disguise,
she’d
known
he
wouldn’t
give
her
away.

Maybe
because
he
was
such
an
enigma
himself.

Occasionally,
she
caught
flashes
of
sadness
on
his
face,
but
some
inner
instinct
told
her
that
whatever
was
in
his
past,
he
wasn’t
yet
ready
to
talk
about
it.
She
reckoned
that
was
why
he
spent
so
much
time
alone;
he
had
secrets
he
didn’t
want
to
give
away
either.

They
hadn’t
seen
any
sign
of
either
the
Church
or
the
Collective
since
their
escape.
Maybe
they’d
outrun
them.
Or
their
pursuers
had
lost
interest.

El
Cazador
was
managing
to
limp
along,
but
only
the
Trog’s
constant
nursing
kept
her
from
giving
up
completely.
Even
the
captain
hadn’t
insisted
on
him
joining
them
for
meals
as
she
usually
did.
And
Alex
had
used
the
excuse
that
she
was
helping
him
to
stay
out
of
the
way.

She
didn’t
want
to
know
if
Jon
had
gotten
his
date
with
Janey.
But
she
didn’t
think
so.
Occasionally,
Janey
or
Daisy
would
pop
into
the
engine
rooms
to
fill
her
in
on
the
gossip.
Apparently,
Jon
was
flirting
indiscriminately
with
every
woman
on
board.
Well,
every
woman
except
her.

Because
she
was
“needy.”

Bastard
.

At
least
the
whole
swearing
thing
was
getting
easier.
She’d
been
doing
a
lot
of
practicing.

Alex
could
tell
both
of
them
were
flattered
by
his
attentions,
but
she
didn’t
think
either
had
actually
done
anything
about
it
yet
or
they’d
be
boasting.
And
she
presumed
Tannis
wouldn’t
be
taken
in—she
had
far
too
much
sense.
It
was
obvious
Jon
was
only
trying
to
gain
influence—well,
or
get
laid.
Even
so,
the
thought
of
him
with
Tannis
sent
an
odd
little
jolt
to
her
belly.

This
morning,
Rico
had
called
them
all
together
for
a
meeting,
and
everyone
else
was
already
there
when
she’d
sidled
into
the
central
conference
room.

Rico
sat
at
the
front,
long,
booted
legs
stretched
out
in
front
of
him.
“Well,
if
it
isn’t
our
little
priestess.”

She
stopped
moving
and
scowled.
“Don’t
call
me
that.”

“What
should
we
call
you?
What
did
they
call
you
back
at
the…?”
He
shrugged.
“Hey,
where
did
you
live?”

“At
the
Abbey
on
Trakis
Four.”

“So
what
did
they
call
you
back
at
the
Abbey?”

Alex
caught
Jon’s
gaze,
and
he
raised
an
eyebrow.
She
took
her
hands
from
her
pockets,
and
gave
her
best
high
priestess
glare.
“They
called
me
Lady
Alexia
or
your
Ladyship.
Either
will
do.”

Rico
grinned.
“Yeah,
like
that’s
going
to
happen,
your
Ladyship
.
I
reckon
you’d
better
stay
Al.”

“No,
she’s
Alex—she
has
to
have
a
girl’s
name,
now,”
Janey
said
as
Alex
sank
down
into
the
chair
beside
her.

“Why?
She
doesn’t
look
like
a
girl.”

Janey
patted
her
leg.
“Soon
she
will.
But
none
of
our
clothes
fit
her—they’re
all
too
big,
so
we’ll
have
to
get
new
stuff.
We’re
going
shopping
on
Trakis
Two.”

Rico
shook
his
head.
“Al’s
not
going
shopping
anywhere
and
certainly
not
on
Trakis
Two.
She
stays
on
the
ship.”

“Why?”

“Because
there
are
wanted
posters
everywhere—with
her
picture
on
them.”

“Yeah,
but
the
picture
looks
nothing
like
her.
No
one
will
recognize
her.”

“I
recognized
her,”
Skylar
said.
“And
if
I
did,
someone
else
might.”

“And
Trakis
Two
is
always
crawling
with
church
people
desperate
to
get
laid,”
Rico
added.
“We’ll
probably
bump
straight
into
that
High
Priest…what
was
his
name?”

“Hezrai
Fischer,”
Alex
said
and
couldn’t
prevent
a
grin
at
the
thought
of
Hezrai
trawling
for
pleasure
providers
on
Trakis
Two.
The
expression
disappeared
fast.
She’d
been
looking
forward
to
going
shopping,
seeing
the
sites.

The
sun
never
rose
on
the
dark
side
of
Trakis
Two,
but
still
the
place
was
supposed
to
be
hot.
Very
hot.
The
permanent
darkness
attracted
the
lowlifes
from
around
the
universe—anything
was
acceptable
on
Trakis
Two,
and
visiting
was
on
her
to-do
list.
Now
she’d
have
to
stay
on
the
ship?
No
way.

But
if
life
had
taught
her
one
thing,
it
was
if
you
planned
to
do
something
you
weren’t
supposed
to,
keep
quiet
about
it.
Placing
her
hands
on
her
lap,
she
kept
her
eyes
downcast.
“I
don’t
mind.
I’ll
stay
on
the
ship.”