Page 20 of Written in the Stars

“Let’s go,” he said, gesturing back into the shop. “Don’t want to keep A’Lun waiting.”

I nodded quickly, sighing with relief as the bathroom door slid shut behind me.There. That’s as much warning as I can give you, Drask. Make the most of it.

If my alien lover had any sense, he’d flee and not look back.

13

DRASK

Drask—don’t come, it’s a trap. They’re waiting for you, and they’ll kill us both. Take Nebula and run.

I know you’re not likely to take that advice, so here’s my best map of where the assholes are waiting for you. There are six of them.

I love you, and I’m serious, get yourself to safety.

—Megan

* * *

I lookedat the scrawled note with its crude map and grinned like a fool. Of course Megan found a way to help me. Of course she’d gotten Nebula to safety.

And, of course, she was right. Running was the only smart option. I should go, leave this station and its warring gangs in my wake and never see them again. It was the smart move, the right move, and the move I’d never take.

Not when it meant abandoning Megan to her death.

I approached Written in the Stars carefully, a coolbox in my hands, held out where it no one could miss it. With the bookshop’s shutters down, I couldn’t see inside, but that didn’t mean no one was watching me.

A new camera looked out from the front door, confirming my suspicion. Standing directly in its view, I pressed the button beside it and waited for a response.

“Done?” Whichever Black Hole answered, they didn’t beat about the bush.

“Yes.” I replied with the same terseness, holding up the box to the camera.

The connection clicked off, and the shutter slid aside. I took a deep, calming breath and stepped across the threshold.

I looked around as I entered, memorizing everything I could see. Three gang members were obvious, two flanking the door and one at the counter. Beside him sat Megan, her face pale, hands trembling. I wanted to reassure her, to tell her everything would be alright.

Which would have been a lie. My plan was all improvised, my information half guesswork. But I had to try.

“Why did you have to come back?” Megan said, and it was hard to tell which was winning, her anger or her sadness. “I wanted yousafe, idiot.”

“I am sure that our friend will honor his bargain with us,” I said. Better to let A’Lun think he’d fooled me and that I was no threat.

The tall, spare gang leader smiled, and probably thought he hid his contempt from me.Good, let him underestimate us. The longer he thinks he’s won, the more of a shock he’ll get.

“You have that void-sucker’s head?” A’Lun pointed to the coolbox I carried. “Show me.”

“Once you get what you want, we’re free to go. With payment and help in getting my ship repaired, so we can get far away from here.”

“Yes, that was our deal.” A’Lun’s fingers drummed on the counter, betraying a nervous energy. “Show me the head, and I’ll get you on your way at once.”

You think you’re so clever, don’t you? Well, let us see who laughs last.I pressed my thumb to the lock, disengaging it, and handed the box over.

Working as a mercenary, there’s a feeling you learn to recognize. The tension in the air when someone’s going to start a fight, when crosshairs settle on your back, when the other guy is about to pull a knife. I’d never felt it as strongly as I did in that moment, and I concentrated on staying relaxed and non-threatening.

A’Lun set the box down and opened the lid with a flourish. His cruel, smug expression vanished in the fraction of a second he had to react, and then Nebula was in his face, all claws and teeth and flapping wings.

That was my cue to spring into action.

---