Deadly Pursuit (A Blood Hunter Novel, #2) Read Free Page B

one. You’ve a couple of GMs on board—including yourself by the way—as well as someone the Church believes is a close relation to the antichrist.”
    Rico grinned. “Hey, sweetheart, you referring to me? Because I’ve got to tell you—me and the antichrist—we’re not actually related.”
    “Tell that to the Church,” Skylar suggested sweetly.
    GMs stood for genetically modifieds. Captain Tannis and Daisy were both GMs—or abominations as the Church referred to anyone with less than a hundred percent human DNA. The Church had exterminated most of them in the Purge—one of the Church’s policies Alex had never believed in. Unlike Hezrai, who pursued it with maniacal zeal.
    Daisy was a plant hybrid—she was green and could photosynthesize, which Alex thought was amazingly cool. El Cazador had picked up her damaged escape pod in deep space after the experimental station where she’d lived had been attacked and her family exterminated by the Church.
    Tannis’s mixed heritage was a little less obvious but still clear in her skin—luminous ivory run through with shimmering iridescent lights—and her yellow reptilian eyes. No one knew where Tannis came from, except maybe Rico, and she never spoke of her past, but she also never made any attempt to hide her genetic modifications, which was unusual given the genocidal climate fostered by the Church.
    As for Rico, well, the Church didn’t have an official stance on vampires. In fact, Alex had never even believed they existed until she’d met Rico. It had been a shock—one she hadn’t yet fully recovered from.
    “We could make ourselves scarce,” Tannis said, gesturing to Daisy and herself. “Janey can deal with this High Priest. They can poke around a bit, satisfy themselves we don’t have whatever it is they think we have, and hopefully that will finish it.”
    Skylar glanced briefly at Alex. “No.”
    She knew.
    She had to know. But how?
    “No?” Tannis asked, her eyes narrowing so the pupils were no more than black slits.
    Skylar stood her ground. “You made me security officer. This is a security issue, and I say no one from the Church is coming on board this ship.”
    Tannis released an exaggerated sigh. “So what do you suggest?”
    Skylar turned back to Rico. “Get us out of here.”
    He grinned. “You know, I love it when you’re bossy.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Just go.”

ChapterTwo

    Afterafewquickmaneuvers,includingonethatstillhadAlex’spulsethrumming,theyleftthecruiserfarbehind.Alexloosenedhergriponthearmsofherseatandbreathedagain.
    “Piece of cake,” Rico murmured. “The Church hasn’t a clue about evasive tactics.”
    Would that be the end of it?
    Alex didn’t know, mainly because she was still reeling with shock from the idea that Hezrai appeared to be making a genuine effort to find her. That was unexpected. Oh, she was important in the Church’s hierarchy, and no doubt, it was embarrassing for them to have mislaid her. But she’d thought they’d keep quiet, and later she’d be able to slip back as though nothing had happened.
    As usual, none of the crew was taking any notice of her, so she stood slowly and edged out of the room. But as she turned at the entrance, she sensed someone watching her. She was sure it was Skylar but kept her gaze fixed on the floor. Only when the door shut behind her did she break into a run and head for her cabin.
    Once inside, she activated the lock, scooped up Mogg, and sank onto the bed. She stroked the soft black fur of his head. Mogg was a cat, like they used to have on Earth. Well, sort of. They’d become friends on Trakis Twelve, and Alex had smuggled him aboard El Cazador—s he wasn’t sure how Rico would feel about animals on his ship. For all she knew, vampires might like cat blood—it wasn’t a risk Alex was willing to take, so she kept Mogg well hidden in her cabin.
    The buzzer sounded.
    Glancing at the viewer by the bed, she wasn’t surprised to see Skylar standing outside.