Shielder — A new Science Fiction Romance (Book 1, Shielder Series)

by Catherine Spangler

  "I don't know if I can help her." He turned toward his partner. "I'm not capable."

  “I think I know your real identity,” Sabin said. “If you're whom I suspect you are, Dr. McKnight, you're more than capable."

  Chase looked at Nessa again. Fear tormented him—fear he would fail her like he had so many others. "I don't want her to die, but I don't know if I can save her."

  Sabin clasped his shoulder. "What happened on Torin was a horrible tragedy, but it wasn't your fault. Are you going to let the past keep you from saving Nessa?"

  It wouldn't be the past that hurt Nessa; it would be his own incompetence.

  "You are her only hope, doctor. And Raven’s and Brand's." Sabin nodded at Chase's startled look. "Yes, they're Shielders. That's why Nessa brought them to me, hoping they wouldn't contract the Orana from her. And Jarek has been exposed. He needs the vaccine as well.

  "I need the vaccine, too, Chase," Sabin added quietly. "I'm a Shielder."

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  "Nessa! Wake up, Nessa."

  Heaviness engulfed her, weighing her down in a surreal stillness, although the welcome darkness seemed to be receding. Light encroached on the edges of her consciousness, but she didn't want to wake up, didn't want to remember.…

  A faint hum vibrated over her forehead. "Leonessa dan Ranul! Come now, I know you can hear me. Open your eyes."

  Only her father had ever called her by her full name. Her father! A blooming hope nudged her toward the light. After all these seasons, he'd come to help her.

  "Captain san Mars…father," she rasped. Her throat…so dry. "You've come! You're accepting me back." She struggled to awaken, but sudden dizziness swept her back into the darkness.

  "I'm not your father, Nessa. Open your eyes."

  She knew that commanding, arrogant voice from somewhere…no, she didn't want to wake up. If she did, the pain would return—an insufferable agony burning through her limbs.

  Instead, she chose to sink deeper, floating through vague memories, memories of a voice calling her, refusing to let her drift away, even when the pain had been intolerable. Memories of a cool, wet cloth stroking her burning skin, of the soothing touch of hands against her face. A touch that had been intimately familiar.

  A warm hand slipped beneath the covers, clasping her much cooler hand and squeezing gently. "Nessa, look at me."

  She didn't want to leave her cocoon of warmth and safety, of blissful oblivion. She shook her head.

  "Still trying my patience." Amusement tinged the deep voice. "Don't make me take drastic measures."

  The hand holding hers released it, then slid along her rib cage and over her breast, settling there in a blatantly possessive gesture. That got her attention, pulling her toward full awareness. She stirred, half opening her eyes.

  The form before her blurred, cleared, blurred. Chase. She squeezed her eyes shut. It couldn't be Chase. He hated her now. Besides, she must be dead. The Orana …Her groggy mind struggled to function. The virus! Her eyes snapped open.

  Above her, Chase grinned, his hand still on her breast. "Good, your heart rate is up. I should have done this sooner."

  She closed her eyes again, not certain whether she'd entered Haven or the Abyss. Would Chase be awaiting her in Haven as a reward, or in Abyss as a punishment?

  The pain and the fever were gone, so she must be dead. But her body felt solid—and stiff. Perplexed, she shifted, wincing at the soreness of her backside. Did the dead feel discomfort? Drawing on her last conscious memory, she remembered the Orana had been too advanced for her to reach Santerra in time.

  "Nessa, don't shut me out. Open your eyes, sweetheart."

  Sweetheart? Maybe she'd been granted entry to Haven. Hopefully, she opened her eyes. Chase was still there, and he didn't look angry. But lines of strain etched his face, and dark circles lay beneath his eyes. She thought she saw relief in their silvery depths. His hand slid from her breast to stroke the hair back from her face.

  "Where am I?" she croaked.

  He laid the medical monitor down and took her hand again. His other hand remained against her face. "You're in my cabin."

  Surprised, she looked around, noticing for the first time the familiar surroundings. Perhaps Haven duplicated a dead person's environment to make them feel welcome.

  "I moved you here this morning. You've been in sick bay—the medical lab actually—until now.

  She couldn't make any sense of this. "The medical lab?"

  "We're on Santerra, Nessa. I kept you on the ship because it has better facilities."

  "But the Orana—"

  "Is gone. Your body fought it off, with a lot of help."

  She blinked, trying to comprehend his words. "Then I'm not dead?"

  "Of course not. Wait a minute."

  He rose and strode away. His motion made Nessa dizzy, and she closed her eyes. She heard a clunk, some hissing and snarling, then Chase sneezing. Returning, he sat on the edge of the bunk and took her hand. She felt the softness of fur beneath her fingers, heard an excited chattering. Turi!

  Her eyes flew open. "Turi." He scrabbled across her chest and burrowed into his favorite place beneath her chin. She stroked the silky body. "Oh, Turi."

  Chase sneezed. "Does he feel real?"

  Turi's reassuring heartbeat thudded beneath her fingers. "Yes."

  "You're alive, Nessa. And you're going to recover completely. Thank the Spirit."

  She was alive! If she'd had any energy, she would have shouted for joy. She couldn't believe she'd been cured. "How?"

  "It's a long story, and you need to rest." Chase pried Turi away, holding him by the nape of his neck, so he couldn't bite. Sneezing several more times, he returned the lanrax to his case.

  She watched him, her momentary exhilaration dulling with fatigue. She was so confused, had so many questions…so tired.

  Chase bent over her. "Sleep now, Nessa. We'll talk more later.

  No sense arguing with him, she thought drowsily, already drifting away. The covers were pulled up around her. "Sleep," his voice rumbled near her ear.

  As she slipped back toward oblivion, one thought dominated. She was alive…she was alive…alive!

  * * * *

  Nessa awoke with a start, more alert this time. Glancing over, she saw Chase by the bunk, slumped down in his massive chair, sound asleep. Beyond him lay the familiar shapes and wall units indicating this was indeed his cabin. She hadn't been hallucinating—she really was alive!

  She lay in the glow of relief, luxuriating in the feel of the silky covers, of being able to draw a full breath of fresh air. Even with her body sore and aching, it felt wonderful to be alive.

  Her mind much clearer, she tried to trace from her last conscious memory to here. She couldn't remember much, only being very ill. She was certain Chase had somehow been responsible for her survival, although how eluded her. If he knew anything about Orana, then he now knew she was a Shielder. And if they were on Santerra, he knew about the Shielder colony there as well.

  Perhaps she should be alarmed, but every instinct told her Chase wouldn't turn them in to the Controllers, even if he was a shadower and had undergone indoctrination. Perhaps he was too intelligent to be affected by it. And, for whatever reasons, he seemed to be pursuing specific people, not just anyone with a price on their head.

  She sighed, fatigue already returning. She watched Chase sleep, drinking in every detail, memorizing his features. He looked tired, and badly in need of a shave. His hair lacked its normal glossy sheen, and his flightsuit was badly rumpled.

  Love wrapped around her heart. She would cherish every memory of their time together for as long as she lived. She didn't understand the inexplicable bond that had brought them together in passion, but she knew it was temporary. Permanent matings were for other women—whole women. No man would want her.

  She sat up gingerly, every muscle in her body screaming in protest. Waves of dizziness swept through her, and she took deep breaths until the spinnin
g stopped.

  Chase stirred and mumbled. His head lifted, then dropped back down. Tenderness welled inside her. Reaching out, she brushed his hair back from his face and stroked his cheek, feeling the rasp of a beginning beard.

  He stirred again, then jerked awake with a start. "What—" He looked toward her. "Nessa! You're awake."

  He rose from the chair, the muscles of his powerful body rippling beneath his flightsuit. Her breath hitched.

  "How are you feeling?" he asked, leaning over the bunk and placing his hand against her face.

  "Okay," she whispered shakily.

  "Lie back down.” He eased her onto the mat. “Let's see how you're doing." Retrieving the medical monitor, he scanned her.

  She lay quietly, content to watch him. She found the play of emotions on his handsome face fascinating—first concern, then concentration as he read the monitor, then immense satisfaction. His intense gaze flashed to hers, taking away what little breath she had left.

  "I think you'll live."

  Although he spoke the words lightly, Nessa sensed his deep relief. Without thinking, she raised her hand toward him. He took it, settling on the edge of the bunk.

  "I thought we were going to lose you."

  She nodded her agreement. "I was afraid it was the end."

  "Volunteering to be injected with Orana was an incredibly brave thing to do. You're quite a lady."

  The pride in Chase's voice warmed her soul, but Nessa knew bravery had little to do with it. Desperation and despair had motivated her actions. "I'm not brave. It was the only thing I could do for my people."

  "For a people who had turned their backs on you?" he asked, a quiet anger underlying his voice.

  Staring at her hand nestled in his, she sought to avoid that subject. "How did you know I'd been injected with the Orana?"

  "Your brother Jarek told me."

  Acute joy swept through her. "So he's all right! I didn't dream seeing him on the ship after all. Sabin must have gotten him out of the prison."

  Chase chuckled. "My partner has the most amazing connections. I believe he decided to collect on a gambling debt to get your brother free."

  She owed Sabin more than she could ever repay. "What about the Orana? Is there a cure now?"

  "Yes, thanks to you, a vaccine is being replicated in Santerra's medical laboratory. It should be ready in another day or so."

  "Thank the Spirit!" She indulged in a feeling of triumph. A moment later, a thought occurred to her and she struggled upright. "The children! I forgot all about them. Are they all right?"

  He pushed her back down. "Take it easy. They're fine. They don't appear to have contracted the Orana, but they'll get an inoculation as soon as the vaccine is ready. Raven told us everything you did to protect her and Brand. You were right to take them to Sabin. Matter of fact, you did everything right except stealing my ship instead of trusting me enough to tell me the truth."

  So he was still angry about that. "I was afraid to tell you because you—you were—"

  "A shadower." Chase’s voice was laced with frustration. "Blazing hells, lady, after all that passed between us, you should have known I would never harm you."

  The heat rose to her face, and she looked away from the accusation in his eyes. "But with Controller indoctrination, you'd have no choice but to turn me in."

  "I wasn't indoctrinated."

  She stared at him, amazed. "You weren't? But how did you avoid that?"

  "Before I underwent the procedure, I put myself through extensive autohypnosis to make my mind resistant to outside hypnotic suggestions. As an added precaution, I injected into my body compounds that temporarily interfered with neurotransmitter activity in the brain and helped block the Controller's psionic brain waves."

  Chase lowered his face close to hers. "So the indoctrination didn't take. I certainly wouldn't have brought you to Santerra if it had. Do you believe me?"

  Nessa's instincts had already banished her doubts, but hearing his explanation still relieved her. "Yes."

  "Good. Then it's time you start trusting me." He released her hand and stood. "Are you feeling up to visitors? You're no longer contagious, and I know two children who are very anxious to see you."

  Her spirits lifted at thoughts of Raven and Brand. "I want to see them, too. Can they come now?"

  In answer to her question, Chase went to the console and punched some pads. "Travers, are Raven and Brand with you?"

  Sabin's disgruntled voice came loud and clear over the com. "Where else would they be, old man? Leeches, both of them."

  "Quit complaining and bring them to the ship in five minutes. Nessa's waiting to see them."

  "Well, son of an Antek. We'll be right there."

  Moments later, the panel slid open. "Nessa! Nessa!" Letting go of Sabin's hand, Raven ran across the room, but stopped short of the bunk, suddenly uncertain. Nessa held out her arms. "Come here, sweetness. Give me a hug."

  The slender girl crawled onto the bunk and burrowed against her. "I thought I'd never see you again."

  Nessa's arms tightened around her. "I missed you and Brand. I hope you behaved for Sabin."

  "Oh, we did." Raven's head bobbed up and down emphatically.

  Brand moved hesitantly toward the bunk. "N-e-ssa."

  "Brand, you're still talking." She held out a hand. "Come here, little warrior."

  "Oh, he's talking all right." Sabin nudged the boy forward. "Chase, Nessa, Chase, Nessa. That's all I've heard."

  Brand turned and grinned at Sabin, the first time Nessa had ever seen him smile. "Saaabin."

  Sabin's mouth fell open. "Well, I'll be—" He stopped and ruffled Brand's hair. "Get over there, you wild little kerani, and see Nessa."

  A moment later, Brand cuddled against Nessa's other side. Both children looked wonderful, their coloring healthy, the haunted look gone from their eyes. The welts and bruises were almost completely faded. Squeezing them gently, Nessa savored the warmth of their vibrant bodies.

  "What have you been doing on Sabin's ship?"

  "Playing a bunch of computer games," Raven said. "Brand is really good at Black Hole now. Sabin gave us lots of caroba. And he let us jump on the bunks all we wanted."

  "He did?" Nessa patted Brand's back. "Did you jump really high, Brand?"

  He nodded, his face hidden against her shoulder. "Did you fall off any?" she teased. He shook his head.

  "He did, too!" Raven scoffed. "But I didn't—not even once."

  Nessa noticed Turi had plastered himself against the side of the plexishield case. He watched her longingly. "Where's Lia? Is she on Sabin's ship?"

  "Yes. Her case is in our cabin," Raven answered. "Sabin was pretty upset when he saw her and Turi playing together, so he made them stay in different cases. I guess that made Lia sad, because she's gotten really fat."

  "How interesting." Nessa glanced at Sabin, who rolled his eyes in disgust.

  "Yeah," he muttered. "Now we're going to have a frigging lanrax colony. But it will be McKnight's problem soon, because I'm bringing the little slut—I mean Lia—back here."

  "I don't think so, Travers. I don't intend to take allergy injections the rest of my life. However, I know a vendor on Elysia who might relieve you of a few lanraxes," Chase offered.

  "Go jump in the Abyss," Sabin growled.

  The children giggled, and Nessa smiled at him. "Thank you for taking care of Raven and Brand. And I hear you rescued my brother. I can never repay you."

  "Yeah, you owe me big time. Don't worry, I'll collect."

  The gold grubber. However, she strongly suspected there was more to Sabin than met the eye—much more. "By the way, where is Jarek?"

  "He's meeting with Santerra's leaders. He'll be here later." Sabin sauntered closer. "You look a lot better than you did the last time I saw you. Lucky for you, Dr. McKnight here knows his way around a medical laboratory."

  "Doctor?" Nessa's head pivoted to where Chase leaned against the console, scowling at his partner. He'd chang
ed to a clean flightsuit, but he still needed a shave.

  "Yep. McKnight is a physician. If it hadn't been for him, you wouldn't be here."

  Amazed, she couldn't tear her gaze away from Chase. Still scowling, he advanced toward Sabin. "Why don't you shut up, Travers?"

  Suddenly, everything came together. How Chase had treated her seizures and her shoulder; his interest in her leg injury. The ship's laboratory, with all the advanced medical equipment. "I should have known," she mused. "You saved my life."

  Chase looked at her, his expression impassive. "I can't take the credit for that. The Santerra lab contributed a lot toward finding an antidote."

  "But he kept you alive during the trip to Santerra," Sabin explained. "And he had isolated the virus components by the time we arrived. The lab here had the equipment needed to complete the process, under Chase's supervision."

  If Chase was such a competent physician, then why had he chosen the path of a shadower? The closed expression on his face indicated he didn't wish to discuss the subject further. Confused, Nessa snuggled Raven and Brand closer.

  "What about the Orana? What happens next?" she asked.

  Chase returned to his chair by the bunk. "Santerra's lab is making up batches of the vaccine. Tomorrow or the next day, it will be shipped out to Shielder colonies."

  "But how can you do that without being caught? The Anteks search almost every ship traveling the main sectors."

  "Ah, but we have a secret weapon." Sabin sat on the edge of the bunk. "Moriah."

  The fatigue seeping through Nessa made her question if she'd heard right. "Moriah?"

  Sabin nodded. "Best damn smuggler in the quadrant. Or used to be, actually. Now she oversees a whole squadron of runners, all of them women. They're the best in the business—and a great source of information."

  Disbelieving, Nessa looked from Sabin to Chase. "Really?"