Slave Empire - The Crystal Ship Read Online Free Page A

status, and a crowd of social
climbers had flocked to their group. The many vices the Atlantean
youth shared with humans also surprised Rayne, though they did seem
to be more in control of their situation. Drinking, gambling, sex
and drugs were all part of the social scene, and all were expected
to partake.
    In the six
months since she had returned from Farlaw, she had done her best to
forget about the Envoy, and had succeeded in reducing it to a dim
memory, like a persistent ache. She fanned the embers of a faint
hope that it would never happen, but could not quite convince
herself of it. The nagging worry gnawed at her, and only an
occasional overindulgence in wine drowned it out.
    The club’s
smoky confines became intolerable, and a strong need for some fresh
air overcame her. Rising from the crowded booth, she threaded her
way through the packed club to the door. The two Andracan bouncers
watched her pass without interest, their green eyes scanning the
incoming patrons. Outside, she leant against a tree in the garden
beside the door and breathed the cool air. The smoke from the
hallucinogenic cigarettes made her queasy, and she needed to clear
her head. She smoothed the silken material of the sleek one-piece
cream suit over her hips, wondering if she should have worn a dress
tonight. As yet, she had not spent a great deal of time or money on
clothes, finding shopping tedious and tiring.
    A sound made
her straighten, her head swimming. A hand clamped over her mouth,
and a strange, bitter scent invaded her nose when she gasped. She
tried to struggle, but blackness washed over her in a thick
tide.
     
     
    Rayne opened
her eyes a slit and winced, squinting in the bright lights that
bathed her. Her head pounded from a combination of wine and
whatever drug her kidnappers had used. She tried to sit up, but she
was bound hand and foot to the table on which she lay. Lifting her
head, she scowled at the two men who stood beside it.
    Her hackles
rose at the sight of their scaled heads and shark-like grey skin.
One smiled, revealing pointed pink teeth, and she shuddered. He
leant over her, giving her the benefit of his rank breath.
    “ So, we have you at last, Golden Child.”
    She fought an
urge to spit in his face, if only to get him to move it away. “Why
didn’t you just kill me?”
    “ We weren’t sure you were the one we wanted until we tested
you.”
    “ Since when have Draycons worried about killing
innocents?”
    “ Our priests want you alive, to be executed on our world for
all to see, and there will be much celebrating afterwards. Our
priests have decided that the one to capture the Golden Child will
rule.”
    “ Where am I?”
    “ Aboard a ship, heading for a Drayconar world,” he
said.
    “ If you kill me, the Envoy will destroy you too. He’s a
monster. He feeds on pain, and yours will be as sweet to him as the
Atlanteans’.”
    He showed his
teeth again. “Don’t waste your breath. You’d say anything to save
yourself.”
    Rayne jerked
at the bonds on her wrists. Where was Shadowen? Did he know about
her abduction? Had he called for help? Would anybody come?
    The Draycons
swapped sharkish grins and left the room, the door in the
featureless pale wall sliding shut behind them. From what she knew
about them, they would probably take every opportunity to torture
her on the way to their world. Without stopping to consider that
such communications might be detected, she used her implant to call
Shadowen. His answer was as calm and unflappable as ever.
    I have sent
distress calls. If you wish, I can engage the Drayconar ship,
thereby forcing them to drop out of the Net and fight, but I fear
you may be harmed, and I will not be able to use my full
capabilities with you on board the enemy ship.
    “ You’re following?” she whispered. “Why didn’t you stop them
taking me?”
    You did not
call for help. I only knew of your abduction when your biorhythms
moved away.
    “ Why can’t you use the transfer Net