Lost Star

by Hawke, Morgan

  Wearing a collar.

  He shook his head free of Seht’s hands and looked down at the floor. “We can’t change the past. We can only move forward.” It was something Captain Melchior had told him repeatedly. He leaned down to swipe the towel across the floor, cleaning up the last of the mess they’d made.

  “Aubrey—”

  “What’s done is done.” He rose to his feet, holding the soiled towel. “And my name is Ravnos.” He turned on his heel and headed for the facility to get rid of the towel.

  Seht reached down and pulled up his pants. “I never stopped missing you.”

  The stab of pain in his heart froze Ravnos where he stood. Gods!

  Seht’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I never stopped…loving you.”

  Ravnos’s heart pounded so loudly he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. His hand tightened around the towel, but he didn’t turn around. “I…I know.”

  “I’m here to take you home.”

  The heart pumping in Ravnos’s chest stuttered with crushing pain, but he lifted his head and spoke strongly and firmly. “I already have a home, a life, and responsibilities.” Moribund had to be destroyed. “It’s too late for…us.”

  “Too late?” Behind him, Seht loosed a vicious snarl. “Never! As long as my blood runs in your veins, you belong to me.”

  Ravnos turned to face him, teeth bared. “No, Seht.” A low growl rumbled deep in his chest. “I will never be anyone’s slave ever again! Not even yours.”

  Despite the rags of dark cloth hanging from his arms and the cum dripping down the interior of his thighs, Seht was tall, pale, and elegant. His blue gaze narrowed and his jaw clenched. “No matter how well you disguise yourself, you can never be anything other than what you are, a Skeldhi rehkyt.”

  Ravnos turned his back on the man he’d just finished fucking. “I know.” He strode into the facility with the distinct feeling that his heart was being ripped apart from the inside. He threw the towel against the wall. I’m an idiot! Going anywhere near him was a mistake! I should have just left him in that hallway.

  To die by the hand of that cyborg?

  He heaved a pained sigh. No, he couldn’t have left him there, not Seht. He ran the cold water and scrubbed his face. Stupid fucking rehkyt instincts. He grabbed a fresh towel to dry his face and hands. So now what do I do? The only thing he could do. He’d just have to find a way to get the prince to stop his pursuit of him. He just hoped to the 130

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  powers that be that it wouldn’t take one of them dying. On that depressing note, he took a moment to take a piss, rewashed his hands, then opened the door to leave the facility.

  Holding a small bundle of black cloth in his hands, Seht brushed right past him to get into the small room. “My turn.” He closed the door behind him.

  Ravnos was completely unable to stop the smile tugging at his lips. Somebody was in a hurry. His gaze fell on the clothes and bits of armor scattered all over the floor.

  Cold, hard reality kicked him square in the gut. He needed to get out of there, fast.

  Moving as quickly as his augmented limbs would allow, he tossed on his waistcoat, completely ignoring the shreds of his once-fine silk shirt and cravat, and threw his coat on over it without bothering to button it. He scooped up his sword-belt with his left hand and headed for the door to the hallway as quickly and silently as possible.

  A white blur on the edge of his vision was the only warning he had. Ravnos back-stepped, pivoting to his right, and threw up his sheathed sword.

  Blocked, Seht’s fist missed his temple by only a fraction of an inch. He jerked back his fist and bared his long white fangs. “You are not leaving this room without my collar, Aubrey.” Lightning fast, he swung his left fist, aiming for Ravnos’s head.

  Panic blazed white-hot up the back of Ravnos’s skull. He grabbed the descending fist with his right hand and slammed the hilt of his sheathed sword against the side of Seht’s head.

  Seht’s eyes rolled, and he slumped to the floor. A trickle of blood stained his white mane at the temple.

  Ravnos gasped in shock. “Oh shit!” Was he dead? He hadn’t meant to hit him that hard! He dropped to his knees and pressed two fingers to Seht’s throat. A pulse throbbed under his fingers. He’s not dead. Relief flooded through him, making his entire body tremble, but anger followed in its wake. “Damn it, Seht!” He rose to his feet, but indecision held him rooted to the spot for an entire heartbeat. He didn’t like leaving him there on the floor where anyone could just walk in on him.

  Unfortunately, he didn’t have a choice. Seht clearly had no intention of taking no for an answer. He needed to get out of there.

  Ravnos opened the door just enough to see that the hallway was deserted. He slipped out the door into the hallway, closed the door behind him, and locked it. He took an extra second to use his wiretap to scramble the code so that the lock would refuse to open from the inside. He smiled grimly. You’re not getting out of there anytime soon, you stubborn shit. He headed up the hall at a quick march away from the Skeldhi prince. Lifting a finger, he activated the com-unit still clinging to his ear. “Imp One, this is the captain.”

  Ravnos’s earcom crackled to life. “We read you, Captain. Status?”

  “Status, code blue.” Evacuation, all personnel. He needed to get out of there while he still had a few shreds of sense left. “On my mark, execute.” Track me and collect.

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  Behind a certain closed door, Seht’s voice lashed out in an angry shout. “Aubrey, you bastard! I will hunt you to the ends of the universe to set my shen on your throat!

  You will be claimed, and you will bow to your master if it takes the rest of my life!”

  Ravnos bolted. “Pick the closest exit, and don’t bother being polite!”

  Twenty steps ahead of him, a window exploded, scattering smoke and shards of glass all over the hallway.

  A dark-coated man draped in veils of smoke stepped through the window, his boots crunching on shattered glass. “Your egress is ready, Captain.”

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  Chapter Twentyone

  Twenty minutes later, Ravnos’s entire crew was back on the small sleek captain’s gig and heading out into space, straight for their ship.

  Seated in his chair by the window, still in his battered coat, torn waistcoat, and shirtless, Ravnos set the communications headset down with a sigh. President Kidd had been somewhat understanding. The cyborg attack had completely ruined his dinner plans to show off his new captain to several of his more choice senators and council members, so he’d understood why Ravnos hadn’t shown up. He’d even understood the necessity of losing a hallway window on the five hundred and sixth floor of his tower for an emergency escape from Admiral Moraine.

  Ravnos hadn’t even flinched when he’d told that lie.

  However, the president had been less than understanding about Ravnos feeling the need to leave for his ship. The headset crackled softly. “There’s something you are not telling me, isn’t there, Captain Ravnos?”

  Ravnos had taken a breath, then sighed. “Yes, Mr. President, there is.”

  Silence had crackled across the line. “Is it…a personal matter?”

  Ravnos looked over at his worried lieutenant, hovering in the doorway to the crew’s area. “Yes, Mr. President.”

  The president heaved a sigh so heavy it came across the headset loud and clear.

  “Fine. I might as well send you on a hunting mission. There are a couple of unidentified small ships sitting a little to close to our borders in the eighth quadrant. Get them to identify themselves. Use as much force as you deem necessary.”

  Ravnos couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you, Mr. President.”

  “However, as soon as your personal matter is resolved, I expect you back here and ready to go to every single dinner engagement I care to send you to!”

  Ra
vnos winced. “Yes, Mr. President.”

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  The president cleared his throat. “Excellent. Good hunting, Captain.”

  “Thank you, Mr. President.” The sound of empty air crackled across the headset.

  Ravnos removed it and handed it to his lieutenant. “Tell the Hellsbreath’s nav-pilot that we need to be ready to leave for the eighth quadrant as soon as we arrive.”

  The lieutenant’s eyes widened. “The eighth quadrant, sir?”

  Ravnos rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, you’ll get your shore leave as soon as we get back.” He looked out the window at the world fading in the distance. “I just have something…personal to take care of, first.”

  The lieutenant snapped his hand up to his brow in a salute. “Understood, Captain.” He lowered his hand. “I’ll have your day uniform ready for you in five minutes.”

  Ravnos lifted his brow at the man.

  The lieutenant scowled at him. “The ship’s crew does not need to see you in”—he waved his hand, indicating his captain’s clothes—“this condition.”

  Ravnos rolled his eyes. “I so need to get you a first officer.”

  The lieutenant smiled brightly. “Make sure you pick a good one.”

  Ravnos gave him a sour smile. “I intend to.” He turned to stare out the window at the stars. He strongly suspected that he was being sent to deal with some Moribund ships, seeing as Moribund was in the neighborhood. However, for some reason, he simply couldn’t find the enthusiasm he normally felt at such occasions. He rubbed the heel of his hand across the center of his chest, over an ache that seemed to center on his heart.

  The alarm bell sounded, and the ship’s intercom buzzed to life. “Captain, we are being pursued.”

  Ravnos froze. What? His heart slammed in his chest double time. Seht couldn’t have followed me this fast! He hit the intercom button built into his chair. “What kind of craft?”

  “It appears to be…Skeldhi, a small one.” The man cleared his throat. “About the size of this gig, sir.”

  Ravnos’s nails dug into the arm of his chair. It was Seht; he’d bet his sword on it.

  The small hairs on his neck rose, and a cool sweat spread across his shoulders. Stubborn bastard. He almost smiled. “How far behind are they?”

  “About twenty minutes, and gaining.”

  Ravnos’s gaze narrowed. Looks like I’ll have to prepare a welcome. “Can you tell how many are on the ship?”

  “According to our sensors…one, sir.”

  Ravnos blinked. That had to be wrong. “One? Are you sure?”

  Silence buzzed across the intercom. “Confirmed. Only one occupant, sir, and they appear to be flying their craft mechanically. No nav-pilot.”

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  Anger flashed up the back of Ravnos’s skull. That suicidal idiot! He fisted his hand on his chair. What is he thinking, flying alone into unknown territory? His lips pulled back from his teeth. He needs to be taught a lesson. “Can we outrun it?”

  The man snorted. “Easily, sir.”

  Ravnos took a deep breath and smiled. “Good, don’t.”

  “Don’t?”

  Ravnos tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair. “Correct. Don’t outrun it. Stay just out of weapon’s range and lead it straight to the ship. Communicate to the Hellsbreath, use the electromagnet to capture the ship and pull it into an unused hangar.

  Once there, seal it from entry or exit.”

  “Shall we leave it in vacuum, sir?”

  “No. Full atmosphere and gravity at human temperature.” Ravnos smiled even as a low growl rumbled deep in his chest. That foolish Skeldhi prince would finally learn whom he was truly dealing with. “No one goes in or out of that dock but me, understood?”

  “Yes, s-sir! R-right away, sir!”

  Ravnos blinked. Had the man just stuttered?

  A voice spoke softly at Ravnos’s side. “You really shouldn’t growl at the staff, sir.”

  Ravnos turned to find his lieutenant at his elbow, his hands filled with his fresh uniform.

  The lieutenant stood perfectly straight, his blue gaze perfectly steady, but there was a fine sheen of sweat on his upper lip. “Believe me, you’re already intimidating enough.”

  Ravnos snorted. “Is that so?”

  The lieutenant grinned. “It’s a good thing they don’t see you when you haven’t yet had your morning coffee.”

  Ravnos rolled his eyes. He waved at the clothes in his lieutenant’s hands. “Never mind those, they’ll only be destroyed.”

  “Eh?” The lieutenant flinched back, cradling the uniform protectively in his hands.

  “Destroyed?”

  Ravnos stood up to shrug out of his coat and vest. “Take this too.” He handed the only slightly rumpled vest to his lieutenant. “It should still be salvageable.” He strapped his sword-belt around his hips and slid the coat back on without bothering to button it over his bare chest. “Have a fresh uniform and coat ready for me once I deal with our uninvited guest.” He sat back down.

  “Deal with…” The lieutenant’s eyes widened. “By yourself, sir?”

  Ravnos turned and narrowed his gaze on him. “You wouldn’t be implying that I am incapable of handling one man, would you?”

  The lieutenant stiffened and swallowed visibly. “N-no, sir. Not at all, sir!”

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  “Excellent.” Ravnos smiled tightly. “You’re dismissed, Lieutenant.”

  “Yes, sir.” The lieutenant lifted his hand to his brow in a smart salute, turned on his heel, and strode from the captain’s cabin with dignified haste.

  * * * * *

  Ravnos departed the gig, strode calmly across the deck of the shuttle bay, and entered the lift. Once he stepped free of the lift and into the long, steel-lined hallway, he broke into a flat-out run through corridor after corridor. His open coat winged out behind him.

  At the edges of his mind, the ship’s consciousness murmured a welcome to her captain, but her focus was elsewhere. She was very busy with the task of bringing a difficult and unruly spacecraft safely into its assigned hangar bay. However, she took it upon herself to open the doors to corridors empty of personnel while locking others to keep people out just long enough to allow her captain the freedom go where he pleased in perfect privacy.

  An agonizing number of minutes later, Ravnos arrived at the huge round pressure door that marked the entry to the hangar bay in question. He stared up at the blank steel surface, shaking with the urge to throw the door open and dreading the purpose behind doing so.

  Seht was on the other side of that door.

  His blood surged with a near-violent craving to see the silver-haired Skeldhi prince once more. At the same time, the cold sweat of despair slid along the base of his spine with what he would have to do once he had. Somehow, he had to convince the prince to go back and never pursue him again. He could not afford to let Seht stand in the way of his mission to destroy Moribund. Every day that monster remained breathing, people and ships would die for no reason other than profit.

  He closed his eyes and bowed his head. Please…don’t make me kill you. He took a deep breath, raised his head, and asked the ship to open the door.

  The bay was empty but for a single sleek and elegant craft of unrelieved, highly reflective silver with backswept wings for atmospheric flight. It crouched on four legs in the very center of the expansive empty bay, steaming and dripping from the ice melting on its hull. On its side, a door spiraled open and a staircase oozed into being.

  Ravnos took a deep breath and drew his live-steel sword and the parrying dagger from behind him.

  Seht stepped from his craft, bare-chested, in only his trousers and boots with a sword in his right hand. His long white mane had been pulled back into a snug tail. He bared his teeth and loosed a liquid snarl. “Ravnos…”

  Ravnos
lifted his chin. “Captain Ravnos of the demon-class dreadnaught Hellsbreath, chartered with the Republic of the Caribbean Stars. I do not wish to start a war with the Skeldhi. Please return to your ship and go.”

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  Seht stared at Ravnos with his eyes narrowed and his jaw tight. “I am not leaving without you.” He twitched his left hand and uncoiled a whip.

  Ravnos slid one foot back, angling his body into a casual fighting stance, his weapons held loosely in his hands. “Yes, you are.” Something from the depth of his memory suddenly surfaced. “I deny your claim to me.”

  Seht’s eyes widened, and his body stiffened as though struck.

  Ravnos kept himself from wincing, but it wasn’t easy. Damn, he looks like he’s about to cry.

  Abruptly, Seht’s chin lifted, his gaze narrowed, and he bared his teeth. “Then I will make you accept my claim.” He lifted his blade and lunged, his blade pointed at Ravnos’s heart.

  Cool excitement raced up Ravnos’s spine. That’s what you think. He intercepted Seht’s blade on the flat of his, forcing it off target, and lunged in to meet him hilt to hilt.

  He smiled from only a kiss away. “I am not an unaugmented child this time.”

  Seht grinned, showing his fangs. “So I see.” He shoved hard and twisted, breaking contact with Ravnos’s sword. He lashed out with his whip, aiming low.

  Ravnos spotted the whip and leaped straight up, avoiding the lash. His augmented legs lifted him high off the deck.

  Seht leaped upward, matching his height, and swung for Ravnos’s upper arm.

  In midair, Ravnos swung out his forearm-length parrying dagger hard, caught Seht’s blade, and used the momentum created by the hit to twist all the way around.

  His sword whipped out and scored a slice across Seht’s upper sword arm.

  Seht curled his lip in a hiss but didn’t drop his blade. He slammed the heel of his whip hand into Ravnos’s chest, shoving him away. He landed on the floor in a crouch.