“Well, yeah. But humans are sentimental creatures. I’m not saying it’s guaranteed he did, but it couldn’t hurt to look.” Sol waits for Ren’s approval before adjusting his search parameters.
Damn, he’s got Sol on a tight leash.
Refocusing on the screen in front of him, Sol goes back to work, searching for clues. I screech in surprise as Ren grabs my hands and yanks me into his lap. He’s vibrating with frustration. Anxious and pissed that we’ve been forced into a corner with nowhere to go. One look into the bond clues me in to what he wants. What he needs. Me. Naked. A tingle zips straight between my thighs. I’m so on board with his logic. After all, there’s nothing we can do right now. Might as well work out our frustration in a positive way.
Sauntering toward the exit, I throw a sultry look his way. Ren’s boots pound the floor as he follows, desire quickening his steps. I slap my hand against the lock, then suddenly, he’s flush against me, palming and squeezing my curves. Like stone against satin, his hard cock presses against my ass, and I angle my hips, welcoming it. I need him. His touch, his heat, his everything. A rush of white-hot desire drenches my panties when he shoves me against the wall, not bothering to enter the open door. Pain arcs across my chest as he pinches my nipple, rolling it between his rough fingers, and I buck my hips, crazed with need. He slips a finger inside me, then another, and I whimper and thrash. It’s not enough.
“Ren, the bed,” I pant, desperate for more. Ren jerks his head to the side and growls at the sound of footsteps from down the hall.
“What’s—no!” I beg, feeling empty the second Ren withdraws his fingers and turns to greet Sol.
“I found him,” he spits out between heavy breaths, overexerted from the short run. “And apparently, so did whoever he was hiding from. He is dead.” He bends over, gripping his side. “But you were right, Aciana. He was using his great grandmother’s last name and his uncle’s first.”
Couldn’t this have waited another twenty minutes? Because damn, that was hot.
Sol rushes to continue speaking at the look of irritation on Ren’s face. I can’t say I blame him.
“There is more. I uncovered a hidden file in the email Amina found, a link to a void storage bank.” Ren stares at Sol blankly. I don’t think either of us have a clue what that is. “It is an isolated, digital vault that exists within the UCom network. Untraceable, well, for everyone but me. There are several terabytes of information. If I can crack the code protecting it…”
“Get it done,” Ren growls, “Ragar!” Deep and drawn out, Ren’s demanding roar vibrates through the walls. His fists are balled at his sides as he stomps down the hallway toward the common room.
“Hurry, Aciana. We must clear the area,” Sol hollers as he starts to run. I jog behind him, confused and trying to keep up. An ear-splitting crack rings out, and a loud thud shakes the floor as Ragar and Ren tumble through the air. I cringe as Ragar pulls back his fist and slams it into the side of Ren’s face.
What the hell? He didn’t even bother to move out of the way.
My eyes burn from trying to keep them open. I’m afraid if they close, I’ll miss something big. The two warriors are moving so fast, the blur of their tangled bodies crashes through the common area like a wrecking ball; they only separate long enough to kick or punch the other across the room. The other males are scrambling to move the furniture that hasn’t been destroyed, and the females have retreated upstairs. Ren and Ragar land blow after blow, beating the ever-loving piss out of each other. It’s a wild free for all, the two of them pounding out their frustrations. I squeeze my thighs together, slightly jealous. After Ren left me splayed out in the hallway, Ragar isn’t the only one who could use a good pounding.
Naya leans against the wall, watching the fight. I dodge an overturned chair and a half-crushed table to sidle up beside her.
“How long will this go on for?” I ask, watching Sol run back into the navigation bay.
“Depends. I have seen males fight for as long as two of your Earth days before growing weary enough to stop. Aren does not usually take that long.”
Well, so far, we have nothing but time.
“Sol just informed me that the scientist Amina found is dead.” Naya keeps her eyes on Ren and Ragar. I have no doubt she’ll step in if she feels it necessary.
“Yeah. Shitty, right?”
Naya cocks a brow. “Indeed. Let us hope one of our contacts with the underground comes through or Ari returns. There will be no one left to save if much more times passes.”
An ache roars to life in my chest. Leandra. What if she’s hurt? Or worse…captured. Like a sinking stone, Naya’s words press down on my already heavy heart. “What do you mean no one left to save?”
Her scarlet gaze cuts to mine. “Would you want to live through that, Ajayla? If those females are doomed to a life of being bred by force, they will find a way to die.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ren
The sweat dripping into my eyes stings and blurs my vision. My muscles are heavy, sluggish from fatigue. Ragar and I continue sparring. We have yet to sate our rage.
Lunging forward, I clamp my hand around Ragar’s shoulder but lose my grip as my fingers slide off his sweat-drenched skin. Fire spreads across my face as a steel fist smashes into my jaw, and I answer with an uppercut and a snort. He growls. Cocky bastard. He never does cover quick enough after he has landed a hit.
Dull pain steals my breath as Ragar’s shoulder slams into my solar plexus, hitting the nerves. I cough, spitting blood on the ground, and elbow him in the gut hard enough he doubles over and gags. The rage in his eyes has dulled but only slightly. Much more violence to work off before we have tamped our fury. My lips pull into a grin as the tips of my barbs rake down his forearm before he can parry. And he leaps, knocking me back with a knee to my chest.
I scan to my left, and use the wall as a springboard, landing a spin kick to the side of Ragar’s face. The chair beside him breaks his fall, and he is back on his feet before I can blink. Meeting him midway, I lower my head, intercepting his charge head on. The force of the impact throws us apart—him into the wall behind and me across the floor. Panting, I let my eyes close. My sanity starts to break through the rage-filled haze that consumed me for so long.
“Reprieve?” I ask. The floor feels cool against my aching back.
Ragar grunts, raising his head. Noting my similar position, he lowers it. “Very well.”
I climb to my feet, my worn joints creaking with every movement. Ragar rights the overturned chair to his left, grimacing as it topples over, unable to stand on its warped leg. It took the brunt of his weight earlier.
This is by far the longest I have required to center myself. Sparring with Ragar blunts the edge of my mania but does nothing to soothe my indignation. Not even lust and need for my mate can overcome my frustration with our circumstances. What kind of leader cannot keep his people safe? Rage stirs inside me once more but dims as a wave of exhaustion snuffs out the embers of its blaze.
My Life Giver suffers, and I sit here whole, waiting and depending on the competence of others. Straightening my spine, I stride toward my room, refusing to display the fatigue dragging me down. Strength is the cornerstone of our society. The Inokine and their conspirators may have disrupted our lives, but they cannot take our pride, or steal the value we hold for our females.
I remove my boots to stifle the sound of my footfalls. Ragar and I fought well into the night, and most are sleeping. Even my mate has retreated to her dreams. I worry about the toll this has taken on her. What will she think of me if I am unable to save our people? I shake my head, raging at the thought. Insecurity is for pussies and self-deprecating fools.
I am neither.
A quick look into Sol’s mind and I see he has yet to slumber. Shit. My gaze settles on the thick metal separating me from the perfection lying in my bed. So close. The dull pain of incomplete release hangs heavy in my balls. I grip my dick, squeezing the lengt
h of my shaft. It strains for her, begging to be milked. But I cannot retire before the last of my crew. A growl of irritation rumbles in my chest as I back away from the only place I want to be. Sol better have a good reason for still being awake.
Ragar and I have destroyed our ship. So many things will need to be replaced. The once organized space is a mess of broken chairs and destroyed tables. All but three cushions on the large couch are shredded, and there are several large broken panels on the wall. My gaze cuts to the coffee dispenser, and relief washes over me. It is intact. Jayla would have gouged out my eyes if she had found it broken. She is irritable and moody without the disgusting brown drink.
The scent of desperation clings to the air in the navigation bay. Sol is slumped over his tablet, fiercely pounding away at its keys. He has found something. But he has not yet investigated fully enough to bring the information to me. He is growing smarter. His decisions are more finely in tune with what is expected of him.
Plopping down, I kick my feet out to the seat in front of me, stretching my sore muscles. The jab Ragar landed to my right hip must have cracked the joint because it screams every time I shift my weight. It was a good hit. Sol stirs, finally noticing me.
“Acia, I am so close…” He continues working, not taking his eyes off the screen. Whatever he is doing must be important. Not properly acknowledging me is a grave sign of disrespect.
“And you cannot be bothered to break your gaze?” The irritation in my voice is clear, but I do not have the energy for anger. What is left is reserved for those who are destined for death by my blade.
Sol’s shoulders tense, and he turns. “My apologies, Acia. I received a message from Raj Gamore, one of our contacts in the underground. He sends word in response to my call for information, but he only speaks in code. A very complicated, lengthy code. I am nearly finished completing the key now.”
“I will wait.”
“Of course, you will,” he mutters under his breath. My eyes narrow, waiting for him to apologize. He looks up once again. “I did not mean to offend. Forgive me, I have been doing this all night and I am so damn close. Just a little longer and I will have it, I swear.”
“As always,” I say drawing out my words,” you are pardoned for your disrespect.” He chuckles and continues to work. Leaning back in my chair, I close my eyes and once again search for Ari. There. Finally. His familiar signature is dull, but I can feel him. I still cannot see into his mind. His energy is groggy, clouded by a chemical fog.
Fuck. His cover has been compromised. Fury boils my blood. The human mechanic. If she has been taken, my mate…
I crush my fist to the table, refusing to consider the possibility. Now aware of the waning effects of whatever medication was used to keep me from Ari, I search for my Life Giver. Nothing. Still the dull, faint beat of her heart echoes in my mind but nothing more. I owe her my life. Our females, Ari, and the human mechanic…all possibly suffering at the hands of our enemies…
“Finally! Damn Archeons and their paranoia.” I jerk my head up at the sound of Sol’s voice, my neck muscles clamping down at the quick movement.
Lowering my feet, I swivel the chair toward him. “No riddles or games. What did you find?” His exuberant smile leaves him as his eyes flutter back and forth between the key and the message. I lurch forward, crowding him.
“What?” I ask, frustrated by his continued silence.
“They are to be sold.”
Sol’s desk groans under my weight as I smash down my fist. We knew this. “When?” A jolt of pain shoots through my bruised jaw as I spit the words between clenched teeth.
“In two Earth days at the old Inspirion checkpoint near the Kruvian star system.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jayla
I sit up with a jolt, the cold stab of dread ripping me from sleep. I feel around for Ren and come up empty. Shit. Something’s wrong
Grabbing a soft purple wrap to throw around my shoulders, I pull on my pants and take off to find Ren. Last I saw, he was channeling his inner caveman by trading blows with Ragar. One quick glimpse of the common room, or what’s left of it, and I can tell they went on for several more hours after I grew tired of spectating. I’ve always been fond of half-naked men fighting, but when it’s your man and he doesn’t even seem to enjoy it, it sucks the fun right out of the event. Nausea rises in my throat.
I barrel through the door, stopping to catch my breath. I’ve got to start doing some cardio. Riding Ren not included.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, gasping for air. Ren’s rigid frame and black eyes thrum with power. And rage. So much rage. Whatever it is, it’s bad. Oh, God. Leandra…
His lip twitches. “We have found them.”
The edge of violence to his words confuses me. Shouldn’t he be excited? Unless…
“Are they…”
I cringe as a low growl escapes his lips. “My life giver is breathing. But they are to be sold in two Earth days.”
The room spins. “What? Where are they? We need to go—
“We have no plan, Aciana. No guaranteed cover.” Sol turns to me, eyes wide with distress. “I need time to gather intelligence.”
“Who the fuck cares?” I ask, my heart racing in my chest. We’ve spent so long searching for them, and now that we’ve found them, we’re going to stop and research?
Ren and Sol lock eyes. “We risk our entire number without a plan in place. Sol and I are working on it now. We will notify the rest shortly.”
“Call him.”
“Skara…we must further investiga—”
“Call Rivan.”
Why can’t he see how urgent this is?
“Your Life Giver is there, Ren. Who cares what we have to come up with? We need to get to them. “
He snarls, “That is not our way!”
My stomach churns, and my mouth falls open in shock. He’s never spoken to me like that before. I stare at the two males in disbelief. “We don’t have the luxury of waiting or spending any more time planning. You were flexible on Non, leaving before the weather patterns were confirmed. Why can’t you do that now? If they choose to move up the auction, or get spooked and cancel it, we might never see them again.”
Ren growls then swipes a barbed hand across the table in front of him, sending one of Sol’s creations skidding across the floor. “I am aware of the risk involved in waiting. I do not need a reminder from you.”
I draw back at his anger-fueled words. I let the first time slide, but a second? Oh, hell no.
“Acia…” Sol pleads.
“Quiet!” Ren snarls. “I do not fucking like this. Give me a moment to think.” Frown lines mar his beautiful face. I understand that asking him to throw caution to the wind is the equivalent to insanity. Planning and vetting are their way of life. They may be rigid, but even steel knows at what temperature to bend. My pride demands that I walk out. I’m irritated by his stubbornness, frustrated by his refusal to do what I can feel he wants, and pissed he’d talk to me like he did. But I love him, and he’s hurting.
His stubborn ass is going to listen to what I have to say. If he doesn’t like it, he can take it out on me in the bedroom later.
Ren’s pacing like a wild animal. And his skin is hot to the touch when I wrap my arms around him. His muscles respond to my nearness, relaxing underneath the soft pads of my fingers, but his heart continues to batter against the inside of his ribcage. I cup the side of his angular face, directing his feral gaze to mine.
We need to step back and simplify.
“How long does it take to get there? Let’s focus on that first.” I look to Sol, inviting him to answer. He stares longingly at the pieces of his creation on the ground.
Almost as if it pains him, he forces himself to concentrate on his tablet. “A little more than one Earth day, Aciana. We will be cutting it close.”
I rub my thumb across Ren’s lips and feel a slight rumble in his chest. “And what do we know about the place they’re bei
ng kept?”
“They are at a decommissioned Universal Community checkpoint about half the size of your previous station. It was deemed uninhabitable after several cases of Spacial Euphoria broke out, and they tied it to inadequate sterilization of the air. The cost of fixing the equipment was far greater than the station’s productivity numbers, so they re-distributed the staff. It has been in a state of disrepair for some time now.”
Wait. That doesn’t make sense.
“Um, you don’t get Spacial Euphoria from bad air. It’s spread by a Jorvian parasite. And if it’s been abandoned, how is it still suitable for life?”
Sol turns and rests his chin on his hands. Ren’s tight features are starting to relax, the startling blue of his eyes bleeding through the darkness. “I do not know, Ajayla. That is what I am struggling to understand. It seems we have stumbled on an intricate operation, and from what I have found so far, the traffic in that area has steadily increased. It is quite possible this is where are all of the stolen females are being kept.”
My heart sinks like an anchor in my chest as Ren’s hidden anxiety bleeds through our bond. “Let’s just wake everyone. They deserve to know. Rivan can calibrate the autopilot, and we can head that way. One day is plenty of time for Sol to come up with something, and I’ll stay to help as well. There has to be a way to safely get us on that station.”
Sol’s eyes light up with something close to pride as he cracks his knuckles and stretches his arms. “I will find us a way, Acia.”
“Yes, you will,” Ren says, finally allowing his shoulders to sag. A faint tugging at the back of my mind draws my focus to Ren’s closed eyes. He must be waking Rivan.
“I woke them all. You are correct. They should be informed.”
Oh, so he’s in my head. But answering me out loud? That’s new. And slightly annoying.
But wait. Did he just admit I’m right?
Ren’s lips press into a thin line, completely unimpressed. Yep, he’s listening all right. As much as I’d like to say something snarky, I know it’s a big deal for Ren to welcome my feedback. With a male as alpha as he is, I can imagine it’s hard to let someone else in when you’ve spent the majority of your life trusting in your own instincts and no one else’s.
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