Shattered Soul (44 page)

Okay, annoyed and impressed.

She was even more impressed with his control of the calming violet streak that shimmered through them both. He could draw it forth to calm her, to turn rough sex into gentle loving, to gauge her mood and react accordingly. He swore she did it to him but she doubted she had the same ability. Maybe it was just better to accept that something alien that dwelled inside them along with their darkness just seemed to know exactly what they needed and when it was required.

Whichever it was, the violet had seeped through them this night and their lovemaking had been gentle, passionate, and caring. They didn’t take from each other but gave, and now they lay quietly, contentedly, in each other’s arms.

In this hellhole they called home, they’d found their own private heaven.

Fredrico drew lazy circles on her arm, and she snuggled into him. “How did someone like you ever end up in this place?”

“Blind stupidity and an over inflated ego,” he replied.

“Really?” Curiosity piqued, she came up on one elbow to look down at him.

He met her gaze steadily. “I was a two-bit space pirate, full of myself and ready to take on the universe for every real and imagined grudge.”

“So how did you end up in The Overlord’s service?”

“It started as small jobs for bigger outlaws, and when I was unbelievably stupid and would have a go at anything no matter how dangerous, I came to the attention of The Overlord. I thought I was such a big man, working for the fearsome Overlord. Turned out I was bloody stupid.”

“You got so far enmeshed there was no way out.”

“Veknor tried to warn me.” He twined a lock of her hair around his finger.

“He was here before you?”

“A couple of years before me, long enough to know what I was getting into. I didn’t listen, of course.” Fredrico’s grin was humourless. “The ego thing again.”

“You don’t seem to have an ego.” Resting her palm cingThon his chest, she felt the steady thump of his heart beneath.

“You soon lose it out here.”

“Is that why you’re so close to Veknor? Because he taught you the ropes?”

“I’m close to Veknor because he watched out for me, taught me what I needed to know, and he saw me through my darkest days.”

Rani studied his sombre, handsome face. “He was your closest friend.”

“And still is.” Fredrico sighed. “When I was lonely, when I battled my personal demons, when I struggled with my powers, Veknor was there. He laughed at me, with me, made me see humour, guided me, and helped me to accept what I had become. He was my lifeline.”

She thought about Veknor as she’d first met him, his handsome, ebony face, his quiet manner, his self-assuredness. “I can see him doing that.”

“I won’t ever forsake him, Rani. If he needs me, I’ll be there.”

She met his gaze steadily. “We’ll
be there.”

His eyes warmed, and he drew her down to kiss her tenderly on the lips. “I have a best friend and now my own woman, my light in a dark tunnel.”

“Flatterer.” She grinned down at him. “Ceri would laugh herself sick if she heard that.” As soon as the words left her mouth, tightness filled her chest and she glanced away.

Almost immediately Fredrico’s hand threaded through her hair to cup the back of her head, and he guided her down again until she reclined once more against his chest. His hand slowly traced up and down her spine, and she relaxed against him with a quiet sigh.

“My turn.” The words were a soft rumble in her ear. “What was the young Rani like as a child?”

She couldn’t help the smile that crossed her lips. “A devil, my mother said.”

“Your favourite memory?”

“The local boys trying to court me.”

“And was there one special boy?”

“No. I was seventeen and a shocking flirt. It drove my parents to distraction.”

“You were close to your family.”

“All Reekas are close. It’s a tribal thing. Was, I guess. I don’t know what is happening now. I guess... I guess I never will.” She couldn’t hide the wistfulness in her voice.

Fredrico’s hand came up and around to cup her shoulder and he hugged her close. “You and I, Rani, have closeness. We have that something special that binds us.”

“Violet lights? Demons? Hot sex?” She tried for a joke to lighten the mood, not wanting to dwell on the past and what she could never have with her family again.

“No. Each other.”

There was something in his tone that made her push upwards again to look down at him.

His gaze was just as calm, but now there was something more in them, something soft. Something that made warmth sweep through her. Something... “Fredrico?”

Reaching up, he pushed a heavy lock of her hair behind her ear before he cupped her face in his hand. “Rani, I’m falling in love with you.”

Stunned was a mild word for what she felt upon hearing that declaration. She didn’t know what to say, what to think. Warmth swept through her, but she didn’ ct sor whatt know how she felt. “Fredrico, I... I don’t know…”

His smile was gentle. “You don’t have to know. We have forever for you to figure out what I already know.”

She arched one brow at his statement. “That’s rather presumptuous of you.”

“Looks like not all my ego got destroyed here after all. I do believe you resurrected some of it. You’re a miracle.” His gaze softened. “My miracle.”

That warmth was filling her, regardless of how uncertain she felt. “Fredrico, I don’t know what to say.”

“Don’t worry,” he replied calmly. “One day you will. I can wait.”

Rani blinked, not sure what to answer to that bold proclamation.

“After all,” he continued huskily, “I’ll still have you here in my arms, where you belong, and beside me where you place is.”

If there was one thing she couldn’t deny, it was that being in his arms felt so right. Being with him was just so right.

Lowering her head, she started to press a kiss to his lips.

A loud banging on the door interrupted them.

Without hesitation Fredrico pushed Rani around and down so that she was sheltered behind him, while he reached for his laser on the bedside table and roared, “Who the hell is it?”

“The Overlord is calling for you and Rani,” was the shouted reply. “Now. It’s urgent.”

Rani flung the covers back and climbed out of the bed. “That can’t be good.”

They dressed quickly and ran to The Overlord’s chamber. Inside they found The Overlord contemplating Veknor, who stood before him.

“What’s wrong?” Fredrico asked.

Rani watched quietly.

The Overlord’s pupils dilated. “We attack now.”

Rani raised her brows at Veknor, who inclined his head in agreement. “Well, shit,” she said.

It seemed the night was full of surprises.

~ * ~

Inner Sanctum of the Outlaw Sector

Space

Battalions of space ships soared through the sky, spearing higher into the clouds and beyond until space swallowed the metal hulks. Demons moved, shadows in space that hazily blotted out stars. Horns tossed, tusks gleamed. They mingled amongst ships, guarding them.

On the flight desk of Fredrico’s ship, Rani watched the ships flying in close formation around them. Two days of travelling and they were finally drawing close to their destination. No doubt The Darknen already knew of their coming, there was no way anyone could miss the coming of a battalion of space ships and a whole heap of tusk-tossing demons. It was only a matter of time before he met them head-on.

Fredrico appeared by her side. “We’re leaving.”

“It’s about time,” she replied. “Standing here waiting for some mystical attack by The Darknen just isn’t doing it for me.”

“Trust me, The Darknen has his own army.”

“If it’s as weird and spooky as ours, I may not stand the shock.”

“I’ll be sure to revive you personally with a little tongue to tongue.” His grin was all teeth and hot suggestion.

“I’m pretty sure that should be mouth to mouth, but I’ll take what you’re offering.” A little curl of desire spiralled through her.

His eyes gleamed, but rather than take the subject further he turned and led the way through the flight deck.

Damned shame he was getting such good control of his emotions. Rani took one look at the hard-eyed crew of Fredrico’s and revised her thoughts. Damned good thing they were both able to control their emotions for a short time. The thought of the crew watching them ripping each other’s clothes off was not a good thing.

Following Fredrico through the ship, Rani took note of the space pirates that were in the process of checking weapons yet again. Carto, Fredrico’s second-in-command, was overseeing the process with cold calm. He glanced up at her with soulless eyes, nodded briefly and returned his attention to the manblasters across his knee. Alonz’s metal hand made a whirring noise as his fingers loaded the laser packs. The packs looked ridiculously small in the hulking brute’s metal hand. The other space pirates looked briefly at her, not one with lust but all with mild deference.

Not really caring if they respected her or not, Rani continued down into the bowels of the ship behind Fredrico. In the small hold at the bottom Veknor was already sitting in the four-man space shuttle. She jumped into the back seat, and Fredrico slid into the pilot’s seat. The space shield slid over top and sealed shut, the hold door open, and the shuttle flared to silent life and soared out into space.

Immediately she saw the weirdly comforting forms of Ethmor and Dreden fall in on each side of the shuttle, their monstrous haziness causing a dip in the space, the only thing to reveal their presence.

A face at the shield made her jump, the bleeding black holes where eyes should be grotesque. It was a damned wraith. It swung away and swooped off. More wraiths followed to disappear in space.

“Brought your friends, I see,” she said to Veknor.

The dry rustle that accompanied his slight movement no longer chilled her. “You noticed.”

“Couldn’t help it when one of them just scared the crap out of me.” Fredrico chuckled and she pulled a face at the back of his head before returning her attention to Veknor. “I hope your crazy idea works.”

“Nothing is ever for sure,” Veknor returned. “We’re not quite ready, it’s true, but we can no longer wait.”

“Still not going to tell us the source of your information, huh?”

“Just follow the plan.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Warrior, you don’t like anything you can’t face with a sword in your hand.”

“Gosh, Veknor, you know me so well. I’m touched.”

Fredrico veered the shuttle around. “Hold on. The slipstream is coming.”

“Where?” Rani asked, grabbing hold of the hand rail.

“Here,” he replied, and the shuttle swung around sharply.

It was as though a huge hand had grabbed hold of the shuttle. The metal creaked, the shield splintered but held. The stars blurred as the shuttle was pulled through space at incredible speed. Everything was a blur, the c a the shistars flashing. Dimly she registered the roar of Ethmor, and one of his tusks flashed out of the corner of her eye.

The shuttle shuddered and for one awful second she thought it was going to literally pull apart. How it held was a miracle, as far as she was concerned.

The slipstream veered down sharply and the shuttle fell. It dipped, swayed, and Rani had to grit her teeth against the nausea that threatened. Her darkness rose suddenly, cloaking her and forcing the nausea back. Her sight sharpened and now she could see it. Colours flashed, inky blackness loomed, and then they were in a tunnel so black she couldn’t see anything. But she knew they were still going at an insane speed, she could feel the pull in her very soul.

And that was her first indication that wherever they were, it wasn’t something she deemed normal. Her soul felt heavier, dragging, and she gritted her teeth. A massive hand came down and wrapped around her, and looking up she saw Ethmor’s monstrous form above the shuttle. On the other side was Dreden, his hand wrapped around Fredrico. Veknor’s demon had hold of him.

The demons held back whatever was coming. She saw them, winged monstrosities with gaping maws and scythes that sought to sever the souls from the bodies of the invaders, and only the demons kept them back, their great roaring and tossing tusks a threat.

Seemed like even monsters respected demons. Yay for the demons, Rani thought faintly. Even weirder was the fact that she felt so damned safe inside her demon’s hold.

The monsters fell back and disappeared. The demons released their hold on Rani, Fredrico and Veknor, and Rani was relieved to find her soul seemed to be firmly attached into her body.

Glancing up from patting herself down, she met Fredrico’s eyes from where he had twisted around in his seat. “Hey.” She grinned lopsidedly at him.

“Are you all right?” Concern for her was in every hard line of his face.

“All together, thanks for caring.” She cast her gaze over him. “You?”

“Fine.” Fredrico switched his regard to Veknor. “You?”

A dry laugh rasped from Veknor’s throat. “Just dandy, friend.”

The words produced a strange look on Fredrico’s face, and then he smiled. Rani realized that Veknor sounded almost like the Veknor of old if you didn’t count the fact that his voice whistled like a wind through dry branches.

There was no time for further thought as the shuttle speared upward suddenly, throwing them all back in their seats, and next thing it had broken through the wall into an ocean. An ocean filled with nightmares. Mere aliens with bleeding, gaping wounds and serrated teeth swam quickly alongside the shuttle, their webbed claws scratching along the splintered shield threateningly.

Again Ethmor, Dreden and Veknor’s demon protected them, coming alongside and roaring at the mere aliens, their tusks cutting through several as they tossed their great heads.

Ethmor snapped at one, managing to bite off the whole top half from the belly up, and with a toss of his head he chomped the carcass down, green blood trickling from his lips. He turned to look at Rani and roared, his eyes gleaming orange.

“Good boy,” Rani said. “Nice trick.” Hell, what else could she say? The demon was protecting her and doing it well. Messily, but well.