Forsaken Realms (Bounty Hunters United Book 1) (6 page)

“I know what I’m doing. I fly through turbulence all the time.”

“Not like this. The terrain looks familiar, but it’s merely a veneer stretched over an unstable matrix. The atmosphere will react differently from what you might expect.”

“I don’t need to be told this.”

“Are you sure?”

“You’re determined to ruin this for me, aren’t you? I can’t take a peek at the jungle? What good is a fucking collar of silence when the head chatter never stops? I really don’t want to communicate with you. I want some peace and internal quiet.”

As she spoke, she made the grave mistake of looking at him. Syan appeared stung by her words, and then she felt it. He was worried for her and thought she was senselessly stubborn and rude. As best she could tell, he seemed to be trying to figure her out, discover what had damaged her so badly that she behaved defensively at every turn. He wasn’t being the least bit judgmental either. Phrases like,
“Be patient with her. This is false confidence.”
“Betrayal is part of her past. Her trust does not come easily,”
and
“I hope we don’t die,”
played in a revolving cycle. He genuinely wanted to understand her…. The experience was arresting. Having anyone care what she thought felt so foreign to her, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.

“All right. Have it your way. The island tour is over. We’ll be on our way and reach X57 that much sooner. Will that make you happy?” She pointed the nose of the skimmer skyward and punched the trust engines. The skimmer swooped in a wide arc and climbed at an almost vertical pitch. They roared away from the rolling blanket of green jungle and ascended through wispy layers of high cloud. The entire time she struggled to tune out his thoughts, but he was always there, right in the middle of her mind, looking around and sorting things out. Even worse she sensed he felt sorry for her. Damn him.

As the atmosphere thinned, they climbed fast, and, at the same moment, the first star appeared against a field of inky blue—it happened.

One of the thrust engines blew apart with a deafening rumble. The explosion was so violent the rear of the skimmer ripped away, nearly taking the sealed passenger cab with it. The second engine sputtered under the added stress and whined a hideous metal-on-metal drone. The ship was pulled into a flat spin as it plummeted in free fall.

“Holy fuck!” Gemmina grabbed an oxygen mask off the console and strapped it over her face before tossing one to Syan. “Put it on!”

She pounded the emergency release on the seat with her fist, and he pushed the body cage away.

“The second engine isn’t going to last. We’re going to have to ditch before the spin makes us black out. Have you jumped before?”

Syan looked startled and shook his head.

“Under your seat is a parachute and a survival pack. Grab them and follow me.”

“You are trusting me?”

“I’m not going to let you die in the crash. I’ll give you a chance. Hurry!”

He grabbed the parachute and pack, and stared helplessly at them.

“Like this.” She took the parachute from his hands and stood on tiptoe as she draped the straps around his shoulders and ran a thick strap between his legs. “Buckle them here.” In pantomime she tapped her fist against his abdomen, which was rock solid. When she glanced upward, she  saw for the first time how truly big Syan was. He towered over her, and she wasn’t petite by any means. “Dude, you’re huge. How much do you weigh?”

“In Royal Kironian units or standard shells?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not familiar with either. Let’s hope the chute can handle your weight. The packs are automatic. They measure your altitude and speed. Keep your fingers clear of the lines when they pop. All you have to do is cross your arms in front of your chest and jump.” She slipped the straps of her chute around her body and buckled it. “Come on.” With a quick twist she opened the hatch. The wind whipped wildly around the cabin and nearly sucked her out the door.

The second thrust engine failed; For a second the only sound was the howl of the wind before the ship began to tumble end over end from the sky.

Gemmina’s hands were wrenched away from the hatch. Like straw in a hurricane, she flew backward into the cabin and struck her head against the captain’s chair. Her last conscious thought was
Damn, I’m not going to make it.

Gemmina woke with a groan. Everything hurt, and she was inexplicitly soaked to the skin. Her long black hair had unfurled from its braid, and the wet strands clung to her face. Her eyelids flickered open and immediately shut as blinding bright sunlight made her head pound. Her forehead ached as if a thunderstorm brewed inside her skull. There was also someone solid and warm locked against her.

With effort she lifted her head, glanced over her shoulder and saw Syan. His eyes were closed, and his chest rose and fell with each deep breath. Her first concern was that he was unconscious. He could have been injured or perhaps he simply collapsed in exhaustion. She couldn’t tell which.

“You can let go now.” She tried to pry herself loose from his grip, but couldn’t. He was sound asleep, but held tight. For a moment she studied his face, the lush arc of his lips, the chevron of his heavy black brows. It was impossible to look at him and not notice he was an especially gorgeous man. She tapped his chest.

“Wake up.” Her voice sounded hoarse.

Syan opened his eyes and smiled at her, making tiny lines at the corners fan. “You’re alive.” He spoke the words aloud. His accent was exotic and voice rich.  “For a short while I wasn’t sure.”

The silence collar had been removed. A red gash had opened on the side of his neck where the collar had been.

“You tore the collar off? How?”

“I don’t want to be treated like a captured animal. It took persistence but I snapped it off.”

As proof of his tenacity he held out his hands displaying the raw grooves that the collar had gouged into his fingers.

“I’ve never seen anyone do that. You are determined. What happened to us?”

“Your ship broke apart in high orbit.”

“I remember that. I mean after.”

“You were knocked unconscious. I grabbed hold of you, dragged you toward the hatch, and jumped.”

“You held onto me during a jump? That was chancy. We might have tangled lines.”

He brushed a gentle hand against her shoulder. “It’s a good thing I held on. The chutes did not open automatically.”

“Your chute didn’t open?”

“Yours didn’t.”

“What?”

“I had to hold onto to you, and it was a fast, hard drop.”

Cautiously she explored her aching ribs with a series of light finger taps. “I think I’m going to have some colorful souvenir bruises.”

“Did I hurt you? I’m sorry. I might have squeezed too hard. I was so scared I might drop you.”

“I’ll be fine.” The jungle surroundings were dense and humid. A canopy of leaves sheltered them from the harshest portion of the afternoon sun. Everywhere she looked she saw the same monotonous shade of dark green. The foliage was so thick it was impossible to see more than a hundred meters in any direction. “Why are we wet?”

“We landed in the sea.”

“I’m not a good swimmer. How did I get ashore?”

“I swam with you for at least a couple kilometers. We were too far from shore for you to make it on your own.”

Gemmina rose onto her elbows. “You swam with me for a couple kilometers? My god, you’re a fish.”

“What is a ‘fish?'”

“A slimy creature that lives and breathes in water.”

“Oh, you must mean a darackum. They are delicious cooked over a flame.”

“I hope we’re talking about the same thing.” She glanced around trying to get her bearings, but all she saw were lots of leaves. “If we landed in the sea, why are we here?”

“I saw Naveen’s patrol craft flying overhead and dragged our chutes into the jungle to hide them.”

“Why? We need their help. Our only supplies are in those survival packs, and they won’t last long.” In agitation she looked around. “Where are the chutes and the packs? We’re going to need them.”

“I hid them near the beach.”

“Where is the beach?”

“About four kilometers that way.” Syan pointed into thick brush.

“I walked four kilometers? I have no memory of it.”

“No, I carried you. I could not also carry the packs, so I left them behind.”

“You carried me all that way? Why?”

She felt a twinge of concern for him. He had done a lot for her—a superhuman amount. Technically he wasn’t human, but, even by Kironian standards she could see he was spent.

“I know you don’t want to be sent, to X57, but we can’t stay out here indefinitely. It’s a matter of hours, at the very most days, before Naveen’s guards locate us on their scanners. We’re bound to be the biggest creatures moving around out here. Sooner or later, someone is going to notice a couple warm-blooded anomalies walking across a surveillance screen and hit the panic button. If we hide from them, we will raise suspicion. Somebody could get hurt. Namely you.”

He smiled. His dark eyes beamed. “You are starting to care about me.”

“No, I’m not. I’m trying to be practical. Technically you’re an escaped fugitive.”

“You are ready to believe I did not kill those people, and you are worried about my well-being.”

“Let’s get one thing straight. I’m a professional bounty hunter and legally responsible for you. You were sedated and dehydrated before the curtain even went up on act two, and apparently a lot has happened since then. No one has ever died in my custody, and I want to keep my record clean. That’s all. I do not have to be emotionally attached to you to treat you with professional courtesy. I’m simply doing my job and protecting my reputation.” She noticed his lips looked parched. “We need to find fresh water and retrieve those packs. There’s food, electrolyte tablets, and solar-powered blast sticks, which we should be charging right now in case we cross paths with something nasty. Who knows what comes out at night around here?”

Syan held out his hand as if he expected her to grasp it. “Are you sure you are ready to walk? You still look unsteady.”

“I’m fine.” A quick lie. Her head spun. “Don’t forget— you’re in my custody, not the other way around. You are my retrieval. I’m still in charge.”

“I see things differently.” He spoke with patience. “I bit you. You are my responsibility now. I must look after you.”

“Forget the bite. That was a mistake. Let’s pretend it didn’t happen. What do you say we strike a new deal? We turn ourselves in to Naveen and his men and plead for the loan of a ship. We wrap a scarf or rag around your throat so they don’t notice the collar and force cuffs are missing. They won’t know the deal has changed between us. For God’s sake, don’t say a word and tip them off. I’ll take you to X57 with the understanding that the Kironian embassy will be immediately alerted to your situation. I won’t leave your side until your diplomats arrive and make arrangements for you. That way you won’t face being cryptoerased. If you’re innocent, there’s no danger to you.”

“What about you? Where will you go afterward?”

“I’ll go to New Mumbai. It’s the only home I’ve got.”

“Do you have family waiting for you?”

“No, it’s only me. I’m an orphan.”

“You don’t have a mate or companion?”

She removed her boots and dumped out the seawater. “This line of questioning is getting uncomfortable. I’m not going to answer.”

“Aha! I sense you would like to have a man in your life, but you don’t trust them.”

One at a time, her feet were shoved into the damp boots again. “In my line of work, I don’t meet the best class of people. I’m sure you can see the irony.”

“It is obvious to me that you are a grown woman. You have lush curves. How old are you?”

“That’s rude. Why are you even asking? I thought you were telepathic?”

“I am, but I’m also exhausted and, to be honest, quite distracted. You are very lovely. Are all women in New Mumbai so striking?”

No one said she was attractive unless they wanted something from her. It surprised her that she did care what he thought. A droll line rolled off her tongue.

“I’m the fairest maiden in all the land.”

Syan smiled a big, bright, winning grin that warmed his face and betrayed only the slightest hint of fangs. The effect was devastating.

“You are being sarcastic, which I find amusing because you are very pretty and your statement is likely true.”

“I’m twenty-seven.”

“That’s perfect.”

“What’s perfect?”

“Your age is considered ideal on Kiron as the proper age to take a mate.”

“No, we don’t need to talk about that.”

“We should. The bite will begin taking effect soon. I’m surprised it hasn’t started already. You must be highly resistant.”

“What are you talking about?”

“My bite will heighten our telepathic bond.”

“Yes, you’ve already said that.”

“There’s more.” He rubbed his forehead with his palm as if he were conjuring words from the depths of his mind. “The next part is difficult to explain. I don’t know a polite term for this in your culture. Please do not be offended when I say this, but you will go into heat.”

Gemmina gasped. “No, that’s not the right word. Cats and dogs go into heat, not women.”

His eyes lit with recognition. “I know what dogs and cats are! Yes, it is like that. You will go into heat. We will not be able to stay away from each other.”

“Crap. I hope that’s not true. I can’t afford to get personal with you. I could lose my bounty hunter’s license or worse.”

“I consider this good fortune. Even if my situation had not been dire, I still would have wanted to pursue and claim you. I think you’re perfect.”

“You think I’m ‘perfect?' Saying stuff like that proves we are strangers and should not be having this conversation.”

“As a Kironian, I ‘get’ you as a person. While you were unconscious, I scanned your thoughts and know all I need to. Gemmina, you are a good person, struggling to be ethical, trying not to be tricked, but you are also so lonely. You can’t hide it from me. I’ve already seen it. I’m lonely, too. I have been for a long time. We are highly compatible.”