Rules of Redemption (The Firebird Chronicles, #1)

by T.A. White

"What do you want, tin can?" Raider asked. "You know that's not my name, meat sack." "You seem to think I care about your feelings. I don't."

He stepped closer, his shoulder brushing hers as he leaned closer and murmured. "Face it, coli, we're in a position to use each other. Might as well take advantage of that." He didn't take his gaze from hers as he moved back, giving her the slightest bit of space. Her lips curved in a sly smile. She couldn't argue with that. "What are you suggesting?" "We help each other where we can," he said with a small shrug.

"One of my first memories is watching a boy have the flesh whipped from his back." That boy had been Jin. He had committed some infraction neither of them remembered anymore. Their keepers had punished him severely for it. It hadn't been the first time, nor had it been the last. Kira ignored Graydon as he stopped, his expression severe. Dark emotion rolled off him. "My next memory is having the same done to me," Kira said.

Kira tried not to let her surprised consternation show. She turned to Ziva. "What happened then?" "I lost." Ziva's eyes flashed up to meet Kira's. Kira nodded, considering and discarding several responses. "Well, that was dumb."

"Will the cage hold?" Raider snapped. "Probably." Jin didn't sound convinced. "Not good enough," the human snarled. Jin snorted. "That's the best you're going to get. I'm not a magician. I had seconds to switch the polarity to give us this much protection. Next time give me more of a head’s up if you want a more quality product."