Shattered Soul (22 page)

Can’t have that
. Angling the sword blade, she neatly wiped both sides on his shirt. It was petty but it gave her a measure of satisfaction. Childish, true, but satisfying nevertheless.

Give the man credit, he didn’t move as the flat of the blade pressed against his hard abdomen through the shirt, and when she’d finished he merely raised one brow as he looked down at the crimson lines. “Now I’ll have to change.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Tossing the sword aside, she folded her arms and eyed him up and down, feeling a little spark of satisfaction. “Did I upset you?”

Instead of answering, he just arched /p>just arhis brow a little higher and left the room.

Following him, she glanced around the stone passage as it angled higher. Steps appeared and they started climbing them.

“You know,” she observed, “The Overlord could have some kind of elevator installed. Like some of the bigger space ships.”

“He doesn’t believe in a lot of technology. If it goes wrong, it can leave you stranded.”

“If the tunnels cave in, it can leave you a hell of a lot more than stranded.”

“Why don’t you take that up with him?” Fredrico glanced back down at her over his shoulder. “At a convenient time.”

“What’s a convenient time?”

“When he’s not in a bad mood.”

“You think I’d mention it to him when he’s in a bad mood?”

“Oh yes.” He faced front again, but she saw the full smile that curved his lips.

It was a damned nice smile. And the man had a damned nice arse, too, she thought, as she followed him up the steps, her gaze on level with his backside in the tight pants. And she shouldn’t be looking at his backside or noticing his smile.

Disgruntled, she stepped up her pace until she climbed the steps beside him. He glanced sideways at her as she paced beside him, but he didn’t say anything. There was no way he could miss her scowl but he didn’t comment.

Coming to a stop partway up the curving steps, Fredrico reached behind her and rapped sharply on one of the stone blocks. The wall slid open to a narrow gap.

“Is this another test?” Rani asked dryly. “Do I need a sword, dagger, laser? Say my prayers?”

“Trust me.”

She gave a bark of surprised laughter.

“I need to change my shirt,” he said.

“Oh. All right then.” Stepping down a step, she gestured. “After you.”

Amusement glinted suddenly in his pale blue eyes and he stepped past her, turned sideways and moved through the narrow gap.

Rani followed, expecting to come out into another corridor. Instead, she was surprised to find herself in a bed chamber identical to her own. “Where are we?”

“My chambers.” Moving across to the door in the side wall, Fredrico unbuttoned his shirt. “I need to change my shirt, remember?”

“Oh.” She watched him disappear through the door before looking around the large room.

It was furnished with the same furnishings and colours as her own room, except for his personal items and belongings proclaiming it as his—an open book lying face down on the big armchair, lasers in a belt hanging on a hook by the door, a sheathed sword leaned against the chest of drawers beside the bed. Several empty mugs sat on the table. The bed covers were neatly pulled up, but an indent in the pillow showed which side was his. Oddly, the other pillow was flat. There was no sign of a woman’s belongings anywhere. Maybe he didn’t bring his lovers here.

Crossing to the window, Rani looked out to find the view the same as from her own room. A suspicion crossed her mind and she started to cross the room, stopping only when Fredrico appeared in the doorway with a clean shirt in his hand and an inquiring look on his face.

“Are our chambers on the same flooonthe samer?” Rani queried.

“Our chambers are beside each other.” He pushed his arms through the sleeves of the shirt and she couldn’t help but notice that though lean, he had muscles that flexed with hidden strength.

Rani had seen plenty of half naked men both in the peaceful times in the Reeka settlement, and in the Outlaw Sector when working amongst mercenaries. None of them caught her attention as much as did this quiet pirate’s smooth chest.

Glancing away, she frowned. “Let me guess, there’s a hidden door between our rooms.”

“Yes.” Buttoning the shirt, Fredrico stepped into the room.

Folding her arms, she turned her frown to him. “Show me.”

There went that damned brow again, arching up in quiet arrogance. Irritation flashed through her. She wanted to slap it right off his face.

Not liking the little fissure of warmth that went through her at another glance at his naked abdomen, she took refuge in anger. “Show me, or I’ll make another hidden doorway using your head.”

Tucking the shirt into his pants, he studied her thoughtfully. “Why the sudden angst?”

“Why the sudden dodging of the request?”

Moving forward, he leisurely rolled up one sleeve of his shirt to just below his elbow. “Going to block the door with something once you find out where it is?”

“Why? You’re not going to come in and ravish me in my sleep, are you?”

Stopping before her, he titled his head back slightly and studied her while rolling up the other sleeve, his long fingers deft in their movements. His gaze was deliberate as he slid it over her face. Then he dropped that damn cold gaze over her throat, over her shoulders, and damn, she could swear she felt it graze right over her breasts as he slowly took her measure before lifting his gaze back up to her face once more.

There was a definite little flame of heat in his eyes when he met her gaze again. “Want me to?”

Shocked, she stared at him. “What?”

“I asked if you wanted me to.” His voice was calm.

So bloody calm while he asked her if she wanted him to come into her room and ravish her while she was asleep!

Just the thought of the lean pirate slipping into her bed, those cold blue eyes looking down at her while his hands, so long-fingered and skilful, slid over her body…Rani exploded in fury.

Fisting both hands into his shirt, she dragged him up on tip-toes and snarled, “You ever lay one hand on me and I’ll bloody cut it off!”

He didn’t even flinch. “Is that so?” And then he moved fast.

She didn’t see it coming. Didn’t suspect a thing. One second she was standing with his shirt fisted in her grasp, the next he’d raised his arms and slammed the sides of his hands against the inside of her elbows, breaking her grip. Before she could recover he moved fast. Really fast. Swinging around behind her, he grasped one of her wrists and yanked her arm up behind her back, kicking her in the back of her knee as he did so, forcing her down onto her knees. His weight as he pressed against her back kept her down, the warning touch of pain in her shoulder stopping her from tugging forward.

She felt his heat at her back, his chest against her as he leaned forward. Entwining his fingers in her hair, he pulp> hair, hled her head back against his shoulder, forcing her to look up into his face.

It happened so fast that she didn’t quite realize what he’d done until she was in the humiliating position of being his prisoner.

Fredrico looked down into her face. His face had the usual calm expression but the fire in his eyes was very real. “Don’t ever mistake me for anything but what I am, warrior.”

“And what’s that? Not an angel?” She gritted out.
Why was he so strong?

“This is no joke.” His fingers tightened fractionally in her hair. “I’m a space pirate, The Overlord’s right hand man. I have darkness inside me. I’m not easy, I’m not nice. If I wanted your body, warrior, I could have it. If he wanted you dead, I’d be your executioner. Never make the mistake of thinking I won’t go further than you think.”

“I thought you said I could trust you?” She sneered. “Friend.”

“You can trust me to have your back against others. You can trust me to hold your secrets. But never mistake me for a weakling, a push-over, someone you can push beyond their limits because, warrior, I have limits you don’t know anything about.”

“Maybe you should just show me, then.” Fury still pounded through her, fury and a touch of alarm that he’d gotten the drop on her so easily.

Lowering his face, he said softly into her ear, “You don’t want me to show you, Rani. Just know you can trust me, but don’t push me.”

Releasing her, Fredrico stepped back and Rani whipped around, only to find him holding out one hand towards her. Taken aback, she stared stupidly at his hand.

Without a word, Fredrico grabbed her hand and hauled her with almost ridiculous ease to her feet. “Lesson one over.”

“Lesson one?” She tried to find the fury that had faded with her surprise.

“No one and nothing is as it seems here,” he said quietly.

She watched as he strode to the door. As he reached for the door handle, the words dropped from her lips before she could even think about it. “What about the hidden door?”

He looked directly at her. “I’ll keep you safe from others. From me... you’re on your own.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means, warrior, that I’ve just drawn a line.”

“A line?”

Those cold eyes never wavered from her face. “You cross that line at your own peril.”

“And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Keep pushing and you’ll find out.” He walked out the door.

“I thought you said I could trust you?” She stalked across the room.

“You can.”

“So what the hell is this line you’ve drawn?” Coming out into the corridor, Rani found him already at the head of the staircase.

Fredrico regarded her expressionlessly. “Trust me with your life, but cross the line and the consequences are upon your own shoulders.” He started down the stone stairs.

“Cryptic puzzles now?” Long legs eating up the distance between them, Rani scowled.

His glance back up at her was brief but suddenly humorous. “Trust me, warriorhe me, wa, you’re a cryptic puzzle all by yourself.”

“That’s not answering the question.”

He shrugged.

She blew out an exasperated breath. “I guess I’ll find out what the line is when I find you trying to kill me!”

There was a definite twinkle in his eyes, warming the cold depths briefly before he turned his head. That twinkle made her pause, but when she realized he wasn’t going to explain himself, Rani gave up and descended the steps, following him out into the main corridor.

A sudden deafening roar rent the air, and screams and shouts echoed through a side corridor. Before she could even register what was happening the stone wall beside her exploded outwards, pieces of rock shattering like glass before the huge, scaled beast that tore through it as though through glass, the swing of its massive head catching her full in the chest and stomach, flinging her high into the air, the force smashing her up against the ceiling.

Chapter 6

Outlaw Sector, outskirts

Planet Ylan, The Desert

Frustrated, Ceri looked at the blank cave. Nothing remained except a bit of hard dirt where the ice from the block had melted and dried. There was nothing—no sign, no hint, no clue as to what had happened to her sister.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. The smell of dust hung in the air. Fetid, old, the cave so far deep in the ground that hardly a wisp of fresh air filtered through the caved-in tunnel.

Turing, she walked back the way she’d come, climbing over the rubble and finally coming out into the open. The bounty hunter ship, sleek, black and dangerous-looking, awaited her. In the shadows beneath it, Abra waited, studying his handtronic. He looked up as she approached but remained silent.

“Nothing,” she said.

He just looked at her.

“You were right,” she said grudgingly. “There is no sign of my sister.”

“So what are you going to do now?”

Ceri looked out over the burning sands. “I have a contact.” She returned her gaze to Abra. “Where you can’t go.”

“Deeper in the Outlaw Sector.”

“Yes.”

He regarded her quietly, the minutes ticking past slowly.

Ceri held his gaze.

“You’re going away,” he finally stated.

“Yes.”

“Alone.”

“No hunter can go where I’m going.”

“Times have changed, Ceri. The Reeka warrior women are legendary, but as you found out, the younger folk need proof.”

She shrugged. “It’s the only way to find my sister.”

“You may never find her.”

“I have to try.”

Thoughtfuhe lly, Abra flicked the switch of the handtronic on and off. “Reya isn’t going to like this.”

No, Reya was going to be furious. Ceri looked back out over the burning sands. “Will you drop me off at the nearest settlement?” She swung her gaze back to him. “Or are you going to try and keep me prisoner and drag me back to the Reekas?”

Abra didn’t move a muscle. “Your sister means a lot to you.”

Ceri didn’t answer, just waited to see what he’d decide. The seconds ticked past and somehow she wasn’t surprised when he finally nodded.

“Let’s go,” he said simply.

Inside the ship the other hunters didn’t argue when he gave the orders. Vane and Nat looked curiously at her but it was Ricna who gave Abra a strange look, though he didn’t say anything.

~ * ~

Abra sat in the control cabin and waited for Ricna. Sure as God had made green apples, his friend came in minutes later.

“Reya is going to be so pissed at you,” Ricna said.

“Undoubtedly.”

“You’re really going to let Ceri go into the Outlaw Sector?”

“She’s not our prisoner, nor does she have a bounty on her head.” Abra watched through the security shield as the ship lifted, the burning sand falling rapidly away below.

Ricna studied him thoughtfully. “Sabra is on her way to interview the Reeka. She’s going to be a little shitty with you for letting her go.”

Abra shrugged.

“Huh,” Ricna finally said.

Abra slid a glance at him.

Ricna had a curious expression on his face but he didn’t say anything else.