Bloodbound: A space/fantasy F/F romance (Sparkbound Book 2) (5 page)

Chapter Ten

"Wait." Ingrid ran after Lolita. "Wait. We don't have to do this."

Lolita froze. She turned back to Ingrid, a hard expression on her face. "What are you saying, Ginny? If we don't take the venom, then we won't stand a chance against Jorgenson and his men. They'll kill us."

"We don’t have to try to kill him," Ingrid took Lolita's hands in her own. On impulse, she lifted one and kissed her knuckles. "What I'm saying is I've changed my mind. Revenge isn't worth dying for. Not when… not when I have the chance to love you again. I know I have no right to ask this, but please, Lolita. Please."

Lolita's eyes widened, her chest heaving. Her hands in Ingrid's trembled, and for a long moment it seemed like she wasn't going to say anything. But then a wide smile broke across her face and she stepped forward, bringing her body close to Ingrid's.

"You mean it? You're willing to give up revenge for me? For us?"

Ingrid nodded. "I'm sorry for everything I've done. I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I should never have believed you were responsible for the massacre, and I should never have turned my back on you."

"Oh, Ginny." The smile widened, if that was possible. Lolita stroked Ingrid's face, and a feeling like sparks exploded throughout her blood. "You have no idea how happy that makes me. You're the only one I've ever loved. I know how that sounds, but it's true."

"I don't know if I can love you. At least, not as much as you love me. But I'll try. You make me feel alive again, and I don't ever want to lose that." Ingrid moved even closer, leaning to press her lips against Lolita's, but to her dismay, the blonde pulled away.

"Jorgenson still expects us. We can't just leave, he'll know something is up."

Ingrid nodded. "We'll sell the venom. Or just give it to him. I don't care either way. But we'll get rid of it, and then we'll leave. We can go anywhere we want."

"Harper will still hunt us."

"He won't find us. The solar system is huge and the galaxy even bigger. We can find a way to another system. It doesn't matter, as long as you and I are together, we will make it through."

Lolita brushed a strand of hair from her face, her eyes loving and soft. "You mean it."

"Of course."

Ingrid leaned forward, brushing her lips against Lolita's. The other witch responded by wrapped her arms around Ingrid's waist, pulling her in close. With a sigh, Ingrid parted her lips, closing her eyes. Sparks flooded her system, and everywhere Lolita touched felt like a stream of fire.

Lolita giggled, her tongue flicking into Ingrid's mouth–and both of them were thrown to the floor as the ship rocked.

"What was that?" Ingrid cried, scrambling to her feet.

Lolita rushed to the nearest computer consol. She cursed loudly. "Jorgenson caught us with a tractor beam. What is he playing at? We were going to go to his ship willingly."

Ingrid's heart jumped to her throat and her hands trembled. She followed Lolita as the blonde rushed to the cockpit. A green field surrounded the ship, dragging them towards what appeared to be a blank hole in space. Jorgenson's ship was well camouflaged.

"Maybe he just got impatient for us to get moving," Ingrid said hopefully.

"Maybe." Lolita hailed the warlord's ship, tapping her fingers against the console.

Within seconds, Jorgenson answered. Ingrid stared. She had seen jinns before, but this one defied all expectations. He was smaller than she was, with bright red skin, green eyes and neat black hair that was tied at the back of his head. Other than the slight blurring to his movements, as though he wasn't entirely solid, he didn't look like a jinn at all.

"What is the meaning of this, Jorgenson?" Lolita demanded, putting her hands on her hips. "We came to you of our own accord, why are you pulling in our ship like it's so much scrap metal?"

"Because that's what it is. Excuse me, I haven't introduced myself properly to your… lover." Jorgenson's eyes focused on Ingrid. "Lady Ingrid. It's so good to finally meet you. Edan told me a lot about you."

Ingrid's blood ran cold. Hearing her dead husband's name on the lips of the man who had tortured him sent a surge of anger through her. It was only by thinking of Lolita and how easily Jorgenson would blow them out of existence that she did not reach through the screen and choke the life out of him with her magic.

She took a deep breath to calm herself and forced her shoulders to relax. "He told me a lot about you as well."

Jorgenson's eyes gleamed. "I must admit, I didn't expect it to be
you
that came after me. Edan always was certain that somebody would avenge him, but his tiny little wife? But then, I suppose Harper never did care for his son…"

Ingrid's hands clenched.

"I wonder if guilt over the boy's death has caused him to rethink his priorities." Jorgenson eyed her, and Lolita quickly went to her side and put an arm around her.

"We are not here to avenge Edan," she said quickly. "Ingrid and I are lovers, but my current… situation on Earth means that we can't be there. We have venom to sell so we can escape Harper and his ruthless dictatorship. There is no revenge planned."

Jorgenson yawned lazily. "I don't believe you."

Ingrid closed her eyes, concentrating on trying to slow her racing heart. "Edan is dead. I have no future in revenge, but I do have a future with Lolita. Please, just let us go. We'll give you the venom. We won't come onto your ship. Everybody knows you're out here, so it's not like we can reveal your location."

"That is true. But that's not the reason I am inviting you onto my ship. Tell me, Ingrid… how much do you think Harper will pay for your safe return?"

BOOK THREE: CHAINBOUND, AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER
NOW

About the Author

Born in the Okanagan Valley, C.R Barlow grew up hiking mountain trails and splashing in the Okanagan Lake while looking for Ogopogo (and she swears she saw the legendary lake monster once!), and gazing at the stars at night with her two sisters and golden lab Billy.

C.R. realized that she wanted to be a writer from a very young age, ever since she read her first novel and realized just how much the written word can affect a person. Now married to her best friend from elementary school, she still resides in the Okanagan, still searching for Ogopogo, now accompanied by her three-year old daughter and their pug, Puddles.