Author: Gail Koger

WULF AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER               Koger

Prologue   

	I was ten years old, alone on an alien planet and desperate. I hadn't eaten in two days and I was so hungry. I knew sneaking into a space port tavern was a bad idea, but if something went wrong, I could outrun a drunk male easily. I sucked up my courage and slipped inside.

	A gasp escaped me. The bar was full of Coletti and Askole warriors. Stealing from one of them was beyond stupid, but I didn't know what else to do. Father was locked up for assaulting an enforcer. The port authorities had impounded our ship and I was tired of sleeping in the alleys.

	The interior of the crowded tavern was dimly lit, making it easy for me to blend into the shadows. A tremor of alarm shook me. The warriors carried more weapons than my father, but I was a kid and they wouldn't shoot me. Would they? I froze in horror when one warrior eyed me curiously. His face and battle suit were splattered with blood. Had they just come from a battle? 

	Leaving suddenly seemed like a good idea. My gaze fixed on the grimy counter. Oh, thank the Goddess, some fool had left his credit chip laying out. Edging closer, I mentally scanned the huge Coletti warrior sitting on the bar stool. It was probably his. One of the dancers was rubbing her breasts all over his face. The warrior really liked it. I frowned. Huh? He wanted his snake thingy inside the dancer's tunnel? He had a snake? And why would he want to put it in her tunnel?    

	I eased out of his mind and with a practiced move, I swiped his credit chip. 

	A big hand clamped around my wrist. "Put it back."

	"No." I bit his hand and kicked him in the shin with my bionic foot. 

	The Coletti warrior roared in fury, dumped the dancer on the floor and grabbed me.

	The indignant dancer jumped up and threw the warrior's drink in his face. "Bastard." She flounced off.
 
	Taking advantage of the distraction, I punched him in the belly with my bionic right arm and tried to break free. 

	The warrior hooted. "You think you can beat Wulf the Mighty, small one?"

	Balock’s balls! I turned on the tears and wailed loud enough that everyone stopped drinking to stare at us. 

	"Tears won't work on me," Wulf sneered. 

	My temper flared to life. The big bully was about to get the surprise of his life.  Bracing myself against the bar, I reared back and kicked Wulf in the chest. He flew backward and slammed into a table full of Askoles.

	The enormous Askole warriors jumped to their feet and the fight was on. Chairs, tables and bodies flew in every direction.

I grinned in delight. My bionics legs had gotten me out of more scrapes than I could count.

The Askoles were moving so fast all I could see was a black blur as their terrifying claws flashed in a dizzying display of death. Those who didn't get out of the way fast enough got cut up. 

Wulf simply teleported in and out; avoiding the Askoles' deadly claws and fangs. Teleporting looked like so much fun. I wanted to do it too. I bet my father could find someone to teach me.

	Ducking a flying foot, I slipped out the backdoor. My psychic senses flared to life. I rubbed my head. It felt like hundreds of fire ants tromping across my mind. It was great having an early warning system, but did it have to hurt so much? Plus, all I knew was something bad was coming my way. I hid behind a dumpster. 

	The sky was suddenly full of armored shuttles. A glittery blue light engulfed the street. When it faded, a dozen enforcers stood there. They rushed into the bar.

	Ha! Wulf the Mighty would get his butt tossed in jail. 

	Weapons fire and shouts sounded from inside the bar. A minute later, battered and bleeding enforcers were tossed head first from the bar

	My relief was replaced by shock. I psychically scanned the bar. Holy Goddess, the enforcers were losing the fight. Father had said the Coletti and Askole warriors were almost impossible to defeat. I hurried down the walkway. 

	Wulf appeared on the street. He pointed at me. "You! Stop!"

	One look at his bared fangs and I fled into the busy marketplace. Weaving around the vendor’s carts, I scooted under a peddler's table. 

	The Coletti hurled the heavily loaded table across the courtyard. 

	Screams, shrieks and curses rang out as everyone ran for their lives. I couldn't really blame them, Wulf had big, scary fangs.
	Whoa! I scrabbled backward as Wulf lunged for me. His hand missed me by inches. I rolled under a vendor's cart. 

	"You cannot escape." The vendor's cart was abruptly heaved upwards and launched at a squad of enforcers. Smack! Down they went with their arms and legs wriggling frantically under the heavy weight.

	Goddess save me. I quickly crawled under another table, flinching as it also went flying. 

	Wulf seized the back of  my jacket and yanked me to my feet. "You kick or bite me again and I will put you over my knee." He shook me like a rag doll. "Do you understand."

	"Yes, my lord."

	"Give me the chip." 

	With a submissive nod, I held it out. When the dumb ass reached for it, I grabbed his outstretched hand and tossed him over my shoulder.

	Splash! The Coletti landed in the wishing pool. He shot to his feet covered in long red weeds.

	It was the funniest thing I had ever seen. Giggling hysterically, I ran down a narrow alley and slammed into a very wet Wulf.

	He laughed as I fought to break free. You can't outrun a Coletti, small one."

	I made a rude noise.

	Wulf pulled a device off his weapons belt and scanned my body. How did you lose your limbs?"

	"Tai-Kok," I spat.

	His fierce scowl melted away. "How old are you?"

	"Ten."

	"What's your name?"

	"Yakira." I wiggled, testing his grip. Father has decreased the power in my bionics because I kept getting into fights. If I was at full strength, the Coletti would have never caught me. 

	Wulf patted me down and took the chip back. "Why did you take my chip?"

	My stomach growled. "I'm hungry."

	"Where's your father?"

	I glared at him.

	Wulf thrust into my mind. I threw up my shields, stunned at how easily he breached them. "You are strong for one so young."

	"Get out of my head." 

	"No."

	A shudder shook me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop him from shifting through my memories.   

	Wulf vanished from my head. "The male you call your father is not taking proper care of you." 

	I drew an angry breath and snarled, "I'm a warrior. I don't need anyone to take care of me." 

	Amusement lit Wulf's eyes. "My pardon. You are a truly ferocious warrior." Taking a firm grip on my hand, he led me over to an outdoor cafe. "What do you want to eat?"

	He was going to feed me? Why? I had stolen from him. I eyed him suspiciously. "You aren't going to kill me?"

	"No. I do not harm children." He plopped me on a chair.

	Huh? Who knew?

	A furry Hus Ping waitress rushed up. "Ready to order?"

	"Skil cakes with Ru sausage," I said quickly, before Wulf could change his mind.  
	
	She cast a jittery look at Wulf. "And you, my lord?"

	"I'll take a Ome steak and your best ale."

	"Yes, my lord." She scurried off.

	Wulf's amber gaze studied me. "Your father is Bjarke, but you appear to be human."

	I shrugged. "Never heard of them."  A memory skittered across my mind. Screaming. Awful cries that seemed to go on forever. Blood. I shivered. There had been so much blood. Gutted bodies were scattered over the ground like broken dolls. A red haired woman desperately fought her way through the Tai-Koks. Her green eyes were focused on me. 

	Wulf was suddenly there, examining the images. "Is that your mother?"

	The memory vanished abruptly. "My mother is dead."

	"Who told you that?"

	"My father."

	"He's not your blood kin," Wulf stated. 

	"Father rescued me from the Tai-Kok ship and raised me as his own. I owe him my life."

	The waitress placed our food on the table. I stuffed an entire skil cake in my mouth and chewed frantically. 	
  
	"Easy young one, you can eat as much as you want."

	I kept on munching. He wanted something from me, but what? I swallowed and reached for a sausage. "Really?"

	He nodded. "A Coletti never lies."

	"Can I see your snake?"

	Wulf choked on his drink. "My what?"

	"Snake. The one you wanted to put in the dancer's tunnel."

	He stared at me in astonished disbelief for a moment. "Impossible. Totally impossible."

	"It’s not in your pocket?"

	“No.”

	"Where is it?”
	“On my warbird,” Wulf said curtly and began mucking about in my head.

	“Stop! That tickles.”

	He halted abruptly, a baffled expression in his face.

	“I looked at him hopefully. “I’ve never seen a snake before. What color is it?”

	“This can’t be happening.” Wulf drained his drink and motioned to the waitress for another. “You’re too young.”
  
	A crackling red energy beam struck Wulf in the back. He fell to the floor as violent muscle spasms shook his body. 

	My brothers Colburn, Ivar and Loki strode towards me, wearing body armor. Their long purple hair was braided for war.

	My message must have finally reached them at the battle front. "How did you find me?"

	"We followed the trail of destruction," Loki answered.

	I stuck my tongue out at him.

	Colburn scooped me up. "Time to leave. You have attracted the Overlord's attention."

	"Me? Why?" I grabbed the last skil cake.

	Loki ran a gentle hand over my hair. "Because you are one of a kind."
		
	Wulf struggled to rise. "She belongs to me. I can protect her."

	"No. You can’t." Ivar kicked him in the face, slamming Wulf’s head back against the pavement. 

	I winced. "Why does he think I belong to him?"

	"Coletti warriors are insane. You see one. You run." Colburn raised my chin and looked me dead in eye. "Do you understand?"

	"Yes." I glared at him when he took a bite of my skil cake.

	I didn't see Wulf again for ten years. Not that he and the Coletti didn't try to find me, but my family was very, very good at hiding me.