In the Black

by Sheryl Nantus

  The blade might not be metal but it was good enough for this.

  Dane screamed again and swept his arms down to grab her in a bear hug.

  Two puffs came from overhead. Sam dropped her head instinctively to avoid friendly fire.

  She looked up to see two tranqs firmly imbedded in Dane’s bare chest, both near his heart.

  His eyes went wide.

  He grabbed the two feathered darts in one hand and yanked them out with little effort.

  Sam tried to find the strength to crawl away and failed. It would take a few seconds for the drugs to work but she wasn’t sure if she had that long to get away from the killer. If he took hold of her again—

  Something smacked Dane in the face, a red blur.

  Sam blinked, trying to clear her vision.

  Kendra stood over her, fist drawn back for another punch. Her lips were pulled back, the perfect white teeth bared. The red dress swept around her like a crimson wave.

  Dane gave the courtesan a shocked grunt before his eyes rolled up into his head and he fell forward.

  Onto Sam.

  She grunted as Kendra kicked Dane in the ribs with her stilettos before pushing the unconscious man to one side and freeing her.

  Daniel moved fast, holstering his weapon and kneeling down beside her. “Are you okay?”

  Sam drew a deep breath—the first, it seemed, in days. “Now I am.” She looked up at Kendra. “Thank you.”

  The blonde woman nodded. “No one messes with my captain.” She kicked Dane again, digging the pointed toe of her shoe in. “No one.”

  Daniel put his hands on Sam’s cheeks, staring into her eyes. “Are you okay? Do you want Danforth to check you out?”

  She put her hands over his, feeling the warmth surge into her chilled bones. A sigh escaped before she could hold it back.

  “Are you okay?” he repeated, keeping a firm grip on her. “Did he hurt you?” The anger was barely under control in his voice.

  “No, no.” She released his hands and staggered to her feet. “I’m fine.” A momentary bout of dizziness slapped her across the face, sending her back into Daniel’s arms. “Whoa.” Sam shook her head. “I just need to get my bearings again.”

  “Doesn’t sound like it.” Daniel kept a firm grip on her waist, half holding her up. “He choked the hell out of you.”

  Sean kneeled down by the unconscious Dane and pressed his fingers to the man’s neck. “Out like a baby. Strong pulse, but he’ll be sleeping for a good long while.”

  “I’m going to call Danforth,” Daniel said. “You need help.”

  “No.” She struggled free. “I don’t need a doctor. I just need a hot shower and a good long rest.”

  Sean and Kendra exchanged glances.

  “How’s this for a compromise?” Sean offered. “Let the good marshal here take you to your quarters and I’ll be up in a few minutes to check you out?” He eyed Daniel. “I’m a certified medic, as you know. Looks to me that all she needs is a few bandages and a wee bit o’rest. Belle can up the oxygen in her quarters and monitor her while you take care of this—” he made an obscene gesture at Dane, “—this mess.”

  “I agree. I can do as requested without any problem.” Belle’s voice switched from professional to personal. “Do you want me to let security come on board, Marshal?”

  “Belle.” Sam blinked wildly. There was some sort of thought bouncing through, something about who was giving orders and permissions and it was all a pile of oatmeal sloshing around her brain.

  Daniel pulled her close. One hand slipped down her leg and for a terrifying minute she thought he was about to pick her up in his arms.

  She shoved him away but only managed to bring his hand back up to her waist.

  He increased his grip on her forearm with his other hand, accepting the compromise. “Yes, Belle. Thank you.” He glared at Sam as if daring her to pull away again.

  It only took a few seconds for Huckness to appear in the doorway. He cradled a wooden baton in his hands, the only addition to his uniform.

  Behind him a security squad of eight men waited in full riot gear. She couldn’t see their eyes but she suspected they were staring at the Belle’s crew, wondering what the hell was going on.

  Huckness took in the scene without any visible reaction. “You okay, Captain?”

  “I’m fine.” She was leaning on Daniel just a bit too much. Sam straightened up and felt a sharp pain in her neck. “I’m assuming you have a good place to store this creep.”

  “We have some fine quarters for him.” He peered at the marshal. “Will you be taking him with you or should I call a transport?”

  “Transport,” Daniel said, so quickly Sam wondered if he’d made the decision beforehand. “Let him travel cargo. I’ve got better things to do with my ship than fly garbage to a Justice base.”

  Sam frowned. It could be a few hours or a few days before a prison transport could be rerouted to the base depending on where they were on their routes. From what she’d seen of the Service they liked their prisoners moved as quickly as possible from the crime scene to avoid any unpleasantness.

  Lynch mobs were rare but not unheard of out here, and a man who’d killed a Mercy woman wouldn’t be popular anywhere.

  Maybe the problem would solve itself.

  “You need to go sit down.” Daniel moved back into her field of vision as two of Huckness’s men moved in on the still unconscious man. “Let me take you to your quarters. Sean can check you over there.” The firm grip on her forearm left no discussion.

  “Okay.” She wasn’t going to argue. “Okay.”

  A shriek came from behind her.

  Sam spun to see Bianca throw herself on Dane’s body, straddling the killer’s chest.

  The petite woman held a small dagger to his throat. Her face was flushed and she drew her breaths in short, pained pants.

  “No. He’s not going to jail.” Bianca pressed the blade to the bare skin. “He killed Halley. I won’t let her death become a joke. He dies here, now.”

  Sam fell to her knees beside the pair. Spots danced in front of her with the effort but she stayed upright. “What do you mean by that?”

  She saw Daniel take a step back to stand behind Bianca, his weapon already drawn. It would be a good spot to grab her from but the possible injuries from a wayward blade had to be neutralized before he could tranq her.

  Bianca began to sob, her entire body shaking. “They’re already laughing about her. The customers, they’re making jokes and laughing about how she died. I hear it through the walls. I know they’re talking.” She shook her head. “Halley was a good, loving soul. I won’t let them make a mockery of her death.”

  “The Guild won’t.” Never in a million years did she ever think she’d be defending the Guild to one of their workers. “The Guild is going to take care of her and her family. They’re going to make sure Dane goes away for a long, long time.”

  The blade pressed against the tanned skin, harder now.

  “They’re going to hide it. You know that, they’re not going to let the true story out. Whores killing whores? Not going to happen.” Tears broke free and rolled down her cheeks, falling onto Dane’s face. “He’ll disappear somewhere and they’ll call it a suicide, call out a dead miner for it—something, anything to avoid telling the truth.”

  Sam felt a pain in her chest. “You’re probably right.”

  Bianca risked a glance away from her target. “What?”

  Sam nodded. “You’re right. The Guild doesn’t want the truth to come out about this and they’ll bury it deep. But it’s not just us here. We’re not alone.” She waved a hand backward. “Daniel’s here. The Service sent him here to solve the crime and he’s not going to let them sweep it under the carpet. He doesn’t work for the Guild
and he’s not on their payroll. He’s here for justice. Justice for Halley and this monster will pay.”

  She didn’t dare look at Daniel.

  The blade didn’t move. Dane took a deep breath, oblivious in his enforced sleep to the danger at his throat.

  “They’ll fix it. They always fix things,” Bianca said.

  “Not this time. There’s too much to hide.” Daniel’s warm, authoritative voice took over. “Don’t get me wrong, they’ll try to downplay it. They’ll portray Dane here as a freak, someone who slipped through the cracks and managed to trick the shrinks into staying on board. They won’t give the real story—but he’s not going to walk. I can promise you that much.” He put his free hand on Bianca’s shoulder. “I give you my word.”

  Bianca sniffled. “She wasn’t a bad woman, you know. She wasn’t perfect but she wasn’t a bad woman.”

  Sam reached out slowly, her fingertips barely touching Bianca’s forearm. “You loved her. She was lucky to have you here, now. A lot of people never find love, not for their entire lives. You gave her that much and more.”

  She didn’t move toward the blade.

  Hopefully the tranqs would keep Dane out for a good long time. The last thing they needed right now was for him to wake up with a crazed woman on his chest and a knife at his throat.

  That wouldn’t end well.

  “I can promise you he’ll see justice,” Daniel said. “As a marshal I can promise you that.”

  Bianca bit down on her lower lip, hard enough Sam feared she’d rip the skin open.

  Time to move into command mode. “Bianca, listen to me. I’m your captain. You have to trust me to do what’s right for you and the others. And if that conflicts with what Grendel wants, then to hell with him.” She increased her grip on Bianca’s arm. “Let me take care of you. It’s my job.”

  Kendra spoke from behind them. “This isn’t the way to do Halley’s memory right, girl. She deserves more than a footnote with this bastard’s death notice.”

  “Give me the knife,” Sam said. “Let us take care of you. Let us help you, your family here on the Belle. Let’s do what’s best for Halley and for you.”

  She moved her hand slowly down Bianca’s arm until it reached her wrist.

  Bianca trembled under her grip.

  She pulled the blade back. A thin red line showed the damage already done to the murderer’s neck.

  “I won’t let him control this. I won’t let him take over my life.” The courtesan drew a deep breath. “It’s not what Halley would want.” She handed the knife to Sam. “I’m sorry.”

  Sam smiled. “Perfectly understandable.” She curled her hand around the handle, pulling it out of reach. “I—”

  Suddenly Bianca swiveled and slashed Dane with her nails, dragging the sharp manicured edges across his left cheek.

  Daniel grabbed her shoulders and yanked the woman backward, off the still-unconscious man.

  Dane moaned but stayed motionless. The angry deep gashes oozed blood, the ripped skin marring his once-handsome features.

  “Oh dear. Not so pretty now, is he?” Kendra deadpanned. She nudged Daniel aside and took hold of Bianca, putting her arm across her shoulders. “You did the right thing.”

  Sam wasn’t sure if Kendra was referring to giving up the knife or slashing his face.

  April stepped up and glared at the angry wounds. “Should have gone lower. I’d have ripped them right off.” She opened and closed her fists, leaving little to the imagination.

  The security staff eyed each other, and then turned their attention to Sam and Daniel. This wasn’t going to be secret for long and would definitely add to the Belle’s reputation—for better or for worse.

  “Maybe Bianca should go back to her room,” Sean offered with a wary glance at the marshal. “She’s still slightly drugged in my medical opinion. She’s not responsible for her actions, not while under the influence.”

  Sam cocked her head and watched Daniel. She’d already lost two of her crew over this. She couldn’t afford to lose Bianca on assault charges for a few weeks or months.

  Daniel smiled. “Based on her behavior I’d agree with your assessment, Mr. Harrison. You take care of her and I’ll take care of this.” He nudged Dane with his boot.

  He turned to Sam. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He knelt down and pulled her into a hug, oblivious to the audience around them.

  She didn’t resist, relishing the heat and comfort.

  Sean went to Kendra and took hold of Bianca’s hands.

  “Come on, sweetie. Let’s go have a bit of a lie down. Uncle Sean here will keep you company.” The grieving courtesan stared up at the medic with blank, weeping eyes as he led her away from Dane and back to her room.

  “Marshal?” Huckness whispered.

  Daniel released Sam and stood up. He jerked a thumb at the body. “Get him out of here. Call Danforth. He can take care of him from inside the prison cell. No medical ward, nothing but cold steel. I don’t want him going anywhere until a transport arrives with a full complement of troops to drag his ass out.” He paused. “You know his abilities. I don’t want anyone left alone with him, including Danforth. I don’t want a repeat of this situation.”

  Huckness nodded. “Agreed.” He gestured at the two men. “You heard the man. Get that piece of garbage off the captain’s ship.”

  The guards took hold of Dane’s arms and pulled him down the corridor toward the far hatch.

  Huckness paused before giving a short bow to the courtesans and Sam. “Please call me if you need anything else.”

  Kendra returned the nod with a smile. “We’ll be in touch, Chief.” She threw him a naughty wink, putting a spring in Huckness’s step as he followed his men out.

  Daniel paused, glancing back and forth between the security team and Sam. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain cell that he was torn between staying with her and going to finish his job.

  Sam swallowed hard, hearing her ears pop.

  “I’ll be fine.” Her voice was hoarse. She waved him off. “Go make sure Dane doesn’t wake up early and start trouble.” The pressure in her chest eased a bit. “I’ll send a note to Grendel and update him on things.”

  “We’ll take care of her,” Kendra interrupted. “You go do your job, Marshal. We’ll take care of our captain.”

  Daniel held his ground for a minute, his lips pressed into a tight line.

  “Thank you.” He looked at Sam. “I’ll be in touch.” He touched his fingers to his forehead in a weak salute and followed the men out.

  “Belle, we’re still locked down,” Sam rasped as she staggered to her feet. Her knees were aching and she suspected she’d be the one seeking out zero gravity for the next little while. “Wait.” She looked at the women around her. “How did you open the doors? Not that I’m complaining but—”

  Kendra smiled. “I have an override code, Captain. As a senior member of the crew I’m allowed to use it if I see the need. For example, if you were dead or seriously injured and locked away from help.” There was a hint of a smirk on her face. “This is the first time I’ve had to use it. Very interesting.”

  “Okay.” She wasn’t going to dispute anything right now. “Belle, explain to the customers locked in the cabins what happened and issue refunds if they want them. We’ll be open as soon as we get our feet under us again.”

  “A full explanation?” The reluctance in Belle’s voice had Sam smiling despite the pain in most of her muscles. “Captain?”

  “The whole story.” Sam looked at Bianca’s closed door. “Halley deserves that much.”

  April opened her suite door and motioned her forward.

  Sam hesitated, unsure of what was being offered.

  Kendra took hold of Sam’s arm and gently maneuvered her in, walking p
ast April and into the arrival room.

  “I should go to the cockpit.” The feeble reply surprised her. Her legs felt like jelly and her chest ached. “You have clients, appointments to do.” She couldn’t find any tactful words.

  Kendra chuckled. “Mine can wait. I promised him a free hour if he sat and behaved himself. I’ll write it off under ‘public relations.’” She giggled at her own joke.

  Sam looked at April.

  “Nothing I can’t deal with. You need some tea.” April pointed at one of the chairs in the arrival area. “Sit. I’ll whip something up. Just give me a minute.” She strode into the business suite.

  Sam slumped in the chair, trying hard not to listen. “I never thought I’d consider a pair of sharp nails a lethal weapon.”

  Kendra chuckled. “You haven’t been around us long enough. When faced with a dangerous situation we learn to improvise.”

  “Bianca had a sword. Now a knife and killer nails.” Sam pressed her right fist against her heart, feeling the pulse. “Let me guess. April’s got a laser pistol in here, right?”

  April emerged from the business room, wiping her hands. She laughed. “Not quite. But I’m insulted you think I need one.” She looked at Kendra. “My client’s settled in for a bit. I showed him some new knots. He’s quite enjoying it and I told him you’d be by to give him a kiss.”

  Laughing, April went into her private quarters as Kendra settled herself across from Sam.

  She draped her red dress across her long legs, adjusting the fine silky fabric. “Don’t think about adding it to the menu, April. We’re not doing this every landfall.” She tapped a finely manicured nail against her cherry red lips. “Too bad you don’t have a bar in here. Could use a shot of something.”

  “Bah. Booze is highly overrated.” The courtesan strolled back out with three shot glasses and a bottle of amber liquid. “But we have a guest.” She put the bottle down and winked at Sam. “Present from a recent client. Expensive whiskey all the way from Scotland.” She returned to her quarters. “Back in a second.”