Free Equinox by Lara Morgan Page A

being peeled off in thin strips. Air streamed past, her hair whipping out behind her as the driver opened the bike up. The cars, trees and buildings around them became a blur of motion and she could do nothing but hold on.
    Bio bikes were two-wheeled power monsters with camouflage shielding. The driver wove the bike effortlessly through the traffic as if all the other vehicles were standing still. They were soon over the bridge, bypassing the checkpoint as if they were invisible, roaring through the Rim.
    Rosie clung on. For all she knew she could have just leaped into Helios’s hands, but it was too late to rethink. She was sure she recognised the voice though. Male, but not Riley. She didn’t try to ask for a name – the speed they were travelling at made it impossible to talk without helmet coms, and she was riding bare.
    She hunched down behind him, using his body to cut the wind, and tried to pay attention to where they were going. It was getting dark, so she couldn’t be sure. South maybe. They cut through busy streets. Rosie saw the brief flash of a reader light scan the bike ID, but no alarms halted them.
    The pain in her shoulder had become a hot spreading throb and she could barely feel her left hand clutching at the driver’s jacket. She began to feel strange, as if she was suspended in time. There was nothing but the rush of wind, the rolling thunder of the bike and the pain. The bright lights of the spaceport flashed past. She blinked. Where in the hell were they going? She knew she should be afraid, but the pain was taking over. Her vision was blurry and there was a funny roar in her ears.
    She blinked and her eyes closed briefly – or not. She suddenly jerked up, heart pounding. The bike was wobbling, the driver gripping her arm. She’d been sliding off sideways. She sat up and the wind hit her full in the face, but not so fast. They were slowing down. The bike turned down a wide road flanked on either side by tall stone pillars.
    They were in the Ocean Estates, playground of the rich, and about as far from the life of a Banker you could get. The pain in her shoulder asserted itself and Rosie swallowed a cry. She was suddenly wide awake. How had they got here? She must have passed out. The Estates were at least two hours south of the city.
    They took a turn into a driveway, great steel gates opening before them. A sign above the gate was illuminated by soft lighting.
Newport
. The driveway ended at a sprawling mansion, the bike thrumming to rest in front of the door.
    Rosie tried to slide off fast, make a break for it, but the driver was faster. The bike wasn’t even switched off before he’d twisted around and caught her by the arm. Not that it made any difference. Her legs buckled and she yelped in pain. He’d grabbed her injured arm.
    “Ow, let go!”
    “Sorry.” His grip loosened. “Relax, it’s okay. Wait.” That familiar muffled voice again. “It’s me.”
    “Who’s me?” Rosie sounded hoarse and weak. He was still hanging onto her arm, but now he seemed to be holding her up more than restraining her. She twisted out of his grip and stood unsteadily, swaying slightly, a weird feeling coming over her. She knew that voice.
    He swung his leg over the bike, switching the engines off. It was suddenly very quiet. She heard sea washing against the shore and smelled damp salty air, but it barely registered as he took off his helmet and shook out his hair.
    Golden highlights glinted in the soft lighting coming from the house.
    He smiled. “Hey, Pilot Girl. Told you I had a Prince Charming complex.”
    She stared. “Dalton?”

CHAPTER 8
    Wait, wait!” He dropped the helmet, arms spread wide as she took three big steps back from him. “It’s okay. I’m not Helios.”
    “What?” Rosie stopped.
    “I work for Riley,” he said. “Really. He sent me to help you.”
    Gravel crunched under her feet as she took another step back.
    “Seriously.” He came slowly towards her, arms still held