Soul of a Predator

by Angela Verdenius

  Sharp eyes flicked around the room before falling on Elyse.

  "Meekta,” Cam greeted him, turning away from the window where he'd been watching the hunters talk to Meekta.

  Meekta gave him a brief nod, but his attention was centred on Elyse. Stopping before her and Shaque, he looked down at them both.

  She eyed him impassively, wondering what he wanted.

  Shaque tensed beside her. Lifting one ankle, he rested it atop his opposite knee and rested his hand on his boot top, directly where a dagger was sheathed.

  "Shaque. Elyse.” He took a deep breath. “I hear you're both intending to head for the Outlaw Sector once you're stronger."

  Elyse nodded.

  "I've already thanked you for saving my family."

  He had. Elyse and Shaque continued to look up at him, their poses lazy but their eyes coldly assessing.

  Maybe he'd decided to inquire more into Elyse's mutancy.

  Linking his hands behind his back, Meekta studied them both, his hard features giving nothing away. “You declined the ceremony honouring you both. I hear your medal, Elyse, is pinned to a space-pirate's chest."

  Yeah, that was pretty funny. Donika had thought it hilarious and wore it with pride. Her sister's medal. Ex-space pirate, ex-prisoner, part-mutant, a heroine. She didn't think it so funny that the bounty hunters had been given medals for their part in the attack on Sarita and her men, and being part of what had turned into a rescue mission. But Elyse getting a medal was bloody hilarious.

  Elyse smiled inwardly. She'd been about to toss the medal when Donika had claimed it and pinned it to her own chest. She hadn't taken it off since then.

  Shaque's medal was safely in Sabra's possession since he hadn't wanted it either.

  Elyse glanced at Shaque and they shared a knowing look. Their reward was in having each other alive, all they cared about.

  That and a mission they had mutually agreed upon.

  Frowning, Meekta moved to the window and peered out. “I had no idea Sarita was an outlaw. She seemed a nice neighbour. I had no idea she was seeking secrets to the Intergalactic Ship. Some plot to infiltrate it.” He glanced over his shoulder at Cam. “Your wife tore strips off me, by the way. She's insisting on checking the backgrounds of my neighbours, and is overseeing extra installation of security equipment. I wouldn't let her do it before. Sabra has no respect for authority."

  "Nay?” Cam's brows shot up in feigned surprise, but his eyes twinkled.

  "She told me I was thick and stubborn and she'd kick my arse herself if I ever allowed myself to be put in danger like that again, reminding me that I also endangered every member and person who worked on the Intergalactic Peace Ship, and from there every person who came under the IPS protection.” Meekta looked back out of the window. “Your wife has a sharp tongue."

  Cam was struggling not to laugh. “Aye."

  Silence fell on the room, and Meekta contemplated the gardens.

  Sonja watched him carefully, one hand on her gently rounded belly.

  Finally Meekta turned and looked at Elyse and Shaque. “You're heading back to the Outlaw Sector to retrieve some children, I hear."

  Elyse nodded. “Shaque's sister had some children. One of them, Tahlia, is there, the others taken and sold. We're going to hunt them down and bring them back."

  "Dangerous work."

  Elyse and Shaque shrugged.

  "I have been talking to my Council members,” Meekta said. “Children near the outskirts of the Outlaw Sector have been stolen and sold, and are never seen again. You have contacts, Elyse. We have a proposition for you both."

  How interesting. What could the honourable Council want?

  "We're willing to pay you to go in and retrieve whatever children you can."

  Well, well. Shaque and Elyse looked at each other. They'd planned to start a retrieval operation. After finding Nerissa's strays—and they would find them—they were bringing them back to the Lawful Sector to be reared by the Reeka warriors. Many of the women were happy to take on the children.

  After that, they'd planned to start looking for more stolen children, making it known to local Peacekeepers that they were starting a search and retrieval operation.

  Now it looked like they were going to get paid for it.

  How very interesting.

  Shaque's eyes gleamed.

  "Done,” Elyse said.

  Meekta looked startled. “Just like that?"

  "A couple of conditions. We work by our rules, and as we're the ones in the Outlaw Sector, you ask no questions as to how we do the retrievals."

  "The children will be brought back to their parents,” Shaque added. “You will, of course, provide an orphanage for those with no parents or relatives left alive."

  "Well, of course. There was no question about that.” Meekta's frown grew.

  "Few are to know where we're headed or what child or children we are hunting,” Shaque continued.

  "And you don't need to know where we get our information from,” Elyse finished.

  "That's a lot of conditions,” Meekta said. “Ready to hear ours?"

  "No. You pay us, and we deliver the children. We'll break no laws in the Lawful Sector.” Much. “End of story."

  "You two are going to be as much trouble as Desdemona and Sabra, aren't you?"

  Elyse and Shaque smiled coldly.

  Meekta eyes were just as cold. “Background checks have been run on you both by Security. You're not considered a threat to the IPS."

  Aw, how sweet. Donika would laugh herself sick.

  "Mainly because you risked your lives for my family."

  He had no idea that had been a bonus deal, Elyse thought wryly.

  "You thwarted an attempt to infiltrate the IPS.” Meekta shook his head. “Never mind. Elyse, your mutancy came under question."

  She eyed him steadily.

  "Since you were mutant when you saved us, it is no longer under question. People have to accept your mutant side. If they can't...” His eyes glinted coldly. “If they can't, they can come and see me. Personally."

  My, my, she had a champion. How handy was that?

  "I'll be in touch with contact details for a private frequency, as well as some other private contacts you can use if you need assistance in any way during your missions. Payment starts immediately. Make sure you report directly to the IPS on the private frequency I send to you. And that,” he added, “is a condition."

  Without another word he strode from the room, his two waiting soldiers falling into step behind him as he walked out of the door.

  The occupants of the room looked at each other.

  "This will keep Donika amused for a long time.” Sonja laughed.

  Elyse and Shaque simply smiled and kept their thoughts to themselves.

  Sixteen

  Three months later

  Standing in the docking bay, Elyse leaned back against the ramp and watched Fredrico approach. His spaceship loomed menacingly on the other side of the docking bay, a shadow playing briefly over the hull before vanishing.

  Shaque stood beside her, a manblaster slung nonchalantly over his shoulder, his eyes assessing the space pirates.

  Holding onto Fredrico's hand was Tahlia. It was obvious she was clinging to him since he'd collected her from Uncle Cy's home. She looked at Elyse and Shaque uncertainly.

  Shaque smiled briefly at her.

  Coming to a stop before Elyse, Fredrico looked at her impassively. “You are well."

  "Disappointed?"

  "Not at all. You accomplished your mission and you live. That was the goal, wasn't it?"

  "I don't know what your goals are anymore, Fredrico. I don't want to know."

  He inclined his head.

  Elyse looked down at Tahlia. “Nerissa wanted you to come home with us."

  "I know,” she replied.

  For a second Elyse wondered whether she, too, had dreamed of Nerissa. A dream both she and Shaque had shared, a dream that had changed the paths of th
eir lives.

  "She wanted messages sent to Shaque once she knew she was dying,” Tahlia said. “I knew you could get the messages to Shaque. She didn't know how to write, and neither do I, but she had some things she knew The Knifer would recognize.” Tahlia timidly smiled up at Shaque. “She said she couldn't face her family, knowing what she'd done to survive, but when she was dying, she said you would understand. She said you'd look after us. She said you'd find us a good home."

  Shaque's mouth tightened and he nodded. Reaching out, he laid his hand briefly on Tahlia's head.

  Elyse saw the brief flicker of emotion in his eyes before the winter eyes chilled over again.

  Tahlia looked up at Fredrico. “Will I see you again?"

  He glanced down at her, then up at Elyse, who studied at him coldly.

  Crouching down, he looked at Tahlia. “No, sweetheart. No, I won't see you again. You're finally going home."

  Tears filled her eyes, but she nodded, wise beyond her years. Throwing her arms around his neck, she hugged him fiercely.

  A muscle ticked in Fredrico's jaw, and he closed his eyes as he hugged her back. After several seconds, he released her and straightened, turning her and pushing her towards Shaque.

  She went silently.

  Placing his hand on her shoulder, Shaque steered her up the ramp and into the cargo hold.

  Fredrico looked at Elyse. “Take care of her."

  "She'll have a good home."

  He nodded, his gaze searching,

  She waited, knowing he was going to ask her about it.

  "He took his essence back,” Fredrico said bluntly. “The Overlord."

  "I know. I felt it leave me.” She remembered the jerking, the sensation of something being dragged from her, hotter than the flames that had licked at her back. When she'd slumped down beside Shaque's barely-breathing body, she'd felt a strange lightness, right before burning pain had washed through her.

  "You still carry the mutant. Your mutant."

  "I can control my mutant."

  "You don't need Shaque then."

  Elyse looked at him.

  Fredrico searched her eyes, then gave a small nod. Without a word, he turned and strode back towards his ship and his crew who waited to silently.

  A shadow slipped across the crew, but they didn't blink. The shadow touched Fredrico, but he didn't falter. His crew followed him into his ship, the ramp sliding up and locking behind them.

  Within minutes the menacing ship was soaring through the skies towards space and the Inner Sanctum, back to The Overlord and the demonic shadows, perversions and dark mysteries that shifted and moved in the Inner Sanctum.

  Shaque came up beside Elyse. “Tahlia is settling into her cabin."

  "Good. Let's take her back to the Reekas and then continue looking for the others.” She turned and smiled up at him. “Uncle Cy sent some information on a slaver ship."

  "One of Nerissa's children?"

  "Looks like it. And it's right in the pathway of our flight home."

  "Let's get going."

  Elyse walked with him up the ramp. “He said to tell you ‘hi', by the way."

  Shaque grunted.

  Laughing, Elyse flicked the switch that brought the ramp up and locked it in place.

  As soon as it was securely locked, Shaque dropped the manblaster and grabbed her, pulling her into his arms and kissing her long and deep.

  She melted against him, feeing the urgency building between them. Only the knowledge that a child needing reassurance was on the floor above stopped her from tearing Shaque's shirt from his back.

  "It's going to be a long trip home,” Shaque growled against her lips.

  "Mmm?” Teasingly she scraped her nails down his spine, making his breath catch and his eyes gleam with a carnal light.

  "I saw that red rim appear in your eyes when Fredrico's ship landed. You were ready to take him on if he didn't hand Tahlia over to us.” He nipped her chin. “Suns, you make me so hot when you threaten to go mutant."

  "I went mutant for you last night, remember? Don't be greedy."

  "I am greedy. I'm greedy for you when you're mutant, and I'm greedy for you when you're not. The sad truth is I'm addicted to you."

  "Do you want to go cold turkey?"

  "Not bloody likely.” He gave her one more hungry kiss, his eyes so hot, and stepped back. “Now we have to get off this planet and head for home. But tonight, you're coming down here."

  "Is that right?” She drawled, following him to the stairwell.

  "Yeah. I don't want Tahlia to hear you screaming my name when I make you come."

  "How romantic."

  He winked at her over his shoulder. “Only the best for you, babe."

  "Oh yeah, I got that all right.” Elyse laughed.

  They went up the stairwell, their love for each other almost tangible. It would never be a soft, sweet romance. It would be passionate, rough, always a clashing of desire and heat. But they wouldn't have it any other way.

  They were on a mission, a hunt that would never end. And they were on it together. Two predators who had met, who had gone through the fires of passion, danger and fear, and walked out the other side with a shared love and a single goal.

  When predator meets predator, they wipe each other out.

  These two met and became even stronger as a team.

  Their ship lifted off the planet and soared into the sky.

  Painted on the side was one word.

  Predators.

  Meet Angela Verdenius

  Born in Victoria, Australia, my childhood was spent in a variety of places, both in towns and the outback. Now settled in Western Australia, I work as a nurse. A love of animals has me involved in animal welfare, and certainly explains why the cats hog my bed and hot water bottle!

  Reading has always been my escape, writing my dream. Horror, myths, legends, fantasy and history—there are no limits to the wonders to be found. And romance? Well, that adds the spice, hope and happiness ever after.

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