by V. J. Timlin
“Let me introduce you to someone before we start talking business.” Madam Valeria looked past Anouk. “Please, meet my business associate, Mr London.”
Anouk froze on her spot and the spark of hope crushed under an icy grip. The same primal terror threatened to overtake her as on that Wednesday morning when he had barged into her flat on her home planet. Slowly, she turned to face the man.
Stalo stepped forward, a wolfish smile on his scarred face. He wore a purple satin smoking jacket while his right arm rested in a black satin sling.
“Good to see you again, Miss Herring.” Stalo bowed, keeping his cold brown eyes fixed on Anouk. His raspy voice grated her soul, sending a tsunami of panic over her whole being. She took an involuntary step back. Her heart raced fast, pumping blood and adrenaline into her muscles. She tasted metal.
“Oh yes, you two have met before,” Madam Valeria purred.
“We certainly have. I had the pleasure of visiting her fascinating home on that lovely world of hers.”
Anouk opened her mouth to protest, but no sound came.
“Unfortunately, that pestering bounty hunter interrupted us, when we were just about to get properly acquainted,” Stalo continued, his voice low and sweet.
“You broke into my home,” Anouk croaked.
“But that is not true, is it?” Stalo took another step closer. “I had a key, remember?”
Anouk staggered back, struggling to keep her wits. “You stole it from Owen. I didn’t invite you.”
“That is not true either, you little liar.” Stalo crept closer. “He gave it to me.”
Madam Valeria appeared at Anouk’s side and put a hand on her shoulder. The touch startled her.
“But Mr London, you are scaring Miss Herring.” Madam Valeria gave a playful frown at Stalo. “Come, my dear.” She guided Anouk to sit on the divan. Anouk wanted to pull away from the madam. The last thing she wanted was to talk with them, but her body didn’t receive the memo. She sank into the sofa. The madam then waved Stalo to the chair opposite before sitting next to Anouk.
Stalo bowed once again, keeping his gaze fixed on Anouk like a predator about to strike. She looked down at her clenched fists—her knuckles stuck out as white as the bones underneath her skin.
“So, Miss Herring, Jasper said you came here for the offer of employment I made you a few days ago. Is that correct?” Madam Valeria asked.
Anouk forced herself to glance at the madam. Her face oozed empathy. Not for a minute, though, did Anouk believe the madam had bought her story. Stalo’s presence confirmed that. Where did she go wrong? What would happen to her now? Nevertheless, she would act her role. What else could she do? She nodded before dropping her gaze back to her trembling hands. Where was Captain Biddulph and the other man? Did they know to expect Nat? She clenched her fists even tighter. No… she refused to believe they had failed, Captain Biddulph hadn’t paraded Nat in front of her. He hasn’t been caught yet. She had to be ready to face the madam and Stalo when the alarm went off.
Anouk cleared her throat. “I left Nat. He scares me. He’s reckless and has almost got me killed more times than I care to count. I couldn’t handle it anymore. He won’t take me back to my world. I had nowhere to go. Then I remembered your offer and thought I would be safer here.” Tears prickled her eyes and before she knew it, she started to sob. “I just need to earn a little money, enough to… to…”
“Now, now, my dear.” Madam Valeria’s voice was soothing as she put her arm around Anouk’s shoulder. Anouk stiffened. The madam was leaning against her on the side where the prod was hidden. If she felt it, Anouk would be done for.
“She is lying,” Stalo said.
Anouk’s gaze shot up. The icy grip squeezed her chest ever tighter. “No!”
Madam Valeria pulled away from Anouk and looked at her, frowning. “Are you?”
Anouk’s mouth opened and closed. Where was Nat?
“Of course, she is lying. That bounty hunter sent her as bait.” Stalo wore a satisfied expression on his face.
Madam Valeria cocked an eyebrow. “Did he really?”
“No, I swear!” Anouk exclaimed. “I came because you promised me work.”
“Where is Nat?” Madam Valeria asked, an edge of anger in her tone.
Anouk shook her head. “I don’t know.” At least she didn’t have to lie about that. Where was he? What was keeping him? Had he got caught after all?
“Liar,” Stalo spat.
“Honestly, I don’t know where he is. The last time I saw him, he was going to the constabulary, trying to convince them to…” Anouk tried to rise, but Madam Valeria pulled her back.
“May I suggest that we take Anouk as a hostage and let my men deal with the bounty hunter?” Stalo’s eyebrow rose in slow motion when he regarded the madam. “She will make you a very obliging girl who will draw many to sample her alien fruits. I, of course, will be the first.”
A cold shiver ran down Anouk’s spine.
“Very well, as long as you do not damage her,” Madam Valeria said, and then uttered a dramatic sigh. “What a pity Nat has to die. Such a lovely boy, but he has been getting in the way of my business recently.”
Anouk jumped up, tearing off the madam’s grip. She pulled her gun and took a couple of steps back, pointing it at Stalo.
“But, my dear, what is this?” Madam Valeria’s eyes widened.
“Your man, Jasper, has been negligent. He should have checked her for weapons,” Stalo growled at Madam Valeria.
“Don’t you dare blame Jasper,” Madam Valeria snapped, forgetting her pretensions of civility.
“You are too lenient with him, because he warms your bed.”
“You killed one of my girls, so be grateful I didn’t ask him to kill you,” Madam Valeria snarled.
Stalo shrugged. “She broke my Gadget and that kind of stupidity cannot go unpunished. Especially if you want us to deliver more alien girls after we have confiscated the Gadget from the bounty hunter.”
“There will be no alien girls,” Anouk intervened. “Soon Nat and the enforcers will be here, and you’ll both go to jail where you belong.”
Stalo and Madam Valeria turned to look at her. Both wore an unreadable expression. It unnerved Anouk and her gun shook in her hand even more and sweat poured on her forehead, gliding down to her eyes. She blinked. At the same instant, Madam Valeria leaned backwards and pulled a string which hung on the wall behind the divan.
The door behind Anouk slammed open—she spun and pulled the trigger. Her revolver went off with a loud bang. Jasper grunted and collapsed on the floor. Madam Valeria screamed. Anouk spun again, taking aim at Stalo, but he had already reached her. He hit her hard across the face. The force of the blow sent her off the balance, and she dropped the revolver.
An ear-piercing clanging filled the room and the entire building.
“Fire! Fire!” The shouts came from the hall. Hasty footfall and screams mixed with the shrilling fire alarm.
Anouk’s face throbbed and stars danced around her vision. She touched her cheek where Stalo had punched her and she grimaced at the renewed pain. The madam charged towards her. Anouk gasped and leaped back. But instead of attacking Anouk, Madam Valeria pushed past her and knelt beside Jasper.
Stalo grabbed Anouk by her throat and squeezed. “You are going to die now.”
Anouk cursed herself for letting her guard falter. She tried to kick Stalo, but he saw it coming. Stalo squeezed harder and pain shot up her jaw. She clawed Stalo’s hand, but the grip grew tighter and tighter. Darkness crept into the edge of her vision. Tears burned her eyes. Where was Nat? If he didn’t come soon, she would never see him again. Or her home and her mother’s grave.
With a final effort she reached towards his injured shoulder, but Stalo turned sideways. The darkness thickened in Anouk’s vision and she knew she would pass out soon if she didn’t… the prod, you fool! She reached under her coat, her fingers fumbling for the weapon. Her hand found the handle. She swun
g, targeting Stalo’s head. He jerked his head out of the way and she missed him by several inches. Still, Stalo grimaced in pain—his sudden pull had aggravated his bullet wound. The pressure on Anouk’s throat released, and she staggered back, holding her throat, gasping for air. Oh, sweet oxygen! How wonderful it was to breathe again.
“Anouk!”
“Nat,” she croaked, her knees almost buckling in relief. She turned when Nat entered the room. Jasper grabbed Nat’s ankle, trying to pull him down, but Nat pressed his prod against Jasper’s neck. Mr Sunshine jolted, then lay still—Madam Valeria screamed. She jumped up, her clawed hands slashing towards Nat’s face.
With a mournful expression, Nat pressed the prod on Madam Valeria’s neck. Her fall to the floor wasn’t as graceful as her trademark gliding gait—Madam Valeria slumped in an awkward heap next to her lover.
Nat pulled out his revolver, his face in a grim mask and he pointed it past Anouk. She turned… Stalo had recovered and was aiming at her with her Phines.
Chapter 23
“Drop your weapon or she dies,” Stalo demanded loudly over the persistent and ear-splitting fire alarm.
Anouk glanced at Nat. She had no illusions about Stalo—he would definitely carry out his threat. But would Nat yield now when her life was on the line? Would she want him to? In the end, did it really matter? Stalo would shoot them anyway, as soon as Nat obeyed his command.
Nat stood still, giving no sign of complying. His revolver remained aimed at Stalo, his hand steady. The two men—the two enemies—measured each other with their cool stares.
“It’s over, Stalo. Enforcers will be here soon,” Nat called back.
“I am my Lord De Meriweth to the likes of you,” Stalo snapped. Then a cruel grin split Stalo’s scarred face. “Yes, it is over… for you.”
Anouk craned her neck to look in the direction of Stalo’s gaze. Two masked men had stepped into the salon, shotguns in their hands. The taller man was none other than Captain Biddulph. It was indeed over.
“Down!” Nat yelled. He dove sideways, twisting his body and firing towards the doorway. Without hesitation, Anouk dropped flat on her stomach in time to see the man beside Biddulph jerking backwards as if he had been kicked. She crawled under the divan; her electric prod was no match against firearms. Gunfire continued back and forth in the room, even after the fire alarm silenced.
“My lord, the enforcers are surrounding the building. We have to go,” a man shouted. Anouk’s ears rang, but she would have recognised that voice anywhere… Captain Biddulph.
“Very well,” Stalo growled.
Anouk couldn’t see where Nat was from her position but judging by the gunfire exchange, he was trying to stop Stalo and the captain from leaving. She chewed her lower lip, wondering how to help.
Stalo’s feet came into Anouk’s view. His heels rose as he crouched, taking cover behind the divan. Her heart missed a beat. Was Stalo coming to finish her? Not if she reacted first. She turned on the prod, and stabbed towards Stalo’s ankles, but at the same time he jumped and vanished from view.
More gunshots and footfall retreated down the hall leaving the salon silent. Anouk gathered her courage to peek out. First, she spotted Madam Valeria and Jasper, both still unconscious. At least she hoped they were indeed unconscious and not dead. By the doorway lay the other of Stalo’s two men, but she couldn’t see Nat.
“Nat?” she called.
No answer.
A loud bang came from the hallway. Anouk started at the noise, causing her to hit her head on the divan’s wooden frame.
“Fuck,” she hissed in pain.
It hadn’t been a bomb but sounded like someone kicking in a door. Hasty stomping and calls filled the hall. Anouk tensed.
“Search the building. Move, move!” Chief Constable Loka’s barks cut through the noise, resulting in loud stomping and hasty treads. Anouk allowed a small sigh of relief to escape her lips.
She crawled from under the divan and crouched, holding the prod ready. When she glanced around the room, her stomach sank to her boots. Had Nat followed Stalo and the captain? Without her? Blast that man! If he got killed now when she wasn’t watching his back, she would find him and kill him again.
Gaining strength from her irritation towards Nat, she straightened herself. She had to find him. She took a step, but her legs threatened to buckle.
“Steady, girl,” she muttered, and took support from the divan. After a few deep breaths, she was the master of her body again. Her senses stretched and alert, she walked towards the door. She stopped next to Madam Valeria and hesitated. She wanted to go after Nat, but if Madam Valeria or Jasper needed first aid, the law required her to help. Well, strictly speaking, that was her planet’s law and might not apply in Anglea. She cringed at her internal argument. An enemy or not…
She looked around for a gun, but the weapon Jasper had carried was nowhere to be seen.
“I need to tie their hands, just in case.” Anouk’s eyes went to the strap around Madam Valeria’s waist. “That will do.”
She knelt next to the woman and pulled the strap free before reaching for the knife in her boot and cutting it. Anouk tied Madam Valeria’s hands behind the back and placed two fingers on the woman’s neck—there was a pulse. Anouk let out another sigh of relief. She moved next to Jasper, tying his hands first then she tested his pulse—it was weaker, but it was there. She studied his body to see where she had hit him and lifted the hem of his coat. She sucked in air. His white shirt was torn on his side and saturated in blood. She bent to look closer, her heart hammering. If the wound was serious, or worse, fatal…
A rough-edged maw of muscle fibres gaped wide open, but there were no gurgling veins or exposed vital organs. A third sigh of relief escaped her lips. A flesh wound. Thank goodness. Although it looked messy, it wasn’t a deep graze. Nevertheless, Jasper needed medical help. She smirked—Vari would be more than happy to apply her white stuff on Mr Sunshine.
Anouk stood and approached the body at the door. She had no need to test his pulse. The back of his skull had exploded and a halo of blood had formed around his head. Nausea washed over her as she turned and staggered away from the dead man.
A hand landed on her shoulder. She jumped away, lifting her prod to stun the intruder.
“Just me.” Nat grinned as he took a step back.
“Jeez!” Anouk shrieked. “Don’t sneak up on me like that. You nearly gave me a heart attack and got yourself zapped.” She rushed to give him a hug.
“Sorry.” Nat chuckled and returned her hug. “Are you alright?”
Anouk took a deep breath, leaning her face against his shoulder. “I am now.”
The smell of him and his warm body wrapped her into a safe bubble. She could stand there, in his arms forever… at least, if her own body wasn’t about to betray her. She stepped back before her hands started to live a life of their own and slip under Nat’s shirt. She smiled up at him to show she was fine.
“Someone punched you?” Nat studied her face with a scowl.
“It was Stalo but it’s nothing. Honestly, I’m alright.” Anouk patted Nat on his arm. “So, what happened? Are Stalo and his lackey arrested?”
“Erh, no.”
“Damn!”
Nat gave her a wary look. “I’m sorry.”
“No, Nat, I didn’t mean it that way. I’m not blaming you.” She rubbed her forehead, trying not to feel disappointed. Once again Stalo had slipped through their fingers. No returning to London yet as she had planned; the hunt would go on. “Madam Valeria and Stalo didn’t believe me one bit. They seemed to know we were setting a trap.”
“I should have guessed since they were doing business together that he would be here too.” Nat paused and studied her face with the same wary expression. His eyes stopped at her throbbing cheek. “But I was willing to take the risk.”
“Well, this was my idea and I did volunteer, didn’t I? I was being naive, trusting too much in Madam Valeria’s greediness.�
� Anouk secured the prod under her arm again. “By the way, how did you know where I was?”
“From Lila. She also said Stalo would be here.”
At least one thing she hadn’t misjudged. Lila had been on their side.
“Madam Valeria made a mistake, letting Shannah’s murder slide.” Anouk turned to look at the brothel owner, who was coming around. A weak moan came from the madam’s throat. “I think we should let the enforcers arrest her and Jasper.”
“No, I want to speak with her first before the enforcers arrest them.” As soon as he took a step towards the madam, four officers barged into the salon.
They scowled at him and one of the officers asked, “What are you doing here, bounty hunter?”
“We tipped you off about this brothel being Lord De Meriweth’s hideout,” Nat said, with a cool tone.
Ignoring Nat, the officer eyed the dazed madam and still unconscious Jasper on the floor. “Ah, Madam Valeria and her butler, excellent.” Without another word, he turned to his colleagues. “Let’s pack up these criminals.”
Nat stepped to intervene, but the officer lifted his baton an inch from Nat’s face. “Are you trying to obstruct the arrest?”
Nat stiffened. “No, but I need to talk with the madam first. She might hold a vital clue regarding Lord De Meriweth whereabouts.”
“We’ll get it from her, bounty hunter.” The officer bared his teeth. “Or do you want us to arrest you too?”
Nat stared back at the enforcer, showing no sign of backing down. Three other enforcers lined up next to their colleague, dropping their hands on their batons. Anouk swallowed. Shit!
She placed a hand on Nat’s shoulder. “Nat, let them do their job. We’ll talk to Chief Constable Loka.”
He nodded and took a reluctant step back.
The officer sneered at Nat. “That’s more like it.” He turned, slipping the baton under his belt. “Alright, chaps, let’s take this scum to the prisoner carriage.”