Captive - Cheryl Brooks Page 0,14

somehow managed to escape, winding up in the Barrens, where she had teamed up with Temfilk and his fellow outcasts.

Klara and her gang had been at odds with Pelarus ever since. In the past, they’d been content to simply steal from one of his many businesses whenever the opportunity arose. In recent years, she’d fought against him more openly, competing with him for gladiator prospects, in addition to firing on any Nedwut unfortunate enough to cross her path. Since the majority of the Nedwuts on Haedus Nine were in Pelarus’s employ, he didn’t appreciate this any more than the Nedwuts did. In fact, she was fairly certain he was the one offering the reward for her capture. That she was wanted alive made it even more interesting.

Klara had been told she was even more beautiful than her mother. Pelarus hadn’t had a chance with Delaroh. Temfilk had been the one to suggest that Pelarus might want Klara as his concubine, which was a prospect even more horrifying than being killed by Nedwuts.

At the moment, however, being held at gunpoint was a more pressing matter. Moe had already proven he could not only escape but could also move faster than her or any of her gang. With that kind of speed and agility—not to mention courage and resourcefulness—he could win thousands of credits in the arena. The question was whether he was willing to kill for those credits. Somehow, he didn’t strike her as the killer type. Case in point, his treatment of her and her friends. Therefore, he probably wouldn’t participate voluntarily.

So much for that.

Even so, beating Pelarus at his favorite sport would go a long way toward evening the score between them.

What am I thinking? He’s responsible for the deaths of my family.

Humiliation wouldn’t be enough.

Only his death would suffice.

“What’s it gonna be?” Moe prompted.

“I’m still thinking,” she snapped.

He huffed out a breath. “I don’t need to wait for you, you know. This scene could easily play out the way it did the last time—minus the Nedwut interruption.”

A study of his face revealed no trace of doubt, nor did she feel any herself. He would stun her and leave her there—and she would miss her best chance of escaping from Haedus Nine. Revenge against Pelarus was nothing compared to that. But she would be no man’s subordinate. “You’re suggesting we join forces, right?”

“If that’s the way you want to put it, yes. But just so we’re clear, I’m not going to be anyone’s prisoner or slave—or even pretend to be. Equal footing or I’m outta here.”

The conviction in his tone and the fire in his eyes should’ve terrified her. Instead, it made her mouth water, forcing her to swallow before she spoke again. “Define equal footing.”

“I want my stuff back. All of it. I want my pistol recharged, and I want your promise that neither you nor any member of your gang will try to pull a fast one on me again. If you agree, I’ll help you any way I can. But one hint of duplicity and the deal’s off.”

Considering what she’d done to him, this hardly seemed sensible. He had to want more. “You would help me for simply returning what I took from you?”

“That’s what I said, isn’t it?”

There had to be a catch. There was always a catch. In her experience, nothing was ever free. “Yes, it is. But after the trouble I’ve caused, why would you help me?”

His eyes widened, and a moment passed before he replied. “Because there aren’t many Zetithians left. We have to stick together and help each other whenever we can.”

A world-weary sigh nearly got the better of her. She quashed it like she’d done so many times before. “That sounds so simple.”

One slanted eyebrow rose. “You got a problem with simple?”

“No.” To be honest, simple sounded perfectly marvelous. If only… “It’s just that nothing ever is. Simple, I mean.”

“Sometimes all it takes is a little trust.” With that, he finally lowered the pistol, leaving her almost as stunned as if he’d pulled the trigger.

Judging from what Moe had heard of her history, Klara had only trusted a handful of beings in her entire life. Trusting a stranger—one who would normally only have been worth the price she could get for him—wouldn’t be easy for her, as evidenced by the indecision written so plainly on her features. He could end up being worth so much more to her than she ever imagined. A lot more. But if she couldn’t trust