DarkRevenge by Jennifer Leeland

want? He took
her arm and his fingers wrapped lightly around her upper arm. Warmth, comfort
and peace spread along her nerves and she felt safe. Odd, since she didn’t know
the Judge. Of course, she didn’t feel as comfortable and safe with the Judge of
Light as she’d felt in Tory’s arms. Where had that thought come from? She and
the Ardasian crossed the shuttle bay.
    Tory was surrounded by a group of men, but she only saw his
eyes. The minute her gaze met his, that heat and desire replaced the gentle
warmth of the Ardasian’s touch. Every word, every stroke flooded through her
memory. Would it always be this way? All he had to do was look at her and she
melted. She forgot about saving her planet. She forgot he was the enemy. It had
been that way five years ago.
    The Ardasian squeezed her arm. “You are very lucky,
Commander.”
    She glanced at the Judge. “Why is that, sir?”
    “It is rare to see a Sarat and a Saria bonded
so quickly.”
    She snorted. “We’re bonded by necessity.”
    His green eyes were serious, no trace of humor. “You were
both connected before. What is in your past only lies dormant.”
    Alex would have responded, but Tory took her hand and pulled
her into the circle of his arm. Affection? Bonding?
    Love?
    “May the Saria contract be lasting and fruitful.” The
Judge said the words and Alex glanced at Tory. She’d heard the words a million
times in the Tribunal chambers. Her position as a descendent of one of the
First Families meant she was often asked to witness Saria ceremonies. In
almost all of them, she’d seen the cold reality of the arranged matches created
to satisfy a bloodline’s need rather than the heart’s desire. Those couples had
resigned themselves to their fate as Saria. She was far from resigned.
How had this happened?
    His hand twined in hers, Tory bowed at the waist to the
Judge of Light. “May the Light shine in dark places.” An Ardasian farewell. She
stared at Tory. How the hell had he gotten so familiar with Ardasian culture?
The only reason she recognized it was because of her childhood friend Kyler,
who was part Ardasian. The Judge nodded to the others and gathered his
entourage onto the shuttle.
    Tory’s crew stood at attention in a respectful tribute,
flanking the space where the Ardasian group walked. These men and women on The
Pinnacle clearly followed certain Teran protocols, including the one for
disembarkation of a political figure. The Judge was afforded all the pomp and
circumstance the crew could give him.
    When the Judge passed the last man, she glanced at Tory and
found him staring at her.
    “Let me introduce you to some of my crew,” Tory said. He
waved his hand at a tall man with wavy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes.
“This is my second, Stegar Pulzer. He’s from Teran Five. I met him when I was
an insurgent on Teran Four.”
    Tory had fought the Teran Four dictatorship as an insurgent?
She hadn’t known that. There had been rumors that Tory and his crew had robbed
Davida, caused trouble for Teran Four, but she hadn’t realized that The
Pinnacle ’s people had fought planetside. Even Teran One, who had been in a
simmering conflict with Teran Four for years, hadn’t dared fight Dividaon his
home turf.
    Pulzer’s eyes narrowed and his lips tightened. There’s one
of the crew who didn’t like her much. She stuck her hand out. “Nice to meet
you.”
    For a split second, she thought he wouldn’t take her hand.
But he slipped his hand in hers and she shook it. “It’s an honor to meet a man
who fought Teran Four and still lives.” She meant it. Teran Four fighters were
mean, destructive and deadly. To survive meant you were well trained,
determined and lucky.
    The man thawed slightly. “I’ve heard you’ve had your share
of fire fights. Your flying is legendary.”
    “Not on Teran Four,” she admitted. “I’ve fought them, but
never on their home turf. That takes guts.”
    “Your mate only hires the best.” A reminder