Torment

by Tana Stone

  Tori glanced over her shoulder at the dark-green creature watching them go, and saw other figures appearing from caravans to join him. She gave a final look at the metal pod where they’d spent some memorable hours. Hours she hadn’t been cold or hungry or on the run.

  “Sorry to leave?” Vrax asked, peering down at her.

  “Not sorry we stayed there,” she said, “but I’m ready as hell to get off this planet.”

  They entered the outskirts of the city, walking briskly through the streets that got busier and narrower the deeper they went. The sun dipped low behind the rooftops, sending shadows reaching across the dirty paving stones. The cacophony of voices grew as they passed each open doorway, laughter and screams spilling out along with stumbling patrons.

  Tori kept her head down, sticking close to Vrax and hoping she disappeared behind his considerable bulk. With his costume, he looked even more imposing, and they were given a wide berth. Her costume seemed to bunch between her legs as she walked and the strappy sandals made her feet sore. She was just glad she didn’t have to wear a get-up like this all the time, and she felt sorry for the women who did. Frankly, she felt sorry for just about any woman on Kurril.

  After what seemed like forever, she recognized the area surrounding the shipyards and spotted the large stone gateway. She hitched up her skirt, touching the blade on her thigh through the fabric and feeling comforted by its presence.

  Vrax stopped and pulled them over to the side, assessing the flow in and out of the gate.

  “Hey, you.” The voice sounded familiar, and she looked down for the source. It was the street boy who’d helped her located Meridia’s house.

  Tori glanced around, not sure if he was talking to her.

  “Yeah, the lady in black,” he said, giving her a quick up and down. “You’re the one from the slave market. The one who was looking for Meridia.”

  She put a finger over her lips, or over the veil over her lips. “Keep it down, kid. How did you know it was me?”

  The dirty boy shrugged. “A girl who moves like a boy. It wasn’t hard.”

  Vrax stifled a snort next to her, and she elbowed him.

  “You know this child?” he asked, rubbing his side where she’d jabbed him.

  “He helped me find you when you were sold off to that witch,” Tori said.

  Vrax looked at him solemnly. “You have my thanks, young one.”

  The boy swiped at his nose. “I don’t want thanks. I want to go with you.”

  “Go with…? What do…? How…?” Tori spluttered.

  Vrax squeezed her hand. “Why do you think we’re going somewhere?”

  The boy motioned to the gate, behind which sat the shipyard. “The way you’re watching that. And you’re dressed all funny. I figure you’re up to something, and that something probably has to do with getting off Kurril.” He shrugged. “I guess I’d want to get out of here, too, if I’d done what you did to Meridia.”

  Shit. Tori exchanged a look with Vrax. The kid was smart.

  “And you want to leave Kurril, too?” Vrax asked. “What about your family?”

  “Dead. All of ’em.” This was said with little emotion, and Tori suspected the boy had been on his own for a while.

  “You don’t know who we are, or where we’re going, kid,” Tori said. “You might not like it.”

  The boy’s chin trembled slightly. “Anything’s better than here.”

  She guessed he was probably right about that. It had been hard for her and Vrax, and they were adults and trained warriors. What would life on the streets in Kurril be like for a child? And, despite his tough act, the boy couldn’t have been more than eight or ten human years.

  “Listen,” he said, his expression eager. “I can help you. You need to get past the gate guards, right? I can be your distraction. I’m real good at it.”

  Vrax studied him. “I don’t doubt it.” He cut his eyes to Tori. “We do need a way through the gates.”

  “Fine,” she said, letting out a breath and leveling a finger at the child. “But don’t come crying to me once you see where we’re going.”

  A smile lit up the boy’s face “No, ma’am. I sure won’t.”

  Another strangled snort of laughter from Vrax, but this one she ignored. “And don’t call me ma’am. I’m Tori and this is Vrax.”

  “Rynn.”

  “Okay, Rynn.” Vrax pulled the boy into a huddle with them. “What’s your plan?”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  “Are you sure about this?” Tori asked him, her voice urgent in his ear as they crouched low behind a trash bin. “Our entire plan now hinges on a street kid.”

  They’d picked a spot close enough to see exactly what was happening and move quickly when they needed to, but had selected the mouth of an alley to provide them some cover. Too bad the alley housed all the trash bins for a street filled with cantinas. Any spot not damp with urine was piled high with trash.

  He lifted his head wrap to cover his nose, the stench of the trash making him nearly gag. Tori held a hand over her nose, but didn’t complain. He felt a rush of protectiveness. If all went according to plan, they would soon be off the filthy planet and away from the putrid smells that clung to the debauchery of the city. If the plan worked, they would all be safe.

  Vrax watched the boy as he approached the gate. His stomach was a hard ball of worry. The child looked so small next to the hulking stone archway. “I’m sure he wants this to work as much as we do.”

  Tori didn’t respond, but he could sense her concern gnawing at him along with his own. They were putting a lot on the kid, but he was also the best shot they had. All of them.

  Tori tightened her grip on his arm as the boy began to dance in front of the guards, making faces and waving his hands. “I can’t believe this is what he came up with.”

  Vrax shrugged. “If it works…”

  At first the beefy aliens posting at the entrance to the shipyard ignored him, even though it was clear they weren’t amused.

  “Beat it, street trash,” one of them yelled.

  “You mean like you beat it?” the boy called back, making crude gestures at his crotch and laughing.

  The guard’s face reddened, but he didn’t move.

  “He’s either brilliant or a fool,” Tori whispered. “I’ll tell you which pretty soon.”

  “Be patient,” Vrax told her. “All we need him to do is distract them enough for us to slip by.”

  “And then get past them himself,” Tori reminded him. “If he gets caught…”

  “He won’t get caught.” Vrax couldn’t think about that. He knew he’d never be able to live with himself if the boy didn’t make it onto the ship, but he also knew that he had to get Tori off the planet. He said a quick prayer to the goddesses he wouldn’t have to make that choice.

  “Look,” she tugged on his arm. “It’s working. The little bastard is doing it.”

  She was right. Rynn dodged between the two guards, taunting and laughing, his brown hair flopping over his face. The aliens had moved from their posts, swinging their arms to shoo him away.

  Just a little more, and he and Tori should be able to slip by. He stood and pulled her behind him, readying to move swiftly.

  “Catch me now, sons of mongrels,” Rynn said, his voice high and clear, as he ran in underneath one of the guard’s arms and snagged the blaster from his holster.

  That did it. Rynn took off, running away from the shipyard, waving the blaster over his head, and the two guards gave chase.

  “Let’s go,” Tori said.

  They hurried through the massive arch, nearly running to Mourad’s ship. It was exactly where Vrax remembered it being, the dark monstrosity of a ship appearing almost menacing, with its ramp gaping open and a blue glow pulsing from underneath.

  Running up into the ship, their footfall was quiet. Vrax grasped his blade, extending it in front of him as they moved silently through the vessel. The last time he and Tori had come onto the shi
p unannounced, they’d headed for the rear and a place to hide. This time, they were headed for the bridge.

  “Where are the crew members you promised I’d get to kill?” Vrax asked, his voice hushed. He’d been hoping one of the crew who’d dragged him to the slave market had been left behind. He would dearly love to slice his blade across their throats.

  “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Mourad didn’t post guards. Or maybe the guards are asleep on the job.” She said, ripping the gossamer veil from her face. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “It will, if we take off with some of his crew aboard. I do not think they will want to serve under you or me.”

  Tori grinned, glancing at Vrax and taking in his costume. “You are right about that, but it won’t matter. Trust me.”

  Moving through the narrow steel corridors, they did not come upon any of Mourad’s crew. Their absence made Vrax nervous. Did Mourad have a reason for leaving his ship unguarded? Were they somehow walking into a trap?

  He dismissed the thought with a shake of his head. Impossible. The only creatures alive who knew of their intentions were Zarda and the boy. He was confident neither would have betrayed them.

  They paused outside the arched entrance to the bridge, Tori lifting her skirts and unsheathing her blade. She held up a fist and tapped her ear.

  The bridge was not empty. At least two crew members were talking, their voices relaxed. Not the sounds warriors made around their commanding officer, he thought, relieved they wouldn’t be fighting the captain. Mourad’s dark, soulless eyes made his blood run cold.

  There was another noise, but it didn’t seem to make sense. Was a female on the bridge with them? That would complicate things.

  Vrax pointed to himself. He would go in first. She frowned, but then he cut his eyes to her voluminous skirts, and she nodded curtly. She didn’t like going in after him, but she also knew it was the best plan. He could count on his mate to go with the best battle strategy.

  Peeking his head around the corner, he saw that the two aliens manning the bridge were both facing away from them. One sat in the captain’s chair with his legs stretched out in front of him, while the other stood beside him, his hands clasped behind his back and his stance wide.

  Vrax heard a breathy moan, and his gaze was drawn to the large view screen. Normally used to look out onto space, the massive screen now displayed images of an alien female with blue skin and three full breasts. She was naked and her legs were spread wide, her breasts jiggling as an alien male—also with blue skin—was pounding into her.

  Tori’s head joined him in peering around the doorway, her mouth falling open when she saw the screen. She jabbed him with her elbow, pointing to the two crew members watching.

  He nodded, moving forward on soft feet, hearing her mutter “fucking perverts” under her breath.

  The alien standing was the easiest to take down, and Vrax wrapped his arm around the creature’s throat before sliding his blade into his back and between his ribs. The crew member sitting was too enraptured by the sex show to notice Vrax drag the body away, as Tori came up behind the captain’s chair.

  She leaned down until her face was at the same level as his. “Too bad that’s the last pussy you’re ever going to see.”

  The alien jerked up, fumbling for his blaster before Tori knocked it out of his hand. For a moment, he looked confused, then he narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re that bounty hunter bitch.”

  Tori flashed her teeth at him. “Well, you’re not as stupid as you look.”

  Vrax let out a breath. Why was she toying with the alien? He strode forward, slicing his blade through the air and watching the creature’s eyes pop open. “Allow me.”

  Before she could protest, he slashed the air again, opening a gash across the alien’s throat so neat that the creature didn’t know he’d been wounded for several moments. Then he clutched his throat, blood seeping through his fingers, and dropped to his knees.

  “What was that about?” Tori asked, waving her own blade in obvious frustration. The female on the screen groaned, her two hands attempting to hold her breasts as they bounced wildly.

  He tried to ignore the screen. “You were taking too long. We still need to clear the ship.”

  She scowled at him and muttered something about him ruining all the fun, as she stomped to one of the consoles. A few taps of her fingers and the female on the screen vanished, along with the loud moaning. Then the only sounds were the hum of the ship’s systems and their breathing.

  Tori tapped at the console, producing a series of beeps. Symbols appeared on the screen, flashing green and changing rapidly.

  “What is that?” he asked.

  “A countdown,” she said, taking his hand as she moved past him. “For the ship’s self-destruct sequence.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “What happened to the plan to steal Mourad’s ship?” Vrax asked, as she pulled him along behind her through the vessel. Red lights blinked overhead and a mechanical voice announced the time remaining in the countdown.

  She’d only given them a short window of time to get off the ship, so she didn’t have time to stop and explain. “Change of plans.”

  “How will we get back to my planet and your friends?” he yelled, over the countdown. “You haven’t decided to stay on Kurril, have you?”

  She cast a glance over her shoulder, giving him a look she saved for the dumbest questions. “Not by a long shot. We’re just going to take a different ship. A better ship.”

  They were not trying to be quiet anymore, and their feet pounded on the steel ramp as they barreled out of the vessel. Luckily, the countdown that had been so blaring inside did not carry to the shipyard outside, so no guards were running toward them.

  The flat expanse of dirt where rows of space ships sat was surprisingly calm, although Tori knew that was about the change real fast. She didn’t even see Rynn running through the stone arch, and her stomach roiled. The boy hadn’t gotten himself caught, had he?

  It took her a moment to locate the ship they were going to leave on, and she smiled at the familiar black hull. The Zevrian mercenary ship looked as sleek and deadly now as it had the first day she’d boarded it.

  “There.” She pointed at the largest ship in the ship yard. “That’s our ride.”

  Vrax was confused—she could feel that—but he also trusted her. His pace didn’t slow as they dashed past smaller fighters and squat transports. “I take it we’re not joining as passengers?”

  “That’s my old ship. The one the fighters you killed served on.”

  His flash of fury shifted quickly into cold determination. “Captained by the alien who believes you belong to him?”

  “That’s the one,” she said, hiking up her skirt and wishing she could tear it off. “He won’t be on board. He always spends the night before leaving a city with at least one whore.”

  “Too bad,” Vrax spun his blade in his palm. “I would have liked to finish things with him.”

  “Don’t worry.” Tori grinned as she thought of MaVon’s face when he heard that his ship had been taken. She only wished he could know it was her.

  The ship sat behind a row of shuttles and transports, so it was easy to get close without being spotted. She paused behind the wing of a ship, catching her breath and eyeing the Zevrian vessel.

  “Two guards on the perimeter.” Vrax craned his head over hers to get a better look.

  “At least one more inside,” Tori told him, remembering the captain’s protocol.

  The ramp was not down on this ship, but she knew there was an access panel next to it. First, they had to eliminate the perimeter guards, then they could lower the ramp. Of course, that would alert the interior guards that someone was coming. They’d assume crew members were returning early, but they would be armed, nonetheless. She and Vrax would have to take them out quickly.

  Tori’s heart raced as she went over all the possible scenarios in her head. The key was to move fast, before anyone
knew what was happening. She cut her eyes to Mourad’s ship. Of course, a distraction wouldn’t hurt.

  “Sons of the goddesses,” Vrax muttered.

  Tori turned to see him staring openmouthed at the city gate, and she followed his gaze. Rynn was running at top speed toward the ships with the two guards close on his heels. Correction, he was running at top speed toward Mourad’s ship.

  Fuck. She stepped forward to get the boy’s attention when the bounty hunter’s ship exploded. Rynn’s small body flew through the air, landing hard on the packed dirt, and the guards were knocked off their feet.

  Tori was frozen in place as a fireball rose up from where the battered ship had been, dark clouds of smoke billowing behind it. Vrax ran to Rynn, scooping him up and cradling the boy to his chest.

  “Is he…?” Tori couldn’t finish the question, her voice breaking.

  Vrax’s expression was dark as he ran toward the Zevrian ship. “Come on.”

  He was right. If they were going to do this, it was now or never. She fell in step behind him, pushing herself to keep up with his long strides.

  The mercenary guards had left their post and were running to the explosion. Tori passed Vrax to get to the hull, flipped down a panel, and engaged the ramp.

  As it lowered, she glanced over at Rynn, his dirt-smudged face placid. Her vision blurred, and she looked away. She hadn’t cried since she was a child. No matter what had happened, she’d never shed a tear. She may have broken a few skulls in frustration or pounded on a punching bag, but she’d never let herself cry. So what was it about this kid she barely knew that was making her eyes sting, and her throat so thick she couldn’t swallow?

  He’s just like you, she told herself. Desperate to get away from a hellhole any way possible. Her breath hitched in her chest. Only, she’d made it off and he… She couldn’t bear to think that he was dead, but she’d seen him land so hard on the ground.

  “Tori.” Vrax’s voice brought her back, and she saw him standing at the bottom of the ship’s ramp. “Can you still do this?”