Spy to Die For (Assassins Guild) (24 page)

“If you’re on B Deck, it would be 15B,” the female guard said.

The man extended his free hand. “’S on here,” he said, and to Rikki’s surprise, let them scan the back of his hand to get the code upscale passengers had embedded into the skin so they didn’t have to carry identification.

“B Deck,” the female guard said to the others, “Section 690, 15B.”

“Suite,” the male guard hissed again. “Expensive.”

Rikki tried not to raise her own eyebrows. She had a cabin, K Deck, without a view. Cheap.

“We’ll take you to a lounge,” the male guard said to the man holding Rikki, “but we’re going to have to fine you.”

“For taking me to a lounge?” He sounded indignant. “Jus’ tell me where to go.”

“I’d love to,” the female guard said.

“No,” the male guard said. “We’ll fine you for the airlocks.”

“Not interested in a damn airlock,” the man said. “Wanna lounge.”

The second male guard shook his head. “I need a new job,” he said softly to the woman.

“Good luck with that,” she said back to him.

“I’ve got your information,” the male guard said to the man holding Rikki. “I’ll be adding 6,000 credits to your account. Two for each airlock you opened.”

“Didn’t open no damn airlock,” the man said.

“We’ll talk about it when you’re sober,” the male guard said.

“Don’t plan to be sober anymore this entire trip. Too damn dull.” The man glared at him. “You said lounge. Where’s the damn lounge?”

“This way,” the guard said and headed off the down the corridor.

The man holding Rikki lurched after him, dragging Rikki along. She tripped again, this time because her toe caught the man’s heel. He was doing that on purpose, but she didn’t argue. She was slightly breathless from the strangeness of it all, and from the way he held her.

The other two guards followed a good distance behind, clearly arguing.

The first guard led them to an actual elevator, in the main section of the ship. Four other passengers stood inside, three women, one man, all older than Rikki, all better dressed. They eyed her as if she lowered their net worth by factors of ten.

The man holding her grinned at them. It was a silly, sloppy grin, and it made him seem harmless. “You goin’ to the lounge too?” he asked.

She realized as he continued to slur his words, all trace of that accent was gone.

The four passengers leaned against the walls and looked away, wanting nothing to do with him.

They got off on the main level, but the guard led Rikki and the man to B Deck and took them to the B Deck–only lounge.

“It’s exclusive,” he said to the man. “Just touch the door with your fist, like you did with the airlocks.”

She stiffened. The man holding her had ID embedded in his hand. They had known who he was from the moment he hit the first airlock.

That was why she stayed below decks. Cheaper. No identification required.

He grinned at the guard and gave him a mock salute. “You need a favor, friend, I’m there for you,” he said, then slapped his palm against the door to the B Deck lounge.

The guard nodded, almost smiling himself. “You won’t say that tomorrow when you look at your accounts.”

“Hell, I got enough. Should tip you, really,” the man said.

“No, you shouldn’t.” The guard was smiling now. “Enjoy your evening, sir.”

The guard stepped back as the door slid open. The man staggered inside, pulling Rikki along. The noise startled her—conversation and music, live music, and a view. The entire wall was clear, showing the exterior of the ship, darkness, pinpoints of light, patterns she didn’t recognize.

Full tables, filled with overdressed passengers, laughing, talking, a few waving drinks. Some people at a roulette wheel to the left, others at a card table to the right, some sitting on couches, leaning against each other, listening to the music.

No one noticed as Rikki and the man holding her entered.

“Thanks,” Rikki said, starting to pull away, but he held her tighter.

Are You In Love With
Love Stories?

Here’s an online romance readers
club that’s just for YOU!

Where you can:

•
Meet
great
authors

•
Party
with new
friends

•
Get
new
books
before everyone else

•
Discover
great
new reads

All at incredibly BIG savings!

Join the party at
DiscoveraNewLove.com
!

Wickedly Charming

by Kristine Grayson

He’s given up on happily-ever-after…

Cinderella’s Prince Charming is divorced and at a dead end. The new owner of a bookstore, Charming has given up on women, royalty, and anything that sm
acks of a future. That is, until he meets up with Mellie…

But she may be the key to happily-right-now…

Mellie is sick and tired of stepmothers being misunderstood. Vampires have redeemed their reputation, why shouldn’t stepmothers do the same? Then she runs into the handsomest, most charming man she’s ever met and discovers she’s going about her mission all wrong…

“Grayson deftly nods to pop culture and offers clever spins on classic legends and lore while adding unique twists all her own.” —
Booklist
starred review

“I love this take on an old story… Exceedingly endearing…” —
Night Owl Reviews
Reviewer Top Pick

For more Kristine Grayson, visit:

www.sourcebooks.com

Utterly Charming

by Kristine Grayson

He could be her own personal Prince Charming if only dreams did come true…

Mysterious, handsome wizard Aethelstan Blackstone hires beautiful, hardworking attorney Nora Barr to get a restraining order to protect Sleeping Beauty from her evil stepmother. But if Sleeping Beauty is supposed to be his soul mate, then how come he’s becoming bewitched by Nora?

And when Nora finds herself baby-sitting a clueless maiden from the Middle Ages, avoiding a very wicked witch, and falling hard for a man whose magic she doesn’t believe in, she begins to think that love itself is only a fairy tale…

“Grayson uses smooth prose and humorous, human characters to create a delightful, breezy tale perfect for anyone who truly enjoys happy endings.” —
Publishers Weekly

“This is another fascinating tale! I love how Kristine Grayson adds twists to the fairy tales that we all know and love!” —
Bitten by Books

For more Kristine Grayson, visit:

www.sourcebooks.com

Thoroughly Kissed

by Kristine Grayson

Sleeping Beauty has sworn off kissing…

Emma awakens to an entirely different world than the one she lived in a thousand years ago, and although she’s the real Sleeping Beauty, her life is no fairy tale. After parting ways with her supposed Prince Charming, she’s determined to be a normal girl—she hides her magic and swears off kissing strange men.

But her gorgeous boss Michael knows there’s something unusual about Emma, and he thinks she’s as infuriating as she is beautiful. N
ow Emma needs to teach Michael a lesson, which means mastering her magic. She knows she’s flirting with danger, but after one look at Michael’s perfect lips, all she can think is, “What’s another thousand years…?”

Welcome to the fractious fairy tale world of Kristine Grayson, where the bumpy road to happily ever after is paved with surprises…

“Charming and engaging, the story moves quickly and fluidly. A sweet love story makes this a perfect beach read for hopeless romantics.” —
Publishers Weekly

For more Kristine Grayson, visit:

www.sourcebooks.com