DarkWind: 2nd Book, WindDemon Trilogy by Charlotte Boyett-Compo Read Free Book Online Page A

yeoman mumbled. “They are ordering us to surrender or be blown out of the sky.”
    “Who?” Caitlin repeated. “Who’s out there?”
    “Ask him,” the yeoman snapped, jerking a thumb over his shoulder toward the Captain. “That stupid idiot wants to fight and we barely have enough torpedoes on board to blow the lid off a trash can!” The yeoman pushed past her, hurrying to his station.
    “Bring them up on screen, Bryan!” Wellmeyer was shouting. “I want to see them!”
    Helen Bryan rolled her eyes skyward. “They’re cloaking, Captain, and I can’t lock on.”
    “Cloaking?” Wellmeyer repeated as though he’d never heard the word before. “Cloaking?”
    “Stealth mode, Captain,” Caitlin reminded him. She walked past him and went to Bryan’s station. “Have they identified themselves, Helen?”
    Bryan shook her head. “No, but I believe they mean business, Caitlin.” She tried hailing the incoming ship again, but received no answer. “They don’t appear to be in the mood to discuss the matter.”
    Even as she spoke, the Orion was buffeted by a shock wave as a missile passed close by her leeward side. Every one on the bridge pitched sideways, grabbing for whatever they could to keep from being thrown to the deck.
    “Fire! Fire!” Wellmeyer shrieked.
    “At what?” Dixon shouted. “Where?”
    Once more the ship lurched in the percussive wave of a fired missile. Klaxons began going off all over ship as damage was recorded on the ship’s computers.
    “Blow them out of our way!” Wellmeyer shouted. His eyes were wide, his face stark white.
    “Try hailing them again,” Caitlin said in a calm voice. “Tell them we are not hostile. Ask them what they want. They’ve had plenty of time by now to monitor our language and format it into their own.”
    Bryan nodded, trying to ignore the Captain’s ranting and raving in the background as he hurled ridiculous orders at his crew.
    The Orion suddenly dropped a hundred yards, leaving the crew gasping as they found their hearts in their throats. The overhead lights flickered, went out, and the emergency generator kicked in, illuminating the bridge with an eerie greenish tint from the mercury lighting.
    “They are responding, Ma’am,” Bryan said, glancing up at Caitlin.
    “On screen,” Caitlin ordered.
    There was a pulse of gray light, then the main Com-Link engaged.
    He was obviously enraged, his jaw set, his eyes spearing the crew of the Orion with venomous fury. His angry stare swept over those on the bridge and settled unerringly on Wellmeyer. “I am the McGregor,” he announced.
    Iyan,” Caitlin breathed and knew she was looking into the face of the man from the journal. As soon as his name passed her lips, the man’s stony attention leapt to her.
    “Who the gods-be-damned hell are you, woman?” he demanded.
    Caitlin had to swallow before she could answer. “I am Dr. Kelly. I am a-”
    “Where is he?” Iyan growled, a muscle in his lean cheek working.
    “In the sickbay. I am-”
    “You will send him to us, now!”
    Caitlin felt her knees growing weak beneath that savage stare. “I can’t. He’s-”
    “Now, woman!” Iyan bellowed.
    “I can’t!” she threw back at him with equal fire.
    “By the gods, if you don’t, I’ll-”
    “He’s in no condition to be transported anywhere!” Caitlin yelled and had the satisfaction of seeing the man blink, then the brutal anger returned in full force.
    “Believe me when I tell you, woman, you do not want me to come get him,” Iyan warned her. “If I have to, I will make you regret...”
    “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Caitlin snapped, waving a dismissive hand. “You’ll make me regret I was ever born.” She pursed her lips. “Is that all the threat you can come up with when confronted by strong women?”
    Iyan McGregor’s pale blue eyes flared. His mouth opened then snapped shut as his jaw locked and his stare narrowed viciously.
    The Com-Link screen went black.
    “Oh, Sweet Merciful