Quest For Earth (10 page)

The scene before her eyes was a painful reminder of the long war her own people had experienced. So many had died and for what? A Bracken's lust for power. He should have been dealt with some other way, before he'd gained such influence in her world and let leash such terrible devastation. In her view, war provided no solutions, only grief and pain.

She, for one, would not travel that path again.

The single storey structures, which were surprisingly intact given the passage of time, lay behind her. Here the buildings appeared joined together to form one long wall, like a tall barricade confining the edge of the road. At regular intervals, short flights of steps led up to doors, some little more than strands of rotting timber.

Not too far ahead the road branched off to the right and swung out in a narrow semicircle around a rock-edged pond where a broken statue of a man stood. Sherise sprinted the last few yards. She stopped and stared at the statue. Although his head was missing, his armour was easily discerned. She smiled. Above his hand he brandished a long curved dagger.

This must be the Imperial.

The roof of the building which fronted the road was formed low in gradient and each end curled upwards. Standing on top of two stone pillars either side of the entrance were matching statues. The creatures, with long forked tails and sharp spikes running along their spines, were suddenly painted in a bright splash of gold as the last rays of sunlight flickered over the earth. She shuddered at the sight, hoping no such creature existed on this planet.

Bree's home should not be too far away.

But if that was the case, where was she? And what of Kondo? Where were his men?

Sherise cast a wary glance at the thick shadows consuming the landscape. Pushing back her sleeve, she scrutinised the metal bracelet which extended from her wrist to a little below her elbow. She tapped a sequence into the small panel on her forearm. An instant later, a small hologram appeared, beamed up from a tiny green light on the panel.

Full darkness in less than a quarter of a rone.

She tried sending another message through her personal comms. White noise crackled. By the stars, why couldn't she get through to anyone?

She scowled and searched the sky until she found the pale gleam of a moon starting to climb above the buildings. At least she would have some light. Huffing out an agitated breath she performed another sweep of her surroundings, again searching for heat signatures.

And found two.

Her heart jolted, then pounded into a beat that rivalled the roar of a shuttle's engines departing a planet's atmosphere. Sweat formed into cold droplets on her forehead. Someone or something watched!

With burning eyes, she stared at the holographic display, willing the intel to change. But it remained the same. None of the heat signatures registered as Bree or Relic warlords. They were static, as if they lay in wait.

Except … She looked closer. That one was moving.

The flying creature!
It was headed straight for her.

She whipped her head up so fast a sharp pain cracked down her neck. Sherise searched the darkened sky. Then she spotted it. A thicker black against the black, blotting out the stars and getting larger.

Another quick glance at her intel. The other heat signature had begun to move in her direction. Enemy or ally, she didn't have time to investigate. The Imperial would hold shelter for her. But if the flying creature was denied would it swoop off again in search of her friend?

Decision made, Sherise drew in a deep breath and held her ground. She kept her eyes fixed in the direction of the approaching predator, both arms raised, one hand supporting the other as she waited for it to come within firing distance. Energised, the stunner made a faint humming noise.

Target locked.

Sherise saw the flashing glints of moonlight reflected off its feathers. Heard the swoosh, swoosh of its wide wings as the gap closed.

A loud, screeching noise came from the beak of the gigantic bird. So near she saw the glint of its eyes, the sharpness of the claws at the end of its legs now stretching out to rip the flesh from her body.

The data flickered. A fresh message appeared. Her stomach muscles clenched as fear roiled with sickening fervour in her belly. The last remaining signature was closer.

She dared not wait any longer. She compressed the trigger.

A shot of pure green energy pierced through the gloom with the speed of a nuron strike. With a dull thump it hit the creature's chest, propelling it backwards before the wings folded inwards. The long neck dipped and it plummeted towards the earth.

Her nerve ends prickled. She whirled round, her eyes seeking the other source of danger. She lifted her arms, fingers ready on the trigger.

There!

A tall dark shape … then whump!

The impact knocked the breath from her lungs.

Her knees crumpled. Dazed, she released her hold on the stunner, hearing it clatter onto the road. Arms wrapped about her waist and together they fell. The body beneath her took the brunt of the fall. One roll and she was trapped, pinned to the rough ground. She heard something splatter onto the road not far from where she lay, sprawled.

Pain streaked along her back where sharp rocks cut through her clothes into her spine. A hard length lay heavy on her, pressing her down. Her lungs constricted. She struggled to breathe. Her nostrils were filled with a rich, earthy scent that teased her senses. Groggy, she pushed at the mass and her hands found warm skin.

By the hem of Cercis's cloak, is it naked? Could it be some kind of beast in human form?
Panic hammered like clenched fists inside her mind. The heat of its body scorched through the layers of material.

Her lungs swelled until they felt as if they would burst her chest. Adrenaline and fear pumped through her veins.
I am suffocating!

She pushed and wriggled, tried to gain purchase with her legs to heave the weight off her. Dizzy, her head whirled, her strength faded … and then the weight was gone.

Sherise dragged air into her aching lungs.

She sucked it down with gusto until the burning sensation eased and the blackness receded. She rolled to the side and levered herself into a sitting position, giving her racing pulse precious moments to steady.

A mere arm's length away, in the shadow of the building, a dark body crouched.

Chapter 7

Sherise sensed the tense stillness emanating from its form and knew if she made one wrong move it would pounce. Her gaze traced the outline and tension ebbed from her rigid shoulders.

A man.

Only a man. Not some alien creature that would strip the skin from her bones. Although she couldn't discern his features in the gloom, she felt she knew him; but how? She froze. Could he be the strange male from the Fortress?

Why she should think this, she didn't know, except she could feel the same compulsive pull she'd experienced earlier in the cleansing chamber. Her fingers curled tight into her palms.

The leashed power simmering in his aura screamed danger.

Especially since he was taller than her by half a head and considerably outweighed her smaller frame. Unlike the men of her verse, she could detect no hair framing his face. Nor did his skin reflect the light from the rising moon, like hers did. A skin that, under her fingertips, had been smooth and firm over hard-packed muscles.
What am I thinking?
She snapped straight and shifted her legs, dislodging pebbles as energy sizzled through her veins. Her strength returned and her bemusement fled.

Be easy and you will not be harmed.

The words trickled into her mind, like the cooling flow of an underground stream. It soothed away the last of her panic, leaving behind an uneasy curiosity. She frowned and brushed at the debris littering her clothes.

What had happened? Her natural caution had dissipated, as insubstantial as dew in the fiery pits on Zirsk. Did this stranger have both telepathic influence and powers over the spirit?

She waited.

No response.

Sherise peered through the darkness and saw a gleam of metal in his hand.

Her stunner. What a fool she was. How could she have forgotten it? Now her main weapon was in his control. Irritated at her lack of sense, she snapped her teeth together. From the intermittent flash of metal, she assumed he examined it, rotating it over and over in his hands.

She lunged.

Metal gleamed in a fast disappearing arc as he tossed the stunner aside. She twisted her body, following the reflection. The man moved and collided with her. Again, he took the brunt of their fall, his hard grip closing about her waist, hauling her down on top of him until she lay draped like a cloak.

For one long moment, she remained where he had positioned her, her legs either side of his.

The warmth of his touch as he slid his hands from her waist, up the length of her back to wander within the long tendrils of her hair, ignited an unwanted trail of heat in their wake. For the first time in her life, she experienced a sense of awareness of another's body. Beneath her, he lay quiet and warm, hard and firm.

He wasn't completely naked. Rough-spun material scratched her legs through her thin clothes, suggesting he wore trousers. Some kind of thick hide that hung from a wide belt encircling his hips covered his groin area but failed to conceal the hard evidence of his maleness.

A delicious tingle flickered across her skin. Aghast, Sherise stiffened.

By the good goddess Cercis, what am I doing?
No sooner did the thought enter her head than he released her.

She slid off and scrambled to her feet, leaving her again wondering whether he had read her mind. The notion made her cringe with shame.

He rose with careless grace to his full height. When he bent over and picked something up off the ground, she cursed herself again. Her weapon.

She angled her body away from him and took a small, cautious step. Perhaps if she took a few more steps she could lengthen the distance between them sufficiently so he couldn't lunge for her when she made her escape. So far he hadn't harmed her, but that didn't mean he wouldn't soon.

She took another step while raising her chin, composing her features into what she hoped was an expression of calm control. She held out her hand, pleased when her voice came out strong and assured. ‘Kindly return my possession.'

‘Mine now.'

Aah, so he can speak.
And in the language of the Earth people. A language she had learned long ago from Bree.

To her annoyance, she saw the flash of metal disappear as he stuffed it behind his back. She toyed with the idea of grappling with him again, then quickly dismissed the notion. Under no circumstances would she ever touch him again.

Gravel crunched underfoot when he strode a pace towards her. She wavered, uncertain whether it would be best to stand her ground or retreat. But he made no attempt to reach for her. He stood, legs apart with hands on his hips. She knew he studied her in turn. Assessing, possibly looking for weaknesses. She could feel the power of his stare in the darkness. What could he see? What could he want with her? Had he seen Bree or the missing crew members?

‘You are from the stars. Where?' The words clipped and cold held the assured tone of a man used to command.

Information. He is after intel, not my life.
Her hackles rose at his confidence and her wariness returned in full measure. ‘It matters not from where I hail.'

‘You may be surprised.' He stalked another pace forward and grasped her wrist.

Sherise gasped as heat from his touch seared into her skin. She shook her hand to rid herself of his grip to no avail. ‘Do not touch me!'

‘I touch what I will,' he growled. White teeth flashed. ‘You will come with me.'

Apparently arrogant men were the same no matter where in the universe she travelled. Her father, her brother, her bodyguard … irritation flared into anger, fuelled by the edgy feeling of dread she still held for her friend's welfare.

She snorted and borrowed her friend's favourite saying, ‘As if!'

With one deft movement, her nano dagger snicked out from beneath her sleeve. She pivoted. Not away, as he would have expected, but towards him.

As if entering his embrace.

He hesitated. It was all she needed. She slammed her knee upwards into his groin. He grunted and doubled up, still not releasing his hold. She whirled out of his space and slashed at his arm.

Warm blood flicked over her hand. She gagged.

His hold slackened.

Sherise rammed her booted foot against his knee cap.

He staggered and went down.

She swung into action; away from him.

She leapt over the rough ground running towards the closest building, hoping it would offer cover where she could hide. Her blade melded back against the skin of her forearm. Behind her she heard a sharp intake of breath. He would not stay down for long. Her vision blurred. She stumbled. Her foot caught under a large object. Her impetus launched her forward. She extended her arms to break her fall. Her shins made painful contact with a large piece of metal. The edge sliced into the flesh of her right leg. As she landed on the ground, spikes of broken glass pierced the palms of her hands.

Cut, bruised, a jarred back and a wrenched ankle. The same ankle she had twisted previously on the ship. Sherise moaned through clenched teeth at the pain throbbing through her body.

‘Foolish woman.' His harsh voice resounded above her head. A minute later he lifted her high into his arms to cradle her against his chest. ‘The scent of blood, yours and mine, will draw them from their holes. We must leave this place. I will tend to your hurts when we reach my lair.'

Sherise had no idea what he spoke of, but it sounded ominous. Besides, she could tend to her own hurts without any help from him. The image of him administering to her caused her stomach to drop into a freefall dive, much like being trapped inside a shuttle falling from the stars.