Mercenary, page 21
part #2 of Heart's Desire Soul Destroyed Series
“Right, you bastard,” he ground out savagely. “Who did you give the weapon to, and you’d better answer!”
“Don’t hurt me!”
Hurt him? This pleading vermin had tried to kill Reya! Drawing one arm back, Maverk clenched his hand into a massive fist.
“I’ll tell, I’ll tell!” Royce screamed. “I’ll tell you.”
Maybe he’d just punch him anyway, the bastard had it coming.
Obviously reading his intent, Reya wrapped her fingers around his thick wrist. “Don’t.”
“He tried to kill you,” Maverk growled.
“It makes no difference. He’ll give us what we want now.”
Maverk glared at Royce. “Spill your guts on what you know or I’ll spread you all over this bloody alley!”
Royce swallowed, his eyes flicking from side to side. “A man named Vinca bought it.”
“Who’s Vinca?” Reya asked.
“I don’t know, honest. He paid me to buy the weapon from Deathman.”
“Did he say why?”
“No, and I didn’t ask. He paid good money.”
“Where was he from?”
“I don’t-” Royce let out a squawk when Maverk shook him like a rat. “All right, all right! He’s from Vaksal!”
She went still, several seconds ticking past before she repeated, “Vaksal?”
“That’s what he said.”
“You’re lying.”
“No!” His eyes widened in panic. “No, Reya, I’m telling the truth, I swear! Please, you have to believe me!”
Maverk had no doubt he spoke the truth, the outlaw was scared shitless.
“Vaksal,” Reya whispered.
Maverk glanced at her, first surprised then concerned at she stared at Royce.
“Vaksal,” she repeated softly. “Of all the places in the universe…”
“Reya?” Maverk queried curiously.
She spun on her heel and strode away.
Incredulously, he stared from Royce to her retreating back. “Reya?”
She didn’t answer.
That the hell was she doing? Leaving him there like some big idiot holding the outlaw pinned up against the wall while she just walked away. Ignoring him as though he wasn’t there. “Damn it to hell! Reya!”
He almost thought she was going to continuing walking away, but she stopped and turned to look at him with one brow raised in silent query.
“That’s it?” Maverk gestured to the outlaw with his free hand. “What do we do with him?”
“We? You’re the one clutching his shirt.”
Oh for - He ground his teeth. “Aye, we. You were after him, too, remember?”
Damn the way the wench studied him and his captive, assessing them both with a cold, calculating gaze.
“Kill him,” she said expressionlessly.
“What?” Royce screamed. “No! Reya, I beg you!”
She simply turned back around and strode away.
“Reya!” Maverk shouted. “Damn you, don’t just walk away!”
“Too late for you to damn me, it’s already been done.” The words so casually tossed over her shoulder infuriated him.
“Stop and wait!” he roared, watching in choking rage as she neared the corner of the alley.
She wasn’t going to wait, the little witch. He swung burning eyes to Royce who whimpered in fear. It wasn’t in him to kill another person in cold blood, even this snivelling worm, but Royce didn’t know that.
Royce thought his last moment had come. “Don’t kill me, please don’t kill me! I won’t tell anyone I spoke to you, I promise! Please!”
“You tell no one, not one single soul, or I’ll come back and finish you off personally. This I promise you.” He lowered Royce until the outlaw’s boots touched the ground.
“Thank you.” Royce wiped the sweat from his brow with violently shaking hands. “I’ll never tell a soul, my life on it.”
“One more thing.”
He looked up, but was too late to avoid the massive fist that broke his nose. He went down in a spray of blood to lie semiconscious on the ground.
“You ever attempt to harm one single hair on Reya’s head again and there is nowhere in this universe you can hide from me.” Maverk’s voice rumbled deep and threatening. “The Reeka warrior is my wench and mine alone. Tell everyone you meet and make sure her enemies know. Understand?”
Royce nodded vaguely and passed out.
Nay, Maverk couldn’t kill in cold blood, but he’d do anything to protect what was his, and Reya definitely was - the heartless, disinterested witch!
She was nowhere in sight. He raced to the corner of the alley and rounded it to see her near the entrance of the street. “Reya, wait up.”
Without breaking stride she turned and entered the street, vanishing from sight. He skidded into the street, narrowly missing two children who screamed at the sight of the enraged giant and ran, to see her entering The Wild Dog tavern.
~*~
The bartender groaned inwardly when she entered, but the outlaws grinned and eyed her expectantly.
Also groaning when she walked straight over to him, Cisco pushed the whore off his bony knee. “See you later, sweetheart.”
Needing no second bidding, she scuttled off quickly.
“So.” He watched Reya sit in the chair opposite. “Did you get him?”
“I always get what I hunt. Tell me about Vinca.”
“Can’t say as I’ve heard of him.”
“No?”
“No.” Glancing past her, he observed uneasily, “Your friend just came stalking through the door, and he doesn’t look too happy.”
“Think a bit harder,” she replied. “Vinca.”
“I tell you I don’t know anything about him.” Cisco’s eyes flitted from her to Maverk no doubt approaching and back again.
Reya didn’t remove her attention from Cisco.
Spotting her sitting opposite Cisco, Maverk stalked over, oblivious to the outlaws hurriedly getting out of his way.
Reya could practically feel his gaze boring into the back of her head, but she didn’t look up when he neared. Drawing to a halt beside her, he didn’t sit but towered behind her with his arms folded. So subtle, she thought with an inward twist of dry humour. He certainly wasn’t used to being ignored, and she could feel the burning frustration rolling off him toward her in invisible waves.
Cisco switched his gaze inquiringly from the furious trader to the impassive Reeka. “Um…so did you get Royce or did he get away?”
“What do you know of Vinca?” she repeated.
He sighed. “I told you, I don’t know.”
“Find out.”
His expression brightened. “How much will you pay?”
“That depends on what you find out.”
“My rate per hour-”
“Don’t give me that crap. Get the information on Vinca and you’ll get paid.”
Cisco studied her slyly, but when she just met him with that cold, cold gaze, he looked away. “Very well, I’ll contact you when I have anything.”
“Tonight,” she said. “Ten o’clock.”
“That’s only six hours away.”
“Then you’d better get started, hadn’t you?” Reya stood. “Here at that time, Cisco, no later.”
“All right, but I can’t promise miracles in such a short time.”
“And I thought you were the best.” Turning, she strode off in the other direction, ignoring Maverk.
Cursing, he followed, falling into step beside her once out of the tavern.
Idly Reya wondered why Maverk didn’t say anything as they walked. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the grim face, tight with controlled fury. He wasn’t good at hiding his feelings, at least from her. He was open, friendly, humorous and big-hearted, not a cold-blooded mercenary like herself.
There was no room in a mercenary’s life for love. He would be so easy to love. He- Reya frowned, startled. What the hell was she thinking? Love? Maverk? The thought disturbed her, was one she didn’t want to pursue. Besides, it was ridiculous, the big jerk annoyed her. Easy to love? She must be losing her mind.
Even though she tried to push the thought away, it kept needling at her until she was thoroughly irritated.
Leaving the settlement behind, they approached the spaceship in silence.
**
Reya entered with Maverk behind her. Touching the control panel by the door, he watched the door slide shut securely before he spun around toward her. He opened his mouth, ready to give her a verbal blasting, but she wasn’t there.
“Reya!” Storming down the corridor, he angrily peered into the empty sleeping cabin, engine room and control cabin.
He found her in the living cabin standing at the table, calmly sipping from a glass of iced water.
“You bloody well owe me an apology,” he snapped. When she just raised one eyebrow, he bit back a swear word. “You know very well what I’m talking about.”
The other brow rose in polite disinterest. “You seem upset, pretty boy.”
“Upset?” he bellowed in disbelief. “You could say that!”
“I already did.” She swallowed the last of the water and placed the glass on the table.
He stabbed a finger in her direction. “You’ve got some explaining to do.”
“Do I just?”
“Keep pushing me, wench, and you’ll get a nasty surprise.”
“I’m terrified.”
He’d held silent in the tavern and on the walk back to the ship because he didn’t believe in arguing in public, providing entertainment for others, but now he broke loose with a savage oath.
“My,” she drawled. “We are upset.”
For a big man, he could move fast. Within seconds he was toe to toe with Reya, glaring fiercely down at her as he ground out from between gritted teeth, “Firstly, you little witch, you ignored me. Every time I called you, you didn’t answer or acknowledge me.”
“Guess I’m not very well trained.” Stepping around him, she started for the door. “If that’s the only reason why you dropped your bottom lip, then take my advice. Grow up, pretty boy.”
Oh, she did not just say that. She did not just walk away.
Hell, aye, she’d done both!
Long legs furiously closing the distance, Maverk stalked after her.
Sensing his approach, she turned around too late. Grabbing her around the waist, he swung around, making her catch his shoulders in a tight grip, and in three long strides he plunked her down on the table, sliding quickly between her spread knees to hold her wrists captive behind her in one big hand.
For one of the few times in her life, Reya was helpless. “Let me down!”
He couldn’t help the little streak of malicious satisfaction at the knowledge that she didn’t like being helpless.
Remembering her goading words, he placed his free hand in the small of her back, jerking her up against him, his voice dangerously soft. “Nay, you’re not trained very well, are you?”
“Put me down.” Her eyes glittered warningly. “Now.”
“This time you’re going to listen to me.”
“I wait with bated breath.”
“You’ve a sharp tongue, lass. Does it ever occur to you to use it nicely instead?”
“No.”
“Fine. ‘Tis not my problem right now, anyway.”
“I’m so relieved.”
His eyes narrowed. “Okay, you smart-mouthed wench, why did you ignore me so much?”
“When? I never noticed you so, please, refresh my memory for me.”
Oh, she really knew how to press his buttons. “I’ll do more than that if you don’t answer. You ignored me from the moment Royce escaped from the tavern.”
“He wouldn’t have escaped at all if you hadn’t played the big hero.”
“I pulled you out of the dangerous situation you’d placed yourself in.”
“I knew what I was doing.” Her chin angled up. “You had no idea of my plans.”
“That’s the whole problem,” he replied in angry exasperation. “You don’t talk to me and I have no idea of your plans. I thought we were partners in this.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” she returned sharply. “We’re not partners. I suffer your presence because of Dana’s ludicrous conditions. Don’t make more of it than what it is, pretty boy.”
“Is that so?” His jaw clenched. “Well, I’ve news for you. We are working together, or supposed to be, to find Mara. That makes us partners whether you like it or not.”
The glitter in her eyes grew brighter as the iron control on her temper slipped several notches. “Dream on.”
“You’re the one living a dream if you think I lie. Partners,” Maverk repeated, “and as partners we acknowledge each other at all times. You tell me your thoughts and plans. You’re not a lone mercenary now.”
“Anything else? Any more orders?’
“Don’t pull anymore stupid stunts like you did today.”
“Oh, forgive me. I’m just a simple warrior used to fighting alone.”
“Not alone. Dana was with you.”
“We know how the other thinks. You’re a danger, Maverk. You’re too soft for this sort of thing.” There was a note of contempt in her voice. “Go home and leave it to me.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? I know you’re being deliberately rude and difficult just to make me go. I’ve got news for you, Reya, you’re stuck with me, like it or not, so get used to it.”
“Are you finished? If so, let me go.”
“Not until you admit that we’re partners in this.”
“Never.”
“And that from now on you’ll inform me of your plans.”
“Go to hell.”
He studied her face, taking in the fury glowing crystal clear and strong in her eyes before dropping his gaze down to the soft lips that cursed him so vilely.
Lips that could be so sweet, so soft beneath his, so warm.
She started to struggle, squirming against him, trying to pull free.
Sliding his hand down to her buttocks, he pressed her to him.
**
She froze when her open softness made contact with his groin. From groin to chest she was pressed intimately against him. She could feel every hard angle and plane of his body, the heat from his skin, and smell the clean scent that was so uniquely his.
Maverk’s breath caught as her firm curves covering feminine muscles moulded so wonderfully to his harder body.
Their eyes locked.
Strange feelings were stirring disturbingly within her, not of fear or anger but of another kind, of the sort she’d fought so hard to suppress. She almost panicked. “Let me go.”
Desire warmed his eyes, but it was spiked with concern. How did he do that? How could he be so furious with her yet desire her and be concerned as well?
Why did it tug at her heart strings so much?
Reya tried to pull back but the strong arms held her prisoner. “Maverk, don’t!”
“Don’t what?” His tone changed, becoming lower, softer.
Even his hold on her had changed, she noted in alarm, no longer firmly restraining but gentler. Protective, almost. Brown eyes had cooled from burning fury to warmth.
“No, Maverk!” She started to struggle frantically, only to stop in horror at the feel of the hardening length of him against her woman’s softness.
She couldn’t deny the heat that swept through her, the way her heart skipped a beat before kicking up a notch. Unconsciously she swayed into him, drawn to his warmth, his kindness, his concern. Drawn to the heat in his eyes and the temptation of his lips, so firmly masculine yet so soft and caring when he kissed her.
She wanted him. God, she wanted him.
But she couldn’t have him. Wouldn’t let herself dream of it.
Before she could voice another objection, he lowered his head.
Seeing his intent, she tried to turn away, but he followed quickly, capturing her lips with his own. At the first touch she moaned and he immediately took advantage of it to possess her mouth fully. Reya fell head-first into passions pit of fire, moulding her lips to his, tasting him with every heated movement of her mouth.
Wanting him so badly. All of him.
She didn’t know when he released her wrists or when her arms slid around him to pull him closer. She didn’t know when her fingers twisted into the long, blonde hair. All she knew was that she needed to get closer to his warmth, his strength, the very being of him. Desire ran rampant through her, a glowing fire that was rapidly fanning into a raging inferno.
It was an inferno to match Maverk’s. His arms locked around her in an almost vice-like grip. He palmed one soft breast, the generous curve beneath the tightly laced vest filling his hand. He held her so achingly gentle in his big hand, so careful, the flex of his fingers scouring little darts of need to her nipples.
Pulling her off the table, he broke the contact of their lips to whisper heatedly, “Let’s go somewhere more comfortable.”
“What?” Reya opened her eyes dazedly.
“We’ll go to my bunk and make love-”
“Make love?” Awareness dawned. She was in his arms, every part of her pressed to his big, hard body. Passion sizzled between them and there was warmth between her thighs
Commonsense clawed cruelly at her as she groaned.
“Come,” he coaxed softly, taking a step back, bringing her with him.
“No!” she said more forcefully. “Maverk, no!”
He stopped but didn’t release her, his expression genuinely puzzled. “Who do you deny? Yourself or I?”
“Both!” she returned frantically. “I mean me. You!”
“I don’t think you know what you mean.” His voice softened. “Let me show you what I know, lass.”
She braced a hand on his chest, delighting in the sensation of hot skin and hard muscle even while the ardour swirling through her choked her with regret and need. “You don’t know me.”
“I know you want me. I know you want to make love to me, as I do you.”
Red surged through her cheeks. “I don’t.” I do.
“Really?” He eyed her keenly.
“I don’t want you.” I do. I want you so much. Too much.
