Girl Gone Nova Read Free

critical mass. If war were to be averted, he needed to pay attention to the newly arrived ambassador—even if Rockley was as mind-numbingly dull as his predecessor. Something nagged at him, trying to pull his attention from matters of state. He resisted the urge for several minutes, but as the impulse built, he gave in to the urge to scan for the source. If something were wrong, he needed to know this.
    All seemed to be well with both party and guests—a moving figure on the perimeter grabbed his attention—even as the hairs on the back of his neck rose in warning. All women are dangerous. Hel had known this for as long as he could recall. Since avoiding them was impossible, one approached them with caution, and was never surprised by anything they did.
    This one might surprise him.
    Through partially lowered lashes, he studied her, wondering what it was about her that bothered him. The purity in the curve of her pale cheek, exposed by the angle of her head and fall of her deeply dark hair were perfect, too perfect, he realized, like a pose in a tableau. The hair hung straight and thick almost half-way down her back. It shifted as she did, sometimes hiding, sometimes exposing a profile that appeared to be without flaw. Her clothing was meant to disguise her female shape. It failed in this. And it fed the dangerous aura she wore like a cloak. The way she’d circled the perimeter of the room reminded him of a panthric on the hunt, each move an invitation, and a warning. She activated his hunter’s instincts, though he had other reasons to be curious about her.
    His gaze moved to General Halliwell, standing at least a head taller than the group that surrounded him. He’d arrived in the first group from the Doolittle , wearing his reluctance for the meeting like a storm cloud. Hel had hoped that time out in his own galaxy and a promotion would have mellowed him. He’d hoped wrong. The General didn’t like the Gadi, and he really didn’t like their Leader. No surprise he didn’t want to be at the reception—or that he’d come anyway.
    Halliwell was a strategist as well as a warrior.
    The Earth delegation had probably come to the reception in camouflage at the general’s order, in hopes it would annoy Hel into misbehaving.
    It wouldn’t.
    Hel was also sure that the people chosen to attend were here for a purpose. That made the woman even more dangerous—and more interesting.
    After two Earth years butting heads with the various leaders of the Earth delegations, Hel should have had a clearer understanding of them. In many ways, they were simple and straightforward, almost like children, but he’d learned never to assume he was seeing the whole story. No, there was a reason for the woman’s presence, a purpose to be served.
    “Look at that. Morticia has stopped stalking and is talking to someone. Color me shocked,” one of the expedition members said, the voice behind Hel.
    It was easy to conclude the man spoke of the woman. Other than the servers, she was the only one who had been pacing. The words had a malicious edge. Was there dissension in the ranks of the expedition? Why had the General brought her here?
    There was only one way to find out.
    * * * * *
    Doc’s companion turned toward the watcher. She turned with him, even though one part of her overactive brain thought it was a bad idea. Then she saw him and her brain did something it had never, ever done.
    It froze.
    The sudden silence inside her head was as disconcerting as the raw power the Gadi man emitted like a blast wave. He could have powered the Doolittle with a look. Even they paused inside her head.
    She should have been able to calculate his height and center of gravity to within an inch.
    Instead, she couldn’t do basic math.
    She wasn’t sure she knew her own name.
    Her only clear thought: what would it be like to kiss him?
    It should have freaked her out to feel thrust into a romance novel moment. She’d gone through a pile of them trying to