Soul of a Predator

by Angela Verdenius

He went quiet, but she felt a subtle press of his back against hers, and it was oddly comforting.

  "You do know what happens to the ones we consider traitor, don't you, Elyse? Knifer?” The Man crossed his legs at the knees, picked off an imaginary piece of lint. “Do you recall, Elyse?"

  She knew only too well.

  "The punishment is quite severe,” he continued. “Rape, beatings, torture. Pegged out for the men and women to have their fun with you after I've had my taste of you.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Pretty much whatever I fancy to have done to you both."

  Which one would step forward first? The Man's people, or Uncle Cy's pirates?

  It happened fast. One minute The Man was saying something, the next an outlaw on the right aimed his laser at Shaque.

  Before he could pull the trigger, Elyse shot him between the eyes.

  "What the hell—” The Man shot to his feet.

  "Hold your fire!” Uncle Cy roared.

  The sound of laser fire whining was loud in the air, the chink of chains adding a deadly background sound.

  "Watch the outlaw in the blue shirt,” Shaque said softly.

  Elyse spotted him immediately. Playing with the chain on his hand, he was grinning wolfishly at her.

  "Why are you interfering?” The Man snarled at Uncle Cy.

  "Because the bitch is related to me,” Uncle Cy snarled back.

  "She turned on you!"

  "Like you wouldn't? You turned on your own son and left him in the street for the hounds to feed on!"

  The Man sneered. “Keep the woman, then, but the hunter is mine."

  Uncle Cy looked from The Man to Elyse, then back again and nodded.

  "Too late,” Elyse stated quietly. “The hunter is mine."

  "Shut the hell up!” The Man growled. “Get the hunter—alive!"

  The tavern exploded. Outlaws and pirates alike leaped forward.

  Knowing the outlaws were the main danger right now, Elyse aimed for them, but no sooner had she shot one than another appeared. There were simply too many.

  Within minutes she and Shaque were fighting hand to hand, and lasers were useless. Flicking the daggers from her wrist sheaths, she fought savagely, uncaring of pirates and outlaws alike.

  The pirates were after her, the outlaws after Shaque.

  She tried to stay at Shaque's back, but was dragged away.

  Letting free reign to her anger, she felt the fury sweep through her and spun on feet agile and fast. The daggers she swept through skin with ruthless efficiency, and the pirates started to fall back.

  One caught her from the back around the throat, trying to squeeze her breathless, but she stamped her foot back into his instep, then slammed her heel up between his legs, leaning forward at the same time to slash a thin line across another pirate's stomach.

  Swearing filled the air.

  She spun and caught a glimpse of Shaque through the gap in the outlaws. Six lay on the floor, blood pouring from mortal wounds.

  The side of Shaque's head was covered in blood. He fought with cold efficiency.

  But no matter how good they were, two against dozens just wasn't even odds.

  Then she saw Shaque disappear under a heap of bodies. Fear surged through her, then hot fury. Looking up, she saw Uncle Cy's grim face as he shouted orders to his pirates and pointed at her. The Man was standing to one side, screaming his own orders for Shaque's capture.

  The blood trickled from her nose, a pounding in her temples. Something touched her mentally, feeding her, and she felt the rage pour through her.

  With a deep roar, she cut a swath through the pirates trying to bring her down. She fought to get to Shaque's side. A red haze covered her vision, but the fighting men were clear as a vision of yellow body heat.

  A pirate in front of her paled when he looked at her and he stumbled back, crashing into several pirates coming up behind him. They went down in a heap, taking down a group of outlaws battling to get close to Shaque.

  A laser fired, and she felt a sting in her side, another across her rib cage. It only enraged her more.

  With a vicious roar, she grabbed an outlaw and snapped his neck with her bare hands. She saw Shaque pushing to his feet, the blood partially obscuring his face, but he still fought with that cold, calm expression on his face.

  The Man swore, she could hear him clearly. Uncle Cy let out a startled oath when she turned her head briefly to spot him. Then she saw the outlaw coming up behind Shaque, a machete upraised in his hands, ready to deal a crippling blow.

  The growl that trickled past her lips was distant to her hearing. But the roar of rage thundered through the room.

  In one powerful spring, Elyse launched herself at the outlaw. Crashing into him, she wrenched the machete out of his hand and grabbed his hair at the same time. Snapping back his head, she slashed the sharp blade across his throat.

  He dropped in a geyser of blood.

  Shaque spun around, dagger dripping scarlet, and she dropped into a crouch before him facing the outlaws, bracing one hand on the floor. The low growling sliding so menacingly from her throat, so guttural and low, matched her killing mood perfectly.

  She wanted them to come. Attack. Give her a reason to slay them all. Especially for ... reaching behind her, she placed one hand on Shaque's thigh, feeling the flex of strength beneath her hand.

  The outlaws and pirates had fallen back, and as she looked around, her eyes flickering over them, she saw the shock on their faces, their stunned and horrified expressions.

  The Man was staring at her, his throat working convulsively.

  "Mine,” she snarled, her voice as deep and guttural as her growls had been just seconds ago. “The hunter is mine."

  No one spoke, there was only the moans of the wounded, the gurgling of the dying. Bodies littered the floor. Men drew heaving breaths. But all watched Elyse and Shaque with still horror, but also a growing speculation and curiosity.

  Shaque didn't move, but she felt him stand above and behind her, a quiet strength, and knew he waited for her to move. For anyone to move. But he didn't step back from her in horror as her growls continued to come low and threatening from her throat.

  "Her eyes.” The Man swallowed. “Hell, what is she?"

  "Mutant,” someone whispered.

  "Listen to her,” another said.

  "Freak,” another muttered.

  Shaque glared coldly at the last man who had spoken. “Shut the hell up.” His voice cracked through the room like ice breaking, sharp and hard.

  "I think we better leave the hunter with Elyse,” Uncle Cy finally said.

  Elyse looked at him across the room. He was standing near the bar, his glass in his hand. She saw the slight tremble which he quickly hid by placing the glass on the bar.

  "I think both she and The Knifer would be better to stay with us."

  Some of his pirates looked dubious. A couple exchanged glances. Uncle Cy narrowed his eyes at them.

  "The hunter—” began The Man.

  Elyse snapped her head around fast, anger spearing through her. “Mine.” Moving forward, she placed one knee on the floor, bracing both palms on the hard wood, preparing herself to lunge. “If you want him, it's through me.” Opening her mouth, baring her teeth, she let the growl rumble forth and tremble in the air between them.

  That same something touched her again, and heat speared into her eyes. It was alien, something shadowy brushing through her mind. Whatever it was, it made The Man pale.

  "Take the freak!” The Man snapped at Uncle Cy as he backed away, trying to pretend a bravado when Elyse could smell his fear. “And take her toy as well!” His outlaws fell in around him. At the door he stopped and attempted a glare at Shaque. “If I see you again, you're dead, hunter. You hear? Just watch your back."

  Elyse snarled, and the outlaws were out the door.

  Silence filled the tavern. Looking around, Elyse saw that the only ones left were the pirates, Shaque and herself. Even the bartenders had v
anished. In one smooth motion, she pushed upright.

  Whatever touched her faded, taking with it her rage. But not her anger, not her wariness.

  Shaque stepped directly in front of her, his gaze searching hers unflinchingly. Then with a quick nod he turned and placed himself directly beside her so that their arms brushed against each other, and together they faced the pirates.

  "Goddamn,” Uncle Cy said wearily. “Enough fighting.” Taking a mouthful of the alcohol, he wiped one beefy hand across his lips. “Taryl, organize a collection of the injured.” Squinting at the bodies on the floor, he added, “And gather up our four dead."

  The pirates moved hastily, but kept their wary gazes on Elyse.

  She wasn't sure exactly how it had happened. Never before had she been able to simply call up the mutant inside her. Yet somehow it had happened. It had appeared. Had she called it up? Something was wrong.

  But there was time enough later to try and sort it out. Right now, she and Shaque still weren't totally out of danger.

  As the anger faded, she felt wired up. Energy filled her, seared through her veins.

  Shaque continued to watch Uncle Cy, his laser still raised.

  Uncle Cy rubbed his brow. “For sun's sake, boy, put down the daggers. There'll be no more fighting between us.” He squinted at them “Not right now, anyway."

  Knowing he was sincere, Elyse touched Shaque's arm. He knelt down to wipe the blades clean on a dead man's shirt before straightening and sheathing the daggers.

  Sitting on the stool, Uncle Cy looked at Elyse. “What happened?"

  She didn't answer because she still wasn't sure herself, but she wasn't going to let him know that. It was something she had to think about in the privacy and safety of her own ship.

  "Your eyes.” He shook his head. “They went red."

  Maybe she needed to up her medicine dosage.

  "But they're normal now.” With a sigh, he looked at several of the waiting pirates. “Keep watch on the doors and windows. I don't want anyone to get a laser beam lined up on this hunter bastard while we talk."

  Immediately the pirates had the doors and windows covered, keeping watch through the grimy glass with intent eyes.

  Uncle Cy looked at Elyse for several long seconds but when she didn't say anything, he sighed. “Why did you bring him here, Elyse? To a place so dangerous for his kind?"

  "We both search for a girl you once knew.” She walked forward, almost bouncing on the balls of her feet, feeling so energized.

  Silently, Shaque kept pace with her.

  "You think I'm going to give up a fellow outlaw?” Disgust filled his voice.

  "The girl was Shaque's sister.” Elyse drew the photo image of Nerissa and herself from her pocket and laid it flat on the bar before him. Blood stained one corner, and it was a bit battered from the fight.

  Picking up the photo image, Uncle Cy looked hard at the two girls pictured. His eyes suddenly lost all expression, his brutish features going blank. His gaze swept over Elyse's face. Pushing the image photo back to her, he stood up. “Let's continue this discussion back on my ship."

  "No,” Shaque said flatly. “The cargo hold of Elyse's ship."

  * * * *

  Fredrico gazed at the girl as she sat in the chair in the corner of the spare cabin. Her gaze was still unfocused, and she did obediently what she was instructed. Her will wasn't her own right now, and that was the way it was to be until she was handed to The Overlord.

  Whether he gave her back her will would remain to be seen.

  * * * *

  His wound had finally stopped bleeding, but until this little meeting was over, Shaque wasn't going to clean or patch it. He wasn't going to miss one word Elyse and Cy said to each other.

  Leaning against the wall in the cargo hold, Shaque watched the hulking space pirate captain sit on a bench. This pirate wasn't just any pirate, but a pirate so badly wanted that he hardly ever came out of the Outlaw Sector anymore. Cy didn't even come to the outskirts much. He was so wanted that many hunters, soldiers and peacekeepers would chance going a little further into the Outlaw Sector than normal.

  And here he was, a bounty hunter, sitting in the same cargo hold as this pirate. How ironic.

  Elyse had been her normal quiet self on the walk back to the spaceship, but there was a new wariness about her that he could feel. She stuck close to him, and he knew it wasn't for fear of her own safety. She was determined to see that he didn't get ‘accidentally’ separated from her and end up in the midst of a blood-thirsty pirate crew without her.

  The fact that she was obviously risking ostracising herself became more than apparent with each second that had ticked past in the tavern, and for the first time Shaque truly understood what Elyse was facing when she'd agreed to take him with her.

  What he didn't quite understand was what exactly had happened to her in the tavern. One minute they'd both been fighting for their lives, the next she'd exploded. The growls and roars had chilled even him, only the knowledge that it was Elyse keeping him from turning and killing her with laser fire. When he'd seen her eyes, shining such a brilliant red, the snarl on her face, he could see the mutant inside her trying to break free.

  And sick bastard that he was, the mutant in her had called to his own dangerous side. When she'd crouched at his feet, the danger pulsing off her in tangible waves, he'd been ... okay, be honest. It had been a turn on.

  Man, he'd never suspected how sick he was.

  Then again, he hadn't much time to be turned on, not with death staring them in the face from every side. His instinct for survival, the hunter in him, had taken over almost instantly, pushing aside any wayward thoughts and keeping him in deadly mode. But now he thought back to it...

  There'd be time later to ponder over everything. For now, it looked like Cy was going to spill some much needed information.

  Elyse sat on a bench on the opposite side of the cargo hold. Her fingers were laced together, elbows on her knees which were spaced apart, but he could see the energy that had her fingers twitching now and again. She was good at hiding it, except from him.

  Cy was studying the photo image. “Where did you get this?"

  "A girl gave it to me. We can't find that child, and the woman who looked after her is dead.” Elyse studied him. “You knew the girl in the photo image."

  "Yeah.” Cy looked at Shaque. “And she's your sister?"

  Shaque nodded. “Do you know where she is?"

  Cy frowned. “I think she's on this planet, last I heard. I'll try and find out.” He gave Shaque a black look. “I'll find out easier than you will."

  Unfazed, Shaque simply looked back at the hulking pirate. He didn't give a shit what he thought, as long as Nerissa was found.

  "Why was Shaque's sister with me?” Elyse asked.

  "She was on the same ship that brought you home."

  "Did she come from Inka?"

  "No. She was passed onto the ship by the pirates that had captured her.” He looked at her. “Why do you want to know? Why do you care?"

  "She may know something I need to know."

  "Such as?"

  "My business."

  Cy leaned one meaty forearm on his thigh. “Don't piss me off, girl. You've done a good job of that already by bringing this hunter into my space. You turn mutant and won't tell me what is happening. You don't want to make it worse by yanking my chain."

  Elyse merely looked back at him steadily. It was the kind of reaction that Shaque expected from her, and he totally approved.

  "You better start giving me some answers, girl,” Cy continued, his voice deep and rumbling menacingly. “You turned on me. You chose the hunter over your own old loyalties. You might be Sonja's best friend, and I may have helped rear you, but I'll break you if I choose. Understand?"

  She continued to look at him silently. She might have appeared unconcerned, but Shaque felt the sudden tension in her. The fingers on one hand were drumming lightly on her knee.

  Pushi
ng up from the seat, Cy stalked across the cargo hold to stare down the ramp to the sunlit dirt of the docking bay beyond.

  Shaque glanced at Elyse, and saw her put her hand up to her nose. Pulling the rag from her pocket, she wiped away the trickle of blood that appeared. Another slipped free, and another, and she calmly dabbed them away.

  Apart from the time on Saalm, she hadn't bled more than one drop at a time. Concerned, he made to stand up, but she shook her head slightly at him.

  "What the...” Cy's voice lashed out like a whip. “Elyse!"

  Wiping the last drop of blood away, she pocketed the rag and raised one brow at him.

  Striding back across the cargo hold, he leaned down and grabbed her chin in one meaty hand.

  Immediately Shaque started to push up, but Elyse put out one hand to stop him. Reluctantly he subsided, but he watched alertly as Cy tipped her head back, the pirate's hard gaze sweeping across her face.

  "Are you unwell?” Cy asked sharply.

  "No."

  His mouth tightened. “What's with the bloody nose?"

  "Caught a cold."

  "I ought to belt you black and blue.” His gaze cutting to Shaque. “What do you know?"

  "Only what she tells me,” Shaque replied.

  Cy stared down at Elyse. “What's going on?"

  She returned his gaze steadily before saying, “I need to know my benefactor."

  "Benefactor?"

  "I know I have mutant genes. I know I have my parent's genes. But there's another gene.” Elyse hesitated, glanced at Shaque.

  "You want him to leave?” Cy asked tightly. “I'll get him out."

  No way in hell was anyone shifting him now. Shaque just knew that there was more about Elyse to be revealed, and it would take Hell's own army to shift him right now. He wanted to know the mystery that was Elyse.

  Needed to know.

  Turing his head slowly, he met Elyse's gaze. Her brown eyes held a blue rim around the edges of her irises.

  Eight

  "No,” she finally said. “It won't make a lot of difference."

  Breathing a silent sigh of relief, Shaque waited for her to continue.

  Elyse met Cy's gaze steadily. “I have the genes of my parents and mutants. But there's another gene in there, and I need to discover the donor."