Deadly Pursuit (A Blood Hunter Novel, #2) (42 page)

He
reached
out
for
her,
but
she
stepped
back,
and
he
dropped
his
hand
to
his
side,
shaking
his
head
in
confusion.
Why,
when
he
thought
he
had
a
grip
on
things,
did
the
rules
have
to
change?
He
took
a
deep
breath.
Maybe
she
needed
to
talk
about
it
first.
Women
liked
to
talk.
Didn’t
they?

“So
this
proposition…?”

She
nibbled
on
her
lower
lip.
“I
want
you
to
take
me
to
the
rendezvous
point
with
High
Priest
Fischer.”

For
a
moment,
he
didn’t
think
he’d
heard
right.
Maybe
because
he’d
been
expecting
words
more
along
the
lines
of
:
I
want
you
to
take
me
to
bed
and
fuck
my
brains
out
.
Well,
maybe
not
that
exact
wording,
but
similar.
Now,
he
had
to
try
and
get
his
head
around
this.
At
least
his
hard-on
was
subsiding.

Was
it
some
sort
of
more
oblique
approach?
Maybe
he
should
tell
her
he’d
decided
to
give
her
his
full
cooperation.
Or
perhaps
he
could
show
her.
He
stepped
toward
her,
but
once
again,
she
backed
away.

“You
were
right,”
she
said.

“I
was?”
Well,
that
had
to
be
a
first.

“I
have
to
leave
before
I
get
you
all
killed.”

He
pressed
his
fingers
to
his
scalp.
“Let
me
get
this
straight.
You
want
me
to
take
you
and
hand
you
over
to
the
Church.”

She
nodded.

“Why?
What’s
changed?”

“Nothing
really.
I
told
you
I
was
always
going
to
go
back.”

“So
why
now?”

“They
know
where
I
am.
And
they
obviously
won’t
stop
coming
after
everyone
until
they
have
me
back.
Once
I
return,
they’ll
leave
you
alone.
You’ll
be
able
to
concentrate
on
sorting
out
the
Collective
rather
than
avoiding
the
Church.”

“You
can’t
give
yourself
up.”

Uncertainty
flickered
in
her
expression.
“Why?”

She
no
doubt
wanted
to
hear
something
soft
and
romantic
like
he
couldn’t
bear
to
see
her
go.
But
that
wasn’t
who
he
was.
Hell,
even
before
his
pack
had
gone
he’d
never
been
one
to
articulate
his
feelings.

“Because
I
can’t
stand
the
thought
of
that
slimy
bastard
getting
what
he
wants.”

Disappointment
flashed
in
her
eyes,
but
she
shrugged.
“Anyway,
I’m
not
giving
myself
up.
I’m
going
home.
It’s
not
as
though
I’m
in
any
danger.”

He
paced
the
room
for
a
minute,
before
turning
back
to
face
her.
“Why
come
to
me?”

“Because
I
don’t
know
how
to
fly
the
shuttle.”

“But
why
me?
Why
not
one
of
the
others?”

“Because
the
others
might
try
to
talk
me
out
of
it.
I
know
you
won’t.
You
told
me
to
go
back,
after
all.”

“I
didn’t
mean
it.”

“Yes
you
did.
And
you
were
right.”
A
frown
formed
between
her
brows.
“What’s
the
problem?
You’ll
even
get
a
reward
for
handing
me
over.
It’s
a
win-win
situation
for
you.”

Jon
rubbed
his
chin.
In
a
way,
she
was
right.
She
would
be
safe
if
she
went
back
to
the
Church,
unlike
the
rest
of
them
who
were
not
likely
to
survive
much
longer
with
the
Collective
after
them.
As
long
as
the
Collective
never
found
out
her
involvement,
and
they
were
unlikely
to
make
a
connection
between
The
High
Priestess
of
the
Church
of
Everlasting
Life
and
a
motley
crew
of
space
pirates.
No,
she’d
definitely
be
safer,
so
why
was
he
searching
his
brain
for
reasons
why
she
shouldn’t
go
back?

Why
wasn’t
he
elated?
Instead
he
felt
as
though
he
was
about
to
lose
something.
Something
he’d
never
actually
had.

He
forced
himself
to
think
through
it
logically.

The
truth
was,
he
didn’t
want
her
to
go.

But
if
she
stayed
here,
she
would
die
with
the
rest
of
them.
He’d
be
unable
to
protect
her,
just
like
he’d
been
unable
to
protect
his
pack.

“I’ll
take
you,”
he
said.

He’d
hand
her
over
to
the
Church,
he’d
pick
up
the
reward
money,
and
he’d
keep
right
on
going,
head
off
on
his
own.
That
was
how
it
should
be.

She
nodded.
“I’ll
meet
you
in
the
docking
bay
in
half
an
hour.”

…

Alex
had
to
get
out
of
there.
If
she’d
stayed
any
longer,
she
might
have
broken
down
and
decided
she
should
stay
after
all.
She’d
thought
he
would
leap
at
the
chance
to
get
rid
of
her.
But
he
hadn’t.
In
fact,
he’d
been
downright
reluctant,
and
she’d
sensed
her
resolve
weakening.
She’d
wanted
to
wrap
her
arms
around
him,
bury
her
head
against
his
chest,
and
let
him
tell
her
that
everything
was
going
to
work
out.

Of
course,
she
hadn’t.
Because
he
couldn’t
tell
her
that.

Back
in
her
cabin,
she
dragged
the
bundle
out
of
the
small
cupboard,
while
Mogg
watched
her
from
the
bed.
These
were
her
only
possessions
when
she’d
come
aboard—now
she
wished
she’d
tossed
them
away
on
Trakis
Twelve.
She
shook
out
the
black
robes.
The
material
was
the
finest
available.
It
didn’t
help—she
loathed
them.

Glancing
down
at
her
lovely
orange
jumpsuit,
a
wave
of
loss
washed
over
her
so
strong
she
staggered
under
the
weight
of
it.
She
knew
she
was
doing
the
right
thing,
but
this
way
she
wouldn’t
even
get
to
say
good-bye
to
her
friends.
And
they
were
friends,
probably
the
first
true
friends
she
had
had
in
her
entire
life.
Maybe
she’d
send
Skylar
a
comm,
to
apologize,
once
she
was
safely
back
in
the
Abbey.

Everyone
was
still
on
the
bridge
discussing
how
to
evade
the
Church.
Soon
they
wouldn’t
need
to.
She
hoped
they’d
be
grateful
and
not
angry
with
her.

As
she
stripped
off
the
jumpsuit
and
boots,
she
cast
a
quick
look
down
her
body.
All
she
wore
was
a
pair
of
scarlet
panties.
She’d
keep
those
on.
No
one
would
know
what
was
beneath
her
robes.
Except
her.

She
pulled
the
black
dress
over
her
head
and
tugged
her
boots
back
on.
The
robes
were
old-fashioned
in
design
and
buttoned
up
the
back.
At
the
Abbey,
she’d
always
had
people
to
help
her
dress.
Here,
she’d
have
to
ask
Jon.
She
crumpled
up
the
headdress,
shoved
it
in
her
pocket,
and
she
was
ready
to
go.

Mogg
rubbed
up
against
her
legs
as
though
he
could
sense
something
amiss.
She
had
to
leave
him
behind,
and
she
couldn’t
bear
it,
even
though
she
knew
Daisy
would
take
care
of
him.
She
sank
onto
the
bed,
pulled
him
onto
her
lap,
and
stroked
his
silky
fur.

Then
she
gave
him
one
last
hug,
put
him
down
on
the
floor,
and
ran
from
the
room
before
she
could
change
her
mind.

Jon
was
waiting
for
her,
dressed
in
his
black
coat
and
leaning
against
the
side
of
the
shuttle.
When
he
caught
sight
of
her,
his
eyes
widened.
He
stood
up
straight,
staring
at
her
outfit
in
disbelief.

“Jesus
Christ,”
he
muttered.

She
ignored
the
comment,
slammed
her
hand
into
the
door
panel,
and
heaved
a
sigh
of
relief
when
it
slid
open.
The
Trog
had
assured
her
he’d
adjusted
the
systems,
but
she
hadn’t
been
sure
he’d
really
understood
what
she
needed.
Standing
to
the
side,
she
gestured
for
Jon
to
enter
then
followed
him
inside.

“You
do
know
they’ll
notice
as
soon
as
the
outer
doors
open?”
Jon
said.
“They’ll
very
likely
stop
us.
If
they
threaten
to
shoot,
I’m
turning
straight
back.”