Chapter 15

Cadell opened the door, and Dumol stormed through the door.

“What are you—” Her gaze darted around the room and rested on Mori. “What is that doing here?”

Morrigan cowered in the corner, her head down, and scooted away from Dumol.

He wished he’d made Morrigan go in the Waste Disposal or the closet because Dumol looked ready to end her.

And that was not acceptable.

Not yet, anyway.

He still had questions.

Luke stepped between Dumol and Morrigan. He needed to get Dumol out of here and quick. She had that look about her—the one that usually wound up sending Cadell into a suicide mission. “Had to move her.”

Dumol snorted. “Whatever.” She pulled her side arm, a shiny new blaster and took aim.

He leaped toward the weapon, but Dumol got off a shot. The wave from the weapon sent him backward, and the blue rays blinded him for a second.

The shot hit Morrigan.

He blinked a couple times, shook his head, just in time to see the Novian fall down.

His heartbeat thundered in his ears, adrenaline rushing like mad. “What are you doing?” He wanted to check Mori, make sure she was okay. “Are you insane?”

He leaped into Dumol’s face, ready to rip her head off. What the ever’ lovin’ hell is this? Where had these protective feelings for her come from?

His gaze darted to Mori. What had she done to him?

Dumol shoved him. “What? It’s a stupid stunner, Luke,” Dumol said, “I can’t have her hearing this.”

“Hearing what?” Luke asked.

Dumol began to pace around the small apartment, away from him. Her agitation was palpable.

Uh oh. Dumol agitated was not a good thing. “What’s going on?”

She stopped and faced him. “Timetable’s changed. You may need to be brought into play. But it’s going to be a few more weeks to be sure.”

Luke nodded, though he wasn’t happy about it. “What would be my part?”

“Not sure yet. The First is not being very communicative at the moment.”

Great... Exactly where he didn’t want to be anymore. Stuck in the shadows, waiting for an order with no explanation. He didn’t like this. He’d done enough of those shadow missions before. He wasn’t interested in doing more.

He knew it was a possibility when he came here.

But he didn’t think he’d be here.

He glanced at Mori. “And her?” Luke asked.

“I’m ready for...” Dumol’s words trailed off as she turned to face Morrigan, who should have been unconscious on the floor.

Dumol faced Morrigan, or rather, where she’d been lying on the floor, and stepped back.

The problem was, Morrigan wasn’t lying on the floor anymore.

And Luke finally got to see what those little Novian sticks did. The golden sticks, small and tiny, morphed into an ornate golden club in a blink.

Dumol started to raise her blaster again.

Morrigan came around and slammed the Transdot officer on the side of the head, sending Dumol sprawling out on the floor.

Dumol turned and Morrigan hit her again with the club.

Dumol was still. Morrigan sighed and held out the club. The weapon shrunk in on itself, and became those little ornate hair sticks she wore.

He noticed she still held the other one aloft—in the shape of a wicked, curved blade. Same golden elaborate coloring as the club had had.

Whoa, he thought. Now that’s a weapon.

Morrigan, though, brought his attention back to the moment. “Are you my jailer or my savior?” she asked, holding the knife toward him.

He didn’t know what to say.

She didn’t wait for an answer. He’d seen that look before. Many times. She was done. Whatever pause she’d had for him was over. She headed for the door and didn’t stop.

But he couldn’t have her leaving. Regardless of his agreement with Dumol, this was different. More. He had to know what was going on.

More than Dumol’s plan.

Her.

He had to find out who she was. What she was.

And why she’d been haunting his dreams for years now.

Damn, he had to know!

“Wait,” Luke said. “Please.”

She stopped for a second. “You didn’t answer me.”

“We have a lot to discuss,” he said.

He glanced at Dumol. She was starting to stir. He leaned over, picked up her blaster, and shot her.

Dumol fell flat again, this time, she wouldn’t move for a while.

He pocketed the gun. “Let’s go.”

“Where?” Morrigan asked.

“I know a place.”