Read Online DarkWind: 2nd Book, WindDemon Trilogy by Charlotte Boyett-Compo - Free Book Online Page A

about making plans to take over the Terran ship.
    “McGregor!” Cree howled and the doors behind Iyan’s back trembled with the vibration of the Reaper’s hits.
    “I made a mistake,” Iyan acknowledged and flinched as the savage pounding on the containment cell walls made it perfectly clear his friend thought so, too.
     
    Caitlin was not pleased when she found Iyan McGregor striding toward her. He was flanked by two of the Orion’s security officers but she couldn’t help but wonder if the men would be any help if McGregor intended to attack her.
    “He is awake and wishes to speak with you,” McGregor stated, his voice devoid of inflection. He wasn’t looking at her, but at a spot just above her head. “I am to tell you that I am sorry for what I did and to ask for your pardon.”     
    “What did you do, McGregor?”
    The pale blue eyes shifted to Caitlin for a second then leapt away. “He will tell you, Lady.”
    The perverse imp that lived inside Caitlin’s Celtic soul did an aggravated little hop on her temper, shrieked, and prodded the Healer with a sharp, bony finger. “ Don’t let him off that easy, Cait! ”
    “I am asking you what you did, Captain,” Caitlin insisted. “I prefer you tell me.” Her lips twitched. “Unless you’re too ashamed to admit your mistake. Then I’ll understand.”
    Iyan McGregor-like all the warriors of his clan-considered himself to be a man of honor. When challenged, he met the contest with deliberation and steady purpose. As soon as the Terran woman’s words left her lips, his own temper soared and he lowered his heated gaze to hers.
    “Reapers are highly-trained assassins,” he said, his eyes drilling into hers. “Any blood they consume is encrypted into their genetic makeup and bookmarked. This is how a Reaper is able to locate a target. One drop of the target’s blood is all it takes for him to home in on the object of termination and find her.” His lips eased back in a taunting smile. “No matter where that target goes in the universe, she will never be able to hide from Khiershon Cree. He will follow her bloodscent until he finds her.”
    Caitlin paled. “And you knew this,” she whispered.
    “Aye,” he whispered back. “I knew it.”
    There was something in the way he said those words, an inflection, that caught Caitlin’s full attention. She stared back at him, seeing a tiny flame of uncertainty leap to life in his gaze before he tamped it. She cocked her head to one side and regarded him.
    “And he is furious with you for having done this, isn’t he, Captain?” she asked.
    McGregor stiffened, but did not answer.
    “Isn’t he?” she prodded.
    A muscle began to tick in the Captain’s jaw and when he replied, his teeth were clenched. “He is...not happy with what I did,” he admitted.
    She could have humbled the man even more, making him confess that his friend was more than just unhappy; but Caitlin had dealt with prideful men all her life and had found the best way to handle them was to circumvent their egos.
    “Your apology is accepted,” she stated, “and the situation, if not forgotten, is forgiven, Captain. Thank you for your honesty. We need never discuss the matter again.”
    McGregor frowned, unsure of her purpose. He opened his mouth to speak, but she stepped around him and started down the corridor.
    “He is in sickbay?” she asked over her shoulder.
    The Captain’s frown deepened. He cast a questioning glance to one of the security men who shrugged.
    “To her, the incident is settled, Captain. My suggestion would be to go forward as though nothing had happened.” 
    “No woman lets bygones be bygones,” McGregor snapped.
    “That one does,” the security man replied and held out his hand to indicate McGregor was to proceed.
    As he stomped down the corridor in the Healer’s wake, McGregor’s confusion gave way to the absolute surety that he had met a formidable enemy in the person of the diminutive Terran