by Anna Hackett
“I’m walking you to your door.”
Her eyes widened. “No, I—”
“No arguments, Mina.”
She muttered under her breath. “Fine. There.”
He pulled into a parking spot in front of the old stone building she’d indicated.
As they stepped out of the car, the wind ruffled her hair.
“Don’t blame me if there’s nothing left of your fancy transport when you get back.”
He touched the small fob in his pocket and activated the security system. A blue shimmer flowed over the vehicle. He knew she was just trying to get rid of him again. “Don’t worry about the transport.”
They headed to the front door of the building, and Tannon’s jaw wound tighter and tighter. It had terrible security. As she coded herself in, he glanced around and saw several groups of people clustered around on the street. None of them looked like they were up to any good.
Mina moved into a narrow hall. As he followed, he noted several holes in the wall and some laser scorch marks. He bared his teeth.
She stopped in front of a door and pressed her hand to the cheap, electronic lock. “Home sweet home.”
He suppressed a snort. A three-year-old could hack that lock. When the door swung open, he took one glance inside and his spine snapped straight. “Mina—”
She spun, blocking the doorway. “It’s cheap. I’ll get something better once I’ve saved enough.”
“Saved what? I’m aware that you’ve been loaning credits to Nihan who works in the kitchen.”
She lifted her chin. “His mom is sick.”
“And Pav in the restaurant area.”
Mina’s eyes narrowed. “Pav’s kids need school supplies. Funnily enough, she didn’t need much since someone higher up the food chain arranged an advance on her pay.” Mina tilted her head. “Know anything about that?”
Tannon gritted his teeth. “Pack your things.”
Her eyes went huge. “What?”
“You’re not staying here.”
“Tannon!”
“Get your things. I’ll get you a room at the Dark Nebula.”
That stubborn chin lifted another fraction. It made Tannon want to kiss the line of her jaw and see if her skin felt as smooth as it looked.
Drak. This woman short-circuited his brain without even trying.
“I pay my own way,” she said.
“Pack.”
“No—”
“Whatever you pay here—” he tried not to let his lip curl “—you can pay at the Dark Nebula.”
She made an angry noise and sliced a hand through the air. “I know exactly how expensive the rooms are at the casino. I can’t afford it.”
“Pack. Your. Things.” He gripped her chin. “I won’t have you raped or murdered or snatched for a slave auction.”
She stared at him, and they ended up locked in a battle of wills. But Mina Lan’Gar had to learn that Tannon’s strongest skill was his determination.
Of course, it was Mina, so she didn’t back down. Tannon knew of no one but Rillian who ever stood up to him.
Drak. Tannon sucked in a breath and tried to think of a way that he could convince her to come with him. There was no chance that he was leaving her here.
“Please,” he said.
She shifted on her feet and he detected a chink in her defenses.
“Please don’t make me leave you here.”
He saw her blink, then her face softened. When she sighed, he knew he had her.
“Okay,” she said in a soft voice.
He waited while she pulled out a battered leather case that should have been tossed in the trash years ago. It didn’t take long for her to pack her clothes. She didn’t have much stuff and it made him scowl.
Soon, they were back at his transport. He shot a hard look at the trio of men lurking nearby, sizing him up. One glance, and the men scuttled away.
Mina stood with her door open. “Do you scare everyone off with that scowl?”
He raised a brow. “It doesn’t appear to work on you.”
As they headed back to the Dark Nebula, Mina was quiet, staring out the window. His hands flexed on the transport’s controls. He wanted to know what she was thinking, feeling. He wanted to know everything about her.
In his previous job, and now as head of security, he was well aware people hid secrets. No one ever showed their true selves. But for some reason, he wanted to know the heart of this woman.
Back at the casino, he led her into the grand, opulent lobby. The black stone floor was threaded with strands of glittering silver.
At the long, sleek desk, he caught the attention of one of the staff members. Spotting him, the man hurried over.
“Sir, what can I do for you?”
“I need a suite.”
The man nodded, swiping on a translucent screen.
Mina gripped Tannon’s arm. “Tannon, I need to pay my way. There must be something—”
“It’s fine.” He glanced at the young man. “Charge it to my private account.”
The man’s eyes widened and he sent a shocked, considering look at Mina.
“Speed it up,” Tannon said. “I have a meeting I need to attend.”
The man nodded, quickly tapping on his screen. A second later, he handed over a small, circular Dark Nebula chip. “There you go.”
Tannon nodded, then grabbed Mina’s bag. He nudged her toward one of the private elevators.
“Great,” she whispered furiously. “Now he thinks I’m sleeping with you.” She groaned. “It’ll be all over the casino’s gossip network in approximately five seconds.”
“I don’t listen to gossip.” He held the chip to the elevator’s scanner.
“Well, I’m not as refined and disciplined as you.” When the doors opened, she stomped in. “And I’m not the head of security. People will look at me differently.”
The elevator started its ascent. “So, tell them the truth.”
She snorted. “That makes gossip worse, Tannon, not better.”
“Facts are facts.”
She made an angry noise. “Stop talking.”
The elevator opened directly into the suite.
Mina’s mouth dropped open and she stepped into the room. “Wow.”
The suite had a wonderful view of not only the District, but of the Kor Magna Arena. Its cream stone walls rose high, flags fluttering on the top.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she murmured. “So sturdy, strong. Enduring.”
Tannon tilted his head. He hadn’t given it much thought before, but now he looked at it through her eyes, he could see what she meant.
He dropped her bag and then stepped back into the elevator. “Get settled.”
She whirled. “Tannon.”
He couldn’t read her tone. He touched the elevator controls to hold the doors open.
Mina wrapped her arms around her middle. “I didn’t feel safe before. At that apartment.”
“You’re safe here.”
“I know. I haven’t felt safe for a really long time. Thank you.”
Emotions surged through Tannon. Some of them he couldn’t even identify. Mina appeared to have that effect on him, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. He needed to get away from this woman before he did something out of character.
Like grab her and kiss her.
There was no way he would let her think that there were strings to his offer. And there was no way he could let her peel back his defenses.
He had good reasons for needing to shield himself from people. He never wanted her to see what he truly was.
She walked toward him and stepped into the elevator. He got a whiff of that clean, pretty scent of hers. She went up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“Thanks, Tannon. You keep that nice guy pretty well hidden.”
“I’m not nice.”
She went back down on her feet. “Yes, you are. Most people around here figure you’re secretly a cyborg.”
He stiffened, but didn’t respond.
“I know better.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I know you take care of the casino workers behind the scenes. No one’s put it together—who approves pay advances, who ensures transports to take workers home late at night, who hires those who are most desperate for work.”
Tannon shook his head. Drak.
She pointed at him. “Nice guy.”
“Good night, Mina.”
“Super good, nice guy.”
“Good night,” he said more forcefully.
She grinned and stepped backward off the elevator. “Night.”
Tannon released his hold on the elevator controls. His gaze stayed on Mina as the doors closed.
Chapter Three
“There you go.” Mina set the drinks down on the table with a smile.
One of the customers looked up from his card game of rakarran. “Thanks, stalinka.”
She took in his blue-gray skin, shiny, bald head, and huge, dark eyes. “What does that mean?”
He smiled. “Beautiful star.”
She gave him a wink and moved on to deliver her next drinks. The next two customers made her skin crawl. She’d been delivering drinks and food to them for the last few hours, but neither the man nor the woman seemed to be enjoying themselves.
When she set their drinks down, she didn’t bother with a smile. She could be a part of the furniture for all they cared. Their heads were bent and they were talking quietly. They didn’t appear to be paying any attention to the comp screens they were gambling on.
Then she caught a few words.
“…the party. Need…access…security.”
She frowned, a whisper of something moving through her. Wait. These were the guys she’d overheard yesterday.
“Hi, there.” Smiling brightly, she pushed the drinks closer to them.
Both of them looked up at her, and cold, flat gazes hit her. They were both humanoid. The man was big—his bulging arms looked like they could bench press a starship. He had greasy black hair and a small set of brown horns. The woman was…nondescript. Average height, average weight, with plain brown hair and brown skin. She looked like she was good at fading into the background, except for the black ink on her neck. The tattoo looked like two suns rising over a flat horizon.
Mina cocked her head, giving them her friendliest look.
Neither of them reacted. “We don’t need anything else,” the woman growled.
“Sure thing.” Mina lifted her small order screen, tapping on it like she was completely engrossed in her work. Carefully, she scanned around for any of the security team.
She hadn’t seen Tannon today. She’d been keeping an eye out for him. One, because apparently, she had a serious weakness for gruff, serious men. And two, because she wanted to tell him that she’d slept incredibly well. The best sleep she’d had in a long time. The bed had felt like a soft cloud beneath her.
She was still adjusting to sleeping during the day. She usually worked from early evening to the wee hours of the morning, then slept until lunch time. But sleep had been proving pretty elusive lately. Her sleep was marred by terrible nightmares she could never quite remember.
Again, she scanned the casino floor, hoping to see his broad shoulders. Drak, he left her confused. He made her want things she’d never wanted before.
Mina couldn’t remember wanting any man the way she wanted him. In the desert, men usually meant servitude. Now she was free. She felt a dull throb in her head. Ugh. The last thing she needed was a headache.
“Everything’s on schedule,” the big man said to the woman.
Mina’s ears pricked up and she shifted a little closer.
“We need a casino ID. Security’s too tight for us to sneak in. That drakking assassin that runs the security never sleeps.”
Assassin? Were they talking about Tannon? And was this about the House of Galen and House of Rone party?
Suddenly, the man lifted his head and looked at her. She forced a smile. “Can I get you anything else?”
“Told you before, nothing.”
Ouch, if a voice could cut, she’d be bleeding. “Sure? Another drink? Something to eat?”
He scowled. “No. Now, go.”
With a nod, Mina hurried off. She was more than glad to get away from them. She pushed through the crowd, tucking her empty tray close. She needed to find Tannon and tell him what she’d overheard.
She knew he was busy working on the security plan for the gladiator party. Maybe she needed to head up to the security office. She’d never been up there before.
Before she’d gotten half way across the main casino floor, she sensed a ripple through the crowd. She turned and heard a commotion nearby—loud voices and shouts.
She bumped into another waitress, who had long, black curls that reached past her waist. “Karla, what’s happening?”
The tall woman in the tiny skirt tilted her head. “There’s someone in the High Rollers Room who has a bounty on his head.” There was a lick of excitement in the woman’s voice.
That’s when Mina saw Tannon striding toward the door to the High Rollers Room. His suit jacket flared out behind him. Beside him was a tall, muscular alien with dark-gray skin.
“Who’s that?”
“He’s an alien hunter.” Karla’s words dripped with hushed fear.
Alien hunters. Mina had heard of them. Bounty hunters who tracked down their prey…but they didn’t return their captives to anybody, they executed them. She shivered.
All of a sudden, a man rushed out of the High Rollers Room. He was holding laser blasters in both hands and started firing. People screamed and scattered.
Oh, drak. A stray laser blast hit one of the giant chandeliers hanging overhead. In horror, Mina watched the huge light fixture come crashing down. It smashed on the floor, deadly shards flying everywhere.
The screams rose in volume, customers panicking.
Mina jumped onto a gaming table. “Don’t panic! Please just walk as you leave the area.”
The crowd kept surging and from her new vantage point, she saw Tannon had pulled out a laser weapon. It was a big, deadly-looking weapon made of black metal. A line of neon green lit up the side of it. He looked very at ease holding it. He walked forward, aimed, and fired on the man.
The crazed man was running into the middle of the casino. Mina saw one of the waitresses, Briella, trip right near the man. Drak, he was running straight at her.
Mina leaped off the table, landed hard on her heels, then sprinted forward. As she raced past the board of Rog Sepp, she yanked two darts off it.
She stepped between Briella and the man.
“Mina!” Tannon’s roar.
Mina grabbed the waitress and pulled her up.
“Get up. Run. Now!” She shoved the green-haired woman out of the way.
When Mina turned back, the man had reached her. His wild gaze jumped all around. He looked like he was high on something, or very, very desperate.
Behind him, Tannon was shouldering through the crowd like a street fighter.
“Just take it easy.” She kept her voice low and calm. “You have nowhere to go, so don’t make this hard.”
The man’s gaze zeroed in on her and his blasters swung around. Crap. Staying calm, Mina lifted her arm, aimed, and threw her darts in quick succession.
His body jerked. One dart hit his cheek and the other pierced his eye. But it didn’t stop him. He let out an enraged bellow and charged at her.
Drakking hell.
Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around her from behind and lifted her off her heels. She got a glimpse of Tannon’s face as he tossed her on top of one of the farnaa tables. His face looked like it was carved from stone, but a muscle was ticking at his temple. He pushed her over to the other side of the table.
“Stay there,” he barked.
Then he turned to face the incoming attacker.
The man came in like a crazed sandstorm, blood dripping do
wn his face. Tannon coolly lifted his weapon and fired.
Laser skated over the man’s body, making him shake and jerk.
But he didn’t go down. Man, whatever he was hyped up on, was keeping him upright. Biting her lip, she watched him bear down on Tannon.
Tannon didn’t even look like he was breaking a sweat. She saw him let his arms drop to his sides, his blaster falling to the floor.
Her heart thumped against her ribs. What was he doing?
Then she saw the veins in Tannon’s arms start to glow. She gasped, gripping the edge of the table she was hiding behind. She’d never seen anything like it. Under his skin, his veins were glowing a bright silver.
The man got close to Tannon, lifting his blasters. Tannon pressed his palms to the man’s chest.
Sparks exploded and silver lightning skated over the man. She could see the energy flowing from Tannon’s arms.
The man shuddered violently, and all around them, screams filled the air. The attacker dropped to the ground, his body shriveling.
When Tannon stepped back, the man on the ground was no more than a dried-out husk.
Breathing heavily, Tannon stood there, staring down at the man he’d just killed.
All around, the casino crowd had gone silent. He felt the stares, heard the whispers. His blood—hot and scalding—churned inside him. He still wasn’t in full control of himself.
Several members of his security team pushed through the crowd, but they hung back. The alien hunter stood nearby, and even he had a wary look on his face.
Tannon had seen the look before. The alien hunter knew exactly what Tannon was.
“Get rid of the body,” Tannon ordered his team. “Ensure Gallas Min gets custody of the remains.” He nodded at the alien hunter.
Tannon’s men shook themselves, then sprang into action. Then he turned, and saw Mina staring at him.
For the first time since he’d known her, her face was blank. Her gaze dropped and he saw her staring at his arms, at the silver glow that was slowly draining away.
This was a reminder to Tannon that your past never stayed in the past. You couldn’t escape it, outrun it, or ignore it.
His heartbeat thumped like a roar in his ears. He needed to get away. His control was ice thin.