Rystani Warrior 04 - The Quest Read Free Page A

battle-driven warriors from the planet Rystan, but she’d seen holopics. However, the holopics couldn’t convey this man’s massive size or his casual, self-assured attitude that would have been sexy under different circumstances.
    “How did you know I was here?” he asked, ignoring the blaster that she aimed at his chest.
    “Captain,” Petroy spoke over the com, “a Rystani just showed up on our sensors.”
    “No kidding.” She scowled at the man standing before her. “Since this is my ship, I’ll be the one asking the questions. Why didn’t our sensors pick you up?”
    He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Perhaps your systems are faulty.”
    The stranger’s deep voice matched his powerful chest, and the sound lapped against her like waves on a white sand beach—solid, gentle, all encompassing. He wore his masculinity with the same ease as he wore his smile, as if it were so much a part of him that he had nothing to prove.
    He intrigued her, but she wasn’t taking his word, especially when their sensors had been working perfectly when she’d left the Raven. She invoked privacy mode in the com so the stranger couldn’t hear her or Petroy’s replies. “Petroy, have the computer run a self-diagnostic.”
    “Already did, Captain. We have one hundred percent efficiency.”
    She kept the Rystani in her blaster sights. “There are no computer malfunctions. So, what’s your story? Why are you here?”
    Just because he didn’t appear to have a weapon didn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous. On muscle size alone, he could overpower her. Since one generally had to work out regularly to sport such a toned physique, she assumed he could also best her in a hand-to-hand fight. Her advantage was her drawn weapon, and she kept it front and centered.
    “I’m Kirek of Rystan. Take me to your captain,” he demanded.
    Kirek hadn’t tried to lie about his planet and every word sounded sincere, though aristocratically arrogant, but he also evaded her questions about how he’d avoided their sensors and why he was here. Instead, he was acting as if he hadn’t expected her to find him. Interesting.
    “I’m Angel Taylor, captain of the Raven. From Earth. Now, what are you doing here?”
    At her announcement of her rank, Kirek’s facial muscles didn’t move, but flickers of purple darkened his eyes. “I’m looking for transport to Dakmar.”
    She arched a brow and kept her trigger finger poised to shoot. Obviously, he didn’t think the derelict ship would take him to Dakmar, so he knew her plans. “Who said I was going to Dakmar?”
    “Any salvager worth their oxygen would sell this wreck on Dakmar.” His tone remained confident and easy, just short of charming. But she noted he kept his hands away from his body and didn’t make any sudden moves that would risk drawing her blaster fire.
    “The Raven is not a civilian transport ship.”
    “I will stay right here.” Kirek’s tone remained patient, confident, as if he were very accustomed to giving orders. “You should pretend you do not know of my existence—”
    “—Like you planned?” she guessed. If she’d depended only on her sensors, she wouldn’t have found him stowing away on the derelict. But no way in hell was she sneaking Kirek onto Dakmar. Those folks were quite particular about who boarded their moon. She did too much business there to risk bringing in a stranger and being banned because he wanted a free ride.
    “I do not wish to cause trouble.” Kirek’s casual tone implied truth. Yet, his bold stance suggested that he was a man accustomed to handling whatever came his way.
    “You’ve already caused trouble. And I want answers. Who dropped you off? How did you know—”
    “Captain,” Petroy interrupted. “The other ship has returned, and the captain is demanding that we turn over Kirek or prepare to be blasted from space.”
    The other captain had asked for Kirek by name.
    She narrowed her eyes on the Rystani. “Who are they? Why do