whether the other females were just as bold. “Continue.”
“We will not be prisoners nor will we be subject to torture or experiments.” She paused. A myriad of expressions passed across her face which Tarak longed to interpret. “I need to know right here and now, exactly why you want us. Also, why the Elite Forces want to kill us.”
“I cannot answer for the Elite Forces. As to my motives, that is not for you to know. We need to move quickly before another patrol arrives. Come, in which direction lie your friends?” Deliberately he kept his tone even and calm.
He closed his mind to the insistent voice in his head reminding him of his orders. Orders for all suitable females to be taken to Isla.
Without delay.
Without exception.
He gestured for her to walk with him, urging her forward. The fallen soldiers would soon regain consciousness. He had no taste to shed blood this night.
When she hesitated, he pulled the hood over her head, gripped her elbow. Tugged her along after him.
“There is no time for this. Now, which direction lies their shelter?” He growled through a jaw clenched so hard his bones ached.
Still she resisted his grip. Her booted feet dug into the hard ground, her body stiff and resistant as if he dragged her.
Never had he met a more obstinate female!
“Having trouble, sir?” His second-in-command had marched up with his contingent of men from a side street. He waited in battle-ready stance. At the hint of amusement and curiosity in Magar’s voice, Tarak grimaced.
This was taking far too much time. He considered the option of throwing the obstinate female over his shoulder but he still did not have the directions.
His patience at an end, he snapped, “Enough!”
”You haven’t answered my question so I’m not going anywhere until you do,” she snapped in response. The female wrenched her arm out of his grip. She flung back her head.
Behind him, Tarak heard softly indrawn breaths of disbelief. From a distance came the sound of marching feet. Data scrolled down the screen before his eyes. He calculated the distance between him and his enemies.
“They are coming,” he said.
Her eyes wide and desperate, the female searched for an avenue of escape. But she was surrounded by battle-hardened warriors and an alien landscape. In the fast fading light, Tarak saw her shoulders slump.
Deep inside him something which had been buried so long it had been forgotten, stirred into cautious life.
He reached out to touch her face and scowled when she jerked aside. “My payload is too valuable alive for me to kill after the trouble we have endured to attain it.” With cunning he avoided a direct response to her question.
She chewed her lip for a second before raising her chin. “Very well. It seems I have little choice at the moment. They’re not far from here. Follow me,” she ordered in a brisk tone which gave Tarak great amusement.
He would ignore her impertinence for the time being.
Tarak motioned his men to fall in behind. They hastened through the now dark streets. He kept his grip sure and firm on the female’s arm, holding her close to his warmth, not trusting her sufficiently to allow her to walk free. Twice already she had managed toescape him. He swallowed an admiring chuckle. She was intelligent this female. It would not do to underestimate her ingenuity. If the other females were even half as clever as her—well perhaps his warriors could spend their last cycles in stimulating company. Divert their minds from the forthcoming end.
If these females could awaken his warriors to again experience the Darkon vigorous sex drive dead all these long cycles? Even better he decided, considering their grim future. Or lack of it, He could give this gift of pleasure to his men, this brief respite and then deliver the females to Isla.
The bite of guilt snapped at his spirit with all the ferocity of a draptile.
The females’ fate would be sealed.
But orders were orders. The duty
“We will not be prisoners nor will we be subject to torture or experiments.” She paused. A myriad of expressions passed across her face which Tarak longed to interpret. “I need to know right here and now, exactly why you want us. Also, why the Elite Forces want to kill us.”
“I cannot answer for the Elite Forces. As to my motives, that is not for you to know. We need to move quickly before another patrol arrives. Come, in which direction lie your friends?” Deliberately he kept his tone even and calm.
He closed his mind to the insistent voice in his head reminding him of his orders. Orders for all suitable females to be taken to Isla.
Without delay.
Without exception.
He gestured for her to walk with him, urging her forward. The fallen soldiers would soon regain consciousness. He had no taste to shed blood this night.
When she hesitated, he pulled the hood over her head, gripped her elbow. Tugged her along after him.
“There is no time for this. Now, which direction lies their shelter?” He growled through a jaw clenched so hard his bones ached.
Still she resisted his grip. Her booted feet dug into the hard ground, her body stiff and resistant as if he dragged her.
Never had he met a more obstinate female!
“Having trouble, sir?” His second-in-command had marched up with his contingent of men from a side street. He waited in battle-ready stance. At the hint of amusement and curiosity in Magar’s voice, Tarak grimaced.
This was taking far too much time. He considered the option of throwing the obstinate female over his shoulder but he still did not have the directions.
His patience at an end, he snapped, “Enough!”
”You haven’t answered my question so I’m not going anywhere until you do,” she snapped in response. The female wrenched her arm out of his grip. She flung back her head.
Behind him, Tarak heard softly indrawn breaths of disbelief. From a distance came the sound of marching feet. Data scrolled down the screen before his eyes. He calculated the distance between him and his enemies.
“They are coming,” he said.
Her eyes wide and desperate, the female searched for an avenue of escape. But she was surrounded by battle-hardened warriors and an alien landscape. In the fast fading light, Tarak saw her shoulders slump.
Deep inside him something which had been buried so long it had been forgotten, stirred into cautious life.
He reached out to touch her face and scowled when she jerked aside. “My payload is too valuable alive for me to kill after the trouble we have endured to attain it.” With cunning he avoided a direct response to her question.
She chewed her lip for a second before raising her chin. “Very well. It seems I have little choice at the moment. They’re not far from here. Follow me,” she ordered in a brisk tone which gave Tarak great amusement.
He would ignore her impertinence for the time being.
Tarak motioned his men to fall in behind. They hastened through the now dark streets. He kept his grip sure and firm on the female’s arm, holding her close to his warmth, not trusting her sufficiently to allow her to walk free. Twice already she had managed toescape him. He swallowed an admiring chuckle. She was intelligent this female. It would not do to underestimate her ingenuity. If the other females were even half as clever as her—well perhaps his warriors could spend their last cycles in stimulating company. Divert their minds from the forthcoming end.
If these females could awaken his warriors to again experience the Darkon vigorous sex drive dead all these long cycles? Even better he decided, considering their grim future. Or lack of it, He could give this gift of pleasure to his men, this brief respite and then deliver the females to Isla.
The bite of guilt snapped at his spirit with all the ferocity of a draptile.
The females’ fate would be sealed.
But orders were orders. The duty
Similar Books
