Part 2 (1/2)
”There are clean clothes and water for a quick wash. Sorry, but I don't have any shaving equipment.”
”A sharp knife works.” He mumbled while he fumbled around trying to locate the clothes. Since he didn't see her put them down he didn't know where they were.
”Two feet to the right and half a foot straight ahead.”
Her directions were perfect. He located the pile of clothes and the bucket of water which he carried back to his corner. With his back to her, he quickly scooped water into his mouth before splas.h.i.+ng more over his face. The fact that the water was warm surprised him. After giving his armpits and groin a quick rinse, he slipped into the sun-warmed pants and s.h.i.+rt. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd bothered with laundry. What was the point-he just got dirty again.
”After we eat, we need to talk.”
You got that right, Blue. You're gonna tell me why the h.e.l.l you kidnapped me and hauled my a.s.s out here to who knows where. Then we're gonna talk about how you're takin' me right back where you found me before you disappear from my life-forever.
The smell of roasting meat and frying fish filled the small room and just about made him crazy. He didn't know how much longer he could keep up the silent treatment. f.u.c.k it! Silence wouldn't fill his empty gut.
”Smells good.” He muttered, half-way hoping she didn't hear him.
”It's nothin' fancy but there's plenty of it and it fills a hole.”
This time he paid attention to where she placed the plate and was able to retrieve it without stumbling around. The succulent flesh of the fried fish practically melted off the bone. He groaned at the first bite. He couldn't remember when food tasted so good and picked every bit of flesh from the bones before starting on the kava.
”There's a skin of water and a cup of tea about six inches to the left of the cot.” Shadow's voice was so close to him she actually startled him. s.h.i.+t! How does she do that? I didn't feel the slightest s.h.i.+ft in the air when she moved. ”How about something stronger?”
”No way in h.e.l.l are you getting close to a drink. Stupid somb.i.t.c.h, you d.a.m.ned near died drying out. You're out of your f.u.c.kin' mind if you think I'm going through that s.h.i.+t again.”
”What the h.e.l.l made you think I wanted to dry out?” Talon yelled, tossing the plate of bones to the floor. ”I didn't ask you to drag me out here so whatever s.h.i.+t you went through was self-inflicted! Just where do you get off interfering in my life?”
”Instead of yelling like a demented fool, you should be thanking me! I nursed you through the puke and the p.i.s.sin' all over yourself and the shakes. You would have died without me!”
”If you had left me the h.e.l.l alone I wouldn't have been sick!” Talon reached for the infuriating woman but was pulled up short by the chain around his ankle.
”Yeah, women have heard that excuse since the first pot of honey fermented. Men-drunken a.s.shole men-need to change the excuse! This one is worn out!”
”How the h.e.l.l would you know what women hear? You have to be a woman to know that and I don't see anything feminine about you! You have a mouth nastier than any miner I've ever met; you stomp around like a one-legged sailor and you stink like a ditch digger after a long day in the sun.”
Some miniscule part of Talon's brain registered a brief flash of dark green before it disappeared behind the constant blue aura but he was too focused on his argument to give it any thought.
”I want to know why you did this! Right now! So spit it out, Blue!”
”Fine! You want answers? You want to know why? There's only one f.u.c.kin' reason I'd come within smelling distance of you!” Her temper was as hot as his. ”You talk about how I smell when you hadn't bathed or changed clothes in weeks-or months! I G.o.dsd.a.m.ned didn't do it because I cared what happened to your sorry a.s.s! I was PAID, Talon, and paid well!”
Her announcement stopped his ranting cold. ”Who would do that? An a.s.sa.s.sin doesn't make friends. It's bad for business. No one I know would toss half a coin in the gutter to watch me grovel for it. You're a lying b.i.t.c.h.”
”And your mother sucks green donkey d.i.c.ks!”
”Leave my mother out of this and what the h.e.l.l is a donkey?” He was surprised. His temper ran flaming hot; yet one stupid comment and he actually wanted to grin.
”It's a short, fat, funny lookin' piece of s.h.i.+t animal. Looks kinda like a small horse, only stubborn.”
”And their d.i.c.ks are green?” He couldn't hold back the grin this time especially when he heard the humor in her voice.
”f.u.c.k no! It's just something I heard from a couple of soldiers on Earth a few years ago. I just liked the way it sounds.”
Now that his anger was no longer ruling his head-and tongue-he walked back to his cot and sat down. He'd have a civilized conversation with the irritating woman if it killed him. He wanted more answers.
”So who paid you to kidnap me?” He asked, surprised when she pulled a chair closer to his cot and sat down.
”Your friends, Dak and Kierin!”
Shock kept him momentarily speechless. ”Wha...why...why would they do that?” He managed to force the words from his suddenly tight throat.
”They're worried about you. Actually, Kierin is worried. Dak knows what demons you fight and just wants to help.”
If Dak wanted to help why didn't he kill me like I asked?
”I don't need or want their help so they wasted their money and you wasted your time. Consider this the end of your a.s.signment.” He turned away from Shadow wis.h.i.+ng he could turn the memories away as easily. It only took a few seconds for every nightmarish minute of his life to race through his brain. Just the mention of Dak and Kierin and every mental block he had vanished. d.a.m.n! There will be bad dreams tonight and nothing you can do will stop them. Not without a LOT of alcohol.
”If you still want to return to that f.u.c.kin' gutter-life you had in Cypriana after I deliver Dak's message, I'll take you back. Personally, I don't understand his concern. You're nothin' like the man he described to me. But I wasn't paid to understand-just to deliver.”
”Then deliver your message like a good little flunky so I can go home.” There was a sick, itchy dread crawling over his skin. He wasn't going to like what Dak had to say. Interfering, son-of-b.i.t.c.h wanted everyone as happy as he and Kierin. Wasn't going to happen. Not in this lifetime.
”Dak contacted me because I have some very...unique skills. I'm a mercenary and I'm d.a.m.n good at my job. Across a dozen galaxies, I've fought in more than a hundred battles and learned new ways of fighting-of killing-in each and every one.”
Talon jerked to face her. ”You actually sound proud of that.”
”Just because there's nothing feminine about being a soldier for hire? I'm good at what I do.”
Again, he caught the brief flash of dark green, this time it was darker-almost brown. Without the interference of a raging temper to blunt his awareness his curiosity kicked in.
”So Dak wants you to teach me how to be a soldier for hire? Filling out a job application might pose a slight problem. Of course, not being able to tell the difference between enemy and friend might be a little harder to overcome.”
”Have you always been a sarcastic b.a.s.t.a.r.d or is this just for my f.u.c.kin' benefit? If it's for me, I have to warn you that YOU ARE SERIOUSLY p.i.s.sIN' ME THE f.u.c.k OFF!”
He heard the deep breath she took, pulling her temper back under her control, but not before he saw another tiny flash of color. This time it was bright yellow. She was about to lose control and fighting it hard. His interest just kicked up another notch.
”You're yelling again, Blue.” Did he just hear a knife slide from a sheath?
”I will slice your useless d.i.c.k into small pieces if you don't stop calling me that G.o.dsd.a.m.ned, idiotic name.”
Talon chuckled. If Blue kept grinding her teeth she was going to crack a tooth. ”You get close enough for that and you'll be dead before you draw the first drop of blood.” He barely uttered the last word when he heard the thunk of the knife embedding itself into the wooden frame of his cot-right between his legs. Her aim was deadly accurate. The sharp edge touched his crotch and his flesh pulsed in time with the vibrating blade.
d.a.m.n! The psycho b.i.t.c.h was serious!