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Copyright© 2019 N.J. Walters
ISBN: 978-1-77339-992-8
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer
Editor: Karyn White
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WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
Thank you to my readers for embracing the Marks Mercenaries. Your support and kindness mean so much to me.
Thank you to everyone at Evernight Publishing for working so hard to bring this book to life.
LIBERATING LACEY
Marks Mercenaries, 3
N.J. Walters
Copyright © 2019
Chapter One
It took everything inside Garth Marks not to open fire on the men in front of him and use the powerful blaster cradled in his arms to destroy them all. He was usually known for being the laid-back Marks brother, but that facade hid a volcano of anger that was threatening to erupt into a storm of violence and mayhem at any moment.
“What do you mean Jasper Freeman isn’t here?”
Garth glanced over at Angelina Astoferus, owner of the powerful Astoferus Incorporated and his brother’s woman. She was hell on wheels when she wanted to be. And right now, she was using every bit of the political and financial power she possessed to help them with their goal.
If he hadn’t already loved her for making Amos so damn happy, he would have fallen for her in that moment. For a woman who’d been raised in the lap of luxury and with the finest of all things, she’d fit in well with them from the beginning. They were rough men, hard rock miners turned mercenaries and space traders who had one goal in life—to find their missing sister.
This was the best lead they had in the decade since Abigail had gone missing. Garth’s finger caressed the trigger.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Astoferus, but he was called away on an emergency.” Ian Reader, Freeman’s second in command, was tall with dark hair and an intelligent gaze. The same height as Garth, he somehow managed to look down his nose at him, dismissing him as nothing more than a guard with more brawn than brains. If the situation wasn’t so serious, Garth would have found it amusing.
But Angelina wasn’t deterred. She turned to consult Amos. “I don’t have time in my schedule for a delay, do I?” She appeared every inch the rich lady she was. It was a far cry from the woman who’d stowed away on their ship only weeks before. It had set them back by several days, but it had been worth the extra stop to get her the necessary clothing she needed to play her role in this mission.
Amos, who was acting as her personal assistant, checked the electronic pad in his hands and shook his head, looking both grave and concerned. “I’m afraid not. Today is all the time you had allotted.” Amos might be wearing formal clothes, but there was no disguising the fact he was a dangerous man, even with his hair tied back and his spiffy getup. Ian would assume he was both her personal assistant and an extra bodyguard.
Garth could see the sensual heat in his brother’s eyes and hear the barely suppressed passion in his voice when he spoke to her. Fortunately, the welcoming committee on the planet Eden didn’t seem to notice.
Angelina shrugged as if it made no matter to her. “Mr. Freeman doesn’t seem to want or need my financial help or political backing, it seems.” She turned on her heel. “Come along.” She flicked her hand in the air, like a queen ordering her subjects. Garth barely bit back his smile, knowing what was coming. She’d played her part perfectly.
“Wait.” Ian took a step toward Angelina, his hand out as if to stop her. Garth took perverse pleasure in stepping in front of him. The other man frowned and peered around him. “I’m sure Mr. Freeman would want me to give you a tour of our community and explain all the good things we’re doing here.”
Every muscle in Garth’s body tensed. He wanted to break away and run through the settlement, searching everywhere until he found his missing sister. But they couldn’t be sure she was here. All they had was hope.
Angelina patted his arm, and he stepped aside so she could speak directly to Ian. “I suppose I could take a quick look around since I’m here.” She strode forward, leaving the rest of them behind. She paused, glanced over her shoulder, and raised one pale eyebrow. “Well?”
Ian rushed to her side. “This way.” He glanced toward Garth and frowned. “You don’t need a bodyguard. You’re perfectly safe here.”
A bead of sweat rolled down Garth’s spine. He kept his expression blank when he wanted to yell in triumph.
Angelina frowned. “Very well. But my personal assistant comes with me.” Her tone left no room for dissent or negotiation.
“Of course, Ms. Astoferus,” Ian agreed.
Then she sent Garth a haughty glare. “Wait for me here.”
Knowing she’d be safe enough with Amos, he nodded. They were all wearing battlesuits beneath their clothing. The lightweight body armor was practically indestructible. It was hugely expensive, but Amos had insisted Angelina have her own suit. Garth knew his brother also had weapons secreted all over his body. No, they would be safe enough without him.
Garth stayed alongside their shuttle while the rest of them walked toward the central building in the settlement. He didn’t move a muscle for long minutes. Finally, the people who’d gathered around to watch their unexpected arrival went back to work. Only then did he relax, but only fractionally. Now it was time for him to do some scouting. If his sister was here, he’d find her.
Ignoring the flip-flopping in his stomach, he eased into the shade of a nearby tree, as if seeking the respite from the sun. Eden lived up to its reputation as a lush and verdant planet. Everything seemed to grow easily here, a far cry from the dusty, desolate mining planet of Quaros where he and his brothers had been born and raised.
Knowing Kal, the youngest of the brothers, was monitoring all communication on the planet also put him at ease. If there was trouble, he’d alert Garth.
The settlement was larger than they’d thought. He had no idea how many people were here, but there had to be at least a thousand from the number of dwellings they’d seen as they’d approached in the shuttle.
It would take more time than they had to search the entire place. There was always the concern someone who’d been with Jasper Freeman when he’d visited Quaros ten years ago might recognize them and spirit Abigail away or even harm her. She might be imprisoned somewhere. There could even be subterranean structures. There was no way to know how vast the compound was, and none of their contacts had been able to provide any helpful data.
The one thing on their side was that Jasper Freeman wasn’t here. He was a hell-and-damnation preacher and the leader of this group that called themselves the Simplistics. They eschewed technology, or that was the appearance they gave. While his followers might work the soil by hand, make their own clothes, and use only simple machinery, Freeman had his own personal spaceship and security detail, complete with the latest weapons.
The man was a hypocrite who went around the galaxies preaching the word and taking young girls when he decided their situation was less than ideal. They thought that might have been what had happened to Abigail. She’d been a lovely girl being raised by her four older brothers. The preacher had been visiting their planet when there’d be
en an intentional explosion in the mine. All the brothers had been injured in the blast. When they’d regained consciousness, they’d discovered their sister was missing.
They’d spent every second of the past decade searching for her. They would never give up.
Forcing himself to relax his grip on the blaster in his hands, he lowered it by his side, but kept it at the ready. He scanned the area, listening intently. When he was confident he was alone, he slipped around the tree and made his way down one of the pathways.
It was time to go hunting.
****
Lacey Freshlan peeked out from behind the massive Janta tree and watched the stranger make his way down the trail toward the houses. She’d grown up around brawny men who worked the fields daily, men used to hard physical labor, but she’d never seen a male as broad as this one. He wasn’t fat. No, it was all solid muscle. He reminded her of a bull they’d had years ago—strong and stubborn. The uniform he wore stretched at the shoulders. He had short black hair, but what really caught her attention was the shock of white in the front. It was unusual, to say the least.
There was something about him that attracted her, which was both unusual and unexpected. Lacey had always been more comfortable around plants and animals than people. They were much easier to understand—honest and straightforward. That, coupled with her short stature, which made her look younger than her years, had allowed her to live with more freedom than many of the women here. But that time was coming to an end if she didn’t do something to save herself. Ian had been making overtures toward her, hinting at marriage. Playing dumb wasn’t going to work for much longer.
She’d only managed to escape being forced to wed for this long because she’d hinted that having a husband would pull her away attention away from her work in the gardens. That work was the backbone of the community, as well as a huge value to Jasper Freeman. He didn’t want that revenue stream to dry up or be disrupted.
Where was the stranger going? What was he looking for? Because as relaxed as he appeared, it was an illusion. After years of studying animals and their habits, she knew a hunter when she saw one.
He wanted something.
She was surprised Ian had left the bodyguard unwatched. Of course, Ian was arrogant enough to believe no one would dare disobey him. He liked to think he had power and standing, but she saw him as nothing more than Jasper’s flunky.
She followed the man, sticking to the shadows of the trees and bushes that lined the path. It was easy enough to do. A silversong flew past, landing on a branch in front of her. The bird, native only to Eden, had shimmery silver feathers and sang like an angel. The bird preened and then began a low trill.
Lacey reached into her pocket, pulled out a handful of seeds, and offered it to the bird in exchange for her song. She knew the bird was female, because the males didn’t sing. The bird hopped onto the edge of her hand and began to peck at the unexpected treat. Lacey worried about losing the stranger, so she kept walking. When the silversong was done eating, it perched on her shoulder, coming along for the ride.
It wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened and likely wouldn’t be the last. Animals seemed to instinctively understand she wouldn’t hurt them. It had always been that way for as far back as she could remember.
Fearing he would leave the path, she hurried, making as little sound as possible. The bird gave a final trill and took to the sky. She glanced up, enjoying the blaze of silver streaking across the blue sky.
Eden was a beautiful planet, but a prison was still a prison.
Lacey hadn’t been free a day in her life. She’d been born here. Her downtrodden and misguided parents had been among the first followers of Jasper Freeman, buying into his promise of a better life, a better world. In theory, it all sounded perfect. In reality, Jasper was the only one with a better life. The rest of them toiled long, hard hours for very little. They lived in small huts and had barely enough clothing to wear and food to eat.
She loved farming, but she wanted to be able to control what got planted and where, to use the natural rhythms of the planet and work with them. But Jasper was all about having crops to export to less fortunate planets—for a steep price. There was nothing altruistic about the man, no matter the face he showed to the world.
She shivered at the thought of a person as powerful as Angelina Astoferus becoming ensnared in Jasper’s web. They might be isolated, but even she’d heard of the large Astoferus shipping company. With that kind of clout behind him, Jasper would enslave all known universes if he could, making them all work for him while thanking him for the opportunity.
The man was charismatic, she’d give him that. She’s seen him mesmerize large groups of people, getting them to donate to his cause or join him.
In spite of the heat of the day, Lacey shivered. She stumbled over an exposed root and started to fall, barely catching herself. She did manage not to cry out. But when she finally looked up, the stranger was no longer in sight.
Muttering under her breath, she hurried after him. The plain shift she wore over her trousers was damp with sweat and stuck to her skin. Both were made from the fiber of the local flotton plant, which was easy to grow on this planet. Its strong fibers could be turned into sturdy fabric, which could then be sewn into any kind of garment. Fortunately, it would also dry quickly—a must in this heat.
Where is he? Lacey stopped and listened, but heard nothing beyond the whisper of the wind in the trees, the hum of the insects, and the various calls of the birds. Maybe he’d headed toward the homes.
She spun around to go in that direction and ran right into a hard, unmoving surface. Bouncing back, she would have fallen if a strong, male hand hadn’t wrapped around her arm, stopping her from sprawling on the ground.
She looked up and into the blue eyes of the stranger. That particular color had always been associated with the sky of Eden and heat. She hadn’t realized, until now, it could also be bitterly chilly.
“Why are you following me?” he demanded.
A shiver went down her spine, but it wasn’t because she was cold. No, she was suddenly very hot. What was wrong with her? Why was she reacting to this stranger so strongly?
She licked her lips and cleared her throat. “Following you? I was just looking for birds.” That sounded plausible, and with her young looks, she often played dumb to get herself out of trouble.
The stranger frowned but didn’t release her arm. “You were sneaking through the woods behind me.”
How had he known? She was as stealthy as any native animal when it came to tracking through the foliage. It was the only way she managed any freedom at all. No one heard her when she made her way through the woods. No one. Yet this man had.
Who exactly was he?
She thrust out her free hand. “Lacey Freshlan.”
He grunted and continued to stare until she lowered her hand. “Okay then.” She wiped her sweaty palm on the leg of her pants. Time to go on the offensive. “Where were you going? Can I help you find anything?” She’d been told her voice was sweet by far too many would-be suitors, whom she’d managed to discourage by acting oblivious to what they wanted. She didn’t know if it was true, it was just her voice, but right now she’d use any advantage she could get.
This entourage could be her way off this planet. If Jasper were here, she wouldn’t have a hope in hell of getting away. As a master gardener, she was much too valuable to the community.
But with her parents now dead of a virus that could have easily been cured by modern medicine—which Jasper and the group abstained from—she was all alone. And each day her position became more and more precarious. She’d be forced to wed soon, one way or another.
She had to get out of here. And desperate times called for desperate measures.
The stranger kept staring at her, as if he couldn’t quite figure her out. She almost snorted. She’d been getting those kinds of looks as far back as she could remember, even from her own parents.
&
nbsp; “Well,” she prompted. “Can I?”
“How long have you lived here?” he asked. His voice was a low rumble and seemed to vibrate deep inside her. Now it was her turn to stare. He was big and strong and deadly. And it had nothing to do with the powerful weapon he wore over his shoulder or the second blaster strapped to his thigh. No, it was the man himself who was dangerous, much like the mountain lions that lived in the north, only venturing down to the settlement when they were starving.
He shook her lightly. “Answer me, girl.”
“I was born here.”
His gaze narrowed, and there was no outward show of emotion, but intensity and something close to excitement seemed to permeate from every cell of his body. “Then you know everyone here.”
It wasn’t a question, but she nodded. “To some degree or another.” His lurking suddenly made sense, the reason behind his actions becoming crystal clear. “You’re looking for someone?”
He grabbed her by the shoulders and lifted her right off the ground until her feet dangled in the air and they were nose to nose. She swallowed heavily. This man could snap her like a twig. This was not someone she could manipulate. It was better to play things straight with him. It gave her better odds of coming out alive, maybe even getting off of Eden.
“I’m looking for a girl, a woman.”
Disappointment snaked through her. Not that she should care that he was looking for a woman. A man like him would have a woman, of course he would. Looked like good old Jasper had finally stolen the wrong person.
“Tell me your name.” It’s the least he could do, all things considered.
His frown deepened. It seemed to be his default expression. There were lines between his dark brows, his lips were compressed, and his jaw was taut.
Liberating Lacey (Marks Mercenaries Book 3) Page 1
