The Dream Thief by Kari Kilgore (books for 10th graders txt) 📕

She turned over and took a deep breath, hoping to be able to get back to sleep, and froze. This was her own bed. The sheets and pillowcase were far too soft to be at Gemma's, Karl's, or certainly on Bill's shaw.

The sun didn't come in her bedroom window.

Keeping her eyes closed, Loretta drew in another slow breath. Her imagination wasn't running away with her in her sleep. In fact, her mind had let things go way too far, and her guards had too. If her guards were still alive.

Rhysto's distinctive aroma of whiskey, cigars, and perfume were all around her. Pretending to sleep wouldn't save her now.

"Ah, sleeping beauty opens those gorgeous eyes at last."

He was sitting on her bench, drawn up close beside the bed. He'd been turning the lamp up gradually.

"Rhysto. Should I point out that I have not invited you into my house, much less my bedroom?"

"Point it out all you want to, darlin'. That won't change the fact that I'm here. And that you're finally here after your little adventure in the Northlands."

Loretta sat up slowly, moving back against her pillows. She thanked a Crown she no longer believed in that the pilot hadn't found the weapons hidden in that headboard on his last unexpected visit.

"I was visiting family," she said. "You know where I come from, as you're so fond of pointing out. I'm not sure why that concerns you."

"I've already paid a visit to your family," he said. "Quite an array of toys she has in her room. Making something special for you?"

"If you've hurt her, one of us dies tonight. I'll do my damnedest to make sure it's you."

Rhysto threw back his head and laughed, the movement of his throat making Loretta ache to bury her knife there. This same bastard would have laughed no matter how loudly Roma Norwood screamed. No matter how loud Gemma screamed.

"Don't worry your head about your guest," he said. "She's still sound asleep. As far as I know, your guards are, too."

"Tell me why you don't know," she whispered.

"Well now, the dose of gas is a bit harder to regulate when the tank is full." He patted a small gray tank on the floor beside him, with a long tube coiled on top of it. A black gas mask lay alongside. "I'm afraid the little girl at the back door had a bit more than I'd planned. The lovely woman at the front should be just fine in a few hours."

"Why didn't you just use it on me, you bastard?"

"You can't tell me what I want to know if you're not awake. And you have plenty to tell me." The pilot grinned and leaned closer. "Depending on what shape you're in after that, maybe we'll have a little fun, Loretta. I've missed you."

"The same kind of fun you planned to have with Roma Norwood?"

"Oh no, not at all," he said. "You know I prefer my partners to enjoy themselves as much as I do." He grabbed her headboard with both hands and shook it, but none of the compartments gave up their secrets. "This will do nicely. I've returned to you over the years because you're the only woman I've ever found who's a match for my appetites."

"You've had your last fun with me," Loretta said. "And I don't have a damned thing to tell you. That all ended when your little friend Rullin tried to attack me."

He shook his head and sighed, moving onto the bed. Loretta moved as far away as she dared. She didn't want to get out of reach of her weapons.

"You know as well as I do that I didn't hire that boy," he said. "You're well acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Norwood, so you know that was his bad decision making. He's soft like so many others in the Ministry these days, babbling the same absurd rumors about Aerohead and elves and haunted houses."

Rhysto put one arm around her, pulling her against him. She didn't need to see the revolver he kept in a holster on the other side. She knew it was there, and loaded. He brought out the little black knife she remembered too well in his free hand.

"From the looks of your little meeting in the middle of the night," he said, "you and your friends have a nice little arrangement worked out."

"There's nothing to arrange," Loretta said. "Mr. Norwood is just as mistaken about my private business as you are. I have no control over the rumors he spreads. What I told you about where I find my goods the last time you broke into my house was the truth. I'm sorry if it's not what you were hoping for."

She inched her arm behind him, aiming for one of her hidden compartments.

"So sorry to disagree with you," he said. "I told you not to lie to me about this. That soft gut asks me about your suppliers, then next thing I know you're off to the Northlands with one of the scab shaws. Darlin', you know I'm not stupid enough to believe that. Where's your rather large companion this evening? He's not doing much of a job protecting you."

When his rough hand slipped under her gown to her bare breast, Loretta drew in a breath and flinched away. The motion and noise might encourage him, but it covered her pressing on the tiny door. She felt the cool glass curve of a hypo inside. Not the lethal weapon she would have preferred, but it would do. He'd never feel the needle until it was too late.

She held the hypo against her wrist, once again reduced to watching for him to drop that damned knife.

"He'll be here early in the morning," she said. "I'm sure he'll be most interested in hearing about your visit."

"I'd be happy to return so he can watch," Rhysto said, squeezing her nipple. All Loretta felt was pain. "Once you've recovered, of