by Candy Nicks
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Alinar Publishing
www.alinarpublishing.com
Copyright ©2009 by Candy Nicks
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NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.
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CONTENTS
Summary
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Other books by Candy Nicks.
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To Protect A Prince
Candy Nicks
Copyright (C) 2009 Candy Nicks
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written consent of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
The right of Candy Nicks to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First Published November 2009
First Edition
All characters in this publication are purely fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Edited by Kate Aley
Cover by M M
ISBN
1-906023-70-0
978-1-906023-70-6
Summary
When the Lady Shula and the young Prince Cristan of Aluderia need urgent transport off-planet, there's only one man for the job. Unfortunately, Captain Daniels, ace-pilot and super-stud extraordinaire, is just about to be beaten to a pulp by a creature three times his size for not paying his brothel-bill. To his great surprise, Shula steps forward and offers the credits he needs. To his even greater surprise she announces that she's his wife and the child she's holding is his.
The last thing Captain Daniels needs is a woman and a baby on board. Particularly one being chased across the galaxy by the most elite bounty hunters in the business. He has enough problems trying to stay one step ahead of the gangsters out to recover the debts he owes them.
Shula will do anything to save the child and when she offers sex in return for passage she activates the Aluderian marker, a hormone that can put men in thrall. Now Shula and Captain Daniels find themselves fighting to outrun their pursuers and the effect of the marker. Dan wants her on his own terms, not because he can't help himself.
In order for prince Cristan to grow into a warrior capable of reclaiming his throne, Dan must make a difficult decision. But, in doing so, he may just rediscover a man he thought lost and find a love he never thought would be his.
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Chapter 1
So this was the great, no, the legendary Captain Daniels?
Shula Araphni, late of the most noble Estepharian house of Aluderia, sank into the shadows biting back her frustration. “Shh...” she whispered to the child strapped securely to her chest. “It can't be him. The barkeep said he was nine kleftas tall with arms the size of Yorikel hams.” She glanced again at the man pinned to the wall by a massive hulk of a creature. The crunch of fist on flesh made her suck in a sympathetic breath.
Blue-hide jacket. Dark cropped hair. Eye-patch. It was him. And in about ten heartbeats he would be out for the count, or dead, and of no use to her whatsoever.
The captain ducked, swerved away from the advancing fist and landed a punch of his own to the creature's side. A yell of pain echoed around the small courtyard. Cradling his fist, the Captain slumped back against the wall. The creature grinned.
"Call him off, Sark.” The captain twisted and appealed to the wraith-like humanoid who stood watching the beating. “I tell you, I don't remember ordering twins."
"Of course you don't, Captain Daniels. No one ever does.” Sark flicked open his Reader and arched a thin brow. “My, my, not only twins but Nabian twins. And you had them nineteen times in one night? We are quite the stud, aren't we?"
"Nineteen times?” The captain let out an explosive laugh. “When I was sixteen, maybe. Look, there's obviously been a mistake in accounting, let's all—"
Whatever he had to say was cut off by a large hairy paw gripping his neck. With an angry croaking sound, he started to turn blue.
"Let him down, Nilas.” Sark clapped once and waved the hench-creature away.
Captain Daniels wiped his blooded nose with the back of his hand.
"I'm afraid this time, Captain, we'll be taking your ship. I'm ordered to impound, the...” Sark brought the Reader closer to his face. “Marium mark 2 until all outstanding bills have been paid. Which, by the state of you, will be when you're about seventy-five zulan-years old. Nineteen times at five thousand credits a go, well, you work it out."
Impound his ship? Shula's heart gave a lurch. Not only was Captain Daniels in imminent danger of death, but he was also about to lose the most important part of her requirement—a transport off this hell-hole of a planet. The baby shifted and gave a small cry.
"Have no fear, my prince.” She dropped a swift kiss to the baby's downy head and rose from her crouch. At the naming ceremony, she'd sworn to protect the child and protect him she would. Even if it meant taking on the might of the universe itself.
In the light of that thought, Captain Daniels and the two ugly thugs accosting him were the least of her problems. Day two of her escape and she'd managed only three planet-hops. Her situation looked desperate indeed.
"Husband!” She took a shaky breath and stepped from the shadows. “There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you. Isn't it time we were leaving this horrible place?"
The trio froze, their heads turning in unison towards the sound of her voice. The hairy creature's eyes widened, showing pink rims that indicated its poor eyesight. Slowly, its bunched fist lowered. With a little luck, it wouldn't realise how small she was. Shula straightened her spine and remembered that her ancestors had been at every pivotal battle in the Galaxy's history. Never mind that they'd famously sat on the sidelines imbibing strong liquor while others fought for the glory of the home-land. The name of Estepharia was emblazoned on her soul.
"Get lost.” Sark waved her disdainfully away, then peeled back his lips to show sharpened teeth. “If you know what's good for you.” He growled low.
"Will you let him talk to your wife like that?” Shula managed to catch the startled Captain's eye. Begged her limbs to stop trembling. “You do remember you have a wife, don't you, husband? And... a daughter?"
"I do? Oh hell, how drunk was I last night?"
With a long-suffering sigh, she strode into the patch of light illuminating the narrow courtyard. As long as her legs didn't crumble, and Captain Daniels was a better actor than he looked, she might be able to pull this off.
"Oh Husband, why do you do always do this to us?” Close up, she noticed the star-shaped tattoo on the back of the captain's wrist, the tear in his sleeve. He stank of strong liquor and of whatever had died to make his patchwork jacket. A man who'd obviously seen life, his one good eye narrowed, taking her measure. Dark as sin, she thought, and immediately felt herself blushing.
"How much does he owe, this time?"
> Sark, who had been surreptitiously beckoning the ape-like creature towards her, perked up at the mention of funds and favoured her with a toothy smile. “Ninety-five thousand credits, good lady wife."
Without flinching, she reached into the pouch beneath the baby-harness. “A piffling trifle. Here, Husband, pay the man and let's be gone. Wanda is long overdue her nap."
The Captain lingered a heartbeat too long, straightening his jacket, adjusting his eye-patch with deliberate care, while she waited, heart still pounding, for him to take the Aluderian credits.
"You'll excuse me for checking this,” he said flicking through the stack of notes and barely glancing at the now very-eager Sark. “Wouldn't want to overpay, now would we?"
Stupid man. Briefly, Shula closed her eyes. No time for macho posturing. Men and their pride. She'd never understand them. Her shoulders sagged, the adrenaline-surge that had propelled her across the courtyard fading rapidly. Somewhere a door slammed. Muted voices, accompanied by the background thump of earthy music, drifted from the high windows, laughing, arguing. The dank air was thick with smoke, almost too heavy to breath. For a moment, she wavered. Then she remembered why she'd given up everything for this mad chase across the galaxy. The warm, sleepy bundle lying close to her heart. Her life, in all but name.
Gently, she pulled the wrapping-blanket over the baby's tiny head. Should she have brought a guard? Someone she could trust to be the strong arm she needed to get through this?
Trust? When had an Aluderian trusted another? Any one of them would turn her in for the hefty reward. She'd learned, in her turbulent life, to trust no one.
Except perhaps this man who stood beside her, blood trickling from his battered nose, who would no-doubt be in exactly the same situation this time next moon-tide.
What did that matter as long as he got her away from this place?
The captain grinned and tossed the credit-notes high into the air, snorting at the way Sark immediately dropped to his knees to retrieve his scattered bounty.
"It was twenty times, actually. And triplets, not twins. But who's counting, eh?"
Captain Daniels turned to her and bowed low, extending a hand. A perfect courtier's bow, Shula realised with a start. Was her breeding that obvious? Or was he just mocking her? She placed her fingers in his, unable to stop their shaking. She couldn't fathom his expression.
Formalities observed, his arm stole around her shoulders, holding her firmly. Guiding her towards the exit like a man who would soon be demanding answers.
She was prepared to tell him anything, but the truth.
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Now he had to start believing in angels and miracles and all those other fairy-tales his grandmother regaled him with as a lad.
Captain Daniels pulled off his eye-patch, dipped his face into the basin of ice-cold water and kept it there until he needed to breathe. When he emerged, gasping for air and feeling only slightly less drunk, the woman was still there, parked on the forward courtesy seat near to the front-door hatch. Still clutching what looked suspiciously like a baby. His baby, if she were to be believed.
An angel of mercy? He'd buy that one. His wife? Not in this lifetime. She was an Aluderian to start with. So inbred they were about to disappear up their own backsides. Chances she'd ally herself to a low-life were so slim as to be laughable.
"So, are you going to tell me why you spent the best part of a fortune on my pretty ass?"
While she considered her answer, he popped five industrial-strength pain-killers and washed them down with a large slug of Chela brandy. Wiping the neck of the bottle with his sleeve, he offered the angel a drink.
Her look of surprise and faint disapproval made him laugh out loud.
"I would have thought that was obvious, Captain Daniels. I'm looking for passage and you came highly recommended."
"So you're not my wife, eh?"
Her lips twitched. “Wouldn't you remember acquiring a wife?"
"Not necessarily. Let's just cut through the shit, shall we? My head's about to explode and I got places to be. Twenty words or less. I need me some sleep."
"Why do you wear an eye-patch when there's nothing wrong with your eye?"
"It's good for business. And before we even start this conversation, I'm strictly hard-goods only. I don't trade human life and I'm not interested in black market babies. What's wrong? Couldn't shift it back there so you want to try your luck elsewhere?"
"How dare you suggest such a thing! How..."
"That's better. Now we're getting somewhere.” Captain Daniels slipped off his jacket and threw it over the safety railing. Emptied the basin into the water recycle bin, all the while studying his strange visitor. No need to push. Given time and space, people usually revealed themselves.
Pale to the point of transparency, he could almost see the blood pumping in the blue veins lining her aristocratic skin. Arrogant or clueless? He'd never been able to make up his mind about her race. Even now, she sat, back straight, chin tilted in challenge. She'd fight him to the end of time for the baby, he already knew that. Yet she was wandering blithely about the ass-end of nowhere, flashing her cash and toting one of the most valuable commodities in the galaxy, without turning a single strand of her silver hair.
An unfamiliar twang of guilt gave him pause when the woman shifted uncomfortably on the small seat. The baby had hardly uttered a sound on the walk back to the ship. It obviously had more sense than she did.
At least for now they were safe.
He dismissed the thought immediately. Don't get involved. Not his problem. Wasn't life complicated enough?
"I can't take you with me. It wouldn't be appropriate."
The woman's eyes widened in alarm. “And leaving me here would? Captain Daniels. May I remind you that I paid a considerable amount for this passage? You can't just take my money and turn me out."
"If I don't, the next man you meet will. And he'll take a lot more than your cash. Consider yourself lucky to have met me first."
"They wouldn't dare."
He could see why she'd made it this far. She had a backbone of pure arlonite, but luck only lasted so long. That lesson, he'd learned from grim experience.
"They would, and some, lady. Go home. I'll pay you back when I have the cash. Leave a deposit number and I'll make sure it gets to you. Whatever you're running from, it's nothing compared to what you'll encounter out there."
"I can't go home."
"Neither can half the galaxy. Stop looking at me like that."
"How else am I supposed to look at you?” She stood abruptly, the seat springing closed behind her with a sharp thwack.
"I haven't cleaned my teeth in three days. I've spent my every credit saving your sorry hide and— and— have you any idea how difficult it is washing baby diapers in the restrooms of seedy backwater dives like this? I should make you change him,” she cried, rocking the stirring infant furiously. “See how you like it. Now look what you've done, he's awake and will need feeding. Do you have any baby-milk, Captain Daniels? Some cloth I could use for diapers?"
A lock of the woman's hair had escaped from the clip securing it in place. She took hold of it and tickled the baby's grasping palm, quickly converting the impending tears to laughter. When she lowered her face and touched the baby's nose to hers, the captain's heart did an alarming back flip. She finished with a shaky smile and whispered close to the baby's cheek. Words in her own language, not the Pidgin hybrid spoken in the outer reaches.
He'd been beaten into submission more times than he cared to remember. Nearly died, twice. Spent three years in a penal colony on Ariadne 4, but never had he been so gently and thoroughly backed into a corner as now.
"How do you know you can trust me?” A last feeble attempt to fend her off.
"The bar-keep at O'Reilly's Tavern told me to seek you out."
"Remind me to thank her. I bet she also said I was nine kleftas tall."
Another smile, this time for him. “Captain Daniels.
If the credits weren't enough, I am more than willing to pay for my passage in other ways."
"So what? You're offering sex in return from passage?"
The smile vanished. “Of course not. I must remain pure until marriage. But I could...” She glanced around the small lobby. “Clean this ship for you. Wash your clothes. Prepare your food. I need your help, Captain. I will get down on my knees and beg, if that will convince you."
His mind still hadn't moved on from the sex for passage thought. Now compounded by the image of this desperate woman at his feet, offering herself to him in every way imaginable.
When was the last time he'd been content with one woman instead of hiring half the brothel? A slow, lingering fuck followed by restful sleep, instead of sexual marathons fuelled by a cocktail of stimulants? Clean women were four times the going rate of those found plying their trades in the bars and space-docks. And he liked his women clean. A fortune earned and spent on liquor, and the best sex his credits could buy.
The woman ran a finger along a metal ledge and held it triumphantly aloft. “When was the last time you dusted? Do home comforts mean nothing to you? We could be of use to each other, Captain."
"Dusted?” He choked out the word on a rusty laugh. Had he ever? “It's kind of low on my priorities,” he said at length.
"So you'll help us?"
Her eyes, which had been a shade of misty blue slowly changed to the colour of Raleme violets. She was a prize, no doubting that. A quick dash to the slave markets of Tramilan Superior and he'd be able to buy the brothel in its entirety.
As if it could read his thoughts, the baby's brow creased in a frown. The woman's gaze flicked from the child to him.
"His father was an empath,” she said. “He's starting to pick up the feelings of those around him. The gift will grow stronger with age. I think we're upsetting him."
"No kidding. Look,” the captain said, capitulating to his pounding head and sleep-deprived body. “Stop talking. If the ship co-operates, you got yourself a ride to the nearest civilised world. But you're here of your own free will. I'm assuming no responsibility for anything that happens to you or the child. Take the cabin, you look done-in, I'll flop on the bench."
