Heart of a Smuggler

by Heart of a Smuggler (lit)

  Feeling very soppy, Shamon waited.

  “I want you to put that tracker Torkra gave you on Gabie’s ship, and the other tracker in her jacket.” A full smile wreathed Simon’s face. “We’re following you.”

  Somehow Shamon wasn’t surprised. “How’d you get Des to agree?”

  “Oh, my delightful little wench doesn’t know.” A twinkle appeared in Simon’s eyes. “We’ll just happen to be trailing a distance behind you, going about some extra trade business if she gets suspicious. But the wench is so focused on this operation she won’t be looking for us.”

  “You think? Des knows you too well, Simon.”

  “’Tis just trading business. Work is work.”

  “Thank you,” Shamon said simply.

  Simon just smiled.

  ~ * ~

  Gabie was not happy. Standing at the end of the corridor, she watched as Heddam and Simon approached, both carrying a bag of clothes and other essentials. Behind her a piece of the end wall had slid aside to reveal a small hidden cabin. It was a hidey hole that no one apart from the crew of the Larceny knew about. Well, the crew and now Des, bugger it. A bunk was the only thing in it.

  “By storing your things in here,” Misha was saying as she strode along beside them, “No sign of your occupancy will be visible if we get boarded by anyone. One of you can sleep here and the other in the spare cabin, but remember to grab your bed linen and things when you bolt for this hidey hole if we get boarded.”

  Nibbling her bottom lip worriedly, Gabie watched as the traders put their bags in the hidey hole.

  “Mornin’, lass,” Heddam said cheerfully.

  “You shouldn’t have come,” she replied. “This is stupid and dangerous.”

  Stopping right in front of her, Shamon bent down and kissed the tip of her nose, making her jump. “This is exactly where I want to be, and no amount of pouting is going to change it, lass.”

  “We were doing okay—” she began.

  “Just obey security orders.”

  She glared up at him. “Oh, now you say it, now you’ve got your big foot in the trap with us!”

  “We won’t get in the way,” Heddam assured her, his twinkling eyes betraying his serious countenance. “You won’t even know we’re here.”

  Considering how big they were in the small ship, Gabie seriously doubted that. Not to mention that Shamon was right here. In the ship. She could almost feel herself breaking out in a sweat.

  “Aye,” Shamon agreed. “In fact, we’re going to help out. We’ve had extra stores brought onboard to start with—”

  “Good thing,” Paz said miserably. “You have huge appetites. It’d have cleaned us out of stores within two days otherwise.

  “You do exaggerate.” Misha rolled her eyes. “Three days, maybe.”

  Gabie sighed.

  “We’ll let you get settled in.” Misha took Gabie’s elbow and started to lead her away. “While we double-check the coordinates.” As soon as they’d entered the control cabin, Misha let her go. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “Nothing.” Gabie glared at the viscomm. “Oh look, the coordinates which I just rechecked ten minutes ago are fine. What a wonder!”

  “Will you stop sulking?”

  “No.” Sitting down in one of the chairs, Gabie folded her arms. “I didn’t want anyone else involved in this, Misha. You know that. Now I have two more to worry about.”

  Her friend snorted inelegantly. “I doubt we’ll have to worry about those two! In fact, if anyone tries to hurt us now, they’ll have something to worry about with our two giant bodyguards on board.”

  “They’re not here to stop us being shoved around, only killed.”

  “Hey, I’ll accept that.”

  Drumming her fingers on the console, Gabie looked out at the docking bay. From her position, she could see the Daamen trade ship readying itself to leave within the next hour.

  That’s where Shamon and Heddam should have been. Safe on their ship. No one was stupid enough to attack a Daamen trade ship. Well, except for Sonja’s space pirates, and how had that ended up? With Sonja wed and pregnant to the captain of the very same trade ship she’d hijacked.

  Life was weird sometimes.

  “Would you be as worried if it wasn’t Shamon with us?” Misha leaned against the wall.

  “No. I mean yes.”

  Misha smirked.

  “I don’t want anyone else but us here. What if he got himself killed? Huh? Or Heddam? How could I ever face the traders again?”

  “They volunteered.”

  “They were given a choice they couldn’t refuse.”

  “They could have chosen to walk away.”

  “They should have.”

  “So why did you let Des talk you into allowing Shamon to come with us?”

  “What else could I do? He was on the rampage, looking for that idiot who hit me. He was a danger to himself, and the only way to control him was to stick him with us.”

  “And Heddam?”

  “He stuck himself with his friend.”

  “So we’re all stuck together.” Misha shifted her position a little. “Are you going to sulk for long?”

  Leaning her head on her hand, Gabie sighed. “No. But give me a few minutes, all right? I should be allowed to sulk for a few minutes at least.”

  “You have five minutes and that’s being generous.”

  “Wow. You are so bighearted.”

  “I know. You’re very lucky to have me.” Misha started for the door. “I’ll do a last check and then it’s time to lift off.”

  After a few minutes of indulging in a good sulk, Gabie shook her head. What was done was done, and there was nothing she could do about it. Shamon was onboard. She just had to suck it up.

  Misha came back not long after to give her the all clear to take off and Gabie immersed herself in guiding the Larceny out of the docking bay and steering it towards space. Within minutes nothing but black surrounded them and stars sparkled through the space shield.

  She felt him as soon as he entered the cabin. It was as though his aura brushed against hers when he stopped right behind her chair. It sure did things to her own aura when two big hands fell onto her shoulders and long fingers massaged her tense muscles.

  “Lass,” Shamon said quietly.

  “Don’t think you can get into my good graces by being nice.” Dropping her chin forward, she sighed in ecstasy as his thumbs ran up the column of her neck. “But don’t stop trying.”

  Shamon laughed.

  She peeked sideways at him, but all she could see was a hard thigh. “Who got the spare cabin and who was relegated to the hidey hole?”

  “We tossed. I lost. Heddam got the spare cabin.”

  “Cripes. If you’d asked, I’d have loaned you my dice.”

  Sure fingers kneaded her shoulders. “I’m not likely to forget about those dice, lass. ’Twas the best thing to happen to me.”

  “That dice was the best thing to happen to me, too. I’ve won a fortune with them.”

  “’Twasn’t dinnos I was thinking about.”

  Hoo boy. There was no mistaking the tone of the words. Tipping her head back, Gabie stared up into brown eyes that held more than a trace of warmth. In fact, a simmer of heat shone from them.

  Wow. “Listen, Shamon.” She cleared her throat as he leaned down, his face coming closer, all those strong, yummy lines coming into fascinating focus. Even upside down his face was enough to make her knees go weak. “This is a small spaceship. No hanky-panky.”

  “Fine.” His lips brushed hers. “I’ll do hot and heavy instead.”

  Just the mere thought almost made her slip right out of her chair.

  Cupping her cheeks, his thumbs caressing her cheekbones, Shamon held her still for his kiss. The unfamiliar position was different. Tantalizing. Oh, all right, she admitted to herself through a pleasant haze, it was almost erotic.

  He pulled away too soon for her, but she managed to not grab him and
drag him down to the floor to have her evil way with him. Cripes, who knew she was such a slut when it came to this giant trader? Maybe he’d unleashed the slut in her when he’d popped her cherry. Now there was a thought.

  “You’re grinning.” His face still hovered above hers, his gaze tender and, yep, still hot.

  “Just a thought.”

  “Share it.”

  “No way.”

  “I could make you tell me.”

  “I’d like to see you try—”Her words were cut off by the viscomm beeping an incoming communications. Straightening up, she mentally shook the remnants of pleasure from her mind. “You better leave. This could be... ah...” If she told him the names, would he go off half-cocked?

  “Your contacts.” She felt him back away, but his fingers trailed lightly across her nape before lifting off. “I’ll wait outside.”

  Gabie waited until he’d left the cabin completely before she flicked the viscomm on to reveal Raznin.

  He looked at her dispassionately. “You’ve needed a lesson.”

  “Gosh, was that your idea? Thanks.”

  “I trust you learned from it and won’t repeat your mistakes.”

  Gabie gave him a quick, sardonic salute.

  Even though his eyes remained cold, a small smile played around his mouth. “You have spirit, Gabie.”

  “Disappointed your boy didn’t beat it out of me?”

  “Oh, I’m saving that pleasure for myself.”

  That didn’t sound good.

  Raznin actually licked his lips. “I’m quite good with a whip. I can make you scream for mercy and not even break your skin with the lash.”

  “Wow.” Gabie gazed levelly at him, refusing to grimace at the mental picture that not-so-pleasant statement brought forth. “Your thoughtfulness awes me.”

  Those hard eyes raked over her, cruelty flickering in their depths. “I can’t wait until we’re together. I have such plans for you.”

  Shamon might not have been in the cabin, but Gabie could just about feel the fury rolling off him. The back of her neck prickled and she was half afraid he’d come pounding into the cabin, grab Raznin by the neck and pull him through the viscomm screen.

  One could dream, but the harsh reality was that Raznin was safe who knew how far away in his ship, and Shamon was a little touchy when it came to Gabie’s well-being. It was better to put an end to things before the big trader gave his presence away by the steam coming from his ears to curl around the cabin door frame.

  “As much as I’m enjoying this little chat,” Gabie drawled, “was there a particular reason you contacted me?”

  Raznin looked at her for the longest time, and she resisted the impulse to squirm uneasily. One thing she’d learned a long time ago in this business was never to let any of the big sharks circling know you were scared of them. The scent of fear was a sweet aroma to their twisted senses.

  Finally, he said softly, “You stay away from that Daamen trader.”

  Aw cripes, he knew about Shamon. “Trader?”

  “I know you’ve been with that bastard, Gabie. I won’t tolerate it.”

  “You won’t tolerate it?”

  “You’re mine.”

  Oh shit. Oh hell, that wasn’t good.

  “I won’t have that trader thinking he can handle my merchandise,” Raznin continued. “If he does, I’ll have to brand you with my name, burn it into your skin so everyone who sees it will know who you belong to.”

  Hells bells. The insane idiot was nuts. Skin crawling, Gabie managed not to leap from the chair and run a mile. Instead, she looked coolly back at him and stated, “I belong to no one. My ship belongs to no one. My crew belongs to no one. We were forced to do this trip for you, Raznin, but don’t presume to think you own us.”

  “Not ‘us’. You, Gabie. Just you.” His smile was thin, his gaze like broken glass across her skin. “I don’t care about your motley crew. Just you.”

  Amazingly her ire was pushing her fear aside. “As touched as I am, I have a message for you, Raznin. Go to hell.” Reaching for the switch, she added angrily, “And don’t contact me again. I’ll report in to Tason as arranged, but your ugly mug is one thing I don’t want to see ever again.”

  When she snapped off the switch, his laughter still echoed in her ears.

  Slumping back down in the chair, she eyed the screen and then her trembling hands. Hey, how about that? Even when angry, she was still scared of the bastard. No shame in that, he was a scary person, and she’d never had any delusions about her own bravery. Her own stupidity at times, yes, but not bravery.

  Getting up from the chair, she turned to find Shamon standing right behind her. His eyes burned, but not from lust, and his big hands were fisted at his sides.

  “Don’t say it,” she said.

  “I’ll kill him before I allow him to set one hand on you,” Shamon gritted.

  “Yeah, well we can’t all have what we want.” She walked past him. “Misha shown you the ship yet?”

  There was silence behind her for several seconds and she thought he was going to start yelling or something, but instead he fell into step beside her, his long legs shortening their pace so she could keep up. “Nay.”

  “Well isn’t this your lucky day. Let’s do the tour of all—oh, let’s see—two floors?” She gestured grandly. “This is the main floor, sleeping cabins and dining cabin and control cabin. Want to see the cargo hold?”

  Shamon’s lips twitched, amusement vying for control over the fury that still burned in his eyes.

  “Oh, come on, honey.” Slipping an arm through his, she led him to the door into the stairwell. “Get over it.”

  “’Tis not something I’ll get over until that bastard’s neck is between my hands.” Shamon followed her grimly down the stairwell.

  “We all have our little fantasies. Personally, mine is to land my ship right on top of him.” Gabie scrunched her brow thoughtfully. “Like some old story... from a long time ago... to do with a house landing on a witch or something.”

  “My fantasies involve you.”

  “Why am I not surprised?”

  “The surprise would be what I do to you in those fantasies.” There was a definite huskiness in his voice now.

  Stopping on the last step, Gabie turned and looked up at him. The hunk of testosterone was looking down at her, his eyes twinkling even though the last traces of anger still gleamed dully behind the humour. There was a half smile on those gorgeous lips, and his hands on the iron railings slid lightly up and down them as though he were caressing something really sweet.

  “Aye,” he said throatily, watching her. “And my fantasies intend to come to life.”

  Cripes! “I don’t even want to know.” Her heart started to patter a little faster.

  His smile was hedonistic.

  Shaking her head, she turned back around and stepped down the last step and out into the cargo hold, to find Heddam and Olin studying the inside of one of the hidden cupboards in a wall.

  “’Tis a fine array of weapons you have here, lass,” Heddam greeted her.

  “Huh?” Crossing the floor, still favouring one leg—the bruise there from Tason’s kick was a real corker—Gabie peered inside at the steel box filled with lasers, six manblasters, and two long-range lasers. “Oops. Forgot about these. Cripes, Olin, I thought we’d delivered these?”

  “I think we got side-tracked. Remember Hortio couldn’t meet us outside the Outlaw Sector that time?”

  “Oh yeah. He was being chased by a bounty hunter pack. Huh.” Hands on hips, Gabie surveyed the weapons. “I remember now. We thought we better beat a retreat, too.”

  Kneeling on the floor beside her, Shamon lifted the lid of another steel box and peered inside. “Hells bells, wench, ’tis an arsenal you’ve got in here!”

  Bracing her hands on her knees, Gabie leaned down and peered in as well. “Oh yeah. A box full of explosives.”

  Shamon looked up at her. “Tell me you didn’t have these o
n board when your ship went on fire.”

  “Okay. I didn’t have them on board when the ship went on fire.” At his widening eyes, she added, “The very little fire which, I might add, I put out.”

  He closed his eyes with a pained expression on his face.

  “Don’t worry,” Olin said cheerfully. “Only the good die young. Gabie’ll last forever.”

  Gabie laughed right along with him, but oddly enough, Shamon didn’t find it funny. Heddam was trying to look serious but his lips were twitching.

  “You’ll be the death of me.” Shamon straightened up.

  “Hey, don’t blame me.” Gabie held out her hands, palms out. “It was your idea to accompany me. You see that bright light at the end of the tunnel, you just remember that.”

  “Do you really deal in weapons?” His face was anything but cheerful.

  “No.”

  He glanced at the box and back at her.

  “We did a favour and things got a bit mixed up.” Gabie grinned at Olin.

  Smothering a yawn, Olin explained, “One of our fellow private enterprise’s ship broke down in space, and we agreed to deliver his goods for him. This box was part of the goods. Unfortunately, the one we were supposed to deliver it to, Hortio, ended up on the run. We went in different directions and I guess this has been forgotten.”

  “What are you going to do with it?” Heddam queried.

  “Return it at some stage to Hortio.”

  “But he’s on the run.”

  “Then we’ll leave it someplace for him and send a message.”

  “Won’t he be annoyed you forgot about it?”

  “Hey.” Gabie held up her hands, palms out. “He forgot about it, too. He’ll be glad we remembered and stashed it for him.”

  Closing his eyes, Shamon pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers. “Lass, ’tis dangerous.”

  “Hear that, Olin?” Gabie nudged Olin. “It’s dangerous.”

  “You don’t say.” Olin nudged her back.

  Shamon sighed. “If security or the law find out you’re smuggling weapons—”

  “We’re transporting goods,” she corrected him.

  He got that pained look again and it made her grin wider.