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  "Calm down," Dana ordered curtly. "Let me think."

  Clenching his jaw, Ravnor swallowed his fearful words, keeping his eyes on his bodyguard. The Reeka had saved his life in the past several times. But what could she do now? It was only a matter of time. "He has all the advantages."

  One fine dark brow arched thoughtfully, and she peered around the room from beneath the dubious safety of the table. "I have to get this assassin before he gets you."

  "What can you do?"

  "I have an idea but you must do exactly as I say. Understand?"

  He knew enough not to question. "Understood."

  She envisioned where the controls for the lights were. Near the door, which meant she’d have to risk standing up to get a clear shot. Quickly she scanned the people beneath the tables. No, there was no one closer and besides, she didn’t trust that any of these kinsmen would be able to do it in one shot, and the guards were too far away to explain her plans to. The only person whom she trusted was herself.

  "Ravnor, when I stand up, you roll to the right and don’t stop until you get to the guards."

  "Stand up?" His eyes widened.

  "Just do it." Dana sprang up, throwing herself to the left and firing at the control panel as she did so.

  The assassin fired wildly at her, then suddenly he couldn’t see anything, for the control panel crackled and it went dark. The only light on was now in the farthest corner of the gallery above the door.

  "Damn you!" he screamed in rage, realizing what she’d done. "Damn you, you bitch!"

  Laser fire spattered the darkness below where he was sure the bodyguard hid.

  Only she wasn’t there anymore.

  Taking advantage of the darkness and his surprise, she dived beneath the table and sprinted across the room, coming to a stop halfway across to walk carefully until she came to the opposite curve of the circular table. Ducking beneath it, she came up on the other side.

  "You bitch!" the assassin screamed, still firing in the direction from which she’d come. "I’ll blast you to hell!"

  Nice man. Carefully Dana started forward, placing her feet gently, one before the other, knowing that chairs were upturned everywhere, not to mention glasses and jugs tipped up in the panic. She couldn’t risk giving away her position by bumping into anything and causing noise.

  Finally she came to the wall and felt around until her hand came into contact with the heavy velvet curtains that hung from steel rods up in the roof. The curtains dropped past the gallery to sweep the floor. Firmly she pulled on the curtains, increasing the tension. Hopefully her luck would hold and the curtain wouldn’t rip--or the stitching give out from the stress.

  Taking two handfuls of the heavy material, she pulled herself up the swaying length. Hand over hand she went, drawing steadily closer to the gallery rail, silently blessing the short, split leather skirt she wore for freedom of movement.

  Cursing vilely, the assassin peered into the darkness below him. True, he had the Imperial leader of Rashmor pinned down in the room, but that cursed bodyguard... she always managed to destroy his plans! His biggest mistake had been in aiming for Ravnor instead of finishing off that meddling warrior!

  He sprayed the darkness with more laser fire, rewarded by a choked cry, but unfortunately he recognized it as one of the kinsmen. Such lily-livered, weak fools! So easily led.

  Dana saw the faint outline of the rail in the dim light but of the assassin there was no sign. He could be hidden anywhere in the shadows.

  Drawing level with the rail, she stretched out her booted foot, placed it securely on the polished wood, and followed through with her other foot. Still using the curtain for support, she carefully lowered herself to the floor of the gallery. Silently she drew the laser from the thigh holster. Right, the hardest part was over, now all I have to do is--

  "Is that him? Fire!" one of the guards yelled and immediately a laser shot burst upward.

  Damn it! Dana dropped swiftly to her knees. The stupid idiots will kill me instead!

  "No!" Ravnor yelled in belated horror.

  The assassin laughed and her head jerked up, her gaze piercing the darkness. He was nearby. Just ahead, around the pillar. Then the dim light was shot out and the gallery was plunged into pitch blackness.

  "See me if you can now, you worthless scum!" The assassin gloated as the sounds of swearing floated up from below toward him.

  Keep talking, Dana thought, straightening up and inching forward slowly. Lead me to you, and I’ll finish you off for good.

  But he fell silent, no doubt straining his own eyes in the darkness, trying to spot his prey.

  She had an idea where he was and finally rounded the pillar. Stopping, breathing shallowly, she listened for any sound that might betray his whereabouts.

  Her skin prickled. He was nearby. Slowly she tilted her head, straining to hear anything--a rustle of clothing, a sniff, a step--she stared intently into the darkness.

  Nothing. Well, all she could do now was spray the entire gallery with laser fire or wait him out. Sooner or later he’d make a noise and when he did...

  Seconds ticked by into minutes, then came a scraping sound close beside her. Slowly her laser swiveled around toward the sound. Was that him? It could be no one else. Her finger tightened on the trigger and--

  Brilliant light flashed on overhead, blinding Dana momentarily. At the same time a babble of voices broke out as the main doors below burst open and guards spilled into the room.

  She was face-to-face with the assassin, recognizing him in the same instant Vincc registered her presence. His laser was aimed just past her while her own was out to the side.

  He’d kill her before she brought hers around toward him.

  Vincc broke into a snarling laugh, and shifted his laser onto her at the same instant she lunged forward, grappling him around the chest and knocking the laser away. The beam flashed harmlessly past her.

  Her momentum pushed them both up and over the railing.

  The guards and Ravnor leaped back just in time as the two figures crashed onto the table, Vincc face first, Dana on her back. The section of table shattered beneath the combined force.

  Instinct made her roll even as black dots of pain danced before her eyes. With almost superhuman effort she pushed upward onto her knees, reaching for Vincc with one hand while snatching the dagger from her waist with the other.

  Several guards dashed forward, dragging Vincc over onto his back.

  Grabbing a fistful of his robe, Dana jerked him upright.

  "He’s unconscious," one guard said.

  "No." She dragged him to his feet. "Here’s your assassin, Ravnor."

  The elderly leader approached, face pale with shock. Behind him pressed his kinsmen, while guards with drawn lasers surrounded them.

  "Vincc? It was you all along?"

  Vincc’s eyes opened slowly and he laughed painfully. "So shocked, Ravnor--Oh mighty leader?"

  "Why? You’re my advisor!"

  Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and his head lolled.

  Dana jerked him harshly. "Wakey-wakey, advisor. Don’t go to sleep yet."

  The eyes opened again, a hint of madness in the depths. "Ah, the mighty bodyguard. You saved him yet again, warrior."

  Ravnor reached out with a shaking hand, hesitated, and withdrew it. "Why, Vincc? What have I done to you to deserve this?"

  Blood-flecked foam spilled out of the assassin’s mouth as he coughed. "Why should I answer you?"

  "Because if you don’t--" Dana began.

  "You’ll what?" He sneered. "Kill me? Too late for that!"

  Her smile was nasty. "Oh, I agree. You’re dying now, no doubt about that. But I can make your last minutes seem like eternity. Agonizingly so."

  Thin lips twisted. "You have the mercy of a killer, bitch!"

  "I’ll take that as a compliment, thank you."

  Ravnor stepped closer. "You murdered those assassins in the dungeon, didn’t you?"

  Vin
cc choked on the blood, swallowed, then lifted his head and leered weakly. "Before they could talk, yes. Do you really want to know why I tried to kill you, oh mighty leader?"

  "Yes."

  "Because..." He gave a rasping laugh, triumph in his crazed eyes. "No, no, I won’t tell you. Let it be a worry for you forever, a question burning in your mind until the day you die!"

  In frustrated bewilderment, Ravnor clenched his fists. "What have I done to you?"

  Vincc spat blood, trying to hit the elderly man with the spittle, but his strength was rapidly fading and he only succeeded in dribbling it down his robe.

  His head jerked up when the blonde warrior holding him upright suddenly said in a bored tone, "Vincc loved your daughter and you married her to Izark instead."

  "What?" Ravnor stared.

  Vincc’s reaction was rage. "You bitch! You spying slut!"

  Holding him up was making her shoulder throb and burn, and it felt like every bone in her body was aching from the fall, but she ignored it, keeping her attention on him. "You keep a painting of her."

  "What? Where?" Vincc snarled.

  "Right here, Vincc." From his robe pocket she plucked a locket on a chain.

  Grabbing it, Ravnor stared at the portrait of the woman painted on it. "This is my daughter!"

  He looked at Dana accusingly. "You knew he had it all this time?"

  She cast him a disgusted look. "No. Do you think I’m a fool? It partly fell out of his pocket during the fall from the gallery, and I just saw it minutes ago. It didn’t take much to put the pieces together."

  Ravnor was abashed. "My apologies."

  Vincc slumped in her hold and she lowered him to the floor, straightening to stand over him watchfully.

  "Always the bodyguard." He sneered. "I underestimated you, warrior. I thought you were all dumb beauty and strength, but it appears you’re smarter than I gave you credit for."

  "You mean it’s true?" Ravnor asked.

  "Very much so. I nearly succeeded in killing you. Nearly..." His voice faded into a last gurgle and his head fell sideways.

  Dana knelt and felt for the carotid pulse in his neck. There was none. "He’s dead."

  Ravnor’s hand closed around his daughter’s portrait. "Then...it’s over?"

  "So it would seem." Her gaze cut around the throng of people pressing in around them. "Unless there’s any more broken hearts here?" She knew by the shocked expressions on their faces that it wasn’t so. The assassin was dead and there were no more. "Yes, it’s over."

  Quin came up to converse quietly with Ravnor and he nodded. Before moving off, he smiled up at the tall warrior as she stood up. "You have done well, Dana. I will see you before you go, yes?"

  She nodded, her face expressionless.

  Vincc was carried out, followed by Ravnor, Quin and the kinsmen and guards, leaving Dana alone in the room.

  Slowly she surveyed the empty room, becoming aware of the burning of her injured shoulder, and the thin trail of blood trickling down the side of her face from a splinter of glass. Undoubtedly it was from the smashed jug that had been on the table she’d crashed down onto when she fell.

  She was alone. Again. It was always the same. Dana reached up and wiped the blood from her fingertips, gazing down at the red stain.

  Once the job was done, she was left to patch herself up, while the ones whose lives she saved went about their business.

  What else did she expect? Impatiently, she looked around for her laser. Spotting it on the other side of the wrecked table, she gathered it up and swiftly holstered it, turned, and left the room.

  Forgotten by everyone, the visual communicator continued to record the events to the stunned galaxy.

  ~ * ~

  When Vearc entered the room four days later, Diago knew by the expression on his face that the news was bad. "My son?"

  "Captured."

  Fists balled up at his sides. "How do you know?"

  "This." Vearc held up Rominac’s cloak in which a ragged ‘Z’ had been slashed. "We found it hanging in a tree."

  "Near the border?"

  "Yes."

  "Damn it!" Whirling around, Diago paced furiously. "We have to retrieve him!"

  "The Southlanders will be waiting for us."

  "I know. It’s a clever trap."

  "Who can we send in? There is nobody who can enter and not be known as a Northlander."

  Head bent, Diago thought for several minutes. When he raised his head, his eyes were hard and bleak. "I know the one to get, perfect for the job. Vearc, ready the travel craft. We leave at noon."

  "As you wish."

  "And send a message."

  "To whom?"

  "An ex-outlaw and mercenary."

  Two

  Eight bounty hunters stood in various areas between the door and bar, their hard gazes scanning the room. Wearing varying styles of clothing, depending on which part of the galaxy they’d come from, the bullwhips and lasers they carried added to their dangerous air.

  Dana knew instantly they were on the hunt for someone, recognizing it in their stance and their wariness.

  Their hunger for the prey.

  The leader of the pack stood at the bar, his pale grey eyes searching, piercing.

  Cormac. The head bounty hunter. He’d once hunted the Reeka Warrior Women when they’d been outlaws with a price on their heads. He’d nearly succeeded in hanging her two cousins, Tenia and Reya.

  Well, well, well, she mused, running one hand through the thick blonde hair that brushed her bare shoulders. Here she thought the wait would be boring, but she could now annoy Cormac--and in her view, that was a pleasant way to pass the time.

  Pale grey eyes swept over and past her, paused, swung back and narrowed.

  She couldn’t help it. The words fell out of her mouth happily, mockingly. "Sorry, Cormac, there’s no price on my head anymore. You’ll have to look elsewhere."

  Someone snickered in the silence but was quickly hushed.

  "Ah, Dana." He inclined his head. "So... nice... to see you again."

  "Shame I can’t say the same. My sentiments are not as fond as yours."

  Slowly he advanced across the room, his gaze never leaving his one-time enemy.

  The patrons of the tavern watched in anticipation, hanging onto every word and expression that passed between them.

  Without fear, Dana watched him. Leaning lazily back in the wooden chair, she laid one rawhide booted ankle atop the opposite knee, and rested her wrist on the raised knee. From there it was a short reach to the daggers secured in her boot-tops and the laser strapped to her thigh out of sight beneath the table.

  He came to a stop on the opposite side of the wooden table. "By yourself, warrior?"

  "Are we ever by ourselves? On a bit of a hunt, are we? Who is the poor bastard? Anyone I know?"

  His smile was chilling. "Are there any outlaws you don’t know?"

  "Let me see." Drumming the fingers of her other hand on the tabletop, she thoughtfully contemplated the ceiling before lowering her eyes to the silent, cold hunter. "I can’t say, really. Tell me who you hunt and I’ll tell you if I know them."

  "You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Would you then go and warn them, Dana?"

  "Why, that would be breaking the law, hunter. Do you think I would do that?"

  "I have no doubt."

  "I’m deeply hurt. Don’t you know that I’m a law-abiding person now?"

  "Ah, yes, I have heard of your talents as a bodyguard. You’ve become quite a heroine with officials. Saved a few lives." Placing his hands on the rough surface of the table, he leaned forward, lips curling contemptuously. "But I know you, Dana. One day you’ll step back over that line and return to the outlaw life."

  Tension filled the room, the drinkers leaning forward eagerly. Was there to be a fight between the famed enemies after all? Behind Cormac, his hunters watched closely, hands hovering near their weapons.

  "And you will be there to catch naughty little me?" />
  "Breathing down your neck, warrior."

  "That’s a little kinky. I didn’t know you cared so much."

  A muscle twitched in the clenched jaw. "One day..."

  She leaned forward suddenly. "Why not today? Now?"

  He was close to losing his temper, she could see the fury in his eyes, but he took a deep breath, clenched his hands and stood back abruptly.

  "One day, warrior, I’ll be on your trail."

  "You haven’t a trusting bone in your body, Cormac. Until later, then." She blew him a kiss.

  Swinging around on his heel, he barked, "Are they here?"

  "No," one of the hunters replied.

  "Continue the search."

  Conversation broke out once more as they left the tavern. Dana grinned in satisfaction.

  "Honey, you tease a viper there." A tavern whore stopped beside her table.

  "We make fun where we can, Sal."

  "You’ll push that hunter too far."

  "Never far enough."

  Shaking her head, Sal moved on to another customer.

  Stretching, Dana leaned back in the chair and folded her arms. Ah, the sweet taste of viper baiting.

  "Sal’s right, lass. You’ll push the hunter too far one day."

  That surely couldn’t be... Head snapping around, she found herself staring at lean hips encased in tight pants. Her gaze traveled up past the flat, muscle-ribbed stomach and continued up until she met the amused grey eyes of the heavily-muscled giant.

  Instantly her mood soured. "Just when I thought my day was improving."

  "I came along and made it better?" Garret sat opposite, the wooden chair creaking alarmingly beneath his weight.

  "It took a turn for the worst. What the hell are you doing here?"

  "Trading, of course. Why, were you hoping I’d come for you?" He smiled engagingly. "Pretty wench, anytime you’re ready to come to my bunk, just say the word and I’ll race you there!"

  "You’re disgusting."

  "From you, my little strawberry, ‘tis a compliment."

  She regarded the Daamen trader in silence.

  "Admiring my looks?" Eyes twinkling roguishly, he stroked one hand across his square jaw.

  Her gaze fell on the long, shaggy brown hair that spilled haphazardly over the massive shoulders and when she glanced sideways, it was to note Sal watching him with dreamy eyes.