Shamara (21 page)

That she could have such a thought shocked her. She'd never wanted to harm anyone in her life, not even her cruel uncle or his henchmen. She'd always considered healers above such leanings. She shook her head. "The stun gun will do."

He moved closer, his glittering, unblinking gaze sweeping down her body. "You have gold?"

Backing up, she held out a gemstone she'd pried from the hilt of one of her jeweled daggers. "I have this to trade. I expect the stunner and some miterons in return."

He snatched the gem, and she hastily wiped her hand on her robe. "Stunner for this," he intoned. "No miterons."

"That's outrageous," she argued. "The stone is worth much more than a single weapon. I've gotten clothing, food, and lodging for an entire week with one just like it."

"Stunner for gem," he insisted. "Me give charger for free."

She hadn't considered such matters as charging the gun. She knew very little about weapons, and certainly didn't understand the settings on a stun gun.

Since she was anxious to get back to the landing bay to help Jarek, she didn't want to take the time to find a jeweler and haggle over a fair price for the gem. She also wanted to get as far away from this Jaccian as possible.

"I'll give you the stone if you'll trade me a weapon that's already charged and explain the settings to me," she said in resignation.

"Me show you many things," the Jaccian singsonged, pocketing the gem.

He had a lot of things in mind, all right, all of them sexual in nature. Eirene struggled to ignore his lust. But then he decided to wrap a tentacle around her. That did it. She sent him a strong burst of energy, overstimulating the nerve endings in the offending tentacle. She didn't even worry about her powers malfunctioning, not caring if she accidentally fried him.

When he dropped the stunner with a shriek of pain, she scooped up the weapon and her satchel and ran, Ranie squealing all the way. She hurried toward the landing bay. As much as it concerned her, she was about to use her powers again.

This time, to free Jarek.

*  *  * 

Damn. He shouldn't be alive. But here he was, trapped inside a brig, like a kerani about to be led to slaughter.

Jarek leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and rubbing his throbbing forehead. Blazing hells. He'd dropped the damn suicide capsule. Like a clumsy fool, he'd been thrown off balance when Turlock's men blasted the secured airlock panel to force it open.

He'd hit the wall, and the capsule skidded along the floor. Through the gaping hole in the panel, vapor had jettisoned into the corridor. Closing his eyes tightly to protect them, Jarek had battled inhaling the gas, fumbling for his weapon. If he could just get it out, could just raise it to his head…he could finish it now.

But it had taken too long to get his gun free of its holster. His body had interceded, involuntary reflexes forcing him to breathe. Fiery flames of pain scalded his exposed skin and agony blazed through his lungs.

His last thought had been of Eirene. He'd prayed she would be spared, even as he fell to the floor, spasming uncontrollably. Even as blackness descended.

Now, here he was, at Turlock's mercy, and most likely headed for the Controller prison on Alta. He refused to think of what would happen there.

Instead he focused on Eirene, hoping that she was safe, that she'd been able to get off his ship undetected. He knew she had the means to take care of herself. He'd seen the daggers in her satchel, which he had searched one night shift while she was asleep. The two empty sockets in one dagger hilt told the story. She was selling the jewels to survive.

Jarek tried to tell himself that he had covered every base, that his capture wouldn't have major repercussions. Eirene would be safe. Shielder settlements would be evacuated. Sabin and Blake would carry out his plan to search for the wormhole. Even if he weakened under torture and drugs, the information the Controllers garnered would no longer be accurate or damaging. He hoped.

So,
he asked himself wearily,
what else could go wrong?

"Hey, you cretins! Lookee what I found outside our ship."

"Ooohee, looka that!"

"Hey, sweet thing. You must've come here just to see me."

"Hold on there, Webb. I saw her first. She's mine."

Jarek lifted his head. What the—
Eirene!
She stood just inside the hatch, smiling boldly at Turlock's men. His heart stalled out. What in the Abyss was she doing here? He leaped to his feet and strode to the entry of the brig, cursing the force field that kept him from going to her. What was she thinking?

All four of Turlock's men had congregated on this ship, awaiting their leader's arrival. Jarek had sized them up, memorizing their names. They were tough brutes without a shred of decency. And here was Eirene, endangering herself. Little fool!

Just then, she looked straight at him and he felt as if he'd been gut-punched. He drank in the sight of her standing there, even as he cursed her recklessness. Her deep blue eyes seemed to hold him in their spell, the inexplicable pull between them flaring to maximum throttle. Spirit, but she was beautiful—and in grave danger.

He shot her a look that clearly broadcasted his displeasure with her rashness, and warned her to get away—now. Tilting her chin up, she looked back at the men.

"No need to fight over me, you handsome brutes," she cooed, her voice low and husky. "I'm woman enough for all of you." She ran her hand suggestively along the neckline of her robe. It had been unfastened to a precariously plunging level, providing a tantalizing glimpse of the swell of her breasts.

Where had she learned to act like this? She was an innocent, or at least had been, before Jarek blundered through relieving her of her virginity.

"Just look at them funbags," Balen said, ogling her breasts.

Leering, the four men closed around her. She shot Jarek another quick glance, and he saw the determination in her eyes. But she was in over her head, risking her life, most probably in the misguided notion of helping him.

He almost shouted out an offer to provide information in exchange for Eirene being allowed to leave. He stopped himself just in time, knowing his protests would only make matters worse. If Turlock or his men realized Jarek knew her and cared for her, they'd use that knowledge to their advantage.

"I'll go first." Derian grabbed Eirene, and Jarek almost forgot about the force field. Just in time, he stopped himself from touching it and receiving a nasty jolt.

"Son of an Antek!" Derian jumped back from her. "My body's tingling something awful."

Jarek lowered his hands. He couldn't pick up Eirene's energy and suspected the force field blocked any transmissions from her. But she must have just used her power. He stared at her, noting her resolve.

Loud guffaws filled the corridor. "Can't take the heat, eh?" Webb sneered. "Let me show you how it's done."

Eirene took a step back, slipping her hand into her pocket. Jarek had an idea. If he could get free, there might just be a chance. "Balen!" he roared. "You're a coward. You and the other three scum who call themselves men. I'll bet the four of you couldn't take me."

A shrill chattering erupted nearby, drawing everyone's attention to a wiggling knapsack just inside the entry. Ranie must be in there, and his voice must have stirred her up.

"What the—" Webb said, reaching for his weapon.

Eirene held out her hand, and the chattering stopped. Jarek moved quickly to distract the men. "Did you hear me, you bastards? I challenge you to a fight—me against all of you."

Balen, who had maintained a drunken state the entire trip, belched loudly. "Go to Hades, san Ranul. I'm not letting you out." He returned his bloodshot gaze to Eirene. "Besides, I'm about to be very busy."

The other three men growled in agreement, their attention once again focused on her.

"You won't let me out because you can't even find your way to the brig's control panel, you idiot," Jarek taunted. "For your information, it's the black panel on the left, the green pad."

He saw Eirene's look to the panel. She started edging that way. "Let's do it, sweet thing!" Keraat pinned her against the wall.

A millisecond later, he released her, clutching his chest with a cry. She pulled a stun gun from her pocket and shot him. He slumped to the floor with a moan.

Balen lunged at her, but she managed to shoot him. Unfortunately, before she could reposition to get the other two, Webb grabbed her arm, slamming it against the wall. The stunner flew out of her hand.

"Bitch!" Derian roared, charging forward. "Let me at her."

"Eirene!" Jarek yelled, giving up all pretense of not knowing her. "Try to get me out." He didn't dare tell her to use her powers, for fear Derian and Webb would figure out she was an Enhancer.

She wrestled with Webb, raking her nails over his face. With a howl her assailant released her, and she stumbled toward the brig. Derian tackled her just as she got her palm on the control panel. It wasn't enough contact to deactivate the field. Jarek watched helplessly as Derian slammed her to the floor, rolled on top of her and hit her in the face.

She went limp, and Jarek's heart stalled again. "Eirene! Help yourself. You know what I'm talking about."

She groaned, and Derian straddled her, shoving at her robe and undoing his pants. "I'll still take my pleasure from this bitch before I kill her."

Webb leaned over them, blood oozing from the scratches on his face. "No, I get to kill her."

Jarek's gut twisted. This couldn't be happening. "Eirene, a man's most vulnerable place is between his legs," he yelled desperately. "You know what to do."

She stirred and shifted, and Derian, still trying to get her robe up, cursed. "Be still." He raised his fist. "Or I'll hit you again." Suddenly he clutched his crotch and rolled sideways into Webb. "Help!" he screamed. "I'm on fire!"

"That's my girl!" Jarek called. "Now get me out."

She came to her feet, barely lurching free of Webb's grasp. Her hand connected with the control panel, and the green force field shimmered off. Jarek raced through just as Webb wrapped his arm around her neck.

Jarek crashed into both of them, knocking them down onto Derian. He hated to risk further injury to Eirene, but didn't dare give Webb the opportunity to draw his weapon. She struggled against Webb's hold, which gave Jarek the opportunity he needed to wedge between them. She scrambled out of the way, and Jarek wrestled with Webb, who was trying to fumble his disrupter out of the holster.

They rolled to the side, Webb ending up on top. He was bigger than Jarek, who was still suffering the aftereffects of the gas. He felt himself weakening, but battled to hold on against the barrage of Webb's punches.

Another volley of shrill squealing filled the chamber, and Ranie hurtled into the air, leaping onto Webb's back and biting him ferociously. Webb jerked, managing to knock her off his back. Taking advantage of the distraction, Jarek landed a solid punch.

Fury twisting his face, Webb raised his fist to retaliate. Suddenly, he stiffened, his eyes glazing over. He fell forward, hitting Jarek with a thud. He was unconscious, complements of Eirene's stun gun.

Jarek rolled him away in time to see her shoot Derian, who had managed to stagger to his feet. Derian swayed and collapsed on top of Webb. Jarek sagged in relief. Chattering happily, Ranie scampered onto his chest, and snuffled warm breath against his neck.

"I don't know how she woke up so quickly, or how she got out of that knapsack," Eirene said, her voice unsteady.

As if that mattered. She had just taken a terrifying risk—and she'd saved his life. Peeling Ranie off his chest, he pushed to his feet and stared at her. A huge bruise was rapidly forming on the side of her face, and she was trembling.

A flood of emotions swept through him. He wanted to shout for joy that he was alive, that he was free again, thanks to one very amazing woman. He also wanted to shake her and yell at her for her foolishness.

"Just what the hell did you think you were doing?" he demanded. "You took a huge risk, lady. Do you know what those bastards would have done to you? You probably wouldn't have survived the evening shift."

Shoving her hair back, she angled her chin defiantly. "I did what I had to do. You saved my life; I saved yours. It was only right."

Damn, but she looked wonderful to him, even with her tangled hair and battered face. He struggled to hang on to his anger, but the exuberance of being alive and free, along with her rebellious expression, made that almost impossible. His adrenaline slowed to a dull roar, and other emotions replaced the fighting mode.

He wanted to take her in his arms and soothe away the ugliness and pain she'd just experienced. To kiss her senseless and carry her to bed, and properly and thoroughly initiate her into sexual intimacy. He wanted to— By the Fires. He was through with thinking about what he wanted. Life was too fleeting to waste time wishing. He had a second chance and he intended to take full advantage of it.

He stepped over the two men. "We'll discuss your foolhardiness later. But right now, come here, you."

He swept her to him, ignoring the pain from his battered body, and cradled her head in his hands. Careful of her bruise and his own damaged face, compliments of gas burns and Webb's pummeling, he lowered his mouth to hers. Kissed her deeply, hungrily.

With a little sound that did wicked things to his libido, she burrowed against him, opening her lips for him like a starflower to the sunlight. Her tongue touched his, tentative at first, then more boldly, initiating a mating dance older than creation.

The blood rushed to his lower extremities, a throbbing reminder of just how long it had been since he'd lain with any woman other than Eirene. He didn't even remember the last one's name, or her face. Eirene permeated every thought, every cell of his being.

His. She was his, only his.
He would no longer let his responsibilities keep him from his personal desires. He would find a way to accomplish both.