Free Deadly Pursuit (A Blood Hunter Novel, #2) by Nina Croft

redhead?”
    IttookheramomenttorealizehemeantJaney.Hurlingthebagathishead,shespunaroundandstalkedfromtheroom.
    Hischucklefollowedherasshestompeddownthecorridor.
    “Fuckingbastard,”shemutteredunderherbreath.
    Swearing,shedecided,waseasy.Allyouneededwastherightincentive.

ChapterFive

    AlexspentthenexttwodayshelpingtheTrogintheenginerooms.ShelikedtheTrogandfoundhiscompanyrestful.Therehadneverbeenanyneedtopretendwithhim.Evenwhenshe’dbeenindisguise,she’dknownhewouldn’tgiveheraway.
    Maybebecausehewassuchanenigmahimself.
    Occasionally,shecaughtflashesofsadnessonhisface,butsomeinnerinstincttoldherthatwhateverwasinhispast,hewasn’tyetreadytotalkaboutit.Shereckonedthatwaswhyhespentsomuchtimealone;hehadsecretshedidn’twanttogiveawayeither.
    Theyhadn’tseenanysignofeithertheChurchortheCollectivesincetheirescape.Maybethey’doutrunthem.Ortheirpursuershadlostinterest.
    El Cazador was managing to limp along, but only the Trog’s constant nursing kept her from giving up completely. Even the captain hadn’t insisted on him joining them for meals as she usually did. And Alex had used the excuse that she was helping him to stay out of the way.
    She didn’t want to know if Jon had gotten his date with Janey. But she didn’t think so. Occasionally, Janey or Daisy would pop into the engine rooms to fill her in on the gossip. Apparently, Jon was flirting indiscriminately with every woman on board. Well, every woman except her.
    Because she was “needy.”
    Bastard .
    At least the whole swearing thing was getting easier. She’d been doing a lot of practicing.
    Alex could tell both of them were flattered by his attentions, but she didn’t think either had actually done anything about it yet or they’d be boasting. And she presumed Tannis wouldn’t be taken in—she had far too much sense. It was obvious Jon was only trying to gain influence—well, or get laid. Even so, the thought of him with Tannis sent an odd little jolt to her belly.
    This morning, Rico had called them all together for a meeting, and everyone else was already there when she’d sidled into the central conference room.
    Rico sat at the front, long, booted legs stretched out in front of him. “Well, if it isn’t our little priestess.”
    She stopped moving and scowled. “Don’t call me that.”
    “What should we call you? What did they call you back at the…?” He shrugged. “Hey, where did you live?”
    “At the Abbey on Trakis Four.”
    “So what did they call you back at the Abbey?”
    Alex caught Jon’s gaze, and he raised an eyebrow. She took her hands from her pockets, and gave her best high priestess glare. “They called me Lady Alexia or your Ladyship. Either will do.”
    Rico grinned. “Yeah, like that’s going to happen, your Ladyship . I reckon you’d better stay Al.”
    “No, she’s Alex—she has to have a girl’s name, now,” Janey said as Alex sank down into the chair beside her.
    “Why? She doesn’t look like a girl.”
    Janey patted her leg. “Soon she will. But none of our clothes fit her—they’re all too big, so we’ll have to get new stuff. We’re going shopping on Trakis Two.”
    Rico shook his head. “Al’s not going shopping anywhere and certainly not on Trakis Two. She stays on the ship.”
    “Why?”
    “Because there are wanted posters everywhere—with her picture on them.”
    “Yeah, but the picture looks nothing like her. No one will recognize her.”
    “I recognized her,” Skylar said. “And if I did, someone else might.”
    “And Trakis Two is always crawling with church people desperate to get laid,” Rico added. “We’ll probably bump straight into that High Priest…what was his name?”
    “Hezrai Fischer,” Alex said and couldn’t prevent a grin at the thought of Hezrai trawling for pleasure providers on Trakis Two. The expression disappeared fast. She’d been looking forward to going shopping, seeing the sites.
    The sun never rose on the dark side of Trakis Two, but still the place