Free Ride the Moon: An Anthology by M. L. D. Curelas Page B

wearer truly is attracted to the target. It pains me that for you to learn your lesson, I have to actually continue admiring you!”
    A cough. “We don’t always control these things ...”
    â€œI did it all because I thought it would win you over! How stupid was I?”
    A boot to the face.
    â€œThis is what he deserves. He’s earned it. All that hard work ... all that hard work inheriting an empire, anyway.”
    Another boot.
    He spat a string of blood and stood. Only now when he looked at Parnella, gone was the shrill harpy in designer clothes. Instead, the bitch who had kicked him was something divine; a bucket of sunshine sparkling in some light issued from far beyond this foggy dimension, with ringlets swaying like fields of rye in the spring breeze, curves greater than the most celebrated goddess statue of antiquity, eyes like royal jewels or oceans or the sky—
    Zerj shook his head, turned away from the woman. He reeled from a faltering, a weakness in his chest.
    â€œOf course I’ll never be yours, Mr. Faulon. Not now. But you can suffer like I did. Oh, how poetic that you landed here, how perfect.”
    Those damned scents, clouding his brain like she had injected herself into him, replaced his blood with liquid images, sensations, memories of things that never happened, but oh how great it would be if they had—
    â€œThis is why your people will fall one day,” Leen said. “The way you use what little magic is left. It’s like a toy to you.”
    â€œQuiet.”
    â€œThen perhaps you should compensate me so that I may leave you to your childish torture.”
    Something wasn’t right, but what? There was the perfume, yes, and this strange place far away from his yacht, then what?
    This is why it’s going to sell, you idiot. Think past the fog.
    â€œI’m getting tired of your pedantry, Leen. I don’t know what your people are, or what you do in this realm of moon people and sun demons, but you’ve outlived your usefulness.”
    It seemed so wrong—that this perfect woman would threaten anyone. But that’s what she was doing. If that’s what she wanted, though, who was he to argue?
    Think, idiot.
    Once more, he went with a general mistrust of his upbringing. He jumped in front of Leen, tackled her. There was a boom. Another. Pain bloomed in his shoulder.
    Zerj groaned and rolled. Then came the sounds of a scuffle, a short scream, and the sound of bone cracking. Then the eerie sigh of Leen’s sword and searing flesh.
    â€œAre you okay?”
    Zerj rubbed his eyes. Leen was there, hand outstretched. He paused when he saw the mutilated body staining the rocks.
    â€œI might be, if I can get this wound to stop. I’m a bit of a bleeder, Madam.” Then it hit him that this was the thief who had started the whole thing. He went for his hand-cannon. “Sorry, but I tend to hold grudges. Care to explain this?”
    â€œYou saved my life. So I owed you the same.”
    â€œAnd my yacht? My employees, all those innocent lives?”
    Leen removed the mask. Brown skin, dark eyes, and cheekbones quite like the gigantic statues. But she lacked the pointed ears and long face. “The moon is still out in that part of the world, yes?”
    He lowered the weapon, if only slightly. “Is that some kind of cryptic offer?”
    Leen sheathed the sword. She then sat cross-legged, back perfectly straight.
    â€œSo you go where the moon goes? You can just flick back and forth like that? Genius ... night raids, good tactics. No wonder you’ve become a hot commodity in these times.”
    â€œI’m trying to concentrate, Sir.”
    He pressed on his wound. “Sorry.” Blood now seeped from the fabric of his waistcoat and stained his hand.
    And to believe that Leen had nearly killed him, and had killed his crew, all because that stupid woman had told her to, and now she seemed like some eternal feminine