Polaris Rising

by Jessie Mihalik

  Some of my anger drained away. “Okay,” I said slowly, “why not just say that before?”

  Loch ran his hands over his shaved head with a frustrated noise. “Rhys knows me well enough to get under my skin, and he loves meddling. I lost my temper with you, when he was the one who pushed me to the edge.”

  I made a noncommittal sound. I could feel the heat of his gaze but I steadily finished my food. When I placed my napkin on my plate, Loch turned toward me. He cupped my jaw and turned my head so he could meet my eyes.

  “I was a jerk,” he murmured. “I saw you retreat behind your mask, and I didn’t like knowing that I was the cause of it. I’m sorry.”

  I’d never been one to hold grudges, so the last of my anger dissolved with his apology. His thumb traced a blazing path across my lips. Heat spiraled through my system. The man was dangerously attractive, especially when he wholly focused on me.

  “Rhys and I are just friends,” I said. “That’s all we’ve ever been. But even if that wasn’t the case, your behavior was unacceptable. You were a jerk. And for what? Because I asked a question that didn’t have an easy answer?”

  Loch growled and dropped his hand. “Because I didn’t want to admit I was jealous.” His eyes flashed in defiance, as if he expected me to throw the words back in his face.

  Now we were getting somewhere. Jealousy hinted at a depth of feeling I hadn’t been sure he had. And if he got to be jealous, then I ought to be able to stake a claim as well. A tiny voice at the back of my mind screamed a warning, afraid I was getting in too deep, but I reminded myself that he would be gone tomorrow. One day of possibilities was safe enough—this would not be a repeat of my first season.

  “You have no reason to be jealous,” I said as I pivoted toward him and leaned in.

  I gave him plenty of time to back away, but he held his ground, his gaze hot. I took that as permission and closed the gap, ghosting my lips across his in a featherlight caress. Sparks of lust shivered along my nerves. I pressed deeper, sucking on his bottom lip, then I slid my tongue into the heat of his mouth.

  He made a rumbling sound and dragged me closer with a hand on my hip and one buried in my hair. I slid forward until I was clutched against him, straddling his strong thigh. My breasts rubbed against the muscles of his chest and I moaned low.

  His tongue thrust into my mouth and I welcomed the invasion. Loch’s hands clenched and he pulled me closer, molding our bodies together. I rocked against him, mindless with pleasure. He pulled back and I chased him, pressing kisses against his lips and jaw.

  I ran my hands over his head, relishing the scrape of barely there stubble against my palms. He groaned and the hand on my hip slid up to cup my breast. I hissed out a breath when his thumb brushed over my pebbled nipple. He reclaimed my mouth at the same time he rolled my nipple between his finger and thumb. Pleasure lanced through me and I arched into him.

  “Loch,” I gasped.

  “I’ve got you,” he murmured against my mouth. He trailed burning kisses down to the sensitive spot on my neck. The scrape of his stubbled jaw made my skin hypersensitive.

  Then, with disorienting speed, he slid me into my chair and backed away. I stared at him stupidly for a few seconds before I heard Lin’s voice just outside the door. Heat flooded my face as I realized I’d been so lost in the moment that I’d forgotten my surroundings.

  Loch watched me with smoldering, predatory stillness, his hands fisted on the table. Lin entered the mess hall, talking a mile a minute. Veronica trailed behind. She took one look at us and grinned. Busted.

  Lin climbed up in a seat across the table from us and started questioning me about the different components in a ship while Veronica fixed his afternoon snack. Loch listened for a little while, then stood. On his way up he paused to murmur in my ear, “We are not finished, sweetheart.”

  He took both our dishes and put them into the recycler. The recycler was the counterpart to the synthesizer—it broke items down into energy that could be used by the ship or synth. He nodded a farewell to Veronica and Lin, then left the mess hall.

  I entertained Lin for a few more minutes, but when Veronica looked like she was almost done cooking, I escaped before she could corner me and demand details. I didn’t have any details to share. I just knew that Loch drew me in like a magnet and the more time I spent with him, the more I liked him.

  I told myself that it was for the best that today was his last day. It was a pretty lie.

  I settled into the captain’s station of the flight deck and set an alarm on my com so I wouldn’t miss dinner. I needed to do a deep dive in the ship’s system processes to find out where the rest of the trackers were hiding. And I needed something completely mind-numbing to focus on so my body would calm down.

  I pulled up a log of every onboard process that had accessed the communication array before I had shut it down after our second jump. It was a long list. Navigation alone accounted for nearly half of the calls. The navigation computers tried to access the communication array for additional information each time the plotted course updated.

  It took a couple hours, but I finally started to see an access pattern emerge. And in that pattern of normal processes, the tracking processes stood out. Well, at least a few of them. I disabled the trackers I found and set the diagnostic to run again now that I knew what to look for.

  “Polaris, sweep the ship and show me the locations of all transmitting devices,” I said. A 3-D model of the ship appeared over the console with red dots in most of the rooms on the lower two floors. Great. The room-by-room sweep would have to happen before I turned external communications back on. Otherwise Rockhurst would know our location as soon as the signal reached him.

  I had completed the sweep of the main floor by the time my com’s alarm went off. It was tedious work but I felt better with it done. After dinner I would do the lowest level and the maintenance areas.

  Fifteen minutes until we had to leave, I climbed up to the top level and entered the captain’s quarters. I washed my face and ran a brush through my hair. I didn’t have any makeup, nor any desire to wear it. Thankfully it wasn’t required—this was not a Consortium dinner, no matter how much it might feel like one.

  At five minutes to seven, I went down to meet Veronica and Loch. Both were waiting for me in the cargo hold. Veronica had her face covered with a scarf, much like my own. I loaned her the extra cloak I’d bought. With the sun setting it would be getting quite cool.

  Loch wore the dark clothes and cloak he’d worn earlier, and he wasn’t exactly looking excited about dinner. If Veronica’s presence surprised him, he didn’t show it. I opened the door then locked it behind us. We slid into the transport for the short trip.

  Rhys’s house was separate from his business, so we didn’t have to use the creepy, unmarked door. Instead, the transport dropped us off at one of the few blocks that wasn’t dominated by a skyscraper. Individual stone houses—complete with yards!—lined the street. All were four or five stories tall, but they were clearly houses. The lot alone had to be worth two fortunes. Rhys had done very, very well for himself indeed.

  Loch climbed the steps first and knocked on the door. A gray-haired gentleman in a butler’s uniform let us in. “Mr. Sebastian is expecting you. He’s in the family drawing room. Right this way, please.”

  The butler led us through an opulent foyer and past a wide, real wood staircase. The drawing room doors were closed, to better show off their delicate stained-glass insets. The butler slid them open, revealing a warm room with comfortable furniture and cozy conversational seating. It was a stark contrast from the rest of the house.

  “Welcome, welcome. I figured we’d all be more comfortable in here than in the formal sitting room,” Rhys said. He’d dressed for dinner in a dark, formal suit and he looked damn good in it.

  I pulled the scarf from my face. “Thank you for the invitation,” I said. “Rhys, this is Yasmin,” I said, pulling a slightly dazed-looking Veronica along with me. We�
��d agreed to use her middle name tonight. “Yasmin, meet Rhys Sebastian.”

  Rhys bowed over her hand. “Ms. Yasmin, it is a pleasure to meet you,” he said.

  She dipped into a curtsy. “The pleasure is mine, Mr. Sebastian,” she said.

  “Please, call me Rhys. Come, ladies, sit,” he said. He offered each of us an elbow with the grace of a Consortium gentleman. I wondered, not for the first time, about his past.

  Loch growled something too low to hear as he followed us. The ghost of a smile touched Rhys’s mouth.

  Rhys led us to a pair of settees. He settled Veronica on one, then settled me on the second. Rhys’s eyes danced with a devilish light as he made to sit next to me. Loch closed the distance and hauled Rhys up, then turned and dropped him next to Veronica.

  Loch sat beside me, close enough that his body pressed against mine from knee to shoulder. He sprawled, letting his arm drape behind me on the settee. His fingers played idly with the edge of my scarf. I hid a grin. Loch was very clearly sending a message.

  Rhys sat next to Veronica with a tiny, satisfied smile. He knew he was playing with fire, but he didn’t care. And Loch’s glower did nothing but make Rhys’s smile grow.

  Interesting.

  Rhys turned to Veronica, who still looked a little shell-shocked. “So tell me, Ms. Yasmin, what do you do?”

  “It’s just Yasmin,” she said. “Currently, I’m between jobs. But I help people find what they’re looking for.”

  “Ah, a lady after my own heart,” Rhys said. He smiled a devastating smile but Veronica was getting her feet under her. Her expression turned knowing. She’d figured out he was blinding her with his beauty and from the way her eyes crinkled at the corners, she was about to turn the tables on him.

  “I find myself in a sensitive situation,” Veronica said. “Lady Ada assured me you are a friend who can be trusted. Can I trust you to keep my confidence?” she asked.

  Rhys’s expression turned serious. “Of course. Ada’s friends are my friends, and even if that were not the case, I try not to throw women or children to the wolves if at all possible. It’s bad publicity.”

  Veronica unwrapped her scarf. Now it was Rhys’s turn to look dazed. Veronica’s makeup was stellar and she looked stunning. “I am running from a House,” she said simply. “I have asked Lady Ada to take me with her when she leaves, but she suggested I talk to you first. She thinks I’ll feel trapped by my decision to throw in with her. What do you think?”

  Rhys blinked twice then shook himself out of the daze. “Running from a House is a tricky proposition,” he said finally. “How is your financial situation?”

  “It is of little concern.”

  “In that case, you have two, maybe three options.” He ticked them off on his fingers. “One, if your face isn’t well known, you can hide in plain sight with a new identity. It is very expensive, but quality work can be had for the right price. Two, you can run and keep running. Or, for the third option, you can disappear into the farthest reaches of the ’verse and hope you’re never found.”

  “And which do you recommend?”

  “Depends on the person. I can help you with one and three, but two works better for some, our lovely Ada included—despite my best efforts.” Rhys tossed a suggestive smile at me.

  I rolled my eyes, but Loch rumbled. I felt the vibration more than heard it and my nipples tightened in response. Thank God for lined bras. I nudged his shoulder with mine and he quit, but his hand flexed around my other shoulder and pulled me closer.

  Even though Loch had to know Rhys was just messing with him, he seemed incapable of shrugging it off. Rhys knew exactly how to get under his skin.

  A knock on the door prevented further discussion. “Enter,” Rhys said.

  The butler slid the doors open. “Dinner is ready, sir,” he said.

  “Excellent,” Rhys said. He stood and helped Veronica to her feet. Loch stood as well. After a pointed look from Rhys, Loch offered me a hand. I accepted his help up, then hooked a hand through his elbow before he could walk off. It was obvious that Loch was unfamiliar with the social niceties the rest of us understood without thought. And by the scowl on his face, either the knowledge gap or the niceties themselves pissed him off.

  The dining room was just as ostentatious as the rest of the house. A beautifully carved wooden table big enough for fourteen sat under a brilliant chandelier that glittered with cut crystals. Four place settings were centered in the middle of the table.

  Rhys led Veronica to the near side, then rounded the table and sat across from her. Loch followed his lead and deposited me next to Veronica. When he sat across from me, I gave him my best wicked smile. His eyes darkened, and I decided: I would have this man tonight, if he would have me.

  I tabled my dirty thoughts. Rhys, Veronica, and I chatted lightly about a wide range of topics. Both Rhys and Veronica were excellent conversationalists, so I found myself enjoying their company. Loch occasionally chimed in, but he seemed content to let the conversation flow around him. Rhys threw the occasional flirtatious remark my way, mostly to annoy Loch, but it was clear to me that he was focused on Veronica.

  The food was exquisite and the wine flowed freely. I allowed myself two glasses, then switched to sparkling water. A gentle buzz was fine, but getting hammered was not in the plan.

  After dinner, Rhys turned to Loch. “Please escort Ms. Yasmin back to the drawing room. Ada and I will join you momentarily.”

  Loch did not move. Veronica glanced at me and I nodded slightly. She stood with a pointed stare at Loch. He settled more firmly into his chair.

  I rolled my eyes. “Did you already forget our earlier conversation?” I asked him.

  His eyes dropped half-closed and he grinned lazily. “I believe that conversation was unfinished.”

  Heat flushed through my body. I kept my voice even through sheer force of will. “Well, if you want any chance of finishing that conversation, I suggest you trust me now.”

  Loch held my gaze for a long moment, then nodded and stood. He and Veronica left the room.

  Rhys cast me an appraising look. “You’re playing with fire,” he said without preamble.

  I didn’t pretend ignorance. “He’s leaving tomorrow.”

  Rhys seemed surprised. “Are you sure?”

  “Very,” I said.

  Rhys idly swirled the wine in his glass. “I’ve known Loch for a long time,” he finally said. “And I’ve only seen him like this once before. It ended poorly.”

  Jealously stabbed deep. “Oh?” I asked in what I hoped passed for a casual tone.

  Rhys’s expression turned knowing. “Pretend indifference all you like, but I know you, Ada von Hasenberg. Just be careful. I don’t want either of you to get hurt. And Loch guards those he thinks of as his like a dragon guards gold.”

  “We just have good chemistry,” I said. “He doesn’t think I’m his.” Just the thought made me twitchy, but underneath that, warmth tried to bloom. Damn my soft, traitorous heart.

  Rhys merely raised an eyebrow and stood. “Let’s join them before he proves you wrong,” he said.

  We returned to the drawing room to find Veronica grinning and Marcus scowling, but neither would say why. Rhys poured a round of brandy. The alcohol burned on its way down, leaving me pleasantly warm and languid, but Loch apparently did not share my feelings. “Care to spar?” he asked Rhys with studied casualness. “Or have you gone soft?”

  Well, that was one way to throw down a gauntlet. “You’re going to ruin a perfectly good meal with exercise?” I asked, trying to give Rhys an exit.

  “It appears so,” Rhys said with an exaggerated sigh. “Ladies, if you’ll excuse us.”

  Veronica and I stood with the men. “If you think we’re going to sit down here while you two beat yourselves bloody, you think wrong,” I said. “Someone has to be there to knock some sense into you once your egos take over.” Veronica nodded in agreement.

  Rhys led us upstairs to a large open roo
m with a padded floor. He and Loch stepped into a side room. They both came out wearing loose pants and no shirts. Veronica and I shared an appreciative glance. Both men were built with defined abs and heavy musculature. Loch was the slightly bulkier of the two, but it was a near thing.

  Loch’s stomach was no longer bruised. He must’ve spent the afternoon in the medbay.

  The men began taping their knuckles with a single-minded determination. Even Rhys’s easygoing charm had morphed into careful concentration. “If you kill each other,” I said, “I’m not cleaning up the mess.”

  “I’m not going to kill him, I’m just going to rough him up enough that he remembers why he shouldn’t mess with me,” Loch said. “It shouldn’t take long.”

  Rhys grunted. “I’m not going to kill him, either. I’m just going to beat some manners into his thick skull. Feel free to thank me later, Ada, in any way you’d like,” he said with a sly grin. Loch lunged at him, but Rhys expected it and flowed out of the way.

  Then it was on.

  Both men moved faster than anyone I’d ever seen. Arms and legs blurred as hits landed with solid thuds. They were not pulling punches and they used both hands and feet in some style of mixed martial arts. It also became clear that this was not the first time they had sparred. While they were not pulling punches, they also weren’t aiming for maximum damage.

  When I realized they weren’t actually going to kill each other, I focused on the fight itself. All of that exposed skin and honed flesh working with such obvious strength and skill . . . I hated to admit it because it was violent and uncivilized, but it was hot. A quick glance at Veronica proved I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

  They’d been fighting for a solid fifteen minutes when Loch caught the edge of Rhys’s jaw with a hard cross. Rhys landed a solid kick to Loch’s ribs on the way down. Then it was a grappling game, with each man rolling, throwing punches, and attempting to pin the other. They were both battered and bloody by the time Loch pinned Rhys in a choke hold. Rhys struggled for a few seconds then tapped out.