Clash Read online

  He released a breath and pushed a few of the curly strands loosening from his ponytail behind his ear. It was essential to at least try to keep his hair under control, so he didn’t advertise to this planet he was one of the many Recast enslaved here. Dressing like a cowboy and letting Brynn slick his hair away from his face with a gel-like substance was working so far, but it made him feel awkward. His long hair had always been a way to keep his face concealed from others. Besides, he’d lost his hat somewhere, so keeping the strands pushed away from his face was the only disguise he had left.

  “Nothing, I’m not thinking about anything.” It’s partly true. Fantasizing is what I’m doing.

  “Okay, concentrate then. This is the galaxy-famous Clash Market. Anyone in the business of trading goods and services knows all about this place. Personally, I’m a virgin—this is my first visit.” Colt motioned toward the mess in front of them. It resembled a maze of fabric-covered stalls.

  Ace was actually looking forward to losing himself in it. At least then he’d have an excuse to concentrate on the reason why they’d come to this sandy planet.

  He was sick and tired of dry planets. He’d hated the way Harrow’s dirt stuck to his feet, between his toes and under his fingernails. Here, even fully clothed, he could feel the grit of sand settle into every crevice. Fray might have what Harrow lacked—a large volume of water—but this section of the planet was just as bad as that sun-scorched place.

  He couldn’t wait to get the hell out of here and spend some time in a cooler climate.

  The planet he was taken from—Marks—had been ideal for him, with just the right blend of night and day, and an array of overcast days. He might not be a full-blooded Recast but he still craved the dark more than the light. And these planets were too full of damn light.

  “Let’s hit it, then,” Ace said with sudden enthusiasm. The sooner they located some much-needed supplies, the quicker they’d be able to leave this gods-forsaken planet. He wanted to get his life into some sort of order, but they had to blow up the arena before he could make any plans.

  Until he got inside the Clash Arena and culled what was left of his people, he couldn’t rest. He had to do whatever he could to help destroy the place, and ensure no one could ever be brought there again. He wasn’t stupid enough to believe there weren’t other similar places in other parts of the galaxy, but he wasn’t a hero. He was here for selfish reasons—to ruin the operation of the one man who’d taken so much from the Recast shape-shifters. The same man who not only stripped them until their warrior ways dwindled, but had blatantly stolen their name and turned it into a violent attraction.

  To be a Recast meant belonging to an ancient race of men and women who could shift into a hybrid form of wolves. It should be an honor reserved only for those on Sullen, not the name of a broadcasted death arena some bastard had established for profit. He’d seen the footage Colt had archived on his ship a thousand times. It made him sick every single time but he forced himself to watch it anyway. It helped keep his focus in the right place. Before that, Ace had never actually seen it. He’d heard about the arena fights, but until he was taken with the intention of being delivered as another piece of fighting meat, he hadn’t known it was so popular.

  The realization of just how close his life had come to heading in the same direction struck him and weighed heavily on his chest.

  “Shouldn’t we stick together?” Brynn called after him when he headed into the thick of things.

  He shook his head. “You two should stick together. If I go off on my own we can cover more space. We need quite a few supplies. This’ll be quicker.”

  “Meet you back here in an hour,” she added.

  “Sure.” He looked over his shoulder at the couple, waved and disappeared into the first aisle that caught his eye. He didn’t want to get away from them, but after the proximity of their space travel and what they were about to do, he needed a little breathing room.

  At the beginning of their trip Brynn had insisted he accept a heavy bag full of gold as payment for helping get rid of the Recast tormenting her town of Wither, but the gold he had in his pocket now was from an entirely different stash. She’d claimed it was from “the expenses account” and wouldn’t accept his many protests. The blonde could be very persuasive and knew how to use every bit of talent she had—whether physical or mental—to persuade.

  Each step took him deeper into the crowd, until people started to call out to him in several dialects. Some he understood, others he didn’t. But he didn’t need to speak their language to know they were offering all sorts of wares at the cheapest prices. At least it was good to know he could score himself a bargain with the amount he carried.

  Ace continued to walk on, calling out a “Hello” when addressed, or “No, thank you” when someone insisted a little too harshly. He wasn’t here to get caught up in the eccentricities he found at every corner. There was an array of bright fabrics that changed color depending on the person’s mood, and all forms of jewelry ranging from beautiful recognizable pieces to others he couldn’t even begin to guess where they were supposed to be worn. Exotic foods were offered on platters or toothpicks. Candles lit up with water not fire were displayed in one small stall with a bored, scaly alien sitting behind the display table. Books actually printed on paper, instead of the popular electronic form, were scattered everywhere he looked. It seemed as if everyone had a variant of the printed book in plastic, leather, fabric, cardboard, and even skins.

  There were lots of enticing things to catch his eye, and some might have become impulse buys under other circumstances, but today he had a mental shopping list in mind. And he was determined not to be swayed by some of the delectable scents in the air, either.

  His stomach rumbled at the thought, but he wasn’t there to sample the local cuisine.

  Ace approached a table with every inch covered by some sort of electronic gadget.

  “Are you looking for a communication apparatus, sir? Well, you’ve come to the right place.” The man behind the table flashed a crooked-toothed smile. He picked up a small item off the tabletop, which resembled a coin, and held it up to him. “This piece right here is a transmitter. You can use it to communicate with anyone located within the radius of this hemisphere.”

  That got Ace’s attention. He stopped, only the table separating them. “How does it work?”

  “It’s simple. You set it to the right frequency, place it inside your ear, and away you go.” He lifted the circular device in front of Ace’s face for closer inspection. “Go on, take a look.”

  Ace accepted the tiny contraption. It was small and light, lined with squishy plastic for easy insertion into humanoid and alien ears. “Is this the only one you have?”

  “No, no, no. I have an entire box full of them under the table,” he replied with a stern shake of his head.

  “With so many, won’t it be easy to tap into other networks? Get crossed channels and constant drop outs?” The last thing they needed was for someone to eavesdrop on their plan.

  “No, sir, I will pre-fix the same frequency to the amount of pieces you buy. Every one purchased gets its own frequency. Our planet is rich in communications.” The confident easy smile flashed again. The merchant’s white teeth glowed against his dark skin and eyes.

  “How much for three?” he asked.

  “I accept copper credits only. I can give you four of these for the cheap price of 200CC.”

  “I don’t need four, I need three.”

  The merchant shook his head. “No, no, you must take four. Nothing good ever comes from odd numbers. Besides, it’s always good to have an extra one.”

  Ace couldn’t argue with that, but he didn’t have any CC on him. He pulled out a chunky, jagged gold nugget from his pocket and held it between them. “Do you accept gold?”

  The man’s eyes widened as he stared at the shiny, golden nugget. “Is it real gold?” He held out a hand and Ace handed him the piece. The man pulled out a rou
nd pipe-like metal device and adjusted it to his left eye, before peering through the end. He nodded. “It is real. Where did you get this? Gold is virtually impossible to find. There are only two planets rumored to have any left—Harrow and Shimmer. Harrow’s too dangerous to visit and Shimmer died a long time ago. This is amazing. I will definitely accept this.”

  “Are you sure you can program them so no one else can listen in on the network?”

  “Yes, sir, I can.” The man couldn’t take his eyes off the gold nugget in his hand.

  “Then we have a deal.”

  The man removed the round contraption from his eye, nodded and said, “I will be back in a second. I need to fix the frequency as I promised. No one will be able to listen to a single word you hear or say.”

  Ace opened his mouth to protest but the man disappeared behind a thick curtain within seconds. The fabric changed from purple to green.

  “Green usually means deceit.”

  “Huh?” Ace turned to find a young boy looking up at him with big yellow eyes. “What did you say?”

  The kid motioned toward the curtain with a small hand. “That’s mood fabric, and the man who touched it made it turn green. When that happens, it means he’s lying.”

  “How do you know?”

  The kid shrugged and wiped his snotty nose with his dirty sleeve. “I know things.”

  “Thanks for the head’s up. Here”—Ace pulled out a handful of gold coins and dropped them into the boy’s waiting palm—“why don’t you go and buy yourself some new clothes? Thanks for the tip.”

  The boy’s yellow eyes brightened, making the blue color of his skin appear even more exotic. “Thank you, mister.”

  Before Ace could say anything else, the kid ran back into the crowd.

  Handing out random gold probably wasn’t a good idea. If any of the other poor folk around here had seen the exchange, they’d be all over him asking for a handout. And if not, just the fact that the kid knew he had it was enough to ensure he’d be back for more.

  Why would the stall guy be lying? What did he really do behind the curtain? Just as the thought crystallized, the man waltzed back out with a beaming smile on his face and the contraptions tucked into a small leather pouch.

  “These four are matched in frequency now.”

  Ace took the pouch and was about to question the man further when something caught the corner of his eye. He turned to find the beautiful woman who’d been dominating his thoughts all day, standing in front of a stall at the end of the aisle. It couldn’t be her. Yet, the way she flicked her hair back over her shoulder and that smile…

  It’s Ely. But she looked so different. Even the way she stood seemed unfamiliar. Then again, all performers altered some part of themselves whenever they took to the stage, didn’t they?

  “May I ask what you need them for, sir?”

  “Huh?” Ace turned to meet the merchant’s dark eyes. Wasn’t he going to double check something, ask a question? The sight of Ely had thrown him off.

  “What do you need those for, sir?”

  “It’s just for a game my friends and I are going to play, that’s all.”

  The man nodded and opened his mouth to ask something else but Ace held up a palm. “No more questions or I’ll get suspicious.” He focused all of his energy into the feral side, allowing the beastly eyes to flash at the man. They usually only appeared during the change, but he could use it randomly to spook or warn people.

  He lifted a hand to his chest and stumbled back a step, whimpering in fear. “No more questions, sir. I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” Ace pocketed the pouch, turned on his heel and headed in the direction of the singer, who was now walking away from a stall and turned left at the next intersection of tables. He could smell her from here. That rich and striking vanilla scent she’d carried last night tickled his nose.

  Ace quickened his pace, positive he was headed in the right direction even though this aisle seemed to be mostly empty.

  He stopped and looked around.

  She’d vanished.

  Ace sniffed the air and continued on, following the vanilla trail. She had to be here somewhere.

  “I can read your palm,” a crooked old lady called as he passed by a small round table with a crystal ball sitting on top. His shape reflected in the glass like a demented mirror.

  “No, thanks.”

  “What about your eye, or foot…how about your heart? I can read your heart.” The old woman’s smile revealed a row of tiny, pointy teeth. “Do you want me to?”

  He shook his head and walked on. This aisle was probably empty because there weren’t any real wares, just readers. To accept a reading from anyone here would ensure death. When the old lady claimed she could read his heart, she wasn’t referring to romantic notions.

  As he continued down the mostly empty path, a cry sounded from somewhere. He turned to look behind him and didn’t notice someone sneaking up on him.

  His right arm was twisted painfully against his back.

  “Why are you following me?” asked a husky female voice near his ear.

  He made a move to look over his shoulder but she wrenched his arm higher, tighter between them. It hurt like hell but he bit back a groan. “I’m not following you,” he lied. Ace knew who this was. Her scent made his pulse throb.

  “Oh no? I just saw you run past me. You’re following me.” Every word tickled his ear. “Now, move with me. Nice and slowly. I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

  Ace managed a nod and took a step back with every one of hers. She led him behind a curtained stall.

  “What do you want from me?” she asked.

  “Nothing, I don’t want—”

  “You’re lying.” She kept her tight grip, but he managed to lift his head enough to flick it back, aiming for her forehead. The move surprised her and she pulled out of reach, stumbling back a few steps. Her hands fell away from him.

  “I’m sorry I had to do that but—” Her fist whacked his nose in midturn and he recoiled. “Damn.” Ace lifted a hand to his face, swiped his finger underneath his nostrils and stared at the blood.

  “Don’t worry. I didn’t break it.” Ely was glaring at him. “Although I’m not making any promises the next time you try something like that. Now, why were you following me?”

  Ely might be dressed differently and her demeanor didn’t seem as soft and collected as it had on stage, but she still looked good enough to eat in her tight outfit. He took a step forward but she took one back. They were running out of room.

  “Don’t come any closer,” she said, holding up a fist.

  He couldn’t help but smile. “I want to get much closer. It’s why I’m following you.” He sounded like an idiot, but with her standing this close his hands itched to grab her. Her smell was intoxicating. He had to touch her, before she slipped away.

  She put a hand on her hip. “You’re following me because you want to get closer?”

  “Yeah, and I think you might want to get close to me as well.”

  Ely laughed and looked away. “Right, what gave you that idea?”

  “Last night gave me that idea.” Ace stepped forward until he had her pressed up against the wall with nowhere to go. He grinned. She was only a head shorter than him.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  He leaned into her. “Why not—are you scared?”

  “I don’t scare easy,” she said with a shake of her head.

  He caught her chin and kept it in place, slowly moving his face closer to hers, keeping his gaze glued on her as he took in the sweet scent of her breath. Ely was dressed in an outfit similar to the ones Brynn wore onboard the ship. Would he dare kiss her right now? Should he cross the line or would she retaliate violently again, and why did she seem like a completely different woman?

  “Don’t,” she whispered.

  “Why…because you’re afraid you’ll like it?”

  Ace didn’t wait for her answer.
Instead, he pressed his mouth lightly over hers, testing the waters. He pulled back instantly, leaving only a fraction of breath between them, licking his lips as he savored her sweet taste. “Tell me to stop. Tell me you didn’t like it.”

  When Ely didn’t say anything, he pressed his lips against hers again and kissed her like he’d never kissed anyone before. Their mouths moved in tandem, while his fingers itched to touch her everywhere, but she suddenly pulled out of the kiss.

  Ely ducked under his arms and pushed against him hard enough to make the flimsy wall collapse. He fell forward with the momentum, unable to keep his feet hooked on the ground. He wound up falling on his face.

  “Ace?”

  Lifting his head, he found Colt and Brynn standing in front of him, both with surprised looks on their faces, though it didn’t take Colt long to burst out laughing.

  Ace picked himself up and dusted off his jeans. He didn’t care about the humiliation of ending up on the ground. It had been worth it because now that he’d had a taste of Ely, it wasn’t just the man who wanted her. The beast inside him rumbled deep within his soul.

  It looks like you’ve found a mate, it whispered.

  Ace wasn’t sure if Ely could ever be a true mate, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to give up until he had her in his arms again. He needed to make her his. And now that he knew she wanted him too, he wouldn’t stop until all of his fantasies became a reality.

  She might have been trying to lie to herself, but he’d smelled her arousal in the air.

  She’s mine now.

  That was a stupid thing to do, Ely.

  Although, she wasn’t sure which thing she was referring to. Was it the fact she’d knocked the cowboy over and made him look like a fool when all she’d really wanted was to invite him somewhere private, somewhere to fulfill the wild desire racing beneath her skin as soon as she’d spotted him following her? Or was it because she should’ve kept her cover hidden and let him pass her by instead of confronting him?