Free A King's Revenge: Warlords Series Book 2 by Michelle Howard Page A

different port flooded her with excitement and
anticipation.
    Lea attributed her
exuberance to her failed career in the military. The gap in her memory may have
made her ineligible to return but it didn’t take away the joy she got from
flying or the rush.
    She braced her weight
and hit the button for the shuttle bay. The predictable drop had her gasping
and then it slid to a smooth halt and the door opened. Ships landing and
launching flooded the recycled air in this area with the smell of fuel and
engine noise. Thrusters revved and whined while the ramp down the center of the
large space lit up with red lights to signal another ship for clearance.
    The door at the end of
the tunnel opened and a military cruiser launched through the outer portal.
Ship after ship in queue preceded forward, the outer bay doors hissing each
time it opened and closed.
    Lea scanned the crowd
of rushing people. Kord stood taller than the others. He headed in her
direction when they made eye contact. Dressed in a navy jumper similar to hers
and a stunner strapped to his hip, her friend drew curious stares. Over six
feet in height and with a build that only hinted at the muscles she’d seen,
Kord could have any woman he wanted but Lea wasn’t sure if there was someone
special in his life. They spent a lot of time together yet neither of them
brought anyone around the other.
    Kord sidestepped armed
guards, his strides lengthening the closer he got to her. Security remained on
high alert due to the Alliance gathering. Lea waited until he reached her.
    He grasped her upper
arm guiding her through the area. Lea frowned. “When are we slotted?”
    “Two more launches
then us.”
    Their shuttle came into
view. Her heart swelled with pride. The middle class shuttle wasn’t much to
look at in comparison to some of the other vehicles around them but the offline
FX had been a thing of beauty in its day. When it was designed engineers still
cared about the beauty and symmetry of every ship that was crafted. Unlike
today’s cumbersome behemoths with their armored casing and limited
maneuverability.
    The sleek silver
finish of the FX shone brightly beneath the overhead lights. Black matte
stripes trimmed the side wings to match the black underbelly. Two mounted
canons were welded on the front extended runners. Lea loved the FX. What it
lacked in heavy artillery it made up for in speed.
    Kord released her when
they stood near the hatch, the doors already opening due to the remote access
on Kord’s comm. Lea stopped before entering. “What’s the rush?”
    His lips pressed
together but he stopped pushing her along with the touches to her back and arm.
“No rush.”
    Turning her back on
the door, she crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot. First having
Tarik do a runner on her this morning and now Kord acting more mysterious than
usual. “Something’s up with you.”
    “As always you
attribute more to my actions than is necessary.”
    The familiar smirk and
dismissive words should have reassured her. They didn’t. They sounded forced.
Lea stared trying to put her finger on what bothered her the most about his
behavior. He’d been acting strange since-
    “Lea!”
    Her head turned in the
direction of the transport lift. Tarik and two men dressed in black ankle
length robes edges in gold exited. She ignored the men with him despite the confused
stares they aimed her way and focused on Tarik. He alone held her attention.
    Gone was the flirty
stranger she’d met in a bar. Gone was the sensuous lover she’d spent the night
with. In his place stood a ruler of men. A thin circlet of gold did its best to
hold back the gold streaked brown hair. In lieu of the simple white shirt and
black pants he’d worn the night before, this Tarik dressed as if it was his
right to lead.
    The black cape was
flung carelessly over one shoulder, a large gold clasp holding it in place to
reveal the v-neck black tunic beneath that reached his knees. Around his