Read Online A Thousand Words For Stranger (10th Anniversary Edition) by Julie E. Czerneda - Free Book Online Page B

might touch. A warning jerk on the thread broke my paralysis. It drew me after the pirate into the hall, and I stumbled trying to keep up with his impatient steps. Roraqk had no intention of waiting for whatever was about to happen here.
    Small portlights huddled in an upper corner as if summoned then forgotten, providing a wan illumination. Groups of slaves hastened out of our way, their eyes hot with expectation, yet wary. We made it to the lift without incident, only to find it sealed.
    Roraqk struck the door with a clawed fist. There were new sounds now, regular hammerings punctuated by the occasional low thud. I thought they were coming closer. “Port Authority—or Enforcers?” I asked.
    The alien hissed instead of answering and, pushing me to the end of my leash, aimed his pistol at the control panel. This time the beam was concentrated into a brilliant line which sliced through the cover with ease. The disk Roraqk outlined dropped to the floor, striking with a metallic clang and roll. Roraqk compressed his clawed hand into an amazing thinness, sliding it within the revealed cavity, ignoring the white-hot edges as he worked. After several false starts, the lift door opened. “Inssside, quickly.”
    Deep vibrations shook us as we rose, the lift faltering once then restarting just as my heart tried to pound its way out of my chest. Our journey was longer than my trip down with the Tulis. Sure enough, when the doors opened, we were in an office with windows overlooking a rooftop view.
    And we were not alone. A large, powerfully built Human worked feverishly at a desk, stuffing the contents of a drawer into a bag. At our appearance, he snatched a deadly-looking rifle from where it lay on piles of scorched plas records, swinging the dark hole of its muzzle to cover us both.
    “Is-ss that any way to greet your partner?” Roraqk said smoothly, although his own weapon remained in his hand.
    The rifle lowered, though not completely. “Late partner, close-like,” the man responded, dark eyes glittering. He went past us, using one blunt-fingered hand to pull down a switch beside the lift door; the lights in the lift died. “Gas below’s on auto—you know that.” The eyes slid over to me and I shivered. There was something feline, menacing in their depths. He peered closer, as if trying to see more of my face within its heavy shadow of hood. “This belongs below, too. Dead,” the man decided. “The roust’s by outsystem Enforcers, you fool, not Port Jellies.”
    Roraqk chuckled. “Let me introduce my pet-creature,” he said, at ease though the floor under our feet continued to shake with new explosions. “I call her Kisssue. You’ve told me I should keep pets-ss.”
    “Pet? More like dinner.” The man shrugged callously. “Better dead, and left here. Another, ten other such pets I’ll get you later. Frat, take C-stock from your own cargo—I won’t kick about a couple.”
    My flesh crawled as Roraqk’s claws closed possessively on my shoulder. “There are none like my Kisssue, s-Ssmegard. She is-ss quite unique. Don’t worry, I s-sshall take good care of her.”
    What could he know about me? What had the Tulis learned? I ached to ask questions, demand answers.
    “Scaly hide of yours needs care, Roraqk.” This from Smegard, his eyes smoldering in a clear threat. “Think Enex outsmarted me? Think my Tulis keep your secrets?”
    Roraqk’s claws tightened punishingly. I fought the urge to evade that grip, knowing I continued to breathe solely because of the reptile’s interest in me. “This-ss dealt with Morgan of the ss-Ssilver Fox. ” He gave me a light shake that nonetheless threatened my balance.
    A slow smile stretched the man’s thick lips. “Morgan.” He said the name as though tasting it. Then he scowled again, the expression better suited to his black-browed face. “Too many teeth for your profit. Not to mention his frat’n luck.”
    A vicious snap of jaws. “Morgan’s-ss luck, as-ss