The Thief Of Mardu Part 16

Sernal stared at the gla.s.s, amazed Gren had imbibed the strong liquor so quickly. "I'd say your metabolism is nothing short of amazing too."

"I'm surprised you didn't know that." He lowered his voice. "Alcohol doesn't affect my kind the way it does others. We have a natural tolerance for fermented fruits. Certain drugs, however," he paused, his expression darkening, "can be lethal."

"You remember how it felt to be powerless all too well, don't you?" Sernal saw a golden opportunity and charged forward. It might not have been smart, but reminding Gren of his imprisonment last year would have more of an impact than a simple entreaty for help. "Imagine helpless young women undergoing what you suffered. Except they don't escape. No one rides in to their rescue."

"I wasn't rescued," Gren said between clenched teeth. "I was two seconds from killing that b.i.t.c.h Cari when you entered the scene, running late as usual." Then he cursed under his breath. "I'm just not going to be rid of you until you tell me what's on your mind, am I?"

Sernal drained the rest of his gla.s.s, feeling slightly wobbly as he did so. Unlike the Thesha, the Mardu were susceptible to alcohol. "Nope. So you might as well hear me out."

Gren stared at him for a moment before he stood abrupty, flexing his ma.s.sive arms as he whipped a towel around his neck. "Fine then. Follow me."

Sernal trailed Gren to the deluxe suites in Zunus' most prestigious resort. Zunus, planet Aflera's highest grossing resort district, accounted for one quarter of the planet's gross income.

Whistling as they entered Gren's suite, Sernal stared in appreciation. "Being a mercenary must pay pretty well." A small water fountain greeted them when they entered, and the room's soothing hues of amber and pale green blended with the tropical environment directly outside.

Through two open doors leading to an outside balcony, Sernal could clearly see a finwhale leaping into the air before it disappeared beneath clear pink water. The wind blew, rustling the silken drapes framing the balcony doors, and the sweet smell of florantes teased his sensitive nose.

He almost felt bad for what he was about to do to Gren.

"Spill it," Gren ordered and wandered outside on the balcony.

"We have a total of fifteen missing women, all grabbed within the past month. All are from affluent families, and all from different provinces in Mardu."

Gren shrugged. "So tap System law. What do you need me for?"

"There's something about these crimes that smacks of peacemaker corruption."

Gren turned to stare at Sernal. "How so?"

Finally, a spark of interest. Sernal prayed to Flor his luck would continue. "The culprits have kidnapped at least five women from their own security. Eyewitness accounts paint our kidnappers as organized, controlled and possibly military.

"They cover all their bases a little too well. Neither Rafe nor myself has detected a trace of evidence at any of the crime scenes."

Gren frowned in thought. Sernal and his brother, Rafe, had a reputation as the best. The top peacemakers of their entire planet, they deferred to no one in the interest of justice. They'd never before been stumped on a case, and that they were now definitely caused some concern.

"You say only women are being kidnapped?"

Sernal nodded. "All between the ages of twenty to forty, all beautiful and within child-bearing age."

Gren's eyes widened. "You don't think it's another Ebrellion Ring?"

The Ebrellion Ring ended six years ago when Sernal and his men killed the aliens responsible for over fifty female abductions. The Ebrellion species, fast on the brink of extinction, had decided to forego natural selection and stole women for the sole purpose of breeding.

"We don't think so. System observation posts report normal Ebrellion activity, all from outside System boundaries. No, these crimes make me think it's an internal threat."

"Any evidence to support that?"

Sernal frowned. Gren would have to ask that. "Not enough to prove, not yet. Let's just say I've got a 'gut feeling' about peacemaker involvement."

Gren stared at him. "So you come to me asking for help. Why?"

"I need your resources to plant one of my people undercover. And Rafe will be on hand to a.s.sist."

Gren grimaced. "h.e.l.l no. Not your brother. He's as bad as you are." Gren could see Sernal's patience thinning.

The lawman rolled his eyes. "Gren, we're talking about saving the lives of fifteen women."

"No." His conscience tugged at him while the ocean beckoned a second glance. He stared at the rippling water, imagining himself floating without a care, rebuilding his strength and his peace of mind. He would never admit it aloud, but last year had taken a toll on him from which he had yet to recover.

"Look, Sernal," he tried, "you have resources far beyond mine. You have an entire planet of lawmen at your disposal, not to mention you're the d.a.m.ned head of Peacemaker Central. Order your own contacts to help you."

Sernal swore. "I'm not the head of "Peacemaker Central," as you like to call it. And weren't you listening when I told you we've got rogue peacemakers?" Sernal muttered under his breath and ran a hand through his hair. "You call me a pain in the a.s.s? h.e.l.l," he growled, "it's taking what little control I have not to order you to a.s.sist us."

Gren crossed his arms over his chest and stared a hole through Sernal's head. All the peace he'd felt under the thraia's hands disappeared as a familiar tension returned to his body.

Sernal must have sensed the strain for he straightened, no longer at ease but now on edge, ready to spring into action if necessary. Gren had to hand it to the Mardu. He was a pain in the a.s.s, but a dangerous pain in the a.s.s.

Even so, Gren didn't bow to anyone, not anymore. "I dare you to order me to do anything," he said pleasantly, hoping Sernal would lose his cool so Gren could legitimately toss him out of his room.

Suddenly, the door to Gren's room flew open and a woman entered in a huff, followed closely by Rafe of Mardu.

"What the h.e.l.l?" Gren's anger grew as more unwanted guests intruded on his vacation.

"For Narok's sake, Sernal, just order him to a.s.sist us and be done with it," the woman said, disgust in her voice as she eyed Gren. "It's not as if we don't have enough to worry about with begging for this drun's help."

Gren had to blink at the vision standing before him. He gathered his focus, immediately wary at the strong effect she had on him. He subtly looked to Sernal, wondering if the beauty was part of some plot to snag Gren into helping. But Sernal didn't look pleased at the interruption. He glared at his brother. Rafe shrugged helplessly.

"She distracted me and before I knew it, she was busting in."

The woman glared at Rafe over her shoulder. "If you let a little thing like b.r.e.a.s.t.s distract you from your mission, you need remedial training."

Rafe glared back at the icy beauty, but before he could say anything, Gren began to laugh. For the first time since he could remember, a woman responded to the Mardu brothers with scorn rather than pa.s.sion.

All eyes swung to him as he continued to chuckle. Rafe swore. Sernal closed his eyes, seeming to pray for patience. The woman, however, seethed with resentment. He could almost feel her animosity pulsing around her as she glowered at him.

"She does have a point, Rafe." Gren grinned and fell into a plush oversized chair. The woman's att.i.tude amused him, but he decided to needle her for her earlier insult. "But honey, those b.r.e.a.s.t.s you're carrying are enough to drive a man crazy."

The woman stiffened her spine and narrowed her eyes, like an angry she-wolf prepared to attack. The combination of long, silken blond hair and unique purple-gray eyes drew his gaze like a magnet. And her tempting body, long, lean and full of womanly curves, made him contemplate luring her for s.e.x, something he hadn't done in a long time. Women came to Gren of their own free will. He hadn't needed to coerce a woman to his bed since, well, since Mara over a year ago. And that had been for mission's sake.

Sernal spoke before the p.r.i.c.kly woman could reply. "Gren, I'd like you to meet Temis Freya. She's one of my top peacemakers. Rafe you already know."

"Peacemaker?" Gren ignored Rafe to study Temis. "She looks more like a pleasurerer. Though her att.i.tude needs work."

The first word out of Temis's mouth was a curse, impressive for it's creativity. Sernal shot her a sharp look that immediately stilled her clever if barbed tongue. "We've been working on her att.i.tude. It seems we've still a long road ahead of us." Her glare subsided at Sernal's rebuke.

Interesting.

"I'm sorry Temis interrupted us, but she has a point. We're running out of time and we need you now."

Gren glanced over his shoulder to the balcony. A raptor flew over the sea, snagging a mraun fish from the water. That reminded him he had yet to eat.

Then he wondered if the missing woman were being fed. Were their captors abusing them while he lounged in his overpriced suite? And how did Sernal expect him to relax when images of tortured women began appearing in his mind? The d.a.m.ned peacemaker knew a Thesha couldn't abide harm done to a woman. d.a.m.n him.

"You're going to owe me big for this," he growled at Sernal.

Sernal visibly relaxed. "Thank Flor you've come to your senses," he praised. "I'll find us transportation to the s.h.i.+p while Rafe fills you in on the basic scheme of things. For the most part it's like every other undercover mission you've worked."

"For the most part?" Gren's left brow rose, in both curiosity and command.

"This mission you're not flying solo. Temis will be with you every step of the way."

end.