Outlaw

by Angela Verdenius

  “Don’t worry, lass, it won’t be our first or last trip into the Outlaw Sector.”

  “What?”

  “Don’t look so shocked.” He shrugged. “We’ve passed through there in the past. Trade is trade.” At Sinya’s calculating glance, he drawled. “Don’t even think it, pirate. You try anything with us and our trade routes and we’ll squash you like a bug.”

  “Perish the thought.”

  Reya raised her brows at Darvk. “You want to go with us?”

  “Actually, neither of you goes anywhere without us, remember?” Darvk regarded her steadily. “You gave your word.”

  Sinya grinned and opened his mouth, only to close it again hurriedly when she regarded him coldly.

  “Let’s return to the ship and plot the course,” Darvk continued.

  Sinya nodded. “I’ll see you on Urion.”

  He walked towards his horse, but Reya got there first, cutting through the reins that tethered it to the tree and slapping its hindquarters to send it running back the way it had come.

  “Hey!” Sinya protested. “Damn it, woman!”

  “By the time you get back to your camp, we’ll be safe aboard the traders’ ship.”

  “Haven’t lost your touch,” he grouched and trudged off through the trees towards the valley.

  ~ * ~

  The cabin was quiet, and Tenia breathed deeply, rolling her shoulders from the tension tightening the muscles. Her attention drifted to the flower in the glass of water that sat atop the small table, and she smiled slightly at the memory of Darvk handing it to her - followed by a kiss that had warmed her more than it should have…and just the memory had the same warmth flooding through her.

  Bare-footed, she crossed to the flower, picked up the glass and raised it to her nose to inhale the sweet perfume.

  The door to the cabin opened and Reya walked inside, her gaze flicking from Tenia to the flower. “Pretty. I never noticed you picking that.”

  “I didn’t. Darvk gave it to me.”

  “Did he?” Reya’s eyebrows rose slightly. “When?”

  “Last night.”

  “Your cheeks are red, sister. Why is that?”

  More than aware of her flushed cheeks, Tenia placed the glass containing the flower back onto the table. “No reason.”

  Leaning against the doorjamb, Reya studied her closely. “Has he tried anything or pressured you for favours? If so, I’ll geld him.”

  “No. Well…” Tenia sat on the edge of the bunk, avoiding her sister’s suspicious eyes. “It was just a kiss.”

  “Just a kiss? Do you know where ‘just a kiss’ can lead?”

  She cast Reya a sidelong glance. “It didn’t lead anywhere.”

  Her sister’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Do you wish it had?”

  Tenia pulled her boots on. “What if I did?”

  “Play with fire and you’ll get burned.”

  Resentment at the questioning needled at her. “Did you come in here to lecture me?” She crisscrossed the rawhide strips from ankle to the top of the boot, only to curse when she found it too tight and had to start again.

  “I’m not lecturing.” Reya folded her arms. “I’m warning you.”

  “I don’t need your warnings. I’ve been without them for a long time and survived quite well.”

  “What are you in such a snit about?”

  “Leave it.” She walked into the bathroom to brush her hair.

  There was silence for several seconds before Reya sighed. “There was a time we told each other everything.”

  “That was a long time ago.” In the reflection of the mirror, Tenia watched her sister lean against the bathroom doorway. “Things change.” She shoved the resentment down, relaxed slightly. “Nothing stays the same.”

  “Time changes us all,” Reya agreed quietly.

  Tenia slowly pulled her hair over her shoulder, separating it into three sections and plaiting it. “We’ve learned to stand alone.”

  “Alone.” Reya’s expression grew wistful, vanishing as quickly as it appeared, but it remained in her voice. “I missed you, little sister. Not a day went by that I didn’t wonder about you.”

  Fastening the braid with a strip of rawhide, she turned to face Reya. The ice warrior was gone, the sister she knew before they were outlawed in her place. “In some ways we have changed, in others we remained the same. What happened to us, Reya?”

  Her sister shrugged. “Circumstances change people. You still remain basically an honourable warrior, one Mother would be proud of.”

  “She would be proud of you also.”

  “No, I’ve done things…” Reya glanced down fleetingly, looked back up. “Finding you was the only good thing I did.”

  The last of Tenia’s annoyance faded. She laid a hand on Reya’s shoulder. “You led us after she died. Responsibility came early; you can’t blame yourself for surviving the best way you could. There weren’t any choices left to us.”

  “Still so loyal, still so emotional.”

  “My downfall, you always predicted.”

  Reya laughed a genuine, warm, earthy laugh. “You wouldn’t be my sister if you weren’t so volatile and emotional.” Amusement faded to simply a smile. “Maybe those emotions will be your downfall, who knows? Something will bring all of us down one day, be it treachery, emotions, old age, or battle. But you’ll go to the grave being who you are and no one can take that from you.”

  Tenia swallowed the lump in her throat. “What will bring you down, sister?”

  “Who knows?”

  Violet eyes met glacier green and the next instant they were hugging each other fiercely.

  “I’m glad I found you,” Tenia whispered. “It’s been so long.”

  Reya patted her back. “Regardless of how much we’ve changed and maybe grown apart, we are still sisters.”

  “Blood is a strong bond.”

  “As is a common cause.”

  “United we stand and divided we fall?” Pulling back, Tenia adjusted her vest.

  “No. United we stand and divided we still stand.” Reya touched Tenia’s cheek. “We Reekas are strong, sister, strong enough to stand alone and formidable together.” Drawing back, she swept out a hand. “Enough with being maudlin. Let’s go and get breakfast and make plans.”

  The ice warrior was back but it didn’t matter. She was her sister, regardless, and it was with a lighter heart that Tenia followed her out of the cabin.

  Male voices filtered from the big dining cabin and the Reekas entered to see half of the crew sitting at the table eating. They were greeted cheerfully and drawn into the general conversation.

  While Tenia was happy to talk to the Daamens, Reya replied monosyllabically. It didn’t seem to faze the traders. Tenia wondered just what her sister had been through to make her so cold toward others. She cast her several glances, but Reya’s composed features didn’t reveal any answers.

  They’d just finished when Darvk and Maverk entered the dining cabin.

  Maverk’s eyes fell upon Reya and delight lit up his ruggedly good looks. “Well, hello there, lass.”

  Reya simply nodded.

  Darvk winked at Tenia and her heart skipped a beat at the pleasure in his eyes. She smiled back, picking up her glass to drain the last of the icy water from it.

  The two big traders crossed the cabin, Darvk to get an apple from the food supply, Maverk to grab a heaping plate of food. Returning to the table, Darvk stood beside Tenia’s chair while Maverk happily swung himself into a chair directly opposite Reya.

  Intensely conscious of Darvk standing beside her, Tenia nevertheless didn’t miss Maverk’s wide grin at Reya.

  “So, pretty wench,” Maverk said. “Fancy a walk around the upper deck later?”

  “No,” Reya replied shortly.

  “It’s beautiful to watch the stars.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.”

  “I feel I need to prove it to you.”

  “You don’t.”

>   “I think I do.” Maverk beamed at Cam sitting beside Reya. “Don’t you agree?”

  “Oh, aye.” Cam nodded. “But I don’t like your chances.”

  “My chances are great.” Maverk’s brown eyes sparkled merrily.

  Reya sipped at the glass of juice while eyeing him expressionlessly.

  “I never give up.” Taking a big bite of food, he chewed happily.

  Morgan grinned. “Now might be a good time to practice.”

  “Pshaw.” Maverk waved a hand. “No need.”

  Reya simply kept on watching him without saying a word.

  He winked at her, bobbed his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

  Tenia was fighting the impulse to laugh at his absurdity when she felt a warm breath caress her ear. Instantly little goose pimples exploded deliciously along her skin.

  Darvk whispered, “Come with me.”

  Swallowing, she glanced around to find his face close to hers, the vivid blue of his eyes so very direct and intense.

  Intense. There was no other word for it.

  His palm was on her back, hidden from the view of others by his muscular body leaning down over her, but she felt it like a brand.

  She knew what she felt, but she wasn’t completely sure what he was thinking. Then, when she glanced at Reya and Darvk whispered, “Just you,” she had a fair idea.

  Maybe.

  It wasn’t always easy to tell, not when the feelings roiling around inside her were so new and unexpected. For all she knew, he was going to tell her something unpleasant that he didn’t wish her sister to know yet.

  Or something else.

  Taking a steadying breath, she pushed to her feet. “I’ll be back soon.”

  Reya simply nodded.

  Thankfully the Daamens didn’t seem to think there was anything untoward about her leaving with their captain, but why would they when she’d been alone in his company many times?

  But this time it was different. She knew it, felt it in the way he moved in close behind her as they exited the cabin. When she faltered in the corridor, unsure exactly which way to go, a big hand cupped her elbow to expertly steer her in the direction of the big platform lift at the end.

  Silently, so very aware of the man beside her, Tenia stepped onto the lift, turned to face the corridor, braced herself a little for the rattling of the platform as it lifted.

  The corridor vanished from sight.

  Darvk was silent, his thoughts his own as he bit into the apple and chewed, but she definitely felt his hand at the back of her waist.

  A multitude of thoughts tumbled through her mind, a multitude of feelings coursed through her body. So very aware of him, wondering what he wanted, his intentions. If indeed all he meant to do was show her something private.

  And didn’t that just bring to mind a whole lot of other decadent thoughts?

  The lift stopped and now she saw that they were on the top floor of the big trade ship.

  “This floor holds the laser gun pits.” Taking another bite of apple, Darvk steered her off the platform lift and down the corridor. “Here we also have our solitude cabin.”

  “Solitude cabin?”

  The door slid open and he stood aside for her to enter.

  She glanced up at him as she stepped past, so very conscious of the warmth of his hard body, the way he towered over her, the presence as he followed her inside. Then her attention was caught by the cabin and beyond.

  The cabin was big but bare, the only furniture being two chairs bolted to the floor before a huge window that stretched the length of the cabin. Outside the universe spread, more stars than a person could count or even conceive of, planets, moons, beams of light, the distant flash of a possible spaceship. Darkness and brilliance, light and depth, it was breathtaking.

  Standing before the glass, she looked out. No matter how many times she’d travelled in space, it never failed to make her marvel at how infinite it was, and how very, very tiny they were inside it. Like a speck of dust on a planet.

  “This is our sanctuary of peace and quiet.” Darvk stepped up beside her. “We all sometimes need time to ourselves, just to be quiet, look out, think, read, listen to music, whatever we choose.” His gaze settled on her reflection. “This is where we come.”

  “Music?”

  “There are two switches near the door. One is for light if you want it, which you can adjust. The other is for the music.”

  “You think I need solitude?” Quizzically, she studied his reflection in turn.

  “I’ve no idea.” His reply was easy. “I thought if you did, you’d like to know where to come.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome, lass.” With a quick smile, he took the last bite of apple, lobbing the core neatly across the room to land in the small bin.

  The lid of the bin slid closed smoothly, the core taken down into the bowels of the ship where it would be disposed of.

  Darvk’s continued smile just stroked deep inside her, and, not quite knowing what to say, she returned her gaze to the view. The memory of their shared kiss when he’d given her the flower was playing tantalisingly through her mind.

  Had he brought her here for something more?

  After a full minute of silence, Darvk said casually, “Reya has been up here.”

  Knowing her sister, Reya would have done a thorough investigation of the spaceship the first chance she got. “She likes her own company.”

  Turning, Darvk leaned a broad shoulder against the window and folded his arms, biceps and triceps bunching. Long legs crossed at the ankles, the position making him look so at ease. Which he was, after all, it was his spaceship. He was the captain.

  Linking her hands behind her, Tenia waited as she watched a light in the distance disappear behind a planet. Space pirates, other Daamen traders, maybe a military carrier or peacekeepers’ ship, bounty hunters, other travellers of countless types, all about their business.

  She inhaled deeply, her skin prickling in awareness of the man so close.

  “Tenia?”

  “Yes?”

  “Why are you so uncomfortable in my presence?”

  “I’m not uncomfortable.”

  “You’re definitely not at ease right now, lass.”

  The man was straight to the point. She could be nothing less in return.

  Turning to face him, she deliberately refrained from crossing her arms before her, instead keeping her hands loosely linked behind her back.

  Darvk watched her, the vivid blue of his eyes softening. “I don’t bite, lass.”

  Studying him, she tried to guess his intentions. “You brought me here for more than just showing me a place of solitude.”

  “Aye.”

  She waited.

  For the first time, he frowned slightly.

  “It’s that bad?” Her gut clenched a little as a thought occurred to her. “Is this about working with a space pirate? I understand if you don’t want to.”

  “What?” He was surprised. “Nay, it isn’t-”

  “Because if you want me and Reya to continue alone, it’s all right,” she continued in a rush. “You can drop us off at- umph.” Her words were stopped by a finger pressing against her lips.

  Surprised, she stared up at him.

  “Hush, now.” He withdrew his finger to wag it at her. “There’ll be no dropping you and Reya off anywhere, understand?”

  “Are you thinking of not going through with this?” Her heart fell. “Because-”

  “Stop.” The finger was under her nose now. “Right there. Just stop.”

  Frowning, she looked from the wagging finger to his face. “Darvk-”

  His hand clapped gently over her mouth as, with a sigh, he simply pulled her into him, turned her around to face the big window and leaned down to rest his cheek against hers.

  Startled, she looked at their reflection. Intensely aware of several things at once - the heat of his body against hers, the way he bent over her, the way he
had her tucked against him…the sensation of his hair tickling along her shoulder, the calluses on his palm that was pressed so gently against her lips. The muscular arm around her waist.

  She probably should have retaliated. Reya certainly would have done, but she wasn’t Reya. And this was Darvk.

  Truth be told, she liked the feel of him holding her.

  Liked it a bit too much, maybe.

  Couldn’t help that.

  His face turned toward her, his nose barely brushing her cheek as he inhaled deeply. The hardness of his chest was against her back, pleasure flitting across his face, firm lips curving in a smile, his eyelashes lowering as he took another deep breath and just cuddled her close back against him.

  It was delicious.

  Her heart beat faster as his palm shifted from her mouth, his hand trailing down her neck and shoulder and down her arm to lightly shackle her wrist, long fingers lightly playing along her palm as his thumb rubbed against the back of her hand.

  His lips brushed her cheek, slid lower, and with a sigh she gave in to the temptation, leaning back against him, tilting her head to the side as his lips went lower, and lower still to skim across her skin and press against the pulse hammering in her throat.

  He licked slightly, his tongue both abrasive and soft against her skin, before he pressed a hot kiss against the pulse.

  Her knees weakened, her free hand clutching his arm where it rested across her waist.

  The kiss was pressed in a blazing trail up the side of her throat, along her jaw line to the corner of her mouth as she turned her head to meet him.

  He stopped, their lips a bare inch apart, their breaths colliding, mixing as time stretched out in unbearable anticipation.

  It was Tenia who moved first, her lips brushing his before, with a soft, barely audible moan, she pressed her lips to his.

  His lips were firm yet soft, warm, welcoming, moulding to hers as though made just for her.

  Fingers gripping his arm tightly, her other hand turned, pulled free from his hold to entwine her fingers with his.

  Heat washed through her, his clean, masculine scent clouding her senses, his essence filling her as his taste flooded her while his kiss deepened. He explored her mouth leisurely, thoroughly, desire evident by his hips shifting, pressing against her bottom, the male hardness that was undeniable.