Runner's Moon Trilogy Megabook Series (20 page)

'Three saleable parcels have been recovered from the third planet. Scouting parties are in agreement that only one of the escape pods managed to reach this system.'

'How many more parcels are left to be captured?'

'Twenty-five by last count. Two units perished soon after landing. One was unavoidably terminated by one of the scout ships.'

'How soon before the rest can be recovered?'

Transmission static.

'Reply not received. Respond. How soon before the rest can be recovered?'

'Timeline undeterminable.'

'Explain.'

'Two scout ships have yet to report in.'

'What was their target area?'

'Upper fourth quadrant.'

'Have you sent in a recovery crew?'

'Yes, but they were unsuccessful.'

'So what you are telling us is we are missing four procurers.'

'Correct.'

'That is unacceptable.'

'Agreed.'

'Do you need more troops?'

'It would greatly help.'

263

'Other than needing more procurers to aid in your search, do you anticipate any other difficulties in recovering the remaining parcels once they are located?'

'No. None.'

'Good. An additional platoon will be sent with the next shuttle. They should reach you within the second spacial month. We expect full recovery of all remaining parcels before the sixth tri-year. Will that be a problem?'

Transmission static.

'Reply not received. Respond. Will that be a problem?'

'It is not anticipated as such. The parcels have been thoroughly dominated. They have no will to resist.'

'Good. We will assemble a fresh platoon and send them out immediately. Keep us informed of your progress. We do not need to remind you of the importance of recovering all parcels. Buyers are getting impatient.'

'Understood.'

'Very good. Is there anything else we need to discuss or clarify?'

'No.'

'In that case, this transmission is ended.'

'Acknowledged. Transmission ended.'

Transmission static.

264

RUNNER'S MOON: BOOK 2: TIRON

by

Linda Mooney

265

The hot summer storm left the air sticky. But it had provided the perfect cover for the spacecraft to land, silent and undetected amid the growl of rolling thunder and lightning. Deep within the heart of the forested area, the ship had grounded itself with a jarring thump. It had been on its last reserves, and powering down the engines would mean a complete shutdown of all systems. Permanently. Outside, the driving rain had pounded the outer hull of the craft like nails, frightening the thirty-one refugees huddled inside.

As the wind blew the black clouds to the south, the refugees exited to stand on solid ground for the first time in years. Some had to be helped out of the ship. Others stood on trembling legs and stared in amazement at this strange new place they would have to learn to adapt to. Learn to live in. Learn to survive.

Tiron Fesell Tarakon felt the cold water droplets fall onto her skin as the wind blew the rain off the towering plant life.

This world would be her home now. Here she would live out the rest of her days. They all would. They had no choice.

The prospect didn't frighten her. She had suffered too much at the hands of the Arra. She had been their experiment and their toy for too many years, subjected to more emotional torture than the physical kind. Physical she could handle. Every time they had pushed a male into her cell 266

to join with her, she had beaten him off. Bloodied him.

Sometimes disfigured him. Often killed him.

No creature would take her without her consent. No creature would join with her unless she so willed it. She was a Ruinos female. Fierce, strong ... and unbonded.

To her left she saw two males talking as they drank in the night smells. A spark of regret briefly flared inside her chest before spiraling downward and dying. Ten years ago, Jebaral Gitall Morr had been shoved into her cell and forced to join with her. He had been fourteen and in early possession of his third man sac. He had been more than intimidated by her, by her strength and by the anger he had seen come over her time and again as she shredded any male set upon her. She was only two years his senior, but already she had gained the reputation of being a major disappointment to the Arra.

Still, she had felt something in his tentative approach.

Deep inside, he was a gentle being. He wanted to hold her. To protect her from further cruelty. But more than that, he was not put off by her feral, threatening growls as he reached out to stroke her.

He knew of the emptiness inside her. Her need to be cared for gaped open like an ugly wound that would never heal. Not until she found that one person who bonded with her and made her complete.

She had let him join with her. The bonding, though, never happened.

Tiron lowered her face from the rays of the setting sun. Its orangish glow gave her skin an almost amethyst coloring.

267

She had cried when their blood lines had failed to appear.

Even though neither of them had climaxed, she had continued to hope. He had been her only misgiving. That was ten years ago. She had not cried since.

Even so, she remained close to Jebaral and his brother Simolif. For some strange reason, the Arra never put Simolif in the cell with her to join. It wouldn't have mattered if they had. Simolif was also a good man, equally as caring and protective as his taller, younger brother. But she felt no pull toward him either. Even if they had joined, Tiron knew there would have been no bonding.

The wind washed over her. She stood tall and stretched.

She was free. Gloriously free. Because of Jebaral and Simolif, they all were. The only uncertainty left for them was the future. Yet it was a future, nonetheless. One with hope and the possibility of security.

And maybe, after many, many prayers, one that would include the finding of a life mate.

"My friends, welcome to your home."

Tiron jerked her head up to see the two brothers standing on a small, rocky abutment and looking down at them. For a brief second their eyes met, hers and Jebaral's. Then he tore his gaze away to address them all.

"From here on, you are on your own. Scatter and find a place where you can finally be happy. We will survive and thrive here; I am certain of it."

Survive. Yes. They would each have to go their own ways, each apart from the other. Otherwise, the chances were too great an Arran scout ship would discover that part of their 268

precious cargo had landed here. When they did, the Arra would return in force to get them back.

The Arra would eventually come to this world. But if the ex-captives were lucky, and if they were scattered far enough apart, they would not be detected. It was a hope they all had.

"Good fortune, and have a long and happy life." Jebaral gave them his blessing before he and Simolif stepped down to approach the ship. Behind her, Tiron could hear the others disperse, disappearing into the woods.

Vaguely, she wondered about the other three females who were unbonded just like she was. Karath. Avirokee. Challa.

For all anyone knew, the future of their species rested with them.

The sun disappeared, and a silver disk rose to take its place. One moon. Tiron smiled. That was good. One moon on this world meant it would be easy to slip back into her own skin once the day was over.

Now it was only a matter of finding out what the inhabitants of this world looked like so she could imitate them.

She threaded her way through the thick brush on the forest floor, pausing every now and then to take a deep whiff of the strange new scents flowing over her. At some point, she heard the loud whuff and pop of a disintegration grenade going off. By morning, their ship would be nothing more than a few fine flakes of ash littering the grass until the next strong wind or heavy rain wiped them away.

Taking another deep breath to steady herself, Tiron pointed herself due north and began to run.

269

270

"Hey, baby! Wanna lick? Hey, daddy, let me show you a good time. Whaddaya say?"

The hefty woman in the red sequined halter leaned over to waggle her tongue at the passing cars. Sitting a few feet away, Roni sneered at the ploy.

"Hey, Lolly, have you ever stuck that tongue into a place you didn't like?"

Lollipop squinched her nose up at her friend and flipped her the bird. "Say what you like, Roni, but let me tell you this.

For every twenty bucks you spread your legs for, I can get in three lick jobs at a dime a pop. Do the math, girlfriend.

Three! That puts me five bucks in front every thirty minutes.

Which means on a good day I'm gonna bring in ... uhh....

"Lolly frowned as her brain struggled to do the math.

Unsuccessfully.

"On a twelve-hour shift it would net you an additional one-hundred and twenty bucks," Roni calmly calculated.

Lolly glanced over at Ginger, who shrugged. Roni knew what the woman was thinking. Who would argue with Roni?

Chances were the dark-haired hussy was a hundred percent right anyway. "Shit, girl, how do you do that?"

"Do what? Add?" Roni gave a little grunt that she passed off as a laugh. "What's the matter, Lolly? Flunk out of elementary school?"

271

"Piss off, Roni," the woman suddenly vented. "I ain't in no mood for your holier-than-thou crap. I gotta earn me some rent money." Tossing her bottle-blonde hair over her shoulder, the hefty woman marched across the street against the light to ply her wares on the other side of Dross Avenue.

"Gee. Was it something I said?"

Ginger shook her strawberry-blonde head as she rubbed her hands over her upper arms. "Don't mind her. She misses her kid. Puts her in a funk like that when she does." She turned to the young woman perched on top of the fire hydrant. "Hey, I was thinking about going over to the Brown Kettle for a bite. I'm starved. Wanna join me?"

"No, thanks." Roni glanced upward at the orange clouds.

"It's gonna be dark in another hour. I don't wanna be out after sundown."

Ginger shivered with fear. "I hear you. But that maniac's not in this area. He's been focusing on the east side near the housing projects. You know that."

"Yeah, but the guy's got legs, don't he? He can walk. Or take a bus or cab." Roni glanced over at her friend. "Take my word for it. That sadistic son of a bitch is gonna make his way up to our neck of the woods sooner or later." She sighed loudly as she went back to staring at the traffic. "Sooner or later."

A bright blue sedan pulled up to the corner. The window melted into the doorframe to reveal a young punk wearing a nose ring, a dirty brown vest, and probably not much else.

"Hey, mama. What does a fella hafta pay for a blow job?" he yelled across to them.

272

"Fifteen!" Roni and Ginger chorused. The unexpected stereo effect left them in giggles. Mr. Nose Ring eyed the women, weighing the benefits of each. "Hey, you. Cutie mama!"

Ginger took that as her cue to approach him. Roni was wearing a black leather bustier and black pleather pants that looked poured on. Dressed as she was, and with her jet-black hair, Roni usually scored the biker types. The rougher set.

Which was fine with Ginger and Lolly. But if this guy preferred Ginger, she'd let him. In her short plaid skirt and fur boa, Roni knew her friend Ginger enjoyed playing the innocent young thing, easily enticed by the overweight businessmen who often went looking for a quick hand job during the lunch hour.

Swaying her hips, Ginger sashayed across the narrow street and around the front of the car to approach the guy from the passenger side. "I got a little place over at the Sutton," she drawled seductively as she leaned inside the window.

"Yeah? Well, I got a little place over on Chambers," Mr.

Nose Ring replied, and he flipped back his vest to show her his badge.

The truth hit both women at the same time. "Oh, shit!

Cops!" Ginger screamed as Mr. Nose Ring deftly grabbed her wrist to keep her from escaping. Seconds later, four more undercover police appeared from nowhere to arrest Roni and Lolly, who had been watching the episode from across the street.

273

Lolly struggled as she was grabbed. "But I wasn't doin'

nothin'!"

"Oh, yeah." The cop sneered. "You two are just innocent little lambs. Sorry, sweet cheeks, but we've had you under observation for some time."

"What's your beef?" Lolly protested as one man cuffed her with a nylon tie-back. "Why aren't you over on the other side of town, searching for that murdering sicko instead of harassing us hard-working women?"

"Well, last I heard, hard-working women don't include prostitution as one of their occupations," one man remarked as he helped her into the back of Mr. Nose Ring's sedan.

Roni turned around as her hands were placed behind her back and a nylon cuff went around her wrists. She gave the cop a little snarl to show her displeasure, but he laughed in her face. From the corner of her eye, she could see Ginger being patted down.

"You should be thanking us, lady, instead of showing your teeth. Officer Tayson over there could have been the Crescent City Cutter." He gave Roni a little shove toward the police cruiser coming to join them.

A rough hand reached down to pinch her bottom through the thin fabric, hard enough to bruise. Roni winced at the sharp pain and jerked her hips away from the man's grasp.

"Watch it, numbfuck, or you'll be pulling back a stump," she hissed.

The man's eyes narrowed. "Cunt licker," he threw back at her and shoved her at the car. Roni managed to regain her balance just before landing on top of the vehicle's trunk.

274

"Hey, Simmonds! Did ja remember to pat her down?"

The man who had groped her gave an oily laugh. "Shit! I forgot!" He reached for her with a waggle of his fingers.

"Come back here and let papa see if you ain't carrying a weapon up that pretty ass of yours."

Roni twisted away from him at the last second, baring her teeth at the same time. There was no mistaking the growl coming from her throat. A couple of officers hooted at her show of bravery.

"Goddamn cunt. C'mere!"

Simmonds stepped down off the curb to reach for her again when a dark voice behind Roni called out, "Did you remember to Mirandize her?"

Simmonds stopped dead in his tracks. Anger mottled his face as he stood staring at the man behind her.

"I'll take that as a 'no.'"

Whirling around, Roni stared up, and up, at the man standing less than a yard away from her. Like the others, he wore a sweat-stained wife beater and a pair of jeans. His brown hair was longer than the regulation cop cut, and at least three days' dark growth covered his cheeks and chin.

But it was his blue eyes that made her hold her breath.

They were such a pale blue, they almost looked like chips of ice.

Those same blue eyes locked onto hers for an instant before his eyebrows snapped downward in an expression of growing anger. "Have I seen you before?"

Unfortunately, no. I would have remembered you.

275

Mr. Ice Eyes went back to Simmonds. "Mirandize her, then put her in the back of the car. Let one of the female officers search her when she gets to the station."

"Yes, sir."

He gave Roni a final glance, then turned and stalked off, leaving her. She watched his departure in silence as he muttered something under his breath about a civil lawsuit. His rear end rolled seductively, making her eyes widen in surprise. She was faintly aware of another undercover cop reading her her rights, then helping her into an unmarked police car.

As the vehicle pulled away from the curb, the orange rays of the setting sun spilled into the backseat, bathing Roni in their reddish-yellow light. Night was coming. Already she could feel her outer skin growing softer and less taut. In another hour or so, she would be able to shed it and let her real skin breathe.

Cursing softly, she watched the scenery pass by as they headed for the Chambers Street Station for booking. With a little luck, she would be able to pay her fine and be home before the night was too old. The last thing she needed was to be stuck overnight in a holding cell with twenty other assholes. Because if she couldn't change into her true self before the next morning, the shit was definitely going to hit the fan big time.

276