Do Or Die [Nuworld 4] (29 page)

Meah gave Ana an odd look, but then smiled timidly and nodded.

“I warned you about what they view as foreplay.” Tara chuckled.

“Some people actually enjoy that sort of thing.” Jolee frowned at Tara and Ana,

then rolled her eyes.

Tara ignored her first assistant’s comment and grew serious. “Okay, let’s figure out

what to do about Lara.”

“I say we flush her out.” Meah didn’t hesitate.

“I agree.” Ana nodded. “I’m willing to wager we’ll find her as a she-witch. It’s an

easy way to travel and you don’t need to associate with people so no one can account

for your whereabouts. A Runner would stand out up there.”

“Ana, I can’t send you up there right now.” Tara used her “don’t argue with me”

tone, but Ana tried anyway.

“No one else knows the ways of the she-witches the way I do. If it takes more than a

week I’ll come back. With the long capes I could probably hide this big belly too.”

Tara shook her head. “No, you wouldn’t, and we both know it. I’d have a war on

my hands trying to keep those men of yours from going after you.”

“I could do it,” Meah said quickly. “I don’t have to go up as a she-witch. I just won’t

dress like a Runner. I could still flush her out. You know, Ana, those were the terms of

your proposal…that I bring her in for you.”

Ana couldn’t argue with that one. Meah seemed so determined and Ana knew what

it was like to be forced into the shadow of a brother. There was no way she could ever

leave Andru’s side, though. She could sense Meah’s excitement as Tara went over the

route they wanted her to take. Meah craved the excitement and lived for the adventure.

Ana sensed a kindred spirit and thanked Crator they’d met each other. Once again, she

couldn’t wait for her pregnancy to end.

Meah insisted on leaving right away. Bags of supplies were strapped to her glider

and ample ammunition and weapons were strapped on in various places. She and her

glider were bugged and fresh programs were sent to the landlink panel in between her

handlebars. Finally it was done.

“Good luck.” Ana watched as she climbed onto her glider. “I won’t deny I’m

jealous as hell.”

“You have nothing to be jealous of.” Meah sounded so sincere. “I won’t let you

down, Ana. I plan on being your first assistant. I think we’d make a good team.”

“I feel the same way. Bring her back soon, okay?” Ana squeezed Meah’s hand then

studied her face. “Who did that to you?”

Meah hesitated.

“I won’t confront them or anything…although I might tell Andru.”

Now Meah snorted. “I doubt that would make much of a difference.”

“Meah, he really is a good man.” She looked into her new friend’s blue-green eyes.

They looked so pale. But there was something else. Something grew there and spawned

as she watched. “What is it?”

Ana frowned when Meah shook her head. “Nothing. I’ll contact you tonight,

okay?”

“No, wait.” Ana touched Meah’s arm and the young lady turned to look at her.

“Don’t press it. What’s done is done.” Meah sighed loudly then spoke without

meeting Ana’s eyes. “My papa always told me I never knew when to hold my tongue

but I’ll do it this time. I must say this one thing, though, and please don’t take it

personally, but your brother is a pompous ass.”

“He did this to you, didn’t he?” Ana’s shock was only overcome by sudden

outrage. “I’ve heard the stories, of course, about both of them…my brother and Gilroy.

But…” Her voice trailed off and then she crossed her arms as if suddenly chilled. “I

might just have to agree with you.”

Meah looked at her quickly. “What are you saying?”

“Well, if he wants to treat the common whores of Gothman that way that is one

thing. But you, of all people. I brought you here. He’ll hear about this.”

“No. Promise me.” Meah looked horrified. “Please, Ana, don’t let him know I told

you.”

“Don’t fear him. It will feed his fire.”

“I don’t.” Her voice sounded strangely quiet. “He made me promise I wouldn’t tell

and I’m a true warrior. I don’t lie and my word is good.”

Meah shuddered as she remembered the words he hissed in her ear. Andru made

her promise all right. He hadn’t made her promise to stay quiet about him, though.

Memories of the previous night made her stomach churn.

Andru had made a lewd comment about sloppy seconds when he’d found her

alone at the edge of the clan site. She’d spat at him and told him who’d taken her the

first time. Her words had made Andru furious. He’d slammed her up against the side

of a large rock.

Her back ached today from the bruises she knew were there. He’d pounded himself

into her again and again as he repeated the words in her ear. “Tell anyone that you

fucked Gilroy and I’ll seek you out and kill you. A true warrior always tells the truth

and you can bet I will hold true if I hear a word of it. Promise me, if you’re a true

warrior.”

She’d promised.

Chapter Seventeen

For the first week or so, Ana and Meah talked every night. The transmissions were

coded with demagnifying codes attached should anyone try to access their link while

they communicated. As the days passed, Meah shared her days with Ana, mentioning

towns Ana had been to and some she hadn’t. At first, there was no sign of Lara, but

then Meah began hearing word of she-witches in the area and was on that lead.

The two women also opened up to each other some, sharing stories of their past

and comparing notes. Ana was surprised to find out Meah only had eighteen winters.

Meah told her she always looked older than she was and feared she’d look like an old

woman before her time. Ana learned how Meah helped her brother with his studies and

worked with him privately to improve his warrior skills. But she’d always known she

wouldn’t be able to stay with the Red Star Clan once her brother took over. Meah told

her she believed Crator sent Ana to the Red Star Clan.

Meah also told Ana that she lost her virginity the night she spent at the Blood Circle

Clan. Ana was absolutely dumbfounded to hear her brother so ruthlessly took her

friend’s virginity. She shared with her how she lost hers and Meah had no response.

How could she respond? How could Meah tell Ana that the same man took both their

virginities? It was a secret she would take to her grave.

Meah had one more secret she’d take to her grave. An infatuation she’d had for

over eight winters. A fantasy now shattered.

Ana reminded Meah with each transmission that she recorded their conversations.

Their talks weren’t for public record, their contents were proof of that. She recorded

them on the advice of her mama. Tara told her that often when she was brainstorming a

complex situation, she would review all notes and recordings to see if there was

anything she’d missed. Ana recorded the conversation so they could keep track of every

encounter Meah had.

After each transmission was finished, Ana added an extra code to the file she stored

the conversation in so that it would be difficult to open and even more difficult to

access, if someone managed to open it. After storing it to the same disc with all the

other conversations, she’d place the disc in her pocket until she got home and found

herself alone, then she’d place the disc behind a loose panel in her closet.

So several weeks after Meah had left, Ana decided to review the disc and see if she

could come up with suggestions to help Meah track Lara down faster. Meah had

encountered the she-witches twice so far but they eluded her both times. Ana grew

incredibly frustrated that she couldn’t fly up there and help. In fact, she began

dreaming of chasing Lara down, both of them in she-witch attire, long black capes

flying behind them. That wasn’t possible since she was so pregnant she could hardly

get out of bed in the morning.

That particular morning, Ana woke up cramping all over. She moaned as she rolled

over and confided in Gilroy that she was tempted to simply stay in bed all day. He

graced her with an all-over body rub until every bit of her tingled and she craved to do

things that her swollen body would not currently allow her to do. Gilroy then helped

her into the bath and washed her hair and body, dried her off, then helped her put on

her clothes that she grumpily referred to as small tents.

“Oh Crator, no.” Ana couldn’t believe her eyes when she pulled the loose panel

from her closet wall and found the disc missing. “This can’t be happening. Shit, they

wouldn’t have taken it…they couldn’t have taken it. Damn it, they absolutely can’t

listen to those conversations.”

Ana panicked. She could only think of two people who would take that disc out of

her closet. But why? Why would Gilroy or Andru take the disc? If they wanted to know

about the conversations they could simply have asked her. But the disc was gone and

someone had taken it.

Ana thanked Crator for the sudden burst of energy and agility that seemed to

possess her. She filled her lungs with more air than she had in months as she sprinted

down the stairs. Gilroy stood over by the garage as she walked out into the back door

and stormed straight up to him.

“Where are you going?” Ana surprised herself with how aggressive her tone

sounded.

“Good morning to you too, my lady.” Gilroy was on his glider now and looked up

at her slowly with piercing blue eyes. “I thought I might go look at an army or two,” he

added somewhat sardonically.

She watched him for a minute, looking for any indication that he might be hiding

something from her. She saw his strong jawbone twitch and his eyes, the color of a

surreal summer sky, returned her hard stare. She grew distracted by the stunning man

who claimed her and her child and blinked quickly.

“I guess that came out a bit harsh,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

He reached for her hand and brushed moist lips across it. “What can I do for you,

my lady?”

“Gilroy, one of my discs is missing. A disc that has been kept hidden carefully and

couldn’t have been taken by accident.”

“Why would you keep a disc so secretive?” He looked sincerely innocent but she

gave him a side-glance anyway.