Born of Fire

Syn stifled his disgust at Shahara’s condo. Though clean, it was as rundown as anything he’d ever seen. The locks on the door were about a hundred years old and he was sure they’d collapse under the stress of even a medium breeze. A faded, old sofa had been set against one overly patched gray wall, and a tattered blue blanket covered the numerous tears in its upholstery. It looked like she’d recycled it from a landfill.

Nothing but a sheet strung up on a line separated the bedroom from the rest of the place. He hated that anyone had to live this way, but then, he remembered a time when he would have sold his soul to have this much to call home.

Ignoring him, Shahara moved to the chipped kitchen counter along the wall opposite of the sofa and turned on her laptop. Before she could type in her code, her link buzzed.

At first, she ignored it.

“Shay, this is Kasen. Please pick up if you’re home.”

Syn frowned at Kasen’s anxious voice, wondering what trouble she was in now.

Shahara glanced up at him sheepishly before opening the channel. “Hey Kase, what do you need?”

Syn acted like he was fascinated by the spots on the ceiling, which said she had a long-term leak there, and not interested in her call in the least.

“Have you heard from Caillen? We had a fight last night after my run and he took off again. I don’t know where he is. I’m worried.”

“Hang on, I’ll check my messages.” Shahara switched the mute on, then hit the button on her voice mail.

Syn saw her watching him from the corner of his eye. He looked at her and she quickly turned her back to him. He sighed at her coldness. It was too bad they were enemies. Half of her family actually liked him.

As he listened to her calls, pain hit him square in the chest. The first three messages were bill collectors threatening her with legal suit. The fourth message was the most disturbing.

“Fria Dagan, we cannot accept your ship as collateral for your sister’s bill. You already have not one, but two liens against it. If we don’t have the money by the end of the day, we will have no choice but to turn her out of the hospital. I suggest you contact us immediately to make arrangements for payment or to pick her up.”

Syn clenched his teeth in anger. He’d fought that kind of crap with hospital administration on more than one account and lost. For an establishment sworn to help the needy, it never ceased to amaze him how often they refused to help the people who needed care the most.

How could anyone put a price on human life? The very idea sickened him. It was one thing to hunt and kill the corrupt who preyed on others, another to go after decent people whose only crime was being poor.

He looked at Shahara and saw the defeated slump in her shoulders. Now he understood what had motivated her to come after him. He couldn’t blame her in the least.

“Hey, Trisa.”

Caillen’s voice. There was a tenderness in it as he spoke that Syn had never heard him use before. That told him all he needed to know about their relationship, cause in all the times he’d been around Caillen and Kasen, he’d never known Caillen to use it with her.

Shahara was particularly precious to her brother.

“Look, I’m making a last minute run for the Blairus Company to get some quick cash and I’ll be gone for a bit. If Kasen calls, don’t tell her where I am. They paid me extra to run through the Solaras System and it’s too dangerous for her to follow me—you know what an idiot she can be and I don’t want to deal with it.

“I borrowed some money from a friend and paid off Tessa’s debt with those loaners—you should have told me what happened. I hate learning shit like this from her boyfriend of all people. You know, I am a grown-up. Really. I can even pull my boots on by myself and everything nowadays. But don’t worry. I promise I’ll think up some way to pay the hospital and transfer you the money as soon as I can. I also left a few credits in Mom’s trinket box for you. Don’t pay no bills with it. Buy some food. You’re too damned skinny. I’ll see you when I get back. Love you much.”

Shahara glanced over her shoulder. Syn quickly looked away. She turned off her machine and opened the channel. “Kase, he’s off on sabbatical to pout.”

“That’s what I figured. As long as I know he’s all right, I guess I’m not too upset. I’ll see you later.”

Shahara turned off the link and moved back to the laptop. “Did you get an earful?” she asked testily.

Syn sighed. No wonder Caillen had needed almost six thousand credits. “Look, if you need a loan—”

She curled her lip. “Not from the likes of you. If you want a prostitute you can—”

He held his hand up in disgust. “It was an offer made in good faith.” Gods, she was impossible. “I wouldn’t expect any payment other than cash when you have it.”

Her eyes snapped golden flames at him. Her breast heaved with the fury of her temper. Damn, she was beautiful when pissed . . .

Syn took a step back, afraid of the thoughts in his head. He must be crazy. She wanted no part of him, and most especially not that part of him, and he was damned glad of it.

“Just recant the contract and I’m out of here.”