Born of Legend Read Online Free Page B

aristocrat. Rather he had rough calluses and healing scuffs that said he’d been doing hard labor for some time now. Living hand-to-mouth like a savage animal.
    On the inside of his left forearm, from wrist to elbow, was a tattoo of a sword piercing a bleeding heart, flanked with wings. The blood appeared to drip down his arm to his wrist. At the bottom of the heart was a rocker banner with a single Andarion word. Indurari . I endure or I am strengthened , depending on context. It was an ancient warrior’s symbol that had once decorated the battleshields and war helms of the mighty War Hauk family. That word signified that through hardship and conflict, their warriors were honed for battle and made better and stronger. Forever strengthened by adversity. Ironic that he’d choose such a symbol given that the Hauks were the mortal enemies of the Anatoles, and had been since the beginning of Andarion civilized history. Even though the two families were related, the Hauk lineage hated Jullien’s bloodline even more than hers did.
    Not to mention tattoos were profaned by the darkheart Andarions unless they were done to pay tribute to or honor your own family.
    For a darkheart tiziran to have one …
    His royal family must have loved that.
    Bemused, Ushara returned his hand to the mattress and checked the bandage to see how he’d been wounded. It’d been a low strike, near his hip and close to his groin. From the downward angle of it, she’d guess the assassin had been going for his femoral artery when the tiziran had countered his assault.
    â€œIf you want to move your hand over a bit more to the left and lower, I won’t protest.”
    Heat scalded her cheeks as she realized that there was a sudden large bulge under the sheet very close to her hand and in the exact location he’d described. Gasping, she looked up to meet a pair of suspicious yet eerie hazel brownish-green eyes, rimmed with red.
    Those weren’t Andarion eyes.
    They were human in appearance. No wonder he’d worn dark red sunglasses to conceal them. But what stunned her most was how much unexpected and unwanted heat those eyes sent through her body.…
    Dagger started to smile at the beautiful blonde angel until he realized how many weapons were strapped to her black battle suit.
    Shit. Dressed like that, she was either an assassin or bounty hunter.
    Out of habit, he reached for his own blaster, only to find bare skin under the sheet. He started off the bed, but she grabbed him and gently pushed him back.
    â€œIt’s all right. You don’t need to move with that wound.”
    Yeah, uh-huh. Yet if she was taking him in, why was he still alive? Why bother? They would pay just as much for his dead body as they would for his living one.
    More, in fact.
    Calming down a degree to a milder paranoia, he narrowed his eyes on her. “I’m not in custody?”
    She shook her head. “Do you remember what happened?”
    Vaguely. There was only one thing he could recall with any clarity …
    â€œThe kid. Did he make it out?”
    â€œMy son. Yes. Is that all you remember?”
    Dagger scowled as he tried to think of other details. But all he could recall was the pain. Same pain he felt right now. Looking down, he saw the blood that was quickly saturating his bandage.
    The female Andarion glanced down and cursed. “You’ve pulled your sutures open. Lie back.”
    â€œI need to go. Where are my clothes?”
    â€œThere’s nowhere for you to go. We’ve already launched.”
    â€œLaunched?”
    She pointed to the metal walls. “You’re on board our ship.”
    Fury burned through him as he gathered the sheet around his waist and sprang from the bed. “I won’t let you hand me over to The League,” he growled.
    Ushara stepped back as she saw the feral, determined fury in his eyes that reminded her of a beast about to attack. She’d dealt with