Phantom Prospect - Alex Archer [18]
“See you later.”
Annja let him pass and watched him work his way down the steps to the deck. He and Cole might be brothers but there were a lot of differences between them.
Annja took a deep breath of salt air and felt herself yawn. A nap would do her some good. She made her way down to the crew compartments. The corridor led her back to her room and she pushed the door in, falling into the bed with a muffled sigh. The pillow cradled her head and, within a few seconds, she felt herself falling into a deep sleep.
As she slept, her body seemed to relax, her muscles almost melting into the bed. Annja realized that she was truly exhausted and needed the nap badly.
Until something made her start and come awake.
A noise.
She kept her eyes closed. Her stomach knotted up and she risked cracking an eyelid. She could just make out a shadowy form rummaging through her bag. The daylight had faded outside the porthole and the coming evening made it difficult to see exactly who it might be.
Annja frowned. She hated thieves. There was one way to solve the mystery and she steeled herself to suddenly surprise the invader.
Adrenaline flooded her system. Annja checked to make sure her sword hung where she could pull it out if need be. It was ready, hanging in the dim mist that waited between her awake and dream worlds.
Annja steeled herself and then, with a shout, she came fully awake and launched herself off the bed.
She felt something crash into her from behind. A bright explosion of stars caromed around her head as tears flew from her eyes. Blackness rushed to greet her and Annja sank back onto the bed, consciousness already a vague memory somewhere far off in the recesses of her mind.
“ANNJA?”
Annja opened her eyes. The bright light made her wince. “Ouch.”
“Kill the light.”
Darkness returned and Annja blinked her eyes open again. “What the hell happened?’
“You tell us.”
She recognized Cole’s voice. “I was napping. I heard something. Someone was in my room. I was going to surprise them and, when I did, something or someone else clocked me from behind. That’s the last thing I remember.”
Hunter growled. “This isn’t good. A shark attack and someone attacking a guest on my ship. All within two days.” He paused and looked at Cole. “We can’t afford this kind of distraction.”
“I know it.”
Annja put a hand to her head. “Any chance I can get some water?”
“Yeah, yeah, sure.” Cole handed her a glass of something cold. “Take it slow, though. That’s a nasty bump you’ve got on your head.”
Annja ran her hand over the growing bulge on the back of her skull. “Concussion?”
“Can’t really tell. Maybe a mild one.”
“Add it to the scorecard,” Annja said. “I’ve had more than a few in my time. Every time I do, it only reminds me how much they suck.”
“Are you nauseous?” Cole peered into her eyes. “You might be sick.”
“You get any closer and I will definitely.”
Cole leaned back. “You can’t be that badly injured. Your sarcasm has remained intact.”
Hunter chuckled. “You always did have a way with the ladies, bro.”
Annja took a sip of water. The cold liquid hit the back of her throat and she winced. Her stomach rolled once or twice but she fought it back and swallowed the water. When she was done, she handed the glass back to Cole.
“Who did this?” she asked. “Was it Jax?”
Hunter shook his head. “Couldn’t have been. She was in the wheelhouse, remember? It wouldn’t be like her to come down here and take you out.”
Annja nodded slowly. “Fair point. I don’t think she’d mind just going straight on at me if she felt the need.”
“That’s more her style,” Hunter said. “I’ve seen her hold her own in a bar fight outside of Norfolk, Virginia. That chick can rumble with the best of them.”
Cole sat down in the small chair. “So, who else is on the ship that would want to see Annja get hurt?”
Hunter sighed. “I don’t know. I mean, are we assuming that Annja was the actual target?”
“I seem to have been,” Annja said. “As my skull will testify.”
Hunter smirked. “Not what I meant. Obviously, you got injured. But were you the primary target?