Free Microsoft Word - MaximumVelocity.rtf by Andrea DePasture Page A

and sighed when her butt connected with the soft plush leather seat. Gunfire ripped out
    around them all of the sudden. Instantly, she was alert and ready. Devlin had his hand on the
    door, and he was beginning to slump forward.

    “Oh, shit! Devlin!” Her voice broke with emotion. By the looks of it, he’d been hit in
    the shoulder. Dashing forward, she caught him before he could fall. “Damn, you’re one heavy
    bugger.” She dragged him inside and settled him beside her. The door automatically shut, and a
    figure of a small woman appeared in front of her.

    “What course of action would you like me to take?”

    “Get us the hell out of here! Raise your shields, and shoot back at those dirty rotten
    bastards!!!” She wanted them all dead. If she didn’t have to take care of Devlin she would have
    made sure they died by her own hand.

    As if he sensed the intensity of her emotions and what she was thinking about, he met her
    anxious gaze. Smiling, he made her heart leap. He was still very much alive, thank God.

    “Your wish is my command.” The small woman disappeared, and Samantha was thrown
    back against the seat as the Pixie 500 took to the air.

    “Devlin?” She rolled him over, and frowned when she noticed the blood streaming out
    across his white shirt. “Oh, my God.” Her hands started to glow, and she hoped he hadn’t
    noticed. He was slipping away into an unconscious state of mind. Her mind reached out to
    touch his, just as his eyes closed. Could she heal him with her powers? Or was it too risky?
    Thinking on impulse, she opened his shirt and pulled it aside, so she could look at his wound.
    Fortunately for him, it was just a laser burn and didn’t seem to harbor any poisoned little
    electronic bugs. He had fallen unconscious, though he was beginning to moan. “Devlin,
    wakeup you silly bastard! Please, wake up. I need you to wake up!” She reached inside of her
    black gadget bag for a piece of healing gauze. It was a wonderful invention, and in lieu of being
    in a med bay and having a skilled physician on hand, it did wonders. Gently, she pressed it
    against the wound. Within seconds, it molded to his skin. In a few hours, his wound would be
    completely healed.

    “Jane?” he murmured, rolling his head to the side. She grunted. Whoever this Jane was,
    was probably his last harlot that he had slept with. Jealousy swept through her. She pushed it
    down and tried to smother the bitch. Shaking him gently once again caused his eyelids to pop
    open. Recognition dawned as he locked his gaze on her. “Oh, it’s you. Samantha.” He sounded
    disappointed.

    “Glad to see you back with the land of the living too, Lord Devlin.” Her heart sank down
    into the pit of her stomach. Her hands shook as she swept them over his chest. His muscles
    tightened beneath her gentle caress. He looked at her and in that instant; she was nearly tempted
    to do the unthinkable. Leaning toward him, she gazed intently at his lips. What would they feel
    like pressed against her own. As if in a trance, she continued to lean in toward him. His eyes lit
    MAXIMUM VELOCITY Marly Mathews 35
    up with fire, as something important occurred to him. He’d just remembered they were still in
    what could still be a dangerous area.

    “Vanessa, take us to the Caterra Casino.” He sat up straighter. The color started to return
    to his cheeks.

    “Right away, Lord Devlin.” A voice filtered through the intercom and it sounded
    remarkably like the woman whose holographic projection had just filled the car.

    “So that’s this AI’s name.”

    “Yes.” He flexed his fingers and she winced at the look of pain that flashed across his
    features.

    “I think I have a pain pill somewhere in here....”

    “No.” His curt reply surprised her. “It will only cloud my head. I need to be in full
    control right now. Samantha, you just might be out of your element.”

    “Out of my element…yeah, right, whatever. Obviously, you still