“Would you reassure my guard and tell them you’re not going to kill me. You’re not, are you, Captain?”
“Well I’m not, but then I’m not the one with a blaster aimed at your chest. Then again, I suppose they can always patch you up.”
He gave a smile that creased the corners of his eyes. “I’d prefer it not to come to that. And if we’re going, I suggest we leave. I made sure there was a window, but any minute now, I’m guessing the space around this planet will be locked down so tight a fly won’t get through.”
He was giving in. Tannis kept her expression deliberately deadpan, but inside she was buzzing with excitement.
“Let’s go.”…
Well that hadn’t gone as planned. The thought flickered through his mind as he stepped between the pair who still held their blasters pointed in his direction. He gave them a quick sideways glance. Skylar he knew, and he could have blasted her with brain power but that would have still left the other. Though on closer inspection, she didn’t look much of a threat despite the weapon in her hand. What she did look was…green. He’d never seen anyone quite that green before. Skin, hair, eyes. Shades of green from palest grass to deep emerald. She wasn’t tall but she held the huge blaster with an easy confidence and her finger rested on the trigger.
It occurred to him, not for the first time, that perhaps he was actually making a huge mistake.
Goddamn right, you’re making a mistake. The colonel’s words echoed in his mind, and he grinned. Mistake or not—it felt good.
Of course, once they had him on board, they could murder him or, more likely, hold him for ransom. But he didn’t think they would—he’d researched them and while the majority of the jobs they took on skirted the boundaries of “legal” they had a reputation for honesty and integrity.
I’m closing down all links. He told the colonel. I’ll be in touch if I need you.
Good luck.
He stepped into the docking bay and looked around. He’d never been on a pirate ship before and a shiver of anticipation prickled down his spine. It wasn’t what he’d expected—the place was immaculate, gleaming black and silver, and the air smelled fresh and clean.
Behind him, the door slid shut. He turned to see the three of them lined up, staring at him. None of them looked happy. The captain stood in the center, her hands shoved into the pockets of her tight black pants. She wore a scarlet shirt, knee high boots, and a weapon’s belt strapped to her thigh. Her dark hair was cut short; her narrow face dominated by yellow eyes, the irises almost slits. This close, he could see the faint luminosity of her skin—she wasn’t beautiful but he felt again that stab of lust.
He wanted her, and soon. But she hadn’t been the pushover he’d expected, and when he’d tried to probe her mind, he’d hit a brick wall. That was another skill he’d developed over the past few years—another sign he was changing. He’d always been able to communicate with the Collective members, but now he could also read non-Collective’s—not their actual thoughts, but their emotions, so he could tell whether they were lying or telling the truth—it had come in useful. But with this woman, nothing.
He raised an eyebrow, as they all remained unmoving. “Are we waiting for something?”
The captain shrugged, then pressed the comm unit strapped to her wrist. “We’re ready to go.”
She listened to something he said in reply. “I don’t know.” She glanced at Callum. “Are we still heading to Trakis Two?”
“Yes, but for the moment, just get us away from here.” When she remained silent, studying him out of those cold yellow eyes, he continued. “Did I mention there might be a lock down? Could we leave? Now?”
She shrugged again, and then spoke into the comm unit.
“Head into deep space.”
That was good enough for the moment. His ultimate goal was Trakis Seven, but it was probably best not to mention that just yet. Most people had no wish to go anywhere near the planet and usually had to be transported there in cryo—it was a one way trip. But if he was going to find any answers about the nature of Meridian then he reckoned that was where they’d be.
Beneath his feet, the ship rumbled as the main thrusters were engaged, then they were off. A wave of exhilaration washed over him. They were on their way. For a while, he could forget the weight of responsibility. Forget the rest of the world. Wasn’t it about time he had something for himself after all the years he’d devoted to running this rotten universe?
“Could someone show me to my room?” he asked.
“I’ll take you,” the captain said. “By the way—we haven’t been properly introduced. I think you were too busy trying to kill us all last time we met.”
Callum ignored the comment.
“Skylar, you know. I’m Tannis, and this is Daisy.” She waved at the green girl who now stood with a wide smile on her face and her weapon holstered. “I’ll introduce you to the rest of the crew later, though Jon and Alex are meeting us on Trakis Two. So, what do we call you?”
“Your Great Holy Leadership,” Daisy suggested with a grin.
Callum was getting the distinct impression that the crew didn’t like him. He supposed he couldn’t blame them—he had tried to have them all killed.
He smiled. “Call me, Callum.”
Anyway, he wasn’t interested in the rest of the crew. He was interested in Tannis. This was a chance to get her alone, see how she really felt about him.
…
“Let’s go,” Tannis said and then paused. “Shit. Where the hell are we going to put you?”
The ship was almost full. It could support a crew of eight comfortably, and that was what they had right now. Luckily, that included two couples who were more than happy to share.
Recently, Skylar had moved in with Rico, and Jon and Alex had moved into the guest suite Skylar had been using. That was empty at the moment, but full of their stuff. Which left Jon and Alex’s old rooms free. Tannis had the Captain’s suite, the best rooms on the ship, but she certainly wasn’t giving them up—they were her home, had been for fifteen years. When she’d first come on board and Rico had shown her the rooms, she’d broken down and cried—something she had sworn she would never do again.
Tannis was almost tempted to put Callum in Alex’s old cabin, which was by far the smallest and probably hadn’t been cleared of Alex’s occupation—she’d been far from tidy. But she doubted he’d actually fit in there with those wings. No, he would have to go in Jon’s room, which was plain but larger.
She’d been avoiding looking at him directly. He was having a strange effect on her insides and she didn’t know why, so she’d limited herself to oblique glances. Now she allowed herself to study him. He was tall, lean and rangy in build, but the wings made him appear larger. She’d bet they made things awkward—like dressing.
He wore dark pants and a purple shirt that perfectly matched his eyes. It must have been custom made to accommodate the extra appendages. She glanced up to find him watching her. His face was long, with prominent cheekbones and a full, sensual mouth, but dominated by his eyes. Looking into those inhuman violet orbs, the rest of him faded into insignificance—almost. They radiated a sense of power and age that sent a shiver running through her.
She gave herself a mental shake. “Come on.”
The ship was built on three levels. The large docking bay took up most of the central level, the engine rooms were situated on the lower, and the bridge and living quarters on the upper level.
She headed up the ramp, with Callum following close behind.
They didn’t speak on the way, but she was intensely conscious of him at her side and it was a relief to reach their destination.
She pressed her hand to the panel and the door slid open. Tannis gestured for him to enter, but he stood unmoving and she turned to look at him.
He was staring into the room, his lip curled in disdain. “Don’t you have somewhere bigger?”
“No, all the bigger cabins are taken.”
“Can’t you move someone?”
“Well, I’m sure Rico would be happy to discuss giving up his cabin for you, if you ask him nicely. On the other hand, maybe you won’t get the answer you’re looking for. So, I’m afraid it’s this or the docking bay.”
He pursed his lips but when she gestured at the open doorway, he stepped through.”
He turned as she was about to leave. “Would you come in for a moment?”
She didn’t want to. The room appeared very small with him inside, but she was going to have to get used to him, and now was as good a time as any. She stepped inside, but left the door open.
This close she could see the tracery of veins in the black membranous wings. If she was successful in getting the Meridian treatment, would she have wings like that one day?
“Does everyone get them?” The question was out before she could think about it.
He raised an eyebrow, but answered. “We think so, eventually.
So far it’s just the oldest of us—the founder members, but they all have them now.”
“Wow.”
“My sentiments exactly. Unfortunately, they’re not shared by the rest of my Council. Would you like to touch them?”
Shock hit her in the gut, but her feet moved her forward, so she was standing close enough to breath in the warm masculine scent of him. It was closer than she had been to a man in a long time, and a little alarm buzzed in her head. But if she really wanted the Meridian treatment, then she had a duty to find out as much as she could—this was research. Ignoring the buzz, she reached out a hand and touched her finger to the tip of one black wing.
The skin was silky soft under her fingertips, and she felt a quiver run through him.
Before she could realize what he meant to do, his arms had clasped her shoulders, and he dragged her to him, closing the small space between them.
“I’ve wanted to do this, since the first time I saw you,” he murmured.
The words hardly registered. Tannis had gone rigid with shock, her mind screaming at her to run, but her muscles locked solid.
As his head lowered toward her, she had to swallow the whimper that rose in her throat. She was transported back to that other time, that other life. She tried to tell herself that this was different. Here she had a choice, just pull free and go, but she was frozen in place, her mind numb. His body was hard against her, and when his lips touched hers, she opened her mouth to scream, and his hot wet tongue thrust inside.
Then she did struggle, she bit down hard, felt her teeth sink into flesh, and tasted blood. Her venom was poised for release, but he pulled away, and she wrenched herself out of his grasp and backed up into the wall behind her.
He watched her warily, eyes narrowed, then he raised one hand and wiped the blood from his lips.
“What the hell was that for?” He sounded more puzzled than angry. Maybe he was used to women falling over themselves for his kisses. He probably hadn’t been rejected since he became Leader of the Universe. Well, he’d better get used to it on this ship.
She blanked her face of all expression as she’d done back in the research station. But he must have seen something, because a small frown played across his face.
She licked her lips. “I just like to keep business and pleasure separate—and you’re strictly business. And I don’t like being pawed by clients. From now on keep your hands, and any other appendages, to yourself.”
She whirled around and was through the door when he called out behind her. “Could you get someone to bring me some food?”
Tannis gritted her teeth. “We’re not your goddamn servants.
You want to eat—you join us in the galley.”
Half-way to the bridge, she started shaking. Halting, she leaned a hand against the wall and rested her forehead against the cool metal. She’d forgotten the taste of fear. Now it was bitter on her tongue.
Pushing herself up straight, she forced herself to move, and was pretty sure she had herself under control by the time she walked onto the bridge. Rico was alone, still sitting in the pilot’s seat, but she could see he had switched to autopilot and was relaxed, legs stretched out as he watched something on the monitor.
His eyes narrowed at the sight of her. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” she said. “I’ve put him in Jon’s old cabin.”
Rico grinned. “I bet that’s a comedown.”
“Yeah, he wanted yours—I said he should ask you.” She was proud of how cool her voice sounded.
Rico patted the chair beside him. “Sit a moment. I want to talk to you.”
She crossed the room and sank into the seat. “What is it?”
“I think you’re making a mistake. Yeah.” He waved a hand to shut her up as she opened her mouth to argue. “I know—it’s good money, but I have a bad feeling about taking this job.”
“It’s too late now.”
“No it’s not—we can shove the bastard out of the airlock.”
“You want to shove the Leader of the Known Universe out of the airlock?”
She studied his face, trying to decide whether he really considered it a viable option. You could never tell with Rico. He could come across as a smooth charmer, but beneath that lurked a darkness. No one managed to survive for over fifteen hundred years by being nice.
“We should consider it.”
“And what do you reckon that would do to my chances of getting the Meridian treatment?”
“You know, I’ve never really understood why you were so set on the Collective. You’re a loner, and they’re about as close a group as you’re likely to come across. They’re in each other’s heads. I’m not sure you’d cope with that.”
“Skylar has broken away.”
“She’s still in contact. I think it’s something she’ll always need.” He didn’t sound too happy about the idea. “So why? Why do you want it so badly?”
“I don’t know.” She studied her fingernails. “Okay, I do know—but it’s a bit pathetic.”
He raised his eyebrows, and she forced herself to go on. “I have this one happy memory of my time in the research station.
I’d only been there about a year or two, and there was this visit by a member of the Collective—”
“Why?” Rico interrupted. “What were the Collective doing there?”
“How the hell should I know? I was only six at the time, and they didn’t exactly discuss policy with me. But anyway, she was like an angel, so beautiful and nice—she gave the children chocolate and…” She shook her head. “You don’t know what it was like in that place.”
“I saw some of it, and I can guess the rest,” he said softly.
“She just stuck in my mind. I lived with the fear of dying every day—they taunted us with it—how we would end up in the mines and everyone knows that’s a death sentence. So I had this dream that I’d get the Meridian treatment, and I’d be immortal, and I’d never die.” She shrugged. “I told you—pathetic.”
“You know, there is another way.”
“To do what?”
“Get immortality.”
At last, she knew where this was going.
“After the god-awful mess I made with Bastion, I promised I’d never change anyone again,” Rico said. “But I’ll do it for you.
Just say the word, we’ll toss fly-boy out of the airlock, and I’ll give you immortality.”
For long minutes, she stared at the toes of her boots while she considered what to say to him. After that first time, Rico had never bitten her again, never even hinted he wanted to. She knew he was immortal, but she’d also seen what else he was, the hungers that drove him. He’d once told her that sex helped him keep the darkness at bay. She never wanted to be like that. Never!
“I can’t, Rico. I appreciate the offer, but really I can’t.”
“Why? There’s no pain, and I’ve never known anyone not survive.”
She bit her lip. “I just don’t want to be like you.”
“R
eally,” he drawled. “You’d rather be like that arrogant bastard?”
“And Skylar,” she said quickly. “Skylar is Collective. So, they’re not all bad.” But Rico was her friend, and he deserved to know the truth. She took a deep breath. “I don’t like being touched, and I can’t face sex,” she said. “Back in that place…” A shudder ran through her, but she forced herself to go on. “Back in the research station—”
“They raped you?” he interrupted, his tone harsh.
She shook her head. “No. They would have had to see me as human for that, and most of them didn’t. But they did experiments on us. Week after week, year after year.” She bit her lip again.
She hated this; just talking about it brought back the memories.
Waking on a table, strapped down, while they—she cut off the thought—she wouldn’t go back there. “I thought maybe I was over it. But just now, Callum kissed me and—”
“He did what?” Rico’s outraged question cut off her flow, and she realized belatedly that maybe she should have kept that to herself, if only for the sake of shipboard harmony.
“He kissed me.”
Rico jumped to his feet. “Where is he? I’ll kill the bastard.”
For the first time since Callum had kissed her, she smiled.
“Goddamn it, Rico, you’re not my freaking father.”
He stared at her for a long moment then sat back in his chair.
“You’re right. Finish what you were saying.”
“There’s not much else—he kissed me, and I was right back in that cell. It was as if the last fifteen years just vanished. And I was so full of fear and rage. You told me once that you use sex to keep the darkness at bay—I don’t want to live with that choice.”
He looked at her for long moments, lips pursed, then nodded.
“Okay.”
Janey and Daisy entered at that moment and the conversation was over. Janey sat down at her console and immediately her manicured fingers were flying. Daisy took the seat next to Rico.
Daisy was a genetically modified, or a GM, like Tannis, though in Daisy’s case, her DNA had been mixed with some sort of plant— Tannis had no clue what.
Nina Croft Page 4