Finding Lara (Distant Worlds Book 3) (3 page)

“How did we get so lucky?”
Tolan Lark muttered from beside him, a decided sarcasm to his tone. He must
have been broadcasting something a bit more inflammatory because the old hag
hissed and tensed like a dog with its back up.

“You can both get out,
you cheeky buggers!”

“Now mistress, if you are
reading us, you know why we have come and that we won’t leave without what we
came for.”  Barnos gave her his best smile, completely wasted of course, but
she harrumphed anyway.

“Warrung can find another
way to clear my debt.”  She waved the old twisted stick she had been leaning on
at them trying to herd them out of her place.  “Out!  Both of you!”

Tolan Lark caught the
stick when she tried to strike him and pulled it easily from her hands.  The
hag froze and the mood in the room twisted from angry to downright dangerous. 
Barnos did not want to know what she was capable of, if the dregs outside left
her and her pod alone.  He shook his head at the Shakien and tried to get his
thoughts less caustic.

“We mean you no harm . .
. old person.” Barnos shrugged when he saw Tolan Lark’s doubtful look.  It was
the least insulting title he could think of on the fly.  “We search for a child
in this place and were told you could help.  Your debt to Lucan will be cleared
from the books and we have platinum.”

Tolan Lark gave him
another look but this time he had no idea what the cat took exception to.

“A child you say?”  The
old hag was suddenly looking pleased about something.  That smug look on that
twisted face gave Barnos the creeps.  She hissed his way and then flounced in a
circle to go the other way.  “A child?  Hah.  Idiot.  You look for something
more than that I think.”

Her muttering had Barnos
looking from her to Tolan Lark who was shaking his head at him with a gleam in
his eye that Barnos had learned meant the cat was in a playful mood, which
could be entertaining, except this time it felt like he was the butt of the
joke.  He did not have time to question it now the hag had gone into a separate
section of the pod; then as quick as that she was returning.

“Fine.  Here is what I
promised Warrung.  My debt is cleared.”  She slapped a small comp script into
his hand unerringly despite her lack of vision.  “I may be a blind pirate, but
I see more than you.”  Then she smiled a gap-toothed evil grin right up at
him.  “Now you get out.  You and the Shakien.  And take my words with you free
of charge.”  Her smile grew and encompassed both of them.  Barnos had to
suppress a shiver at the sight.  “If you continue on this mission the pirate
will meet his match, and never know another moment of peace before he dies. 
The cat, though.  He will find exactly what he searches for, and then he will
walk away and leave it vulnerable, without a clue.”  The old witch actually
cackled.

He looked at Tolan Lark
and met the irritated look in his eyes.  Yeah, that about summed it up for him
as well.  Barnos flipped the hag a hefty bag of platinum from inside his coat
which he was not surprised she caught in the air one-handed.  Then as one, he
and the cat turned and left the pod.  They had what they came for, time to
hunt.  The irritating cackle faded behind them as they headed back to the
ship.  He wasted not one more thought on the hag or her predictions.  He
believed in fate.  He just preferred to make his own.

The Forelian girl sold
for a small profit that had the Maize flicking their hands in dismissal when
the bidding ended.  Lara watched the girl being carried off the stage by the
giant Gorgon who bought her.  He outweighed her by a good two hundred pounds,
and from the way she screamed, his spiked face scared her more than the Maize
did.  But Lara was reassured.  Gorgon as a species were big and intimidating. 
They were not known to be bullies and they treasured their females.  From the
way he lifted the girl so gently despite her struggles, Lara was confident this
one would be no different.  Probably looking for a mate, since they bred mostly
males in their culture.  If she could overlook his differences, the Forelian
would be better off than most who sold on Montrouge.  Possibly herself
included.

The Maize were saving her
and Thaos for last.  Thaos because he was just that exotic.  She knew it was
only a matter of time before they came for the boy.  She closed her eyes and
tried to think of a solution, anything that would keep them together.  When
there were only a few of them left in the slave pens she knelt down and turned
him to look at her.  His tiny face was so solemn.  “We will be separated,” she
said carefully in Avian.  Carefully so she would not show how very worried she
was for both of them.  “I give you my solemn oath I will find you again.”  Her
hands on both of his arms, her eyes meeting the deep well of gold in his, she
willed him to see her absolute belief that it would be so.  His skin under her
hands heated up with her touch and she felt dizzy for a moment, even as he was
nodding his head in agreement.  She felt more than heard Dorcet come up beside
them.  Time was up.  “Stay brave, little man.  I won’t be long.”  Then she let
him go, and he was led away, his head turned so that he could watch her as long
as he could.  She smiled reassurance at him and then he was out on the stage
and the bidding began.  She watched everything, memorizing the humanoid who
finally purchased him with an excited look and a whole lot of platinum.  After
all, it was not every day an Avian was found so young.

Then it was only Lara
left, and she raised her head and moved without a fight to the platform when
Dorcet beckoned her.  She refused to look any of the bidders in the eye, keeping
her head high and her stance formal.  When some of the men salaciously called
for the removal of her clothes, the conductor moved forward to cut them away. 
But Dorcet and the rest of the Maize stopped them with a step forward and a
hiss.

The conductor backed up
with a skid, the frightened look on his face almost comical.  Lara watched
while the guards for the slave market pulled their blasters, but Dorcet merely
turned to her and ordered her to remove her clothes.  Which she did, more
thankful than she could say to miss the groping of the conductor she had
witnessed with the other women.  She tried not to think of the eyes on her from
the crowd, but she could feel their lust like a brand wherever their eyes
touched.  Her skin was crawling with it.  There was whispering among the conductor,
guards and the Maize, most of which she could not hear.  Then the bemused
conductor looked her over with a palatable regret and headed back to his post. 
“The bidding starts at 100 platinum.”

The general uproar at the
outrageous sum was daunting.  Lara blinked at the price but held her ground
when the jeering started.  She could hardly blame them; even she knew she was
not exotic enough for such a bid.  There were a great many languages being
bandied about basically asking what made her so special, and how ridiculous the
price was in myriad colorful ways, but one man yelled loud enough in ship
standard to be heard above them all.  “One thousand platinum.”  And everyone
stopped laughing.

She tried to find the
bidder in the crowd, but it was nearly impossible in the rowdy crush to see who
spoke.  She was not the only one looking for the speaker either; everyone was
looking around trying to find who was insane enough to pay that much for a
regular humanoid female.  Lara had no illusions about her looks.  She’d had
enough people tell her she was pretty to accept it was true, but against the
more exotic creatures selling around her, she was nothing special.  But someone
was willing to pay a great deal for her.  She perked up considerably,
struggling not to show the happy suspicions on her face.  She thought that anyone
who would pay that much was someone working for her father, or Nori.  But when
the shocked conductor called for a second bid there was a blessed silence.  He
ended the bidding at one thousand platinum, far and away the highest price of
the night.  And the fastest bidding.  Dorcet covered her nakedness with his own
cape that smelled more than a bit astringent, but Lara pulled it around her
gratefully.  The Maize came to stand before her, and in clicks and hisses, he
spoke, standing in a formal stance of respect, palms together.  The chances of
anyone understanding what he said were small, but he spoke softly just in case
someone had made the effort with a knowledge cube.  “Most Honorable Lady Lara
of Heti, you have brought us great profit.  We hope that your fortunes improve
as much.”

In the same language,
Lara responded, pressing her hands together around the fabric of the cape in
the same way and speaking low.  “I thank you for your hospitality; if you care
to raise your fortunes even more, a short message sent to the High Ambassador
of Heti will garner you further glory, with very little effort expended on your
behalf.  And it would improve my circumstances greatly.”  Though he did not
respond other than a short bow of farewell, she had a small hope he would make
that effort.  Couldn’t hurt to try, just in case it was not one of her father’s
people who came for her.  And judging by the look of the man who stepped
forward to claim her, she was glad she made the effort.  Because there was no
way her father sent this man to save his daughter.  Ever. 

A giant of a man, the
first thing she noticed was his size.  At almost seven feet, he towered over
her in both height and girth.  And he was scruffy, his hair long enough to
brush his nape and with that touch of red in that wild brown mane.  He was
dressed well in good quality leathers that raised the ship’s formal to new
heights, fitting sleekly over all that deadly promise he wore easily.  But he
wore it without pretension or care.  It suited him, as did the billowing white
shirt and swords strapped to his waist and across his back, the Faustian boots
that rode well over his knee making the bulge of his thighs in those supple
leather pants that much more noticeable.  She had no doubt the armor peeking
out from between the ties of his shirt was nanite, and all of his knives
glinted in the sun.  Despite his obvious wealth and the clean cut of his
clothes he badly needed a shave and a haircut long past.  Even with the unkempt
grooming of his person, he was devastating to her senses, and his shoulders
were broad enough to block out two suns.  She lost her breath just looking at
him.  He was armed in every conceivable space, and there was a lot of space to
cover.  All of it hard muscle and daunting.  He was wildly attractive with a
hard, stubbled jaw and a glint of devil in his eyes.  Crazy green eyes that
promised both mayhem and pleasure in equal measures.  She was often called
naive but even she knew a scoundrel when she saw such an obvious specimen.

He looked her over in
both surprise and lavish delight and Lara felt naked all over again.  He handed
over his comp script to verify he was allowed to bid, and while that was being
checked, his eyes never left her, moving along her length while his smile grew
wicked and his eyes heated with promise.  And he was buying the rights to do
anything he wanted to her.  Lara stopped breathing.

“Well hello, darlin’,”
the big man said, eyes locking on hers with enough sizzling sexual promise to
take her breath away and zing every nerve ending in her body with sparks.  “And
here I almost decided not to make this trip.”

Lara sucked in a deep
breath, when her lungs reminded her she needed air to survive.  The giant
wrapped a big arm around her waist and hauled her up into his arms.  The squeak
she released would have been embarrassing if she did not have other concerns. 
Like the bold open-mouthed kiss he was laying on her.  She gasped against his
surprisingly soft lips, and it went directly into his hot mouth even as he
hauled her closer and devoured her with a scalding hot tongue and brash
promise.  Before she could do anything, struggle, close her eyes, or respond he
plopped her back on her unsteady feet to the crude calls and whistles of the
audience.  She was still blinking stupidly, her blood beating heavy through the
entirety of her body, when he threw something that clanked at the Maize and
grabbed her hand.  She was being hauled off the platform with enough of a yank that
she almost flew.  Somebody joined them taking the rear position but she didn’t
bother to look, too busy furiously trying to come up with an escape plan, any
plan at all, because there was absolutely, unequivocally no way her father
would send this man anywhere near his daughter.  Period.

***

Barnos moved through the
crowd licking his lips where the girl’s taste still lingered.  Delicious.  The Lady
Lara of Heti was emphatically not a teenager.  In fact a full grown woman, all
soft skin, long legs and big brown doe eyes, and yards of dark silky hair.  And
he was rescuing her from slavery so no doubt she would be feeling more than a
little grateful when she found out.  Inwardly, he was rubbing his hands with
glee.  Once he got her cleaned up and fed the trip back to Alliance space was
promising to be memorable.  Of course, they had to survive the walk back to
The
Fire
first.

Once they cleared the
slave market, they moved with purpose towards the transport field.  The girl
was keeping her head down and moving along without any of the theatrics he had
expected.  She certainly was a stoic accepting little thing.  But then she was
a beautiful, soft looking woman with no augmentation or weapon, maybe she was
just smart enough to pick her battles.  And right now, she was outnumbered. 
Especially with the news spreading at an astronomical pace of what she sold
for.  Even now, a group of the gawkers were following them, but it was the six
heavily armed men that stepped into their path that gave him pause.

“Heard you paid one
thousand platinum for the little beauty.  We were wondering why she ran so
high, and what else you were willing to pay to keep her.” The speaker was a
street rat with delusions of grandeur.  Tall and muscled, with a cruelty
stamped on his face obvious even behind all that grime.  He was also badly
augmented with cybernetics on his jaw and bristling with weapons, some better
quality than others.  No doubt he could take on any of the other felons with
ease, but he was no match for either a Shakien cat or himself.  Let alone
both.  They should have heeded the warning of the steel strapped to his back if
nothing else and moved on to easier prey. That they did not meant they were
both stupid and destined to be short lived.

The Lady Lara was behind
him and he felt her move back two steps and stop.  She was placed precisely
half way between himself and Tolan Lark, giving them room to fight but keeping
herself out of the kill zone.  Interesting.  Made him wonder just how many men
had died in pursuit of that beauty.  He unsheathed his sword.  Then he smiled. 
The street rats attacked as one.  A few in the crowd saw it as an opportunity
and tried to grab the female; he caught the fight as Tolan Lark cut them off at
the knees, or anywhere else his sword could reach.  The Lady Lara was watching
the hacking going on around her with a pale face and tears in her eyes.  He was
pretty sure she would start wringing her hands any minute; at least she knew
how to stay out of the way, if not how to fight.

Barnos took a badly
augmented arm off one of the rats.  Turning fluidly to dodge a blaster, he
whirled into the fight and hacked the blaster and both hands off the next rat. 
He noticed the big talker was hanging back and waiting for his chance.  Barnos
smiled while he bludgeoned the next one with a closed fist to the top of his
head.  A showy way to send his neck crashing into his spine, but then he had
paid serious platinum for that arm when he lost his, might as well use the
enhanced cyborg strength.  He moved his head to dodge another shot, hacking off
appendages until he was facing the last big talker.

The man cursed and then
started to spout some drivel while he attacked, but Barnos hated inane talk
while he fought, ruined the moment, so he lopped off the man’s head and was
done with it.  He turned to look around but other than all the bloody pieces
there was no one left.  Tolan Lark had backed the girl into the side of a pod
and held off the crowd with a good six-foot gap between him and them.  There were
a few pieces of the miscreants in the space between, but as a whole, the
spectators were no longer all that interested in trying anything.  The Lady
Lara had her back pressed up against the pod and her eyes squinted as if she
wanted badly to close her eyes but was afraid to.  When she saw the fight was
finally over she shuddered out a long breath and threw her hands over her
eyes.  It looked like she was hyperventilating and he wondered cynically if she
was actually going to swoon.

***

Lara did her best to
control her erratic breathing but it was hard.  She didn’t respond well to
violence.  Never had.  And this was something more than the violence of a
beating or even the burning lash of an energy whip.  Those poor men were in
pieces.  It had been fast and brutal and totally without mercy.  She had seen
fights, Nori got into fights all the time, most of the time she even enjoyed
them, which Lara never understood but accepted.  The marines on her protection
detail when she was a child defended her.  But not like this.  Normally she
could console herself that it was her or them, and the men did what they did to
protect her.  But in this case, she had no idea what the men taking her wanted
and doubted very much if her safety was the priority, any more than the poor
wretches that attacked.  The big brute had
laughed
when he took that man’s
head. 
Laughed.  What could be funny about killing someone?