again as she lowered her
ashk
, those nearest leaning in to hear what the infamous Shadow Panthe could possibly have to say to a mere mortal. Even under her
ashk
, paint obscured her features. A line of red, lurid against the black backdrop of her face, graced one cheek and cut across her lips, forcing Malkor’s attention there.
Her lips moved. “A token?”
2
“ F or luck,” Kayla forced out, when the man continued to stare at her.
Around them the crowd roared their approval. Though Lumar would no doubt be pleased, Kayla already regretted her plan to stir up drama. The man didn’t have a pin or trade patch on his black duster that she could grab, or a scarf or something to tie on her arm. She couldn’t go through his pockets to find a suitable token to keep up the charade.
Do something so I can get down from here
, she silently urged him.
Play along.
A red-haired man struggled through the crowd to reach his side. Despite being caught off-guard, her supposed muse looked in control and far more sober than the rest of the spectators. Choosing him from the crowd had been a mistake.
Kayla was suddenly desperate to escape. When the man simply stood there, studying her, she knew the move was hers to make.
Lumar had better give me a bonus for this.
She threaded her fingers through his hair, pulled his lips down to hers and kissed him.
It was like kissing a rock. A warm rock, maybe, but a rock nonetheless. She hadn’t been kissed in five years, unless she counted attempted sexual assaults on Altair Tri, but she was pretty sure it wasn’t supposed to feel like that. She released him quickly and backed away. His hand flashed out and he grabbed her wrist when she turned to flee.
“I need to speak to you. Privately.” Calculation lurked in his intent gaze, and if he was shocked by her actions it didn’t show. “As soon as you can manage it.”
He wanted something from her, something he wouldn’t leave without, and that could only mean trouble. Kayla had hidden her brother from trouble on this backwater planet for five years, she wasn’t about to get caught now.
“The southeast gate. Under the launch dock, after the show.” She glanced at the red-haired man who had finally reached his side. “Come alone or not at all.”
Before he could answer she twisted her wrist free of his grasp and stepped away.
“Now, wish me luck.” Kayla ignored the waiting lift, too anxious to endure its slow descent. She gripped the railing at her back with both hands and spun over. The instant her toes touched the ledge on the other side she jumped again, flipping backward to land in a crouch on the pit’s floor.
The need to check on her brother surged through her veins. She still had the match with Phoenix ahead of her, and she’d have to wait for Lumar to settle up at the end of the evening. Now she had this stranger to evade on her way out. At least she knew where he’d be waiting and what door to avoid.
Kayla drew her kris daggers, eyeing Phoenix as the woman did the same. Despite her earlier show for the crowd Phoenix seemed to have tuned them out entirely and now focused laser-like on Kayla. No bit of fluff, this fighter, she had the potential to be a worthy opponent.
Kayla pushed her worry for Corinth to the back of her mind. There was no room for him in the pit.
* * *
Kayla strode down the airway, anxious to get her makeup off and return home. It was late, later than she usually finished, and the Blood Pit was empty. Normally she preferred the pit this way, with the lights down and filled with quiet shadows. She felt safer, more concealed. Tonight, though, the stranger in the crowd wouldn’t leave her mind, setting her on edge.
It was possible he was only interested in Shadow Panthe, not Kayla Reinumon and the younger brother she kept hidden kilometers outside of the pit district. Any hint of trouble had her fearing for Corinth, though. She couldn’t help it, it was in her genes, in her blood. She was
ashk
, those nearest leaning in to hear what the infamous Shadow Panthe could possibly have to say to a mere mortal. Even under her
ashk
, paint obscured her features. A line of red, lurid against the black backdrop of her face, graced one cheek and cut across her lips, forcing Malkor’s attention there.
Her lips moved. “A token?”
2
“ F or luck,” Kayla forced out, when the man continued to stare at her.
Around them the crowd roared their approval. Though Lumar would no doubt be pleased, Kayla already regretted her plan to stir up drama. The man didn’t have a pin or trade patch on his black duster that she could grab, or a scarf or something to tie on her arm. She couldn’t go through his pockets to find a suitable token to keep up the charade.
Do something so I can get down from here
, she silently urged him.
Play along.
A red-haired man struggled through the crowd to reach his side. Despite being caught off-guard, her supposed muse looked in control and far more sober than the rest of the spectators. Choosing him from the crowd had been a mistake.
Kayla was suddenly desperate to escape. When the man simply stood there, studying her, she knew the move was hers to make.
Lumar had better give me a bonus for this.
She threaded her fingers through his hair, pulled his lips down to hers and kissed him.
It was like kissing a rock. A warm rock, maybe, but a rock nonetheless. She hadn’t been kissed in five years, unless she counted attempted sexual assaults on Altair Tri, but she was pretty sure it wasn’t supposed to feel like that. She released him quickly and backed away. His hand flashed out and he grabbed her wrist when she turned to flee.
“I need to speak to you. Privately.” Calculation lurked in his intent gaze, and if he was shocked by her actions it didn’t show. “As soon as you can manage it.”
He wanted something from her, something he wouldn’t leave without, and that could only mean trouble. Kayla had hidden her brother from trouble on this backwater planet for five years, she wasn’t about to get caught now.
“The southeast gate. Under the launch dock, after the show.” She glanced at the red-haired man who had finally reached his side. “Come alone or not at all.”
Before he could answer she twisted her wrist free of his grasp and stepped away.
“Now, wish me luck.” Kayla ignored the waiting lift, too anxious to endure its slow descent. She gripped the railing at her back with both hands and spun over. The instant her toes touched the ledge on the other side she jumped again, flipping backward to land in a crouch on the pit’s floor.
The need to check on her brother surged through her veins. She still had the match with Phoenix ahead of her, and she’d have to wait for Lumar to settle up at the end of the evening. Now she had this stranger to evade on her way out. At least she knew where he’d be waiting and what door to avoid.
Kayla drew her kris daggers, eyeing Phoenix as the woman did the same. Despite her earlier show for the crowd Phoenix seemed to have tuned them out entirely and now focused laser-like on Kayla. No bit of fluff, this fighter, she had the potential to be a worthy opponent.
Kayla pushed her worry for Corinth to the back of her mind. There was no room for him in the pit.
* * *
Kayla strode down the airway, anxious to get her makeup off and return home. It was late, later than she usually finished, and the Blood Pit was empty. Normally she preferred the pit this way, with the lights down and filled with quiet shadows. She felt safer, more concealed. Tonight, though, the stranger in the crowd wouldn’t leave her mind, setting her on edge.
It was possible he was only interested in Shadow Panthe, not Kayla Reinumon and the younger brother she kept hidden kilometers outside of the pit district. Any hint of trouble had her fearing for Corinth, though. She couldn’t help it, it was in her genes, in her blood. She was
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