Bargain With the Enemy
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Bargain with the Enemy
S.E. Gilchrist
www.escapepublishing.com.au
Bargain with the Enemy
S. E. Gilchrist
From the bestselling Darkon series comes an enemy-to-lover story about a brother, a best friend and the precious gift they leave behind.
Masquerading as her best friend is probably not the wisest decision Stephanie ever made, but she’ll do whatever it takes to protect her friends’ orphaned baby, especially from the father’s emotionless, soulless vacuum of a family. They’ll make it back to Earth, and be a loving, supportive family of two.
With his brother dead, Ivo will do anything to ensure the daughter he had with his human lover remains under his control and protection. The child, Mia, belongs here, in the Seven Galaxies, where she can be raised in the appropriate way.
But the only way to the child is through a bargain with a female deserter, a woman with no honour. Lust, however, has no reason, and when Stephanie and Ivo act on their attraction, they inadvertently set new terms. With Mia’s life in the balance, can they find a contract with a future, or will everything fall apart in negotiations?
About the Author
S.E. Gilchrist can’t remember a time when she didn’t have a book in her hand. Now she dreams up stories where her favourite words are…‘what if’ and ‘where’? She lives in the Hunter Valley, Australia and writes books that embrace sizzling love stories with action, adventure and often, danger. Her stories are set in the exciting worlds of science fiction, ancient worlds, fantasy, post-apocalyptic and Australian contemporary / rural.
S.E. is published by Escape Publishing and Momentum Books and is an indie author.
Acknowledgements
I’d like to give a special thank you to my critique partners and friends, Kerrie Paterson and Sandie James — you ladies rock.
To my family — the constant in my life.
Contents
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Bestselling Titles by Escape Publishing…
Chapter 1
Besa System
The sudden pounding on the thin metal hatch door sent an icy shiver down Stephanie’s spine. Her heart sped up in a deafening crescendo almost drowning out the thumps.
Almost, but not quite.
Get a grip!
Surely there was no way they could have tracked her to this isolated space station orbiting the former Elite garrison planet, Verrilous. Still, that didn’t stop her glancing at the doorway leading into the rack room which was no bigger than a large broom cupboard.
In the heavy silence that stifled the air of the cramped compartment, the pounding changed to the heavy thuds of fisted hands that demanded a response. It didn’t sound as if whoever was out there intended to leave anytime soon.
Dithering, Stephanie gripped her hands together and stared at the door. It could be the Moonie trader from level four. It had been a good Earth week since she’d bribed him with four of her precious creds to source a container of dry milk powder. A commodity she needed desperately. On this reassuring thought her breathing steadied.
She swiped her damp palms down the legs of her faded army-green cargo pants and released the lock. The hatch door slid sideways and her breathing seized.
Oh god! They’ve found me.
Three Darkon warriors clad in full battle armour stood on the threshold. Their bulky shoulders blocking her exit, their armoured gloved hands curled into half-fists at their sides. Behind them she was aware another warrior stood with his back to the entrance. Unhelmeted, his short-clipped, raven-black hair proclaimed his allegiance to the old Traditionalist ways of his race. Hands on hips, he appeared to be inspecting the mean, refuse littered passageway.
Only the desperate lived here, down in the bowels of the station. This level swarmed with renegades, smugglers, the homeless and the ill. Too poor to trade for meds from the upper levels or for a passage off the port, they were doomed to stay here until they died.
But Steph counted herself lucky to have rented these quarters although it cost an exorbitant amount of her carefully hoarded creds. It afforded protection from the contagious and the depraved.
Her knees turned to mush and she staggered, catching hold of the hatch-frame, partly to keep upright and partly to block their entrance.
‘Are you one Earth female Janeen mated to Neo El Boeka?’ the closest warrior said.
‘Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person.’ Stephanie pushed on the hatch in an attempt to close the door.
He shot out an arm and placed his palm against the metal.
She shoved.
Impossible. These guys were built like tanks.
‘I’ve told you I don’t know of any Janeen,’ she blustered, inwardly cursing the betraying heat blooming in her face. She’d never been able to lie with aplomb.
‘The station master speaks otherwise,’ stated the warrior.
‘Too many fantasy meds if you ask me.’ She clutched the door tighter, the sharp edged metal driving deep into her hand but she blanked it out, unheeding of everything but the panic shrieking inside her mind.
Weak tears pricked behind her eyelids as she thought of the almost impossible task she’d set for herself. But the promise she’d made burned like bootleg whiskey in her gut.
I won’t let you down, Jan.
As she remembered what was at stake, determination flickered deep in her soul. It burned, gained momentum and scorched through her body like a bush fire. Strength returned and she flexed her damp fingers then released her grip.
‘I’ve already told you, you’ve made a mistake.’ Her calm even tones imbued her with confidence. Stephanie aimed a polite smile, like the shaft of an arrow at the intruders. Her mind raced probing and discarding various schemes.
I’ve fooled them before, I’ll fool them again.
The two Darkons facing her exchanged glances and the one pressing against the door allowed his hand to fall to his side.
But her moment of relief was gone all too soon. For with a sudden impatient imprecation, the warrior at the rear swung round and shouldered the soldiers aside. He planted his large armour encased hands on both sides of the narrow opening and leaned towards her.
This was no rank and file soldier.
Her heart did a free fall.
From a hard-planed face that could have been chiselled from a rough un-cut diamond, black eyes as cold and merciless as intergalactic space met her wary gaze. His blunt features, a commanding nose and jutting square jaw all proclaimed a warrior who breathed control and domination.
Stephanie had known fear before but this…this feeling that strangled her throat was different. Please God, please don’t let it be who I think it is.
Tension tightened between them.
Stretched to an impossible length.
Somewhere down the passageway, shouting and the crashing of breaking furniture indicated a fight had flared up in one of the squats.
And then from inside the room behind her, a baby’s wail splintered the strange sensation crackling between her and the warrior. Stephanie jerked backwards like a bungee jumper. A curious expression crossed with swift wings over the warrior’s face.
One hard push and the hatch slammed open. The enemy and his henchmen crowded into the tiny haven she’d created.
He stalked forward.
Despite her best intentions, Stephanie retreated.
Until her back found the wall.
When the Darkon’s gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered her heart dropped to the floor.
For one long moment surprise overcame her panic. She stared as if hypnotised at his intent face and felt that weird pull again. He stepped closer, invaded her space until she smelt the faint earthy scent emanating from his body. Her stomach did a rolling somersault and nausea rose in its wake.
Stephanie pressed back against the wall as if by doing so, she could melt into the metal and watched him bare strong white teeth in a slow smile of cold triumph.
She could read no amusement in those flinty eyes.
No mercy.
‘Who are you?’
‘Ivo El Boeka.’
It is him!
‘Neo’s brother?’ she squeaked. Way to go, Steph, now I’ve confirmed his suspicions I know both Neo and Janeen.
‘Affirmative.’ He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. ‘You are registered with the station master as Janeen El Boeka, a flagrant attempt to grasp a status which can never be yours.’ His voice grated like quarry gravel scraping over her skin. A frisson of sensation prickled her flesh.
Outrage at his blatant prejudice had her lifting her chin. ‘What? Why? Because I’m from Earth?’
‘Affirmative. The Boeka line is one unbroken from the very beginning of our time. We can trace our history back to when the goddess, Cercis, walked our planet. Such an inadequate species as yourself will never be considered of sufficient status to attain such rank. My brother was a fool to be beguiled by your charms.’ His gaze dipped lower to examine the rapid rise and fall of her breasts.
Steph stiffened, hating the tiny smirk on his face as her nipples peaked and pushed against the thin fabric of her shirt. What a conceited prig!
A deep scowl formed suddenly on his forehead and he reared back to scrutinise her face again. ‘You are this Janeen.’
Her throat dried as she heard the echo of a question in his statement. What would he do if he knew the truth? Horrific visions filled her head.
She gave a jerky nod.
His mouth compressed and he folded his arms over the cyno armour that showcased a physique she found extremely intimidating. Concentrating on her breathing, she counted her heavy heartbeats, waited for the axe to fall.
‘You are charged with desertion of your post whilst under fire and theft.’
‘Desertion?’ Steph gaped at him. Whatever she’d expected him to say, it definitely hadn’t been this!
‘Affirmative. I have evidence you fled Verrilous prior to the attack and with an object which belongs to my family.’
Object!
This merely confirms my suspicions about this bloke. He’s nothing more than an emotionless vacuum.
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about,’ she snapped.
‘You are a member of a guerrilla force under the command of a Relic officer, Joran Melda. This unit was ordered to attack the garrison as part of an extensive ground force strategy. Instead you boarded a shuttle with civilians. Your name is recorded as one of the passengers.’
It had seemed easier at the time to use Janeen’s name. Verrilous had been a planet swamped with panic. In the skies above, the massive Elite war ships could be seen forming an Armada to ward off what would be the last confrontation with the Darkon fleet.
Her friend had been desperate for Stephanie to leave before the offensive began.
Since they had found sanctuary on some rock of a moon in the Stix system, Stephanie and her friend Janeen had been a member of a Relic guerrilla force fighting the domination of Liama and his Elite army.
It had been here, Janeen had met and fallen for her Darkon husband, Neo. He’d never shared a lot about his past with Steph, all she knew was he’d refused to side with his Traditionalist upbringing and the movement to oust Lord Tarak from power.
Instead he’d resigned from his post on board a Darkon ship commandeered by a powerful warrior called Marn and sought out guerrilla operatives in order to fight the battle on the side of those he believed had the “right”.
With all the Seven Galaxies poised on the brink of mass war, they had been keen to fight for freedom.
But the arrival of one tiny life three months ago changed everything.
Circumstances had prevented Stephanie from travelling any further than the station. Until the last of the Elite fugitives were captured, travel beyond the planetary sector had been decreed off-limits to all but supply ships. So she’d hunkered down and bided her time until she could leave.
Unfortunately this had taken longer than she’d anticipated. The result — she was rapidly running out of creds. At this rate, she’d never be able to afford the cost of a flight to Darkos.
Her goal — to board the first voyager being prepared for the long journey to Earth.
And now this robot-like gorilla posed a threat greater than any she’d faced since she first left her home as a geologist to terra form a new Earth.
What am I going to do?
‘I note you say nothing in your defence,’ El Boeka stated.
Warily, Stephanie met his cool gaze, doubting explanations or appealing to what was obviously a non-existent “soft” side would work. He looked like he’d been hewn from granite.
A convulsive sob tore from her throat. She pushed past him and hurried into the minute rack room. With gentle hands Stephanie scooped the baby into her protective arms.
Her head lowered until she nuzzled the soft, downy dark-brown hair that covered the small head. She drew deep inside her trembling frame the unique scent of clean skin and baby. The simple action grounded her, helped to stem her panic and sense of failure. With soothing strokes she patted the little girl’s back. Her pulse ceased to pound like the hooves of a wild beast in her ears. The rush of blood flooding through her veins stabilised.
The baby hiccupped and stopped her wailing. The little face un-scrunched and round crystal blue eyes fringed with dark silky lashes gazed with absolute trust at Stephanie.
So beautiful.
So perfect.
So defenceless.
She vowed, once again, she would do anything and everything to protect all that was left of her best friend’s family.
And if she was absolutely honest, defend this second chance for a family of her own.
Even if it was only a family of two.
At the sound of a throat being cleared, she whirled round to find the Darkon leaning with casual ease against the entrance. In the small space, he took up far too much room, crowding her, heightening her feeling of being trapped.
Her gaze flittered up to his sharp eyes then away. That same weird sensation fizzed over her. Troubled, she held the baby closer to her breast and half turned aside.
How long had he been watching her? An implacable ruthlessness was etched into each sharp plane of his facial bones, in the firm line of his jaw, in the beat of the pulse throbbing near his left temple as he continued to examine her every movement with a scrutiny that missed nothing. It would not be easy to fool this Darkon.
But fool him I must.
Her gaze skittered past him to the room beyond where his soldiers stood in military stance blocking the only exit.
‘Do not even think to run.’
Shit! Is he a mind reader?
Her shoulders twitched as if to rid herself of a pesky summer fly. She didn’t like that shivery feeling in her knees his presence engendered.
She didn’t like him period.
She stole a quick peek through her lashes.
Their gazes met and clashed.
And held.
To her horror, he straightened and stepped towards her. One lone pace was all it took and he was right there, close beside her. So close she coul
d feel his body heat warming her ice-cold skin.
Air squeezed from her lungs as if they were as insubstantial as a pricked balloon. She wanted to evade those eyes full of cold purpose but found her bare feet riveted as if super glued to the floor. The baby emitted an indignant squawk when her clutch tightened.
He turned his attention to the infant. Stephanie gulped air. Clammy sweat trickled down her spine. Not a muscle moved on his merciless face.
How could she give Mia up to this inhuman robot?
Again that mirthless smile stretched his lips.
‘Give her to me.’
Stephanie hesitated then with a hastily suppressed smirk handed over the very wet bundle.
Careful to avoid anything but the barest brush of hands.
He made a wry grimace but she awarded him a wary respect when with complete indifference to her dampness, he gathered the baby with infinite care close to his chest and stared intently into the tiny face.
‘Her name is Mia,’ Stephanie offered in a gruff voice. For something to do she shoved her hands into her pants pockets and ran a toe along a crack in the ceramic tiles.
Was it her hectic imagination or did these two very different people forge a bond with a simple exchange of glances?
What did it matter, anyway? She had experienced first-hand the fanatical and rigid beliefs of a Traditionalist. There was no way she’d hand Mia over to a similar monster.
She’d die first.
Mia blew a bubble and cooed.
And the Darkon did something that stopped Stephanie’s heart in its tracks and felt as if it cart-wheeled through her rib cage.
He smiled.
Not the terrifying impression he had treated her to moments earlier, the one likened to that of a hungry wolf.
No this time, an actual smile.
A real smile.
One that crinkled laughter lines around his eyes that she would never have imagined existed. A smile that warmed their icy expanse and gave their colour a comforting glow and made her think of cold rainy nights snuggled safe before a crackling fire.
Bewildered, she shook her head so quickly her brown ponytail flicked the side of her face. Where had that insane thought come from?