He wanted to demand a status update from his aide, but he remained at the window, aware he was starting to raise curiosity. He couldn’t afford to let word of his plans get out. Not everyone would appreciate his brilliance.
The general returned to his desk and buzzed his aide. “Refreshments, please. My usual hot lotus juice and something to eat. Anything,” he added with a trace of impatience.
“Yes sir.”
General Seonaid leaned back in his chair then gave a heavy sigh and pulled up specs on an upcoming mission to Janus, a planet full of militants. He’d concentrate on his mission to build a new base on the planet. The base was necessary, no matter what the local opinion, and he intended to see that the base succeeded.
His aide tapped on his door and carried in the requested refreshments. “I have news, sir.”
The general’s stomach lurched but he kept his expression impassive. “Yes?”
“Captain Seonaid appears to be en route to Dalcon. At least, reconnaissance reported her tracker signal is near the planet.”
“Any idea where she came from?” She’d been at a resort on Tiraq. Or at least, his wife had told him their daughter had intended to go there with her guttersnipe friend.
“No sir. All we know is that her tracker is sending a signal from off planet and the vector indicates a destination of Dalcon.”
“Keep me posted.”
“Yes sir.”
The general waited until his aide left before he poured himself a glass of hot juice. Satisfaction crawled through him and found an outlet in a rare smile. She’d come around. If she was returning to Dalcon, that meant she was within reach.
He plucked his private com-circle from his pocket and made a call to the head doctor at the military medical center. “Captain Seonaid has returned to Dalcon. Please schedule the surgery for tomorrow.”
“Her body will require further preparation before the final transforming nanos are inserted into her system. It will take a solar week while we pump the necessary hormones through her bloodstream.”
The general’s hand tightened around his com-circle, but he didn’t let his impatience bleed into his voice. “Do whatever is necessary. Captain Seonaid will report to the medical facility tomorrow. Expect her.” He clicked off the communication and settled back into his chair.
Finally his plan was progressing in the right direction.
Finally his rebellious daughter was stepping in line with his wishes.
Finally he’d gain everything he’d worked for, everything he deserved.
Chapter Eleven
Casey walked through the resort at Felix’s side. The funny blue bird that Felix said he was looking after for his brother waddled after them, trailing like a pet.
She wore a floaty dress, one of her own designs, and early this morning she’d made a decision not to shave her hair again. She was going to grow it longer. Funny how liberated the decision made her feel.
She’d even allowed herself to believe Felix when he said the general wouldn’t whisk her away to the medical facility.
Felix reached for her hand and laced their fingers. The blue bird paused to peck at a patch of light-purple grass and let out a contented honk. She knew just how the bird felt. With the tracker gone, her fears had dispersed, the weight of the general’s expectation lifting off her shoulders.
Though, while she felt more relaxed, the analytical part of her brain—the part that made her a good soldier—wouldn’t shut up with its niggling worries.
It couldn’t be this easy. It couldn’t.
Scarlett came running toward them, perfectly balanced on her new pair of Elsa shoes, her long black hair in its normal tight donut bun. “Someone is trying to cut the fence. North quadrant.”
They broke into a run, only slowing when they reached the area.
“There he is,” Casey said in a low voice.
Not quietly enough, because the man froze and sprang around to face them.
“Laurence,” Felix gritted out, surging forward with a furious growl. He grabbed the man by the back of his shirt. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m not doing anything!” Laurence’s green gaze skittered, not settling until it found a point over Felix’s shoulder. “I found this damage. I’m trying to fix the hole.” He wrenched from Felix’s grip and put two feet between them, his body language screaming guilt.
Felix let him, but he continued to eye the smaller man as if he were an annoying bug. “You’re assigned to work at the shuttle port. The supply vessel is due in soon.” Felix crossed his arms. “Why are you out here?”
“It’s my break,” Laurence said, still avoiding their gazes. He bit down on his bottom lip. “I’m allowed to take a break. You can’t make me work all the time.”
“Doesn’t look like a break to me,” Scarlett said. “He’s talking too fast and biting his lip. Those are both signs of guilt. What do you think, Casey?”
“He’s slumping his shoulders too. That’s another sign. Stand straight, man! Have some pride,” Casey barked, falling into a military leader role without even thinking about it. “What’s in the bucket? Doesn’t smell too good.”
Felix snarled, obviously adding two plus two and coming up with the same answer as her. “You’re feeding them, you bastard! You’re doing it on purpose, attracting the zylon, knowing that someone might die from their bite.” Felix let out another vicious growl and sprang at Laurence.
The man let out a girlie shriek and tried to run.
Casey slid in front of Felix before he struck the smaller man and took the brunt of Felix’s angry charge.
“Oomph!” Casey slammed into Laurence and would have fallen, but Felix held her upright.
“That was silly. A spanking offense,” Felix said in a quiet voice meant only for her.
“Promises, promises.”
“Playing with fire, sweetheart. I haven’t graduated to anything really kinky yet, but I’m happy to add variety anytime you say the word.”
A shiver sped through Casey and she couldn’t meet Felix’s gaze either. Scurvy sky pirates. The man did things to her insides, made her crave physical touch when she’d never been prey to girlish or romantic notions.
She swallowed upon seeing the promise in his eyes, recalled they had two witnesses and called on her training again. “Now wait a minute, Felix. Why don’t we give the man a chance to explain?” Casey gave Laurence a friendly smile, intent on playing her part. “What’s in the bucket, Laurence?”
“I was feeding the animals.”
“Which animals?”
A chitter came from the bushes just outside the fence. A black nose poked out of the pink leaves, pushing out farther to reveal a cute fluffy head and big round eyes.
“Fuck,” Felix said.
Casey jabbed Felix with her elbow. “Are you feeding zylon, Laurence?”
“Yeah.” Defiant, he lifted his head—until he caught Felix’s furious glare. The color fled his cheeks and he edged closer to Scarlett.
“Why would you do that?” Casey asked in a pleasant voice. Low-down dirty scumbag. “The zylon are dangerous. You know that. I know that. Why would you encourage them to come here, to creep through the holes you’ve been making in the fence?”
“I didn’t— Oh, all right! The Mitchells get everything! Everything they do turns to gold. It’s not fair! It’s their fault Lori died. It’s their fault I’m on this god-forsaken planet!”
Sniveling of the worst kind. Casey glimpsed the disbelief on Scarlett’s face, figured Felix’s expression would be a heap worse. Laurence not only expected others to take care of him, but when things went wrong in his life, he shifted the blame.
“How old are you?” Casey asked in a soft voice.
“Twenty-eight. What’s that got to do with anything?”
“You’re old enough to strike out on your own. Why haven’t you done that, Laurence? If you don’t like living at Middlemarch Resort, then leave. Go to Dalcon. Get a job there or go
back to where you came from. No one forced you to move here, to take a job at the resort.”
“But they owe me. It’s their fault Lori died!”
Scarlett glared and moved into his personal space. “That’s not true. The virus killed Lori.”
Laurence’s chin angled up a fraction, until Felix growled, and then his shoulders rounded to a slump. It was like watching the beings on Jervois. They had protective shells, and the instant trouble presented, they retracted their heads, retreating into their hard outer skins. Perhaps she should suggest he travel to Jervois.
Laurence coughed to clear his throat, then coughed again. “If…if she hadn’t hooked up with Saber, she wouldn’t have spent so much time in Middlemarch. She wouldn’t have caught the virus.”
“Bullshit,” Felix said. “Shifter communities in Australia, Canada, USA—they lost people the same as us.”
“That’s not true. Lori would still be alive—”
“For fuck’s sake,” Felix muttered. “It’s obvious nothing we say will persuade you. But we’ve seen your complicity with our own eyes. You’re letting zylon through the fence. Encouraging the bloody things to come inside the compound by feeding them.”
“That’s a crime,” Scarlett said.
“It’s not a crime. Besides, I don’t force them to bite,” Laurence said, this time with a sullen edge to his whine.
“Scurvy sky pirates,” Casey said. “What is wrong with you? It is a crime. You could be charged with manslaughter if anyone dies.”
Laurence made a scoffing sound. “I don’t think so.”
“Fuck off,” Felix snarled and elbowed Scarlett out of his way. “You’re not welcome here. Pack your things and fuck off.”
“You can’t do that!” Laurence said.
“Watch me,” Felix snapped, and Casey saw the feline in him, saw the elongating of his eyes and the claws begin to extend when he grabbed Laurence by his shirt and shoved him back against the fence. “You don’t want to be here. We don’t want you. You’re lucky I’m not giving you the hiding you deserve.” He pushed his face close to Laurence’s. “I want to.”
“You can’t do this!” Laurence’s voice took on a bleating tone. Irritating.
“When’s the next shuttle coming through?” Casey asked. She’d met men like Laurence. Clueless, intent on revenge and stupid with it.
“He can leave on the supply freighter. It’s due to arrive later this afternoon,” Scarlett said. “I’ll arrange his pay and for his stuff to get packed up.”
“No. No! Please, you can’t do this. Shifters don’t do well on their own.”
“Should have thought of that before,” Felix said, and he shoved Laurence toward the resort.
“I hate it here anyway,” Laurence spat. “This place is full of sluts with one thing on their minds. It’s disgusting the way they paw at the staff.”
“Yet you were in the office bellyaching about how it wasn’t fair you were stuck working at the shuttle port.” Felix shoved Laurence farther down the path, and Casey heard Laurence protesting and making excuses until he and Felix rounded the corner in the path and disappeared from sight.
“I never liked him,” Scarlett said. “Lori was okay, but there was something off about her too. Not that I’d ever said anything to Saber.” She plucked a com-circle out of the pocket of her jacket. “I’ll contact the twins and get them to fix the fence. Hopefully it’s for the last time, now that we’ve caught the culprit in the act.” She spoke with one of her brothers and disconnected. “Will you be okay here until Sly and Joe arrive?”
“No prob. He didn’t finish cutting the fence anyway.”
Left alone, she turned her attention to the fence. Bluebird honked and appeared behind her, waddling here and there to peck at plants. On the other side of the fence, two zylon sniffed the bushes. Hard to think their bite was so dangerous. They looked like harmless fluffy balls.
Felix appeared with a bag of tools slung over his shoulder.
“That was quick.”
“Joe and Sly escorted Laurence back to his quarters to pack. They’ll put him on the freighter.”
“He was shortchanged in the brain department.”
Felix snorted. “You’re not wrong there. Hold this part of the fence for me, will ya?”
Casey held the bit Felix indicated. “So you’ve caught the phantom fence cutter.”
Felix let out a laugh. “At least that will be one less thing for Saber to worry about when he returns. Eva is coming back with him.”
“Eva? But what about her restaurants?”
“Saber will talk her around.” Felix used the auto-bang to fasten the last staple. “I’m not intending to let you go either, Casey.”
She frowned at him and started to speak.
He clapped his hand over her mouth and kissed the tip of her nose. “Don’t argue because you won’t win.”
The second he removed his hand, she spoke. He had to listen. “The general isn’t stupid. He’ll figure it out eventually and come looking for me.”
“If he comes looking, you’ll tell him to take a running jump,” Felix said. “You’ll tell him you intend to stay here with me. You’ll tell him you love me.”
“I don’t love you. We haven’t known each other long enough.”
Her blunt words seemed to hang in the air between them, and she wished she could snatch them back. They mightn’t have known each other for long, but she cared for him. The thought of leaving and never seeing him again ate at her like a flesh-eating bug.
“Maybe you don’t yet, but you will,” Felix said with smug confidence. “You won’t be able to resist me for much longer.” He reached for her hand and towed her back toward the main resort buildings.
“But I’m a soldier.” She wasn’t qualified to do anything else, a fact the general had pointed out to her.
“No, you’re a fashion designer and a boutique manager,” Felix countered. “You’re my lover and my mate. You’re Eva’s friend.”
Casey sighed at his descriptions, a large part of her wanting to believe his words, but a tiny voice at the back of her mind didn’t think the general would give up as easily as they expected.
“Don’t,” Felix said. “Don’t think of him. Don’t give him the power to hurt you.”
“And how am I meant to forget? I’ve spent most of my life trying to please the general, most of my career trying to gain his approval. It’s not easy to switch off the need for praise.”
“Hell, Casey.” Felix stopped walking and cupped her face in his hands. “I intend to fill your days with work and your nights with loving. I intend to keep you so busy, you won’t have time to brood about the general and the things missing in your relationship with your parents.”
Hard to put her faith in his words. He didn’t know the general, didn’t understand the depths he’d go to get his own way. She’d seen him in action. “Aunt Elsa and your mother have everything under control. There’s not much for me to do with the boutique.”
“So get out your design tablet and get designing. Start working on designs so the boutique has products to sell.”
He made it sound so simple. “But what if the general is right and I have no talent for anything apart from the military?”
“Say that again, and I will spank you.”
Casey closed her eyes, fought to quell the stirrings of panic. Her fears for their safety, her aunt’s safety. Hell, her safety.
“Start with a project you can sew in a short time and show some of the women how to make the garment. Start small and get your confidence going. Casey, the few women here need this as much as you do. Everything is different and new to us all. We’re struggling to make a new life for ourselves. We’ve lost family and friends to the virus. How are any of us different from you?”
Casey winced. “You’re right. I don’t usually hide from things that scare me.”
“Everyone has an off day, sweetheart. Don’t you think I’m worried about failing? Saber does everything wel
l. Our people count on him, and sometimes I feel as if I’m floundering and lost in the mighty shadow he casts. Yet, he left me in charge and trusted me to take care of things. It’s made me realize I don’t have to stand in his shadow. What I need to do—what we both need to do—is step forward with confidence and let ourselves make mistakes. As long as we learn from them, it doesn’t matter. What do you say, sweetheart?” He offered his hand. “Walk at my side. Share this adventure with me.”
Casey gave a small laugh. “Okay. Yes.”
He tugged her down the path toward his suite. “Are you sure you don’t love me?”
“Maybe just a little,” she said.
“Glad to hear it. Now what are you going to make first for the boutique? What materials do we need to order?”
“Aunt Elsa brought quite a few lengths of fabric with her. Enough for me to start. I’ll go and speak with her and Anna now.”
“Good girl,” Felix said and she basked in the warmth of his approval. The sensation radiated through her chest and heated her up in a good way. A smile pushed her lips into a curve before she knew it was happening, and even better, he grinned back at her and squeezed her hand.
Happiness, she thought. Real happiness.
At his suite, they parted. Felix went to oversee the arrival of the supplies and Laurence’s departure while she searched out Aunt Elsa and Anna.
“What happened to the fabrics you brought for me?” she asked.
Her aunt beamed. “Have you decided to stay?”
Casey gave a cautious nod, and liked the way that felt too. “Yes.” Her reply, a little loud, made her aunt chuckle.
“A new adventure for both of us,” her aunt said and gave Casey a hug.
“I’m so pleased you’re staying,” Anna said.
“Felix said I should make something to sell at the boutique, something I can teach the ladies to make. I was thinking that we could start with a plain sleeveless base, like a slip but in a nice fabric that isn’t see-through. Then make a transparent top or jacket to go over the top. The jacket or tops could be in lacy fabrics or patterned gauze, and if a lady purchased several different tops, it would appear as if she had more than one outfit even though the base would be the same.
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