IceFlight

by Casey Lea

  Read on for a sample of Book Two in The Iron Altar series.

  Frostbite – Chapter One

  Darsey IceFlight lay very still and let consciousness return. Her head ached and her tongue was surely too large for her mouth, but she ignored them. She was lying flat on her back and it was already throbbing. Heat prickled under her eyelids, while her lashes grew annoyingly damp. Damn all hormones. She was too pregnant to be knocked out and dragged... where?

  Darsey breathed deeply, pushing down fear and self-pity. She relaxed, then carefully tested the energy field that seemed to be restraining her. It was unyielding. Her eyes flew open and she tried to move again, struggling with all her strength this time, but with no more success than before. She was held as hard as a fly in amber. Panic grew again and it took an unexpected effort to force it back. Darsey belatedly realized she was not only weak from being knocked out, but also suffering from com–loss. She strained to lift her head and failed. All she could do was turn it slightly, then roll her eyes from side to side in an effort to find out where she was. What she saw was no comfort at all.

  A steel roof was met by plain steel walls. She was lying in a metal box so brightly light it must surely be a laboratory. Her best friend Clearwing, lay on a medfield beside her, looking equally helpless. The kres stared back from huge eyes. Eyes as dark as pits.

  “Any idea where we are?” Darsey whispered, but her companion simply kept staring. Her belly, as distended by pregnancy as Darsey's, rippled when the baby moved. “Clear, look at me. I mean properly. Try some blinking and a bit of that focus thing. It works wonders and as soon as you can see we’ll get out of here.”

  “Oh,” Clear answered faintly and managed a very slow blink. “How?”

  “You tell me. I can see half-a-dozen consoles and plenty of high-tech equipment. Scalpels too and bottles of embalmed- actually, perhaps you shouldn’t look. I’ll tell you what we’ve got. The main console is gentik with an interface I can feel from here. Together we can do this. It's not like we haven't been in trouble before. Being married to cousins who were both on a tyrant's Things To Dispose Of list definitely wasn't good for our health.”

  Or our babies' health, she thought before she could stop herself and Clear whimpered in response, her fronds twitching at the bleak contact. Darsey quickly sent mental comfort, but was interrupted by approaching footfalls, which drew a desperate squeak from her friend.

  “Darse, I’m sorry. This is my fault. I never should have brought you to visit this Maker. In truth, it wasn't to see what our children will look like when grown. I really wanted to know how he makes his post-natal predictions. I'm so sor-”

  The distant hum of a security scan silenced Clear, but Darsey ignored it. “It's okay, I get it. Curiosity and the cat etcetera. I know you can't resist finding out how things work, but we need your mind now, clear and calm, so just breath deep and listen close while I talk to our host.”

  The scan finished its check and the footsteps resumed. More than one set of footsteps Darsey realized, counting hard in an effort to distract herself from growing dread. Two people? Yes, definitely. Two pairs of feet struck slightly out of time. One stride seemed to be slower, but must have been longer, because it grew louder more quickly. It soon covered the sharper strike of high heels. A male and a female most likely. Darsey managed to tilt her head further to the left, to gain a better view as their captors approached.

  The first to come into sight was a mermaridian male in Harvester livery. Darsey was unsurprised. Being kidnapped by slavers was the first possibility that had occurred to her. That would simply have been a case of history repeating itself. However, a closer inspection destroyed her theory. The newcomer had kres fronds. They swayed toward her when she noticed them and then lifted in a friendly wave.

  The stranger stopped beside her and cold, mismatched eyes stared down at Darsey, strangely at odds with her kidnapper’s warm smile. That cherry grin lifted the sculpted hollows of his checks to collide with the planes and angles of the rest of his face. He seemed to be channelling both male model and maniac, which was disturbing, but the pity she felt from his fronds was even worse. She and Clear were in deep trouble.

  Darsey wanted to smile back, insolently and without concern, but her bravado failed her. This was no ordinary Harvester. His strange fronds marked him as a Beserk, the most vicious and crazed of mermaridian warriors, but he was also familiar and she closed her eyes to dig through her memory. She found what she wanted on Gratuity, during her first visit, when she’d stupidly shadowed this warrior. His name was Nikareon, but she couldn't begin to imagine what he wanted with her. Bizarre stories of Beserk breeding needs intruded, despite her best efforts to control her thoughts.

  The male laughed heartily in response, before offering a deep bow. “Hold no fear of me, Lady. I can see your uterus is already taken.”

  “Not for long,” a voice as smooth and sweet as ch't'kar liqueur mused from behind Darsey. The unseen female laughed at her own comment and her delight was the most unsettling thing of all. Unexpectedly harsh and unrefined, her amusement ricocheted from the steel walls and bright instruments surrounding them.

  The two prisoners rolled their eyes left when a second figure strolled to join the Beserk. Clear’s mind instantly cringed, while her eyes closed tight, to leave Darsey staring alone at a tall and lovely mermaridian.

  “I don't believe we've met,” Darsey stated calmly and her kidnapper sniffed in response.

  “I'm certain-sure you'll wish that was still true in a moment, but some friendships come with unexpected cost, don't they, Clearwing FeatherFlight?” Clear managed a combined gulp and whimper in response, but that was all. The mermaridian wrinkled her nose in disgust. “How you scarred me I'll never times know-” she began, but was interrupted by a tremulous appeal from her kres captive.

  “Please spare my baby. I was the one who hurt you. She's innocent.”

  “True enough,” the beauty agreed, idly running a finger across a shiny stack of instruments at Clearwing's feet, “but it's also true I don't care.”

  “No conscience,” Nikareon observed happily.

  However, the female ignored him to step forward and lean close to Clear’s belly. “It's your parents I wish to pain and I've an excellent idea how.” The mermaridian straightened and beckoned imperiously. There was no immediate response and she snapped her fingers impatiently.

  The gesture was rewarded by another hum from the entry field and the sound of heavy boots striking the floor as one. A phalanx of Harvesters appeared, ten guards marching shoulder to shoulder, except for the first pair. They were separated by a plump figure, clothed in flowing robes that repeatedly tangled his feet while the guards dragged him forward.

  Darsey recognized him at once. His cherubic face was the last memory she had, before waking up on a slab. It had beamed at her from a hologram on his waiting room wall. He was a gentik called the Maker, whose obstetric services were in huge demand on Eltok. Unfortunately, it seemed he was as much a captive as she was. He cleared his throat nervously and bowed to the two restrained prisoners.

  “So sorry to keep you waiting,” he apologized primly and Darsey responded with the warmest smile she could muster. “No problem. We're not in a hurry,” she assured him. The Beserk chuckled happily, but Darsey ignored him. “I'm not a fan of your bedside manner though, or your hysterical staff. The blond bimbo sounds like a drugged hyena bird. Who can I complain to?”

  The female mermaridian uttered a feral growl that stopped Darsey cold. The emotion behind that primitive sound made her single frond twitch. It tucked tight at the end, wanting to curl up behind her ear and block out those furious electromagnetic waves. However, she forced it straight again, trying to read deeper than that morass of anger. She sensed satisfaction at their capture, but the fury continued to swell, until it swamped all rational thought.

  The mermaridian abruptly launched herself, swerving around the foot of Clear’s table to leap at Darsey. Her eye
s gleamed with a faint silver light and her upper lip drew back from her teeth, but before she could complete her pounce Nikareon swept her into a bear hug and spun her off her feet, away from Darsey.

  “There, there, easy now,” he crooned. “Be calm and remember your goals.”

  The female struggled in his arms and he gave her a neck-snapping shake. Her guards took a step forward at that and the Beserk rolled his eyes at them. “Be calm too, kiddies. Let the grownups sort mother's little addiction problem.” The tallest guard growled in response, but was ignored. The Beserk shook his prisoner, more gently this time. “We need to act fast, most glorious bossy one, so settle and give your orders.” The female stopped fighting, but several seconds passed before she could sigh and actually relax.

  “That one is annoying,” she stated, without looking at Darsey. “See to her first.”

  “As you wish,” Nikareon agreed and nodded to the Maker, before carefully releasing his superior. She stepped away at once, to stride to the far wall and lean her forehead against it. He watched her carefully, until Darsey cleared her throat.

  “Whoa, hang on,” she ordered, glaring up at the approaching gentik doctor, who stopped in alarm. “Why are you doing this? I know we can pay you more. Seriously, take the money, because if being hurt scares you, I promise our husbands will hunt you down. They'll find you and they'll gut you. That, I really swear-”

  Darsey was stopped by Nikareon, who appeared at her side in a blur of com movement, to grasp a handful of her hair and pull her head back hard. His face was grim, but his mental tone when his fronds brushed past hers was still amused. Do you wish death too, girl? Annoy her no further.

  Darsey started to shake and didn't dare risk using her voice. She wasn't going to freeze though, not this time. Who's 'her'? Bring me up to speed. Please. Come on, I can see you love to annoy the mysterious 'her'.

  The Beserk laughed heartily at that insight, straightening to release Darsey. “I love to annoy everyone in truth, so may I present your patron and host for this spontaneous vacation, Luck-in-waiting, High Lady Lamidia farLamideon. She will be ably assisted during your stay by bus boy, waiter and general dogsbody, Dr. DisRaya also called the Maker. Entertainment, charm and occasional violence will be provided by myself, Beserk Leader Nikareon, while the scenery is played by our delightfully wooden Harvesters. Are we now at speed, Lady Darsey?”

  Unfortunately Darsey vividly remembered Clear’s tale about shooting Lamidia and Nikareon's fronds caught that recognition. “Excellent. No need for more delay then.”

  The gentik was still hovering beyond Clear, where he had retreated and he made an unhappy noise. He stepped closer to the kres's med field, ignoring Darsey to start making minute adjustments to his equipment.

  Lamidia finally finished her calming meditation and pushed away from the wall. Her mind now burned with impatience and the knowledge that she was running out of time. Darsey's hope leapt at that revealing slip and she glanced across at her friend. She tried to share her plan to delay as much as possible, but Clear’s fronds had curled tight behind her ears like a pair of creamy, spiral seashells.

  Lamidia strode to the gentik's side and Darsey's despair returned. She felt her body and mind trying to shut down in panic. She gasped for air, her chest pushing against the restraint field with growing need. Her head began to spin and something swelled in her heart. The pain in her chest felt alien, but carried with it an instinctive urge. She had a sudden overwhelming need for her husband. She had to call to him. Right now.

  WING, she screamed silently and even Clear’s furled fronds twitched, while Nikareon staggered and fell to a knee. He hissed and gave Darsey a warning glare, but she closed her eyes and put all of her terror for her twin boys into her frond. She was about to lose more of her family and she knew she wasn't strong enough to deal with that. Not again. NIGHTWING.

  Nikareon pushed himself upright and leapt to Darsey's side, but she was exhausted and quiet. Something wet tickled her neck as it ran down from behind her ear. She closed her eyes to concentrate on her ragged breathing, wondering whether she had really felt her love's mind, or if that fleeting touch had simply been wishful thinking.

  She risked a peek at her enemies and the Beserk was pacing across the lab. He turned back to Lamidia and his eyes shone bright enough to light up the room. “We needs must go. Now. Five minutes at most.”

  Lamidia's mouth twisted, marring her beauty, while she stood undecided. She stepped forward abruptly, to stop at Clear’s feet with her hands on her hips and her fingers drumming impatiently. “This gat first then. Irradiation I think. Can you do it quick?”

  “None such,” the Maker protested unhappily. “To destroy fertility is counter to all I do, lady.'

  Lamidia's face tightened further into angry lines, but Nikareon stepped forward before she could act. “Blah, blah, carp, carp,” he sneered at the doctor. “I'll do the necessary, gentik. You work on our other guest as instructed.” Nikareon moved to stand over Clear and offered her a reassuring smile and a wink. “Time to play doctor.”

  Clear’s brow furrowed, while the friendly Beserk positioned an irradiator above her. She looked across to Darse for help, reassurance... anything, but it was Darsey’s turn to stare blankly back.

  Nikareon glanced between the two of them and although his expression was amused his fronds leaked bitter cynicism into the prisoners' minds. A pity that kres are most fond of their chicks. Children make easy targets.

  Love Struck

  For another gut-wrenching adventure, click here for a free copy of our latest release.

  Haze is a man on a mission. It was never his plan to be a gladiator, but plans change. When Harvesters steal his wife he tracks them down. It takes a year, all the money he has and most of his soul, but Silk is worth it. When he finds her she’s a slave, fighting for her life in the worst arena in space. His search is over, but his problems are just beginning.

  Haze has to face gigantic killers hardened by battle, feral beasts trained to stalk gladiators, weaponized weather and the most dangerous enemy of all - his wife.

  Silk is a deadly fighter, so it’s too bad she doesn’t remember him…

  Memory stripped and struggling to survive she has no interest in Haze. The idiot claiming to be her husband is just another target. One more body standing between her and freedom, but not for long. She’ll take down anything and anyone she has to.

  Can Haze live long enough to win Silk’s love? Unlikely. It’s the end of the season and this is the last fight. They’re about to enter the Carnival of Death, which leaves only a single survivor. Today one of them will die…

  One Love. One Arena. One Day.

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  Emma Casey and Shelley Lea.