Free The Albino Knife by Steve Perry Page B

probably also still after Sleel, too. He's pinned down in a place where he's easier to get to, and he's unarmed."
    Bork was right. Dirisha didn't think whoever had set his or her sights on them would have been careless, and the bank's computer probably wouldn't give them much to go on. Whatever had beencause enough for them to start shooting probably hadn't gone away and there was no reason to believe they would stop after one round.
    "All right.Maybe we ought to pay Sleel a visit and see if there's anything we can do. They'll let the brat out in a couple of days; Sleel will probably be okay until then."
    "Sounds good to me," Bork said. "Bet Sleel'll be glad to see us."
    "I wouldn't bet my ass on that," Dirisha said.

Chapter Six
    THE SHIP WAS a milk-run passenger liner, one of the squarish, no-frills transports built at the height of the Confed's reign, designed to move people efficiently, but with a minimum of luxury. It was a cut above a troop transport, but not a wide cut.
    Bork sat at a table in the dining room, eating some kind of overcooked dark fish, staring into nowhere.
    A woman had laughed behind him a few minutes ago and something about the sound of her voice had called up a memory of Mayli. He chewed on the two together, not tasting the fish but unable to avoid the sourness of his recall. This biz with somebody trying to kill matadors had taken over and Bork found himself surprised to realize that he hadn't thought about Mayli much since it had begun. Maybe that meant something.
    He finished the meal and looked around. He'd been distracted, had lost touch with what was going on in therestaurant, and that was bad. Inattention could get you killed. If he was going to stay alive, best he sharpen up some. He didn't want to make a stupid mistake and maybe put Dirisha or Geneva in danger.
    He owed them attention. There was a gym somewhere on the ship. He'd go and move some iron around.
    He usually felt better when his blood was pumping after a good workout.
    In their small ship cabin, Dirisha trailed her hand lightly over the mostly healed wound on Geneva's naked chest. Like the blonde, the darkwoman was also nude—save for the spetsdods they both wore.
    "Hurt for me to touch it?"
    "Nope.It's a little tender if I move wrong, but that doesn't hurt at all."
    Dirisha slid her hand down her lover's body, gently scratching with her fingernails.
    "Mmm.That feels even better."
    Dirisha moved her hand yet lower. After a moment, Geneva's breathing deepened."Ah, yeah.Right there."
    Dirisha eased herself downward, sliding carefully over the sheets. In a moment, she was in position, and she replaced her gently probing fingers with her lips, then her tongue.
    "Oh, yes!"
    Dirisha lifted her face from the blond pubic mound and the warm saltiness there and said, "You tell me if you start to hurt anywhere."
    "Hurt? It doesn'thurt ! Do it some more!"
    Dirisha laughed and bent back to her task.
    It took only a minute before Geneva arched upward and pressed herself hard against Dirisha's mouth, the small spasms clenching and releasing and pulsing through her lips into those of her lover.
    "You were ready for that. I hardly got warmed up."
    Geneva slid her hands down and into Dirisha's hair, to rub her head. "I've been ready since we were splashed. It's your turn. Move around."
    "You sure you're up for it?"
    "I'm sure."
    "Well, okay. You talked me into it."
    Both women laughed.
    Lying quietly next to each other, the two women talked.
    "That's the best it's been in a long time," Geneva said.
    "Yeah.Nothing like a little danger to spice up your love life."
    "That's true."
    "I was joking, brat."
    "I know. But you're right, you know. We've been getting stale lately, Rissy."
    Dirisha propped herself up on her elbow. "You complaininghere?"
    "No.Of course not." Geneva moved to kiss the other woman's nipple. She leaned back, smiling. "It's just that we've been coasting for a while. Our lives haven't beenabout anything."
    Dirisha nodded. Geneva was