Whoa.
She blinked, but before she could say anything, Shamon kissed her, a slow, drugging kiss that chased all thoughts of hard-eyed men and replaced them with visions of... oh, admit it. Thoughts of a naked trader, a big bed and hot lovin’.
“You’ve turned me into a slut,” she mumbled under his lips.
Shamon was so surprised he stopped kissing her and pulled back to stare down at her. “What?”
“I should be worried about what’s coming, but instead I’m thinking of you lying in bed with no clothes on—”
“Gabie!” Misha’s voice resounded in her ear.
Misha? Cripes! She’d forgotten about the communicators they all wore. Everything she and Shamon had said had been heard by everyone on board the ship! And... shit, shit, shit. Security.
A cough sounded in her ear, and then Olin said, “Are we leaving?”
Shamon grinned at her mortified expression, took pity on her and let her slide down the front of his body until she was on her own two feet.
Clearing her throat, Gabie lost the battle with her blush. “Getting ready now,” she said gruffly.
Shamon ruffled her hair. When his arm was outstretched, she saw the red mark on his upper arm, the impression of fingers. It had been a big hand, and there had been force in the grip. There was only one other person who could have done that to him.
He followed her gaze. “Heddam sort of had to hold me back a bit.”
“Cripes, did he try to rip your arm off, too?”
“Nay, I believe he’s saving that for later.”
Shaking her head, Gabie turned back to the control console. Shamon dropped a kiss on top of her head and left the cabin.
Misha came in seconds later and took the chair beside her. “You all right?” she asked casually.
“Fine.”
“I bet.”
“Don’t start.”
“Kiss you all better, did he?”
“Misha—”
Misha made kissy sounds.
“You do realize your impressions are being heard by just about everyone?”
“Hey, I’m famous.”
Gabie sent her a rude gesture.
“Want me to describe what you just did to our listeners?”
“Reckon they’ll hear me boot your arse?”
“I’ll have a heap of witnesses.”
“Are we leaving or not?” Olin’s disgruntled voice interrupted their banter. “I want to catch a nap before we arrive.”
“You get your beauty sleep, Olin,” Misha replied. “We’re going now.”
“About bloody time,” Des’s voice growled. “You’re giving me a headache.”
The sound of a chortle came over loud and clear over the communicator.
“Everyone wants to be a comedienne,” Gabie said, and started the engines.
“Just send us those coordinates,” Des said grumpily.
“Are you ever in a good mood?”
“Only when Simon is around,” Freeman said cheerfully.
“You shut your cake hole,” Des barked out.
~ * ~
Raznin watched the skies. Beside him stood Tason. Behind them stood their ship. Nearby his men waited, their lasers loose in their holsters, watching for trouble. They all waited for the Larceny.
This was the last of the slaves, and it was one he was going to personally oversee. Their biggest load, their final load. And it was going to be huge financially. Clients waited less than a day’s journey away.
And he intended to net a bigger prize.
Gabie.
She occupied his thoughts. The kind of woman he wanted. Smart, spirited, sassy and full-bodied like an over-blown rose. It would be beautiful to bring her to her knees, to make her cry, to strip her of everything and break her spirit. She’d take awhile, though. And that was what made the anticipation all the sweeter.
The Larceny appeared, growing bigger as it drew nearer. The small spaceship skimmed over the trees, veered away, banked, soared over again and finally came in to land.
His men retained their relaxed postures, but they were wary. Illegal slavery made one very, very careful when dealing with suppliers and clients both.
The ramp lowered and Gabie appeared. Raznin drank in the sight of her as she stopped at the bottom of the ramp. She made his mouth water and his palms sweat. God, he wished he had his whip in hand right now.
Gabie looked across at him warily. “Now what?”
She was such a sassy little bitch. He smiled. “Bring the slaves out.”
She turned her head and spoke to the old man who stood behind her. He disappeared back into the depths of the ship.
The pretty albino strode down the ramp with that arrogant tilt to her head, her long white braid swaying behind her. She was a cocky bitch, he’d give her that. And perhaps a little more dangerous than anyone gave her credit for.
Gabie and Misha spoke quietly, glancing around the clearing, obviously checking out his manpower. They’d see he wasn’t a man to cross.
“Here they come.” Tason shifted.
Down the ramp came four people, two men and two women. They weren’t shackled and he sighed.
He raised his voice. “Why are they not shackled?”
“You didn’t mention shackles,” Gabie replied. “You should have said if you wanted them shackled.”
“They wouldn’t want to try anything.” Tason moved forward with four men. “I’ll shoot them where they stand.”
One of the women was sobbing.
Olin, the old fool, patted her on the shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.
“Shackle them,” Tason ordered his men.
They moved forward holding chains and iron shackles.
One of the young men started to fight, and the youth quickly followed. The men subdued them quickly with several hard, skilled punches, bringing the men to the ground in pain.
“Hey!” Gabie started forward, anger burning in her eyes. “Hey, you don’t have to be so damned rough!”
“They’re slaves.” Raznin moved forward. “Come here. I have something for you.”
Gabie eyed him suspiciously. “I’d rather not. This was the deal, Raznin. I delivered these slaves to you, got them past the law. Our job is done.”
Oh, she was so sweet. “Now, Gabie, this isn’t the total end. We worked together really well.”
“And it’s been fun. Bye.” She started backing towards the spaceship.
Tason moved in behind her, his laser barrel pressed to the back of her head.
She paled but she didn’t start crying. “Well, if you insist.”
Misha drew her laser fast and pointed it directly at Tason. “Put the laser down!”
Within seconds Tason’s men had their lasers drawn and aimed right at Olin and Misha. The albino didn’t give an inch, her jaw muscles working as she gritted her teeth.
“I suggest you put down your weapon,” Raznin said.
“I suggest you kiss my—” Misha stopped and drew a deep breath. “Let her go.”
“I’m just wanting a chat with your captain, albino. It’s not my fault if she isn’t exactly a cooperative sort.” Raznin looked at Gabie. “Tell your people to holster their lasers.”
“I think they’re a little worried about me.” She winced when Tason’s barrel rapped her lightly on the back of the head. “Ow. Misha, put up your laser.”
Misha looked like she was trying to swallow a lemon whole. She had to force herself to holster her laser and Raznin took a second look at her. The albino could be a problem.
“Get the slaves on board,” Raznin ordered the men standing with the four slaves.
The six other men stood in a semi-circle, their lasers drawn as they watched Misha and Olin.
Tason pushed Gabie forward until she was directly in front of Raznin.
Ah yes, she had spirit, this one. The saying was that the Larceny crew weren’t into violence, and that was true, but neither did they back down when cornered. How very ent
ertaining.
Reaching out, Raznin caught her chin in a cruel grip. “I find you very intriguing.”
She gritted her teeth.
“I want you, Gabie. You belong to me as much as these slaves do, only I’m not going to sell you. I’m going to break you myself.” He leaned down.
“You kiss me and I’ll bite your lip off.” Gabie jerked backwards against Tason.
Tason gripped her upper arms and held her still.
Raznin laughed then slapped her hard.
“Goddamn it!” Misha started forward, only to be brought up short when one of Raznin’s men sent a hot laser beam searing the ground in front of her. Helpless, furious, she could only stop and clench her fists. “Gabie wasn’t part of the deal!”
“The deals are mine to make.”
“You double-crossed us.” Gabie stood straighter, his handprint a red glow on her pale cheek.
The woman wouldn’t cry. He admired that. It whetted his appetite to give more pain and find out how long she’d last before begging for mercy. He bet it would be awhile.
“More like changed the deal.” Reaching out, he ran his hand down the side of her face, deliberately pressing on the slap mark.
She struck out instinctively, shoving his hand away.
Oh yes. The excitement flickered inside him and he slapped her across the other cheek hard enough to bring her to her knees.
The bitch didn’t know when to stay down. She twisted around and kicked Tason hard on the side of the knee with the sole of her boot. Something cracked ominously and Tason let out a scream and fell to one knee.
Gabie scrambled backwards on hands and knees, her gaze darting from Tason to Raznin.
“You are a bad girl.” Raznin shook his head. “Punishment is due.”
He caught the movement from the corner of his eye and swung out. He’d been too careless, too focused on Gabie. Too amused and excited by her defiance.
Tason aimed the laser at her. “I’ll kill you!” Spittle flew from his lip as he dragged himself upright, his useless knee making him scream again in pain as he pulled the trigger.
Everything happened at once. People he didn’t know were suddenly spilling from the bushes and laser fire seared the air. Men fell, screaming, blood pouring from injuries, and the smell of burned flesh was sickeningly rife in the air.
Misha was yelling Gabie’s name, but someone brought her down to the ground as she rushed forward. She fought with the man holding her, her swearing and cursing peppering the air.
“It’s a set-up!” someone yelled.
“You bitch!” He couldn’t believe it! It shouldn’t be happening! There’d been no sign on the scanner of any other craft or person in the entire vicinity! Raznin looked to where Gabie was scrambling to her feet. The bitch had double-crossed him!
There was no going back, he saw men in uniform cutting off his path back to the safety of the ship. His men were injured. It was finished! But there was still a way—still freedom. There was one who could save him! And to save him, he needed this bitch to get him through!
Drawing a knife from the sheath at his waist, Raznin threw himself at Gabie, catching her around the knees.
“Shit!” He heard her swear right as she fell headfirst back onto the grass.
Raznin moved fast, years of ruthless fighting ingrained in him. Years of subduing the weaker sex giving him the experience to move up to his knees, dragging her with him so her back was to his chest.
“Stay back!” he yelled, the tip of the dagger at her throat. “I’ll slit her from ear to ear if anyone comes any closer!”
A curse filled the air. Everything stopped, and he found himself facing a semi-circle of grim-looking people, men and women. Eight in all. They wore... oh God, they wore the IPS security uniforms. That explained it. They’d used some of their underhanded, secret ways of infiltrating his previously-cleared area! And he knew those two women heading the pack, the tall redhead and the shorter woman. Des and Sabra.
He was dead.
They watched him without blinking, like carrion eyeing a particularly tasty bit of offal.
“Let me go,” Gabie said quietly, her voice trembling but still refusing to give in.
That made him madder.
He hauled her upright as he stood, the dagger pricking her skin to draw a bead of blood.
“You always had a smart mouth, bitch,” he panted in her ear. “I thought you were so easily cowed to work for us. Seems I was mistaken. You actually had the guts to double cross me.”
“Not like I had a choice,” she muttered, only to gasp as he jammed the dagger under her chin.
“Back off, Sabra!” Raznin yelled, dragging Gabie with him as he moved backwards. “Get back!”
“It’s over,” Sabra said. “Give up.”
“It’s never over.” He laughed harshly. “Tell your men, and that albino bitch and the old outlaw, to get away from the Larceny. Now.”
“You can’t get away from us.” Sabra matched him step for step, circling around as he edged back towards the small ship. “’Tis wasting time, Raznin. If ’tis what you like to call yourself.”
“It’s what I like to call myself when I’m working.”
“If you say so.”
“Stop there!” She was getting too close, too damned close. A glance sideways showed Des and another security officer slowly moving inwards as well, trying to trap him. “Stay right there, or Gabie will get worse than this!”
He stabbed down hard, slashing Gabie straight down her upper arm.
She cried out as the sharp blade sliced through her jacket and shirt, cutting through to the flesh beneath.
“Hold still!” He jerked her upright hard, keeping her tight to him, sliding the blade back up to her throat. “The next time it’ll be your throat, bitch!” He glared at Sabra, seeing nothing but coolness in that beautiful face. “That was just a warning, Sabra! Now hold your people back!”
“You won’t get away,” she replied in that maddeningly calm way she had. “And you’re not making this any easier on yourself.”
“Let me show you just how uneasy I can make it for Gabie if you don’t do as I demand!”
“Oh, you don’t want to do that,” Gabie gasped, and started fighting.
“Gabie! No!” Des yelled.
He cursed. Holding on to her was like trying to hold on to a slippery fish. Her heel slammed into his shin, her blood making his hold slide.
Furious, he angled the dagger, pulling it back with the intent to stab it forcefully through her shoulder. Or side. He didn’t care where as long as it forced her compliance and showed the cursed security that he meant business.
The dagger didn’t descend. In fact, he couldn’t move his arm. Actually, he felt like his wrist was in a vice.
He felt it suddenly, the heat of rage, a towering presence behind him. The mammoth size of the fingers wrapped around his wrist.
“Your mistake,” the deep voice said with deadly quietness in his ear, “was in threatening my lass.”
The big hand holding his wrist twisted with no effort at all. A sharp snap echoed through the clearing and then fiery pain seared up Raznin’s arm as he realized his wrist had been snapped like a dry twig.
The dagger dropped from his hand but he couldn’t turn, couldn’t run, because two big hands clamped in his clothes and lifted him high in the air.
Vaguely he heard voices yelling, swearing, ordering the giant, raging trader to drop him, but the scariest thing was the roaring that filled the air.
It wasn’t coming from the blood rushing through his veins either.
It was coming from the giant holding him high above his head. Huge muscles flexed and bulged, and murder burned in the eyes of the Daamen below him.
Raznin just had time to scream before he was hurled away with brutal force. He’d no sooner hit the ground in a haze of agony than he was grabbed, hoisted up and flung once more, this time crashing against the side of his own ship.
His lip split as
a big fist connected with it, his shirt ripped as a huge hand twisted in the material and hauled him upright, and he was sure his stomach had been ripped open when a blow to it felt as though it had gone right through and taken his spine with it.
He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think and black descended on him... but not before he felt himself hoisted up once more and the wind whistled in his ears...
~ * ~
Sitting beside the table, face pale, Gabie winced as Olin applied antiseptic to the long, deep cut marring her arm. Blood dripped down onto the absorbent sheet he’d placed beneath her arm. Her jacket was ruined, as was her shirt. She’d tossed her jacket aside but she’d only allowed him to cut her shirt sleeve off. No way in hell was she baring her body to so many eyes.
Just as she refused to allow the security medic to attend her wounds. Olin had cared for her and her friends for a few years now, and she wasn’t about to trust anyone else.
Shamon sat opposite her, watching every move Olin made. He held her hand as tenderly as if it belonged to a newborn. He’d hardly said a word since they’d gotten onboard. Gabie cast a sideways glance at him. Man, she wouldn’t be forgetting his rage in a hurry. He’d flung Raznin around like a paper doll. She was sure he’d been going to rip him limb from limb just as he’d always threatened to do, but the timely arrival of the Daamen trade ship meant more men to help Heddam restrain Shamon when he’d continued after Raznin like a rabid hound.
Cripes, it had been such a mess. Shamon had gone rampaging after Raznin, and Des, Freeman, Sabra and another security guard had been trying to stop him but he’d simply shaken them off like fleas. Even Heddam hadn’t been able to do more than slow him down.
It had taken the combined efforts of Simon, Heddam and Aamun to bring Shamon under control. Then he’d simply turned, gathered Gabie up into his arms and carried her aboard the big trade ship. Just like that. Ignored Misha and Olin and Paz who had been hovering around her, trying to offer help, while she’d been staggering around like a damned drunk, in pain and worried sick about Shamon, and wanting to kick Raznin herself.
Misha had landed Tason a good kick in his injured knee as she passed him, God bless her.
Heart of a Smuggler Page 34