The group moved back a few steps and waited for the hiss of the air pressurization to finalize. When the hatch opened, two men pushed through the opening. They had swords on their hips and their palms rested on the butts of their blasters; each scrutinized the group and the surroundings before taking up position on either side of the hatch.
After a moment, a man came through, ducking his head to avoid hitting it on the top of the frame. He was dressed head to toe in black—leather pants, boots, and a knee-length jacket. Even his hair was the same shade. Mace wondered if he’d had the clothing made to match the hue.
The only things that stood out were his bright-green eyes.
The Admiral.
His gaze swept around the room, and Mace knew he was making note of every person there. His gaze paused on her, then Gar before finally stopping on Faolan.
“Wolf, I’m surprised to see you still standing.” His voice was deeper in tone than Gar’s, and it sent a shiver through Mace. “Last I heard you’d been poisoned. I thought you’d be space rot by now.”
“I’m not that easy to get rid of. You should know that, Korbin.”
Mace watched, awed, as Faolan chuckled and Korbin raised an eyebrow.
“I see your inappropriate sense of humor is still healthy.”
Faolan smirked. “If you can’t laugh in the face of danger, then when can you laugh? Let me introduce you around. This is my husband, Gar. He’s a former guild bounty hunter and one of the best. Though I’m sure you know that already.”
“Admiral.” Gar nodded but made no offer of his hand.
Korbin gave Gar an appraising once-over. “Yes, I had been keeping an eye on you until I’d heard of your attachment to Wolf. You were on your way to becoming someone I’d have needed to deal with.”
Gar waited a beat. “I would have liked to see you try.”
The Admiral’s lips twitched into a small smirk. “I like you. This one will be good for you, Wolf.”
“This is his sister Mace. She’s my second-in-command.”
Mace felt the air get sucked out of her lungs as Korbin’s gaze landed on her. The weight of his stare made her heart pound, and in that moment she knew every single story Faolan had told her as a kid was true.
“Admiral.” Pleased her voice was steady, she rallied her cocky bravado and held out her hand. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“All true, I’m afraid.” Korbin took her hand, but instead of shaking it, he bowed over it, gently turned it around, and pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. “A pleasure.”
“Let her go.” Alec’s ragged voice cut through the haze of swelling lust in her head. Turning, she saw both he and Byron had moved closer. The plan had been for Alec to hang back, not draw attention to himself, lull the Admiral into suggestibility from as far away as possible. Instead, Alec reached out and took her hand from Korbin’s grasp. “She’s not yours.”
Oh, Alec, you idiot. This wasn’t the time to turn gallant and brave.
For half a second, Mace thought the Admiral would kill Alec where he stood. Instead he inclined his head to the side and straightened.
“Clearly not. And who are you?”
“Alec Roiten.” Alec tugged Mace closer to his body. “Pleasure.”
“Ah, the scientist.” The Admiral paused, and the slightest hint of a smile curved his lips. “So you’re here too. Bit of a bounty on your head. Wolf, you should have told me you had another distinguished visitor.” Korbin turned to look at Byron. “That would make you the man of the hour.”
The next events happened so quickly, Mace had a hard time putting everything together. Korbin stepped back and punched Gar in the face, pushing him into Faolan and knocking them both to the ground. The guards yanked their blasters from their holsters, pointing them directly at Gar and Faolan. Korbin then spun around, pulling his blaster out to point it directly at Byron.
Thankfully her instincts roared to life in time for her to save Byron. Mace jumped up close enough to the Admiral to land a snap kick to his chin, sending him staggering backward. The blaster discharged, but Byron dodged, throwing his body against Alec, pushing them both out of the way. By that time Gar and Faolan had recovered enough for Faolan to pull his blaster on the guards and Gar to jump on Korbin.
Armed with his ever-present blades, Gar triggered them from their hiding places, sending them out into his waiting grasp, and he pressed them to Korbin’s throat. All movement in the room stopped as suddenly as it had begun.
“Admiral,” Gar managed to say between pants. “It seems like you wanted to start negotiations before we were ready.”
“Well, I never claimed to be the patient type.” Korbin tried to get up, but Gar pressed the blades harder to his skin. “Faolan, your crew is as good as their reputation states.”
“Better, actually. Now are you ready to listen to our counteroffer or are we going to roll around the floor a bit more? I don’t know about you, but if we’re going that route, I think there needs to be more nudity. Maybe even some oil.”
Mace couldn’t help but snort, and Gar rolled his eyes. “See what we have to put up with?”
Korbin nodded. “I call a truce for now. Plead your case and I agree to listen. I cannot guarantee I will agree to your barter. Especially now that we know there’s nearly double the money at stake.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to guarantee anything, Admiral. Gar, let him up.”
Gar pulled back and got to his feet with no offer of help to the Admiral. Mace helped both Alec and Byron up, letting her hands linger on each of them, confirming they weren’t hurt.
“We’re fine, girl.” Byron pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “You have some kick.”
“Don’t you forget it. If you ever piss me off, you’ll find yourself on the receiving end.”
With everyone back on their feet, Korbin ran a hand across his throat. “I would love a chance to see how those blades of yours work.”
“Piss me off again and I’ll give you another close-up view.” Gar pushed the blades back into their homes.
Faolan grinned, running a hand through his hair. “I would suggest we go somewhere more comfortable, but I don’t trust you not to try to take over my ship, Korbin.”
“I’ve clearly shown I trust you. Why not repay the favor?” When no one responded, Korbin crossed his arms. “I only brought two guards. Normally there would be more.”
“Thank you for the courtesy.” Gar rolled his eyes.
Faolan sighed, and for a moment Mace wasn’t sure if he would go back on their plan. With a quick glance at her, Faolan winked. Stupid damn stone, he’s reading my mind.
Faolan chuckled. “Instead of comfort, I offer you a barter. Something priceless in exchange for not only Byron’s and Alec’s lives, but information on the source of the bounties.”
Korbin narrowed his green gaze. “It would have to be something very rare for me to give you that. Can you imagine what people would say if they learned I betrayed the confidence of my client?”
“That they had it coming,” Mace said without thinking.
Instead of snapping at her, Korbin grinned. “I really do like you, girl.” Turning back to Faolan, Korbin held out his hand. “I assume you have the merchandise here to show me? It better be good.”
Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath as Faolan pulled the necklace out from beneath his shirt, slipped it off, and set it gently in the middle of Korbin’s hand. The Admiral didn’t react at first, simply stood there staring at the stone and gold chain. Mace knew the man was smart, and she hoped he realized Faolan wouldn’t try to con him.
“What happens when I put it on?” Korbin frowned and lifted the stone to his eye to gaze through it.
Mace stepped forward, pointedly ignoring the hisses from the men in her life. She wasn’t about to risk things falling apart now, not when they were so close to their answers. “It allows the wearer to read the mind of another person. It takes you a bit to get tuned in to your target an
d it can be confusing, but it works.”
“For anyone?”
“So far? Yes.”
Korbin glared at Faolan, his eyes narrowed to slits. “You’ve had this a long time and you’ve never told me about it?”
Faolan snorted. “I’m not a fool.”
Mace stood before Korbin, knowing the next few moments would mean the difference between life and death for Byron—hell, for all of them. When the man in black finally nodded and slipped the necklace into his pocket, she finally relaxed.
“Mr. Roiten, Byron. Do you remember a woman named Celia Kev?”
Mace turned to see both men frowning.
Alec nodded, puzzled. “She was a research assistant of mine for a year or so near the end of my time with the Loyalists. Not the best lab worker. Brilliant flashes of insight, but very unreliable with procedures and documentation. They eventually transferred her to a lab on . . . one of the big mining planets, I can’t remember. It was sad: I heard she took her own life some time later.” After a moment, he blushed and added, “She was . . . attracted to me, I think? It could be awkward at times. I made it very clear I wasn’t interested, but she never quite seemed to let it go.”
Byron groaned, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “She was more than attracted, Alec. He’s being modest. That bitch was a nightmare. She threatened me with a letter opener once, then tried to pretend it was a joke when Ryan walked into the lab. I’m also pretty sure she was stealing classified substances and selling them on the black market. Not to mention using some of them herself. I was the one who insisted she be transferred out of there. She was completely unstable.”
Korbin nodded in the direction of the open hatch. “Apparently it’s a family trait. Her brother is on my ship, waiting down in the hold. He wanted your corpse, Byron, but for you, Mr. Roiten—the man who broke his sister’s heart—he was willing to pay a substantial bonus for the privilege of killing you himself. He was very eloquent about how much blood he wanted to see during the process and how he planned to accomplish all that.”
When both Alec and Byron moved forward, Mace whipped around, pressing one hand to each of their chests. “Where do you two idiots think you are going?”
“To settle this.” They spoke as one.
For not the first time, she was struck by how perfect they were for each other—much like Faolan and Gar.
And that makes me the odd person out.
Pushing that thought away, she shook her head. “Idiots.”
Byron narrowed his gaze at her. “What?”
“Admiral,” she said a bit louder than necessary. “Would you mind terribly if we boarded your ship to deal with this man? As part of our original barter, of course.”
“His name is Zran. And my dear, you may board my ship at will.”
Byron’s body tensed. “Zran? Tall, dark skin, blue hair, bitchy?”
Korbin nodded. “He said he infiltrated the guild trying to get to you, but you were far too protected and cautious. Traits I admire.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“What?” Mace let her hand drop.
“He was the first hunter I recruited after Gar left. He was his replacement. That guy got lucky on one huge bounty, then left in the dead of night in a guild-owned ship. Which he flew straight to Zaxon and sold for cash. Fucking ship-flippers.”
“You should work on your recruitment policies,” Gar suggested.
“Screw you.” Byron pulled out his blaster. “Let me deal with this.”
“Not alone.” Alec squeezed Byron’s arm. “Mace and I are going with you.”
Mace braced herself for a fight but was relieved when Byron relaxed in her hold. “Fine. But I want the two of you staying back until I deal with Zran.”
“Sure. Backup. You got it.” Only then did she let Byron pass her. One look from Alec and she knew he was thinking the same thing she was. Neither of them would stand back and let anything happen to Byron.
With a smirk of her own, she swept her arm forward. “After you.”
Korbin tapped on a wrist unit as they passed. “I’ll have Strand auto-unlock the correct doors for you, leading down to the hold. Zran is next to the cells, in interrogation room seven.”
The air in the Wyvern was almost sweet to the taste. The corridor was dimly lit, and the walls seemed to recede into shadow as though some sort of visual dampening net obscured them. Mace fell into step behind Byron but was poised, ready to defend if they were attacked.
A door a few meters ahead of them opened as they approached. Mace stepped out around Byron, sweeping the entrance and side hall as she moved.
“Clear.” She looked back over her shoulder at him. “Ready?”
“You’re not going to let me take the lead on this, are you?”
“Nope.”
Alec pushed past them both, aiming his blaster down the new corridor. “If you two are going to stand here and bitch at each other all day, then I’m going to take care of Zran on my own.”
Byron chuckled, and Mace couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Gods, the three of us make a great team. We can’t even decide who gets to do the attacking.”
“How about we do this?” Byron stepped ahead of Alec. “Mace, you cover our backs. Alec, in the middle and make sure your weapon is hidden from sight. You shoot at anything I tell you to.”
“Just move,” Alec said, shoving Byron in the small of his back with the butt of the blaster.
They fell into a comfortable silence as they proceeded deeper into the ship. Door after door silently opened for them, clearly indicating that someone was tracking their progress. After a long trip down several floors in a cargo hoist, the door slid aside to reveal a short corridor with several numbered doors lining either side.
The fourth door on the left popped open with a soft click, and the muscles in her back and neck tightened. “Number seven. Looks like the place,” she whispered.
“Mace, I want you to hang back a bit. Zran’s not expecting you, which might give us an advantage.” Byron held up his hand to silence her protests. “Please. I need to count on you to save our asses if it comes to that.”
It burned her to know Byron was playing things smarter than she was. “At the least little sign of trouble, I’m in there.”
“Deal.” Byron winked at her. “Wish us luck.”
Mace waited for them to move down the hall several meters before following. Byron didn’t hesitate to enter the room, Alec a half step behind him.
“Zran, you asshole. Didn’t have the balls to do your own dirty work?”
Mace moved close enough to hear a chuckle. “Oh, I did a fair amount of it myself. But look at you. Byron and Alec. The happy couple is finally reunited. How sweet.”
Dropping into a squat, Mace poked her head around the doorjamb to catch a quick look at Zran. Standing in the middle of the room, pointing a large blaster rifle at her lovers, was a man nearly as tall as Alec, with dark skin and bright-blue hair. From the quick look, she could tell he was a solid wall of muscle and wouldn’t be easy to take down at all.
Alec shifted closer to Byron. “Why are you doing this? Celia took her own life. Neither of us had anything to do with it. Neither did any of the other people you killed. We weren’t even on the same planet.”
“No one in that gods-awful facility deserved to live,” Zran sneered, his finger flexing against the trigger. “I wanted you all dead. I know what you did in that lab, Roiten. You were the Loyalists’ genocide specialist. Mass murder, custom designed. The military developed the plans, you gave them the weapons they asked for, and Byron kept you safe so you could continue to kill. Celia could have stopped you years ago, kept you in line, if it hadn’t been for Byron. After Syrili, she blamed herself for not realizing what you were sooner. Not seeing how much you’d truly needed her.”
Alec started tapping out a steady beat on his blaster. The sound was soft but quickly filled the silent spaces in their conversation.
“She was my assistant. She hel
ped the Loyalists as much as I did. She knew as much as I did, or any other of the researchers. They lied to all of us about what the poisons would be used for. I would never have knowingly harmed a person. And it certainly isn’t my fault Celia killed herself.”
At the mention of his sister’s name, Zran’s arm shook slightly. “Not your fault?”
“Zran, you’re being an idiot.” Byron stepped closer, his blaster held steady. “What is this really about? Because it’s sure as hell not about Alec killing people. You’re a ruthless enough bastard not to care.”
For a moment Mace thought Zran was going to fire on both of them. Because of how Alec had moved, she no longer had a clear shot. Shit, this is going to get messy. She was about to creep closer when Alec increased the tempo of his tapping.
“Tell us why you really want us dead.”
“She was completely in love with you, Roiten! Do you know how many com messages she sent me talking about you? ‘Alec did this.’ ‘Alec touched me here.’ ‘I know if I can just get him away from Byron, Alec would love me.’ You didn’t even notice her!”
Mace couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the long-dead Celia. She knew how easy it was to feel isolated from Alec and Byron when they stared at each other. Even though she’d shared a bed with them, had heard their inner thoughts, she couldn’t help but want more. Want to have them look at her the way they looked at each other.
She didn’t want to be left behind again.
Byron leaned forward, forcing Alec to shift and giving Mace a clear shot once more. She hesitated, wanting to give them a chance to talk Zran down. He was a brother trying to avenge his sister’s death. An evil, deranged, homicidal brother. Still, it wasn’t hard to imagine going crazy with grief herself and starting a vengeance rampage if Gar’s life had been ended and she thought a bunch of people were to blame. Maybe Alec could tap into that motivation, use his abilities to drain the force out of it and help Zran see reason. She kept a finger on the trigger just in case.
“I’m sorry.” Alec’s voice was full of emotion as he finally stopped his tapping. “Celia was a brilliant researcher, but there was nothing between us. I didn’t . . . There wasn’t that connection.”
No Remedy Page 19