War Bride (Battle Born #7)(4)

According to the information Kryton had paid a small fortune to attain, there were no motion sensors or intruder detection systems in the stairwell. Still, he paused long enough to confirm the fact with his armband scanner.

“It’s clear,” he told Tonn, who was scanning as well. Tonn nodded and Kryton bolted up the stairs, his long legs clearing the obstacles three at a time.

He reached the upper doorway just as Skyla and her bodyguard entered the walkway. A large window in the door allowed him to see into the walkway and he watched their progress in a simple convex mirror hung from the ceiling. Tonn held a stun wand in one hand and the suppression collar in the other. Kryton had already checked to make sure his sidearm was set on stun as well. Damaging the bodyguard was an acceptable risk, but nothing would harm Skyla.

His heartrate increased with each step she took. Weeks of planning had led to countless nights of tossing in his lonely bed, dreaming of a future he’d yet to achieve. He’d quickly chosen Skyla from a short list of possible targets. At first he’d wanted her because her abilities were impressive yet nonthreatening. Clairvoyance could be extremely useful and still a clairvoyant was easy to control. At least physically. So he’d dug deeper and became more intrigued with each fact he learned. If the information he’d compiled was accurate, she was the perfect combination of cool logic and fiery spirit. She wouldn’t cower before him like a child, but neither would she despise him simply for being Rodyte. He’d experienced that phenomenon once too often in recent years. He was ready for a mature female with whom he could reason, rather than just rut.

He grasped the door handle as his target neared. Tonn shifted to the other side of the doorway, ensuring that neither Skyla nor her bodyguard saw him. As Skyla drew even with the door, Kryton swung it open and Tonn went after the guard. Kryton grabbed Skyla around the waist and pulled her firmly against him. In less than a second, the bodyguard was unconscious, collared, and lying at their feet. Kryton heard Skyla inhale sharply and realized she meant to scream. He raised his sidearm and reluctantly stunned her. She collapsed into his arms, her weight insubstantial even with the elaborate gown.

Nice work.

Tonn grinned.

More than anything Kryton wanted to savor having Skyla in his arms, but first they had to escape this gods forsaken planet. He draped her over his shoulder and turned toward the stairwell, one of his arms securely wrapped around her legs. Tonn held the door open and they rushed down the stairs. They flew out the door and sprinted for the relative protection of the trees, all the while listening for shouts or alarms.

They’d left the hatch open in anticipation of their hasty return. Maneuvering her through the opening and up the steep stairs tested Kryton’s strength and agility. Her billowy skirts sabotaged him at every turn. He finally managed to guide her entire body into the shuttle. Tonn dove in after him and secured the hatch.

They switched seats. Kryton sat at the navigator’s console and arranged Skyla on his lap. She lay securely in the cradle of his arms, head resting against his shoulder. Tonn slipped onto the pilot’s seat and drew the systems out of standby. The engines rumbled and the small ship vibrated as Tonn carefully eased out of the security grid. Once free, he blasted away from the complex with breath-stealing acceleration. Their exit would create a momentary fluctuation in the security grid, if it showed up at all.

Kryton smiled, finally allowing himself to relax. This had been almost too easy. When Rodytes first claimed war brides, all of Bilarri went on alert, making the simplest capture a challenge. Now, nearly a century later, few Rodytes had the patience or the resources required to maintain a war bride, so Bilarrians had grown complacent.

His captive shifted restlessly, momentarily drawing his gaze. Several strands of her long dark hair had escaped, trailing along her neck and into the valley between her breasts. Her thick-lashed blue eyes had widened when she saw him, the rings separating her irises from her pupils bright red.

“She really is beautiful,” Tonn muttered then quickly turned back to his controls.

Kryton’s gaze lingered on his lovely captive and his body hardened in anticipation of the conquest to come. Capturing her might have been easy, but he had no doubt Skyla would challenge him every step of the way.

*

Someone slipped their arm under Skyla’s shoulders and lifted her slightly. Then something cool and smooth pressed against her lips.

“Drink. This will help revive you.” The voice was deep and resonate, obviously belonging to a man, but he spoke Bilarrian with an odd accent. Dread rolled across her shoulders and down her back.

A tangy liquid slid over Skyla’s tongue and she automatically swallowed, and then swallowed again. She blinked several times, then slowly lifted her lids. The stranger’s familiar face awaited her, as she knew it would. He sat on the edge of the bunk, his arm supporting her shoulders. His gaze was narrowed, the blue rings barely visible in an endless sea of black. He appeared every bit as savage as he had in her dreams.

“Who are you?” she whispered. She already knew what he wanted and why he’d taken her. Worse, she knew his seduction would succeed. Despite what she’d told Rona, Skyla had realized she was the boy’s mother the moment her dream revealed his perfect little face.

“I’m you’re master.” He spoke with calm finality. “You will call me sir.”

Ignoring the ridiculous statement, she pushed against the firm mattress and sat up. She wanted to see beyond him and needed to minimize her contact with his arm. There wasn’t much to see. The room was clean yet austere. The bunk on which she lay, a built-in work station and a small couch were the only furnishings. Maletta Estate was in a narrow valley. Only small, agile transports could navigate the challenging terrain. She couldn’t feel a telltale vibration or hear the engines’ drone, but she had no doubt she was on a spaceship.