Rayven's Keep (10 page)

Tru uttered a small, shocked protest before clamping her mouth shut. She glanced at Nick, but his attention was focused on her grandfather.

“It seems like we understand each other.” The smile dropped from his face to be replaced with something more genuine. “I assume you have a plan for protecting my granddaughter and flushing out the bastards at Lodestone?”

Tru didn’t stick around to hear the details, slipping unnoticed out of the room while all attention was on Nick. She resented being the topic of conversation without any consideration being given to her opinion. To think Nick thought of her as just another job to be done with a hefty payout at completion stung. The fact she’d intended to hire him herself didn’t matter and was beside the point.

What she was feeling wasn’t logical, but her emotions were in turmoil and logic was a distant memory. Confused and off balance, she sought a peaceful place to think and, if she were being honest with herself, to sulk. Muttering unladylike imprecations under her breath about Nick, and men in general, she went outside to get some fresh air.

Sundown set the sky on fire with streaks of deep purple and scarlet. The humidity had lessened along with the oppressive heat of earlier in the day. Night creatures stirred, their rustling in the shrubbery drawing her attention and making her nervous. She wasn’t familiar with the wildlife on Alludra and opted to remain close to the house. She wandered along the path she’d walked up earlier in the day surprised to realize it hadn’t been that long ago. So much had changed in such a short time and she acknowledged her rash decisions had put her here. She couldn’t blame Nick. He’d been direct and honest with her from the beginning.

Miserable, she clasped her arms around her waist and stared unseeing at the darkening landscape. She’d never met anyone quite like him before and the attraction she felt had been immediate. She didn’t know why her heart insisted on skipping a beat whenever he was close, or why she found the scar near his eye charming. He didn’t smile, ordered her about without compunction and treated her like a nuisance.

But, he’d also shown gentleness on the ship when she cried and offered gruff comfort when she told him what happened on Lodestone. His touch sent shivers down her spine, while warmth pooled low in her abdomen. She had no control over her reaction, didn’t fully understand all it meant, but there was no denying what she felt.

Sighing, finding no solution to her mixed emotions, Tru turned to go back to the house and ran smack into an immovable, solid wall. Strong arms grabbed her and pulled her close, preventing her fall. It took a moment for her brain to catch up and recognize what her body already realized.

Nick. Warm, solid and holding her too close. Her heart stuttered once before settling into a steady rhythm and her forehead dropped against the hard wall of his chest. She relished the contact even though she knew she should move away.

“Are you all right?” he rumbled from somewhere above her. “I didn’t scare you did I?”

He tilted his head to get a look at her face, but Tru kept it averted, afraid of what might be revealed to his perceptive gaze. She straightened and moved to take a step back. He released her, dropping his arms to his sides. She shivered in the cooling night air and wished his arms were still around her then got mad at herself for being foolish.

“I’m fine. I just needed some fresh air.”

A whisper of a breeze skimmed along her body and teased her hair, blowing a curl into her eyes. She lifted an arm to move it out of her way, but Nick was there first. He caught the flyaway strand and watched it twine around his forefinger. She didn’t move, afraid to even take a deep breath. His eyes darkened as he let his hand slide through the curls framing her face.

Her hand came up to rest against his chest and she could feel the heavy beat of his heart against her palm. She raised her face, leaning toward him. Inexorably drawn. Wanting. One minute she thought he was going to kiss her, and the next, he was several feet away. Bereft, embarrassed and confused by all she was feeling, she stood in the moonlight unsure of what to do.

“We’re leaving early in the morning,” he said without inflection. A muscle jumping in his lean cheek was the only indication he was not as unaffected by what had just happened as he wanted her to believe.

“All right,” she answered, rubbing her hands up and down her crossed arms. She didn’t bother to ask where they were going. What would be the point? It had been decided, and she was expected to follow.

“You’re cold. Come back inside and I’ll see you get something warm to drink. You must be hungry as well. Sorry, I hadn’t considered that. My apologies. I’m certainly not doing a good job of taking care of you like I promised your grandfather.”

“We certainly don’t want to disappoint my grandfather, now do we?” Tru snarled, rattled by her strong reaction to him. She breezed past him and headed for the house. “It is important to keep me healthy long enough to collect your credits for a job well done.”

* * * *

Open-mouthed, Nick watched her march to the house, her back stiff.

“Great...just great,” he muttered under his breath. “You handled that well, didn’t you Nick old boy?”

His head dropped back as he closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath. He would never understand women if he lived to be a hundred. All they did was tangle up a man’s insides until he couldn’t think straight and then they taunted him by getting angry over nothing. Disgusted with himself, he trailed her into the house. He would get control of himself, see his job completed for Geotern Mining while keeping her with him and out of harm’s way and return her safely to her family on Bretonne as quickly as he could. Why the thought of letting her go left him feeling hollowed out was something he refused to think about tonight.

“Tru has gone to her room for the night,” Callen informed him when he entered the house.

Nick growled.

Seth lightly punched Callen’s shoulder and chuckled. “Told you. The boss man has it real bad.”

“Let’s hope he survives it,” Callen replied. “Hell, let’s hope we survive it.”

“Shut up, both of you. Instead of standing there and wasting time gossiping, you can get my ship ready for travel tomorrow. I’ll be in my office. Don’t bother me.” He slammed the door, rattling the frame.

Chapter 9

Efficient in design, the starship
Dominion
was all business. Powerful. Maneuverable. Armed to the teeth. With an impression force shield for protection, it was also the fastest ship Nick owned, the crown jewel in his growing fleet, the design one of his own. Her technology pushed the limits, but her capabilities would never be known until it was too late.

He stood in front of his ship, hands on hips, and looked over the gleaming surface. This was going to be the best way to get the mineral sample to Dendera Labs in time. The only things giving him even a second’s pause were the cramped quarters and knowing he and Tru would be sharing them for a long stretch of time. He wasn’t sure she was going to appreciate the forced intimacy, but he wasn’t going to give her a chance to argue. He intended to keep her safe and out of trouble while his team worked with Maddox Creighton to flush out those in Lodestone Mining after her. Simple. He hoped.

“She’s ready when you are,” Callen said as he came up to Nick. “We made sure you would have everything you need for an extended trip.”

“Good. I want to leave before the sun is fully up. Less chance of our departure being noticed,” Nick answered, distracted, still focused on the cramped accommodations and Tru.

“I did a quick diagnostic on the A.I. and she responded superbly. I have to say the voice you gave her is definitely interesting,” Callen observed with enough dryness to catch Nick’s attention. “It’s enough to make a man sweat.”

“Shit! I forgot about that.” Nick ran a hand through his hair and shot a slightly alarmed look at Callen. “I should never have let Seth persuade me to program that voice for the ship. Damn it, what was I thinking?”

“Yep, Tru is going to love talking to Siren. I’m sure they will bond instantly.” He smirked, enjoying Nick’s sudden discomfort. “You are so screwed. It is too late to reprogram her now.”

Nick grunted and knocked Callen’s shoulder back with a friendly punch.

“It almost makes me sorry I’m not going with you.” Callen laughed.

“Keep it up, laughing boy. Revenge is sweet and I’m not going to be gone too long,” Nick threatened without heat, his attention again on the polished lines of the ship in front of him. Anticipation built as he contemplated taking
Dominion
out. This would be her maiden voyage and his fingers itched to put her through her paces.

The A.I. onboard was the first of its kind, the program refined and perfected from a prototype he’d been working on before Tonlith’s war. Siren’s voice was sultry, the dulcet tones guaranteed to get any red-blooded male’s attention. She was programmed to learn preferences and to anticipate direction. In short,
Dominion
’s onboard A.I.’s voice was a wet dream waiting to happen and guaranteed to keep long, lonely trips interesting. The voice had seemed like a good idea at the time.

Nick patted the cool metal affectionately before he turned and jogged back to the house, intending to collect his things and roust Tru from her room. It was time to go. Time to get the mineral to Dendera Labs, collect the remaining credits owed and finish what she’d started on Lodestone. Time to decide if the simmering attraction he felt for her was more than just her sexual appeal.

He reached the house and ran up the stairs to his room. He didn’t slow down as he passed Tru’s shut door. He would deal with her once he geared up. He crossed his bedroom, went to an inset cabinet and punched in a code to open the heavy door. Behind it was an impressive array of weapons, and he removed a lethal-looking knife.

Bending down, he slid the sharp blade into the sheath cleverly concealed behind the buckles climbing the sides of his tall boots. He strapped his blaster to his right hip, fastened the holster straps around a thigh and then snapped a wide metal and leather cuff to his left forearm. An unobtrusive display lit up, and the readout showed he was connected to Siren.

He was ready and his impatience to start the journey ratcheted up a notch. He shrugged into a form fitting, short jacket and slung his utility belt over a shoulder. He grabbed his compact carryon and left his room. Tru’s door was open when he reached it, and he stuck his head in. She wasn’t there so he went downstairs.

She stood in the doorway, the rising sun haloing her in a red and gold blush. She turned her head and regarded him through solemn eyes as he slowed his descent and then crossed the foyer to stand beside her.

* * * *

Tru swallowed hard, her heartbeat fluttering as she raised her head to look at him. It just wasn’t fair. All he had to do was look at her and her libido went into overdrive. She frowned, annoyed with him, with herself and the world in general.

“Are you ready?” Nick asked, with a hint of a smile.

“Yes,” she replied, unreasonably irritated he could look so well rested and virile this early in the morning. She hadn’t slept well and the bruising around her eye and temple looked worse than before. Choosing to travel in a black outfit probably wasn’t helping her looks either, but it fit her mood.

His eyebrow quirked, and then his face smoothed into impassivity. Motioning with a free hand, he indicated she should precede him through the door. She flounced away, disgruntled and out of sorts. No one had seen fit to tell her where she was going, only that she would be traveling with Nick. On one hand, the idea appealed to her, but on the other, she resented any choice being removed. She was getting tired of the men in her life treating her like her opinion didn’t matter.

First, her father had ignored her concerns about Lodestone Mining and even though she would concede her trip there had been disastrous, the information gathered proved her hunch had been right. Now, Nick and her grandfather shuffled her away for her own protection. She would have liked to at least be consulted before the decision was made. Immersed in her dark thoughts, she marched down the path to the landing area.

“Hey Tru,” Seth greeted her with a lopsided grin. “Your stuff is loaded and secured. Man, I envy you getting to take
Dominion
out.”

“Then maybe you should go instead of me,” she snapped before she thought. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I have a headache this morning.” She laid her hand on Seth’s arm. “Don’t mind me.”

Seth covered hers with one of his own, patting it before releasing it and stepping away. She pretended she didn’t see the look he and Nick exchanged when they thought she wasn’t looking.

The sun was almost up. Heat already had begun to crowd the coolness left from the night. Shadows danced over the ground where the light reached and the rustle and chatter of birds added music to the air. The sights and sounds lightened her mood, but she wasn’t given the time to stop and enjoy the day’s beginning. Nick’s warm palm against her spine nudged her along. It burned through the material of her shirt, making her achingly aware of his tall presence behind her.