Free AHealingCaress by Viola Grace Page A

“Good to know. Have a good afternoon, sir.”
    He helped her to his feet and returned to his tea and the information he was reading on his data pad.
    She walked slowly out of the shop and the moment she was clear, she ran for it. If he could track her, she had to get somewhere neutral where she could examine his pouch before she continued her flight.
    The animal pens near the spaceport were just the place she needed to be. If he was tracking her by scent, the smell might throw him off and if it were by aura, the amount of bodies there would also add cover.
    Sitting in a corner surrounded by small marsupials, she opened the pouch. A small communicator fell out and as she shook the pouch again to see if there was anything that she was missing. “Damn it!”
    Her life with the family had just come to a screeching halt.
    Tears welled in her eyes and to her surprise one of the creatures brought her its child. The baby was small and weak and despite Bren’s depression, she couldn’t help but reach out to take the little one.
    She stroked the small body slowly and let her energy run along its fur. As she began to synchronize her strokes to the tiny heartbeat, the beat increased. She healed the small body and the creature immediately turned and screamed for its mother.
    Smiling at the return to the living for the little one, Bren handed her back to her mother. The marsupial chattered and hugged its little one as it scampered off to feed.
    “You are good with animals.”
    She stifled her scream as the Guardsman stood at the edge of the animal pen. He had a smile on his grey features, the expression giving him a more fearsome countenance.
    “How did you find me?”
    “I told you, I am a tracker. In fact, Tracker is my call sign. What were you looking for when you stole that pouch?” His words were soft and controlled. There was no anger, merely curiosity.
    It took her a while, but she eventually blurted out, “Something worth money. I need it to stay in the family and out of the brothels.”
    He blinked at her and tilted his head. His black hair slithered over his shoulder and across the chest whose width was enhanced by the pattern embossed in the bodysuit. His boots were Masuo, she could tell by the faithful fit. That alone showed that he had money, as well as the tailored suit.
    “Could you give me enough money to pay off the family?”
    He tilted his head the other way. “That is only a temporary solution. I can offer you a more permanent fix.”
    She was immediately wary. “What kind of situation do you have in mind?”
    His chuckle was rich and she found herself watching him to see if the column of his throat would contract in that fascinating way again.
    “I can offer you a position in the Citadel. They will train you to use that healing talent you just used and they will keep you away from those who will try and use you in ways that make you uncomfortable.”
    Hope flared in her. “I can’t pay you anything.”
    “There is no pay needed. The Citadel will clothe, feed and shelter you and your talent will earn the money back after you have been trained. You will work for your keep but never have to do anything that you don’t wish to. Your body will be your own.”
    She slowly got to her feet. “When can we go?”
    He grinned. “I am on leave and I have a shuttle. We can leave right now.”
    She walked around the animals and climbed out the same way she had gotten in. “Good, I think that Therin will be looking for me soon.”
    She walked up to Tracker and handed him the communicator and his pouch. “I am sorry that I took it.”
    “I understand your motivation, better than you can imagine. Now, let’s get you somewhere where you won’t have to worry about brothels or Therin.” He smiled and returned the pouch to his waist, slipping the communicator inside.
    He walked with her at his side through the animal pens and toward the shuttle pads. Tracker nodded to the constables that they passed and while the