Pirate's Price Read Online Free Page A

mischief and
she offered Rana a reassuring smile. “You leave that to me. I know
a man who would be perfect to swoop in and ‘rescue’ you right
before your wedding can be consummated.”

Chapter Two
     
    Leaning his chair back against the wall,
Vihlok Torral rested his boot on the cross-rung of the chair beside
him and studied the two men standing at the bar. One was his best
friend, Fibros Jivan; the other represented a prospective
client.
    Laughter and music mixed in a boisterous
cacophony. Gaming tables lined one end of the crowded nightclub and
the bar dominated another. Images flashed in time to the driving
beat, scrolling from one vidscreen to the next in a mesmerizing
ripple of color and light. Despite the numerous distractions,
Vihlok’s attention focused entirely on the stranger talking to
Fibros.
    Vihlok’s knack for interpreting body
language had served him well in the past. Tall and lithe, with the
vivid blue markings of an Elloni, the stranger moved with practiced
grace and intentional precision. His gestures gave nothing away. He
passed Fibros a datapad, waited silently as the stocky Devauntian
browsed through the information, then made a final comment. Fibros
nodded in response to whatever the Elloni said then the stranger
inclined his head and left the bar.
    Fibros ambled across the room, shoulders
tense, gaze averted. A chill raced down Vihlok’s spine. Why had the
exchange seemed…rehearsed?
    “One of the children of Bliss?” Vihlok asked
as Fibros slipped into the chair across from him.
    “I didn’t recognize him, but he sure looked
like the real thing to me.”
    Elloni pleasure givers had become so popular
on Spaceport Makar others emulated their appearance. With some hair
dye and a skillful tattoo artist, a back alley trickster could
improve their reputation and significantly raise their prices.
Bliss, a top tier Madame, genetically tested all of her “children,”
ensuring their authenticity before they interacted with her
exclusive clientele.
    Shaking away the tangent, Vihlok asked,
“What does the job entail, and more importantly, what does it
pay?”
    Contracts had been scarce lately. The
Sabrotine Federation had thrown up blockades all over the star
system. Arrogant bastards thought they owned the universe and few
were powerful enough to argue the point. With pressure mounting
from all sides, Vihlok had applied for a privateer’s license which
gave him access to blockaded spaceports. He had no real love for
the Sabrotine. It was just easier to work with them than against
them.
    “This one could be interesting.” Fibros
rested his forearms on the round tabletop and leaned in close. “We
wouldn’t ordinarily touch this sort of thing, but this is a lot of
money.”
    Vihlok stiffened. There were only two
services he wouldn’t provide, kidnapping and assassination. “Are we
talking disappearance or coerced negotiation?”
    “Negotiation.”
    They were thieves and smugglers.
Intimidation and bribery didn’t even raise Vihlok’s pulse, but
kidnapping? He scooted his chair closer to the table, and lowered
his voice. “What is the client hoping to accomplish with the
negotiation?”
    “We’ve both been doing this long enough to
know which questions are relevant. Why seldom enters the
equation.”
    It was a subtle reminder. Fibros had no
trouble acting on incomplete information, while Vihlok wanted to
understand every aspect of each situation. They needed to be able
to control the sequence of events, but they were often protected by
their ignorance.
    “You confirmed the fee?” Vihlok suppressed
his curiosity and focused on the facts.
    Pulling the compact datapad from the front
pocket of his nondescript work shirt, Fibros passed it to Vihlok. A
deposit had been logged with the Interplanetary Bank of Sephora. If
Vihlok accepted the job, he’d transmit a passcode and the funds
would be transferred into a holding account for the duration of the
contract. The client could no longer