Desperate Measures

Desperate Measures

Rebecca Airies

Set in the same world as
Between Two Tiron
.

Raine‟s caught in an impossible situation. She needs to get to another planet to help her

friend. Forced to take a temporary position on a
Feiral
trade ship, she‟s surrounded by trouble and shifters determined to build a clan. She has secrets to keep, but the gorgeous captain could

be a problem. She has to distract him—and a few nights of hot sex might work.

Connal knows Raine is more than she appears. He looks forward to peeling away the

layers of her deception as much as stripping the clothes from her beautiful body. The hunger

between them deepens even as he struggles to get past her defenses before she leaves his ship.

When they‟re thrown together again, Raine‟s faced with a choice. Walk away from

Connal and choose the life she knows, or take a chance and grab the passion and love that waits.

An Ellora‟s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Desperate Measures

ISBN 9781419931178

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Desperate Measures Copyright © 2010 Rebecca Airies

Edited by Helen Woodall

Cover art by Dar Albert

Electronic book publication November 2010

The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora‟s Cave

Publishing.

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in

whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora‟s

Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is

illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other

means, electronic or print, without the publisher‟s permission. Criminal copyright infringement,

including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up

to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase

only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic

piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author‟s rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places,

events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors‟

imagination and used fictitiously.

Desperate Measures

Rebecca Airies

To C— Even through the most troubled times, you‟ve inspired me with your strength.

Thank you for being both a friend and a sister.

“This is insane,” Deanne whispered in a low voice.

This hotel was a quiet place, if a little isolated on the edge of the city, which was the

main reason they‟d picked it. They‟d gotten some food and brought it back to the room earlier

and now they lounged around a white-topped, slightly wobbly table. Each of them had a drink in

front of them and a bowl of fruit slices sat in the middle. Raine propped the blue slippers

encasing her feet on the nearby lumpy bed and relaxed as much as possible. That wasn‟t very

much under the circumstances. What they were thinking of doing made her nervous too, but they

were out of options.

Raine knew it was crazy to be waiting patiently for a call from a
Feiral
captain, but she

really couldn‟t see any other way. “Do you know of any ship in port, aside from the one we

targeted, that would suit what we need?”

Hell, Raine didn‟t want to go anywhere near a ship full of
Feiral
. She ran a hand through

her blonde hair instead of giving in to the impulse to rub her slightly damp palms on her dark

blue pants. It wasn‟t as if their needs were all that easy to meet on short notice. She might be

Feiral
, but she never wanted to be part of a pack. She‟d never been part of one and didn‟t trust them. Putting all the power in the hands of one man seemed utterly stupid. Especially in a time

when they didn‟t need to band together for strength or protection.

Deanne shook her head. Raine took a deep breath. Nothing they said was going to change

anything. They all knew there wasn‟t another option. They had looked hard, but their

requirements limited the selection. They needed a relatively large ship and one that had female

members of the crew. The female crew members part of that was relatively easy to find. It was

the other parts of their requirements that gave them trouble. They also needed the ship to be

going to Forunes and they needed to be hired on as part of the crew. This time they couldn‟t go

as passengers.

“I know how you feel, Deanne, but we have to get to Forunes. Krissa‟s hurt and in

danger. And we really need the opportunity to steal an identity for her.” Raine looked at her

friend. Deanne was usually immaculate and superbly put together. The fact that her light green

and blue shirt was wrinkled and the dark green skirt looked like it had been slept in said a lot

about how badly this bothered her.

Now they had to wait and see if any of them managed to land a position on the crew. She

knew it wasn‟t one of the choicer positions because they‟d only be needed for the journey there.

That should lessen the number of applicants wanting the position, but there was no guarantee that

any of them would be picked. The waiting was hard and she could only hope that at least two of

them were hired.

It could be done with one, but two would be better. They needed to get to Forunes

legitimately. It would make it harder for the people who‟d targeted Krissa to track them when

they left. Raine had no idea if the people were affiliated with any of the separatist hate groups

off-world, or if they just didn‟t like shifters and other nonhumans to be there, but she suspected

they would follow. The fake identities would help, but every bit of separation would be needed.

This little jaunt wasn‟t going to be easy even if they all managed to get hired. They‟d had

to rush everything because of the situation. They‟d kept their first names the same for such a

short jaunt and had created new identities. Raine knew they‟d hold up to any scrutiny, but with

such a hurry there was a chance one of them could make a mistake with what was supposed to be

their life history.

“We could be discovered. You know the reputation of this man captaining the
Raitan
.”

Deanne fidgeted in her seat and bit her lip.

Raine knew the captain‟s reputation. He was notorious in shifter circles for taking any

Feiral
he found. She wasn‟t going to let that stop her. Krissa was in desperate need and in too much danger to wait for another position on a trade vessel that could be weeks away. If this

position didn‟t come through, they‟d have to go as passengers and just be extra careful on the

way home.

“I‟d walk into a den of
Feiral
naked if it meant saving Krissa, but thankfully that‟s not

necessary.” Raine drew in a deep breath.

Deanne wasn‟t the only one whose mind was looping the worst possible outcomes for

this little jaunt. The thought of what they were planning to do scared Raine and her gut churned

with worry. She knew the precautions would work. Even if they were close and sweaty with

some of the
Feiral
, the others would never know what they were. The injections changed their

chemistry enough that none of their kind would recognize them. They‟d never seem fully human,

but they‟d be safe with the injections and a few other precautions such as the semi-permanent

body paint that masked the spots down their spines. It would eventually come off, but not while

they were with the
Feiral
.

“I can understand what she means. I‟m nervous too,” Nara admitted. Nara‟s flowing

purple top fell off one shoulder as she reached for a slice of fruit.

“You haven‟t even tested everything together.” Deanne leaned forward and looked at all

of them as if she didn‟t understand them.

“Geez, Deanne, give it a rest. We‟re not happy about the risks, but it has to be done. And

you know it will work. Obsessing isn‟t going to help.” Gianna put a hand on the table and

scowled at Deanne. “You know you can back out at any time.”

“I‟m not backing out. I just don‟t like the fact that we had to rush through the prep here.

There‟s too much risk.” Deanna glared at Gianna and her teeth bared in a snarl.

“There wasn‟t any way to predict that Krissa would get found by fanatics.” Raine took

Deanne‟s hand and squeezed. “We‟re going to have to take what chances we have.”

It took longer than Raine expected to get responses to their applications, especially since

the ship was due to leave in less than a day. Three of them were hired for the positions. Only

Deanne didn‟t receive a confirmation. Raine could tell that it was a little bit of a relief to her, but it also made her nervous. Now Deanne would have to return home and wait. Raine knew that

would probably be harder than anything they‟d face getting to Krissa.

“Be careful going home. Don‟t leave any kind of trace to the false identity.” Raine stood.

She brushed at a wrinkle on her light blue shirt and walked over to put on her normal shoes.

They‟d have to leave for the space port almost immediately.

“I‟ll switch out when I get to another planet. You three watch your back. I‟ll be waiting

when you return with Krissa.” Deanne hugged the others.

Nara hefted her bag with one hand and braced the other palm on her hip. “I think it‟s

going to feel longer to you than it will to us. We‟ll have things to keep us busy. You‟ll be waiting

and wondering.”

“I hate having to be left behind, but it was a possibility for all of us.” Deanne licked her

lips. “Get home safely. I don‟t want to have to try to free you from that
Feiral
captain.”

“You won‟t have to. The plan to deal with him will work.” Raine picked up her bag.

“We‟ll see you in few weeks at most.”

The plan was solid. She was certain of it. He would be curious. She knew it. They‟d

worked up a thorough background for themselves. It would hold up to any scrutiny the captain

and his crew could put it under. It would also lead the other
Feiral
to believe that while they weren‟t human, they also weren‟t shifter. She didn‟t care what they thought as long as they

didn‟t get close to the truth. They were ready. The histories were memorized and the precautions

in place. They wouldn‟t be able to scent their mate if the man happened to be on that ship. The