Shamara (11 page)

Leors were common enough on most planets, and this one simply might have gotten separated from a traveling companion. Yet her instincts were on full alert, warning her to be cautious. She'd stay out of sight until he left. She peeked around the board and watched the Leor as he moved methodically through the crowds, intently scanning every face. Then another male approached him, and her heart almost stopped beating.

Vaden. What was her uncle doing on Elysia? Shock and fear clouded her thinking momentarily, and she forced air into her constricted lungs. Foolish question. She knew why Vaden was here, the same reason Jarek had been able to trace her to Elysia. Because of her carelessness. On Saron, she hadn't tried to change her appearance in any way. She'd been too shaken from her experience at the Pleasure Dome to even think about a disguise.

Anyone could have followed her to Saron's transport station. The automated ticket terminals hologrammed everyone who purchased a ticket. Her uncle had probably tracked the ship she'd stowed away on to Saron, picking up her trail there. He'd probably paid off an official to check the holograms from the ticket terminals, and discovered she had purchased passage to Elysia.
Careless. She'd been so careless!

There was no way she could get off Elysia now. Vaden had probably checked every departure since she'd arrived, and he'd continue watching the transport station. No telling how long he'd persist. Falling into his hands was unthinkable.

She'd seen how cruelly her uncle punished those who defied him, and she had no doubt he would be even harsher with her, a mere woman. When he discovered she was no longer a virgin, he might well kill her. Or worse. He might barter her in a trade with a race who didn't care whether a woman had her virginity. A race even more barbaric than the Leors.

Eirene sank back against the board and willed her panic to calm. She could go to her rented quarters and lay low, but she still had Jarek to contend with. He appeared able to pick up her psychic trail, and he would try to track her down. She knew he wouldn't give up looking for her.

Maybe she should go back to him. She had escaped him once; she could do it again. She could return to his ship, and he'd be none the wiser. Her uncle wouldn't know where she was, would have no reason to follow Jarek's ship. When they reached the next destination, she'd escape from Jarek again and disappear into the cosmos. There were too many planets for him to search them all.

Calmer now that she had a viable plan, she turned to slip back into the crowd and return to the ship.

And came face to face with Jarek.

"Going somewhere?"

His voice was calm, reverberating with the unyielding resolve that Eirene was coming to despise. At the same time, she felt an inexplicable sense of relief. She should be devastated that Jarek had caught up with her and yet, she had the insane urge to throw herself against him and let him protect her from the world. The stress of the past days must have affected her more than she realized.

He had managed to wake and find her in record time. Obviously, her attempt to deepen his sleep state hadn't worked. He appeared able to track her with ease. She couldn't even shield her energy patterns. Now he stood waiting, obstinate and determined, his narrow-eyed gaze pinning her to the spot.

"Well?" he prompted.

"No," she muttered. "I'm not going anywhere. I just came out for some fresh air." She patted her satchel. "And to retrieve my personal belongings." She glanced furtively toward the ticket terminals, and then turned to head toward the landing bays.

His hand shot out, closing around her upper arm and jolting her to a stop. "You seem very interested in those terminals."

He intended to have it out here. Eirene glanced again toward the transport station. Her uncle and the Leor had split up and were working the lines from both sides. Any millisecond, they might see her. Her heart pounded against her rib cage. Renewed panic swept through her.

She tugged against Jarek's hold. "I'm ready to go back to the ship."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe." His eyes speculative, he looked back at the throngs of people in line. "Someone there you're trying to avoid?"

Adrenaline thrummed through her. She didn't think he would hand her over without a fight, but she didn't believe he could take on both Vaden and a Leor. Besides, she had no intention of telling him she was being pursued. "I’m tired," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Let's go back to the ship."

He studied her, far too discerning. A new fear coursed through her—not of capture, but that this man knew her every thought. Surely that wasn't possible.

"Very interesting," he mused. "You say you're tired, and by all rights, you should still be weak from the flu. Yet here you are, almost three kilometers from the ship. You look like you're holding up pretty well."

She wasn't about to admit she'd tapped into her power to give herself the energy boost she needed to get to the transport station. Fortunately, she hadn't caused herself any injury in the process. From the corner of her eye, she saw the Leor reach a line only ten meters away. "Jarek, please. I'm ready to go back to the ship."

He glanced around once more, then turned her and started toward the landing bays, keeping a firm grip on her arm. "Lucky for me, you're more frightened of something—or someone—than you are of me. Otherwise, I'd be chasing you across the quadrant. And make no mistake. I would follow you, and I would find you."

She was beginning to believe that.

Jarek moved at a good pace, slipping through the crowds and tugging her along behind him. As they reached the outskirts of the marketplace and the crowd thinned, he dropped back beside her. "I noticed some interesting things," he said casually.

Eirene cast a glance over her shoulder. Not seeing Vaden or the Leor behind them, she was finally able to relax a little. She felt fairly safe now. At least from that particular threat. Jarek was another matter, and she didn't want to know his conclusions. She tried to walk ahead of him, but he pulled her back.

"Very interesting," he continued. "Like how I had trouble waking up, although I'm usually a very light sleeper. But Ranie kept making noise and pawing at me, and I eventually came to."

The lanrax roused him? Amazed, she slowed. "Why would Ranie wake you?"

He shrugged. "Maybe she knew something was wrong. Maybe she sensed unfamiliar energies."

So now both Jarek and the lanrax could detect Eirene's use of her powers. Not good. "I wonder what got her stirred up," she murmured, walking faster.

Jarek's grip on her arm forced her to match his pace. "That's not all. Somehow, one of the hatch alarms became disabled. It wasn't turned off at the control panel, which, by the way, requires a security code. No, the strange thing is, the alarm was short circuited, as if an energy surge overloaded it." He stopped and looked at her again. "I guess you didn't notice anything unusual when you left the ship."

She'd botched this big time. She hadn't meant to short circuit the panel, merely to turn off the alarm. The wisps of smoke drifting from the panel had only confirmed her lack of control over her powers. Yet she had no choice but to attempt to use them, at least until she gained her freedom.

"I didn't see anything odd," she said, praying for forgiveness for all the lies she'd uttered since meeting Jarek.

"Eirene." His voice dropped into a deep, gentle tone that sent dread skittering through her. "You and I both know the truth. One day, you'll trust me enough to be honest with me."

He couldn't know for sure, she reminded herself. He was only speculating, only hoping. She pulled away. "I wish you would listen to me. I can't help you. I'm sorry, but I can't."

He took her arm again. "Well, I guess we're just going to be miserable together then."

The warmth of his hand against her chilled skin sent odd sensations through her body. Miserable was an apt description, she decided. Especially if she didn't find a way to ignore the electricity sparking between them.

Resigned to enduring Jarek's company a while longer, she walked silently beside him. The after-effects of shock set in, leaving a bone-deep fatigue, but she didn't dare draw in energy to revive herself. Heaviness weighed down her legs, and the distance to the ship seemed longer than she remembered. Finally the landing bay came into view.

Utterly exhausted now, she was actually grateful to be returning to Jarek's ship, even though it represented another prison. She'd rest and gather her strength, waiting until they arrived at their next destination before she attempted another escape.

They entered the massive, well-lit bay, still a distance to go before they reached the landing pad where their ship sat. So many spacecraft here, Eirene thought, again amazed at the hugeness and diversity of the quadrant. So many designs and styles and colors.

Here, as in the marketplace and the transport station, activity bustled along constantly, with ships being serviced, or loaded with supplies, or warming up to depart. She and Jarek walked down a wide path running along the pads, ships on either side of them.

Suddenly, a blast zinged into the ship on their right, barely missing Jarek's head. He moved in a lightspeed blur, flinging Eirene to the ground, covering her with his body. His weight crushed her, driving all air from her lungs. Another blast ripped the air above them. The hubbub of voices turned to shouts of alarm.

"Don't make a sound," he whispered harshly into her ear. "Do exactly what I tell you, when I tell you."

Too stunned to speak, she tried to nod, but couldn't move.

"I'm going to roll toward the ship on our left. Roll behind me, and stay down," he instructed.

He pushed off her and hurled himself toward the underbelly of the ship, yanking hard on her arm to make sure she followed. She tumbled after him, coming to rest in a heap in the shadow of a midnight-blue cruiser. He scrambled to his feet, dragging her up and with him, around the nose to the other side, just as another blast discharged.

A jolt of energy singed through Eirene in a startling rush. She felt a flash of pain and stiffened, wondering if she'd been hit. But just as quickly, the pain was gone. Jarek leaped to the walkway on the other side of the ship, pulling her with him.

"Run!" he ordered, taking off in a burst of speed.

She heard more weapon-fire, some shouts. A fresh surge of adrenaline lent strength to her legs. She hitched up her robe with one hand and ran, skirting loaders and other beings trying to scurry out of the way. Her heart pounded and her lungs burned as she followed Jarek blindly.

Several ships down, he darted back to the right, pulling her beneath a ship and behind its sled base. Motioning her to stay there, he pulled a gun from his right holster, wincing and transferring the gun to his left hand. Eirene saw blood dripping from his right arm and realized he'd been shot.

"You're hurt," she gasped, reaching toward his arm.

"I can't worry about that now." He edged toward the path they'd just vacated. He leaned out slightly and studied the area behind them, pulling back as another blast exploded. More cries of alarm filled the air.

"Blazing hells. He's after me, all right. The bastard can see us, but we can't see him." Jarek motioned toward the right, to the path they'd originally been on. "Let's go another direction."

Her chest heaving, she followed. It occurred to her that it might be Vaden shooting at her, and not at Jarek. But there was no reason to do other than what Jarek ordered. She sensed his extreme competence and realized if anyone could keep her safe, he could.

He wove in and out of ships, moving them several paths over, heading in the general direction of his own ship. Eirene gave up trying to think, as everything around her became a jumbled blur. She focused on keeping her legs moving, sucking in oxygen as fast as her tortured lungs would allow. There were no more blasts; so hopefully, they had lost their assailant—or assailants—possibly Vaden and the Leor.

They reached Jarek's ship, and she sank gratefully to the floor as he secured the hatch. "No time for that," he said, pulling her up. "We have to get out of here."

Resisting the urge to groan, she stumbled after him into the cockpit. He shoved her into a seat. "Strap yourself in." He slid into the other chair and started flipping switches. The ship hummed to life. He hit another switch and static crackled over a speaker on the console. He requested permission to take off.

"Permission granted," came the computerized voice over the speaker. "Wait until 2315 hours before takeoff. There are two departures ahead of you."

Jarek glanced at the timepiece in the console. "Like hell I'm going to wait that long." He punched some pads, and the engines revved loudly.

Eirene fumbled with the unfamiliar harness. She'd never been on a spacecraft until she'd stowed away on Celie Cameron's ship. On the commercial transport from Saron, the flight attendant had attached her restraints for takeoff and landing.

"Here," Jarek said, startling her. She'd been so intent on the harness, she hadn't seen him leave his seat. "Let me." He pushed her hands away, and slid the magnetic plates together with a snap, wincing as he did so.

Alarmed, she saw his arm was bleeding profusely. "Your wound—"

No time for that," he cut in, returning to his seat. "We have to leave
now.
Hang on. This will be rough."

It was a wild ride, all right. He took off right on the tail of another departure, thrusting his ship into the turbulence created by the wake of the first craft. Feeling as if every bone in her body was being jarred into debris, Eirene wondered how he managed to control the ship, especially with his injury. Finally, they cleared Elysia's gravity field and veered away from the ship ahead of them, and the ride smoothed out. She unclenched her teeth, gratefully drawing a full breath.

"Sorry about that." Jarek entered information into a keyboard and flipped more switches. Three screens lit up in the console. Leaning back, he studied them intently. "Looks clear." His gaze shifted to her. "You all right?"