Dakoda's Revenge

by Suzi Goode

  He parted her lips and stroked against her willing tongue. She moaned as he brought his arms around her waist and backed her up against the wall of the public corridor, pressing the length of his hard body to hers. His clothes, her clothes were in the way, she decided, losing all her inhibitions. She wanted him more than she could have imagined wanting a man. Could she beg him to make love to her without losing her sanity in the process? Would she be able to bear his body deep within hers?

  Odessa found herself reacting the same way she had in her dream. She kissed the man she knew only as the right-hand man of the lord who ruled this forlorn station far from the safety of Earth. As of their own accord, her fingers smoothed the short, silky hairs on the nape of his neck.

  When he broke the much too temporary mating, her sigh shattered the expectant silence. Dark passion lit his eyes. Once again, his expression shut down, as if he hadn't wanted her to see his vulnerability.

  "We have to get out of here,” he muttered hoarsely. “Time is not a luxury right now."

  Before she could reply, they were once more on the run. The darkened corridor made her feel confined. Her breathing hitched in her throat with dread. “Will Eyani help us?” she asked, her hair bouncing back and forth along the base of her neck.

  "Negotiation is everything to him. If I have something he deems valuable, he'll negotiate for it. That's the only way to deal with the Ashtarians."

  "That's strange. He didn't negotiate for anything with me."

  "That's unusual."

  "What do you have that's valuable?"

  He laughed, a tight, pinched sound. “The Ashtarian are notorious lovers of jewels of all sizes. I have a sapphire, the color of your eyes, and an uncut diamond he might covet if I told him they existed."

  The corridors became dimmer. Odessa's stomach rumbled and she felt faint from lack of food.

  To her embarrassment, Harley heard. “We'll get something to eat when we're safely aboard the Ashtarian ship."

  "Won't the Murrach search for you there?"

  Harley didn't pause. “He's not searching only for me, Odessa. He's searching for both of us. He's got a problem with Roland Baylon he needs to rectify."

  "I can't imagine what that could be."

  "He stole millions of dollars in drugs from Pardua."

  "Millions of dollars? How could he do that? The ship wasn't all that big, in terms of cargo space."

  "Gr'iis is very costly and very easy to transport. A fraction of an ounce costs hundreds of earth dollars."

  "How can people afford it?” Odessa had heard that people with a drug problem killed for drugs and the money to buy it with.

  "That's why there's so much crime. Everyone wants a share of the Gr'iis, but the drug disables the people who use it, so they are unable and unwilling to work. That leads to more crime."

  "Disables them, how?"

  "Gr'iis slows down the body's reactions to stimuli. For example, if you threw a baseball at me and I was a user, I would see the ball coming at me almost as if I lived in another dimension. By the time the baseball arrived at my position, it would be too late for me to raise my arms to catch it. It would sail by without me catching it."

  She couldn't imagine that happening. “That is very slow."

  "What problem does Pardua have with you?” The air turned chilly and uncomfortable.

  Harley felt the sudden cold too, and whirled around just as a voice said, “I might be able to answer that for you."

  Odessa gave a little cry, and would have remained at Harley's side, but he shoved her behind him to shield her. Ralph stood six feet away, much too close for comfort. Did he have reinforcements coming soon?

  "What were you going to say, Ralph?” Harley prompted, praying for time and an idea. The corridor was empty, and the possibility of taking on the man who weighed roughly the same as he did held no appeal. They were too evenly matched for Harley to take him down easily and quickly.

  "The Murrach found out who you really are and who exactly you work for. It's a shame, really. He did enjoy your companionship and your subservience to the cause."

  "The cause?” Odessa whispered, peering around Harley's shoulder.

  "Why don't you tell her what the cause involves, Ralph?” Time was running short. Pardua's minions would arrive shortly.

  "The little lady needs a history lesson? Be happy to oblige,” the man said, giving a mock bow. “Lord Pardua is the greatest man this galaxy has ever been privileged to behold. He will be the ruler of the known galaxy in a matter of years, laying low all the known governments, including yours,” he said with a blatant wink at Odessa.

  "Well? Come on,” Harley goaded. “Tell her how he's going about doing it.” He figured if he feinted to the left as if he were going to run, Ralph would lunge in the opposite direction. If Harley could lure him on that side, he had a better chance of pulling the big man down.

  "Easy. Lord Pardua is a master salesman. He sells a chemical compound that goes into food as an additive to enhance flavor. What few people realize is that it is a mind-altering drug. With use and over time, Gr'iis becomes addictive, and the body can't live without it. So each mealtime becomes so necessary that soon, everyone is hooked on Gr'iis. And the beauty of it is, they don't even know it. All they know is they want more and more."

  "How long has this been going on?” Odessa asked in horrified astonishment.

  "Much longer than you'd think,” Ralph replied. “It takes time to reach vast amounts of people."

  Harley attacked. He lowered his head quickly, closed the short distance, and rammed his head into the other man's stomach.

  Odessa cried out. Ralph buckled. Harley grabbed the other man by his short hair and smashed his head into the wall. The sound reverberated along the metal. Ralph grunted, scrambled to turn around and seize Harley, but Harley, once again, pumped his head into the wall. Odessa clamped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming.

  She had seen her brothers rough and tumble, but they had never fought dirty like this. Harley hit hard and the man went down, crumpling on the station floor.

  "Let's get out of here,” Harley choked out, grabbing her hand and dragging her along.

  "Is he dead?” Odessa asked, throwing a glance over her shoulder.

  "No, but he'll wish he was when he wakes up with a whopper of a headache."

  "What stops Pardua from finding us again if he found us once?"

  "Nothing,” Harley replied, trying to catch his breath. He was physically fit, but Ralph hadn't been easy to knock out. “But now he'll seek us with a vengeance. Ralph is his son and he doesn't like seeing his family hurt."

  "Oh,” was all Odessa could think to say. There was no getting away from the intrigue and double-dealing on this station. Her nerves were like fraying rope, quickly unraveling. She was going to die soon. “I can't do this anymore,” she choked out. “I just can't.” Her feet were sore from running in two-inch heels that were meant more as devices of seduction, not for running around in comfort.

  "You don't have any choice.” Harley broke into a dead run, his hand firmly around her upper arm. He half dragged her. “We have to get to Eyani. He's our only hope now."

  "I do have a choice.” She halted and refused to move forward. “I'm hungry, my feet are killing me, and you're not exactly the type of company I want to keep. This is your battle. Why did you drag me into it?"

  Harley stopped and examined her. She was near the end of the proverbial rope. “Once we're off the station, I'll make sure you eat and rest."

  "Why do I doubt that? I'll be dead before you can make sure of anything."

  "But we have a life and death matter here.” He leaned forward, his lips hovering over hers. His breath fanned her cheeks and her neck. “I'm doing everything in my power to prevent that."

  "I'm sure you are,” she scoffed. “I'm reminded the dead stay dead.” She considered the possibility that she might be better off on her own to get out of this mess. What guarantee did she have Har
ley wouldn't kill her once they were out of danger?

  He was unrelenting. “Pardua is closing this station down. That means not even a whisper will be able to get through a crack in one of these walls. If we can't get out before he does that, we're going to face a fate worse than being stuck in a concourse and having the air sucked out of our lungs.” He knew his life would be unbearable, but nothing like the hell Pardua would make hers.

  "I didn't ask for anything like this,” she whispered. “All I wanted was a little adventure."

  "I know, baby. Your crime is only one of association."

  She gazed at him through her tears. His face weaved in and out of focus. “How are you so sure?"

  "If you were a drug runner,” he said calmly, “Eyani wouldn't have placed you under his protection without receiving something valuable in return. He could easily have turned around and sold the Gr'iis for a hefty profit to line his pockets with. You see, the Ashtarians rarely put themselves in the face of danger for someone other than a blood relation."

  "They don't?” The Ashtarian had seemed so benevolent, she had assumed he would have put anyone who was in distress under his protective shield.

  "He is a man of great kindness,” Harley supplied.

  "I wonder if all his people are like that."

  "Believe it or not, but they used to be much friendlier, until drugs were introduced by smugglers to their planet. The Ashtarian's physiology doesn't allow them to use drugs. Unfortunately, many died before they found out their bodies couldn't handle the stuff. Now the Ashtarians prohibit the importing of any kind of drug onto their planet, or even dealing with it. They hate drugs with a vengeance.” He surveyed the corridor in one direction, then the other. “We've got to get moving."

  The man had a certain ease about him, even in such a dire situation, Odessa thought. He was charming, and most of all, convincing—in an ice cold way. What did she have to lose if she went along with him? Nothing but her life, she decided obliquely.

  The corridors began to swarm with questioning residents and travelers. Soldiers seemed to be everywhere she looked, both standing by themselves, trying to appear harmless, and in small groups. They carried guns tucked in the belts of their bland, gray uniforms.

  "That's so as not to scare the population,” Harley whispered in her ear. “If the soldiers massed together, word would spread that Romaydia isn't user-friendly to the people and aliens who land here. Pardua can't afford that. It messes with his ‘good lord’ image. I wonder if we wouldn't be better off to each get one of those helmets and slow down our pace so we blend in better."

  Thankfully, his pace slowed. Odessa determined she wouldn't wear a helmet. “You're thinking where we could get a pair."

  "Did you marry an Ashtarian?"

  "I never met one before I got here. Why?"

  "You read my mind."

  "It wasn't hard to guess.” Sheer, black fright swept through her. She couldn't, wouldn't have the helmet on her head. She felt a wave of apprehension travel up and down her spine.

  "I want you to go over to the vendors and get yourself something to eat. Don't do anything suspicious, and try to blend in,” Harley said, handing her a small coin. “This should get you whatever you want. Then wait for me."

  "I thought you wanted to disappear as quickly as possible."

  "I do, but I'm going to get a pair of helmets."

  She felt near naked, as if everyone were keeping an eye on her.

  "Don't bring any attention to yourself. Stay low profile."

  "What exactly is that?” How could she do that when the whole station seemed to be searching for her?

  "Just blend in with the crowd. Like this.” With a carefree attitude, he walked away, leaving her gaping. Seconds later, he disappeared into the milling crowd.

  "Okay. I get that,” she muttered. Her stomach rumbled. She could at least get herself some food before she died on this piece of metal junk. The thought did nothing to comfort her.

  She ambled over to a vendor's stall, where the smell of fresh-roasted meat wafted into the air to mingle with garlic and tomatoes from another stall nearby. The menu above the vendor's stall was printed in English, although the currency was foreign to her. “Roast beef sandwich, no mustard,” she said to the vendor when he directed an inquisitive look at her. He nodded and turned his back on her. She doubted the meat was actually beef, but she was hungry enough to eat almost anything. The vendor cradled his arm around a slab of roasted meat and carved several thin slices.

  "Are you safe?” asked a gentle female voice from beside her elbow.

  Odessa swiveled to look straight into Violette's haggard face. “Yes,” she replied, trying to appear as inconspicuous as possible. She didn't know how she would be able to with a prostitute standing next to her.

  "Is he taking care of you? This Harley?"

  The vendor handed the sandwich to Odessa in return for the coin Harley had given her, and made a disgusted face at Violette. “Go somewhere else and ply your trade,” he growled.

  "I'll go away if you give me a job,” Violette said with a hint of amusement.

  Odessa bit into her sandwich and took a look around for Harley, who was nowhere in sight.

  "I wouldn't give you a job if my life depended on it, whore.” The vendor turned away and busied himself with a cleaning rag.

  "It's men like you who don't give us a chance,” Violette retorted. She straightened her shoulders, making Odessa fear her breasts would spill out of her scanty bodice. The other woman shrugged. “If men like him would give us jobs, we wouldn't be in the predicament we're in. We could make ourselves respectable."

  Odessa's mouth was full, so she didn't reply. The vendor obviously didn't care. She couldn't imagine a life of penury and misery, catering to men and their wishes in bed. But was she that far away from being in that position herself?

  "Unfortunately, the Murrach isn't into equal opportunity employment."

  Odessa wished Harley would hurry as she bit into the tasty sandwich. She savored the meat on fresh white bread. Who knew, but it could be the last meal she ever ate. Feeling pity for her unwanted companion, she broke the sandwich in half and offered it to Violette, who took it with a grateful look and a murmured, “Thanks."

  "Harley's life is in danger. That means, by default, yours is too. Come with me. I will make sure you are safe with one of my clients. He'll spirit you away to safety."

  "And make me his mistress or something, right?” Odessa asked, her mouth full. She didn't regret sharing her meal with Violette, but wished she'd moved on.

  Violette sidled closer. “I thought your chances of getting off the station with Harley were better than if you struggled alone. But word has it that the Murrach is shutting down the station and hunting down all he believes are traitors, under the guise of a virus threatening the station. Harley is on that list. So are you."

  "Traitors could very easily be perceived as a virus. But let me get this straight.” Odessa wiped her hands on her pants, for lack of a paper napkin. Her stomach rebelled, threatening to discharge its contents. Her temper flared. “You're telling me that the great lord of Romaydia is hunting us down, that my chances with Harley are pretty slim, but they'd be better if I entrusted myself to a man who you handpicked for me?"

  "Honey, not all men are as they appear. There are some who have no interest in women at all the way you're thinking."

  "Right.” Odessa searched again for Harley. He was sure taking his time. “And you'd be familiar with one of them?"

  Violette's eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I'm trying to help you, since Harley obviously can't."

  "What makes you think he can't?"

  "Why are you still here?"

  Violette did have a point.

  "Lord Pardua is out to get Harley, but no one's yet clear on why, since he's the Murrach's most trusted right-hand man. It doesn't make any sense. No one has won against the Murrach or escaped his wrath. Ever."

  Odessa sighed and blinked bac
k tears. “There's always a first time.” Over the woman's shoulders, she made out Harley waving to her inconspicuously and pointing at a narrow corridor twenty feet to her right. He wanted her to slip away as quietly as she could.

  Her short conversation with Violette made her realize she trusted him to some extent. He hadn't lied to her, even though she had awakened to find his hands on her stomach that one time. But what had he been looking for?

  The answer blinded her. She had been wounded. She had fainted. Had he been searching for the bullet hole? Why hadn't she found one? Had he healed her without her knowledge? She struggled to focus on the conversation with Violette. “I don't believe that. My chances are better with him than with anyone you would choose, whether he likes to do it with a woman or not is irrelevant.” What was she going to do to divert the woman's attention?

  A soldier observed Violette with greedy eyes. That gave Odessa an idea. “He's looking for you,” she said, pointing in the soldier's direction.

  Violette turned her head. Odessa took off at a long sprint, hoping the constantly moving people and aliens in the crowd covered her movements from the soldiers. She ducked into the corridor, where Harley waited with a helmet in each hand.

  "Put this on,” he ordered, shoving the shiny object into her hand and straightening the chinstrap at the same time. “Just be sure not to turn the sound or the videograph on."

  "Don't they come in any other color?” she complained.

  "Black is the in color this year,” he retorted sharply. “If you prefer pink, you're out of luck."

  She knew he was teasing. “Black isn't my color. Where did you get these?” she asked, almost regretting her question as she asked.

  "Let's just say, I borrowed them."

  "Uh-huh. Sure you did.” Odessa didn't like the sounds of that, but she loved the sight of his seductively sensuous lips close to hers. How she wished to plant her mouth on his and kiss him until the world turned right again. If such a thing was possible.

  "I knocked a couple of guys on the head. They didn't seem to notice,” he elaborated. His eyes twinkled with amusement and the tiniest curve to his lips appeared. All she wanted was his kiss as he lay on top of her and her back rested against luxurious satin sheets.