Born of Ice

No! The lying bastards . . .

What am I going to do? If they arrested her as a slave, she would have no rights whatsoever. No way to help her family. No say over her own body or future.

And as they reached for her, her panic set in with steely talons. Before she could rethink her actions, she grabbed Paden’s drink and threw it in the face of the first agent to reach her. She kicked him into the other and ran for everything she was worth.

She made it through the door and ran down the hallway until she saw Devyn, who was headed her way with Sway one step behind.

He caught her in his arms. “What the hell?”

“They’re going to arrest me.”

“For what?”

“Being a runaway slave.”

Devyn’s jaw went slack. Runaway slaves weren’t simply arrested. They were publicly tortured as a warning to others who might think about leaving their masters.

Taking her hand, he started to run only to see a group of enforcers cutting off their escape.

“Release the slave,” their captain ordered.

Devyn turned to run back toward the café. His blood went cold as he faced his half-brother. Alix had been right. There was no mistaking Paden’s features.

And as they faced off, Paden raised a blaster and aimed it straight at Devyn’s head. “Surrender the slave or surrender your own freedom.”

His breathing labored, he met Sway’s stern glare. The penalty for knowingly aiding a runaway slave was to become one. Either he gave her up to them . . .

Or both he and Sway would become slaves, too.

And as he looked at Sway, he knew he only had one choice . . .





CHAPTER 11


Alix’s heart slid into her stomach as she saw the cold, harsh look on Devyn’s face. The lack of pity in Sway’s eyes. Honestly, she didn’t blame them for turning her over to her enemies.

She’d been willing to do that to them. Her ruthlessness deserved nothing more than their combined scorn.

But it still hurt deep inside to know what they were relegating her to. What Devyn, after everything they’d shared, would do to her by his inaction.

If the Rits really treated her as a runaway slave, she’d be stripped naked and beaten before a live broadcast as punishment. The price of the broadcast, her punishers, and the enforcers who brought her in, as well as her reward, would be something she’d have to pay back, thus guaranteeing she’d never be free in her lifetime.

It’s what you deserve.

Soul sick over it, she tried to let go of Devyn’s hand. But he refused to release her as he passed a subtle nod to Sway.

To her complete stupefaction, he slid his blaster out of its holster faster than she could blink and opened fire on the Rits. He pulled her back toward the docking bay as Sway covered their retreat.

“What are you doing?”

“Fucking up my life again, I’m sure.” He fired more rounds behind them.

“You can’t do this.”

He snorted. “Little late for that now. I don’t think an ‘Oops, my bad, my weapon accidentally misfired two dozen rounds’ will work to get me out of this.” He cursed as his link started buzzing.

Firing another round, he answered it. “Hi, Mom . . . Yes, I know my heart rate’s dangerously elevated.” He ducked a blast that almost pinned his head to the wall. “That sound? I’m being shot at, Ma. Gotta go now. Love you much. Hugs and kisses.” He tapped his ear to close the channel. “Where the hell’s Sway?”

Before she could respond, Vik came out of nowhere. He ran past them to find and shield Sway while she and Devyn ran for the ship.

Four enforcers were already there, waiting. Devyn finally let go of her. At a dead run, he went for them. They shot at him while he dodged the blasts. Amazed at his skill, she watched as he fell to his knees and skidded between them, shooting as he slid.

Two went down and the other two dodged for cover.

Devyn jumped to his feet as he reached the ship and popped the controls to extend the ramp. He shot at the two enforcers to keep them pinned down. “Alix! Move it.”

She ran as fast as she could into the ship, where Nero was waiting.

“Get the ship ready to launch,” Nero ordered between clenched teeth. He flashed out, hopefully to help Devyn with the others.

She headed for the bridge to fire the engines and start the preliminaries. As she worked, she looked out to see Devyn, Sway, Vik and Nero fighting off the enforcers.

For her.

Tears swam in her eyes. For the first time in her life she felt like she had a family. One that was willing to die for her.

“Alix?”

She jerked around at the sound of Omari’s voice. He leaned against the doorframe as if he were ill. “Are you all right?” she asked.

He shook his head as if he were trying to clear his vision. “Dad shot me.”

“What?”

He brushed a shaking hand through his hair. “Dad stunned me right after you left . . . What’s going on? Where is everybody?”