Pirate Nemesis (Telepathic Space Pirates Book 1) (29 page)

S
he’d been so close
. Reaper stood motionless as she was ripped away from him, his face still expressionless. But she thought she saw a flicker of ice in his eyes now.

Men she didn’t know pulled her to the center of the room, closer to Willem and Rani. Mercy struggled against them, reached for the same power that had knocked dozens of people flat, but nothing happened. All she managed was to slow their progress, and the crowd was doing a better job of that. People were still pressed tightly to the center as a human shield for Willem and his queen. Robes brushed against Mercy as she was tugged along, and she saw a flash of Vashti’s face, blank and emotionless. But she also felt the brush of her mind…and there was no wall there. A hand brushed hers, soft and wrinkled.
Vashti.

A whisper answered her, so light she wasn’t sure she heard it. Inspiration struck, and Mercy fumbled in her pocket, gripped the capsulet, and pressed it into her aunt’s hand a nano-second before she was yanked away and past the older woman. But she’d felt fingers close over it decisively. She was sure that somehow, Vashti was in control of her own mind.

Finally the crowd before them parted, and Mercy got her first glimpse of the tableau near the throne. Max had disappeared, but Kator lay crumpled and still on the floor. Jaxon sprawled near him, a pool of blood beneath his body.
No, no, no.

No longer caring if it opened her up to Willem, Mercy reached out to touch Kator’s mind. There was nothing but blank emptiness. Not even a spark of his mental signature remained. His head lay at an odd angle; his neck was broken. She moved on to Jaxon, was surprised when she felt the flicker of a presence there. Fading fast. She closed her eyes, allowing herself a brief moment of grief.

A boy’s life, so much potential, had been snuffed out on a whim. A good man had been forced to do something reprehensible, and another lay dying. Anger rose quickly on the heels of sadness. No more of her people would die today.

Willem stood, and she took a perverse satisfaction in the fact that his suit was hopelessly wrinkled, and even smudged with dirt in a few places. Rani was next to him, looking dazed and more vulnerable than she had moments ago. She almost seemed confused, looking around like she didn’t quite know where she was.

Was Willem controlling her somehow?

“Mercy.” The way Willem said her name, it might have been a curse. “As usual, you manage to be more trouble than you’re worth.”

She smiled at him. It was more a baring of teeth. “Fuck you.”

“And charming, even in the end.”

“Still trying to kill me?”

Anger tightened his face, made his scar stand out starkly white against his skin. “We finally have the queen we need. You are obsolete, and despite your shortcomings, present a threat we cannot allow to stand.”

“Which is it, Will? Either I’m useless, or a threat. You can’t have it both ways.”

He ignored her, turning to put both hands on Rani’s shoulders. Mercy took the opportunity to search the crowd around him. She saw both pirates and his people, including the girl who’d teleported him away at the space station. He was confident, but he also had an escape. Mercy set her jaw. No way was he going to get the chance to take it.

Turning, she caught a glimpse of something behind the throne that made her breath catch and her heart stutter. A shock of white hair. She eased to the side and couldn’t breath; it was Wolfgang. He lay as still as Kator, and Mercy stared with tears welling, unable to move or look away. She struggled with herself for a horrible, endless moment. She wanted to reach out mentally to check for his mind, but dreaded what she would find. Breath ragged, she forced herself to feel for him. She had to know.

Faintly, so faint she thought she might be imagining it, she felt the familiar whisper of his presence. Still and silent, but there. He was alive, barely.

A muttered curse brought her attention back to Willem. Luckily, his attention wasn’t on her. He might not know the old Wolf still lived, and Mercy would rather shoot herself than bring it to his attention. Willem was focused on Rani. He looked unhappy, and anything that he found upsetting had to be good news for her. Rani, she noted, wasn’t looking so good. He helped her to sit back on her throne, but her eyes reflected confusion.

“What’s wrong, Will?” Mercy shoved aside the worry and fear. She couldn’t deal with it now. “Your pet isn’t quite the replacement queen you were hoping for?”

He glared at her. “She has never claimed so many at once. Having one of them shot while she was influencing him appears to have overwhelmed her. But she’ll recover.” He wagged a finger at Mercy. “And don’t think you’ll be able to use this moment to wrest control from her. These people still belong to her. She just needs a few minutes to recover from the shock.”

Interesting. Mercy had no idea how to claim people, exactly, but she reached out and tested the wall that continued to separate her from everyone else. There was a little more give to it, but not much. Not enough. It was heartening to know it was weakened, though.

“Why would I want to claim them?” She shrugged. “Unlike you, having an army of mindless drones doesn’t appeal to me.”

“As always, you don’t look deeper than the surface. This level of influence is rarely necessary. Talented people need the connection of a queen, but only in extreme circumstances is she required to exert this much control.”

Mercy flashed an insolent smile. “Pirates aren’t so keen to join you, huh? Maybe something to do with the virus your people used to try and kill them all?”

He scowled at her. “Killing them all wasn’t the primary goal. Killing Lilith was.”

Mercy could swear she felt a wave of shock at his words wash through the crowd. Maybe she was imagining it, but she didn’t think so. So they were aware enough to process what was happening. They just couldn’t act against it. Yet.

“I thought you wanted a queen? Why go to so much effort to kill one?”

“Lilith was a problem. Her influence was being felt even in the furthest systems where we have Talented agents. She was powerful, and while we needed a queen, we needed one we could control.”

“Wow. I really don’t think you understand the whole function of a queen.”

“I understand much more clearly than you. And I’m done talking. Like your grandmother, you are a problem that needs removing.”

Mercy forced herself to act casually. She crossed her arms, looking around with a shrug and a bored expression. “Looks like your puppet isn’t working right now, Will. Pretty sure you can’t kill me without her.”

“I don’t need her to deal with you.”

“Sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself.”

Willem smiled, and it was genuine enough to cause worry to stab through Mercy.

“You can’t kill me.” She was pleased at how confident she sounded. “You’ve certainly tried enough times to prove that. Hell, you can’t even get into my mind.”

She wasn’t one hundred percent sure of that, but she threw the challenge down anyway. There had to be a reason why he had yet to speak to her mentally. Willem’s smile faded around the edges.

“Your shields have improved, that much is true. But I don’t need to get into your mind to kill you. In fact, you’re going to do it for me.”

Mercy was startled into a laugh. “What? You honestly think I’ll what…kill myself for you?”

“I already know everything there is to Mercy Kincaid.” His arrogance scraped across her nerves. “You care about all of these people. And I think if I start killing them, one by one, you’ll do anything to stop me.” He raised a hand and pointed. “Let’s start with the one I know will hurt the most.”

Reluctantly, Mercy followed the line of his arm. He was pointing up. There were numerous platforms high in the room, probably used for storage once. One had several people standing on it. Including Atrea. Her hands were twisted behind her back, and a gag had been tied around her mouth. Mercy’s heart thudded hard in her chest, and she had to exert supreme willpower not to take a step toward her friend.

She stayed absolutely still, bile in her throat as she imagined Atrea broken on the ground.
Like Kator. Like Wolfgang.
No. That could not happen. She swept her gaze over the crowd, just a quick glance disguised as turning her head away from the sight of Atrea’s plight. She caught the flash of Vashti’s robes near the throne, and fought not to show the surge of hope she felt when she raised her eyes back to Willem.

He was watching her with a knowing smile. “You are going to take yourself to the nearest airlock – escorted, of course – and walk yourself into it.”

“You want me to space myself?”

“Fitting, don’t you think? You once imagined me so clearly in the same position.”

“Not happening.”

“I think it will. It might take a few deaths, but I’m willing to bet I won’t get through five lives before you change your mind.” He paused. “I’m going to give you five seconds to agree, or your friend is going to plunge to her death.”

Mercy hesitated for four. When he raised his hand like he was going to give an order, she made an abortive move forward, and her shoulders slumped. “Wait!” She had to buy Vashti time. A few seconds, or minutes. She wasn’t sure how long. “Fine. I’ll go.”

Willem laughed. “So quickly! I gave you too much credit.” He jerked his head at two of his people. Not pirates. He was taking no chances. “Take Mercy to the nearest airlock. Make sure she goes in, and make sure she ejects herself into space.”

Mercy stood as stiffly as possible while Willem’s people took hold of her arms. “I said I would walk myself.”

“I can still have your friend killed.”

Mercy allowed herself to be dragged backwards three steps. She reached for Vashti’s mind, too afraid of drawing Willem’s attention if she looked in that direction. Right now he was focused on her, and she needed that to remain the case.

Whatever you’re going to do, do it now.
She received no direct reply, but more of a feeling from her aunt. Anticipation, and a grim determination.

Seven more steps. One of the men holding her tripped, lurching to the side. He went down, almost pulling her with him. Confused, Mercy stared at him. The man holding her other arm gave a high, thin scream that jerked her attention to him right before he crumpled to the ground. Their minds were gone, snuffed out in an instant.

The next one to touch you will die slowly.

Reaper!

Willem cursed and spun toward Rani just as Vashti moved. Vashti lunged forward and stabbed the capsulet into Rani’s neck. At the same time, Willem flung his hand toward Atrea.
Kill her.

“No!” To Mercy’s horror, Atrea was thrown bodily from the platform, almost in slow motion. After the most excruciating few seconds of her life, Mercy realized it
was
slow. Someone was using telekinesis to catch her, and lower her gently to the floor.

I’ve got her,
Reaper said.

Telekinesis lifted Vashti off her feet and threw her from Rani in a violent motion. She hit the ground hard and didn’t get up again. The young queen put a wavering hand to her neck, and then her eyes rolled back and she slumped onto the seat of her throne. Willem was right there, his hands gripping her shoulders, his face a mask of fury as he shook Rani. Her body moved like a rag doll.

The wall came down. Mercy felt it. People all around her started to blink and move and wake up. Rani’s iron control faded, and Mercy could touch their minds again. That connection bloomed inside of her, building in a wave of power unlike anything she’d ever experienced. It was the warmth she felt when she touched Talented minds, but brighter, stronger, like comparing the warmth of a summer day to the molten heat at the center of a star. It spilled over her skin like fire, and her breath hissed between her teeth at the intense flash of heat. She went rigid with the pain.

“Mercy.”

She heard Reaper’s voice as though from a great distance, not because a wall still separated him from her, but because it was everything she could do to hold the power contained. If she let her attention waver even for an instant, it would explode.

Reaper pulled her close. She was vaguely aware of his arms holding her, even as his mind reached through the heat and connected with hers.

Let it go.

No. I can’t.

You must.

I don't know what will happen.

Trust your instincts. Trust what you are.

She bit back a sob as the pain intensified. In her mind, her skin had ignited, curling black as though eaten by fire. The longer she held the surge of power, the greater it built, the sharper the agony.

You must release it before it kills you.

What if I kill everyone in the room?

You won’t.
He sounded so certain.

How do you know?

It’s not who you are. Let your instincts guide you. Control it, but let it go.

Mercy took a ragged breath. She could hear a keening cry, and knew it was her own voice.
I’m afraid.

I’m here with you. I’ll always be with you.

Something within her settled, grounded. She let her shields fall.

The power left her in an explosive blast that rocked through the room, the ship, the system and beyond. She felt the shockwave expanding past the hull of
Nemesis
, past planets and stars, in an instant that transcended distance and time. It went on and on, the fire within her dying to heat, and then warmth, until only a trickle was left. She could barely feel it, but it connected her to every mind in the room. To every Talented mind within range.

She wasn’t sure what that range was, but in that moment, it might have included the entire expanse of the universe. She took a shuddering breath, and then another.

I can feel them all.
They were hers.

Not only their minds. She could touch their Talent. She felt Reaper’s ability to kill as though it was her own. Cannon and Sanah’s empathy rolled through her, and she felt the wonder and awe as people tested their new connection. Beneath that, she felt their anger and loathing. Not for her. For Willem. For Rani. For what had been done to them now and in the past. Nayla’s biokinesis told her every injury in the room, and with it, Mercy reached out and stopped the last of Jaxon’s lifeblood from leaving his body. She closed the wound.