by Nina Croft
Rico glanced around. “Our new tech expert is earning his keep. Fergal is setting up a tracking system, so we can get an early warning if anything is approaching.”
“How early?”
“Very early,” Fergal answered. “If it works. I’m latching onto any surveillance systems in the universe. Well, those that are still functioning. Most were destroyed or switched off during the war, but there should be enough to keep track of a few dragons.” He closed his eyes for a moment—he didn’t need consoles like normal people. “There,” he said. “Now we have to wait for them to come online.” He swiveled in his chair, grabbed Daisy around the waist, and pulled her into his lap, nuzzling her neck.
Aw, they were so in love.
She peeked at Thorne, he was watching them. Something flickered in his eyes then was gone. He turned to Rico. “So,” he said. “You wanted to talk. I suggest you get on with it. I have places to go.”
“You do?” Rico replied. “Where?”
Thorne shrugged. “Anywhere but here.”
Rico frowned. “Come on, then. Let’s get this done.”
There was a small seating area off to one side, and Rico led the way over. Candy took a seat opposite Thorne so she could watch him. He seemed almost relaxed, resting back in the chair. His arms were crossed, his long legs stretched out in front of him, and he appeared inordinately interested in his boots.
Rico pulled a flask and glasses from under the table, pouring everyone drinks. Candy picked up a glass and sipped hers while she watched Thorne. She’d given up the pretense of not looking at him—it was too difficult. Besides, why bother?
Thorne didn’t usually drink, but he swallowed the amber liquid in one go and pushed his glass forward for more.
Rico raised a brow, but refilled it then sat back. “So, we need to talk about dragons.”
“We do?”
“I think we should try and contact them.”
Candy stared at the vampire. Was he crazy? She waited for Thorne to leap up and point out what a stupid idea that was. They should find them and wipe them out. They’d murdered thousands, including all of Thorne’s people, and maybe that number would be millions in the end. They were determined to kill Saffira.
But Thorne didn’t seem…interested. He sat back sipping his drink, and Candy had to fight the urge to go over and punch him on the nose, tell him to snap out of it. She wanted the old Thorne back. Him she could deal with. This man…she had no clue who he was.
Pain stabbed her somewhere in her middle. Had she finally really lost him?
“Contact them for what?” Jon asked.
Rico gave a casual shrug. “Ask them what they want.”
“We know what they want,” Candy said. “They want to kill Saffira and they don’t mind how many die in the process.”
Rico gave her a look as if to say “what do you know?” She ignored it, because on this subject, she probably knew as much as him. Even if he had lived nearly two thousand years, he didn’t understand any more about dragons than she did. And she’d been thinking about something else—the whys. Why had they gone after Thorne’s people?
“I think they went after Espera because there were females with dragon’s blood there. And if that’s the case, then how long until they come after Skylar and Tannis?” She slammed down her glass and jumped to her feet, unable to stay still any longer. “I think we should find them and kill them.”
“Bloodthirsty little thing, isn’t she?” Rico said to Jon. “Takes after her father, perhaps.”
“Maybe. But she does have a point.”
“We don’t even know if we can kill them. In which case, trying might piss them off and encourage them to kill a whole load more. And Skylar will never be safe.” He sighed, ran a hand through his midnight dark hair, and for the first time in all of her existence, Candy saw a flicker of worry in the vampire’s dark eyes. He was scared. For Skylar. And so he should be. He took a deep breath. “All I’m saying is maybe we should attempt to find out a little more about them, such as whether there’s any way to give them what they want without anyone else dying.”
“Since when have you cared about people dying?” Jon asked.
Rico didn’t answer, but it was obvious—since the very few people he cared about had become targets. And, clearly for the first time, the vampire was uncertain he could protect his own.
Candy perched on the edge of the console where she could watch both Rico and Thorne.
“So, what?” Alex asked. “You want to try and talk to them? Do they even talk?”
All eyes turned to Thorne, but he shrugged, and again Candy had to fist her hands at her sides to stop from going and punching him.
Rico’s eyes flashed crimson. He was getting pissed off, and that didn’t bode well. Candy had never seen Rico truly angry, but she had heard stories. She jumped down and stalked across to stand in front of Thorne, hands on her hips.
“Answer the goddamn question,” she snapped.
He shrugged again. “What question?”
“Do goddamned dragons talk?”
“I’ve never heard them.”
Grr. A low growl vibrated in her throat as wolf clawed down her insides. Wolf wasn’t happy with him, either. She sensed all eyes looking her way. Rico appeared to have calmed down a little, and the crimson glints in his eyes had gone. For now. A slight smile curved his lips. Yeah, she was so funny.
Alex rose to her feet, came toward her, resting a calming hand on her arm, and coolness flowed through her. Alex turned to Thorne. “Just tell them what you know. Then if you really want out of here, no one will stop you.”
“No one can stop me.” He sounded almost arrogant, and she’d never heard quite that tone in his voice before. Suddenly, she wanted him gone. This wasn’t Thorne. And maybe it was better he leave before he really broke her heart. She in no way thought they should try and reason with the dragons, but they should find out all they could—anything that would help kill them.
“I know you don’t care about any of us anymore,” Candy said, “but it won’t hurt you to spend five minutes and tell us what you know. And then you can fuck off.”
Shock flared in his eyes; at least she’d gotten through to him. She turned away and went back to her seat, flung herself down and glared. Beside her, Rico chuckled. “I knew he’d piss you off in the end.”
She glared some more. “Shut up.”
Thorne sighed as if he found the whole thing extremely wearisome. “As far as I can tell, they do not speak, although they can make noises. They communicate almost exclusively telepathically.”
“Can they understand us?”
His brows drew together. “I presume so. We can understand them. Or at least I could. I’m not sure they ever communicated with anyone else. Except Saffira, at the end. It appeared as if they used our language, but that could have been just the perception.”
“And what did they communicate?”
“Nothing that could be of use. Certainly they didn’t tell me how we could destroy them or change their minds about destroying us.”
“How about what they want?”
“At that point, only the basic stuff.” He stared into space while he thought. After all, this was ten thousand years ago; he could be forgiven if the memory was a little dim. But Thorne’s mind didn’t work like anyone else’s. “We’d crash landed on the planet, had no clue where we were or how to get home. There was this cave—later we called it the birthing chamber, with these growths. I found myself there somehow…” He pressed his forehead. “I presume that means they are capable of some mind compulsion even before the change.”
“Callum said something similar.”
“I was changed, and afterward I could hear one of them in my head. They communicated with me, told me all the healthy males were to be changed. Gave me the protocols…told me how we could survive.”
A light flashed on one of the consoles. Daisy got up and read the screen. “Saffira and Devlin are coming in to land.”
/>
“About time,” Rico said. “We’ll continue this discussion when they get here.”
…
Thorne reached across for the flask and topped off his glass. He was getting a taste for whiskey. He might have to stock up before he took off. Rico made his own, as alcohol had been banned as deleterious to health a long, long time ago. He was beginning to understand why that might not have put people off. There was a pleasant buzz in his brain. He leaned back, sipped his drink, and watched Candy. She was on her feet once more, pacing the room. She looked seriously pissed—the expression suited her. She positively pulsated vibes, and her eyes were glowing silver, almost feral.
He allowed his gaze to wander down over the long, lean length of her body, lingering on the thrust of her full breasts against the thin cotton of her T-shirt. Beneath it she was naked, and he could make out the dark shadows of her nipples. They’d been dusky pink and had tasted like some succulent fruit. She turned away to continue her pacing, and he contemplated the curve of her ass. She wore three-inch heels and swayed as she walked. He felt a distinct twitch in his cock. He liked the feeling.
Someone cleared their throat across from him, and he glanced away. Rico had one eyebrow raised. He tipped his head at the man next to him. Jon did not appear happy. Hell, what was he bothered about? The werewolf had just about offered him Candy on a plate, with a ribbon tied around it.
He turned his attention back at the vampire, who was glancing between him and Candy as though contemplating an idea. Well, he could take his ideas and shove them.
He wasn’t sticking around to be sucked into their problems.
He was purposefully not thinking about Saffira—she wasn’t his problem anymore. She was Devlin’s problem. She was no doubt devastated by the loss of Espera, but really, she had turned her back on them as soon as a more exciting prospect had come along. He didn’t owe her anything.
He closed his mind to his surroundings, sipped his drink, and waited. Soon he would be out of here.
Ten minutes later, he sensed Saffira approaching. He’d shut himself off from her, but this close, her sorrow crowded in on him, and he couldn’t keep her out completely.
When she finally appeared, Devlin close behind her, her violet eyes were red-rimmed with grief and shadowed by loss. They had been her people, too, and it looked as though she was taking this harder than him. Maybe he should take the time to explain his whole now-we-are-free theory. Though, Saffira had always been free. Unlike him, she had never felt the need to tie herself to the people who had protected her, saved her, made her current life possible.
In that moment, he realized that all along he’d been harboring a deep-rooted bitterness toward her. He loved her, had always loved her, but… He shook off the thought.
He’d given all the emotion he was going to give. Just forget them now.
Saffira caught sight of him and broke into a run. He rose slowly, not knowing how to keep her at a distance but wishing somehow he could. She leaped for him, her arms around his neck, and she pressed up close. He breathed in her familiar scent, and her thoughts flooded his mind. His hands hung awkwardly by his side. Part of him knew he should hug her, give her comfort, but he couldn’t do it. He slammed the wall back up, not wanting to feel her grief, and she slowly pulled away, stepped back and gazed up into his face, her brows drawing together. Pain filled her eyes, and a sense of hopelessness swamped her mind.
Reaching out a hand, she touched his cheek, and he had to fight the urge not to flinch from her soft caress. “Why are you locking me out?”
He pressed his lips together while he considered his answer. “I think it’s best.”
She frowned. “Best?”
He edged around her and picked up the flask from the table. Raising it to his mouth, he drank, then wiped his lips. “We need to keep our distance. Sharing our feelings will only make things worse.”
“How can things be worse? They’re all dead.”
“You’re alive,” he pointed out. His eyes flicked to Devlin, who was glaring at him, a tic jumping in his cheek. He stepped closer to Saffira, wrapped his arms around her, and for a moment she relaxed against him. Then she straightened, staring Thorne in the face, and her eyes filled with…pity? “Let me help you.”
“I don’t need any fucking help.” He took another swallow and then slammed the empty flask down and turned away. He stalked to the edge of the room and stared at the blank screen. How the hell long were they going to keep him here? Should he go and steal a shuttle? There was no one here who could stop him.
But did he really want to go that route?
Yeah, he wanted away. He wanted nothing more to do with anybody.
But he didn’t want to actually hurt them, and wasn’t totally sure of his control right now.
Shit.
He pressed a finger to the spot between his eyes. He didn’t want to turn back and face that hurt expression in Saffira’s eyes. Or, for that matter, Candy’s expression of…he wasn’t sure how to describe it. Like she wanted to punch him in the nose. Like he was this huge disappointment. Well, hard luck.
“What are you going to do about it?” Devlin asked.
“Nothing. It’s none of my business anymore. That ended when Espera was destroyed.”
“So what are we doing?” Candy asked. “Are we going to go after them?”
“Of course we’re going to go after the fuckers,” Jon said.
Thorne let the conversation flow over him. If they went after the dragons, they would all die. There was no way to stop them.
“And then what?” Alex asked.
“We annihilate them,” Jon replied.
“Do we even know if they can be killed?”
“Anything can be killed.”
He turned around. “They’re too powerful. Just keep out of their way.”
“And what about Saffira?” Devlin asked. “They’ll keep coming after her.”
He shrugged. Were they being totally obtuse? “Then go where the dragons can’t follow. Saffira opens a wormhole and you disappear into the past or the future. They can’t come after you.” He shrugged. “What’s the problem?”
Saffira pulled free of Devlin’s arms and came to stand in front of him. “So you think I should run away. Pop down a wormhole and keep myself safe. Leave everyone else to die.”
“You’re being a little melodramatic.”
“How many have died so far? And you know they won’t stop.”
“Why’s that your problem? Just take your friends and get the hell out of here.” He hoped she would. Because no way was he responsible for her, but he didn’t want her destroyed.
She glared at him. “Not going to happen.”
He shrugged again. Trouble was, Saffira had grown up believing it was her destiny to save the whole world. It was hard to shake off that kind of upbringing. “Well, good luck.” He turned to Rico. “So, is that it, then? Can I go?”
“No.” Rico was still seated, booted feet crossed on the table in front of him. Thorne sighed. He had a feeling the vampire was going to be a pain in the ass.
He released a huge, audible sigh. “What now?”
“Well, we can’t kill them, and we don’t want to run away and hide from them, so I’m proposing we go and talk to them.”
Yeah, because that was a great idea. “Good luck with that.”
“Actually, when I say ‘we,’ I actually mean ‘you.’ After all, you’re the only person who’s talked to them before. Maybe they’d recognize you and chat with you again.”
“Or maybe they’d send me up in smoke like the rest of my people.”
The vampire gave him a long, lazy stare. “Do you care?”
Did he? He wasn’t quite ready to die. “I’m not ready for a suicide mission just yet.”
“Hmm,” Rico murmured, his gaze flicking between him and Candy. “I wonder what we could use to persuade you to stay.”
Thorne’s wings twitched. “Nothing. I’m leaving as soon as we’ve finishe
d this conversation.” He rose to his feet. He’d had enough of company. He opened his mouth as the shrill of an alarm rang out over the bridge. Fergal jumped up and crossed to the console he’d been working on. Information was scrolling out on the screen. “Looks like we’re going to have company.”
Rico got to his feet, strolled across the bridge, and read over his shoulder.
“A long way out yet,” Fergal said. “Two of them, and definitely headed this way.”
“How long?”
“Six hours, give or take.”
Time for him to get out of there. He pushed to his feet. “So, my shuttle?”
Something passed between Devlin and the vampire. “If you want one of the long range shuttles, it will take a few hours to prep.”
“Really?”
“You in that much of a hurry?”
Was he? Did it matter? He glanced at Candy, who stared back. Then at Saffira, who appeared haunted. The only way she could survive was to keep ahead of the dragons, on the move. “Don’t you need to get out of here?” he asked Devlin.
“A couple of hours won’t make any difference.”
“In the meantime,” Rico said, “perhaps you could search your mind for anything that might be of use to us.”
“Why not?” There was nothing, but if it got the vampire off his back, he’d agree. “I’ll be in my old cabin.” He couldn’t resist a last glance at Candy as he spoke. She gave no reaction, and he turned and walked out the door.
Chapter Eleven
Candy watched as he walked away.
She’d bought a little time by sabotaging his shuttle, but nothing had changed; if he left now, something told her she would never see him again.
Maybe he would disappear, or maybe they would all die.
Neither was a viable option.
He wanted her. She had a feeling he was thinking about sex when he’d glanced at her earlier. But she also had an idea he was thinking less in terms of a long-term relationship, more of a wham bam sort of thing. And did she want that? Would it hurt all the more if they made love and he left her anyway? She didn’t know and needed some time to think. Maybe another run. Her earlier one with Angel had been curtailed when they’d seen the Blood Hunter arrive. Wolf had a way of focusing her thoughts. She always ran when she had a problem to work out. Maybe that would give her the answer she needed.