Rain In The Moonlight: Book Two of the Seeder Saga

By Britt DeLaney

Ajan is a Hunter, hired to travel to another planet by the ruler of the Mountain City in order to find and capture the leader of an opposing faction. His plans go awry when he encounters Rain in the Moonlight, a rebel woman from the river valley who stirs him in dangerous ways - despite the fact that she seems intent on killing him. When secrets are revealed, he finds himself working alongside Rain to get to the bottom of an interplanetary mystery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Britt DeLaney
• Release date: Mar 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311228185

Britt DeLaney

Britt DeLaney lives and writes near Philadelphia. In her spare time she watches too much Netflix, eats too many Pop-Tarts, and is currently writing her ass off.

Book preview

1

Rain_Flourish

IT WAS TERRIBLY hard to think when a man’s head was between your thighs.

Meerna wasn’t stupid. Indar had obviously come with an agenda, but just now she didn’t care much what it was. He hadn’t been back to visit Guild command in a very long time, and she’d forgotten just how interesting he was until he strode through the door again, making her remember.

Making her want him again.

She had a feeling that was his plan all along, knowing that she would never turn him down. Not even when he shut her office door and backed her into the desk. He hadn’t even bothered to remove all of her clothing and she didn’t care much. Within minutes, he had her shirt unfastened and her uniform trousers slid off her legs. He pushed her down across the desk as he straddled her office chair, rolling it up to where he wanted it.

Where he wanted her. 

Then before she could squeak out a startled Indar! You can’t— 

He showed her that he most definitely could. And he did. His shoulders held her knees wide apart and his hands pulled her hips forward to meet that incredibly capable mouth of his. She’d knocked her mug of tea off the desk with her arm as she flailed around, finally tangling her fingers in his hair as she moaned and writhed and rocketed toward a climax.

He pulled away from her abruptly once she finished, and Meerna moaned at the loss of sensation. Indar gave a curse of his own.

Ouch! Woman, you nearly pulled my ears off! 

He rubbed the side of his head with one hand as his other made short work of the buttons on his trousers. Before Meerna could voice another protest, he slid into her hard; his hands tight on her waist as he set a pounding rhythm that shook the desk beneath them. Her legs wrapped tight around him, and then she was exploding again, crying out loudly. He kissed her to muffle the sound as he reached his own peak, collapsing on top of her a long moment before he pulled out and refastened his trousers.

Meerna lay in a daze, unable to move, let alone form a coherent thought. Damn him. He was still the best she’d ever had. She finally managed to rouse herself enough to realize that she was hearing the tell-tale sound of her comm panel being accessed.

All right Meerna, get me in here. He slid back in the chair, looking at her expectantly.

You—wait, what?

I need access to the internal database. Log in, will you? Come on, I need to do this quickly.

This is what you came here for? she asked, a bit confused.

He smiled at her. Among other things.

She sat up, buttoning her shirt and then levered herself off the edge so that she could step into her trousers. She leaned heavily against the corner of the desk because her legs were still shaky.

I could lose my job for this, you know, she reminded him, even as she pressed her index finger onto the touch pad. Her genetic sequence was scanned and noted, granting her access to the archive.

What are you looking for, exactly? she asked. Maybe I can help.

I need to access the genetic scans in the archive. Indar’s fingers were flying across the touch pad, accessing multiple files at once. 

That’s privileged information, Meerna remarked.

He didn’t stop searching. I know. The screen in front of him lit up suddenly. There! In the security archive.

Security? Meerna was puzzled. You’re looking for a criminal? What do Seeders want with a criminal? She asked. This wasn’t normal at all. Seeders and Security had little or nothing to do with each other. One was the brains and the other was the brawn when it came to Guild business.

Indar studied the file a moment, pulling out his own comm unit and inputting the man’s coordinates and identifying info. He’s not a criminal. He’s a Hunter. They scanned him as part of the normal protocols when he brought his targets in and collected his fee.

Is this Seeder business?

Guild business, he replied. There’s a civil war brewing on a guild planet, and this Hunter will be instrumental in helping to avoid that.

There are half a dozen hunters on this base at any time, Meerna replied. What’s so special about this one?

Can’t tell you, Meerna.

He pulled up a few more files, scanning them through quickly when a name suddenly caught his eye. Wait—what’s this?

The name had gotten his attention, having just been to that planet. Why were they keeping a file on Ryndio here in the security archive? He began scanning through the documents when he realized this wasn’t about the planet, entirely. The file held personal logs and status reports, updated as recently as a few solar cycles ago. 

Which was completely impossible. 

Because the man who wrote them was dead. Long dead. 

Indar carefully copied the files over to his comm unit, and then backtracked, erasing all evidence of having looked at them in the first place. He had no idea what was going on, and he wasn’t about to raise anyone’s attention until he got to the bottom of it.

What was that? Meerna asked, leaning in. Since when are standard Seeker biogenetic studies considered high-security?

They’re not, Indar replied. And you didn’t see any of it.

He stood up, putting his comm unit back into his pocket. Forget I was here, Meerna. I mean it. He pulled her forward for a quick kiss and then he strode over and opened the office door.

He turned back to her, smiling. Your shirt is buttoned incorrectly.

Meerna looked down with a scowl. Damn him. When she looked up again, he was gone.

She re-buttoned her uniform shirt, wishing that just for once, she could get the last word in with that man. 

Forget he was here? Not likely.

2

Rain_Flourish

A SHAPELY HAND caressed Ajan’s backside and he smiled as second set of fingers combed through his golden hair. There was nothing nicer than being next to a warm woman, except, of course, being between two of them.

He had his hands full of breasts and another pair of dainty hands sliding around from behind to stroke him when suddenly, everything went black.

Ajan was insensate for a short period, long enough for him to realize that his companions were gone, and a male voice could be heard in the background. He kept his breathing even, taking stock of the situation. He didn’t seem to be bound in any way. Whoever did this must assume he would be under for a while, since he’d made no move to restrain him. He was too busy talking into what Ajan assumed was a comm device, judging by the muted voice filtering through from the other end.

Was he Guild?

Ajan was always careful about the jobs he took. He’d even turned down good money on more than one occasion just because they were too far on the risky side for his tastes. He hadn’t done anything to put himself on the wrong side of the Guild—that he knew of.

What was going on?

Rax, we’re ready here, said the unseen man. Have you got a lock on him?

The comm unit nearly flew out of the man’s hand as Ajan came off the bed and grabbed him by the neck from behind. To his credit, the man didn’t fight. It would have gone badly if he did.

Now what? asked the man, calmly raising his hands to where Ajan could see them.

Now we’re going to have a talk, Ajan replied. Who are you? And what—

Ajan paused a moment, startled. His eyes blinked furiously as he realized he was now quite suddenly aboard a ship.

—do you want with me? he finished. He didn’t bother saying anything more. Someone—the unseen Rax, he assumed—had a regulation Guild stunner trained on him.

If you let me go, the unnamed man said, No one has to get hurt.

Ajan released him but in a heartbeat he’d taken a step and wrenched the stunner out of Rax’s hand and into his own.

There. Now we can talk.

Rax eyed him warily, rubbing his sore wrist. He turned to level a look at the still unnamed man. Why didn’t the neural burst work on him? he asked.

The other man was consulting the screen on his comm unit. Because I’m an idiot, he said. That’s what you get for not cross-referencing your genetic sequences. He shoved the unit into his pocket. 

Meaning? asked Rax.

Meaning—I’m a Prim. Ajan interrupted. Neural bursts don’t work on my brain.

The man looked archly at Rax. Luckily, you were out long enough for Rax to get a lock on the transponder I placed on you. He extended a hand to Ajan. I’m Indar. I’ve been sent to find you.

Ajan ignored the hand and didn’t lower the stunner. If you have a job for me, you could have just asked.

Indar shook his head. No time. And this needs to stay quiet. Very discreet.

Ajan studied the man a long moment. He was Guild, all right, but not a trooper. That green stripe on his uniform shirtsleeve could only mean one thing.

Seeder?

Indar gave a short nod.

What kind of shady business could the Seeders need to be involved in? You’re a bunch of science lovers.

Indar appeared irked at that declaration. It has to do with some rebels on a re-formed planet in the Decla system. They call it Ryndio. He gestured at the stunner. Might as well put it down. I deactivated it already.

Ajan raised his eyebrows, then calmly checked the setting. You’re good. He handed the stunner over.

I’m not stupid. I’m a science lover, remember? Indar replied, a bit sarcastically. And I’m not taking any chances.

Ajan nodded. Smart move.

Rax, get the man some pants, will you? Indar requested. We have business to discuss.He nodded to Ajan. Your bags are in your cabin, but I imagine you’d like some answers first.

Rax reached into a drawer set into the ship’s wall, finding a pair of pants with a drawstring waist. 

They’ll be short on you, sorry. He apologized as he tossed them to Ajan, who caught them and made short work of covering up. He tied the waist off and turned his attention again to Indar.

The job? he asked.

We re-formed Ryndio a hundred and sixty solar cycles ago, and it was colonized by a mix of naturists and merchant entrepreneurs. The group that settled in the mountain region has recently started mining operations along the river that cuts through their capital city. They sell the ore to the Guild, which provides necessary income to the residents. The language there is Standard Guild, so you won't need any sublim transfers. There’s no tourism allowed due to the eco-treaty and very few off-worlders are admitted in via the portal in the mountain city. The few that do come in are on short-term trade pass and only to the city.

A closed planet. Ajan remarked.

Relatively. 

Indar moved to a console, pulling up a series of maps and pictures. The rebels from the river valley recently decided that the machines mining the river are a threat to their way of life and a violation of the eco-treaty. They’ve been sabotaging them every time they can. Among the mountain people, there's talk that the new leader of the rebels has designs on taking over the mountain city.

Where do I come in? Ajan asked.

Find and deliver the rebel leader to the Edal—the leader of the mountain city. Got it? 

Ajan lifted a brow. They don't want rebel dead? 

No. Indar responded. Just find the leader, deliver, get paid.

That simple?

That simple. Indar shrugged.

Why me? Ajan asked, shrewdly. 

They’re not having any luck, the Edal is a personal friend, and you have a reputation that precedes you. Indar replied.

How am I being paid? Ajan sat down, looking bored. Credit? Goods? 

Land. And they may have mentioned women. Indar replied, with a knowing smile.

That got Ajan’s attention.

I’m in.

3

Rain_Flourish

THEY MADE IT to Ryndio in less than three sleep cycles and a limited number of loops. Looping through artificial wormholes had been used for transportation by the guild for centuries. They were stabilized by the transponders but took some time to get used to.

Indar seemed to take it all in stride. As a Seeder, looping was a daily occurrence for him. Seeders traveled the galaxy—and rumor had it even beyond that— for millennia. If it weren’t for Seeders, humanity would never have colonized the stars as it had. They oversaw the genetic seeding of endangered proto-human and early human races onto suitable worlds, and also onto the re-formed worlds that had previously been inhospitable to life. 

Sometimes these were colonized by volunteers, but often they were transplanted from planets in other parts of the galaxy that were having trouble sustaining life or because they possessed genetic signatures that were complimentary to the humans on the new planet. It was complex work, scientifically and logistically. Very few made it into the Seeder corps of the Guild, and they were nearly an entity unto themselves, having pre-dated the forming of Guild alliance by several centuries. 

Whoever Indar was, he had some clout. This job could mean serious compensation, and even though Ajan wasn’t pleased with his recruiting method, Indar appeared to be all business. Good. Maybe this would be over quickly and he’d finally have a place to settle down.

Ajan had been a Hunter since he reached the age of manhood, taking small jobs at first, and then shouldering more responsibility in the family business. Like most Prims, he had a knack for finding people and his instincts served him well in some sticky situations. He’d been across most of his home quadrant, stocking up credit and banking in favors that he could call due whenever it suited him. 

The one thing he hadn’t been able to secure was land. Most planets had residency requirements, or other isolationist or socio-political blocks that made it difficult, if not impossible for off-worlders to own land. His mother’s home world was his only option, but a paternal system of land ownership left him out in the cold on most of the available options, due