by D T Dyllin
Sitting up, Kade grinned. “There’s my Baby.” Reaching into his vest, he produced a handheld device, flipping open a panel to punch in a code. “Head underneath, you’ll see.”
“What’s your ship’s name?”
“Baby.”
I blinked. “Baby? Your ship’s name is Baby?” There had to be some sort of misunderstanding. I tapped my finger against one of my interpreters behind my ear.
“Yeah, which is why I said … there’s my Baby.”
I’d thought he was like most captains with their ships, overly attached. Apparently, I was wrong. “I thought it was a term of endearment.”
He shrugged, stabbing a finger against the window. “Right there. See the open door underneath?” I nodded, shifting our course. “And it is a term of endearment, but I figured, why not just call it that instead of having multiple names?”
I snorted. “Oddly enough, it kind of makes sense.”
Bringing the shuttle in for a smooth landing, I shucked my harness, standing with impatience. “Come on, let me out of this thing.”
Kade blocked my path, glanced at his device, and then crossed his arms over his chest. “Give it a second, the airlock just engaged.”
Shifting, I rocked back and forth, darting my gaze around. “You think you’d be just as eager. After all, we’re a short light slide away from you collecting your bounty.”
He grabbed my shoulders, stilling me. “I need that money.”
Pursing my lips, I met his solemn gaze. “What do you mean?”
Closing the distance between us, he threaded his hands in my hair. “Even if I wanted things to be different between us, they can’t be. I need that money, and I won’t tell you why. My life is … complicated.”
A soft exhale of air passed from my lips as I tried not to react to how close he was. “How much more complicated can it be? You already told me about your dragon DNA splice.”
The muscles in his jaw rippled. “More complicated than you can imagine. Trust me.”
“Trust you?” I shirked out from under him, backing up a few steps. “How can I trust you when all you do is—”
“Knock, knock!” Jane’s familiar voice sing-songed from outside the shuttle, accompanied by several rapid taps. “You two ever planning on coming out of there?”
Kade whirled around, scowling. “What the fuck?”
I smirked. “Oh, don’t worry about that, it’s just Jane. Don’t you recognize her voice? I mean, you did have our ship bugged after all.” Excitement bubbled up within me. As much as I hated to admit it, I couldn’t wait to see Jane. I’d missed her and the craziness that she brought about in her wake. Not that I hadn’t had a bit of my own for once.
“Jane?” He scrubbed a hand down his face. “On Baby?”
Shrugging, I ducked under his arm, punching in the unlock code for the door. With a swoosh it slid open, revealing Jane in all of her Steampunk glory. She was a bit singed around the edges, and her corset and skirt were black in places, others still smoldering. Her long brown hair, normally worn up, had come loose from its restraints, probably because the fastenings had gone up in smoke … literally. Stumbling, I rushed forward, compelled by an overwhelming urge to hug her.
Jane tipped her top hat to the side, smoke curling up from the burnt edges. “What was taking you so long? Breaking in the new shuttle, if you know what I mean?” She winked.
Um, nope. Definitely don’t want to hug her now. Skidding to a stop, my face heated as I glanced away. “Where’s Ash? I saw two flames. And what about Tamzea, Masha, and Dar? Are they okay?”
“Everyone but Ash is safely back on The Pittsburgh, he’s—hold up! Are you blushing? Why are you— Oh, my, God! Were you two … did you— Holy shit! I can’t even process this right now!” Jane fanned herself, swaying on her feet. “Is that why you left with the Talsen, were you … I can’t even say it!”
“No!” I squeaked. “Don’t be ridiculous.” Nibbling on my bottom lip, I glanced behind me, wondering why Kade hadn’t exited the shuttle yet. “How long were you following us?” For all I knew, Jane and Ash could have been on Zeffrin, lurking and spying, waiting for us to leave. It wasn’t Jane’s style, but sometimes Ash was able to cajole her into compliance.
Jane patted down her clothes, parts of material crumbling to the floor. “Why? Worried I know something I shouldn’t?”
Ash appeared beside Jane in a puff of smoke, his casual clothes in pristine condition. Not so much as a smudge on his perfect complexion, nor was his dark hair even windblown. She scowled at him, clearly displeased that she still hadn’t mastered her flame form. “There’s no one else on the ship.” He scooted closer to Jane, laughter dancing in his blue eyes as his gaze traveled down the length of her.
“Of course not,” Kade said, finally making his appearance. “It’s my ship. It’s small, so I don’t have a crew.”
Jane eyed Kade with appreciation, her gaze flicking between the two of us. “So you’re the Talsen who caught Zula’s eye? What’s your story?”
“I’m hungry,” I growled. “How about we discuss everything over some food?”
“Fine,” Jane huffed, “change the subject, but I’m not letting you off the hook that easily. Not after all the crap you gave me about Ash. I will get to the bottom of what happened.” Turning to Kade, she asked, “Where’s your eating lounge?”
His brows lifted in confusion. “Eating lounge?”
I sighed. “She means galley. As you well know, since you had our ship bugged, Jane doesn’t use proper ship terminology.”
Kade laughed. “I don’t know how I missed that.”
“You had my ship bugged?” Jane demanded, poking her index finger into Kade’s chest. “Who the hell are you and how did you manage to get a bug onto my ship?”
“It seems like we have a lot to discuss,” Ash interjected, “and we’ll do it over a meal. If Zula is hungry then let her eat, Jane. She’s apparently had quite the adventure.”
“Fine.” She whirled on her heels, smoke wafting off of her as her internal phoenix heated her skin. “Off to the eating lounge we go.”
“This is not how I planned on this going,” Kade muttered.
Ash barked out a laugh, his eyes filled with pity for the Talsen. “You’ll find plans somehow have a way of going to shit when Jane and Zula are involved. I’m surprised you missed that little detail as well.” He disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“Follow me.” Kade skimmed his hand along my lower back, guiding me. “Jane went the wrong way.”
Of course she did. “She’ll figure it out.” I quickened my pace, eager to find out what I’d missed while I’d been gone.
“There’s only one chair.” Jane scowled at the small table, and its companion, as if the inanimate object had just insulted her.
Kade shrugged. “There’s only one of me.”
“You never planned on having any guests?” she snapped.
“Not besides my bounties, which aren’t usually invited to have meals with me.”
I stared at Kade’s profile, considering. Jane was a bounty hunter, too, but even before she’d bonded with Ash as phoenix mates, she hadn’t been alone, she’d had her crew. Kade led such a solitary life. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was actually by choice, or merely motivated by fear. Does he let anyone in?
“Jane,” I said, “not every ship has a large table in the eating lounge for meetings. It’s only that way on The Pittsburgh because you made it so as captain. Kade’s captain here. Not you. His ship is the way he wants it.”
“Dibs!” She scrambled into the chair, kicking her boots up to rest on the tabletop. The rubber sole on her right foot had a large hole in it, exposing her toes.
Kade leaned against the wall, sucking on his teeth. “You can’t call dibs on someone else’s ship.” His gaze locked onto her toes, his nose crinkling with annoyance.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Ladies first then.”
I met her gaze head on. “You’re not
a lady, and everyone here knows it.”
Flames erupted in her irises. “Whatever you say, Smurfette.”
I stepped forward, a scalding retort poised on my tongue, but Ash slid into my path. “All right. That’s enough.” He tilted his head in question at me. “What’s going on with you? Your temper is well known, but usually you can stay on task with something important at hand … unlike Jane who has a five second attention span.”
“Love you, too, babe,” Jane muttered.
Kade pushed off the wall, striding over to stand next to me. “Zula was compromised by Telvin.” He spun me around, and lifted my hair before I had a chance to protest.
The chair clattered to the ground when Jane leapt to her feet. “What the hell is that?”
I slid my fingers over the cool metal imbedded in my flesh. “That, my dear Jane, is the cause of all my recent problems.” Yanking my hair away from Kade, I glanced up at him. “Which I hope to remedy soon.”
His eyes narrowed at me, dark emotions rolling along the surface. “Her emotions are in control. Your Zula can no longer hide behind logic.”
“Oooh.” Jane’s eyes widened. “This is very interesting. It’s like Zula has been let out of her cage. Now I understand why you ran off with this one.” She hooked a thumb in Kade’s direction. “Couldn’t keep it in your pants, huh? I never would have guessed that deep down you had a thing for bad boys.”
“I don’t have any kind of anything for anyone … especially bad boys!” I smacked at Kade because he was the closest; plus, Jane hit back. I knew from firsthand experience.
Kade grabbed my wrist. “Hey! What did I tell you about playing rough?” He leaned down to whisper in my ear, “It turns me on.”
I shivered, hating my body’s reaction to him.
“That’s enough!” Ash roared. “All of you are behaving like children.”
I hung my head. “He’s right. We have too many important things to discuss to let our emotions get in the way.” Mind over body damnit.
Kade strode over to the table, folding himself into the small chair. “All right. I guess I’ll start.”
Kade and I filled Ash and Jane in on everything we knew, from the plate in my head to Zeffrin. They, in turn, told us about their adventures, which included how our newest crew member, Tamzea’s Metza, Eron, had betrayed us, and landed me on Telvin. Turns out I was right about the blunt force trauma to the back of my cranium. Fortunately, Eron had eventually redeemed himself. And there was the bit about Telvin being no more, completely destroyed along with the humanoid who had tortured me. Not that I minded one little bit about either discovery. Nina had also reappeared, towing Ambassador Aralias with her, who she gave up to Jane to torture, and ultimately kill. Those were just some of the highlights. So much had happened during my absence, it was difficult to wrap my head around all of it. Of course, Jane seemed to be having the same problem with what I’d discovered about my people.
“So the Galvrarons are involved with the UGFS, and therefore the Denards somehow?” Jane ran her hand around the rim of her hat, leaning her head back against the wall.
I nodded. “Yes, I’m sure of it.”
“This shit just keeps getting more and more complicated,” she replied, exhaustion in her tone. After all, Jane had never wanted to get involved with the plan to take down the Denards to begin with, but unfortunately she fell in love with Ash, who was the one leading the charge.
“Janey,” Ash leaned in to her, his voice dipping low, “I know you never wanted to deal with any of this, but you have to admit, the more we find out … well, you wouldn’t have been able to run forever. Not with what you are.”
“I know that, Ashby. I know.” Despite her harsh tone, her body relaxed into the curve of his, a small smile tipping up her lips.
I turned away, the moment feeling intimate somehow. “I need to find out more about the Galvraron involvement. Which is why I’m allowing Kade to collect the bounty on me and take me to my parents.”
“What?” Jane snapped. “Not happening. We just got you back.”
“And I wish I could simply go with you back to The Pittsburgh. But, Jane,” I narrowed my eyes at her, “we can’t pass up the perfect opportunity to get this information.”
“No.” Jane shook her head. “Now that I know what your family is really like—just no. They might not let you leave.”
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, one of them escaping to trail down my cheek. “I have to do this. Plus, I need to get this plate out of my head. I can’t go around—crying. I’ve been crying a lot and I can’t control it. And I don’t like it one little bit.” A sob tore from my chest.
Kade, who’d been suspiciously silent, was at my side in an instant, wrapping an arm around my middle for support. “I’ll be there with her. I’ll make sure she gets out. I swear it.”
Sucking in a sharp breath, I stared up at him, his glowing gaze meeting mine. “You swear it? You can’t actually mean—”
He nodded once. “Yes, I’m offering the sworn oath of a Talsen. I will protect you.”
“What about what you told me before—that you need the money from the bounty?”
“Oh, I’m still going to collect on that.”
Jane chuckled. “A man after my own heart. Maybe you’re not so bad after all.”
“Jane,” I snapped, “stop.” Turning in Kade’s embrace, I lifted my chin to stare up at him. “Why are you doing this? I don’t understand you.” A Talsen sworn oath—an oath of a warrior—was not to be taken lightly. Once given, it bound the sworn until the task was completed, or brought lifelong shame on the bearer. If Kade swore to get me out and then failed, he’d be shunned by his people.
He tucked my hair behind my ears, smoothing it behind my shoulders. “You don’t have to understand. Just trust me, okay? Trust that I’ll make sure you get out of there or I’ll die trying.”
“You don’t have to do this. I release you from your oath.”
A growl ripped from Kade’s throat. “No. Don’t. I swore. Don’t shame me by not accepting my pledge.”
“Zula,” Ash murmured, placing a hand on my shoulder, “accept the pledge.” He squeezed, sending me a silent message.
The hairs on the back of my neck rose, trepidation swirling in my gut. Ash knew something I didn’t, I was sure of it. “Okay, do what you want. I won’t stop you.” I knew I should have been more gracious, but I couldn’t help feeling something was off about the whole situation.
I moved to the side, breaking contact with both Kade and Ash, giving Jane a furtive glance before stalking from the room. I needed time to think. I didn’t know which way was up or down anymore, my life thrown completely off course by Kade and the damn plate in my head.
“Hey! Wait for me!” Jane called, dashing after me.
“I want to be alone right now,” I hissed.
Falling into step beside me, Jane shrugged. “Yeah, I know. But just because you want it doesn’t mean you need it.”
“What do you want, Jane?”
She slung an arm around my shoulder, steering me into a small room on the left, which was a storage closet, miscellaneous objects strewn about, most of them appearing broken. Looks like we managed to find Kade’s junk room.
“Girl talk,” Jane said as she situated herself on the floor, crossing her legs. “I want to have some one-on-one girl talk.”
Dropping down across from her, I leaned against the wall, tucking my legs up underneath me. “You want to know about Kade.”
“You know it. I want to know the parts you left out. The ones about what happened between the two of you.”
“Nothing—”
“Don’t even try!” she snapped, tossing a soft tube at my head. I ducked, shooting her a glare. “I know something happened with him. I can smell the sexual tension in the room between the two of you.” She rocked forward, perching her elbows on her knees. “So, spill it, now.”
Heaving a huge sigh, I realized she wouldn’t let it go until I did
indeed spill it. I didn’t know why I’d thought for even a second I could keep what had gone down between the Talsen and me a secret from Jane. “Apparently, this plate in my head has turned me into you.” I smirked when her eyes widened.
“So you and him did—”
“No.” I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “But I wanted to.” An image of Kade’s face buried between my thighs jumped into my mind, heating my flesh.
“So why didn’t you? From what I know of Talsen men, they aren’t difficult to get into bed. In fact, they’re quite eager to be with—”
“Kade’s different, okay? He’s not entirely Talsen.” I yanked on my hair, wondering if I should share the part about him being part dragon, and decided that he’d never told me not to discuss it with anyone. “He’s been spliced with dragon DNA.”
Jane flopped back onto the floor, a dazed expression on her face. “A dragon … wow.” A few seconds ticked by, and then Jane catapulted up, a grin on her face. “Dragons are from Earth. Did you know that? I bet Ash knows all kinds of things about them!”
Accept the pledge. Ash’s words ricocheted around in my mind. Had Ash sensed something, even from their brief encounter? As a full-blooded phoenix, Ash had been born on Earth. Did he know about dragons? Was Kade more driven by his altered DNA than even he realized? Had Ash sensed that? “Kade is only part dragon, I’m not sure of the extent of his splicing. It wasn’t done before birth like the humans on New Earth.”
“Okaaay,” Jane drawled, “I guess none of that matters right now. What I want to know, which you’re still avoiding, is what is going on between you two? If you didn’t have sex with him … oh come on, stop keeping me in suspense!”
I sighed again. “Like I said, this plate has my emotions, including lust, all out of whack.”
“Lust isn’t an emotion.”
I threw my hands up in the air. “You know what I mean! I want … wanted him, okay? But he turned me down. He doesn’t want to be involved for more than a fling, and he’s afraid of being bonded to whoever he has sex with because of the whole dragon thing.”