by Eva Delaney
I hoisted his plasma ax as a silent warning. “Maybe. But if you don’t do what I say, you will be dead.”
Well…maybe not. I wasn’t okay with killing a captive, but they didn’t know that. I just had to make them believe that I would kill them.
“Maybe I’ll take this ax to your balls first,” I added. He glared, but his bottom lip trembled.
“So, you tell the truth,” I continued. “The lady fights her way in here and kills us, but you’ll already be dead long before she gets here. What good does telling the truth do you?” I paused to let that sink in. “Or you tell her what I want, and in a few days, I’ll let you go. Free and alive and safe.”
He and the doctor were silent.
“In one scenario, we all die. In the other, we all live. Your choice.” I pointed the hot blue blade at the guard’s face.
He growled deep in his throat but said nothing. I hoped they would cooperate. If they didn’t…well, I could kill them, but what good would it do us? The lady and her massive army would capture us and send us to the mind melters either way.
My hands sweated on the ax handle, but I wasn’t about to let the Supremacy assholes see my worry.
“Rux, Antares, check them for comms, weapons, anything and everything,” I said. “Then tie their hands behind their backs.”
“I’ll find rope or cuffs,” Polaris said, trying to sound cheerful but not quite managing it.
“Save some for us to use later….” I sighed. “Nope, I don’t mean that. Sorry, Po.”
Polaris ducked his head and hurried down the hall.
Antares snorted.
I kept watch with the plasma ax while Antares, Rux, and Polaris searched the guards and doctor and bound their arms behind their backs.
I held the ax to the guard’s throat and glared down at him as Polaris clutched a comms to the captive’s mouth.
My heart thundered in my head. What if he didn’t cooperate? What if this was the day the Supremacy captured us or killed us?
The guard took a long breath and said, “Everything clear. The gunners are in the infirmary and Dr. McAuley is tending to the prince.”
“Roger that,” a strange voice responded. “I’ll inform the lady.”
Polaris clicked the comms off.
“Smart choice,” I told the guard. “Lock them all in the lounge,” I ordered my crew.
“What is happening…oh,” Hamal said. The infirmary door stood open behind him and Mr. Pancake sat at his feet. “This again.”
“Cal was amazing,” Polaris said. I smiled at him.
Once the guards and medic were confined, I turned to Rux.
“Antares flirted, he gagged, she screamed,” he said to my silent question.
“Could you see them?”
He shook his head. “Too dark so she wouldn’t see him.”
“Fuck,” I muttered. Antares could have slipped her a written message or traced words on her palm as we had done.
“You’re welcome,” Antares said dryly. Despite fighting and fake vomiting on someone, his black clothes remained perfectly neat.
“I wish you’d be honest, so I could decide how much to hate you,” I said.
“I am honest.” He frowned.
“You don’t even know the meaning of the word, do you?”
“Commander Cal,” Po called from the cockpit, cutting us off. “The comms are blinking.”
“You still need me, Firebrand,” Antares said. “So, it’s a good thing I’m on your side no matter what you think.”
Shit, he was right that I needed him still. I nodded to the cockpit and he strolled to the comms while I watched him like a spy robot.
“Lady of my heart,” Antares said in Castor’s voice. “I dragged myself from bed to hear your sweet voice.”
“Lady of your stomach contents, you mean,” Camilla snapped. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing.
“Lady of my heart, stomach, soul, and so much more,” Antares said in that smooth suave voice. He paused to gag into the comms.
“You will remain quarantined until the nanos learn to fight this virus,” Camilla said coolly. “As will I, but in finer quarters. I expect you to check in regularly. I need to ensure my love is safe, and it’s rare that I have the pleasure of hearing your voice.”
Great, now Antares and the Lady Barfy’s conversations would never end. Someone would have to watch the comms at all times in case Antares was up to something.
Of course, the lady was suspicious of us too since she wanted both the guards and Castor to check in. If she knew who we were, she would attack. So, it must be Castor she didn’t trust.
“I would not miss a chance to hear your voice, so like a fine song,” Antares said. Camilla actually giggled, as though he hadn’t just vomited on her.
Antares switched off the comms and turned to us. “You see? I’m good at seduction.”
“Who are you trying to impress?” Rux grumbled.
Antares grinned wickedly. He was enjoying this way too much, I thought. Apparently fake vomiting on nobles was the closest to happiness he ever got.
Or something else had happened between him and Lady Camilla to make him smile. Something that meant we were all fucked.
He usually helped us, but then he did things like tell the Supremacy we were traveling to Etrea. I didn’t know what to think of him.
He was driving me mad.
Chapter 18
“Let’s get this place cleaned up,” I said. “Then we’ll run laps, do push-ups, the usual fitness drills.” Anything to keep these men from arguing—or fighting over me—during the flight to Etrea.
Assuming that was where the lady was taking us. We could end up in the center of a Supremacy core world instead with a fleet surrounding us. If that happened, could I talk Camilla or Castor into taking us alive? Could Antares?
As we worked, I imagined potential battles, escape plans, and arguments. I had to be ready for anything if I was going to get us through this and rescue Winters.
The infirmary door hissed open, breaking my thoughts. Orion wandered out, sheepish and blurry-eyed.
“Hi Ori,” I said softly.
He smiled with sleepy eyes and ran a hand through his tousled hair. I wanted to do the same, plunging my hands into his thick, curly locks. “Hey, Cali.”
“Can I see you alone?” I said.
“Always.” He met my eyes with his tender green ones.
I led him into the ship’s sole bedroom. We had to talk about boundaries, but at the same time I didn’t want to burden him when he just had a panic attack. Instead, I would try to comfort him like he always did for me. I just didn’t know how yet.
“Orion—”
“I’m fine,” he said.
I reached for his hand, and he jerked it away. It sent a needle of pain through my heart. “You’re not fine. You blew our cover.”
He winced as though I had struck him.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t know that you were suffering like this.”
He glared at the wall and refused to look at me.
“You can tell me what’s wrong. I’ll listen. I’ll try to help. I need to learn how, but I will.”
Orion heaved a sigh as though trying to ready himself for battle and turned to face me. He opened his mouth as though to answer and then shut it.
He nodded to the bed instead. “That’ll help.” He flashed me his cocky grin.
He was avoiding the problem. I remembered Hamal saying that Orion and I thought love meant being strong. This was exactly what he had meant. Maybe it was easier for Orion to show his trauma to Hamal because he believed he had to be strong for me.
“What do you say, Cali?” Orion said, his eyes glinting.
I reached out to touch his cheek. This time, he didn’t flinch away. He pressed my hand against his face, turning his head to kiss the inside of my wrist.
“Ori…” I took a deep breath. “We have to talk first.”
The bedroom door hissed open, and
Rux stormed in.
Fuck, I had forgotten to lock it. I yanked my hand away from Orion.
“You’re not befouling the one bed!” Rux roared.
We weren’t going to, but that wasn’t his business. “Why not?” I snapped. “I’m the commander, so I get the bed.”
“But now you’re playing favorites.” He nodded at Orion.
“Yes,” I said. “Besides, Orion is second-in-command, so he gets the bedroom on rank too.”
“Is that fair?” Polaris said quietly from the corridor.
“Is everyone here now?” I snapped.
“Technically, it is fair,” Hamal said to Po. “They outrank the rest of us.”
I sighed. They were all here crowding the bedroom door and weighing in on something that wasn’t their business. That was partly why I pulled away from Orion in public. I didn’t need these men telling me what they thought about my personal life. It wasn’t their concern.
“This is why I never liked the military,” Antares said. “Too much hierarchy and rules, just like the Supremacy.”
“We are not like the Supremacy,” I bristled. “The Uprising values fairness.”
Orion winced. I had forgotten that it was The Uprising who had locked him up on false charges.
“Sorry,” I muttered to him. He didn’t react. Was I doing the wrong thing again?
I turned to the others crowding the doorway. “No matter what anyone else believes, we value fairness here. We’ll play a challenge for the bed. First and second places get the bed. The rest take turns sleeping on the floor and standing guard.”
It would help keep the men occupied and might distract Orion. He could be one of the guys again and forget about his panic. Besides, I’d win the contest and the bed. Show them good.
Hamal smiled over the others’ heads. His brown eyes were the color of the asteroid that housed Star Keeper. A color like a special, hidden place that kept us all safe.
“But…” Polaris said. “The bed sleeps three or four people.”
Shit. I didn’t want another argument about fairness or the men fighting amongst themselves—or with me. “First, second, and third places get the bed,” I said. “The rest get the floor.”
“We’re going to win it,” Orion whispered to me. “First, second, and third place.”
“There’s only two of us,” I said.
“We can do anything together.”
I chuckled. I liked having his cocky attitude back.
Like before, we picked our numbers and gathered in the cockpit as Po told the computer to choose a random number. Antares won the draw.
“Great. A frowning competition?” I said.
“A lying one?” Rux grumbled, shooting both Antares and me a glare.
“Even better,” Antares said, leaning back in the passenger’s chair. A grin spread across his flawless face. Fuck. Whatever this was, I was going to regret it.
“A kissing contest.”
I groaned. Rux made a sound of disgust. Hamal raised an eyebrow.
“Fucking pervert,” Orion muttered.
“And who’s going to judge a kissing contest?” I said.
“Me,” Antares put his hands behind his head. “Or you, Firebrand, if not everyone swings my way.”
I stared at Antares with my mouth hanging open. He did not suggest I make out with my entire crew.
“Good, you’re preparing,” Antares said. I snapped my mouth shut and glared at him. He dared to look smug. Was this vengeance for my not trusting him?
Polaris ducked his head and looked away. “Well…you know…. Sharing germs is good for the immune system….”
My heart pounded loudly in my ears. He wanted to do this, to kiss me in front of everyone.
This was terrible. I’d hurt Orion if I kissed anyone else. I’d humiliate Po if I turned him down in front of the crew. And a fight might break out again—a fight over me.
Antares, the asshole. He liked stirring up shit to divert attention from his own suspicious behavior. Was he trying to fuck up the crew and the mission?
Orion put his arm around my waist and yanked me close to his side, his body hard and steady against me.
“That’s not a fair competition,” he said. “I’d win.” He turned his head to smell my hair and slipped a finger under my chin, tilting my face up toward his. He leaned forward, his lips nearly brushing mine.
I stepped back. I knew what he was doing. He was showing off that I was his and not for the taking. But I wasn’t his property, and I didn’t like playing kissy-face in front of a crew. I couldn’t run a mission from a cuddle heap, and too much was riding on our finding Agent Winters to mess this up.
Or maybe he wasn’t being possessive. Maybe he was trying to remind me that I shouldn’t be tempted by the others? Fuck.
“No one is kissing,” I said. “This isn’t a drunk party. Besides, we all know Mr. Pancake would win a kissing contest.”
“Who do you think taught me?” Antares said with one of his rare warm boyish grins that lit up his dark eyes.
“Choose something else.” I glared at him. “Final order, no argument.”
“Fine,” Antares said. “Poker, then. I found a deck of cards in the lounge. Neptune rules.”
“Perfect,” I said. Orion and I had played it all the time with our last company. It was almost a religion in the air force. “Tell you what, Antares.” I grinned evilly at him. I was going to pay him back for that kissing idea. “For every hand you lose, you have to tell us something about yourself.”
One way or another, I was going to discover what he was hiding and if he was plotting against us.
“Oh, that sounds fun! Can I join?” Polaris said.
I sighed, exasperated.
“Truth and cards,” Hamal said brightly.
Shit. I wasn’t one for revealing personal info about myself. Years living under the Supremacy and then as a smuggler had made sure of that. Besides, I didn’t need to know about the others. I needed Antares to open up about his motivations so that I could judge him. Was he truly on our side or was he here to fuck up my crew and this mission? Was he planning to double-cross us, kidnap Winters, and take her to the prince?
“We don’t have betting chips,” Hamal continued, breaking into my thoughts. “We’ll bet personal details!”
I sighed. So did Antares. Somehow, in an instant, this turned from a way to play him and gain info to something we hated together.
Rux crossed his arms and glared at Antares and me. “Perfect,” he said with a predatory smile.
Orion cracked his knuckles. “We got this, Cali. We’ll strip them bare and win that bed.”
When he talked and smiled like that, I could believe it was true.
Orion rubbed my lower back. “Let’s go kick their asses.”
We crowded around the kitchen table. Somehow, I was pressed between Orion and Polaris again. I suspected they were doing that on purpose. For the second time, my legs pressed against their hard, strong thighs. The heat of their bodies seeped into my sides.
Focus! I chided myself. I had a game to win, for Orion’s sake so we could be alone, and for the crew so I could finally get info from Antares.
The bounty hunter shuffled and dealt the deck. “This is how it’ll work. If you win a hand, you get to ask someone a question they must answer. We’ll track the number of hands each person wins to determine who gets the bed. Enjoy the floor, Rux.”
Rux startled. I snorted.
“Fuck you,” he snapped.
“That’s your comeback?” I said. “Not the cleverest, are you?”
“I’m the most honest,” he said.
I smirked to piss him off.
“Here we go,” Antares said with a glint in his dark eyes.
Chapter 19
Orion won the first hand of poker.
He slammed his cards down and leaned across the table, gaze fixed on Antares. “Are you secretly into Castor?”
“Yes, answer that.” I pointed at the glum m
an.
“This escalated quickly,” Po said.
Antares met Orion’s eyes, his gaze steady. “No. I’m never secret about being into anyone.”
“Are you lying?” Orion said.
“Are you openly into Castor?” I said.
“It’s only one question per hand.” Antares grinned slyly as he gathered up the cards. He reshuffled and dealt, laying out the common cards that applied to everyone’s hand.
We traded our cards for three rounds before all showing our hands. Hamal won with a straight. Of course, he had served in the air force so he was experienced at poker too.
“Hmm,” he said, his voice like a rumble of thunder. “Let’s see…”
Ask Antares, I thought at him as though he could hear my silent command.
“Rux, we don’t know much about you,” Hamal said. “What’s your happiest memory?”
I sighed. He was wasting his win on bullshit.
Rux glared as though happy were a foreign concept. All he knew was rage and slightly less rage, but then he started to speak, his voice faraway and dreamy. What he said surprised us all.
“My best memory is watching the Cilana nebula rise over the northern horizon in shades of pink and red. I saw it on the banks of the Majesty Ocean with my partners on either side.” The tenderness sounded odd in his gravelly rough voice.
“Partners?” I said. “Plural?” It was hard to imagine angry Rux being loving or tender, but there it was, a softness in his voice, a dreamy look in his eyes. So out of place on his scowling face and sandpaper voice.
I stared at him with wide eyes, uncertain of what to say or think. A strange feeling ran along the back of my neck as though his rough voice had caressed the skin there.
“What happened to them?” Hamal said.
“Those are extra questions,” Rux said, glowering with cold eyes.
“So he’s back to rage,” I said, blinking away the strange feeling.
“Well, now that we’re all diabetic thanks to Rux’s sweetness, let’s move on,” Antares said. He gathered up the cards to shuffle and deal them.
I won the hand with a triple. “Fuck, yeah.” I locked eyes with Antares and opened my mouth but stopped.
I had been trying to get info from him for weeks and he dodged every question, or he answered but left out key info. He was going to do the same again—answer with enough to fulfill the requirement, but with less than I needed to know.