Captured & Seduced

by Shelley Munro

  “They’re firing on us. Everyone strap in. Aim,” Jannike hollered to Kaya. “Fire!”

  The two women worked together while Nanu did a good job of piloting in combat conditions.

  “I need to get to the bridge.” Ry dragged himself through the tender.

  Mogens and Camryn followed. “Ry, I need to bandage your leg now. You can’t afford to lose more blood.”

  “Dammit, there’s another tender bearing down on us,” Jannike snapped.

  “What about Gabby and Luke?” Ry asked.

  “We’ve strapped them in so they won’t hurt themselves and padded the stalls just like Camryn told us,” Nanu shouted over his shoulder. “Dammit, Ry. Hurry up. I’m not a pilot. I’m an engineer.”

  “Fire!” Jannike shouted.

  Their tender shuddered when Nanu evaded.

  “Shot!” Kaya roared, pumping her fist in the air with jubilation. “It’s crashing.”

  Camryn peered out the porthole and saw the plume of smoke and the fireball when it crashed in the middle of thick bush.

  “The other tender is breaking off. They’re leaving.”

  “Great job,” Ry said.

  “Where should we head to?” Nanu asked, breaking the tension on the bridge.

  “We need to find somewhere else to train,” Camryn said. “I don’t want to upset Gabby and Luke by moving them into the racing stables. She starts to nip when she gets anxious.”

  “We can do without that,” Ry said. “Hell, this leg hurts.”

  “Why does a little nip matter to you? You can just turn into a kitty-cat and heal your wounds,” Camryn said.

  “Meow,” Jannike said after the silence stretched.

  “Braver than me,” Nanu muttered.

  “Stop whispering about me,” Camryn snapped.

  “You heard?” Ry demanded.

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “Mogens, can you tell me what they were talking about?” Ry asked.

  The seer shook his head.

  “Oh come on. You must have heard them.” Camryn stalked closer to Ry and poked in him the middle of his chest with her finger. “This is some sort of game. Make fun of the poor Earthling, right.” Poke. Poke. Poke.

  “Why doesn’t she just pull his tail?” Jannike asked.

  “Because he conveniently doesn’t have one at the moment,” Camryn snapped.

  Ry and Mogens exchanged a glance.

  “What? What?” Camryn dropped her hands to her sides and glared at Ry, her hands curling to tight fists. “What secret alien stuff are you talking about now?”

  “How is your sense of smell?” Mogens asked, his black head tipping to the side like an inquisitive bird.

  “There’s nothing wrong with my sense of smell. I can tell Luke has been rolling on his food again or burying it and digging it back up. He really needs a bath.”

  “Huh, I’m not going to bathe him again.” Kaya jumped into the conversation, with a rueful glance at her forearm. The white scar tissue glowed against the tan of her skin.

  “I told you not to force him. You can lead a horse to water and that’s all,” Jannike said.

  Camryn rolled her eyes and turned to Ry. He had a peculiar expression on his face.

  “Perhaps we’ll talk about it later,” he said with a glance at his crew.

  “Oh no. You’re not putting this off. No more secrets. If there’s any alien mumbo-jumbo going on I want to know.”

  “She has a right to know.” Mogens padded the wound and wrapped a pale gray bandage around Ry’s leg. His skin swirled gray for an instant before turning back to solid black.

  “Aha! Alien crap again,” Camryn said in triumph.

  Ry’s jaw worked. His eyes flashed and the bottom seemed to fall from Camryn’s stomach. His anger alarmed her, but not enough to let him brush off her questions.

  “I told him he shouldn’t have touched you,” Mogens said.

  The rest of the crew tried to look busy. They didn’t speak to each other, but it didn’t matter. Their expressions spoke volumes.

  “What do you mean?” Camryn fought to keep calm. They wouldn’t drag her sex life into the conversation.

  “Your vision is good, your hearing is extraordinary and you can communicate telepathically with Ry,” Mogens said.

  “Wow!” Kaya blurted. “You guys have private conversations?”

  Camryn slashed a glare in her direction. “You’d better believe it.”

  Kaya paled at her aggressive tone and subsided as if Camryn had slapped her. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I didn’t mean to butt into private stuff.”

  “And Camryn has a tattoo on her back,” Jannike said. “I saw it when you were swimming in the lake.”

  “Ry doesn’t need his medicine anymore,” Mogens said.

  The entire crew turned to stare at Camryn.

  “Don’t you have to watch the road or something?” she asked Nanu, pointing at the sky outside the porthole with a wave of her hand.

  “Nope, traffic’s clear. I have time to listen.”

  Kaya giggled, and the crew’s gazes ping-ponged from her to Ry and back again.

  “Don’t treat me like a specimen,” Camryn snapped. “Spit it out. What the hell are you talking about?”

  “You and Ry have mated,” Mogens said. “That’s what we’re trying to say.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “Rubbish,” Camryn said.

  Ry’s gut churned. At least she hadn’t run screaming from the bridge, but she hadn’t exactly jumped up and down with excitement. Apart from clear irritation, Ry couldn’t fathom her thoughts. Mogens had taught her to block well.

  “The tender will alert me if we’re going to crash into another object,” Nanu said.

  “Collision in ten secs,” Kaya droned in a metallic nonhuman voice.

  Nanu spun back to the controls so fast he almost got whiplash. “There’s nothing on the radarscope. What’s wrong with this stupid ship?”

  “This is a trial to test your speed,” Kaya said in the same robotic voice.

  “Dammit, that wasn’t funny,” Nanu said.

  “Yes it was,” Kaya droned.

  Although glad his crew was in high spirits, Ry studied Camryn with concern. Her senses, her new abilities. The mysterious tattoo. He’d done something to her when he’d bitten her on the neck. It was the only explanation.

  “Since everything is under control here, I’m going to check on Gabby and Luke,” Camryn said.

  “You’d better hurry,” Nanu snapped out, his gaze on the radarscope. “I thought we’d lost them, but we’ve got company again.”

  “Want me to take over?” Ry asked.

  “No, I can do this.” Confidence radiated in his voice.

  “Strap in up here, Camryn. I don’t want you injured.”

  She didn’t say a word, but simply dropped into the empty seat beside the seer and clicked the harness into place.

  Ry peered over Nanu’s shoulder at the scope. “It’s a cruiser.”

  “That’s what I thought,” Jannike said, frowning out the port at the distance ship.

  “What are they doing near a convict planet? It’s not a place for tourists. They’re more likely to get their throats slit than find souvenirs to take home.”

  “Maybe they’re lost,” Kaya said.

  No, they weren’t lost. Ry narrowed his eyes and gauged his inner instincts. Not a thing leapt out to disturb him. “Maintain course,” he said, and flicked several buttons on the console. “May we offer assistance?”

  Ry waited but there was no reply.

  “Strange. No life forms registering on board,” Jannike said.

  Kaya cocked her head. “Can we salvage?”

  “Not without the Indy.” Ry’s gut started prickling.

  What is it? Camryn’s alarm sliced through his head.

  I’m not sure. Do you feel anything strange about that ship?

  You’re asking me?

  Yeah. He trusted Camryn. They hadn’t known eac
h other long yet he’d trust her with his life.

  “I say detour,” Kaya said.

  “But what if there are life forms on board?” Mogens asked.

  Nanu spoke up. “Captain, I’m picking up another tender. The ship masked its presence. In full sight now.”

  “They’re leaving,” Jannike said.

  “Veer off,” Ry said. “Now.”

  Without warning, the cruiser exploded in fiery fireball, searing his eyes.

  “Fire ship.” Jannike hissed in distaste.

  Their tender bucked before Nanu steadied their trajectory and guided the vessel from danger in time to avoid the backlash from a second explosion.

  “Hailing.” The mocking sound of his brother’s voice floated through their communications system.

  “Talor, what do you want?”

  “You have more lives than a damn cat,” his brother snarled.

  Doesn’t he know? Camryn sent the thought to him along with a mocking grin.

  Ry couldn’t help a return grin despite another example of his brother’s determination.

  “Flight path direct to the city,” Ry said to Nanu.

  “What if they come after us?” Mogens flashed an unhappy gray before whitening.

  “I don’t think Talor wants to kill me yet,” Ry said with a calm shrug. “He wants to taunt us.”

  Camryn peered at the instruments. “Is the tender following?”

  “Doesn’t look like it,” Jannike said.

  “The sooner this race is over and I can go home the better,” Camryn said with real feeling. “I wish you’d never heard of my brother.” After a final look at him, she muttered under her breath and stomped down to the freight deck.

  “When are you going to tell her?” Mogens asked.

  “Tell her what?” Kaya asked.

  “Nothing.” Ry attempted to glare the seer into submission. Mogens shook his head, the stubborn clench of his jaw telling Ry the seer had much more to say. Ry wasn’t gonna to tell Camryn a thing. Although he liked his new ability to control his body, the constant craving for Camryn felt worse because he knew there was no future for them. No way did Ry want to confess he couldn’t live without her.

  * * * * *

  Heats, Race Day, Ornum.

  “The crowd isn’t going to like our style of racing,” Ry warned.

  Camryn chuckled in an attempt to hide nerves and the fear galloping through her gut. “There’s nothing against it in the rules. I’ve read them from page one through to the end. You’ve all read and interpreted the rules the same way I did. The winner is the first hell-horse past the finishing post.”

  “Yeah, well. It might work once, but it won’t for the second race.”

  “So I’ll think up another plan. When we make the final race, we’ll have an edge no one else has.”

  They led Gabby into the stalls, keeping her away from the other hell-horses. Luke followed between Mogens and Jannike. He dawdled, wanting to sniff and check out everything. Kaya had to walk behind to prod him. Nanu carried a bag of special treats for Gabby.

  Gabby’s calm manner and the way she handled the frenzied yelps and grunts of the other hell-horses pleased Camryn. As long as they could keep her relaxed and Luke out of trouble, they’d make it through to the finals.

  “The variables we can’t control worry me.” Camryn wished like hell they didn’t have to put Gabby through this carnage.

  The noise from the arena beat at her head like thundering hooves, even out in the stable area. One variable they hadn’t thought about.

  “How is Gabby going to hear us or know where the finish line is?” Jannike asked.

  “Camryn has a plan for that,” Ry said.

  “I’m hoping that for once Ry’s scent will help. She’s come to recognize it and especially if Luke’s scent is coming from the same direction.” Camryn crossed her fingers.

  “Handlers, suit up in protective gear and prepare to lead your hell-horse to the starter gates,” a voice droned.

  “Our cue to get to the finish line.” Ry hesitated. “I’ll lead out Gabby.”

  “No, I’ll be fine.”

  Ry scowled before kissing her once, hard and fast. “Take care.” He strode away with Jannike.

  Still tingling from the kiss—nerves, she told herself—Camryn pulled the protective garment they’d issued her with over her head and clipped on Gabby’s lead. The number ten was painted in bold white paint on Gabby’s flanks. “This is it, girl. Everything we’ve trained for. I need you to run like the wind straight to Luke.” She ran her hand over Gabby’s glossy coat, no longer worried the mare would injure her. Despite her odd looks and dangerous nature, Camryn had come to love both Gabby and Luke. They all had. Hopefully they’d beat Talor’s ass in this race, rubbing his aristocratic nose in the Ornum dust. And she could go home soon.

  Camryn led Gabby out to the roars of the crowd. Several other hell-horses were loaded in the starting gate already, the stench enough to make Camryn breathe through her mouth. Gabby walked into the starter’s gate without hesitation. The other hell-horses loaded, snapping and snarling even though they couldn’t see each other. Gabby quivered, her ears pricked. The starter’s flag went up. Tension thrummed through the arena. Then the gates burst open with a metallic screech. Gabby bounded out and galloped toward the finish line, leaving the other horses squabbling behind her.

  “Gabriel shoots from the starter’s gate,” the commentator shouted. “Dante, Jase’s Luck, Bob and Bloody Hell converge in a herd. They’re attacking one another.”

  The crowd roared and Gabby kept running. “Go, Gabby,” Camryn cried, sprinting to the finish post via the handler’s walkway.

  “Max’s Dream is down. Dante is attacking. Look at the blood,” the commentator roared. “Paul’s Gold and Demon Lad are attacking Dante, fighting for the spoils.”

  Camryn blanked out the commentary, concentrating instead on pushing through the crowds thronging the rails to watch the race. She arrived at the finish post and Ry’s side just in time to see Gabby shoot over the line. The mare ran straight for Camryn and Luke. With an anxious whinny, she sniffed her foal before she deigned to accept a treat.

  Mogens stood with Luke while Camryn affixed a halter to Gabby. Camryn frowned at the blood on the mare’s right shoulder. “We should get them to the stables before the other horses finish. She must have cut herself leaving the starting gate.”

  “Good idea,” Mogens said, giving the slight cut on Gabby’s shoulder a cursory glance. “I don’t think it’s bad, but the blood will only invite attack. We need to get to safety.”

  Camryn saw Ry hovering by the gates, gesturing for them to hurry. The thunder of hooves behind them hurried her along.

  They jogged away from the finish line. A shower of bottles and food rained down on them, the crowd booing and hissing because they’d wanted to see bloodshed.

  “I’ve never seen a race like it before,” the announcer said.

  “Cheat. Cheat. Cheat.” The chant went up around the arena.

  “We have the judge’s decision,” the announcer said. “The winner of this heat is Gabriel. All relevant rules were adhered to.”

  “Cheat. Cheat.” A rotten vegetable splattered the ground in front of Luke. He started, his yelp of fear drawing Gabby’s protective instincts. The mare trumpeted a warning, baring her teeth at the nearest bystanders. The men shrunk back with shouts of fear, scuttling over each other in their panic despite the protective barrier.

  “Quick.” Ry raced from behind the gate and hurried over to Luke, soothing him. “We need to get them inside.”

  With a steady voice, Camryn urged Gabby to move faster. An angry yip made her pulse race and not in a good way. She glanced over her shoulder and saw a huge solid mass of black bearing down on them. Gabby pushed in front and shrieked, barring her teeth.

  Ry opened the pen gate and shoved Luke instead. Mogens darted inside to open the stall and encouraged Luke to enter. He whinnied anxiously at his mother.
<
br />   Gabby attacked, raked her teeth across the flanks of the first horse and spun away before he could attack again. He leapt at Camryn but overran, missing her by inches. She wrinkled her nose at the stink of rotten meat and the distinctive reek of hell-horse.

  “God, Camryn,” Ry muttered. He swept her up and lifted her into the safety of the pen then grabbed for Gabby’s halter. Luckily for him, Luke let out an anxious yap and attracted his mother’s attention. She darted into the special reinforced pen, and Ry slammed the gate shut, barely managing to fasten it before the other hell-horse charged.

  “Quick,” Mogens grunted. “Give her a treat.”

  Outside the reinforced pen, they heard the hell-horse kicking and yelping in fury at missing his prey.

  “I’m glad we’re in here,” Camryn said, “But how are we going to get out?”

  “I’m sure the hell-horse will become distracted by the others finishing the race.” Mogens didn’t seem worried.

  Camryn glanced at Ry. “We’ve qualified for the final.”

  “So has Talor’s horse since he crossed second.”

  With a cautious glance at Gabby, Ry circled the hell-horse as much as the confines of the crowded stall allowed. He slipped an arm around Camryn’s waist, staring at her with a clear challenge. Camryn thought of Gabriel and sighed. Why did this have to be so difficult?

  Outside the stall, they heard the shout of male voices, the furious yelp of a hell-horse. Then silence fell.

  Time to move.

  Warmth seared her side where she touched Ry. Comfortable, she didn’t want to move but knew it was time. One final race and she’d return home, move on and learn to live without Gabriel. Somehow.

  “We should leave,” Ry said. “I thought we’d get Gabby and Luke bedded down for the night and go out for dinner and a few drinks.”

  “What about a guard for Gabby?”

  “I’ll stay behind.” Gray swirled across Mogens skin before blending into the black and fading away. “I have much to think on tonight.”

  “Are you sure?” Camryn asked. “You watched over Gabby and Luke last night.”

  “The ghost is here,” he said in a low whisper, pointing behind them. “Look.”

  Ry stiffened, not enough for anyone else to see but Camryn felt the unease in him. The same disquiet flickered through her, and she had to force herself not to glance behind them.