Marie Harte: The Perfect Creation

“She was unharmed,” Rafe growled. “Until one of these dicks shot her with a stunner.”

“The female is fine.” Synster shook his head, disregarding Rafe, to his inherent danger.

“At least the phaser will leave no lasting damage. So long as you haven’t done anything to mar her perfection.”

“I saved her ass from peacemakers bent on rape and several raptors and kethra wanting to make her into dinner. She’s a handy woman, I’ll grant you. But she’s not familiar with the Fields of Flor or the Anate Jungle.”

Synster started, his beady eyes narrow. “I hadn’t thought she’d get that far. Good, then.” Synster cleared his throat. “Your man Drekk tells me you want more than the hundred thousand we’re offering for her capture.”

Rafe glanced at Drekk and nodded, thinking fast. “If she’s worth that much, then knowledge about more like her should be worth a pretty penny.” Synster grinned, and unease tingled at the base of Rafe’s neck. “Oh, we know about the others. She’s the last one we need to find, I’m happy to say.” Synster glanced at the men around him and considered his words. “I’m not exactly sure why I should pay you anything, considering I’ve found her myself.”

Drekk, Rafe noted, narrowed his gaze, anger pouring off the large male in waves.

Rafe, however, hadn’t been away from Cheltam so long that he’d forgotten how to play the game. “Well, now. Seems to me you don’t know me as well as you should, Synster. My reputation is as good as it is because I’m a safe man.”

“How so?”

“I keep very clear, detailed records about every job I take. And though you didn’t deal with me personally on this matter, I have enough on you to put you to death several times over, should our girl’s beginnings be made public.” Rafe smiled through his teeth, pleased at Synster’s sudden pallor.

“You wouldn’t.”

“Why not? I’m a known criminal, but one with standards. You Eyran scientists, however, have a bad reputation with creating things that destroy.” Rafe stared from Erin to Synster. “You kill me and all details surrounding Erin, you and Canunn will be all over the Vrail news vids within twenty standard hours.”

Drekk nodded. “I told you we play hardball, Synster.” Synster grimaced. “That’s not necessary.”

“Oh, but it is.” Rafe held Erin in his arms, wanting nothing more than to put her down and pound Synster into a bloody pulp. “Now I want a credit chip with two hundred thousand on it, as well as passage back to Tekor for me and my friend.” He nodded to Drekk.

“And I want to know if anyone else is currently looking for Erin. Anyone else I’ll have to beat back when they come pounding at my door demanding to know why I stole their bounty out from under them?”

Synster flushed. “A harmless group. Mara’s Light agreed to track her. But Drekk contacted me before Catam returned my calls. I expect they’ll be easy enough to manage for someone with your reputation. ” Syntser threw back at him. “Now give me the girl.” Synster nodded at two large security men to step forward.

“No. You give Drekk the chip, and we’ll wait while he verifies it.” Synster glared. “I don’t think you understand who’s in charge here.” A sudden disturbance in the air had Drekk and Rafe on one side of the small clearing and Synster and his team on the other. In seconds, two large Ragga, a Mardu, a large, stunning male and a tall, sexy female appeared with pistols at the ready.

“Synster, how good to see you,” Catam said with rancour. “Not going to give away my currency, were you?” Catam’s gaze flashed to Rafe’s, but he said nothing more and looked back at Synster.

“Speak of the devil,” Drekk murmured with amusement. “What were you saying about getting rid of Mara’s Light , Synster?”

Synster’s eyes widened with alarm as he stammered for his security to protect him.

Guns aimed at one another and shouting ensued while Rafe cradled Erin to his chest protectively.

“I had to bring Synster and crew,” Drekk said under his breath by way of apology.

“They found Ryen and Anin earlier today. But on the bright side, at least I have you two a minute to finish up.”

Rafe glared, not amused at any of this.

“Cheltam, what a pleasure,” Catam spoke loudly, breaking through the noise. “Should have known you’d be in on this.”

“Yes, you should have.” Rafe was so going to kick Catam’s ass for involving himself in this mess. And where the hell were Isa and the girls?

“Catam, perhaps it would be wise of you to remind Cheltam that I command Mara’s Light ,” Mara said with steel underlying her words.

Rafe fumed. “Lady, right now I don’t give a shit who works for who. The girl is mine to deal with. So Synster, you want her back? Gimme that chip.” Catam and the others exchanged glances, and Rafe noted that Lurin, Mara’s mate, looked none too pleased with his attitude. Well, fuck it. This was his operation, his woman, and his responsibility. Not his little brother’s.

“Fine. Dagga, give him the currency,” Synster snapped.

One of the men set the amount and handed Drekk a chip. Drekk vanished, and while they waited for him to return, Rafe kept Erin close. Catam, he noted, studied him with interest.

“Just tell me this is all the crowd we’re going to have today. Because if I so much as see a hint of a peacemaker, I’m leaving with the woman. And you’ll never see her again,” Rafe snapped, annoyed.

“You’re not going anywhere, not with our currency,” Mara had the nerve to interject.

Rafe glowered. “Mara, you push too hard and you’re going to get hurt.” Synster and the others backed up as the crew of Mara’s Light advanced on Rafe. But seriously ticked off at his interfering brother, Rafe let loose his Xema abilities, calling on the distortion techniques as he replicated. In seconds, three dozen images of Rafe holding Erin dotted the area, and in the confusion, Rafe moved back into the woodline out of sight of everyone.

Catam, a fellow Xema, most likely saw him move, but was smart enough to keep his eyes on the fake Rafe’s all around him. Rafe spoke through all of them, making it impossible to find his exact location.

“Soon as the currency is verified, the girl’s yours.” He spoke to Synster. “So you have no need of the others we discussed.” Stalling them, he planned how to handle this mess.

Much as he didn’t want to, Rafe knew he would have to give Erin back, if only to follow her to her siblings. She’d never allow them to come to harm, and as his mate, bound Rafe to doing the same. Rafe could only pray Drekk had managed to find them the techie and supplies they needed.

“I hate when they do that,” Lurin muttered, scowling at the copies of Rafe and Erin.

“Damn Xema.”

“You can say that again,” Catam said with menace. “When this is over, Cheltam, you and I are going to settle a few things.”

Rafe scoffed, “You and what crew?” Which had the crew of Mara’s Light shouting and threatening, putting Synster and his men on the defensive all over again as Mara accused Synster of lying to them.

Thankfully, Drekk found Rafe in the woods and kept his voice and presence hidden from everyone else. “The credits are good. I already transferred them. My techie just finished scrubbing all the records of Erin and her family from Blue Rim. And it wasn’t cheap. Cost a hundred thou just for that.”

“Drekk, get on with it.”

“Sorry. Look, the way I figure it, we give her back to Synster, then track them with this.” Drekk held a small device to Erin’s waist and pressed a button. “You have to keep Cheltam’s cover. And she can lead us to her family, because you know she won’t stop until they’re freed again. Once we have them and the other prisoners still being held at Blue Rim, we blow the place up.”