“Oh, sure. All the hard work is done, anyway.” He waved a set of green scrubs above her. “But when you do get up, I suggest you get dressed. There are a lot of Defenders here who can’t take their eyes off you.”
Great! Just what she needed when Jager had finally given her the attention she’d wanted. Would he chastise her for letting everyone, including Jace, see her nude, or would he defend her? But wait. Where was he? She rose to her feet and glanced around while putting the clothes on. “Where’s Jager?”
Standing in front of her, Jace raised an eyebrow. “Your lieutenant is getting briefed by the rest of your squad as to what happened while you two were...doing whatever you did in here.”
Her cheeks warmed. “Oh.” Had Jager told Jace? They weren’t even friends. Did that mean she’d never mattered to him? Had he only gone along with it to scratch an itch? Cosmos, she’d been so stupid to believe he might finally understand her, that he wanted her as much as she'd wanted him since the day they’d met.
“Yeah, he said since I was your friend, I was the only one he trusted to make sure you were okay while he was busy.”
Katrina glanced up at him, her heart swelling. “Really?”
“Okay, that’s enough ogling.” Jager shoved Jace aside. “You’re still a guy. Besides, I need to talk to her alone.”
Jace shifted his jaw but retreated. “Fine. You can have her for now, but you and I are going to have words when we’re all on the carrier.”
With his hand on her shoulder, Jager guided her to the far corner, away from prying ears. “So, what happened to the green girl? Is she dead?”
Katrina shook her head. “No. When the Erebus rushed this room and the bars lifted, she disappeared. I have no idea where she is.” Though she wished to. The girl wouldn’t survive on Earth. She’d be noticed eventually.
“Fornax!” He ran a hand through his hair. “We have to kill all the Erebus hybrids that Terran created.”
“No!” She leaned closer to him, afraid her outburst had attracted some attention. “She’s not a danger to anyone. Isabel wanted me to kill her because she was useless to the woman. She’s in more danger if the Terrans find her than she is a threat to them.”
“We can’t leave her running free.” He planted his hands on her shoulders. Touching his forehead to Katrina’s, he released a heavy breath. “But, if I tell the other Defenders about her, they’ll shoot her. They’ll have no choice. What do you want me to do?”
“I don’t know.” The Jager in front of her was not the same man she had argued with on Kalara. He was different, changed. And her opinion actually mattered to him. Yet, regardless of what would happen to him if anyone found out, she did not want Faith to die just because she had Erebus DNA.
He cupped the back of her neck and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. “I never saw her,” he whispered. Then he let go of her and moved away, his posture returning to the squad leader she despised. “Pollux and his cleanup crew just arrived. It’s time for us to pack and leave.”
She nodded, suddenly aware of all the eyes on her. Most of the Defenders stared with their jaws hanging open. But Jace stood there with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.
Butterflies flitting around in her stomach, Katrina couldn’t help but smile. A small group of the Defenders now knew about her and Jager. And by the time they reached the carrier, all the others would likely know, too. But would he feel differently after some time to think about their still undefined relationship? She dreaded the comments from other Defenders. Already many who had their eyes on Jager hated her for being assigned to his squad instead of them. Time would reveal them all. Joining her squad, Katrina followed their lieutenant outside and jumped through the wormhole that would take them to their shuttle for the ride home.
Chapter Eight
“Okay, time’s up.” Jager shut down the simulation, surprised his squad was finally working together. In the two days they’d been back on the carrier after their mission to Terra, every member had changed completely, as if he’d been given a new, cooperative team. Silus and Katrina worked together at the front of the group, sneaking up on their prey before they attacked. But the creatures that survived the front line didn’t hear Aram hiding in the Malarken trees before she shot them dead. In fact they crept soundlessly up on the Erebus and killed them, exactly as they’d been trained to do. If only he could figure out why.
“Head on up to Defender lounge. Dinner will be served soon.” Their reward for finally making him feel like he’d finally gotten through to them. And he’d clean up himself before joining them.
He slapped the members of his squad on the back on their way out, including Katrina. “Good job,” he told her.
“Thanks.” She smiled, but didn’t pause, didn’t even look him in the eyes.
He’d hoped she would stay behind so he could spend some time alone with her before returning to the lounge where every Defender would scrutinize them. But then, he hadn’t spent much time with her apart from training since boarding the carrier. He’d spent his first moments there in med bay getting his wounds treated and another trans chip implanted. Katrina hadn’t felt well later that night, either. Trips through the portals still left her nauseous. And after yesterday’s training session, he’d locked himself in his room and stayed up late to finish his mission reports before sending them along to Granil. Now they actually had a chance for some time alone, and she left. Was she mad at him?
From the control room, he programmed the disinfectant cycle for the simulation room, cleaning it of sweat and bacteria from several squads training that day. When the cycle had finished, he left the room and secured the area from the lock pad outside.
He nearly jumped when someone slapped him on the back.
“Great job today, Lieutenant,” Naf praised him. “I see you’ve finally got them working in sync.”
“Yes.” He appreciated the kind words but wasn’t sure he deserved them. “Though I’m not sure why.”
“Sometimes, all it takes is a mission to kick them in the right direction. They either succeed or die. Those who return are better for it.”
Maybe. Though, he had a feeling Naf may have been the one to kick them in the right direction after Jager had been abducted and locked away with Katrina. When Jager boarded the lift, the Warwa Defender kept going. “Enjoy your time off. I’m heading out on another mission already.”
He saluted Naf with two fingers on his forehead then brought down in front of his face. Eventually, his squad would be sent out on mission just as often as the others, but until then, he planned to rest and hopefully spend some time with his woman. Could he call her his?
The lift door opened up to the Defender squad, and Jager’s stomach dropped to the floor. In the far corner of the room, beside the entrance to Katrina’s room, she stood tucked away with Jace. Though they weren’t touching, only a wisp of air could pass between them. Fornax, why didn’t they just go inside her room where they could be together without rubbing his face in the fact he’d actually believed Katrina when she said they were only friends. No wonder she hadn’t stayed behind.
Jager grabbed a Darobar on the way to his room, not wanting to spend any more time in the lounge than he had to. Though he probably couldn’t stomach even the meal replacement. Not after losing the false hope he wouldn’t be alone for the rest of his life.
“Hey, Jager.” A sharp fingernail trailed down his spine. “Looking for some company tonight? Seems your girl is already occupied.”
The pouty lips and concerned eyes didn’t fool him. Telem only wanted to cause trouble. From the day they’d met, he’d told the Nevad he wasn’t interested, but she never gave up. “Go find someone else who actually might appreciate your concern.”
Telem put two hands over her chest, where her oversized heart would be. “Your words hurt. One day you’ll see I’m the only one who cares about you.”
Yes, Jager and any other Defender who looked like they needed just one night of pleasure. For Jage
r, one night wasn’t enough. He turned toward Katrina’s room, his chest heaving. Only she wasn’t there. Had she finally gone inside, chosen Jace over him?
“So, what does a squad leader do for fun around here?”
His breath caught in his throat. “What are you doing here? I thought you were with Jace.”
“Jace?” She rolled her eyes. “You mean the guy who thinks he’s my older brother, giving me advice I didn’t ask for? I always wanted a big brother when I was a kid, thought it would be cool. Now, I’m living to regret that.”
“I thought—”
She rose on tiptoe and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
All his doubts disappeared, need overwhelming every thought. He cupped the cheeks of her ass and lifted her until her legs wrapped around his waist. Backing her against the wall between his door and his neighbor’s, he fed from her desperate kisses.
From around the room, he could hear the clapping of other Defenders. But when a throat cleared immediately behind him, he paused, slowly lowering Katrina to the ground.
Then he turned around.
“I told you to leave it alone, Jace.” Katrina pursed her lips as she stared down her supposed friend. She appreciated him looking out for her, but when it came to Jager, she didn’t need his testosterone-driven protectiveness.
Jager nodded at him and stepped forward. “Can I help you, Lieutenant?”
Cosmos, why hadn’t she simply dragged Jager into his room? Or maybe locking Jace in her room would have been a better idea.
Jace’s dark brows knitted, a weird expression for any Mingot since most didn’t have eyebrows, but it made her friend look menacing. From their earlier conversation, that’s probably what he was going for.
He tilted his head to the side. “So, what is it you want with my friend?”
Great! He’d just put Jager on the spot when they hadn’t had a chance to decide what was going on between them. He was going to scare her possible boyfriend away before they had any real relationship. “Leave him alone,” she mouthed, but Jace was too focused on Jager to notice.
Jager stepped forward, shoulders back and chest thrust out. “What business is it of yours? You’re only friends, right?”
Jace’s glare became darker. “I’m the only friend she’s had since she started her training. And you were always an asshole to her. Just wondering why the sudden change. I don’t want to see her hurt.”
Relaxing his posture, Jager shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “I get that. Maybe I was. But on Terra, I saw a side of her I’d never seen before.”
Jace stepped toward him, his hands clenched by his sides. “Seeing her naked should not be the only reason you want a relationship with her.”
Squeezing her eyes shut, Katrina covered her hands with her face. Now, all the Defenders knew she’d been naked with him on Earth. Yeah, what a great friend he was. “You’re an asshole, Jace. Go away.”
He turned his pointed stare on her. “I don’t understand your Terran words, but this needs to be done.”
“Fine.” Jager wrapped his hand around her shoulder and pulled her into his side. “If you really want to know, Katrina and I have a lot more in common than I originally believed. And though we were both stripped naked by our abductor and left in a cage, we had plenty of time to talk. Anything else that happened was consensual.”
He kissed the side of her head, seemingly unaware of all the eyes on them from the lounge. Jager’s admirers simply glared while everyone else went from looking at them to whispering behind their hands to the Defender closest to them. Yeah, this wouldn’t win her any points.
Jace crossed his arms, his foot tapping the floor. “Consensual, huh? You sure she wasn’t drugged? I mean, who would want to kiss your ugly mug?”
Katrina tensed, expecting Jager to slug him. But, Jager only shook his head and smiled. “She’s right. You are an asshole, whatever that means. But I respect your concern for her.”
There was a collective release of breath from the lounge. Had they all expected the same as her?
“And....” Jager let his hand fall from her shoulder, quickly squeezing her ass before he grabbed her hand. “If she agrees, I’d like us to be a monogamous couple.”
Katrina froze; the only part of her body moving was her rapidly beating heart. Had she heard him correctly? Kalarens weren’t monogamous. Bryce was a rarity. Even he admitted it. Why would Jager toss that word around?
Jace shook his head. “You’ve got to be joking. I mean, I know you have disappointed many of your adoring fans in our audience by turning them down. But monogamy and Kalarens don’t mix. Don’t get her hopes up.”
“Her father married her mother. If Bryce can commit, why can’t I?”
“He was also much older when he decided to actually marry her. Do you think he would have remained monogamous if he had believed her alive after he’d gotten the princess of Hemera pregnant?”
“Hey!” Katrina dropped Jager’s hand and planted her feet between them, shoving them both away from her. “Neither of you get to talk about my parents like that. Shut up now if you both know what’s good for you.”
“And that”–Jager nodded in her direction—“is why you don’t need to worry about this princess. She can take care of herself. I have no doubt she would kick my ass if I ever did anything to hurt her.”
“Okay.” Jace nodded. “Well, I’ve got to go, but I wanted to make sure I could trust you before I left her here with you.”
Wait, where was he going? Katrina grabbed his arm. “You never told me you were going somewhere.”
He shrugged. “Just another mission. I’ve been asked to join Echo for this one, but I’ll be back soon enough.” And then he left without the usual hug and kiss to her forehead.
Tears welled in her eyes, and she blinked, trying not to cry. Was he giving her up? Just because she had a guy interested in her didn’t mean she didn’t need her best friend. Even if he was an asshole sometimes. He had, after all, gotten Jager to state his intentions without her having to find a way to inadvertently ask. She wiped her eyes, trying to hide an escaping tear. Cosmos, why was she so emotional?
Sucking in a deep breath, she turned to Jager. “Well, what do we do now?”
His lips formed a gentle smile, and even his eyes softened. He held out his hand. “How about we go inside and discuss what you want. Away from an audience.”
As soon as he had the door open, she rushed inside. Ever since leaving Earth, she’d longed to be in his arms again, feel his warmth against her skin. He grabbed her and lifted her in the air, twirling her around. When their lips met, she felt light-headed, like she was floating freely in space without the death that came with it. Finally setting her down, he sat on his bed, and guided her onto his knee. “I told Jace what I want from you. Now, I want to know what you want from me.”
She opened her mouth, ready to tell him her answer when his com unit buzzed. Not a message from a fellow Defender, but from the tone, it came straight from the Alliance leader. A summons.
He dropped his head to her chest. “I’m sorry.” He kissed her. “I’ll come see you when I’m done.”
A half-hearted smile was all she could give him. Their time together would have to wait again. She stood and walked to the door, her stomach suddenly rolling. “See you later, then.” Back in her room, her throat burned. Her stomach wouldn’t settle. And just as she leaned her hand against the wall to steady herself, the food she’d eaten at lunch made an escape.
Chapter Nine
Granil flicked off the large com screen in her office. “As you can see, we know you came into contact with that female Erebus hybrid. Yet, in all of your reports, there is no mention of her. And you never informed any of the other squad leaders about her before leaving Terra.”
Jager swallowed. He’d never expected video footage from his captor to wind up in the hands of the Alliance leader. “She wasn’t a threat, so I didn’t believe it important to mention her.” The g
irl hadn’t harmed Katrina or attacked the Defenders when they’d come to rescue them.
Granil gripped the arms of his chair and leaned over him, backing him farther into the seat. “And how did you come to that conclusion, since you only saw her in passing?”
“I....” Regardless of Katrina’s reassurances, he couldn’t blame anyone but himself. He was the squad leader and had made the ultimate decision to leave without mentioning Faith, the hybrid Katrina referred to as her sister.
The Alliance leader shoved his chair back then turned away from him. “She’s been spotted several times since you left. I’ve had to send a squad once more to that ignorant planet to capture her.”
Capture? “You’re not going to kill her?”
“No.” Granil spun on him. “That’s what should have been done when you were there. But, it seems she’s caught the interest of the Warwa. They would like to examine her before they decide what to do with her.”
Jager closed his eyes. The Warwa weren’t known for the brutal experiments on other beings as Katrina had mentioned might happen to Faith if the wrong people found her on Terra. She’d be safer on the carrier, but would the Defenders get to her on time? “I’ll go.”
“No! That mission is none of your concern.” Granil crossed both sets of arms, her short tentacles waving in the air. “What is of your concern is your punishment for withholding this information. You put many lives in danger, as we did not know whether she was a threat or not. Plus, she could have exposed life beyond that planet to the Terrans. With all the fighting amongst themselves still going on there, they are far from ready to be a part of the Alliance. And we will not help them kill each other.”
Sweat beaded on Jager’s forehead. When he’d made the decision not to tell anyone, he’d only been thinking of Katrina, not what it would cost him or the Alliance. His heart pounded as much in his ears as in his chest. He closed his eyes, awaiting the verdict. Objecting would only make it worse.
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