As we’re forced inside, Gerard keeps the Aurelians frozen in place with the unspoken threat of his rifle.
Finally, Peter motions to his pilot to take off – jumping into the ship behind us.
As the door swing shut, I look into my former owner’s face. I’ve never seen such greed on it before. What has Don Sloor offered him?
Danielle sobs - realizing that the horrors of the day are far from over.
Oh, Gods… Unless the Aurelians can save us, I’m going to share her fate. We’re both going to wind up in a Bullfrog’s aquarium!
Peter presses a button, opening a comms link.
“Gerard? As soon as we’re out of sight, blast those fucking Aurelians into mincemeat. I won’t have them coming after us.” He pauses for a second, then snorts bitterly. “Tell the manager of The Star that we’ll replace the elevator for them.”
“My pleasure, boss.” Gerard’s cold voice comes out of the speaker, before cutting off.
I sit there, panting in fear and grief. I barely knew these Aurelian warriors, and yet I’m about to lose them from my life forever.
I pray that their deaths will be quick – and given the horrors that Danielle and I face, perhaps theirs will be the easier fate.
13
Augustus
“My pleasure, Boss,” says the hired gun, as the women we’d newly-freed are clipped to a second henchman’s wrist and taken away.
There’s something about his voice that tips me off as soon as Ashley, Danielle and the others are led away.
“He’s going to start shooting.”
The three of us take a deep breath. Right now, we don’t stand a chance. We’re facing a fully-automatic, military-grade slug rifle – capable of firing dozens of heavy rounds per second…
…but there are three of us. Perhaps one might get this bastard, and stay alive long enough to protect Ashley.
I was expecting raw fear to come pouring through the Bond from Conan – but, instead, I feel nothing but readiness.
“Get ready!” Conan telepaths, and the three of us tense as we prepare to launch to launch ourselves forward.
I keep expecting the hail of bullets to come – but instead, the man with the slug-gun sneers at us first.
“You fucking Aurelians,” he growls. “You think you’re so much better than us – so much more civilized, and powerful. But put a gun in a human’s hands, and you die just the same.”
The henchman raises the heavy rifle to his shoulder – and that’s our signal. I lurch forward, and watch as if in slow motion as he pulls his finger against the trigger…
…and then gapes at us in shock.
The gun tumbles from his hands.
The henchman clutches at his throat, which has suddenly been skewered by the gleaming steel of a rapier.
The fighter from the pit – Draven – suddenly appears from around the corner. He saunters into the elevator as we all stand there, stunned. The swordsman had thrown his weapon with unerring skill – and almost Aurelian accuracy.
Now, he reaches down to the henchman’s gurgling body and curls his fingers around the hilt of the sword. With one yank, he pulls it out cleanly – and the blade is followed by a spurt of blood from the gunman’s pierced artery.
The henchman sinks to the floor of the elevator, gurgling in horror as his life-blood fills his lungs.
Draven, meanwhile, calmly wipes the gleaming steel of his blade across his sleeve, and turns to us with a wry smirk.
“Gentlemen.” His eyes flash. “I think we have a common enemy.” He bows theatrically. “You already know my name…”
I’m frozen. I thought I was a dead man – I thought we were all dead men…
…and now this showboating swordsman has given us all a second, unexpected chance at life.
My hands ball into fists. I intend to use this chance. I’m already imagining crushing Peter Paradooli’s skull – splintering it between my bare hands.
“I am Evander,” our leader seems equally astonished at this turn of events, and gestures towards us. “These are my battle-brothers, Augustus and Conan.”
“Please to make your acquaintance,” the swordsman purrs. “Curiously enough, I was on my way to the landing pad with the intention of killing Peter Paradooli this very night – all alone, I fear.”
His eyes flash.
“However, I have a feeling you and I have a shared goal – and you three strapping lads will make good allies.”
I can’t help it – I like this cocksure human.
“Why do you want to kill that bastard?” Conan demands.
For a moment, Draven’s smile waivers.
“Peter Paradooli is responsible for causing a great deal of pain. I intend to cause him an equal amount in return. If you’d help me, the only thing I’ll ask of you is to let those girls go once the dust has settled.”
“Agreed,” the three of us all say, instantly and as one.
“Then there’s no time to waste. He’s already going to be on his way back to his manor. Do you three have your Reaver?”
I shake my head. “We sold it… To him.”
Draven’s eyes go cold. “That was foolish. We can’t approach by ship if he has access to an Aurelian fighter.”
I feel a surge of irritation at this tiny human male scolding us – but he did just save our lives, so I remain silent.
Draven is silent for a second, and then looks back up.
“That’s fine,” he reassures us. “In fact, we can use the AI of your ship as a distraction. They’ll blast it out of the air while we sneak over the ramparts.” His eyes flash, and he jerks his head through the open elevator doors towards the luxurious black vessel we arrived here in. “I hope you gentlemen opted for the extended coverage with your rental.”
Evander bristles as this upstart takes command of the situation.
“It’s a fine plan,” I telepath reassuringly to my leader. He might rankle at another man assuming command – especially a human – but he is wise enough to put his pride second to rescuing Ashley.
“Very well.”
Together, the four of us stride across the landing bay to our ship. As we climb
