Daagiis cursed as another blast shot across the long front of the skimmer. “Hang on!” he yelled.
Raven suddenly felt her body go weightless. She couldn’t help but scream as the skimmer tried to drop out from beneath her. Daagiis was descending towards the city below fast; too fast for her body to keep up. She squeezed her thighs tight around the seat and hung onto Vendeen, who seemed to be coming around. His black eyes were wide open, quite the feat considering how puffy they were. He clutched the Paatiin in a death grip.
“Awake?” Daagiis shouted. His voice was high-pitched with hysterical laughter.
“You fucking maniac! Are you trying to get us killed?” Vendeen bellowed.
Abruptly they were only feet above the passages between the tall buildings. Raven recognized the cityscape from her training exercise with Daagiis and Vendeen. She even thought she saw the building on which she’d battled holograms on the roof.
Daagiis stopped descending and the skimmer leaped forward, nearly unseating Raven again. She cursed a seemingly unending stream of profanity, which Vendeen supplemented. Daagiis’ crazed laughter finally cut off, and he navigated the streets and alleyways at blurring speeds. As he shot around one glass-facade building, taking the corner faster than Raven thought they could manage, Vendeen came close to overbalancing. Squeezing her cramping thighs even tighter to the skimmer, Raven righted him.
Vendeen bellowed at Daagiis, “Do you have the slightest fucking idea of where you’re going?”
The face-changer yelled back, “Just hold on and shut up. I know what I’m doing!”
A line of laser fire zapped past them. Raven twisted about to see soldiers on skimmers hard on their tail once again. As fast and crazy as Daagiis piloted their craft, Hanos’ heavies were gaining. She turned forward once more and noted the space between the buildings was widening out. Another check on their pursuers confirmed her suspicions: they were moving to flank them.
She readied her gun as she warned Daagiis, “They’re trying to box us in!”
She fired back at the soldiers. They knew what they were doing on those skimmers, darting all over the place to avoid her shots and continue to draw closer. Daagiis also bobbed and wove about, trying to avoid the return fire. Raven couldn’t aim for shit with both her transport and the chasing ones moving all over the place like they were, but she kept shooting anyway in the hopes she could keep their enemies at a distance.
She got a lucky shot in, knocking the closest pursuer off his skimmer. She whooped a victory cry as the unpiloted vehicle stalled right in front of another, causing a collision that saw them both drop from the sky.
Raven’s triumph was fleeting. More of Hanos’ men had joined in the chase. A look behind them revealed firing far back. Apparently, Laaruu and his men were busy battling their way through.
The ones after her skimmer were closing. Streaks of red-orange light bloomed all around them in an ever-growing hail of seeking death. At last a bolt found Raven, searing a fiery path across her shoulder.
“Shit!” she shrieked. “He got me!”
Vendeen twisted around to check on her, his look terrified. Despite the pain of her arm, Raven felt a throb of warmth in her chest. He cared. The son of a bitch cared.
Daagiis was too busy piloting to spare a glance, but his voice was filled with concern as he yelled, “Are you all right?”
Raven fought the hot agony, calling to reassure the men through clenched teeth. “He just clipped me. Drive this damned thing, would you?”
Without waiting for a response, she returned to firing at the soldiers gaining on them. Daagiis put on a burst of speed that gave them some breathing room as they burst from the last winding street into a wide open area behind a large building. Raven recognized several ships much like the one they’d arrived on the planet aboard. Paatiin ships.
Daagiis whooped. “We’re almost there! Saazeer has his men ready. We’ve got incoming fire aimed at our pursuers. Get your heads down!”
Raven ducked as the night lit with fiery blooms all around, along with ear-numbing explosions. She wrapped her arms around Vendeen’s head in an effort to keep him protected.
Daagiis dipped the skimmer low, heading for a group of Paatiin who shot at the oncoming soldiers. Caught by surprise, several of their enemies crashed.
“They weren’t expecting a welcome from Saazeer and his bodyguards. That’s his ship.”
Raven peered to see a much larger version of Daagiis’ vessel docked behind the firing Paatiin. Saazeer stood tall and regal at the hatch, waiting for them as if his men didn’t fight a pitched battle.
As if to purposefully discomfit Saazeer, Daagiis landed only inches from his slippered toes. If the Esteemed One was intimidated, he didn’t show it. He simply stood there in flowing silver, copper, and gold robes that matched his hair. His rainbow eyes stayed steady on the three of them.
As Daagiis hefted Vendeen in his arms, Raven watched for trouble. For now, the worst of the threat seemed to have been turned back. The Paatiin’s fire had the soldiers in disarray. Many of the chasing skimmers had disappeared as more of the attack party returned to Saazeer.
Daagiis, his arms full of Vendeen, paused before Saazeer. Grim-faced Paatiin watched them all carefully, their guns out and ready. Raven considered keeping her own weapon out, prepared to fire. In the end, she holstered it instead. If Saazeer decided they should die, her one gun would not make any difference. It seemed more prudent to not antagonize those who had helped them escape with Vendeen.
Saazeer looked over the naked Gilothean in Daagiis’ arms. After a thorough perusal that bordered on rudeness, he looked his former betrothed in the eye once more.
Saazeer said, “So you’ve managed to recover him. I see how much he means to you. Are you worth much to him?”
It was Vendeen who answered. Though bloodied and defenseless, he showed no sign of wavering. “Daagiis is worth everything but my freedom. Some things are not negotiable under any circumstance.”
A corner of Saazeer’s mouth twitched upward. He turned his gaze to Raven. As he had looked Vendeen over with such intensity, so he did with her. Raven restrained a shiver. It almost felt as if the Esteemed One touched her all over, warming her body with his regard.
The other corner of his lips rose as well. “And her?”
There was a warning growl in Vendeen’s voice. “Definitely not negotiable. In Daagiis and Raven, you see the two halves of my heart.”
Raven went very still at his words, Saazeer’s stare suddenly having no effect on her at all. Vendeen loved her? Was that what he was saying?
Saazeer looked them all over and snorted laughter as he shook his head. “I don’t know if the three of you are fortunate or to be pitied. I suppose that’s for you to work out.”
His humor vanished, to be replaced with a look of such longing that Raven’s heart ached for him. Saazeer reached forward and caressed Daagiis’ face for an instant.
“Goodbye, Daagiis. Think of me when you can.”
Daagiis bowed his head. “With nothing but all my gratitude, Esteemed One.”
Saazeer snorted again, ignoring Laaruu as his head of security joined them at a run. “Gratitude. What a weak offering compared to what I wished for.”
Laaruu panted as he quickly bowed. “We must go, esteemed Saazeer. The enemy is regrouping and heading back.”
“So we should.” He gave Raven another probing look. “I suppose I’ll have to find my Alt-Earthling through the approved channels. Those damned Lurers are so slow, though.”
He turned to the hatch and boarded his ship. Laaruu turned to the other Paatiin, shouting orders in their incomprehensible language.
Daagiis said, “Let’s go, Raven.”
His ship was docked nearby, and they boarded it in a hurry. Raven kept an eye out for incoming attackers as the opening in the ship’s wall resealed itself and Daagiis sat Vendeen down. Her fingers stroked the grip of her gun nervously until at last the ship was seamless and completely en
closed them.
Chapter 21
Raven turned towards the men as Daagiis laid Vendeen down on the couch-like ledge. The Gilothean winced. Seeing his injuries in the bald lighting of the ship, Raven winced with him.
“Sit with him and hold him steady as I get us the hell out of here,” Daagiis said.
She did so, putting settling her body between Vendeen and the floor so there was no possibility of him falling. Daagiis sat across from them and barked commands. There was the slightest sensation of movement to tell Raven they were leaving the awful colony of Tansur.
Raven picked up Vendeen’s arm and cuddled it to her breast, not caring that his blood got all over her. She was a mess herself anyway. He smiled up at her, his fathomless black eyes riveted on her face. No one spoke for several minutes.
At last Daagiis heaved a sigh of relief. “We’re away with no signs of pursuit. We might just make it.”
“Don’t jinx us,” Raven warned.
Daagiis chuckled, and then his expression sobered as he looked Vendeen over. His face softened with blatant concern and love.
He told Raven, “The med kit is in that bin over your head. Get him cleaned up, and I’ll treat him as soon as I’m sure we’re clear and I can switch to autopilot.”
Raven stood. At Daagiis’ foreign words, an opening appeared in the overhang, and Raven looked into the compartment that was behind it. She found large antiseptic wipes, suturing materials, pain medication, and a bottle of brown liquid. The bottle’s label was written in a flowery script she couldn’t read, so she left it in the bin.
She sat back down and proceeded to use the antiseptic wipes to clean Vendeen’s battered body. His only reaction was to blink at her, seemingly not caring about the open wounds or the swollen flesh that she cleaned off. Raven thought perhaps the medical wipes had a mild anesthetic.
She smiled encouragingly at him, though he no doubt knew how bad off he was. To show she wouldn’t treat him like a baby, Raven said, “You’re a hell of a mess.”
Vendeen managed a smile. “I know. Thank you for coming after me.”
“Did you have any doubt I would?”
Rather than answer, Vendeen startled her with a blunt question. “Do you love me?”
Raven recovered and cocked an eyebrow at him. “When I don’t hate you.”
He snorted pained laughter.
Raven blew out a breath. “Yes, Vendeen. I love you, even though you are an unmitigated bastard.”
He stroked her cheek. “Good. I’d hate for it to be one-sided.”
Raven leaned down and kissed his split lips, tasting the mineral tang of his blood. He returned the kiss with tenderness that probably owed more to his condition than a wish to be gentle.
She sat back up and continued to swab him down. Vendeen didn’t look nearly so horrific with the blood cleaned off. She tossed soiled wipes into the receptacle that had slid out of the wall.
Vendeen watched her as she worked, his eyes never leaving her face. He told her, “Don’t forget to take care of your wounds too. Your shoulders look terrible.”
“Master first, protector second,” she said. “It’s not that bad.”
“You’re a very good protector.” He gave her that lopsided grin of his. “I might actually have to thank Daagiis.”
Raven snorted. “Don’t hurt yourself. Gratitude is not your strong suit, my friend.”
“We’re on our way home,” Daagiis announced, standing and coming over.
The timing couldn’t have been better, as Raven had finished cleaning up Vendeen’s front. She didn’t protest when Daagiis nudged her aside. She moved over, letting the Paatiin take her place.
Daagiis looked Vendeen over and shook his head at the cuts, slashes, welts, and massive bruising. “All right, my darling. Let me see what I can do until Sickbay gets their hands on you.”
He opened a bottle labeled ‘suturing cream’, along with a packet of butterfly-type bandages. The face-changer smeared a generous amount of cream on a wedge-shaped applicator and spread it on a ragged gash across one of Vendeen’s pectoral muscles. The Gilothean managed to remain still, but an agonized groan slipped from between his gritted teeth.
Daagiis paused. “I think it would be best if I sedated you. We’ve got a long flight ahead of us, and there is only so much I can do until we get to the main ship.”
Vendeen considered for a moment. Raven didn’t think he would allow such a thing, but apparently the pain was tremendous because he conceded with a nod. “All right.”
A tablet went on his tongue. Within minutes, Vendeen’s eyes slid closed and his breath became even and deep.
“He’s out, thank Creation,” Daagiis muttered. “I was afraid the stubborn bastard would be a hardass and not let us sedate him.”
“Maybe there’s hope for him yet,” Raven said.
Daagiis gave her a quick grin before getting back to work on Vendeen’s numerous injuries.
Except for when they turned Vendeen over and she was able to help clean him once more, Raven spent most of the treatment standing by like a helpless lump. It finally got to her.
“What can I do? I hate feeling worthless.”
Daagiis gave her a bemused stare. “Worthless? You killed Taambaa and Hanos. You brought your master out alive. I’d say you were not quite worthless, my darling.”
“I am right now. You need to give me an emergency first aid program that will help me with stuff like this.”
“That would probably be a good idea, because Vendeen will no doubt look for another cause to champion, one that will put him in danger once again. He won’t know how to act without Hanos around to chase.”
“If Hanos is dead.” Raven swallowed. It bothered her that she hadn’t had time to confirm that. If there had still been a flutter of life in him, if someone had found him and gotten him out of his stronghold before the Paatiin blew it up…
Daagiis stood and stretched. “That’s it. I’ve done all I can for Vendeen, unless there is blood replacement in here, which I don’t think there is.”
“I saw a bottle of something in the bin, but I couldn’t read the label.”
Raven looked their slumbering master over. He was a patchwork of bandages and bruises. He still managed to look monumental, even when he was out like a light.
“How many times have I wished I could beat the hell out of him like that?” she wondered out loud.
Daagiis only chuckled. He opened the overhead bin and froze. The Paatiin’s face went pale, and he reached into the compartment. He drew out the bottle with the alien writing and stared at it, cradling it in his palm.
“Not what you wanted? What is it?” Raven asked
Daagiis swallowed, his eyes never leaving the bottle. “It’s the antidote to Vendeen’s pheromones. There is enough here to last me a year. Saazeer must have placed it in the bin.”
His gaze drifted from the antidote down to the senseless Vendeen. Raven’s heart rate picked up as the face-changer’s expression shifted. He looked at his master with love, but there was a dangerous determination in his attitude as well now.
He told Raven, “I could reclaim my place in Paatuun society. Right now I can take you both there where you would serve me. Vendeen would finally be safe from his enemies. We don’t know for sure that Hanos is dead, and he would never dare cross into Paatuun space.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “That may be, but it’s not what Vendeen would want.”
Daagiis’ fingertips stroked her face. “I would be a very good master, Raven. I would take care of you both for the rest of your lives.”
She’d gone cold all over. She could tell the face-changer was calculating everything, as if he hadn’t dreamed of this opportunity for years.
Raven took a deep, steadying breath. “Vendeen cannot be mastered. You know it is against his nature. It would kill something inside him to be your slave.”
Daagiis glanced at the unconscious Gilothean, a knowing smile dancing over his lips. “I m
astered him before, long ago. He would adjust. I am not truly submissive myself, you know.”
For an instant, Raven considered it. Not because she thought being under Daagiis’ utter control would be much different from serving Vendeen, but because it would indeed keep Vendeen physically safe. Having been Daagiis’ pet for the last couple of days had shown her the fate for herself would not be any worse than it already was.
However, she couldn’t shake the certainty that though Vendeen’s body might be secure under Daagiis’ control, his soul would be destroyed. If he ultimately surrendered to Daagiis, it would make him a different man, someone not the Vendeen Raven loved.
It was Vendeen she was sworn to protect for the rest of her life. Perhaps it was wrong that Daagiis had been addicted and chained to him, but she could not allow him to take advantage of her Gilothean master’s helpless state.
“You promised him, Daagiis. You promised you would not do this.”
Guilt shadowed the Paatiin’s face for a moment. It warred with a want so huge that Raven was convinced he could not stand against the need to be the dominant in the relationship.
His teeth clenched, Daagiis muttered, “I would be a fool to let this opportunity pass me by.”
Raven looked at Daagiis, feeling the full threat of him to Vendeen. Her programming switched into gear, taking over in an instant.
She didn’t go for the antidote, recognizing he would concentrate on protecting that above all else. Instead, she dropped low into a crouch. From that position, Raven drove her head forward, shoving with all her strength from her feet. Her aim was perfect, allowing her to headbutt Daagiis pointblank in the groin.
He bent double so hard his face smacked into her upper back. A strange, wheezing sound escaped his lips. There was a thunk as the bottle dropped from his nerveless fingers.
Raven gave him no chance to recover. She darted to the side, capturing the antidote. Swinging as hard as she could, she smashed it against the side of the ship. The bottle shattered and the antidote sprayed.
Ravenous Virtue Page 28
