by Talia Jager
“Do I look okay?” she asked innocently.
It was a simple question, but one that required me to look at her again. Her only clothing was the protective suit she wore to the summit meeting and that was a mess. She had been wearing my pants and T-shirt since. “I can give you another shirt.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Briar’s expression faded and she lifted the tablet that she held and tapped on the glass. “We have a problem,” she announced, meeting my eyes.
“What?”
“My source at the Authority says Valinor contacted them claiming we have abducted the Empress.”
“They must have figured out who we were.”
The look on Akacia’s face said it all. “It’s my fault. I sent Bristow a signal that I needed help when we talked. I didn’t know what to think then. I was worried about what might happen to me. I’m sorry.”
I searched her eyes and read her body language. She was being genuine. “There’s nothing we can do about it now. Make sure our Gledi contact gets a bonus.”
We walked in silence back to my room. When the door closed, she said, “I really am sorry.”
I fingered a button on my pants. “I know.”
“I’ll make it right.”
I almost laughed. “It’s just another charge on our criminal log.”
“Still, I’ll fix it.”
Something in me told me she would. She’d at least try. We would have to be extra careful at the space station.
The ship shuddered slightly as it docked. I pulled a shirt out of my drawer and handed it to Kaci.
“Do you have any clothes that aren’t black?” she teased.
I shook my head. “No.”
She slipped in the bathroom and when she came back out, she had my shirt on. I sucked in a breath. Her breasts were bigger than mine so the shirt was pulled tight across the chest.
“Does it look okay?”
I nodded, but took a step toward her and pulled up the middle a bit. “There are some people who aren’t very nice.”
“I can hold my own.”
“I know. Turn around.”
She turned—not even asking why. I stepped closer and gently pulled her hair out of the clip that held it up. A whiff of something sweet tickled my nose. I breathed in deeply. Honey. She smelled like honey and…milk. My heart pounded wildly. Her neck looked so soft, so smooth, so beautiful. I swallowed hard and moved her hair to cover her marking. “Don’t want your marking to show.”
She cleared her throat and said, “Thank you.”
Kaci turned and our eyes met. The air between us crackled with electricity. Thoughts of kissing her filled my mind and I was just about to give in when Briar’s voice came over the intercom.
“Ever? We’re docked.”
Swallowing hard, I answered, “Be right there.”
A few minutes later, I led everyone, except Briar, out of the Nirvana and into the station. We always left one person behind to make sure nobody messed with the ship and everything ran smoothly. Briar stayed this time to monitor what was going on with the Authority.
“Everleigh!” a familiar voice called out.
“Hey, Jago.”
“What happened to your ship?” the blond-haired man asked.
“FTL’s broken. How fast can you get her fixed up?”
“Few earthhours.” He wiped his dirty hands on his pants.
“Perfect. We sent ahead an order. If you need anything, Briar is on board.”
“Got it.”
When we got to the end of the corridor, I faced Zabe, Huxley, and Akacia. “Safe journeys.”
Zabe let out a whoop before taking off. Huxley grinned and went in the other direction.
“What do you usually do here?” Akacia asked.
“Drink,” I answered honestly. “Shop. Get a massage.”
“Well, which do you want to do now?”
What I wanted to do and what I would do were totally different. “We could walk around and then eat somewhere.”
She nodded, but then frowned. “I don’t have any money.”
“Don’t worry. I do,” I said.
Akacia’s mouth fell open as we entered the main hall. It was dark even with the lights that recreated the light from a sunstar. The corridors and shops had no windows. We walked down the wide hallway full of people, past stores, clubs, casinos, and any service ever thought of. It was loud with voices and sounds echoing off the metallic walls.
“This is amazing.” Her blue eyes were lit with wonder as we walked through the space station.
“Don’t you ever get to go to the stations?”
“No. I’ve only been off Valinor a handful of times.”
“Why?”
“Hidden as a child. When I turned sixteen, they let me out of hiding and I took my place. They didn’t let me leave the planet for another two years. Then they accompanied me for the next year. Now I finally get to go to the meetings myself. Always with a crew, and a guard, never for long…” She sighed. “Bristow and I always dreamt of going exploring as kids, but when I grew up, I realized I couldn’t go. I had to take care of my people and protect my planet.”
I tried to see it the way she was seeing it for the first time. There were a lot of people and some of their clothing or hairstyles were more than interesting. While many people lived and worked at the station, most people were just passing through. All of the facilities were open around the clock because travelers arrived constantly.
The clothing people wore ranged from almost naked to glowing, full-length dresses to fancy tech outfits. We passed people dressed in long robes and wildly styled hair. Another group of people with tattoos covering the right side of their faces walked by.
“Their makeup is astounding,” she said, gesturing to a group of people coming out of a clothing store wearing makeup that made them look like they had masks on.
I turned into the restaurant. “Two,” I said to the hostess, who was an AI, but I doubted Akacia noticed. She was very human looking and could only be identified by a logo under her ear.
The hostess nodded and led us to a small table. We sat down and I touched the tabletop to pull up the menu. Akacia strained her neck to see what I was doing.
“Never seen one of these before either?”
Her cheeks burned red. “There are plenty of touchscreens in my command center and on my spacecraft—well there were, but I’ve never been to a restaurant.”
“Really?”
“I’m the Empress. I have a chef.” She rubbed her fingers over a simple, yet beautiful tattoo on her arm.
“Of course, you do,” I said with a laugh. I swallowed and then took a few deep breaths to get up the courage to ask her a question. “Bristow? Is he your boyfriend?”
She met my eyes with a furrowed brow. “No. He’s my best friend.”
My heart beat faster hearing her answer and I thought about all the crazy feelings I’ve had since I first met her. Did she feel them, too?
“Do you dance?” she asked, looking at the people on the dance floor.
“Only after a few drinks.” I didn’t dance often. It wasn’t something I enjoyed. Maybe it would be different with the right person.
“I’d like a drink. I don’t get to do that either.”
We both ordered mixed drinks and a few appetizers to share.
“Have you ever been to Earth?” she asked.
“No. It’s something I’d like to do someday. I’m a bit of a history buff and I’d like to see it for myself. So much of the planet was destroyed, but there is still a lot I’d like to explore.”
“It would be neat to see it all with my own eyes, not just in pictures or videos. It blows my mind when I read about how our ancestors thought Earth was the only habitable planet. Out of all the planets in the universe
, they thought theirs was the only one.”
“Right? What were they thinking?”
She took a sip of her drink. “Do you like watching movies?”
“When I’m in the mood. I like really old stuff from the early days on Earth and some of their first space exploration movies.”
“Ah, yes. Some of the classics are the best films. Every once in a while, I’ll watch one of the meaningless reality shows. I like to laugh.”
Her laugh was perfect. Maybe I should get something funny for us to watch so I could hear that laugh again.
After we ate, we wandered the station. I loved watching her eyes fill with fascination as passed store windows.
“Wow. There are so many different fashions. Nearly every store is different.”
“Let me guess. You have a seamstress, too.”
She nodded. “Yes, but she’s never made me anything like this.” She gestured to my clothes on her body. “This is…sexy. I never have sexy clothes.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Biting my lip, I decided to let go and have a little fun. I grabbed her and pulled her into one of the clothing stores.
We rummaged through the racks holding out clothes to each other. She looked at one dress with a slight smile on her face.
“You like that one?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Let’s gather a bunch of things to just try on.”
She looked at me like I was crazy. “Why?”
“Just because we can.” I picked up a bright red, one-piece outfit. “Can you see me in this?”
She giggled. “No.”
“Then it’s the perfect thing to try on.”
She chewed on her lip, but then nodded. “What the hell?” She started collecting random outfits from all over the store and then we headed toward the changing rooms.
“How about this one?” Akacia asked a few minutes later as she twirled around in a shiny fuchsia dress just outside the dressing room.
I burst out laughing. She looked like a giant flower.
“It’s nice to see you smile.”
Her remark caught me off guard and I ducked into my dressing room. I wondered if her skin tingled when we touched like mine did. I stepped into a pair of tiered gypsy pants and slipped on a romantic, bohemian shirt with beaded details and old lace.
We opened the doors at the same time and came face-to-face. She had also put on a vintage mauve and dusty pink bohemian dress. While I had a good laugh at how the style looked on me, she looked absolutely stunning in her dress.
Soon we were laughing like old friends. We both tried on things neither of us would be caught dead in and maybe a few that we really did like. She was in awe of the skin tight, one-piece outfits that turned different colors with a touch.
“Oh, crap!” she muttered from her dressing room.
“What?”
“I’m stuck.” She giggled. “I’m going to find the sales lady to help.”
“No! I’ll help. Open your door.”
A few seconds passed before I heard the lock click. She opened the door and I walked in and locked it behind me.
“Zipper’s stuck.” She moved her hair so I could see.
I struggled with the zipper for a minute before working it loose. I pulled it down exposing the intricate tattoos down her back. “Wow…”
Pink flamed her cheeks. “Phases of our moon, Oro.”
I trailed my fingers down her back and she shuddered. It took everything in me not to lean in and kiss her. Our eyes met in the mirror. Her blue eyes were wide with curiosity and bright with anticipation. She tilted her head to the side just enough to expose the long line of her neck and that made my heart speed out of control. I closed the small space between us and let my lips touch her skin. Her breath hitched. She was so warm, so soft, and so perfect.
My lips trailed soft kisses up to her ear, she trembled and let out a low moan. I circled her waist with one arm to steady her. My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my body. Every inch of my skin warmed.
Akacia turned so that we were face to face and her hand came up to cup my cheek. I rested my hands on her waist. Her gaze darted from my eyes to my lips. She muttered something about hesitation and then her soft, supple lips were on mine. It was my turn to be surprised. Nobody had ever been so bold, but I was only startled for a beat before I seized her lips and deepened the kiss.
When Akacia pulled away the tiniest of moans escaped my mouth. A smile played on her lips that I swear tasted like honey. She tangled her hands in my hair at the back of my neck.
There was a knock on the door. “Do you need help?”
Akacia giggled and I answered, “No. Just another minute.”
God, I loved the sound of her laugh.
“I should get dressed.”
I nodded and went back to my dressing room to get back in my clothes. I stood quietly for a moment just thinking about the kiss that we just shared. She was so beautiful and I felt different when I was with her. So alive. I wanted to hold her and keep her safe. I wanted to get to know who she was and make her happy. Why did it have to be her? The Empress that Caspar wanted so badly. Why did I have to fall for her?
As we walked down the corridor, I asked, “What was that thing you said back in the dressing room?”
Her eyes narrowed for a minute before they widened. “Without hesitation. It’s a motto. To live life without hesitation.”
It was late into the night and I thought about staying in a room at the space station. My thoughts drifted to asking Kaci to stay with me, even if we did nothing but lay in bed together. Just being next to her made me feel a sort of contentment that I had never experienced before. Maybe I could take her to have her feet massaged and then I’d ask her if she’d like to stay in a room with me.
I ran the conversation over and over in my head. Distracted and still trying to come up with the most nonchalant tone I could muster to ask her this, I glanced up ahead and my eyes landed on Lorcan, one of Caspar’s men. Fear ripped through me.
“What?” Kaci asked when I came to an abrupt stop.
“You have to hide!” I said. I pushed her around the corner. Hoping that Lorcan hadn’t seen us yet. “Stay there.”
I stepped back out into the corridor and Lorcan’s eyes locked on me.
“Everleigh, I’m surprised to see you here.” Lorcan stood in front of me dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt. His gray-green eyes scrutinized me, causing an uneasiness to rise. “He’s getting impatient. Do you know what happens when he gets impatient?” He backed me up against the wall. “People die.”
I gripped my knife. “You better back up or you’ll find out what happens when I get mad.”
He pulled out his gun and pressed it into my side. “Keep the knife where it is. I’d kill you before you got it out anyway.”
“I’m pretty sure I could throw this dagger in your eye before you kill her. Is that a chance you want to take?” Kaci stepped out, holding the dagger in her hand.
Shit!
Lorcan’s eyes widened. He looked both surprised and pissed. He took a step backward and put the gun back in his holster. “No problem, pretty lady, I’m leaving. You know what Caspar wants. Deliver it before it’s too late.” He stalked off.
“What was that about?”
“You should have stayed hidden.” I growled.
“A simple thanks for saving your life would have been fine.”
“You don’t understand!” I yelled. “We need to get back on the Nirvana.” I paged everyone else back to the ship.
“What is it?” Zabe asked with a frown on his face when he reached the maintenance bay.
“Caspar’s people are here. One saw us.” I was so angry. Angry at myself for letting my guard down. Angry at Kaci for not staying hidden.
“Get her on the ship,” I or
dered and turned to Jago. “Is she ready?”
“Almost. I need about twenty minutes.”
I pushed money into his hand. “Do it in ten.”
“You got it.”
I ran onto the ship and up to the bridge. Ignoring Akacia’s confused look and the stares of my crew, I got the ship ready. As soon as Jago’s call came that we were good to go, we took off and using the FTL drive, got far away from the space station.
“What is going on?” Akacia demanded.
Chewing on my lip, I tried to figure out what to say. “Caspar—the guy who wants us to deliver you to him—is that guy’s boss.”
Her face turned ashen. “Oh.”
“We’ll keep you safe,” I said. “It’s late. We should get some sleep. I’ll walk you to your room.”
I felt everyone’s eyes follow us as I ushered Kaci off the bridge.
Standing outside her room, she turned to me. “Thanks for today.”
I gave a nod.
I could tell she was waiting, maybe hoping for another kiss. When I didn’t come closer, she averted her eyes, and bit down on her lip.
“Goodnight,” I said softly.
As I turned and walked away, I felt lower than I ever have. I wanted to run back to her, take her in my arms, and bury my face in her hair, but I couldn’t do that. I had to figure out a way to either make all of us disappear or get her home.
The call came after I left Akacia in her room. I stood over the controls, my hand frozen in the air, not wanting to answer it.
“Ever…” Zabe said from behind.
I growled and then hit the button. Caspar’s ugly mug popped up on the screen. My stomach churned and I swallowed to keep the bile down.
“I was beginning to think you were going to double-cross me.”
Play it cool. Don’t give any indication you’re having second thoughts. “No, sir. We’ve had ship problems.”
“Do you not think I know your FTL drive was fixed today, yet you are not on your way here?”
My heart came to a halting stop. How did he know that?
“Lorcan contacted me, said your ship was at the space station, and there was a woman who looked like she should be wearing a crown with you.”