Rayven's Keep

by Wolfe, Kylie

  Cover Copy

  Drugs, murder, conspiracy, and a headstrong heiress complicate his covert security mission.

  Tru Creighton wants her wealthy and powerful family to take her seriously. Sneaking away to investigate bookkeeping discrepancies from one of their holdings seems the perfect opportunity to prove her worth. Stranded on a hostile planet with a price on her head, she seizes her one opportunity for survival.

  Nick Rayven, determined to build his reputation and fledgling security company, doesn’t flinch at difficult and dangerous missions. A former soldier and refugee from a war-demolished planet, he battles to create order and stifle his painful memories. His hard-won accomplishments are threatened when a spoiled heiress in danger awakens emotions he thought long gone.

  Two people with plenty to prove risk everything to unravel their tangled missions. His sense of duty and vulnerable heart compel him to fight his growing attraction to her. Her heart demands she follow it straight into his arms. The people behind the conspiracy keeping them together and in harm’s way have other ideas.

  CONTENT WARNING: Language and Violence

  A Lyrical Press Science Fiction Romance

  Highlight

  The lights shut off, except those on the helm, casting eerie blue shadows on their faces. Tru’s apprehension rose as she tested her shoulder harness and fidgeted in her seat. She looked to him, and drew strength from his rock-solid presence. She didn’t know much about solar storms– only enough to be frightened. She clutched the armrest.

  “Impact in three, two...” Siren intoned matter-of-factly.

  The invisible wave hit them and electrical sparks flashed over the ship’s nose, coming at them with terrifying swiftness. Blistering shocks pulsed along her skin and nerves felt as if they were on fire, burning her up from the inside out.

  “Shields strong, life support holding,” Siren continued.

  The ship bucked and lurched, snapping Tru’s head forward then back.

  “Siren, how long until we’re out of the storm?” Nick demanded, while he continued to monitor the power to the shields and make rapid adjustments only he understood.

  The ship’s engine groaned and metal screeched from the force of the storm. Lights flickered on the helm, sparks flying from wires affected by the solar pulses battering them.

  “Hang on, Tru. We’re almost through,” he assured her while he swiftly rerouted connections.

  Rayven’s Keep

  By Kylie Wolfe

  `

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  Dedication

  To my grandmother, Helen Brown

  There are no words, only wonderful memories

  I miss you

  Acknowledgements

  Every book starts with an idea, or in my case one sentence that sparks the story. Words tumble across the page giving life to the characters and their adventures until it reaches a satisfying conclusion. Writing is mostly a solitary activity, but a book is given added depth and made richer by those that help us along the way. Mine is no exception.

  To Laurel Newberry, my critique partner and friend. Thank you for always being able to find the perfect word when I can’t think of it, making sense of convoluted sentences and asking just the right questions to help me set the scene. I love Wednesday.

  To Lisa, my sister and very first beta reader. I wasn’t surprised by the fact you read my manuscript and never offered any criticism even though there was plenty of work left to do on my book. You are a wonderful sister who only sees the good!

  To Julie Chaddock, thank you for taking the time to read my work and offer excellent feedback. I know this isn’t a genre you usually embrace and the fact you did it for a complete stranger is incredible. Thank you!

  To Abby Rose, Thank you for aiding my recovery from adverb addiction and helping to make my story stronger.

  To Penny Barber, Thank you for not giving up on me even when I was discouraged. Your editing has been extraordinary and I have learned how to be a better writer through your efforts.

  To Louann, Kim, Sonny and Carol. Thank you for your genuine enthusiasm and letting me prattle on about my book – you rock!

  And the biggest thank you to my incredible family for all the encouragement, tolerance when I got lost in my writing and being the best cheerleaders around. I love you guys!

  Chapter 1

  Nick Rayven hated Lodestone. The constant dust and fierce winds keeping it in semidarkness made his teeth itch. Hell, who was he kidding? He hated the whole damn planet. Whoever had come up with the name had a sick sense of humor and a distinct lack of imagination in calling both the port and planet the same. Far from a diamond in the rough, Lodestone was one miserable port of call on a thoroughly miserable world.

  At least the hole-in-the-wall alehouse he found himself in had no such delusions of grandeur. He regarded the battered mug of local ale with distaste and slouched against the unforgiving metal of his chair. Hooking one arm across its back, he scrutinized the common room, noting the layout of every door and window, a habit that had saved his ass on more than one occasion. It was always good to know where the exits were just in case some idiot decided to start a fight.

  Raised voices formed a raucous counterpoint to the hideous music piped through lousy speakers. The cacophony kept Nick irritated and on edge. He detested people, particularly in crowds, but his contact had insisted they meet here. Business was business and sometimes it required Nick to play nice and on someone else’s turf.

  He unclenched his jaw as he snagged his mug and took a long swallow. The sour taste burned all the way down, a caustic fire lacking any hint of civilization. So much for ordering the good stuff.

  A furtive movement near the door caught his attention. The man entering the bar was average in height, with ordinary brown hair and nondescript brown clothes. Nick suspected his easy to forget appearance was deliberate, and his interest sharpened. Taking another sip of his ale, he watched the man inch closer, stopping a scant meter away.

  “Nick Rayven?” The question was hesitant, the voice high pitched.

  “Depends.”

  Nick studied the man in front of him and allowed a faint smile to curve his lips. Apparently, it was more predatory than friendly, and the other man flinched, eyes widening. Nick tried for non-threatening. Sweat broke out on the other man’s forehead. Sighing, he gave up.

  “Yeah, I’m Rayven. Who’re you?”

  “J–Jonas Spark.” He cleared his throat and eased onto the seat across from Nick. “My employer, Axyl Hargrave, instructed me to deliver the package to you.”

  Straightening, Nick leaned his forearms on the metal table in front of him. “What of the payment arrangements? I assume the credits have been deposited into my account?”

  Jonas nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “Half now, the...ah...balance when the package is delivered.”

  Nick swore viciously, the variety and virulence of the words demonstrating a fine command of the seedier side of several languages. Jonas shrank back in his chair. Some of the bar patrons glanced at them to see if a fight would break out but returned to their drinks when Nick did nothing more than glare.

  “That was not the agreement,” he ground out, when he trusted his voice.

  “There has been a, ah, minor problem and a need to change the delivery destination. My b-boss is willing to double your fee for your trouble.”

  “What kind of minor problem?” Nick scowled.

&n
bsp; Jonas opened and closed his mouth, but nothing came out. His eye twitched. It was obvious to Nick he would rather be anywhere but talking to him. Jonas took a deep breath before he plunged on, words tumbling over each other in his haste to deliver the message. “Our primary competitor suspects we have found something but doesn’t know what we’ve discovered or where we found it. It is imperative we get this sample analyzed and our claim recorded before anyone else finds out what we have.”

  Jonas took a shaky breath and wiped sweat from his upper lip. He visibly wilted in his chair as Nick stared at him. “Mr. Hargrave wants this sample delivered to Dendera Labs on Kaydet within a standard-moon cycle.” He pushed a small pouch across the table toward Nick.

  Nick kept his eyes on Jonas rather than on the bag as he settled back in his seat to consider the offer. His company specialized in security, particularly escorting valuable or dangerous space cargo. Whatever the pouch contained must be valuable if Geotern Mining’s owner, Axyl Hargrave, wanted it delivered to one of Dendera’s most remote labs. Obviously keeping their discovery secret was of primary concern.

  This job represented his ticket to expand the business, move it from the fringes to a more lucrative prominence. Kaydet was a small, insignificant planet on the outer rim of the system and about as far from Lodestone as anyone could get. He would need to push hard to meet the deadline, but it wasn’t impossible.

  He nodded then drained his ale before he slammed the mug down. “Done.” Amusement twitched at the corners of his mouth as Jonas yelped and jumped.

  Nick lowered his voice to a gravelly menace. “You tell your boss this.” Leaning forward, he pinned Jonas Spark with a look. “If he thinks to cheat me in any way I. Will. Hunt. Him. Down. All of the money in the universe won’t be enough to protect him.”

  Nick released the seal of his jacket pocket and pulled out a small data drive. He keyed in a sequence of numbers and smiled at the influx of credits to his account. With skilled sleight-of-hand, he replaced the device and pocketed the small pouch.

  Pushing back his chair, he stood and tilted his chin toward the empty container of ale. “Tell your boss thanks for the drink.”

  He didn’t wait around for an answer.

  As soon as he stepped outside, he knew it was time to go. Lodestone’s weather was known to be volatile, restricting ship traffic with its violent and swift changing moods. Air transports crashed with alarming regularity, driven to ground by savage winds and poor visibility. Pilots demanded hazard pay whenever they landed here, which made for a profitable run that was almost worth the risks involved. Nick had built his business by taking calculated risks and the extra credits were a welcome bonus.

  A severe dust storm warning had flashed to all pilots before Jonas Spark had arrived, and time was in short supply if Nick had a prayer of getting off this rock before being grounded for the storm’s duration. Nothing was guaranteed to piss him off more.

  With ground-eating strides, he hurried through the narrow streets toward the spaceport and his waiting ship. Squat buildings sat crowded shoulder-to-shoulder in the deserted industrial area he passed through. Dust devils wobbled drunkenly out of the narrow alleyways driven by the brutal winds that would soon be scouring the pitted surfaces of the buildings with gritty debris.

  Glow lights powered up as he reached the last row of buildings, providing dim beacons against the encroaching gloom. The red orb passing for a sun on this world offered little warmth to the inhabitants mining the planet. Now, it was barely visible through the dust cloud. It was no accident most activity occurred underground. People only lived on the surface because it was necessary if they catered to ship traffic.

  Nick was being followed and had been since he’d left the alehouse. It could be a coincidence they were going in the same direction through a derelict district at the same time, but Nick wasn’t a big believer in coincidence. In addition to the unpredictable weather, Lodestone had a nasty reputation as a violent town. It was a safe bet the footsteps echoing behind him were more than another pilot with the same destination in mind. Robberies were common and transport pilots a favorite target, another reason most sane pilots avoided the place. Nick Rayven had no intention of becoming a Lodestone statistic.

  Taking advantage of shadows between two buildings, he ducked out of sight, blending into the darkness. A gasp, barely audible over the wind gusts pinpointed his follower’s position.

  He didn’t have long to wait before the huddled shape reached his hiding place. Nick threw a lightning-fast punch. The figure crumpled to the ground in a boneless heap. Shaking his knuckles he winced at the sting, glad he hadn’t needed to use his blaster. He didn’t need any more complications. Disgusted anyone would dare consider him a target, he contemplated the unconscious form and debated his options. Either desperation or stupidity had sent the youth after him. Regardless, Nick needed to deal with the situation and quickly. By his estimation, he only had a narrow window of time left if he wanted to get off this planet before the port was locked down.

  Under normal conditions, he would prefer to tie up his stalker and leave him for the authorities to find, but the storm’s momentum was building at a deadly pace. Grit boiled across Lodestone’s surface, stabbing exposed skin and making it difficult to breathe. It would be certain death to leave anyone outside and unprotected during the planet-scouring devil screaming mercilessly across its surface.

  “Damn it,” he muttered. With aching fingers, he retrieved the narrow cord he kept in his utility belt. Squatting, he made short work of securing the slender wrists behind the other’s back. Time enough, once on board, to get to the bottom of this without the worry of being grounded on Lodestone. If he didn’t like the answers, it would be easy enough to toss the bastard out the airlock. A clean and speedy end to a problem. The idea had merit as a threat, if nothing else.

  He grunted as he hauled the limp body over his shoulder. He sprinted toward his ship, grateful his burden didn’t weigh much.

  The Messenger was a small, ugly transport much like every other ship on the docking pad. He’d flown this one to his rendezvous counting on its very similarity to others to keep his presence concealed. Nick shifted his captive to sit a little more securely on his shoulder before pressing his palm against the security pad, begrudging the seconds it took to verify his identity. The door opened and a boarding ramp extended. Welcoming lights flickered on in the interior as he entered. He turned and hit the keypad, sealing the door behind him.

  The cargo area to his left would hold his captive until he was off-world and had time to figure out why he’d been followed. Nick dumped his burden onto a pile of heavy covers behind a cargo net. He nudged the body with his booted foot. When there were no signs of returning consciousness, he shrugged. Not willing to waste any more time, he locked the cargo door behind him and loped toward the main cabin.

  He skirted the small crew quarters and entered the bridge. Strapping in, he initiated the launch request to the port tower. He coughed metallic dust from his lungs as he tapped on the arm of his chair and waited for clearance. Every little delay and redundant launch protocol demanded by the tower increased his irritation. Powerful blasts of wind buffeted his ship, debris thumping against its exterior as he ran through another system check. How friggin’ long would it take to gain clearance to leave Lodestone? He snapped his responses to the tower drone while he kept a wary eye on the storm.

  Authorization lit the onboard computer screen. The ship’s engines thrummed with building power readying for departure. Nick punched in the final coordinates and sank into his seat, braced for the bone-jarring force of liftoff. His ship bucked hard, fighting the planet’s gravity and the turbulent storm doing its best to ground him. He adjusted his trajectory as the planet’s atmosphere released the ship and reached the cold expanse of space. He relaxed into weightlessness and grinned when the artificial grav force kicked in.

  Nick unbuckled his chair harness, leaned back in his seat and stretched. He rolled his shoulders an
d muscles popped as tension released. Fatigued, he rubbed grit from dry eyes and scratched the itchy, rough stubble along his jaw. He felt like hell and probably looked worse, but it was an unavoidable consequence of pushing himself so hard.

  He levered himself out of his chair and headed toward the crew quarters. Once away from the helm, he brushed the worst of the dust from his clothing. He removed the small pouch from his pocket and stored it in a hidden compartment for safekeeping. Time to wake up his unwanted guest and get some answers.

  * * * *

  Tru Creighton regained consciousness slowly. She felt like she had been hit with a mining hammer. It was the only explanation for the ferocious headache pounding behind her tightly closed eyes. Her limbs felt heavy, weighted down by an unnatural pressure, and she frowned trying to figure out why. Grav force. Which could only mean she was on board a ship.

  The odd thrumming of a powerful engine beneath her ear provided another clue she was off-world. While that sank in she struggled to put more pieces together. Her last clear memory was of trailing the large man moving like a shadow through the storm. She prayed she hadn’t made a mistake because if he wasn’t Nick Rayven, her chances for survival were close to nil. A shiver raced up her spine.

  She tried to sit up, gasping as glass-sharp needles of pain shot through her abused skull and shoulders. Her hands were bound behind her back and no amount of struggle would release them. Tru panted through the pain and took stock of her surroundings. Information meant the difference between remaining alive and the alternative. She was all about surviving.

  The soft whoosh of the door opening froze her in place. She closed her eyes to mere slits. Buying some time, she feigned unconsciousness.

  Large, booted feet stopped in front of her and Tru’s heart danced a spastic tango against her rib cage. If the size of the feet were any indication, her captor was a big man, and she was in serious trouble.