a moment to regain control before he headed towards Herm. How a woman could be so soft and willing one minute and so damned dangerous the next baffled him. Yet she’d taken both him and Gar down, and had handled him in the rover easily, when Rafe clearly outweighed her twice over.
But leaving her with Ollen… It had taken considerable control to let Erin take care of him, that disgusting excuse for a lawman. But take care of him she had. Rafe had tuned in to their conversation with his keen hearing, pleased she hadn’t let the jerk lay one more finger on her than necessary. Rafe, however, still didn’t like the fact that she’d had to defend herself, and had taken his frustration out on Ollen’s companions.
Personally, Rafe couldn’t wait to see what Sernal would do to the corrupt peacemakers, if Sernal was even around. Gar should have been able to get through to Sernal by now.
Especially through their personal channels, a Mardu hotline all of the brothers shared on a special communicator never far from reach. Rafe could only hope Sernal fared well, and that perhaps his brother had to remain incommunicado for a mission’s sake.
Sighing, Rafe tucked away his unease and focused on Erin. For the right price, Herm would forget he’d ever seen them, especially once Rafe promised to send better peacemaker protection his way. Of course, Herm wouldn’t know who had sent them, just that a reliable
‘friend’ of Cheltam’s would make good on the promise.
Now to dump Herm and move before Gar sicced Drekk on them. Because Gar wouldn’t be denied, and he wanted Drekk to watch over his ‘little’ brother. Rafe fumed. He didn’t need the help, but overprotective Gar couldn’t hear “no” past his stubborn brain. He didn’t like Erin and would no doubt destroy her the first chance he had if she turned out to be a Creation. The old Gar would have given her a chance, but this tougher, harsher Gar would kill her without a qualm if she threatened his brother’s life. And Rafe refused to let that happen.
* * * *
“That little whelp hung up on me.” Gar glared at his communicator, ignoring the chuckle from Drekk.
“I told you as much. Hell, Gar. He’s you but with a sunnier attitude. Of course he won’t take your help, not when there’s a pretty female needing him. He’s too tenderhearted for the job. I told him so before.” Drekk sighed and leaned back on a plush divan, clutching the back of his neck with a grimace. “Damn, that girl put me down hard. I think I like her.”
“Took you out like a boy fresh from the fields. Tears, for Flor’s sake. She suckered you with damned tears.” Gar glared at Drekk, not seeing the humour in any of it. That female was no more an experiment than he was. He’d stake his life on it. She fought too well, and that form, those eyes… She wasn’t normal, and if Blue Rim wanted as much for her as they were asking, Erin would bring Rafe nothing but trouble and pain. With Sernal also gone missing, Gar didn’t know what to do. Rafe, at least, he had a tentative handle on. But Sernal never took time away from his new job as both commander of Lady Justice , his ship, and of the new Peacemaker Central satellite station, Libetter . Worry filled him, an instinctive call to protect his own that he would heed this time. He refused to lose anyone else he cared about ever again.
“Gar, don’t worry.” Drekk rose wearily to his feet. “I’ll take care of Rafe. You deal with Sernal. Because of the two of them, Sernal’s going to be more trouble than I can handle.” Gar couldn’t help the small smile that escaped. “Admit it, he’s a pain the in the ass.”
“Of course he is. All you peacemakers are. But Rafe, him I can tolerate. More than you,” Drekk muttered, offered Gar an obscene hand gesture, then simply vanished.
Gar stared, wide-eyed, at how Drekk had gotten his hands on a personal micro-teleporter and shook his head. “Show off.” He sighed. Now to save
But leaving her with Ollen… It had taken considerable control to let Erin take care of him, that disgusting excuse for a lawman. But take care of him she had. Rafe had tuned in to their conversation with his keen hearing, pleased she hadn’t let the jerk lay one more finger on her than necessary. Rafe, however, still didn’t like the fact that she’d had to defend herself, and had taken his frustration out on Ollen’s companions.
Personally, Rafe couldn’t wait to see what Sernal would do to the corrupt peacemakers, if Sernal was even around. Gar should have been able to get through to Sernal by now.
Especially through their personal channels, a Mardu hotline all of the brothers shared on a special communicator never far from reach. Rafe could only hope Sernal fared well, and that perhaps his brother had to remain incommunicado for a mission’s sake.
Sighing, Rafe tucked away his unease and focused on Erin. For the right price, Herm would forget he’d ever seen them, especially once Rafe promised to send better peacemaker protection his way. Of course, Herm wouldn’t know who had sent them, just that a reliable
‘friend’ of Cheltam’s would make good on the promise.
Now to dump Herm and move before Gar sicced Drekk on them. Because Gar wouldn’t be denied, and he wanted Drekk to watch over his ‘little’ brother. Rafe fumed. He didn’t need the help, but overprotective Gar couldn’t hear “no” past his stubborn brain. He didn’t like Erin and would no doubt destroy her the first chance he had if she turned out to be a Creation. The old Gar would have given her a chance, but this tougher, harsher Gar would kill her without a qualm if she threatened his brother’s life. And Rafe refused to let that happen.
* * * *
“That little whelp hung up on me.” Gar glared at his communicator, ignoring the chuckle from Drekk.
“I told you as much. Hell, Gar. He’s you but with a sunnier attitude. Of course he won’t take your help, not when there’s a pretty female needing him. He’s too tenderhearted for the job. I told him so before.” Drekk sighed and leaned back on a plush divan, clutching the back of his neck with a grimace. “Damn, that girl put me down hard. I think I like her.”
“Took you out like a boy fresh from the fields. Tears, for Flor’s sake. She suckered you with damned tears.” Gar glared at Drekk, not seeing the humour in any of it. That female was no more an experiment than he was. He’d stake his life on it. She fought too well, and that form, those eyes… She wasn’t normal, and if Blue Rim wanted as much for her as they were asking, Erin would bring Rafe nothing but trouble and pain. With Sernal also gone missing, Gar didn’t know what to do. Rafe, at least, he had a tentative handle on. But Sernal never took time away from his new job as both commander of Lady Justice , his ship, and of the new Peacemaker Central satellite station, Libetter . Worry filled him, an instinctive call to protect his own that he would heed this time. He refused to lose anyone else he cared about ever again.
“Gar, don’t worry.” Drekk rose wearily to his feet. “I’ll take care of Rafe. You deal with Sernal. Because of the two of them, Sernal’s going to be more trouble than I can handle.” Gar couldn’t help the small smile that escaped. “Admit it, he’s a pain the in the ass.”
“Of course he is. All you peacemakers are. But Rafe, him I can tolerate. More than you,” Drekk muttered, offered Gar an obscene hand gesture, then simply vanished.
Gar stared, wide-eyed, at how Drekk had gotten his hands on a personal micro-teleporter and shook his head. “Show off.” He sighed. Now to save
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