Break Out (A Blood Hunter Novel, book 1)

by Nina Croft

  She ducked under Rico’s arm, but could feel his eyes on her back as she walked out.

  “Skylar?”

  She turned back at the doorway. “What?”

  “You won’t be able to run forever.”

  Once they were a safe distance down the corridor, she released her breath. “Thank you.”

  “Hey, a deal’s a deal,” Daisy said. “Besides, you’re paying us, and you looked like you were about to cave.”

  “No, I wasn’t.”

  Daisy snorted. “Right.” She gave Skylar a sideways look. “You won’t hurt him, will you?”

  “Hurt who?”

  “Rico.”

  Shock stopped Skylar in her tracks. She turned to face Daisy. “How could I possibly hurt Rico?”

  “Well, he’s changed since you came on board.”

  “How so?”

  “He used to be really aloof. He’d talk to the captain, but the rest of us, he’d pretty much ignore. Then the last week, he’s been talking to us, he’s more…human, and we know it’s because of you.”

  “You’ve been discussing this?”

  “Of course. He obviously likes you, but we reckon you’ll be leaving after the job’s over.” She studied Skylar, head cocked to one side. “Or will you? You could stay. I mean, you obviously like him as well.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  The response was automatic, and Daisy snorted again. “Of course you don’t. You should think about it though—staying on, I mean. We’d like you to.”

  She shoved her hands in her pockets and sauntered off, leaving Skylar staring after her.

  They’d like her to stay?

  Why should that make her feel all warm and fuzzy?

  The feeling didn’t last. Running a hand through her hair, she pressed her fingertips to her scalp, trying to ease the pressure. She’d never allowed herself to consider a different existence; she’d made her choices long ago and always believed that was the way things would be.

  Forever.

  Now, thoughts of another life teased her mind. What would it be like to turn her back on everything that was safe, to stay on El Cazador, to explore the universe?

  For a brief moment, she imagined it was possible. But the notion was fleeting. What about duty and honor? Besides, after tomorrow, they wouldn’t want her to stay.

  They’d want her dead.

  Chapter Eleven

  Rico drummed his fingers on the console in front of him and stared at the comm unit, willing it to do something. Skylar had set off an hour ago, and they were waiting to hear from her before they headed off to intercept the transport ship.

  Finally, the comm light lit up. “Skylar, here.”

  She sounded cheerful, and some of the tension eased from his muscles. He’d been worried about her. The thought brought him up short. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d cared enough to worry about anyone.

  “Hi, sweetheart,” he answered. “You in position?”

  “Yup, and it’s on schedule. I should intercept in less than two hours.”

  “Great. We’ll be right behind you.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  Rico closed the connection and turned to the others. “Well, looks like we’re on.”

  Tannis grinned. “Everyone ready?”

  She was strapped into the co-pilot’s seat, her shoulders tense, her eyes gleaming gold. Daisy sat in the pilot’s seat, readying the shuttle for takeoff and looking very pleased with herself. She’d be on her own, piloting the shuttle once he and Tannis transferred to the transport ship, and Rico reckoned she might as well settle in.

  “I’m ready,” she said, and Rico could hear the barely suppressed excitement in her voice.

  He took the seat behind them and strapped himself in. “Right, let’s go.”

  At that moment, Janey appeared in the open hatchway. She peered inside. “Captain?”

  Tannis swiveled her seat. “What is it?”

  “I thought this might be important. You know the cruiser that’s been following us?”

  “How could I forget?”

  “Remember the first time it appeared, the day Skylar came on board? Well, just before it showed up, there was a comm sent from the ship.”

  Tannis frowned. “A comm? How did you pick it up? Or more to the point, why did you even look?”

  “Rico suggested I check back for anything unusual. I nearly missed it. It’s not like anything I’ve ever heard before—more like brain waves than electrical—and I still can’t pinpoint exactly where it came from.”

  Tannis sat for a minute, tapping her booted toe on the ground. “How did you know?” she asked Rico.

  “I didn’t. I just thought the whole thing was odd.”

  “Hmm, well, the obvious suspect is Skylar, but it can’t have been—she was with Rico.”

  Rico smiled at the memory. “Yes, she was, wasn’t she?”

  “So, does that mean we have a traitor on the ship? One of the crew?” Tannis ran a hand though her hair. “I don’t believe it. Do we abort the mission?”

  “No. As you say, it couldn’t have been Skylar.”

  “But we might be compromised.”

  “It’s probably unrelated. We’ll look into it when we get back. We need to leave now if we’re going to do this.”

  Tannis looked at Rico suspiciously.

  He kept his expression blank. “Think of all that money.”

  She sighed. “Okay, let’s do this.”

  Rico turned to Janey. “Have you managed to isolate the frequency?”

  “Not yet, but I will soon.”

  “Good. Comm it through to me when you have it. Now, I suggest we leave.”

  . . .

  Skylar’s hand slid down to her waist, only to remember that her laser pistol was missing. She’d wanted to wear it, but Janey had assured her it didn’t go with the dress and had muttered something scathing about accessories under her breath.

  Personally, Skylar considered a laser pistol the perfect accessory for any outfit.

  Getting on board the transport ship had been easy. She’d flashed a bit of cleavage at the monitor, did her best to look helpless, and they’d almost dragged her shuttle on board.

  When she’d tottered onto the bridge in her high heels, the three crewmembers had been lined up waiting for her, only too eager to help a damsel in distress. Unfortunately, it was becoming obvious that they expected her to reward them for their services.

  The tallest of the three had introduced himself as the captain. He insisted on helping her to a seat, refusing to relinquish his hold on her when they got there. Every few seconds, he squeezed her arm, while the other two stood on either side, leering down the front of her dress.

  Lovely.

  Not even in the line of duty would she let any of these assholes touch her.

  She considered taking them out. She could probably do it, even without her weapon, and it would feel so good. But she really couldn’t take the risk, not when they were armed and she wasn’t.

  Putting her hand to her forehead, she let out a little moan of simulated pain as she studied the layout of the bridge through her fingers. She’d gotten used to the sleek, graceful lines of El Cazador. By comparison, this ship was utilitarian, bordering on downright ugly. She spotted the control panel she needed directly opposite where she sat, but she had no chance of getting to it with the crew sticking so close.

  She dropped her hand. “I’m really not feeling too well. Could I possibly have some air?”

  She hoped they’d take the hint and move away—no such luck.

  “You look fine to me.” The captain gave her arm another squeeze. “Doesn’t she look good to you, Joe?”

  Joe licked his lips. “Good enough to eat.”

  Now she really did feel ill.

  El Cazador would be in range by now, just waiting for Skylar to knock out the shields. She wasn’t too worried yet. If she couldn’t get to the control panel, she still had Janey’s gadget as backup
. All she needed to do was convince them to scan her. She clutched her stomach. “Please, I think something is seriously wrong.”

  No one moved. Heartless bunch—she could be dying here.

  Gritting her teeth, she raised her head, widened her eyes, and batted her lashes at the man beside her. “Please, Joe, I hurt. Right here.” She ran a hand over her left breast and pressed her ribcage. Three sets of eyes followed the movement. She licked her lips. “Check me out, and I promise I’ll be grateful.”

  Joe grinned. “I’ll go get the scanner.”

  At last.

  He was back in seconds. He ran the scanner over her breasts, frowning as he read the readings. He shook the machine, and Skylar bit back her frustration.

  “I said, here.” Grabbing his hand, she guided the scanner to the right place.

  Nothing happened.

  Had Janey’s brilliant gadget failed?

  Skylar gritted her teeth and pressed the scanner a little closer. The shrill sound of the ship’s alarm rang out of the bridge.

  “What the fuck…?”

  Skylar made to rise from the chair, but the grip around her upper arm tightened, and she was shoved back into the seat.

  “What’s happening?” She tried to keep her tone innocent. Right now was the most dangerous time, but with a bit of luck, they wouldn’t suspect her.

  “Perhaps you could tell us.”

  The captain rammed his laser pistol into the side of her neck, and she clamped her lips together. There was no point in saying anything now. All she could do was wait. Joe still stood beside her chair, the scanner hanging from his hand. The third man was stationed at the control panel, and after a minute, the shrill scream of the alarm ceased.

  He turned. “There’s no damage. It must be a malfunction.”

  “A very convenient malfunction.” The captain jabbed the pistol harder into her throat, and Skylar winced.

  “Talk.”

  When she remained silent, he drew back the pistol and smashed it across her cheekbone. The blow slammed her head against the seat, and warm blood trickled down her face.

  Holy fucking Meridian that hurt.

  He hit her again, and for a moment, her vision blurred.

  Where the hell was Rico?

  She blinked, clearing her sight, and when she opened her eyes, there he was, standing in the doorway, legs braced, laser pistol held loosely at his side, a small smile playing across his gorgeous face. The rest of the room faded, and Skylar couldn’t prevent the grin from spreading across her own face.

  “You all right?” Rico asked.

  “Brilliant.”

  The pistol jabbed in her throat again, bringing her back to reality.

  “Anyone moves,” the captain said, “and the bitch is dead.”

  “Oh, please.” Skylar rolled her eyes at the cliché, but held herself perfectly still.

  Rico turned his gaze to the captain, the lazy smile sliding from his eyes, leaving them cold as black ice. “I don’t suppose you would consider surrendering?” When no one replied, he shrugged. “I thought not.” He cast Skylar a wry grin. “Sorry, sweetheart.”

  For a moment, the words made no sense. Then he raised the laser pistol smoothly, aimed it straight at her heart.

  In that final second, thoughts raced through her mind.

  Did he know? Was it all a setup? Had he always known?

  Her vision narrowed on the pistol. The laser flashed, and the blast slammed into her, breaking the grip on her arm and crashing her to the floor. Everything went black.

  She must have been out only for a few seconds. When she blinked her eyes open, nobody had moved. Except her. She was lying on the cold, metal floor—and it looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since the ship was built. She ran a quick internal diagnostic and realized she was basically unharmed. Nothing but stunned.

  Rico hadn’t tried to kill her.

  Still, it hurt like hell.

  A laser fired over her head, and a body crashed to the floor beside her. The face was half gone, burnt away, and the smell of roasting flesh filled her nostrils. It was the captain, and she crawled to him on her elbows and tugged the pistol from his clenched fingers.

  She lifted her head and peered around. Tannis stood just inside the door, Rico beside her. As she watched, a laser blast spun the pistol from his hand. He snarled and hurled himself across the floor, a blur of speed, slamming into the second man, gripping his skull between his large hands. Skylar winced at the sound of bones snapping. Rico released his hold, and the body dropped to the floor.

  Of the crew, only Joe remained standing. He appeared bewildered, the scanner still dangling from one hand. When Rico turned toward him, he dropped the machine and fumbled for his pistol. Rico stalked closer, nostrils flaring as though he scented prey.

  Skylar wanted to look away, but her gaze remained fixed on the tableau in front of her. She had seen a lot of killing in her life. But nothing like this.

  For the first time, it struck home that Rico was not human. He’d told her he had been at one time. Now, he was something else. And that something was pure predator.

  A pair of boots appeared in her field of vision. She managed to tear her gaze from Rico and look up. Tannis stood over her, her face impassive, one hand extended. Skylar took it and pulled herself to her feet. They both turned back to watch. With the urgency gone, Rico appeared almost languid as he reached out, wrapped his fingers around Joe’s throat, and pulled him close.

  She realized the first two crewmembers had been fortunate—they had died swiftly. Joe was not so lucky. Rico held him in a powerful embrace, close against his chest, his fist clenched in the man’s hair. He pulled back the head, baring the line of his victim’s throat. For a moment, Rico held himself still, and then he stared straight at Skylar. She shivered but couldn’t look away—his eyes glowed with crimson fire as he lowered his head, and his fangs pierced the man’s vein.

  “Does he do this often?” Skylar asked in a low voice.

  “Not often,” Tannis replied. “Thank God. He’s actually pretty well behaved for a bloodsucking monster. He told me recently that regular sex kept the monster at bay. I thought it was just an excuse, but”—she looked from Skylar back to Rico—“I guess he hasn’t been getting any.”

  “Right, blame me,” Skylar muttered. She rubbed at her chest where the laser blast had hit her. “The bastard shot me.”

  Tannis grinned. “All part of the plan. And I did offer to do the shooting but I don’t think he trusted me to switch my laser to stun. Come on, we have work to do. Eyeballs and blood samples to collect. Then we can clear up this mess and get on with the job.”

  Skylar blinked and forced her gaze away. Kicking off her high heels, she tugged up the neckline of her silver tube dress, and took the knife Tannis handed her. “Okay, which one’s first?”

  She kept an eye on Rico as they worked. He’d finished feeding, casually dropping the body to the floor, but he kept his distance, pacing the room. His hair had come loose from its ponytail during the fighting and hung across his shoulders. He ran a hand through it, then his eyes caught hers and he smiled, flashing his fangs. He appeared totally wired. She’d known what he was, but that was still different from seeing it with her own eyes. A shiver ran through her. She swallowed, shook herself, and got to work.

  Chapter Twelve

  Rico couldn’t drag his eyes from the black hole that filled the screen. It was beautiful, a vision of whirling iridescent gases surrounding a gaping maw.

  For so long, he’d battled the pull of his own personal darkness. Now, something in the stygian blackness called to him, and he had to fight the urge to dive headfirst into that well of eternal night. Discover whatever awaited him on the other side.

  “Rico!” Tannis spoke sharply from behind him.

  “What?” he said, without turning from the screen.

  “We’re getting awfully close to that black hole.”

  He shrugged. “We haven’t hit the Event Horizon, yet
.”

  “Isn’t that the point of no return? The point where that thing sucks us in and totally obliterates us? Don’t you think it might be a good idea if we never hit the Event Horizon?” Her voice was even, but he could detect a hint of panic underneath.

  Rico sighed and forced his gaze away from the darkness. Not today—he wasn’t ready quite yet.

  And they were getting close. He switched the ship to manual. This was going to be tricky, and he was old-fashioned enough to trust himself above a machine. The navigation system of the transport ship was sluggish and heavy after El Cazador, and he could feel the gravitational pull of the black hole, dragging the ship closer.

  “There it is,” Tannis said.

  He saw it then. Trakis One, dark ochre encircled by spiraling radiation rings of palest yellow to blood crimson. A single moon revolved lazily around the planet. He knew from their research that the orbit and size of Trakis One kept it from the pull of the black hole. But anything approaching had no chance. Except for the brief period when that moon passed between them. Denser than the planet, despite being smaller, it would provide sufficient cover for a ship to reach the planet’s surface—he hoped.

  Beside him, Tannis was counting down. “You ready?”

  He nodded.

  “Right. Three, two, one, go!”

  Rico slammed on the forward thrusters. Not a lot happened. They slowed a little, but were still heading into the darkness.

  “We’re still getting closer.”

  He ground his teeth. “I know.”

  “Holy crap. We’re going in. Do something, Rico.”

  “I am doing something.” He focused on the screen. It did indeed seem as though they’d be swallowed, but at the last moment, the moon slipped fully between them. Freed of the pull, the ship shot forward, around the orbiting moon, and they were on a direct course for Trakis One.

  “Dios mio,” Rico muttered.

  They were heading straight for what appeared to be a ball of fiery gases. After only a couple of minutes, he felt the heat burning through the strengthened hull. El Cazador would have been ashes by now. Rico wiped the sweat from his forehead before turning to look at Skylar.

  “Have we got those codes from Janey yet?” he asked. “We’re not going anywhere without them.”