Bargain With the Enemy by S E Gilchrist Read Free Book Online

unmistakable truth.
    She is my brother’s mate. She can never be mine.
    That one simple fact ate like draptile acid in his gut.
    She may never be mine, but what I can do is ensure her safety and the safety of my brother’s child. And this I vow to do.
    But for now there was a more important matter to attend to, the overseeing of his brother’s final journey.
    He switched his gaze back onto the screen to check the proceedings.
    Claudo Ren, the Darkon Keeper of the Dead for Ivo’s battle-cruiser, consulted with the Relic soldier who’d piloted the shuttle carrying the bodies from Verrilous. As Ivo watched, Claudo stabbed at his personal compu screen with his finger before giving a short nod and turned aside to address Ivo through his personal comms.
    â€˜Problem?’ queried Ivo, slowly uncurling his damp fists.
    Claudo walked a short distance away from the surrounding soldiers and lowered his voice. ‘Sir, I have data you will wish to view for yourself. Uploading now.’
    Ivo examined the intel.
    Then re-read it.
    Disbelief, anger, relief, exultation! All this and more hammered his body. His head reeled and it took every atom of self-control not to rush from the Command Centre and force the truth from her.
    He asked slowly while his mind grappled with the ramifications, ‘This intel has been verified, Claudo?’
    â€˜Affirmative, sir. The Relic captain, Joran Melda, was acquainted with both Ensign Neo and his Earth mate. He has certified their identification and reported both met their deaths on Verrilous. Their bodies have also been checked by our medic against our records for Ensign Neo. There is no mistake.’
    â€˜Continue and advise me when the ceremony will begin. I will contact Captain Melda and thank him for his assistance. Ensure the Relic pilot is compensated before he departs.’
    Ivo switched off the comms but continued to glare at the now blank screen.
    She was not the mother.
    She had never lain with his brother.
    She had lied.
    Why? To protect Neo’s offspring or herself?
    Who was she? Was she, indeed, a thief? A deserter? A true refugee? An innocent caught up in events beyond her control?
    Perhaps she sought to gain the status of being a high-ranking Darkon’s mate.
    Whatever her reasons, it was immaterial. For now the only barrier that had kept him at a distance was void.
    His blood, hot and heavy, did a slow pulse through his veins, flooding his cock and swelling his seed sacs. He would take her, assuage his needs until he no longer ached at the mere thought of her. Once this was done, as he had no doubt it would be, he would send her on her way.
    Forget his bargain with her. Forget how little Mia would cry for her.
    For I have no use for a mate who lies. I could never trust her.
    The fabled “pull” has made a mistake.
    She is not my one.

Chapter 5
    Patting Mia’s back, Stephanie, dressed in the beige flight-shirt and pants she’d been given by Ursa, ambled back and forth on the observation deck.
    â€˜Look, Mia. See that cloud of space dust? It’s so pretty: gold, blue, pink and silver. See how it sparkles.’
    The sound of the door behind whooshing open, made her falter. She stopped, keeping her back to the ship and continued to stare through the transparent plexi-glass bubble protecting the deck. The unhurried, firm tread announced Ice Man had tracked her down.
    Heat flared over her skin, a torrid reminder of their last encounter and the way she had stood there and allowed him to touch her as he pleased.
    Who does he think he is? I should have pushed him away. I may be lonely but I’m not desperate.
    The footsteps stopped.
    He stood by her side, silent for the moment, seemingly content to gaze at the vista of vast black nothingness interspersed with the faint flare of distant stars and the glittering space dust she’d been admiring. His hands were gripped behind his back and he frowned as if his thoughts were just as