Read Online Stealing Coal by Laurann Dohner - Free Book Online

going to fight and take out as many as I can. The hallways are the narrowest
    there and it will force them to come at me two at a time instead of being able to
    surround me.”
    “You will not win this battle.”
    His cold logic actually soothed her. “Yes, I am aware. I can take some of them out
    though, before they kill or capture me.”
    Fray’s mouth curved into another cold smile. “We can fight as well.”
    “You aren’t programmed for that.”
    “I will attempt it.”
    It touched her that he’d even come up with that solution. “Thanks but no. Just fly to
    keep them off us for as long as you can.”
    The doors opened and Jill turned to say goodbye to Roid but instead she gasped as
    the cyborg stormed into the room. She had known Coal would be intimidating when
    free and standing. The sight of nearly six and a half feet of muscular male in just a pair
    of baggy shorts, muscles rippling and guns strapped around his hips in a weapons belt
    had her upgrading her opinion to terrifying.
    Coal’s gaze pinned her where she stood and then he jerked his attention to the
    pilot’s seat. “Move, android,” he growled. “I’m not going to allow anyone to board us.”
    Fray turned his head to peer at Jill. “Orders?”
    She couldn’t look away from Coal. He shot her a dark glare. “Tell him to move
    before I toss him out of that seat.”
    “Let him have the helm, Fray,” she whispered.
    Coal lunged forward to drop into the vacant seat the instant Fray moved. “Strap
    in.”
    She dropped into the nearest chair and reached for a belt. “You heard him, Fray.
    Hang on.” She hesitated. “The gravity stabilizers are old so if you―” She gasped in
    surprise, her words lost when Coal suddenly turned the shuttle violently.
    37

    Laurann Dohner
    “They are bad,” he grumbled when the ship tilted dangerously, shaking violently.
    “Yes. They can’t adjust to sudden movements as you just realized.”
    Her attention landed on the screens and she realized he flew directly at the freighter
    instead of away from it. Her mouth opened but no sound came out. Shock and fear held
    her totally immobile while she silently watched the huge ship growing even larger.
    “Impact warning,” Fray calmly stated.
    “We’re not hitting it…but close. They can fly faster but we can maneuver better.”
    Coal’s deep voice sounded unnaturally calm under the dire circumstances.
    “What are you doing?” Jill found the ability to speak over her terror.
    “They can’t pursue us if they are damaged.” His hands flew across the controls and
    the sounds of the Jenny’ s weapons firing drowned out anything else he might have said.
    He flew right under the belly of the freighter, tearing open holes as explosions filled
    the screen with bright flashes of destruction. Jill’s fear turned to pure astonishment.
    She’d never thought to attack the much larger ship, especially with her older shuttle,
    not believing she could do that much damage. Coal proved her wrong as he steered
    them up the back of the freighter and took more shots, blowing up their thrusters.
    The large freighter’s engines died when the lights of their thrusters cut out. Jill
    watched as it shuddered in space, the lights flickering on the entire ship, and then Coal
    flew the Jenny away, putting distance between the two ships. Jill said nothing but her
    thoughts were jumbled. Coal had saved them.
    He finally turned his seat to face her, full lips curving into a grim frown. “Hand
    over control of your droids or I’ll harm them. I’d hate to do it, considering I am aware
    they have deep value to you. I want full control of them and for them to ignore your
    requests to them. Do it.”
    She gaped at him.
    “Now, Jill. I want absolute control of them or I will take them out.” His hand
    lowered to one of the weapons strapped to his hips.
    Dread balled inside her. Not only did the cyborg have his freedom now but he
    wanted to command not only her ship but her friends.