Prime Selection

by Monette Michaels

  Cred spoke up. “How soon will they get a medical team to my brother?”

  “Protocol is to contain the enemy combatants before risking medical teams in a war zone.” A’tem had chosen to answer and Nadia let him. “We should remain here and let Huw and the others take care of the remaining enemy. Captain Wulf will send a medical team as soon as he can. I sent a coded message to him and requested one regen bed for your brother.”

  A’tem removed his jacket and placed it around Nadia’s shoulders. “Take my jacket.

  You’re chilled.”

  She stifled the totally inappropriate laugh threatening to erupt. Of course she was chilled. She was practically naked from the waist up with the mere scrap of lace covering her breasts. None of the men had mentioned her near nudity and made Herculean efforts to ignore her exposure—after their first heated glances, of course. She appreciated their courtesy.

  “Thanks.” Nadia pulled the jacket, warm from A’tem’s body, closer around her body, and shivered convulsively for several seconds. She hadn’t realized how cold she’d been until he mentioned it.

  “It is interesting Huw is leading the security team that relieved us,” A’tem said.

  Nadia almost groaned and made a note to kick A’tem’s ass later. His curiosity was aroused—a dangerous mental state for a Volusian since they were known to dig until they received answers; it might be a great trait for an engineer, but not when it was used in idle conversation.

  “Why interesting, Commander A’tem?” Cred asked, a frown marring his forehead.

  “When I first alerted Ard about the surprise attack, Ard said Huw had already switched from his original mission to add to the security of our base of operations to come to us. That Huw knew about our danger before Ard did. Strange, yes?” A’tem shrugged, but didn’t wait for a response or for her to kill him. “For some reason, Ard sounded … displeased with Huw. But then Ard and Huw haven’t gotten along well during this period of merger. My conclusion? Ard is allowing his dislike of Huw to color his opinion of Huw’s current actions.”

  A’tem looked pointedly at Nadia. “I think you should be aware of this friction between them, Nadia.” His “do with it what you will” implication was left unsaid.

  “Ah, I didn’t know they weren’t mixing well.” How could she? She rarely saw Huw.

  When she did see him, he treated her with all the respect and courtesy due to her as a colleague and left the room as soon as he could. He sure didn’t chitchat about his interactions with other crew members. And during meetings of all Gold officers, Huw and Ard never sat together; she had no firsthand observations of the two men’s dealings.

  Until today’s action, Huw hadn’t bothered to acknowledge the psychic connection they had and blocked her mental touch time and time again—so she couldn’t have gleaned his feelings that way either.

  “Then it’s a good thing Ard will be stationed on the Leonidas.” Nadia turned and caught her Prime teammates’ gazes on her. “What? You guys have something to add to this conversation?”

  From his position at the cave entrance, Bram cleared his throat. “Commander Ard was particularly insistent you be protected at all costs.”

  Nadia winced. Lord, save me from overprotective Prime males.

  Cred nodded. “We think he is jealous of Commander Huw. Commander Huw has been very vocal about Ard staying away from you.”

  Oh, hell! Nadia’s cheeks burned. How had her private life become such a topic of interest? She didn’t understand why Huw acted the way he did, and her crew was already speculating on a love triangle.

  “I’ll cut you some slack.” She glared at A’tem. “Well, maybe not A’tem…” the Volusian had the audacity to grin, “…but the rest of you, because you’re new to the Alliance. But it’s not appropriate to talk about private matters on an op.”

  “We realize this and do not mean to be impolite or disrespectful, Commander Nadia,” Bram said. “But we have few women on Prime and none in the military, so it is hard not to speculate. Many of us are very interested in how we will … what is the word you use when a man wishes to impress a woman and enter into a relationship? We have no such word since we mate by a genetic demand.”

  The man had a valid point, but she still intended to kick A’tem’s ass for opening the whole can of worms. Since the sound of laser fire was still loud outside the cave and the enemy was well occupied by Huw and the other Gold forces, Nadia and her men were stuck here for a while longer. She decided to allow the conversation to continue. She might as well sound Bram and the others out about their views on the Prime male-non-Prime female dynamic. Mel and Wulf would want to know the crew’s feelings on the matter.

  Before she could answer Bram’s question, A’tem chuckled and replied, “Bram, I believe the word you want is ‘court’ although ‘dating’ usually precedes courting.”

  “This dating means the man approaches the woman, indicates his interest, and then they have sex, yes?” Cas asked.

  Nadia choked and started coughing. A’tem handed her his water, she took a drink, and then a deep breath. “Um, it’s not that straightforward.” Every man’s intent gaze was fixed on her. “In that instance, the man might get kneed in his testicles.”

  The Prime soldiers muttered under their breath. Their pained expressions and confusion were almost comical. A’tem began to laugh.

  “Shut up, A’tem. It’s not funny.” She sighed and looked at the Volusian whose eyes glistened with the tears of his attempt to stop laughing. “I told Mel we needed a fricking class on dating dos-and-don’ts for our Prime crew. Now, I know we do.”

  Nadia beat back the increased pain throbbing in her side and shoulder; she now had a headache to go along with it. The stream of Huw’s soothing warmth had slowed to a trickle. Worried that he and his team might have been overwhelmed and needed her and her team’s help, she touched his mind. She shivered at the ice-cold rage she discovered as he fought furiously to protect her and her team. She sighed with relief. He was unharmed and had things under control. He didn’t need her pain or exhaustion to distract him. She quickly withdrew her mental scan and slammed up her shields. The drugs A’tem had given her would eventually handle her pain; Huw needed his own reserves for the fight.

  She attempted to smile at the curious, relationship-naive Prime. Well, naive as to dating and courting. She imagined they all had the same sex education Wulf and his brothers had had. Though, she refused to even think about the sex-surrogate thing. She saw red each and every time she imagined Huw going to one of the women Prime society provided to meet their males’ sexual education and needs. She had no reason to be jealous. Huw had been politely scrupulous about not encouraging this … whatever-in-the-hell attraction they had between them, but hearts weren’t rational most days. Hers sure wasn’t.

  Taking a deep breath, she plunged into what would be for her a very uncomfortable, but needed discussion. “I can see how speculation about who is courting whom would be a hot topic. So, until you attend the dating lecture, I’ll be insisting Gold provide for its Prime crew members, let me state—it isn’t proper to guess about relationships not publicly acknowledged by the couple in question. That’s called gossip, and it is frowned upon.”

  Every Prime male there, including Bre, who had roused from unconsciousness, pinned her with a golden stare. She bet every word she uttered would be shared with their fellow Prime as soon as the men returned to their ships.

  She continued, “Spreading such speculations could lead to hurt feelings, especially where the relationship doesn’t even exist. When in doubt about whether a female crew member is seeing someone or not, it is appropriate to ask ‘Are you dating someone?’ As for dating protocols, sex is always something the woman can say no to, and the man must respect that or be considered a sexual predator. Understood?”

  “Yes,” Bram said. “Does this mean you and Commander Huw are not a couple?”

  She had to choke back a laugh. Well, she had told them to ask. If she refused
to answer, they’d think about this and talk it to death—and possibly draw conclusions that would be embarrassing to her and Huw—and hurtful. She needed to nip any further assumptions in the bud. Hopefully, these men would pass her answer along with tales of her actions and leadership in battle to the other Prime of Gold.

  So, she answered, “No, we are not a couple.” It was the truth. Huw didn’t want a relationship with her. She wanted one with him—and it hurt.

  “How about you and Commander Ard?” asked Bre, barely awake, but enough so to follow the topic of conversation. His voice was raspy with pain.

  The tension in the cave escalated. The heat of it pulsed against her psi senses. God, save me. They were all attracted to her. Well, not A’tem, he was merely amused.

  Nadia trembled at the intensity of the Prime soldiers’ collective emotions and pulled A’tem’s jacket more closely over her breasts, which felt even more exposed than before.

  She tasted chocolate and wine and felt fur brushing along her senses as the lust in the air grew thicker. “Commander Ard and I are not a couple either. We are colleagues. The time we spend together has to do with our job exchange and training.”

  But if she were truthful with herself, she had noted a romantic interest in Aeron’s voice and attentions. What a mess!

  She liked Aeron. But with the increase in strength of the unusual bond she had with Huw making itself known more and more each day, she could never be with Aeron or any other man. It wouldn’t feel right—emotionally or physically. Because of this connection to Huw, she’d be forced to live as chastely as a nun unless the man gave up seeking a Prime female who might not even exist.

  Nadia wasn’t holding her breath on that last part happening. There’s always the vibrator in the bedside drawer and the simulation rooms. So not the same.

  At her denial of all dating relationships, the tension in the room left as quickly as it had built.

  Bram smiled. “Thank you for clearing this up, Commander. Maybe you should let the two men in question know so they don’t kill each other in training.”

  His suggestion was made in a gentle tone, but she sensed amusement underlying it.

  She would’ve called him out on his attitude except what he’d said had come as a shock.

  A’tem had alluded to mere friction between the two men; how had friction escalated to killing attempts?

  “They tried to kill each other?” Nadia forced herself not to seek answers from Huw since the battle still raged outside. He couldn’t afford the distraction; from the amount of laser fire and battle cries, it sounded as if the enemy had dug in fairly well.

  A’tem coughed. “Bram exaggerates, Nadia. I was present. Aeron and Huw merely fought hard as warriors do during a training session. Neither was hurt.” He narrowed his dark blue gaze at Bram who still guarded the entrance with Cas. “Bram should not have intimated such.”

  Cas snorted. “I beg to differ, Commander A’tem. I was also present. Prime warriors do not use some of the moves the commanders used during mere training. It took Commander Iolyn and Captain Wulf to pull the two men apart when time was called.

  Theirs was not typical training behavior.”

  When A’tem opened his mouth, Nadia cut him off. “Leave it, A’tem. Cas and Bram are Elite-trained. They should recognize what is and isn’t Prime training behavior.” She swept a stern glance over the men surrounding her. “I couldn’t be the cause of their enmity, since I’m not involved with either man. This topic of conversation is at an end and won’t be mentioned again. Clear?”

  A chorus of “yes, sirs” came from her Prime team members. A’tem snorted.

  Cas coughed. “Commanders? It has quieted outside. I see Commander Huw directing his team to check the bodies. It is safe to leave the cave now.”

  Nadia looked at A’tem. “Please check to make sure, A’tem.” She couldn’t talk to Huw right now to save her life; her voice would betray her chaotic feelings.

  A’tem raised a brow in question, but nodded and spoke in low tones into his com unit. “Huw confirms all enemies are dead or subdued. Aeron also reports Wulf, Mel, and Royce’s teams have retaken the military facility and released the Prime soldiers held prisoner. Gold teams are combing the area and the other caves for any lingering mercenaries. Medical teams are landing and one will be here soon.”

  “Good.” Nadia stood and almost fell. A’tem steadied her with a hand to her elbow.

  “Thanks. I’m okay, just a little stiff from sitting on cold stone.” The males’ gazes were skeptical to a man, but no one called her out on the obvious lie. “Let’s move into the light. This cave is cool and damp. It can’t be good for Bre’s condition.”

  Cas and Cred shouldered their weapons, lifted their brother to his feet, and then carried him between them.

  A’tem and Bram stuck by Nadia’s side. “I’m fine, guys. Don’t hover.”

  “Please let us be assured of that, Nadia.” A’tem kept his hand on her elbow and led her around a dead enemy lying right outside the entrance. “That was the slime-creature’s ass who attempted to kill you as you carried Bre. Bram shot him as Cas and Cred came out to assist and I covered them.”

  Nadia shuddered. She’d been so concerned with getting Bre to shelter she hadn’t realized how closely she’d cut it.

  “Thank you all.” She took a deep breath and forced herself to remain strong. She could deal with the mission’s aftermath later in the privacy of her quarters with a glass of scotch and maybe Lia and Mel for emotional support. “I’m recommending you all for commendations and the appropriate medals.”

  Before any of her men could say a word, Huw stormed into view. “Nadia! You are hurt! Why are you standing? What happened?”

  A’tem and Bram moved closer and braced her; each man placed an arm around her, taking care not to jar her wounds. She was happy to have their help. Huw’s anger—and was that jealousy?—had hit her hard; it felt like an emotional punch to her gut. She sagged between A’tem and Bram.

  “Back off, Huw!” A’tem snarled.

  Nadia stared at her colleague in amazement. She’d never heard that sound from the normally calm—well, except in battle, that is—Volusian. “She’s injured and doesn’t need your attitude.”

  *

  Huw stopped as if he’d run into a wall. Shock, hurt, anger, resentment, and some emotion he refused to name flickered through his mind. Then he truly looked at Nadia and felt all the color go out of his face. Why wasn’t she unconscious?

  His gaze burned across her body, categorizing her numerous wounds—two severe ones, one at the shoulder and an even more severe one at her waist, among a multitude of laser burns, bruises, and abrasions. His already chaotic emotional cocktail intensified. But it was the moment he realized her breasts could be seen by anyone looking hard enough that tipped him over the edge of any control he might have had.

  The unnamed emotion, irrational jealousy, won out.

  “You are practically naked under that jacket. A man’s jacket.” Huw’s growl started low in his chest and increased in volume and power. He fisted his hands, clenching and unclenching them. He would kill the man or men who had touched her, looked upon her beautiful breasts.

  “Stop the growling and tone down the emotional tantrum.” Nadia shrugged away from the A’tem and Bram, who’d pay for touching her, later in the training room. She started to approach him. “I was shot. My jacket was shredded.” Glaring, she stopped less than an arm’s length away and jabbed her finger into his chest as if to punctuate every word. “A’tem gave me his. End of story.”

  Her explanation and obvious anger directed solely at him did nothing to halt his rumbling. In fact, it became worse. So much so, the other Prime in the area stiffened and began to match him growl for growl.

  “I order you all to stop growling.” Nadia shouted the order in a voice that clearly said do-not-mess-with-me.

  It was all Huw could do not to laugh and growl at the same time. She sounded like a furious she-c
at. He’d always liked she-cats.

  Huw attempted to use the psychic connection with Nadia to see what she really felt, but all he touched was blackness. The same blackness he’d felt near the end of the battle with the entrenched mercenaries that had caused him to panic and fight harder to get to her. He’d needed to see she was okay.

  A’tem, however, did laugh and received a glare that could cut stone from Nadia.

  “You aren’t helping,” she muttered to the Volusian.

  “Nadia,” A’tem shrugged, “I’m not sure there’s anything I can do to help.”

  “Commander Nadia.” Bram spoke in a low, raspy voice.

  Huw turned to stare at Bram and didn’t like the look in the crewman’s eyes. Well, he didn’t like any of the other Prime males’ gazes. The men, all of them, wanted Nadia.

  Well, who wouldn’t? She was a woman to be admired and treasured—and Huw would be happy to court her, claim her, as soon as the mission for the Lost Ones was complete. He refused to dishonor either his destined Prime mate, if she existed, or Nadia by moving too soon.

  What if Nadia’s unavailable after the mission? That was something he refused to address.

  Huw snarled at Bram who ignored him and continued to address Nadia. “You obviously need my and A’tem’s support, but Huw is losing control. His loss of control is inciting the rest of us. Are you sure you are not a couple? He is acting territorial. My father does this around my mother when he feels she is threatened by the presence of other males.”

  “Nadia, do you want me to stun Huw?” A’tem asked.

  Huw recognized that the Volusian looked forward to doing just that. Why were all these men mad at him and acting as Nadia’s champions? What had happened during the mission?

  “No, I’ll handle it.” Nada looked up at him while the A’tem and Bram remained close enough to catch her.

  Ansu bhau! He wouldn’t let Nadia fall. If anyone held her up, it would be him.