Light of Kaska by Michelle O'Leary Read Free Book Online Page B

building. His destination was obvious—he was heading for his ship. But what could he possibly want with her?

    She’d thought he was scary in the daytime, but he was terrifying at night, even still chained. There’d been a wild energy about him, violence barely held in check. Now she knew why—he’d been getting ready for his escape, though she had no idea how he’d managed it. But why take her? He couldn’t need her for anything. If he was taking her hostage, he'd made a poor choice—unless he’d recognized her family’s mark. They weren’t the most powerful Mater House on Kaska, but they were wealthy and influential enough. Maybe he meant to ransom her to them.

    Anger and an odd disillusionment gave her strength. “I don’t want to go with you,” she hissed as they passed through the silent town. “Why are you doing this?”

    “Not for my health,” he said, tightening his hold when she tried to pull away again. “We gotta do this quick and quiet, so don’t give me any trouble.”

    “And if I scream?”

    “I’ll knock your ass out and drag you,” he growled in a tone of such low menace that she lost what little fortitude she’d found and quaked in his hold.

    “Please,” she whimpered. “I tried to help you.”

    “No good deed goes unpunished,” he muttered in response then jerked her unceremoniously off course into the shadow of a building, a large hand clamping over her mouth. His body was a hot shadow looming over her, threat and violence in every hard muscle. She quivered in his hold, fear a paralyzing creature in her chest. She had no idea why they’d stopped until she saw a form step onto a porch across from them and enter a house.

    That was the only person they saw on their way out of town, though. The streets were silent, the houses dark. Just after twilight and the whole town was quiet as a tomb, as silent and still as if it was the middle of the night. Sukeza stared from house to house with growing despair, searching for a rescue that never came.

    In the sparsely forested field just outside the town proper, Stryker seemed to relax a little, his grip lessening on her arm. She wondered if she should try to make a break for it, then realized from the gasping sounds coming out of her throat that she’d never make it. Terror and his quick march had sapped her strength and energy. “Why?” she wheezed.

    “They’d turn on you the second I was gone,” he answered without looking down at her, his eyes scanning their surroundings.

    “No they wouldn’t. They know me. I didn’t do anything.” But she heard the weakness in her voice, a weakness made of doubt as well as lack of energy.

    “I didn’t do anything either and look where I was. They’ll think you helped me escape. They’ll put you in my place.”

    “That’s—”
Nonsense,
she wanted to say but couldn’t. The field shifted and rustled around her, night sounds in the deepening darkness. The horizon still glowed blue, but stars glittered overhead. Far in the distance, she heard a
chukra
bugle the night cry, the responses from other herds faint and fading. The sound gave her a sensation like despair.

    “Did you—did you kill Clavis?” she asked in a whisper.

    “No,” he answered in a clipped tone. He flicked a quick look down at her and made a rough sound in his throat, like a disgusted growl. “He deserved a hell of a lot more than he got, but all I did was knock his fat ass out and chain him to the stall.”

    She supposed she shouldn’t believe him but she did anyway. What would be the point of lying to her? She was completely under his control.

    A moment later, Stryker let go of her arm without fanfare as if he knew she’d follow. And she did. What choice did she have? Going back was too dangerous and there was no other immediate way off the planet besides Stryker’s ship. Even if he did mean to ransom her, she was out of options.

    They walked in silence a long way, Stryker gazing around and