A single lamp lit the entranceway. Camryn gained the impression of dark wood and a tiled floor. She shivered at the cool air, a direct contrast to the humidity outside. The tiles were cold on her bare foot.
“This way, if you please.” A slender woman with her bright orange, red and gold hair piled on top of her head appeared from the shadows and the large man who had opened the door stepped away to sit on a spindly chair, a gleaming cutlass at his side.
Camryn hesitated, glancing at the stout door and the silent man guarding the escape route. She wouldn’t be leaving via this door. She turned to the emotionless woman and followed, her curiosity aroused. What was this place and why had the marines acted so amused? It didn’t smell like a jail despite the security.
Once they left the gloomy entrance hall and headed down a narrow passage, myriad scents bombarded her, so many her nose twitched. She sneezed. Sandalwood. Patchouli. Citrus. Floral, floor polish and a faint tinge of something antiseptic.
A buzz of feminine chatter pelted her when the woman led her into a huge reception room. Velvetlike red fabric screened the windows. The white tiles were still cold beneath her feet, and it was a relief to step onto the large red and black carpet, which concealed all but the outer tiles around the edges. A table laden with beverages and plates of pretty iced cupcakes stood to her right.
About thirty women occupied the room, chatting and laughing with each other. Their gowns were sumptuous synsilk and lace. Decadent. In different colors, they showcased the women’s figures to perfection. Camryn had never seen so many beautiful women in the same place at one time. Some were obviously alien with delicate pastel coloring or slanted eyes but all appeared humanoid in appearance.
Confusion didn’t begin to cover Camryn’s emotions.
Her female escort glided into the middle of the room and clapped her hands. Silence fell.
The woman gestured in an imperious manner to Camryn, indicating she should join her. Slowly Camryn obeyed, halting at her side. Every woman seemed to focus on her then, their quick summations and conclusions clear on their faces. Her muddy appearance and disheveled hair amused them. Some tittered when they noticed her single shoe.
“This is Camryn O’Sullivan. She is joining us.”
Camryn didn’t understand. A guard stood at the door yet these women lived in apparent luxury. Not one of them appeared unhappy. What kind of a jail was this?
“You may go back to your tea now,” the woman said, and the gay chatter recommenced. “Come,” she said to Camryn. “I will show you to your room and arrange for new clothes and a bath.”
“But—” Before Camryn could ask questions the authoritative woman swept away with a rustle of skirts. Camryn ran after her. Her breath came in pants by the time she caught up at the top of a flight of steps. “Wait,” she gasped. “I don’t understand. What is this place? Why am I here?” She tugged on the woman’s scarlet bell sleeve in a demand for answers.
The woman frowned at Camryn’s hand, her displeasure clear. Camryn released the woman’s creased sleeve and stood defiant. She wanted answers. Now.
The woman smiled, although it never reached her eyes. Camryn’s instincts urged her to step away since the woman reminded her of a tiger about to pounce. “You are at the governor’s house. This is where he quarters his harem. And you, my dear, are his latest addition.”
* * * * *
“Hell, is that Ry?” Jannike raced down the narrow alley to where Ry lay on the ground.
Kaya sprinted after her. “Is he dead?”
“He’s not moving,” Nanu said.
Jannike snarled, sending the trio of scavenging males fleeing. She castigated herself for letting Ry and Camryn leave ahead of them. Although she hadn’t liked the woman at first, she’d come to admire her courage and tenacity. The way she’d trained the hell-horse despite the great danger to her personal safety.
Jannike’s long legs took her to Ry’s side quicker than the others. She squatted beside him. Blood matted his hair at his nape. With her fingers, she touched his neck. A strong pulse.
Air whooshed from her lungs with relief. Turning his head gently, she checked for further damage. Although his head wound still bled, already the flesh knitted together. Thanks to his feline genes, Ry healed fast.
“Is he okay?” Kaya demanded.
“Let me see,” Mogens said.
“Yeah, his hard head saved him.” The panic in Kaya’s voice made Jannike look closely, made her question. As part of the crew, Kaya lived with the danger and accepted they were on the run and might die. “Why?”
“Jannike, I’ve…um…done something bad, something stupid.”
After studying Kaya’s guilty face, Jannike took a wild guess. “You’re the informer.”
“I don’t know what happened. I didn’t mean to tell Talor a thing then suddenly I’m spilling my guts.” Her head drooped, glossy blue hair sweeping over her cheek.
“Mogens thinks Talor has magical powers.”
“That’s it,” Kaya said, slashing her hand through the air with a hint of passion. “He asked me a question. I didn’t want to answer and the next min I’m babbling every secret without hesitation. I’m so sorry!”
“We’ll talk about it once we’re back at the hotel room.”
Kaya nodded. “I guess I need to confess to Ry once he recovers. Do we carry him?”
“Unless Mogens has any ideas.” Jannike stood aside to let the seer check Ry. “Mogens? How is he?”
“His head is healing. He will recover.” Mogens grimaced. “It might take time for him to wake.”
Nanu gestured at Ry. “How will we get him to the hotel? We’ll attract attention.”
“Hire a sedan chair,” Mogens suggested.
Jannike frowned. “We’ll have to pretend he’s drunk. If they think he’s sick, they’ll suspect the plague and refuse to take him.”
“We’ll need to get him to the main street. None of the chairmen will come down the back streets. They’ll think we’re going to rob them,” Kaya said.
“We’ll drag him if we have to.” Jannike went to his shoulders and lifted while Kaya took his feet. She held back a grunt, knowing this wouldn’t be easy and would take time and much exertion. But Jannike did it because Ry was a friend. And she knew he’d do much more to save any of them.
Mogens grasped Ry’s middle, easing the weight. Moving slowly, Nanu led the way, watching for trouble with weapon drawn. They splashed through a deep puddle, the rank water leaking over the top of her boots. Jannike grimaced but didn’t complain. Instead, she worried about Camryn.
“Ry is going on short rations once he’s better,” Kaya said with a grunt.
“He’s all muscle,” Mogens said. “Nothing wrong with him.”
“Try telling that to my back.” Jannike didn’t think the entrance to the alleyway appeared any closer than when they’d started. “What do you suppose the squishy things are underfoot? I can’t see but they’re slippery.”
Nanu’s laugh held humor. “There’s a tannery shop next door.”
“Eew,” Kaya said.
They passed a pile of furry debris, which backed up Nanu’s statement.
“Not much farther,” Jannike said. A lie. The distance hadn’t reduced but she figured encouragement would help.
“Ry didn’t want to get his boots dirty,” Kaya grumbled.
“Bloody oath,” Ry said in agreement.
Startled, Mogens released his middle, and Jannike staggered under the extra weight. He almost hit the ground before she caught him.
“How long have you been awake?” she demanded.
“The smell woke me.”
“Can you stand?”
“No idea.” Ry groaned. “What hit me? My head feels as if it might explode.”
“Damn, Ry. You weight a ton,” Jannike said. “New plan. Kaya’s gonna let go of your feet. I’ll help you balance.”
He staggered but to Jannike’s relief, managed to stay on his feet. With her help, along
with Kaya’s, they shuffled to the end of the alley.
“I’ll get a sedan chair.” Mogens disappeared around the corner.
“Did you see Camryn?” Ry asked. “I saw a marine grab her.”
Jannike frowned. “Marines? If that’s true they’d take her to jail.”
Ry winced. “What? Why?” He closed his eyes. “I can’t contact her.”
“Telepathically?” Kaya asked.
“Which means she’s not in the vicinity,” Jannike said. “We will find her, but first we need to get you to safety.”
“No. I have to find Camryn.” He attempted to stand on his own. Kaya lost her grip, and Ry toppled to the ground, dragging Jannike with him.
“Damn it, Ry. Get off me.” Jannike struggled to her feet, mud soaking her jacket. With Kaya’s help, she managed to haul Ry to his feet again. Ignoring the snickers from Nanu who ambled behind them, they made it to the main road where Mogens had waved down a sedan chair.
An hour later Jannike let herself out of the hotel room again. Ry had wanted to search for Camryn, despite being in no condition to leave his bed. With her help, Mogens had managed to force a sleeping draft down him and he’d fallen silent. But only after extracting a promise from her to go to the jail to learn what she could. Jannike snorted as she made her way down the rear hotel stairs to the street outside. Her back ached from dragging Ry around and her shirt clung to her back and chest. She could smell herself and it wasn’t pretty. A yawn slipped out. It had been a long day and about to get longer.
Twin lamps burned outside the gateway but nothing could make the place feel welcoming. Jannike scowled at the nervous anxiety in the pit of her stomach. She could do this. Forcing aside memories of months spent rotting in a similar place on another planet, she strode to the sturdy gate and pounded on it with her fist. A guard slid a viewing slot open and peered through.
“Whatcha’ want?” He spat a wad of chewing tobacco at her feet.
“Did a woman prisoner arrive earlier?”
“Don’t give info for free.”
Jannike stilled. “What did you have in mind?”
The tall lanky male looked her up and down. “Kiss and a feel of ya tits for starters.”
“All right.”
The guard opened the gate and sauntered out. Face expressionless, Jannike leaned over and kissed his mouth. She winced at the hands that gripped her breasts and willed herself not to react. After allowing the groping for thirty secs, she pulled away.
“No prisoners due until tomorrow.” The guard spat again, this time hitting her boot. Her mouth tightened. “New shipment from the hulks on Ibrox due then.”
“So you haven’t received any new prisoners this evening, either male or female?”
“Nah, could do with a little female company though. Liked the feel of ya tits. Don’t suppose you wanna let me dip my wick?”
“No.” Jannike had promised herself she’d never use her body as a bargaining tool again. She had her limits. “Thanks for the info.”
Jannike hurried back to the hotel. When she slipped inside, Ry was still asleep. Nanu and Kaya had claimed floor space, and both sat up when she entered. Mogens’ skin glowed an eerie black, almost blending into the darkness. She should have been used to it but seeing him this way always brought discomfort.
“Did you find her?” Kaya asked.
“No.” Jannike wiped the back of her hand across her mouth. “Do we have anything to drink?” She could still feel the guard’s moist mouth on hers, his grubby hands groping her breasts. Shuddering, she accepted the bottle of grog from Nanu. Tipping back her head, she took a long draft. “I don’t know where Camryn is because they didn’t take her to the jail.”
“What do we do?” Kaya asked. “Where is she?”
“Nothing can be done now,” Mogens said. “We should rest. Tomorrow, we hunt.”
“Ry is meant to go to the governor’s house tomorrow to talk with Gweneth and collect the winner’s purse.” Nanu said what they were all thinking.
“He won’t marry her,” Jannike said.
Not one of the crew disagreed with her.
Chapter Sixteen
Ry woke and bolted upright in bed to see his crew sleeping on the floor. Apart from Camryn. Hazy memories returned—winning the race, the ball. Talor departing without making good on his promise. His fight with Camryn.
She’d left.
“Jannike,” he barked, recoiling at the pain slicing through his head. He probed a sore spot with his fingers and winced.
“Aye, Captain.” Jannike woke alert and ready to take action.
“Where’s Camryn?”
“We don’t know. She’s not at the jail.”
“Talor?”
Jannike frowned. “I’m not sure.”
Kaya stood and switched her weight from one foot to the other. She stared at her feet before blurting, “I told Talor about our plans.”
“What?” Nanu howled, springing to his feet. “Yep died because of you!” He launched himself at Kaya, attacking with his fists. She didn’t try to fight back. Blood spurted from her nose. Her head snapped back, hitting the wall before Jannike dragged Nanu away.
“Let her talk,” Mogens said.
“I met Talor during one of our trips to Ibrox. I didn’t know who he was since I hadn’t been on the Indy for long and he doesn’t look like Ry. We spent time together. I liked him,” she mumbled, heightened color in her cheeks.
“Go on,” Ry said, his stomach tight with tension. Where the blue blazes was Camryn? Was this Kaya’s fault?
“When I found out who he was, I tried to stay away. I couldn’t. He’d tell me to meet with him again and I would. I couldn’t stop myself.”
“Compulsion,” Mogens said. “It’s obvious your brother has the power to coerce. Just as I said before.”
“Did you tell him anything about Camryn?” Ry stood and concentrated on Kaya even though his head ached. Although he wanted to blame her, he couldn’t. He knew his brother.
Kaya shook her head. “No…well, I did. But there wasn’t much to tell Talor, apart from the details of our hell-horse and what we intended to do. Thankfully, he didn’t always ask the right questions.”
“Ah, Captain, you might want to put on some clothes,” Jannike said.
“No point dressing fully,” Ry said, grabbing his trousers. “I’m going to shift and search for Camryn.”
“But someone will see you,” Jannike protested. “You’ll cause a riot.”
“Too bad. It’s the easiest way for me to search for Camryn.”
Mogens faded into gray before seeping back to black. “You’ll heal better in feline form.”
“What about the wedding?” Nanu asked.
Ry growled. “I don’t want to marry the governor’s daughter.”
His crew all looked at one another before Jannike spoke. “But, Ry, what about the currency? If you refuse to marry the woman the governor won’t hand it over.”
“I know. Let’s find Camryn first then we’ll worry about the wedding and dowry.” Picturing his feline, he shifted, fur rippling across his skin, the magic of the change reshaping bones and limbs until he stood on all fours, waiting for his crew. When they stared, he growled and followed up with a warning bark. They erupted into action, all dressed in secs flat.
Jannike opened the door and peered outside before standing aside to let him out. Frankly he didn’t care if anyone saw him. All he wanted was Camryn.
Ry prowled down the stairs and heard his crew clomping behind him. Impatiently he waited for them to open the door leading to the street. He burst outside, the hurried footsteps behind telling him his crew followed where he led.
* * * * *
Camryn stalked the perimeter of the luxurious bedroom. Her prison. Behind the sumptuous velvetlike curtains stout bars blocked an exit via the window. The thick door remained locked despite her vehement protests. She had no idea of the time but the scant light entering the small barred window told her it was stil
l dark. She paced the confines once again and opened her mind, searching for Ry. Nothing.
“Damn and blast,” she muttered, kicking the door when she passed. “Shit.” Camryn limped a few steps when pain radiated from her toes and up her leg. At least it wasn’t the same leg the hell-horse had bitten during the race. That was still a little tender. She had no idea what Mogens put in his green paste but it was a wonder, promoting rapid healing. She limped over to the bed and flexed her toes. A double bed, she noted with a healthy dose of unease. They’d have to hold her down before she’d have sex with that short tub of lard.
Tiredness pulled at her as she tried to connect with Ry again. Like an unwelcome rash, he appeared whenever she didn’t want him. Right now she’d give just about anything to see him walking through the door. Because she felt pissed and bore the stubborn gene, she stood and limped around the room once more, the thick floor covering muting her footsteps. The lap of luxury and she wanted out.
“Camryn,” the whispery sound floated from the corner of the room.
She froze, rooted to the spot, every sense working to relay information to her doubting brain. No one was present. She was alone.
“Camryn.” This time the voice was familiar.
“Ga-Gabriel?”
A faint form shimmered before her, and she blinked to clear her vision. “Trust your instincts, Camryn,” he whispered. “Love the cat.”
“But I…I l-love you.” Shock made her stutter.
The form glided across the floor and hovered, a little scary but also mesmerizing. “You have a huge heart. Room for another.”
“No!” Camryn blurted. “I failed you.”
“Never,” he said. “Go with love sweet, Camryn.” Gabriel’s form started to fade.
“No, don’t go.” Her heart drummed in choppy, audible beats. She reached out, trying to grasp him, stop him, but her fingers groped air. And then there was nothing.
She blinked. Had she imagined him? Blast it, she had to leave before she went mad.
Another survey of the room confirmed her findings. There was no way out, and depressed, she slumped on the bed.
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