~ Soul Of A Mercenary ~

by

Angela Verdenius

"Gut instinct. You won’t be able to see the control panels well enough through a black eye."

"Touchy! Right, oh fiery one, where do we head?"

"Urion."

He glanced at her quizzically. "Exactly where on Urion?"

"Ten miles north of Zartep."

"Ah, the forest where you and your sister warriors lived during the last of the outlaw years."

"Are we going to leave or not?"

He turned back to the control panel. "We’re going, lass, never fear."

The craft rose from the ground shakily, steadied and within seconds was heading out into space. Maverk set the coordinates, put the craft on autopilot and swiveled the chair around to face Reya.

She gazed coldly at him as he leaned back, linking his hands behind his head and crossing one ankle over the opposite knee with an air of ease. "What’s your problem, pretty boy?"

"I don’t have one, but you do."

"Do I?" What was he up to now?

"You fear being alone with me and I have the proof."

"And what is that?"

"Your performance over sharing the sleeping cabin."

"Because you irritate me, pretty boy, nothing more."

"How could I possibly do that? I’ll be asleep."

"Very easily. You’re doing it now."

"Mayhaps you’re worried that you won’t be able to keep your hands off me, but I don’t mind in the least."

"Don’t flatter yourself. That’s the least of my concerns, Maverk. I have more important things on my mind than your body."

"So my body is on your mind--even just a little bit?"

Standing up, Reya snapped, "Let’s get one thing perfectly clear. What happened at the tavern won’t be repeated, ever. There is nothing between us, understand?"

Unfazed, he cocked one eyebrow at her.

"Your company is forced upon me due to my cousin’s stubbornness and, for her sake only, I suffer you. Thanks to your idiotic, noble ideas, I am trying to find a child in whom I have no interest, one who is stupid enough to wander in the dark when she knows it is dangerous."

"Mara wants to be like you," he pointed out to her.

"Well, now she has the opportunity to know what it feels like to be amongst the enemy. I’m sure she’s having a wonderful time."

All teasing fled. "That’s a terrible thing to say."

"Get used to it. While in my company, you’ll hear a lot of terrible things. If you don’t like it, leave."

Maverk unfolded his great length to stand over the tall warrior. "You’d like for me to leave, wouldn’t you?"

"The sooner the better."

"You’re stuck with me, Reya, like it or not, and while I am with you, you’ll learn a lot about me, too."

"That just thrills me to my bones."

"I’m glad to hear it." He smiled wolfishly, "Because I’m going to enjoy teaching you."

A prickle went down her spine and she had to steel herself against backing away. "Not interested."

"A second ago you were thrilled."

"Get used to sarcasm, pretty boy."

He was starting to unnerve her. Those damnable brown eyes seemed to peer into her very soul, searching and probing for what she really felt and thought. He was too stubborn, too persistent, too confident and too handsome.

Startled and angered by the unexpected thought, Reya abruptly shoved past him, only to be brought up short by a large hand on her upper arm.

"Release me."

"Running already?"

"Don’t push it."

"Or what?" He stepped directly in front of her. "You’ll kill me? We’ve been over this before, Reya. You won’t do it."

"I can slice you up a little. I’ve done that before."

"To a friend?"

"You’re not a friend."

"So what am I? Your enemy?"

"An annoyance."

"So, not an enemy." His gaze bored into hers. "Not a friend. But not just an acquaintance, either, for we have a past history that takes us beyond that."

Her cheeks pinked. "That night in the tavern..."

Faint amusement quirked his lips. "For someone who insists it didn’t happen, it leaps to your mind remarkably quickly. I was referring to the time we helped prove the innocence of your race. We weren’t your enemy then and I’m not now."

"That time is over."

"That time brought about marriages between some of your sister warriors and my friends, including your blood sister. There’s a bond between us all that you seem determined to break."

Her eyes flared. "Do not dare to suggest that I seek to break the bonds between my sisters and their husbands, or between each other!"

"You misunderstand." He regarded her intently. "The bond is that between yourself and all of us."

It felt as though a trap were closing around her. "I don’t know what you mean."

"Don’t lie to me, Reya, honesty is something I’ve always admired in you. You left Comll without a goodbye and haven’t sent word to anyone since. All your sister knows are from the snippets of rumors other traders who have crossed your path bring back. You turn your back on peace--"

"Enough."

"You return to a life of war and death, and your sister warriors worry themselves sick about you. Including Dana."

"I said enough!"

"I speak only the truth. You turn your back on everything you fought for, and now Tenia asks one thing from you and you turn your back on her with no explanation. On all of us. You’ve rejected us all."

"Damn you!" She tried to tear herself out of his hold only to be pressed firmly, yet carefully, back against the wall. "Let go!"

"Aren’t we good enough for you?" He continued relentlessly. "Are we so far beneath you that you shake us from you like dirt from your boots?"

Her face drained of all color. "How dare you even think to question me, trader!" Her voice throbbed with pained rage.

"I dare for the high regard I hold your sister in." Maverk hated the torment he was putting her through, but knew that only by pushing her to the limits did he stand a chance of getting answers. "A regard you apparently don’t hold for her."

"You have no idea why I do the things I do!" she hissed. "None!"

"So tell me and let me understand."

Silence filled the air, thick with hidden secrets that darkened the soul of one and perplexed the heart of the other.

Closing her eyes, Reya dropped her head forward. "You have no idea what you ask."

"Tell me," he insisted gently. "Is it so very bad that I wouldn’t understand? That your own blood sister wouldn’t?"

"She must never know." The words were muffled.

Placing his finger beneath her chin, he tilted her head back and his heart contracted at the open agony in her eyes. "You can trust me. Share with me what it is that makes you feel you cannot return to your people."

She searched his eyes, hesitant. "Maverk, I..."

"What, lass? What did you do?" His voice was gentle, his hands no longer gripping but comforting.

I’ve caused more destruction than you’ll ever know. I turned on my beliefs and killed those I shouldn’t have, slaughtered them and left them to rot in the sun. "I am truly damned," she whispered.

The words, combined with the torment in her eyes, chilled him. "What do you mean, Reya? Why are you damned? I don’t understand.

"Don’t understand..." she repeated then blinked.

What the hell was she doing? She had nearly revealed the dark secret that blackened her soul and would rip apart any love she and her sister shared, any love and friendship she had with her sister warriors.

No one must know. With a brief flash of insight, Reya realized that she couldn’t bear for this man to hear the words that damned her, to see the horror and loathing fill his eyes, and the disgust as he recoiled from her. The same disgust that would be in the eyes of every one of the Reekas’ if they found out the darkness that ate at her soul.

That drove her every day closer to madness.

"No." She blinked and her eyes became emotionless once more.

Maverk felt the spiritual withdrawal, the darkness being sucked deep within her to lie buried, and he cursed inwardly. "Reya--"

"‘Tis not your business, pretty boy." The bite of winter had returned to the husky tones. "We haven’t the time to waste on rehashing the past."

"What did you mean about being truly damned?"

"Aren’t all hired killers? There’s no heaven for us. Hells fire is my destiny."

"Don’t say that," he growled, frustrated, knowing the opportunity was gone.

"You said you always admired my honesty. Changed your mind?"

"I’ll find out your secret, Reya."

"Some secrets aren’t meant to be found out, pretty boy. Don’t waste your time on trying to get what you can’t have. Instead, put your mind to Mara and who might have taken her."

"Mara?"

"Yes. The wench who was taken? The one you promised we’d find?"

"Oh, Mara." With a sigh he stepped back.

The warmth of his body leaving hers left a feeling of losing something she needed. Ridiculous. She headed for the door. "Check the coordinates again."

"Reya?"