The Star Thief (6 page)

“I’d like to introduce you to the rest of the MYTH team,” Dallas said as he led her down another long corridor. “You’ve met Captain Finn already.”

“Yeah, what’s his story?” Renna patted at her hair, then dropped her hand. What the hell was she doing?

Dallas tilted his head. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Having me on this team seems to be irritating that stick up his ass. If looks could kill—”

“Captain Finn has been a key member of MYTH for more than six years. He’s led several successful, high-priority missions and has earned our respect. I was the one who recruited him.”

“From where?” She kept her voice light as she slanted him a glance.

“I’m sure if Finn wants to tell you about his past, he will. All you need to know is he’s the commanding officer in charge of this mission, and you would do well to find a way to work with him.” Dallas frowned as he halted in front of a door. “Here we are. The team has sparring practice every day at this time. I thought it would be a good idea for them to get a sense of what you can do. Actions speak louder than words.”

“You’re making me perform? I’m not a fucking monkey.”

“It’s nothing like that,” Dallas said, holding up his hands. “I just think it will help the team accept you more easily. Working with someone…like you…is in direct conflict to what most of them have spent their lives doing.”

“Stopping ruthless thieves and mercenaries from ruining your carefully ordered galaxy?”

Dallas ignored her sarcasm and pushed open the door to a large, square space. Weight machines lined the walls, and a circular sparring ring had been set up in the center. Two men were currently fighting there, fists and feet flying as they attacked each other.

“Attention on deck!” someone shouted. Immediately all movement stopped and everyone stood at attention, their hands snapping up in a salute.

“At ease,” Dallas said, striding into the room. “I’d like to introduce you to Renna Carrizal, the last member of the team.”

All eyes focused on her, and Renna jutted her chin out.

“Renna, you’ve already met Captain Finn.” Dallas gestured toward one of the weight machines where Finn stood. The captain was careful not to meet her gaze, his eyes staring over her head.

Beside Finn stood a tall, elegant woman with pale violet skin and silver hair pulled into a bun. Renna recognized her as a Delfine from the Preill system. “This is Staff Lieutenant Keva Li, our XO.” The woman stood up straighter and puffed out her chest. Renna didn’t think it was entirely due to pride. She did have a nice rack. Renna would have puffed them out, too.

Dallas turned to the massive man across the room who’d been bench-pressing his weights. His pasty skin was slick with sweat, but he stood at ease like the rest of the team. “This is Corporal Lynwood Bokal, our tech chief.”

The man nodded at her. His light gray eyes were bright and intelligent, and he smiled at her with interest.

The two men standing in the sparring ring were the stiff, military types she’d expected. Major Dallas introduced them as Sergeant Doyle and Sergeant Santos. The final person in the room was a mousy woman with dark skin and black hair scraped back from a wide forehead. Her eyes never seemed to linger more than a second in one spot. She stood in front of a punching bag, but her hands hung limply at her sides. Hard to tell if the woman even knew how to use it.

“And this is Staff Sergeant Leslei Gheewala.”

Renna noticed he didn’t explain her purpose. Very interesting.

“Team, Renna is in charge of getting you in and out of the facility on Banos Prime. Your lives will depend on her skills.”

They were too well trained to show their dismay, but Renna could feel it in the way they glanced at each other. She wondered how much Dallas had told them. How much they’d figured out themselves.

She squared her shoulders. Whatever they thought, they were damn lucky to have her. Might as well start off on the right foot. “Glad to meet you. I’m sure there are all sorts of rumors flying around about me, but here’s the truth: I’m the youngest, most sought-after merc in the traverse. I’ve got more than ten years of experience in the field, and I can kill a man at ten yards with nothing more than my nanospanner. I suggest you stay on my good side.” She grinned at the serious faces watching her. The only one who smiled back was Bokal.

Dallas cleared his throat. “Miss Carrizal has exceptional skills. I trust you’ll all treat her with courtesy while she’s on your ship.”

The others exchanged more furtive glances before nodding. She didn’t care. She wasn’t here to make friends; she was here to get a job done. The sooner they all realized that, the better.

“I thought Renna could practice with a few of you. To help her get used to how MYTH trains their officers.” Dallas waved at the sparring ring. “Any volunteers?”

She swiveled her head to look at Finn. Seeing him in action would give her an answer once and for all. Was he her Hunter? Or just a familiar-looking stranger?

Before she could suggest him as a partner, the Delfine stepped forward. “I’ll be happy to fight her, Major.” Keva’s silver eyes narrowed, and Renna forced a smile.

Gods, she hated working with other women. They were always so catty and competitive. Always so ready to stab you in the back if it meant getting ahead. And this one was even more dangerous since she’d been well trained and was in a position of power. Never a good combination.

Even worse, she was military. Keva probably hated her on principle.

Renna shrugged out of her coat and tugged off her heavy boots. Knocking out the woman’s teeth with a misplaced kick wouldn’t exactly win her any favors with the crew.

Across the room, Finn watched her, and when their eyes met, his lips twisted upward. On anyone else it might have been a smile, but the cold hatred on his face turned the expression feral. She swallowed thickly.

“Are you ready, Miss Carrizal?” the lieutenant asked in her slightly lilting voice.

Renna snapped her attention back to the sparring ring. The Delfine might look willowy and vulnerable, but Renna knew better. She’d fought with a Delfine on her first job. The woman had had balls of steel and had killed a man with her bare hands when he’d caught her stealing. She’d never stopped smiling.

Renna took her spot in the ring and rolled her shoulders a few times, working out the kinks. The other members of the crew circled the space, and she tried to ignore the heavy silence. She much preferred the shouting and chaos of a bar fight, but if this is what it took to prove herself…

Keva launched herself at Renna without warning. The alien’s fist connected with Renna’s jaw, and her head snapped back. Stars exploded across her vision. One of the bystanders sucked in a breath, shockingly loud in the silent room.

Renna glared at the woman as her jaw throbbed. So that’s how it was going to be?

Ears still ringing, Renna attacked.

Her fists flew, and her body bent and flowed around Keva’s punches. The woman had been trained well, and she moved lithely, almost like a bird. But Renna had learned her skills in the tenements, and the last thing she was worried about was form or looking pretty.

She was in it to win.

Renna ducked beneath a punch and swung her leg, catching Keva in the gut. The woman grunted and doubled over. Renna followed with an uppercut to the woman’s jaw. Before she could strike, the alien grabbed her wrist and flipped Renna around, pinning her arm behind her back.

Her shoulder muscles screamed as Keva pulled harder. Sweat streaked down Renna’s face and stung her eyes. Across the ring, Finn smirked.

Screw this.

Renna went slack. The unexpected shift of weight pushed Keva off-balance. Renna twisted out of the woman’s grip and launched herself at Keva’s midsection. They tumbled to the mat, twisting and punching and grunting. Sweat streaked down Renna’s back until her shirt was soaked, but she didn’t let up.

Keva’s silver eyes glowed with rage as she tried to buck away from Renna’s grip. But with one more flip, Renna had the woman on her back and her forearm pressed against Keva’s throat. The thrill of victory started to build deep in her core.

The women stared at each other for a long moment, both panting. Both furious.

And then the Delfine scissored her legs around Renna’s waist, twisting just enough to throw Renna off. They sprang apart, both back to defensive stances as they circled each other. They flew at each other twice more, hitting and striking out, both times breaking away before one or the other could get the upper hand. Renna’s lunch churned heavily in her stomach. There was no way she was going to beat this woman.

The thought sobered her racing heart. But that also meant there was no way Keva would beat her. They were at a draw.

Dallas seemed to realize it at the same moment. He stepped into the ring with a wide smile. “That’s enough. Thank you both for that display. You are worthy competitors.”

Renna sucked in a lungful of air and smiled at Keva, holding out a hand to the woman. But Keva turned her back on Renna to grab the towel Finn held out for her.

Nice to see the crew was going to give her a fair chance after all.

“Quite a show,” Dallas said, clapping Renna on the back. “I didn’t know you’d been trained in Bumai.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” She used her sleeve to wipe the sweat from her face, shuddering as her clammy shirt clung to her back. “If you’re going to blackmail me into helping, are you at least going to let me go home and grab some clothes?” She nodded toward the silky black garb most of them were dressed in. “Or even better, do I get a fancy ninja suit, too?”

Keva spun around, eyes flashing. “We’re not ninjas. This is state-of-the-art armor fabric—light and moveable, but able to stop a bullet. We wear it on special jobs. It’s not something you’ll ever get to wear.” The threat in her voice hung unspoken in the air between them.

Dallas cleared his throat. “Gheewala, take our newest member to the locker rooms and get her showered and geared up. I’ll meet you all in an hour to debrief Renna on the rest of the mission. Dismissed.”

Everyone in the room snapped to attention and saluted.

Captain Finn stepped forward. “Sir, I need to head to the armory and recalibrate my assault rifle. I can take Miss Carrizal. It’s on my way.”

Renna’s lips twitched. Good. The sooner she was alone with this man, the better. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for the usual lusty reasons. She needed answers from him. Now.

Dallas nodded as he left. “Very good, Captain. I’ll leave her in your capable hands.”

“Let’s go.” Finn didn’t even look to see if she was following as she snatched up her pack and coat and hurried out of the room after him.

She studied him from beneath her lashes as they walked. Stubble shadowed his strong jaw, and his black armor accented the muscles of his chest. If it really
was
him, Hunter had sure grown up.

“So you going to tell me why you’ve changed your name and joined the Marines?” she asked as the silence stretched between them.

He glared at her and turned down another hall. “Inside. Now.” He yanked open a door into a small room full of beeping tech and humming machines. The perfect place not to be overheard.

SIX

The smell of ozone and electricity tickled her nose, and a dull orange helolight did nothing to chase away the shadows in the room. Renna moved closer to the machines, her head spinning, and not just from the noise. By the gods, Finn really was Hunter.

Should she laugh hysterically or run for her life?

“What the hell!” She whirled to face him, preferring to go on the attack. “I thought you were dead.”

He crossed his arms, his blue eyes hard as he gave her his best death stare. “Hunter is dead.”

Once, she’d wanted to lose herself in their gorgeous depths. Now, they were full of hatred. “Why? What happened? Where have you been the last seven years?”
Why did you abandon me?
she wanted to add, but she pressed her lips together instead.

Finn stepped closer, menace rolling off every lethal plane of his body. Renna backed up until she bumped against a rack of servers, her fingers digging into the steel supports to keep her upright as his heat and scent enveloped her. Dear gods. Part of her wanted to jump into his arms. The other part wanted to strangle him.

“My life is none of your business,” he snapped. “All you need to know is that I’m a MYTH agent now and I won’t let anyone destroy what I’ve worked for.”

“Hunter, please…”

“Don’t call me that. Hunter died in an explosion seven years ago. I’m never going back to that life.” His voice had dropped into a low growl, his eyes hard chunks of ice. “But I see it’s done pretty well for you. Why am I not surprised? Even back then, you were the perfect little merc.” Bitterness dripped from his words like acid.

“We both were.” She shook her head as if that would chase away the fog that had taken her brain hostage. “You and Blur were the best in the traverse. What the hell happened to you? Everything went to hell when we were raided.”

He raised an eyebrow, his lips twisting into a sneer. “Exactly.”