Rebel (2 page)

“Where to?”

“Walk down that hall on your left until you
reach the door.”

Accompanied by the musical jingle of his
ankle restraints, Ashton headed down the corridor. Who was this
woman? Why would she participate in treason? Ashton kept his
empathic touch light as he scanned her emotions. Few could sense
his presence. Still, he needed to be careful. Even those without
telepathic abilities could learn to shield their minds. His
greatest advantage came while others remained unaware of his
abilities.

The intensity of her personality assailed
him like a gale-force wind. Uncertainty twisted around rage. Grief
distorted by frustration. He sensed the depth of her devotion and
unflagging loyalty. Amazed by the purity of her dedication, he
recognized the nature of her calling. She was a patriot, a true
believer in her cause.

Ashton withdrew from her mind, reluctant
admiration reshaping his initial impression of the little rebel.
How did she maintain control in the face of those emotions?

In the midst of her anger and resentment,
he’d also sensed isolation, a gaping void, a soul-deep longing for
someone to share her life with. It was a weakness easily exploited,
if he were ruthless enough to use her loneliness against her. She
certainly hadn’t hesitated to use her weapon on him.

Moving up beside him as they reached the
door, she pressed her palm against the security scanner. Her soft,
floral scent drifted to him and instinct took over.

He leaned toward her and inhaled deeply,
whispering in a sexy purr, “Very nice.”

Her gaze snapped to his as the door slid
open. “Out.”

“Why do you bother with perfume when you’re
trying so hard to be intimidating?”

She raised the wand. “
Out.
”

He stepped through the doorway and caught a
glimpse of orange-tinted sky before they reached a tunnel entrance.
Diffused lighting inset in the tunnel’s walls guided their steps.
The concrete floor angled gradually downward before leveling off.
The tunnel extended farther than the limited light allowed him to
see.

Three of the six coalition settlements were
located on planets with orange-tinted skies. This narrowed the
possibilities somewhat—if he was still on a coalition planet.

The woman remained a step behind, but he
could picture her delicate features clearly in his mind. His simple
taunt had worked better than he expected. Frustration radiated off
her in waves, like smoldering embers he would be happy to
ignite.

The tunnel sloped upward. He slowed,
searching the walls for surveillance equipment. “Do you have a
name?”

“Yes.”

He glanced back and saw amusement gleaming
in her eyes. “May I know it?” Pivoting on the ball of his foot, he
blocked her path with his body.

She raised the motivator, her expression
carefully guarded.

“Whose idea was it for you to handle me?
Somehow I don’t think you came up with this yourself. Who put you
up to it? They sure as hell know my taste in women.” He circled
her, just out of reach. She’d said she could discharge the weapon,
but he was nearly certain she hadn’t changed the setting. “Are they
hoping I’ll overpower you? Will that give them justification to
torture me? You’re very tempting bait.”

“No one is going to torture you.” She
followed him with her gaze but not her body. “Just cooperate and no
harm will come to you.”

He stopped directly behind her, leaning in
almost near enough to touch her. “There’s no surveillance in this
tunnel. It’s just you and me.”

“And your restraints and my motivator,” she
returned in the same silky tone.

“So the question becomes, can I snap your
neck before you touch me with your magic wand?” Truth be told, he
still felt woozy from the sedative and his muscles protested every
movement. Could he push through the pain?

“I just adjusted it to kill and it’s pointed
at your chest. Can you snap my neck before I push the button?”

He looked at her hand and found the wicked
little wand skillfully reversed and angled in the general direction
of his heart. “How about we barter?”

She stepped forward then spun around. “How
about you do as you’re told while I still have a sense of
humor?”

Her nipples formed distinct points against
the sturdy fabric of her blouse and a deep flush colored her
cheeks. Danger excited her. Or he excited her. His cock hardened,
eager to explore her reaction.

“Tell me what to do.” He focused on her
mouth. “How can I follow your directions when you haven’t told me
to do anything?”

“Move down the tunnel—now!”

“Your nipples are hard, little rebel. I bet
you’re soaking wet too. Did they tell you to fuck me or do you just
want to?”

“Shut up!”

She darted behind him and gave the middle of
his back a forceful shove. Ashton laughed. “Feel the front of my
pants, sweetheart. They’re setting us up. Why are they dangling you
in front of me like red meat before a lion? Make that soft, pink,
succulent—” She slapped the back of his head, but Ashton only
smiled. If she’d really wanted to hurt him she’d have used her
magic wand. “Maybe they just want to watch. I’m game. Are you?”

Despite his provocation, she simply marched
him out of the tunnel and toward the entrance to a long, low
structure. Again Ashton had only a moment to survey his
surroundings before they entered the building. There were other,
similar barracks arranged in neat rows.

“Where are we? What world is this?” He
wasn’t sure why he bothered asking. He knew she wouldn’t answer.
The building was constructed entirely of gray concrete composite.
She activated lighting with a voice command and directed him down a
corridor on their right.

“Why are you doing this? What do you hope to
accomplish?” More questions he knew she wouldn’t answer. “What have
I done to deserve your animosity?”

“Don’t flatter yourself. You’re a means to
an end, nothing more.”

“I realize that, but a means to what end?
How did you get mixed up—”

“With what?” Her sharp tone made him turn
around. “Vicious rebels? Radicals? With people not content with the
status quo? I assure you there are legitimate reasons for our
unconventional actions.”

“Explain them to me.” If he could just get
that damn wand away from her, the dynamics of the situation would
change drastically. “What’s driving this rebellion?”

“
Revolution
,” she countered.
“Walk.”

Ashton resumed his trek down the dank
corridor. She wanted to tell him. He could sense the emotions
seething beneath her façade. She longed to rail against the
injustice and validate her position, but something or someone held
her back.

They entered a dismal cellblock. This
building appeared derelict, far older and more neglected than the
complex from which they’d come. If they were still in coalition
space, this was Borrelly. The other five colonies sent all their
criminals to Borrelly for punishment and rehabilitation. If a
criminal element controlled the rebellion, Ashton’s fate was
dubious at best.

She motioned to the cell directly in front
of him. “Step inside.”

Not likely. He lunged for his captor, aiming
a downward blow at her forearm. His head spun and his vision
blurred. She sidestepped the attack and shoved him into the cell,
activating an energy barrier before his equilibrium returned.

“You really do think I’m a fool, don’t you?”
she snapped. He braced his hands on his knees and glared at her.
“It will take at least twenty-four hours for your body to
metabolize the sedative. You’ll be weak and slightly disorientated.
Any sudden movement will cause vertigo.”

“Thanks for the rundown. I’d figured out
everything except the timeline.”

The cell’s only illumination came from the
lighting in the corridor. It was smaller than his guestroom closet
and the only furniture to speak of was a flat metal bunk, devoid of
any form of bedding.

With an impatient hiss, the woman touched a
flat control panel attached to her forearm and his shackles
released, dropping noisily to the bare floor.

“Tell me about your mother. Why would the
premier’s wife have an interest in our cause?”

He rubbed his wrists and watched her
impassive face for any spark of emotion. How had she heard his
comments to Palmer? She’d been dealing with Danette. Someone must
have prompted her to ask the question. He didn’t see an audiocom
hooked around her ear, but the panel on her arm likely controlled
communications. Ashton had seen similar devices on other
worlds.

“What has your research revealed?” She
crossed her arms over her breasts, her smile more of a smirk. “Do
you know all our secrets?”

The rebels must be desperate if their
actions had escalated to kidnapping. Desperate people were
notoriously unpredictable. His mother was more likely to get him
out of this alive than the executive council. Was it cowardly to
give his captor a nudge in the right direction?

“Many revolutions have been won by the
accuracy of information as opposed to brute force. It can be more
beneficial to identify potential allies than to overpower
enemies.”

“Potential allies?” Mockery sharpened her
tone. “The premier’s wife
sympathizes
with our cause? Theirs
must be a harmonious marriage.”

“Don’t take my word for it. Do some research
of your own.”

She was silent for a moment. Leaning back
against the wall, she studied him. What was she thinking? Did he
dare scan her again? Each time he touched her mind, the bond
intensified. At some point she would feel him there. It was
inevitable.

Pushing away from the wall, she stepped
closer to the barrier. She clasped her hands behind her back and
the hint of a smile hovered about her lips. Her voice was low and
caressing as she said, “Take off your clothes.”

Corry had to pinch the inside of her wrist
to keep from laughing. Ashton’s brows drew together in a confused
frown. His eyes widened and his lips compressed as anger burned
away his confusion. A deep flush crept up along his neck.

Served him right after the shit he’d pulled
in the tunnel. She should’ve used the motivator on him, but she was
too busy squirming. What was it about this man that kicked her
hormones into hyperdrive?

VinDerley is the personification of your
wildest dreams.
She had to stay on guard. He’d already guessed
she was attracted to him. Clearing her throat, she squared her
shoulders.

“Did you hear me?” she asked.

“I heard you.” He made no move to undress.
“There’s a barrier between us now. Why didn’t you have me strip in
the tunnel?”

“I wasn’t in the mood then. I am now. Get
busy or I’ll make you dance.” She raised the wand, making sure he
understood the threat.

His expression hardened and his ink-black
stare bore into hers. Another moment passed in tense silence before
he reached for his bowtie.

She watched him silently as he shrugged off
his jacket and untied the wide satin sash. He kicked off his dress
shoes and went to work on the row of studs on the front of the
crisp white shirt. His gaze never left hers and his cold expression
never changed.

He was gorgeous. There was simply no way
around it. The shadowy light in the cell made his hair look darker
and accented the sharp angles of his high cheekbones. And those
eyes—she felt captivated and surrounded by his night-black
gaze.

The bunch and flex of his muscles fascinated
her—the rippling definition of his abdomen, the solid thickness of
his thighs. She wanted to explore the beautiful symmetry with her
hands and her mouth. Heat curled through her body in a tingling
spiral, lodging with demanding intensity between her thighs. Stars
above, he was tempting.

As he removed each item, he turned to the
bunk and folded them into a neat stack. He mocked her with his
careful movements and his blistering glare. Only his black silk
boxers and socks remained. “Step into the corner.”

“What? You don’t want the underwear too?” He
slid the boxers low on his hips, drawing her attention to the
unmistakable protrusion of his erect cock. Even through the black
silk it looked enormous.

He’s manipulating you. This is not about
sex. It’s about control.

She pointed the wand at the center of his
chest. “
Back.
”

With an insolent grin, he moved into the
corner. She deactivated the energy barrier, grabbed his clothes,
exited the cell and reactivated the barrier in an unbroken series
of movements.

“I’ll see if I can find you a blanket for
the bunk,” she muttered.

“How about a sandwich and some coffee?”

His playful tone drew her gaze back to his
mostly naked body. Desire slammed through her, literally knocking
the breath from her lungs. The constant turmoil in her life hadn’t
left much time for lovers. Still she’d never encountered anyone who
appealed to her on this elemental level. Ashton reached beyond the
dreary isolation and made her feel alive.

A vivid image filled her mind. She saw the
gaunt faces and haunted eyes of the children in Shanty Town. Corry
expelled a ragged breath. She was not important. The cause must
take priority over her
cravings
.

“You can stare all you like,” he whispered.
“Hell, I’ll even let you touch if you go get me something to
eat.”

She dragged her gaze away, shame dousing the
last of her unwanted desires. “I can stare as long as it pleases me
and I’ll arrange for provisions when it’s convenient.”

He responded with a throaty chuckle and sat
on the edge of the bunk, obviously reluctant to touch the cold
metal. “Whatever you say.”

It took Corry a moment to realize she’d just
been dismissed.