Page 48

The man staggered backward, clutching his chest. Dare fired again, sending Korrdo spinning and falling to the ground.

“Dakota!” Dare roared.

She launched herself at him at the same moment he reached for her. They slammed together. He cupped her face.

“You’re okay?”

“I’m fine. What about you?” She patted his cheeks. “He stunned you and hit you hard. You shouldn’t even be upright⁠—”

“I’m fine.” He grabbed her hand. “You should never have gone with him⁠—”

Her answer was an infuriating roll of her eyes. No one had ever ignored Dare’s authority like this woman.

“Let’s get out of here,” she suggested.

Suddenly, the thunder of footsteps and shouts echoed down the waterway. Dare turned and saw a large group of uniformed Sullans rushing toward them.

Shit. The shuttle was still hovering above them, but he didn’t have time to recall the zip line.

He studied the nearby buildings. “We’ll have to climb up that building to get onto the shuttle.”

Her eyes widened. “Again? Really?”

“Dakota, you are the bravest woman I’ve ever met.” He pulled her up into his arms, and with the stim still in his system, her weight didn’t even slow him down. He leaped onto a small balcony. “Hold on.”

He used a wall of plants to climb up onto the roof, Dakota clinging to him.

On the roof, he ran across the flat surface, aiming for the shuttle.

He saw the shuttle spin and move closer. The side door was open, the zip line dangling out the side of the craft. Thank you, Nissa.

“Trust me?” he asked Dakota.

Luminous blue eyes looked up at him. “I don’t trust anyone.”

He tightened his grip on her and picked up speed. Below them, he could hear the Sullan authorities climbing the building.

She gasped. “Dare, what are you doing? It’s too far!”

He leaped off the building, using all the extra strength the stim gave him, and flew into the air. Dakota yelled. Below, the shocked Sullans looked up from beside the still waters of the canal.

With his free hand, Dare snagged the zip line.

Then they were zooming up toward the shuttle as the line retracted.

As he pulled them aboard, he felt the first hint that the stim was losing effect. He set Dakota on her feet, and then jabbed at the door control. As the door closed, it shut off the shouting from below them.

She spun, and he expected her to slap him. It would be worth it. She was safe. That was all that mattered to him.

Now he felt a rush of anger. She’d willingly handed herself over to Korrdo…and that was unacceptable.

She slid her hand into his hair and yanked his mouth down to hers.

Dare wrapped his arms around her, desire a hard, brilliant knock to his system. The kiss was hard, fast, and fueled by adrenaline.

She pulled back. “Maybe I trust you a little bit.”

Dare was scarily silent on the ride back to the Sky Nomad.