Free Vanished by John Shepard, Danielle Cloakey Page A

sensitive fl esh. When she glanced back up, she was met with pure, heady admiration.
    Vendas lifted his glass in her direction before downing it in a gulp. He turned to the surly man behind the counter. “Three please?”
    Papria winced. She hadn’t even noticed the man and wondered where he’d been. She took a seat between the men and Radek leaned over to speak softly in her ear.
    “Don’t worry. He was in the back cleaning up and only caught the very tail end of your little show.”
    She nodded , relaxing.
    The bartender placed three small glasses before them and filled them with clear liquid from a silver cylinder.  The men slammed theirs, but she only stared at the little glass. When the surly man left for the back again, she spoke.
    “Why did you guys let that happen?”
    Though she didn’t look at them, she sensed the glance that passed between them.
    Vendas answered. “That’s how we do things. You have beef, you deal with it.”
    Radek’s throaty voice added, “We were watching, in case things went sour, but you looked like you had yourself handled pretty well. Besides, it’s not healthy to bottle up those emotions. Letting them out can really clear your head.”
    “Then you can mess it up again with alcohol.” Vendas smiled, nodding at her drink.
    She lifted her drink to her mouth, her eyes watering at the strong vapors. Two sets of curious eyes, light blue and dark green, watched her.
    With a deep breath, she swallowed the fiery liquid in a gulp, wincing at the sting. Holding the little glass between two fingers, she pressed the outside of her wrist to her lips, the burn bringing tears to her eyes.
    Vendas pounded the bar with a heavy palm. When the bartender reappeared, Vendas lifted three fingers, smiling at her. “Yeah, like a man. Damn, girl.” He turned to Radek. “She’s fearless, isn’t she?”
    Radek jerked his chin up. “Yeah, and full of surprises.”
    She set her glass on the counter. The man refilled it before moving on to the others.
    “Bottom’s up.” Vendas lifted his glass her direction, she touched her glass to his, before draining it.
    “Don’t push her,” Radek said, his eyes darting over her.
    Papria stuffed the quick flash of anger down. Hadn’t she proven she could handle herself? “Another,” she asked, and Vendas’ appreciative smile turned to her.
    “So what do you think Earth will be like?” he asked, his glass between his fingers. He placed the edge of the bottom on the counter, his wrist flicking as he circled the bottom of it on the white counter.
    She shrugged, drinking the liquor in a quick gulp. “Like the images the drones captured. Green in some places, huge cities in others, deserts, expanses of water.” She counted how many she’d had, wondering why the world seemed to be blurring. Three wasn’t enough to get her drunk, no way.
    “The idea of natural land is so weird.”  He motioned the man to fill her glass again.
    For a moment, she wished things had been different. If she’d been paired with him, before all this mess… He was the kind of man she’d have loved, the kind who evoked the playful side of her with ease. Without regard, he drew the old her out, made her forget the events that had taken place.
    “Are you trying to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me?” Her words, edged with laughter , extracted two very different reactions in the men.
    Radek stiffened beside her, every muscle in his body growing tense. Heat radiated off him; his suit seams protested with tiny creaks as they snapped taut.
    Vendas’ mouth just dropped open. “That’s all it takes?” He gestured to the cook. “Two more over here!” 
    She stifled a grin at his teasing, but Radek slipped off his stool. He crossed behind her, his hands closed on Vendas’ shoulders, and the green-eyed man flinched. The two struggled a bit, but Radek won the little battle, ripping Vendas away from her while speaking in a conversational tone.
    “I’m sorry, this was