* * * * *
Casey woke hours later, after the best sleep she’d had for weeks. Felix was stretched out beside her, soft snoring sounds coming from him. It was kind of cute, and it allowed her the freedom to visually explore his body.
Coming from the military, she was used to muscular men who kept in good shape. Felix certainly didn’t fail on that score, and she couldn’t wait to tell her best friend Eva about the spectacular sex.
The best friend she might never see again after this trip.
The unhappy notion slipped into her head as she thought of the general’s plans. She wondered if her mother had known of his perfidy, then scowled. Of course her mother knew. Her mother knew everything the general did, and presented a united front with her husband even if she didn’t agree with his actions. The picture of a good military wife.
Wife.
Phrull. They’d given her screeds of documentation about the process and told her to read everything before she asked questions. So far, she couldn’t bring herself to open the folder. It was locked in her briefcase back at Middlemarch Resort. But now she wondered about children. She’d never consciously thought of the possibility, but now…
If she decided to go along with the general’s plans and opened that briefcase—
No! Tears stung the back of her eyeballs and she swallowed hard. Why not admit the truth to herself, at least? She hated the general’s plan, was appalled at the lengths he’d gone to in order to achieve his goals. She was more than a commodity, phrull it. She was his daughter.
His daughter.
The urgent need to scream her fury pummelled her and she scrambled off the sleep-bed. She was halfway across the dirt floor before she recalled Felix. Glancing back, she noted her abrupt movements hadn’t woken him. Casey stumbled to the door, opened it and bolted outside. Rapid footsteps took her to the middle of the compound and she let rip with an unearthly howl of anguish.
The chatter of birds came to an abrupt halt. The hum of insects ceased as her frustrated screams rang out again and again and again.
Felix appeared in front of her. His face—his mouth was moving. He was talking, but she couldn’t hear anything above the shrieks. The anguished cries that ripped up her throat and exploded outward.
His hands curled around her shoulders, and he shook her.
Another scream rippled through the air. And another. Another. Another…
Her throat burned in protest, the interior raw, stinging, each new scream shredding a path of pain. Her head throbbed in concert but she couldn’t seem to stop.
Felix shook her again, then drew her into his arms and hugged her hard, almost squeezing the breath out of her. She started to hear him, could just make out the words above the desolation swamping her mind.
“Casey, sweetheart. It’s all right. Everything is going to be all right.” His hand smoothed down her back, a reassuring stroke. His voice was a low murmur and gradually, the urge to scream receded.
Instead, tears overflowed her eyes in a never-ending stream, shrouding her vision.
Soldiers don’t cry. Soldiers don’t cry.
For once she didn’t give a flying phrull about soldiers. She wanted to be plain Casey Seonaid, the woman who liked sewing and fashion and spending time with her likeminded aunt, but kept it hidden because such female interests weren’t worthy hobbies for a lifer.
Felix eased her away and studied her face. “Sweetheart, did I hurt you?”
She shook her head, swallowed, winced. At least she’d stopped crying. Probably dehydrated and her body didn’t have any water to spare. She stared at his chest and saw the dampness caused by her tears.
“Then what’s wrong?”
She’d been wrong. Her body had plenty of tears left, and they trickled from her eyes anew, no matter how much she blinked.
“It’s nothing I’ve done?”
She shook her head again.
“Okay,” he said and tenderly brushed a tear off her cheek. “It’s not safe out here. We’ll go back to the hut and tuck you into bed. Then we’ll have something to eat and drink. Have you ever tasted Earth wine? I stole a bottle from my brother’s stash. He’ll try to kick my ass, but it’ll be worth the beating.”
Casey let Felix guide her back to the hut and put her to bed, this time with the covers over her naked body. Phrull, she’d run outside with not a stitch of clothing. She was losing it. The military doctors would have fun dissecting that one, and she could all too easily imagine the general’s disgust at her weakness, her older brothers’ ragging.
Maybe she should have stopped in to visit Aunt Elsa, her mother’s younger sister, before she’d left Dalcon. She’d wanted to, but self-preservation had kept her away. Elsa would have seen something was bothering her, and would have pried and pried hard to discover the truth.
Casey turned her face into her pillow and let it absorb her unhappiness. Running away wasn’t helping, but she wasn’t sure she had the strength to stand against the general.
Not alone.
Most people who had parents and siblings went to them if they had trouble, to discuss and sort out their problems.
Not her.
The general’s ambitions were her problem, and her mother, her brothers, never went against the general. The man was a law unto himself, both feared and revered by her peers.
Phrull, no matter which way she looked at the problem, she was screwed.
* * * * *
Felix selected items from the food stash he’d organized and placed them on a tray. When he’d heard her scream, he’d panicked. Thought one of those big-ass birds had snatched her, or worse, a cute and fluffy zylon had enticed her to pet it before the creature sank poisonous fangs into her silky flesh.
She wasn’t crazy—he sensed that with every particle of his gut—but something big was ridin’ her hard, causing her all kinds of mental and emotional stress. She obviously didn’t want to talk about it. Frustrating as hell, not knowing what the problem was, because he wanted to be there for her in every way. He wanted to fix stuff and make things right.
No, the best thing would be to give her space and plenty of affection and loving. He could almost hear his mother giving him the advice, so he knew his gut instinct was right. Hopefully, in time, she’d come to trust him.
He grabbed the bottle of wine plus the two fancy glasses he’d pilfered from the bar and added them to the tray. Wine plus snacks to entice her to eat and some harmless conversation. Yeah, sounded like a plan.
When he entered the hut, she was exactly where he’d left her, but he could tell she wasn’t asleep.
“Casey, you have to try this wine. This bottle comes from our own vineyards back on Earth. It’s a sauvignon blanc. I want you to tell me what fruity notes you pick up from your first taste.”
She rolled over in the bed and he got his first glimpse of her face. It was pale and blotchy from her weeping, the lack of color highlighting the shadows under her eyes caused by sleepless nights. His heart twisted hard, but he bit back words of concern. Better to distract her, he thought.
“Here, you take a sip while I sort you out some food.” He gave her face another quick glance and noted the thinness. He added more cheese to the plate and a fruity pie. Whatever was worrying her had possibly led to weight loss, as well as emotional trauma. He only hoped the food didn’t hurt her throat too much. He placed some of the local fruit on the plate—soft, pink, juicy and easy to digest.
After snatching up his glass of wine and the plate of food, he went to her. “What do you think?”
“I went to Earth once. That’s where you’re from, right?”
Her voice was throaty, and it sounded as if it hurt when she talked. “Yeah. We left because of the virus. We lost a lot of friends and relatives during the outbreak. They say the population loss was even greater than the black plague of several centuries earlier.”
When she looked blank, he grinned. “Old Earth history. You were saying about the wine?”
“I
tried a fruit there. Peaches?”
“Close,” he said, letting his approval show. “Definitely hints of stone fruit. I’d say it was more nectarine than peach, or maybe apricot. Do you like it?”
She nodded and took another sip.
“Have some fruit.”
She took some but he could tell she didn’t really want it. She was placating him. Following orders. He frowned. Why didn’t she tell him no?
Because she instinctively followed orders.
Felix reached for a cracker and cut a slice of cheese to place on top. He bit into it, his gaze still on Casey.
The sound of a shuttle returning had him rising. “I need to speak with my brothers.”
Instead of demanding to go back to the resort, she nodded in a lethargic manner.
Felix quashed a second scowl and stalked out to meet Joe and Sly, his younger twin brothers. Hopefully they had more news about Saber and Eva. Leo hadn’t said much. “Did you get them?”
“No,” Sly said.
He and Joe slid out of their shuttle and joined him.
“We saw them,” Joe said. “They escaped the bird.”
“They were bloody lucky,” Sly added. “Another bird appeared and attacked. The two birds were squabbling over which one of them got Saber and the woman.”
“Fuck,” Felix said. “Did they look injured?”
Joe gave a curt shake of his head. “The first bird dropped them. I saw Saber drag the woman into the jungle where the birds couldn’t get them, so they’re okay.”
“I tried to get Saber on his com,” Felix said. “It’s turned off.”
“We tried the com too,” Joe said. “Hope it didn’t fall out of his pocket.”
“Did Leo come back?” Sly asked.
“Yeah. He was in a hell of a mood,” Felix said.
Joe’s brows drew together. “Still?”
“What bug crawled up his ass?” Sly demanded.
“Hell if I know,” Felix said. “He’s been moody and biting everyone’s heads off since we left Dalcon.”
“Maybe he’s tired. He worked long hours on Dalcon, and has gone back a couple of times to finish a job.” Joe shrugged. “Who knows with Leo.”
“Do you want us to stay?” Sly asked.
Felix wasn’t sure what was best. Maybe he should take Casey back to the resort and get his mother to look at her, maybe dose her with some vitamins, and he could make sure she ate properly and slept. He’d tire her out with sex, if necessary. She didn’t seem to have a problem with him touching her.
His com-unit buzzed in his pocket and Felix glanced at the screen, some of the tension leaching from his shoulders. “It’s Saber. Saber, you guys all right?”
“Yeah. A bit banged up and a few bruises. Listen, I need you to go back to the resort and make sure everything goes okay. Go through the next lot of guests with Scarlett and work out a list of potential captures.” Saber continued, running through the items that needed attention.
Felix listened to Saber’s terse instructions. “What about you? Don’t you want us to come and collect you?”
“No. Eva booked a capture experience and that’s what she’s getting. I hope you don’t mind if I do it instead of you.”
“No, that’s fine.” Relief straightened his shoulders. He could keep Casey with him and pamper her until she regained her balance. No point telling Saber that Leo had pulled out and Felix had decided to take his place. “Call me if there’s anything else you need or if you think of anything you’ve missed.”
“Anything comes up, you take care of it,” Saber said. “I’m going to turn my com off. I don’t want it ringing at an inconvenient time.” He clicked off abruptly.
Felix returned his com-circle to his pocket. “Saber said he’s staying out there with the woman and that he intends to keep her.”
Joe let out a long whistle. “That’s interesting.”
“What about Lori?” Sly frowned at his brothers. “Or Laurence, come to that. Laurence won’t like it if he thinks Saber is replacing his sister.”
Laurence wasn’t rational about his dislike of Saber on a good day. Back on Earth, Felix had suspected Lori and Laurence wanted a slice of the Mitchell empire, but now—now the coffers were bone dry, according to Saber, and still Laurence hung around. Hell, maybe he’d been wrong about the money being Lori’s chief interest. Saber had clearly loved her even if Felix hadn’t thought much of the woman or her brother.
Everything had changed since they’d left Earth to escape the virus. They’d kept their capture program quiet, deciding to try it with family members before they offered other Middlemarch males the same opportunity. Saber had said it was a chance to perfect their process, and this way they wouldn’t raise hope or jealousy. At least that was the plan, and they’d all gone along with Saber, even though a couple of them—particularly, him and Leo—had reservations.
“I hope Saber knows what he’s doing,” Joe said. “We haven’t had time to explore much of the island. God knows what else is out there. Those big-ass birds have to eat something. I’d just as soon they didn’t decide to come to the resort side of the island and put us on the menu.”
“He has his com-circle. We can go and pick him up the minute he sends word,” Felix said. “Do you mind going back to the resort and returning to pick us up tomorrow? I’ll clean up the huts and be ready to leave in the morning. That’ll give us a chance to get to know each other.”
“She could leave you once she’s back at the resort.” Joe said what Felix was thinking, worrying about.
“I know. That’s why I’d like another night alone with her before we head back. Saber has given me a list of things to deal with, but one night won’t make any difference.”
“Tomorrow morning then,” Sly said. “I’ll com you before I arrive. I don’t want to hurt my eyes or besmirch my innocence by witnessing any kinky goings-on.”
Felix snorted and waved his cackling brothers away. He hid his smile until he turned his back and strode back to the hut. It was good to have brothers, even though they were a pain in his ass at times. He at least understood Laurence’s grief at Lori’s death, because losing any of his brothers would send him into a tailspin.
He found Casey holding her wineglass and staring into the swirling contents. Wherever her mind had drifted, it wasn’t a happy place.
“Hey, you haven’t eaten.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Try to eat something,” he urged, taking a seat on the corner of the bed. “I want to jump you again before we go to sleep, have more hot, kinky sex. You need to keep your energy up.”
Her gaze zapped to his. “Again?”
“You’re very attractive. I like you.”
She lifted a self-conscious hand to her hair. “I look like a boy.”
“You don’t feel like a boy. If you don’t like your hair the way it is, change it. Grow it long. You should do whatever makes you happy.”
Casey bit back her snort with difficulty. He made it sound easy, but he’d never come up against the general’s indomitable will. She’d grown up with the man and found her life went more smoothly if she went in the direction he pushed.
But not this time, her mind screamed.
Not. This. Time.
If she went against him, she’d lose everything. Everyone except maybe her Aunt Elsa. She sighed, knowing her time was ticking away. Two more days before she left the resort and walked into the medical center.
Two more days.
The thought mocked her, shoved fear through her veins, and not for the first time she told herself she didn’t want to do this, no matter what arguments the general and the medical experts pushed at her.
“Why the big sigh?”
“Maybe I’m hungry after all.” She caught the flicker of disappointment in his eyes before he turned away to cut her a piece of what looked like pie.
When he handed her the treat, she bit back a wave of nausea but she forced herself to take a bite rather than make a l
iar out of herself.
“What do you like to do when you’re on leave?” Felix asked.
Casey swallowed. She had a family-approved life, in which meant she attended concerts and went to formal dinners or parties…and she had her secret life, in which she slipped away to meet her aunt. They visited the fabric market and went to fashion shows—with Casey in disguise, of course. It wouldn’t do to let the general know she was “misbehaving”. And she spent long hours indulging her creative self, designing outfits and stitching elegant designs.
“Casey?”
She lifted her chin, took a deep breath. “I visit with my best friend, Eva. We go shopping in the market, and I like to design clothes then stitch them.”
Interest, rather than polite dismissal, glinted in his eyes, and some of the tightness faded from her chest.
“Are you any good? My sister Scarlett was complaining that there are few decent designers on Dalcon. Would she have seen your work?”
Her tension ratcheted right back up. “No. I don’t have time to do much designing these days. Work gets in the way.” She swallowed, needing to rid her throat of the cold, hard knot that had grown to the size of her fist. And soon work would take over completely. She’d become a pet project and would never have the life she—
No point whining about it now. No point at all.
“I used to go surfing a lot when we lived on Earth,” Felix said. “I haven’t had a chance to try it here.”
“I don’t know what that is.”
“You have a fiberglass board and float on it, allowing the waves to propel the board forward. The trick is managing to stay upright without falling off. I’ll take you sometime. The waves farther down the coast from the resort look big enough.”
That tightness clamped her chest, making it difficult to breathe. Her eyes stung at his casual kindness. He hardly knew her, would never see her again after she left Middlemarch Resort. But she didn’t say anything, managed a creditable nod.
“Do you see your family much?”
“D-depends where I’m stationed. Sometimes my squad does training exercises with my brothers’ units. My father—he’s a general. I see him on lots of training vids and occasionally he’ll stop by the posts where my brothers and I are stationed.”
Favored by Felix Page 4