Unbearable Failure

by ML Guida

  Tash rubbed the back of his neck. “Damn it!”

  The Admiral squared his shoulders and put his hands behind his back. “Obviously, your crew is not loyal to you, Tash. I may have been wrong in recommending you as captain.”

  Anger shot Vaughn’s blood pressure to the boiling point and heat swelled in his face. “How can you say that to him?” His voice spurted with rage and his hands shook with fury.

  His dad didn’t even look at him, as if disappointing him didn’t matter.

  Tash’s scar quivered, and his face turned pale, but he didn’t look from the Admiral’s gaze. “Maybe you’re right. But the more important thing to worry about is discovering who poisoned our women. I suggest we start with personnel and start doing a deep background on every crew member.”

  Admiral tilted his chin up since Tash was a few inches taller. “Then I suggest we start with you––Captain.”

  “Fine.” Tash didn’t back down, but Vaughn knew their father’s words must have cut his insides like a knife.

  “What about you, Admiral?”

  Vaughn jerked his head around. He couldn’t believe Sandra was testing the great Admiral. Besides him, no one had ever questioned his integrity.

  Except he did his in secret.

  Sandra was a bugle.

  The Admiral narrowed his eyes. “Are you suggesting that my background be questioned, Missy?”

  Vaughn groaned at his father’s you’re-pushing-your-luck tone. Sandra had one foot into the fire.

  He shook his head slightly, but she ignored him.

  She folded her arms across her chest. “Yes, I am. You’re the Admiral. You’re the one that needs to set an example for the crew.” She lifted her eyebrow. “Do you have something to hide?”

  “No one. I mean no one has ever questioned me before.”

  “But these are extraordinary times, Admiral. Everyone, I mean everyone, is suspect”––she pointed her thumb at her chest––“including me.”

  Vaughn frowned. “What? You?”

  “We can’t take any chances. Someone is determined to hurt your women, Admiral.”

  Tash nodded. “She’s right. No exceptions. Everyone is under suspicion. Beginning with me. I will have security ready the Telsa Sifter.”

  Sandra frowned. “What’s the Telsa Sifter?”

  “It’s a sophisticated computer that can analyze whether someone is lying or telling the truth.”

  Sandra frowned. “Is the Telsa Sifter like our polygraph on Earth?”

  “At a much more sophisticated level.” Tash gritted his teeth. “There will be no room for error.”

  Sandra’s eyes widened. “Really? Why?”

  “Because the Telsa Sifter can detect not only the slightest change in body temperature, but it can also detect cognitive dissonance when someone is holding two conflicting thoughts,” Vaughn said.

  “So, it reads your mind with one hundred percent accuracy? I’ve never heard of such a thing.” Disbelief echoed in Sandra’s voice.

  The Admiral tilted his chin. “That’s because our technology is far superior than primitive Earthlings.”

  Sandra opened her mouth but instantly shut it. Her cheeks turned red hot and tears formed in the corner of her eyes.

  A pounding throbbed in Vaughn’s ears, his blood pressure elevated to a dangerous scalding fever, and adrenaline steamed his muscles that thickened to twice their normal size. He grew in height, casting a bear shadow, and towered over his dad. He gripped his dad’s arm, his fingers were more like claws. “I’ve had enough. You will be respectful to my mate.” His gruff voice promised a challenge.

  The Admiral narrowed his eyes. “Or what?” He pulled on his arm, but Vaughn’s grip was clamped tighter than a pissed off mam’s.

  Vaughn bared his teeth. “Do it again. And find out.”

  For the first time, he thought he saw fear in his dad’s eyes.

  “Vaughn, no,” a small timid voice penetrated the fury in his brain. Someone softly clasped his arm, and it was as if water doused the fire burning inside him.

  He turned away from his dad’s pale face to stare into Sandra’s sweet face. He frowned, not able to say a word.

  “Don’t. I’m okay.” Her gentle, small voice was like a bomb going off in his head. She tightened her grip and a stream of calmness streaked through him.

  No woman had ever had that effect on him.

  His bear shadow changed to a man, and he released his dad.

  The Admiral glared. “Never touch me again, Vaughn.”

  His dad’s voice was back to its normal haughtiness, but Vaughn didn’t even look at his dad. All of his gaze was on his mate who looked at him with such a serene face that the anger in his beating heart melted.

  “Thank you,” Sandra murmured.

  Vaughn found his voice. “As you wish, mate.”

  She rewarded him with the biggest smile that made him want to cross through space to please her. All he could think about was kissing her one more time.

  “I’d better follow the Admiral.” Tash gripped Vaughn’s shoulder that tore his gaze away from his mate. “Brother, I’ve never seen you stand up to dad like that.”

  Heat swelled inside Vaughn and he lowered his head. “I know.” He picked up Sandra’s warm hand. “But I’ve never had a mate to protect, either.”

  Sandra’s glistening eyes turned soft and filled with an inner glow. She lowered her head and she shuffled her feet.

  Tash released Vaughn’s shoulder. “I will call you when it’s your turn to go through the Telsa Shifter. In the meantime, can you find out anything else about the lab?”

  Vaughn sighed. Work always interfered between Sandra and himself. “Of course. I’ll report my findings as soon as I can.”

  “Good. I’ll leave you to your work.” Tash left quickly with the Admiral.

  Sandra pushed a lock of hair behind her delicate ear. “I guess we better get back to work.”

  Vaughn grabbed a transrecorder.

  Sandra looked at it curiously. “What does that thing do?”

  “This is a transrecorder that can analyze information quickly and tell us more about the wires used and possibly when the device was installed.”

  “It’s so small. Can it pick up fingerprints?” The eagerness in her voice tickled him, and he couldn’t help but smile.

  He never thought about how small the transrecorder was until she pointed it out. The transrecorder was a little bit bigger than his palm, but compacted with the most advanced technology. With Sandra, he could see the whole world with new eyes full of excitement.

  “Yes, but I doubt that will be helpful. All the medical team would have left fingerprints on the cooler.”

  She examined the transrecorder closer, her lavender eyes reflecting tiny stars. But then it was her head that drew his attention. The overhead light made her blond hair shimmer and he realized she had different shades of blond from light brown to almost white. How come he’d never noticed before?

  “True. But maybe someone’s fingerprints will show up that shouldn’t be.”

  He shrugged. “Perhaps. It will be a start anyway.”

  “I’m going to go back to testing again.” Ivona headed back to her station.

  Sandra clasped Vaughn’s hand and pulled him toward her. “Come here.”

  He watched her mouth that fascinated him as he drew closer, testing him not to kiss her. Hunger burned inside him, and a series of sensations flooded through his veins, daring him to capture her lips. “What?” His voice shook with need. He frowned, not sure what she was going to do, but he definitely knew what he wanted to do.

  She brushed her lips over his, nearly knocking him over with a feather. Her tongue slipped inside his mouth, and her sweetness made him groan. A streak of hot, demanding pleasure, shot from his throat down to his gut, unleashing his bear that urged him to mate with her now.

  He fought to gain control, but he was losing the battle.

  This kiss was longer and hotter than last
night. His will broke, and he wrapped his arm around her waist and crushed her toward his body that was already hard for her. Nothing mattered but Sandra. Her lips, her warm breath, her soft moans, and her body pressed against his, inflaming him with a desire that was becoming harder and harder to control.

  Someone cleared a voice.

  Sandra pressed her hands on Vaughn’s chest and broke off the kiss. Vaughn panted hard, trying to suck in air, but it was as if he couldn’t fill his lungs.

  Sandra had bent her head and was gasping as hard as he was. They both sounded like they’d just run a race.

  He lifted up her chin. “Why…did you kiss…me?”

  “I…I…wanted…to…thank you.”

  “Thank me?”

  “You defended…me against your…dad. Even though he was your hero.” The gratitude in her voice made him smile.

  Was my hero.

  He leaned his forehead against hers. “I would do anything to see you smile. To see the dimple in your cheek. To see your eyes sparkle.”

  “Are you two going to get back to work or am I going to do this myself?” Ivona’s disapproving voice brought him back to reality.

  “Sorry.” Sandra pulled away from him. “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

  He clasped her arm. “Don’t ever regret kissing me. Because I don’t regret kissing you.”

  She smiled, an illuminating smile that was brighter than the sun.

  He winked. “Now, get back to work, Sandra Rotella, because if you don’t, I fear we will both earn the wrath of my brother and the Admiral.”

  Sandra blushed. He’d never get tired of making her blush. It made her cheeks bright pink and her skin glow. She turned and headed to her station. Her hips swayed slightly as she moved, and he swore she had the sexiest walk of any woman he knew.

  She slid onto her seat and immediately went back to being a professional scientist, examining slides and taking notes. He sighed and turned his back, forcing himself to get back to work.

  He glided the transrecorder over the cooling system. A green ray scanned the cooling system like a comet. Beeps and colors flashed over the transrecorder. Readings immediately popped onto the screen.

  “This is strange,” he mumbled.

  Sandra looked up from the microscope. “Why? What did you find? Someone’s fingerprints that shouldn’t be there?”

  “No one’s prints show up that shouldn’t be here. Mine, Ivona’s, the Admiral, Marc, and Greum are registered. Damn it, the culprit must have been wearing gloves.”

  “Then what did you find that was strange?” Sandra couldn’t hide the annoyance in her voice.

  “Plant life.” He turned around.

  Sandra scowled. “Plant life? Why is it that strange?”

  “The cooling system only had blood and Arian tissue where I had left the Czarina’s blood samples. I checked it myself. The transrecorder didn’t register any plant tissue.”

  Ivona had stopped working and was watching intently. “Are you sure, Vaughn?”

  “Yes, I’m sure.”

  Sandra put down a slide and moistened those delicate lips. “Then that means whoever sabotaged the cooling system had brushed up against a plant. What kind of plant?”

  The transrecorder beeped and flashed red.

  Vaughn frowned. “That’s the problem. I don’t know. Based on the elements, this plant is not indigenous to Aria.”

  She frowned. “What about Earth?”

  He quickly reprogrammed the transrecorder. “I don’t think that would be possible.” The transrecorder beeped again. “Just as I thought. Negative.”

  Sandra leaned her head back and groaned. “Well, we’re back to an intruder again.”

  “A crafty intruder,” Vaughn murmured. Whoever the culprit was, he or she was one step ahead of them.

  And if they didn’t capture the saboteur, more women would end up dead.

  Chapter 8

  Sandra left her station and stood next to Vaughn, looking at the transrecorder that generated organic elements that she hadn’t recognized. His woody scent made it hard for her to concentrate. She could still taste his manliness in her mouth and she liked it––spicy and sexy.

  She cleared her throat and kept her hands to her sides. “Do you have a data base of plants indigenous to known planets?”

  He sighed. “Of course. But once again that will take time––time we don’t have.” His weary voice made her want to take him in her arms and allow him to rest against her breast and stroke his hair, but that was a luxury they didn’t have.

  She gave him a small smile. “Things just keep stacking against us, don’t they?”

  “That’s for damned sure.” He carefully scraped some of the residue off the cooling system walls and put it into a test tube.

  He was just as meticulous, just like her, in both his research and investigation. She admired him and the more she was with him, she couldn’t hide the attraction budding inside her.

  She forced herself to return to testing instead of kissing him again while he painstakingly removed evidence from the cooling system. The Arian methods were very similar to how law enforcement officers or a scientist would gather evidence. She yawned. Maybe that was why the Arians looked to Earth for mates. They were similar.

  Except Arian men were definitely taller, muscular, and more protective than men. Or was she just imaging it? Maybe it was because she’d never met a man who constantly defended her honor. Grandpappy did, but not like Vaughn.

  Thickness balled in her throat and tears welled in the back of her eyes as the image of Grandpappy’s drawn face and sunken eyes formed in her mind. He was growing weaker by the minute, and she hadn’t even thought of him since she’d been on board the Intrepid. What if he’d gotten worse? She needed to get back to her research before something awful happened.

  She took her glasses off and rubbed the bridge on her nose, hoping to keep the annoying tears at bay. Her stomach released a loud grumble.

  Vaughn was at her side and rubbed her back.

  She jerked. “Oh, God. I didn’t even hear you approach.”

  He leaned closer. “You look so sad. Is something wrong?” His voice was only for her ears.

  “I’m just tired.” She put her glasses back on. “That’s all.”

  “And hungry?”

  Heat flushed over her. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. It’s not like we’re ashamed. Bears have a healthy appetite. And with everything that has been going on, food has been put on the back burner.” He looked over her head. “Ivona, are you hungry?”

  Ivona stretched her arms over her head. “I’m starving.”

  “We’ll take a short dinner break and return here.”

  Sandra glanced at the test tubes neatly arranged at his station. “What about the evidence you collected? I’m not sure it’s safe to leave it alone.”

  “Agreed.” He pulled out his flux arranger and shrunk them. “I won’t leave them alone.” He put them into a small metal box that he attached to his belt.

  Ivona returned with Greum and Marc who looked as weary and as hungry as Sandra.

  “Food at last.” Greum shoved his hands into his lab coat. “If I don’t look at another microscope, it will be too soon.”

  Marc frowned and shook his head. “You’re a scientist. That’s illogical.”

  Greum rolled his eyes. “That was a joke, Marc.”

  Marc’s telicator beeped.

  “Marc, here.”

  “This is Boz. You are required to report to the security station three. No exceptions.”

  “Acknowledged.” He closed his telicator. “So, much for dinner,” he grumbled.

  “Sorry, Marc.” Greum clapped him on the back. “We’ll bring you some grub.”

  He shrugged. “You’ll be called too.”

  Greum grinned. “Hopefully, not until after dinner.”

  Sandra stopped. “What about our testing samples? I don’t think we should leave them alone.”

  “
We won’t.” Vaughn pulled out his telicator. “Tash.”

  “Tash, here. Is something wrong?” His voice was on edge as if he were afraid of the answer.

  “No, we’ve made progress. But we need a dinner break. Could you send security to guard sickbay? I don’t want to run into another disaster.”

  “Guards have already been posted outside the medical lab.”

  “They are? How come you didn’t notify me?”

  “Because I’ve been a little busy. Tash, out.” His sarcastic tone made Sandra wince. It sounded more like a growl.

  Her pulse heightened, and uneasiness crept into every nerve. Any minute all the Arians would shift into bears. Angry pissed off scared bears. The worst kind of luck for a small petite scientist.

  She didn’t want to be here. Or maybe she was too damn tired, too damn hungry, and admit it, too damn scared.

  He shoved his telicator into his belt. “Tash’s patience seems to have been all used up.”

  Sandra clasped his stiff hand. “You don’t think your dad has anything to do with his surly mood.” Her attempt to keep from teasing him failed miserably.

  He didn’t smile, but squeezed her hand. “Oh, I’m sure that has a lot to do it with my brother’s mood.”

  She gasped, hiccupped, and covered her mouth. Vaughn led her out of the lab past two men who were even taller than him. They were huge, the kind she didn’t want to meet in a dark alley.

  “They’re security bears.”

  She tore her gaze away. “They’re what?”

  He tilted his head. “Security bears. Security bears are bigger than most Arians and they take their job extremely seriously.”

  “I bet. Do you have much crime on Aria?”

  “In years past, crime was rampant and there were no rules. The Shades intervened––”

  “Your gods, right?”

  “Yes, they were afraid we’d kill each other off, so they designated one breed of bears to become security bears. They’re fiercer and bred to hold up the law.”

  She thought about Star and Walfea. “Walfea was a security bear, wasn’t he?”

  “Yes. Someday I suspect he’ll return to the Intrepid, but he has his hands full with keeping your friend safe.”