Soul of a Predator

by Angela Verdenius

  Shaque shrugged not really caring what his friend thought."

  "I thought I'd see you two slicing each other up, not kissing up! How the hell did that happen?"

  Shaque shrugged again. He had no idea, so he didn't think it really worth saying aloud.

  "I don't know what shocks me more, the fact that the elusive Overlord is involved in all this, or the fact that you and Elyse...” He shuddered. “I can't even say it."

  Shaque grinned faintly.

  Abra just shook his head.

  After several seconds of silence, Abra recollected himself enough to say, “I didn't have a clue that she was dying."

  Shaque's smile faded. “No. Don't tell anyone. Not a soul outside the pack."

  "I'm sorry. For you."

  "Be sorry for us both.” Shaque looked soberly at him. “She is the one I'll spend the rest of my life with, and I don't say that lightly. If anything happens to her..."

  "Yeah.” Abra returned his look. “Yeah."

  Seconds more ticked past.

  "So, if you kill or capture and return this Sarita, then The Overlord has a way to save Elyse's life.” Abra wasn't asking, but sorting out the information aloud. “Killing Sarita won't be a problem once it's known she's a dangerous outlaw."

  "And that can't be made known until Elyse has her in her sights.” Shaque leaned forward. “If capture is out of the question, it's imperative that Elyse be the one that deals the killing blow. It's our hunt, her kill. It's the only way The Overlord will have it."

  Abra nodded. “Understood."

  "Don't mention it to Sabra. She'll do whatever it takes in her security job, and if she knows Sarita is in the Lawful Sector, and is such a dangerous outlaw, she'll class her as a risk and capture her straight away."

  "Agreed. But if she ever finds out we kept this from her, you're the one doing the explaining. Me, I'm going to be heading in the other direction before she gets to me with her hide-stripping tongue."

  "On my head be it."

  "You won't have a head left.” Abra looked away, checking something. “You're about six weeks away, at a guess. I can't find you on the radar, so you're too far into the Outlaw Sector for me to track. You could be even further away than that, two months or more."

  "I'd say it's going to be a boring trip, but I doubt it.” Shaque grinned. “Not now."

  Abra shuddered. “Don't. The mental picture I'm getting will keep me awake.” He sobered. “You be careful, Shaque. You might care for Elyse, but I don't trust her. Sorry, but I'm just being honest."

  Shaque nodded.

  "You take care around her."

  "No worries."

  Abra hesitated. “If you need anything, any kind of help, you contact me and we'll have the nearest bounty hunter ship flying towards you. Okay?"

  "Thanks. But at this stage, it's just the surveillance of Sarita that we need."

  "Right.” Abra shook his head. “I can't believe she loves you back."

  "She does, she just doesn't quite accept it yet."

  That made Abra's eyes just about pop from his head. “What?"

  Shaque shrugged again. “I told her she loves me. She's not so sure. But she does."

  "God Almighty.” Abra shook his head again. “I can't wait to tell the others about this."

  Shaque didn't really care who knew. Now he'd decided Elyse was his, there was no reason why it should be a secret.

  Of course, she would be pissed off, but then again, Elyse in a temper was titillating. He grinned.

  "Oh suns.” Abra covered his eyes. “Control yourself, Shaque. All this sudden smiling can't be good for you."

  Shaque's grin broadened.

  They ended transmission shortly after, Abra promising to report in daily with the surveillance results.

  Leaving the control cabin, Shaque went in search of Elyse, and found her in the living area. Curled up in an armchair, she had her head resting back on the rounded backrest. When she saw him, she had a thoughtful expression on her face.

  Dropping into the armchair opposite her, he crossed his ankles and propped his boots up on the edge of the little table. Something was on her mind. He raised one brow at her.

  "You're very calm and accepting of all this,” she said bluntly.

  "Nothing else I can do,” he replied. “I want you alive, and doing The Overlord's bidding is the only way we can make that happen."

  "You do know he may simply double-cross us."

  That thought had crossed his mind. He nodded.

  "And you accept that, too."

  He nodded again, relaxing back in the big chair.

  "You're an enigma."

  "I'm an open book to you."

  Elyse's eyes were hooded. Her thick lashes dropped partway down, hiding the expression in her eyes. “Really?"

  He cocked a brow, waiting.

  She gave nothing of her own thoughts away. “So, tell me truthfully. Doesn't the thought of coupling with an ex-pirate offend your law-abiding sensibilities?"

  "Not if it's you."

  "Doesn't the thought that one of the worst criminals in the universe has his genes inside me just turn your stomach?"

  "No."

  "Doesn't the thought of having to control a murdering, rampaging mutant make you just want to shoot me?"

  "No."

  "You wanted to shoot me before."

  "Shoot. Stab. I wasn't hugely fussy. Nor were you."

  "I'm not talking about me. I'm talking about you."

  He inclined his head. Resting his elbows on the armrest, he linked his hands on his flat belly and watched her lazily, intrigued by her questions. The woman was trying to trip him up. She was wasting her time.

  "All right, Shaque, let's try a different scenario.” She tossed the handtronic onto the table. “Say The Overlord does double cross us. Then what?"

  "I'll do everything in my power to find you a cure, and that includes going back to The Overlord."

  "He'll kill you."

  Shaque shrugged.

  "What if I turn mutant and stay mutant?"

  Shaque shrugged again.

  "Could you honestly bed a mutant, Shaque? Live with a mutant?"

  "You're still Elyse.” He contemplated her easily. “You went mutant on me right in the middle of a very hot, sexual moment, if I remember correctly. It only made me hotter."

  "That's because you're a sick bastard."

  "Sure."

  "I bet you just love the idea of controlling the mutant in me.” There was a dangerous glint in her eyes.

  Now he was treading a bit of a minefield. But then again, he'd always walked where others feared to tread.

  "Sure. I like knowing that I'm the only one your dangerous side will respond to."

  "You like me to obey."

  "I like you to listen,” he corrected.

  "Let's try this scenario. What if I don't love you and I walk away after all this?"

  "I'll follow you to the ends of the universe."

  "I might find another lover."

  "He won't touch you."

  "What's to stop him?"

  "Me."

  "Once this is all over and we're back to normal, everything will change, you know. No danger, no mutant.” A sudden thought struck her, and her eyes gleamed. “Say The Overlord honours his very dubious word, and takes that essence of his from me. What then, Shaque? I'll only be half as dangerous."

  He grinned. “You think?"

  "Yeah."

  "Elyse, you'll always be dangerous. It's a part of you."

  She eyed him for several seconds.

  Shaque cast a cool glance over her.

  Picking up the handtronic, Elyse continued to read what was on the screen, dismissing him with the gesture.

  Amused, Shaque stretched out comfortably and dozed. Wait until word got back to her. And it would. Then he'd see how calm she was. He couldn't wait.

  He had no doubt she'd get word very, very soon.

  * * * *

  Elyse contacte
d her friends several hours later. Brina answered the transmission, and was hugely relieved to see Elyse safe and well.

  "Shit, you had us worried sick,” Brina said.

  "No need to. Donika around?"

  "She's in the settlement, getting some supplies with the others. I heard that you'd turned mutant, that you'd been tracking a slave ship, that you'd been taken by The Overlord.” She looked at Elyse's calm face. “Aw, shit, say it isn't so."

  "The Overlord had us as his guests,” Elyse replied. “And I trust you all not to say a word to anyone. It's to stay amongst you girls."

  "You know we can keep a secret to the grave."

  Elyse knew it, all right. No one had known what Sonja went through, her crew had guarded her secret well. They still guarded secrets and told no one anything. They'd keep this secret, too.

  And because it might affect them in some way, especially the presence of Fredrico, Elyse told Brina most of what happened. The only thing she didn't tell her was that she was dying—and that she and Shaque had been intimate.

  "Hells’ bells.” Brina's eyes were wide. “I don't know what to say."

  "Say nothing. But keep an eye out for Tahlia. Let me know when she appears at Uncle Cy's. I don't trust that snake, Fredrico."

  "Stars, I never knew he'd gone so dark.” Brina shook her head. “I knew he was keeping hellish company, a lot of us know it, but I didn't know he'd travelled so far down that path. Man."

  "Yeah, well be sure to keep Jevena and Jolie away from him and his damned crew."

  "We'll keep an eye on the young chicklets, never fear.” Brina drummed her fingers on the console. “So, what can we do to help?"

  "Not much. It's all in the middle of the Lawful Sector, so it's out of your reach."

  Brina grinned.

  Elyse shook her head. “I don't want you getting too involved. Shaque's pack is putting Sarita under surveillance. I don't want you hanging around where bounty hunters are preying."

  "Fair enough."

  Before anything more could be said, Brina was shoved out of the way and Donika's flushed face appeared. She was out of breath.

  "What the hell is going on?” Donika almost yelled through the viscomm. “What's this about you and Shaque being a couple?"

  Elyse was taken aback. “What?"

  "I got it from Sonja, she got it from Sabra, Sabra got it from Abra, and Abra got it straight from that bastard bounty hunter you're keeping company with!"

  She was going to kill him!

  "He's saying you love him, even if you don't realize it yet! Are you going to marry him? Elyse! Are you out of your mind?” Donika shrieked. “The Knifer? You're supposed to be trying to kill each other, not shag each other senseless!"

  "What the hell...?” Brina shoved Donika aside. “Is it true?” Her eyes were wide. “You and the hunter?"

  "No!"

  "You haven't shagged each other?"

  "Well..."

  "Oh bloody hell!” Donika shrieked.

  Brina was shoved aside again and Illona's eager face filled the screen. “Is the hunter a good shag? Hot damn! I knew it! I knew it! I can tell a good screw five miles off! He's a hot screw, isn't he? Yes! Gimme the details!"

  "Get out of the way, you slag!” Donika pushed her back. “Elyse! Tell me you haven't slept with him!"

  "Well, I just ... I didn't mean..."

  "Oh my God! What if you're pregnant? Another little Knifer running around!"

  "I can't get pregnant, remember?"

  "Oh, thank the stars! But Elyse! Shaque?"

  She was going to kill him!

  "Shaque!” she roared, reaching for the switch to turn the viscomm off.

  "Don't go near him!” Donika shrieked.

  "I bet she's going to shag him!” Illona yelled. “She has that look in her eyes!"

  "That's a killing look, you nong!” Brina held up one hand. “Elyse, don't cut us off—"

  The viscomm screen went dark as Elyse jabbed the switch. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment, and fury shot through her.

  How dare he! How dare he tell his friends when she didn't even know what was happening!

  Storming through the corridor, she swung into the living area and found him sprawled lazily back in the armchair, watching her through half closed eyes. He looked so damned handsome, so cool and in control, so bloody smug, that she wanted to rip his head off.

  "How dare you!” she snarled.

  He arched one bloody brow, and she wanted to rip that off, too.

  "You told your friends about us!"

  He inclined his head, not in the least worried.

  "Why the hell would you do that?"

  "I'm not ashamed of our love."

  "Our love? I don't know if there is a ‘our love'!"

  "Oh, there is. Don't doubt it.” A gleam entered his winter eyes, but his posture remained lazy.

  That gleam stoked her fury.

  Stalking across the cabin, she leaned down over him, slapping her hands down on the armrests, caging him in. Putting her face within inches of his, she snarled, “You trouble-making bastard!"

  Amusement met her words.

  "I ought to slit you open right here!"

  "Pants or shirt first?"

  "You sick pervert! Did you do this to make me bloody furious?"

  "Not at all.” He said it in such a reasonable tone, she ground her teeth. “I merely told them the truth. Your reaction is a bonus."

  "A bonus?” She caught the heat in his eyes then. “You planned this!” Disgusted, she pushed upright.

  "Guilty,” he said, and lunged upwards fast.

  She took a step back to balance herself, readying herself for a fight, but the back of her knee hit the low table behind her, throwing her off-balance.

  Before she could regain her footing, Shaque followed her down fast.

  They both hit the table, he on top of her.

  The table broke beneath their combined weight, and he landed on top of her with enough force to knock her breath from her when she hit the floor on her back with him flush on top of her.

  By the time she'd gasped enough breath in to stop the black spots dancing before her eyes, Shaque was lying on his back beside her.

  "Cheap, nasty furniture,” he announced. “I'm surprised at you, Elyse."

  "You stupid bugger!” Coming up onto her elbows, she surveyed the damage of broken wood both beneath and around her.

  "If you've got splinters, I'll take them out,” he offered.

  Turning her head to look at him, she found him balanced on his own shoulders, his normally calm winter eyes dancing with unaccustomed laughter.

  He took her breath away again. His hair had come loose to spill around his shoulders in blonde disarray. With his laughing eyes and curving lips, he looked suddenly so young, so handsome, without a care.

  She'd never seen him look so carefree.

  "Elyse?” The laughter faded and he sat up. “Are you all right? Did you get hurt?"

  "No. I'm fine.” Searchingly she looked up at him. “But I'm still going to bust your arse."

  His full, yet undoubtedly masculine lips, curved into that enchanting grin again. “You can try."

  She couldn't believe it. The grimness had been swept away to be replaced with amusement, the coldness with warm laughter.

  It was like a mirror image of the Shaque she knew. And she didn't quite know how to take him. Cold, grim, sardonic, that she could handle. But this...

  She glanced away, only to look up when he bent over her. The laughter had gone to be replaced with concern.

  "Elyse? What's wrong?"

  "Nothing.” She started to push upright, but he laid his hand on her stomach, stilling her.

  "I'm sorry."

  The apology startled her so much that she didn't push his hand away. When she looked up, it was to find his face grown cool once again, the laughter gone, the youthful look replaced with that of the controlled hunter she knew better.

  "I shouldn't have told ev
eryone. But I don't feel shame in my feelings.” His jaw tightened a fraction. “I'm sorry if I've embarrassed you."

  "No,” she said quickly. “It wasn't that."

  "Then what was it?"

  "I just ... I'm not used to seeing you laugh. You looked so young."

  He frowned, not understanding.

  "Shaque, you're normally so controlled. You might show mild amusement, but just then, you were like a different person. You were laughing, teasing, taking such enjoyment from this mishap. It took me by surprise."

  He looked down at her for several long seconds, and then subsided back onto his elbows to contemplate the wall. “It's been years since I laughed like that."

  "Really?"

  "Yeah. I recall only laughing a few times since my sister vanished. And oddly enough, the most recent time, apart from now, was also in your presence."

  "Oh."

  Tipping back his head, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His blonde hair hung loose. “You seem to bring out something in me. Joy. Cheer. Whatever. All I know is that when I'm with you, even when you're threatening to rip my head off and my lungs out, I feel lighter. Different.” He slanted a sideways look at her. “Alive."

  "Oh.” She didn't know what to say, but what he said touched something deep inside her. “That's ... nice."

  "Yes, isn't it?” His lips twitched in amusement.

  She looked sideways at him, and felt her lips twitch in response.

  "Am I forgiven?” he asked.

  "Don't push it."

  He laughed softly, but there was a darker edge to it when he rose lithely to his feet. Reaching down, he caught her hand and pulled her up easily from the wreckage of the little table.

  She knew what he was going to do, and didn't fight it when he pulled her against his chest.

  Placing one hand in the small of her back, he slid the other around her nape, and then he just looked at her, his gaze sweeping over her face slowly, lingering on her eyes and lips.

  "I am not ashamed to proclaim to one and all that I love you,” he finally said. “It's not something I would do normally. Telling my friends is one thing, but for you, I would tell the world. Do you doubt me, Elyse?"

  "No,” she answered truthfully. “I don't doubt you. I doubt myself."

  "Don't,” he said. And kissed her gently.

  It touched her to her soul, and heat immediately sprang to life between them. But before Elyse could kiss him back, Shaque drew away.