Free Silver Tongued Devils by Dawn Montgomery Page A

take down your lover
and his dog. You were a bonus.”
    He’s a cat.
    “When they lost you, I thought that was
it. Lucky for me, you ended up on my ship. Of course you were
fucking that animal like a bitch in heat. I took great pleasure in
hitting you both with the shock rod. Too bad, I couldn’t do
something more permanent to the captain’s pet.”
    He’d been in the room with them. She
clenched her fists. This bastard had taken joy in having her father
killed, harming her man, and destroying her life. Was he going to
kill her as well? Cold rage replaced her fear. She’d make him
regret ever seeing her face.
    “I guess they won’t want you anymore
since those Andovian bastards are all about purity and
shit.”
    “Why would they want me in the first
place?”
    “That’s a good question. I tried to
sell your ass on the black market after the raid in Sakura, but the
Andovian ambassador kicked that plan to the curb. They ran a
fucking DNA test on you for the slave auction and you triggered
their attention. Do you know how much a natural redhead goes for
these days?”
    Anger receded enough for her to think.
Raesa’s ribs throbbed and his words were turning her stomach at a
rapid rate. She searched within her field of vision for anything
that could be used as a weapon.
    “So why don’t you tell me what you’re
doing here?” He hauled them both up so he could see the screen.
“Communications? What were you going to do, call for help? From
who?”
    Thieves and Imperials were always
underestimating her.
    “I don’t understand why the Andovians
would go this far.”
    “Get this…” He lowered the barrel so he
could get closer to her ear. “You’re some kind of princess or some
shit. All because of that necklace you wear.”
    Princess? What the hell was he talking
about?
    “But you and I know the truth, don’t
we? You stole that trinket. Hacked it the way you did this setup.
Snowed over your old man and the captain. Even that hybrid beast is
sniffing after you.”
    There was no point in arguing. She
dropped her gaze to the stiletto where she’d left it on the
desk.
    “I’ll bring you to the prince and he’ll
have to give me my reward.” He yanked on her hair and she
stumbled.
    In a single move she grabbed the
stiletto, and brought it up. With a fierce thrust she shoved it
into his throat. Blood spurted from his wound and she yanked it
out. He slammed her against the desk. Pain exploded along her ribs.
She screamed and tumbled back. Her head hit something hard and she
dropped to the floor.
    The bleeding bastard pointed the gun at
her but she couldn’t make her body react.
    Her vision blurred and she heard a
gunshot from too far away.
    “Raesa!” Brom shouted her name and she
smiled. He was alive.
    “Brom. Raesa. Report.” Na’varr’s
command echoed in her ear. “Answer me, dammit.”
    He really was a prince.
    They needed to let her
sleep.
     
    ***
     
    Raesa covered her eyes. The lights
burned.
    “Raesa!” Na’varr’s yell startled her
and she tried to turn toward it but her head throbbed.
    She tried to focus.
    “Hellcat. Raesa.” Brom’s voice came
from behind her. “Wake up, baby.” He grabbed her around the ribs
and she cried out.
    “What the hell happened?” Na’varr’s
voice was quieter than before. A blessing she’d thank him for
later. “Whose blood is this?”
    Brom made a growling sound. “Some of it
is hers, but not all.”
    “Give her to me.”
    She wanted to beg them to stop yelling,
but couldn’t seem to make her voice work.
    Brom’s arms tightened around her and
she tried to scream but her ribs made breathing difficult. “Don’t
leave us, Raesa.” Brom’s words cut into her heart.
    “We’ll get her to safety, but I need a
clear path. Don’t let anything get in our way.”
    She was handed off and Na’varr cursed
quietly. Something warm and wet hit her face. “I can’t have another
ghost haunting me, Raesa. Keep fighting.” Na’varr’s ragged