by Mikayla Lane
He held up his hands letting them know he wasn’t armed, but after this greeting, he’d make damn sure he was the next time. He didn't expect anyone to be in the command center at this time of the night, and he’d been so deep in thought he’d made a rookie mistake and left his weapon in his room. He really hated looking so damn incompetent around this magnificent woman.
“I’m not armed.” He said stating the obvious, even though she still didn’t take her hand off of her weapon.
Lowering his arms back to his sides, he took a longer look at Jax, while she and Gibly just stared at him strangely. She changed from her earlier uniform clothing. Her long legs were now encased in some kind of fuzzy looking pink pants that hung loosely from her narrow hips. The bare hint of skin showed between the gap in her pants and the tight white tank top that clung tightly to her well rounded breasts. The muscles in her arms stood out while she continued to stand battle ready in front of him.
He tried his best to rein in his beast at the sight of so much of her beautiful skin showing. It was the exact shade of the coffee he had come to love, when it had the perfect amount of milk added to it. He had no idea if that was why he liked the drink so much or not, but he couldn’t help but think of her creamy skin every time he drank a cup, which had become often.
Her large black eyes stared almost blankly at him, but he knew her mind was running just fine, her cheeks rosy colored as if she was caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to be doing, which she was. Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail which trailed down her back in curls. Her lean body still not relaxed in the least.
“I asked what you were doing here.” Her question brought him out of his perusal of her beautiful body. Damn he should know better than to let his mind wander around her! Or let his guard down for that matter. Her beauty well hid her lethal abilities. He’d seen her training with the others, and he’d seen the vids of the raids she’d led. She was an amazing warrior, and he wasn’t sure if pitted against a Valendran, who would actually win. Her stubbornness alone was a force to be reckoned with.
“You can relax. I couldn’t sleep and decided to put some fresh eyes on the plan again to try to see if we’ve missed anything. Not that I think you would.” He quickly added when she flashed angry eyes at him.
“This is something I do even on my own plans. I can’t help but run through it and try to find different scenarios, things that can go wrong, so we can be prepared if they do.” He took a chance and decided to sit down, and saw how it relaxed her immediately. Strangely enough, Gibly relaxed with her.
“What have you come up with?” Jax tried to act as nonchalantly as possible as she asked. She didn’t trust this man even if Gibly did. There was something about him that just… she couldn’t explain it. He made her nervous; however, not in a defensive way, in a much more personal one.
“Do you mind?” He asked nodding towards the white board. Although she’d let go of the death grip she’d had on her weapon, her stance had only relaxed slightly, and he wanted to make no move that would startle her. She seemed so… skittish around him. He wondered if she was just as fascinated with him as he was with her, he truly hoped so.
At her sharp nod, he casually stood up and strode to the board as she rounded the opposite side, keeping him a safe distance from her and keeping a tactical advantage. Damn she was good.
Having erased and washed the plan off the board before they had left the conference room earlier for security purposes he had to start from the beginning as he sketched out the plan on the board.
“I see a problem here, here and here.” He said pointing towards three different areas of the board when he was done.
Jax stood silently and studied the locations that he was referring to. That one she was counting on and would have to give him the bull shit excuse, she and Gibly had worked out already in case anyone else had noticed that little flaw. However, the other two… she couldn’t think of what problem he was talking about.
“What do you see?” She asked curiously, listening intently as he explained the potential problems that he saw occurring in those locations. She was truly impressed with how his mind worked. Other than the one area she knew of, she hadn’t thought of the possibilities he’d presented in the other two.
“You’re right. I hadn’t considered that.”
Reven hid his smile at her grudging admission and how much more relaxed she looked now. He could almost see her mind working through the problems looking for solutions. She was so damn intelligent he had no doubt that she’d come up with solutions, but figured he might give her his thoughts anyway since she was so absorbed. Walking back to the board, he outlined his ideas to prevent the problems and stood waiting for her thoughts on it.
“I think here,” she pointed to the location she was aware of and gave him her excuse to how that would be covered and held her breath waiting for his response.
“I think that’s perfect. We should really go with that.” He agreed after considering it.
“But here, we should go with your idea. Force definitely the best option for us to close that particular area off.” She almost hated admitting it, but his idea was perfect and carefully thought out.
“Here though…” He said pointing to the last location with the marker still in his hand as he shook his head. “I don’t like either of our options there.”
She stared at the area thoughtfully and again had to admit he was right. That area was going to have to take much more thought to make it work in their favor because of the location.
“Let’s start with what works from each idea and see what we can do from there.” Jax grabbed another marker in a different color and began writing on the board the pros of each plan. Seeing where she was going with it, Reven started writing the cons of each on another side of the board.
Chapter Fourteen
Jax finished writing on the board and stood back to watch Reven as he finished writing the cons on the board. The muscles in his right arm bulged as he wrote quickly and efficiently on the board. She couldn’t help but admire the way the gray sweat pants clung to his sexy ass and his large thighs. The muscles in his back tightening the already snug white T-shirt and molding it to his body as, he moved. She had to admit that he was one good-looking man.
His dark-brown hair was peppered with gray and cropped into what seemed to be a universal military cut, cut closely on the sides and only marginally longer on the top. His chiseled face showed the hint of shadow reflecting the lateness of the hour since he needed to shave already. His unusual blue eyes shone like twin blue zircon gems… it was then she realized he’d finished at the board, turned around and was watching her staring at him. She blushed furiously as she realized she’d just been caught staring at him!
She tried to pretend as if she was focusing on the board behind him and stood up, walking slowly to the board as if in thought. He knew she was pretending, the look in her eyes when she knew that he’d caught her staring at him was almost comical, and he’d had to stifle a bark of laughter.
However, that would have embarrassed her, and he didn’t want to give her any reason to leave. If he had to be stuck with another sleepless night, he couldn’t think of anyone else he’d rather spend it with than the person who haunted his dreams. He loved the way her mind challenged his, and he believed that he had the same effect on her.
So he hid his laughter and held his marker out to her with a slight rise of his eyebrow, as if daring her to take it from him and start discussing things with him. He had to stifle another smile as she gave him an arrogant smirk and snatched the marker from his hand so quickly he didn’t see her move.
He watched as she kept going to the board and began talking about each point he brought up in turn while they both discussed the options and hashed out a way to seal the gaps in her plan.
So intent on their task and the lively discussion they were having, Reven didn’t realize that Banatar and Ivint were seated at the opposite end of the conference room table
listening intently to their back and forth rapport.
“Ivint… I’m sorry I didn’t realize you, and Banatar had come in. Do you have anything to add?” Reven asked with surprise, he’d had no idea his friend walked in until he’d turned around to grab the eraser off the table where he’d left it. He wondered how long they’d been sitting there and why neither he, nor Jax heard them come in.
“Actually no, I don’t. The two of you seem to have things well under control from what we’ve heard over the last few hours. I do believe one or both of you have more than covered my thoughts and suggestions on the matter.” Ivint said with a slight smirk at his friend.
Reven tried his best not to stare at his friend in shock. Hours? They’d been sitting there for hours? How is it possible he didn’t know they had come in? How could Jax not have known? Or had she? He looked quickly at her to see if she was as surprised as he was and was embarrassed to see that she was not. Why didn’t she tell him they had company? Or had she thought he already knew? What the hell was wrong with him? Why hadn’t he heard them come in? He needed to think… get some sleep.
“I said, we were just finishing up, and since we’ve been up to all night, I was going to hit the shower and bed before my shift. Thank you for your help with this Reven. It saved a ton of time being able to throw it back and forth this way. High Councilor, Banatar.” Jax gave a curious look to Reven, nodded her head to the other men and left the room; his eyes followed her every step until she, and Gibly was out of sight.
“I see it was a good idea to put the two of you together on this. It makes me wish I did it much sooner. It was quite… um… enlightening to listen to the way you seemed to complement each other on your strategies to the problem.” Ivint tried but failed to wipe the huge smile off of his face. There were less than a handful of times that he’d been able to get one over on his friend. Being able to sneak into the room and stay undetected for hours was truly one he would never let his friend forget. Even though he knew that his own skill or Reven’s lack thereof had nothing to do with why Reven was so distracted and everything to do with the beautiful and incredibly intelligent woman who had just walked out of the room.
She and Gibly had known before they even walked in the door that they were there. He didn’t think anything got by the extremely guarded woman. Her eyes were on them the moment they walked into the room, scanning them quickly for weapons and doing an immediate threat assessment. Satisfied, she’d given them the briefest of nods before turning back to the board and her heated defense of her particular strategy in one area.
He and Banatar had originally come down early to go over a few things alone when they’d heard the voices in the conference room. They hadn’t expected to see Gibly lying contentedly on the conference room table, facing the door, as Jax and Reven had a heated exchange.
The first thing they noticed when she turned her attention back to Reven was the grudging respect they were showing each other and not the silent treatment that they usually did. In fact, it was the longest he’d ever heard Jax speak at one time.
After the first twenty minutes, he and Banatar silently agreed not to interrupt them and just listen. He was glad that he did. He understood a lot more about her than he did before he walked in the room and his respect for her, and her abilities grew. Where Reven’s battle tactics tended to be more towards force and strength, with weaponry and physical ability; Jax used more intelligence and fewer physically confrontational methods.
She knew the limitations of her people and had adapted her strategies towards their strengths instead, such as speed and their different gifts in the right places at the right time. Such as their ‘rock caller’ (he never knew there was such a thing, or that they even had one) being put in the access tunnel with the partial cave in, where she could cave the rest of it without being anywhere near it while trapping the traitor behind it.
But it wasn’t only her unique tactics; it was her ability to know when Reven’s brand of tactics were more suited to the situation, and she willingly allowed him to take over in the areas where she recognized his suggestion would work better. He was more than a little surprised when Reven showed her the same respect.
“I’m sorry Sir. We were a little caught up in what we were discussing, and I didn’t realize you had come in. I should probably try to get some sleep as well. It was a long night. Sirs," Reven looked away from the smirk on Ivint’s face and the matching one on Banatar’s as, he made his way out of the conference room. He knew Ivint would catch up with him later, and he’d have to explain himself, but he’d much rather put that off until he had a few hours of sleep and a clearer head.
Ivint watched his friend go out the door and smiled much broader as soon as Reven wasn’t close enough to see it. Things were obviously going to become more interesting around there very soon. He just hoped that the traitor was caught before it got too interesting.
*****
Jax had barely gotten in the door of her room when Sarex came barging in behind her before she could even shut the door. Relaxing when she saw her friend, she shut the door behind both while Sarex paced in front of Jax’s bed wringing her hands.
“What did you see?” Jax asked, knowing it couldn’t be good if it woke Sarex up this early in the morning.
“Jax, I see her being taken again.” Sarex turned her tear filled gaze to her friend.
“Sit down and tell me everything.” Jax gently took Sarex’s hand and sat with her on the bed; listening intently to the vision she’d had about Jess that woke her from sleep. She almost smiled when she realized that Sarex’s vision was proof her plan was going to work perfectly.
“Listen to me Sarex. I know your visions are never wrong, but in this case, I can assure you it will not turn out the way you think. Trust me. Please.” Jax knew she was asking a lot from her friend, but she didn’t have a choice.
“But Jax, I saw someone take her out of here, saw her fighting…” Sarex began until Jax cut her off.
“I know what you think you see. But in this case… Sarex you know this plan will work. Please. I’m begging you to trust me.” Jax grabbed her hand and gave her a gentle squeeze.
“Jax, I trust you with my life… but what I saw….” Jax didn't realize she’d been holding her breath waiting for Sarex to respond. She let out her breath slowly and thought for a moment how she could fix this and assure her friend this was going to be alright.
“Sarex, I know what you saw. It’s what I want… what I need for everyone to see happen. You know it’s our only choice. We’re only going to get this one chance.” Jax was close to begging. She knew if Sarex was upset enough about it; she would tell Banatar. And Banatar would tell the Valendrans. She couldn’t take that chance.
“Jax… this is crazy. When they find out they’re going to be furious; and rightfully so this goes too far. And Jess…” Sarex didn’t like Jax’s plan at all, knowing her vision was part of the plan frightened her even more. She couldn’t shake the feelings of fear and hopelessness that she had felt from Jess in her vision.
“Can’t you see how important this is? We have to do this, there is no other option. And according to your vision, it works. You can’t fear something when you know that’s the outcome we want! You have always trusted me before my friend, and I have never let you down. Please trust me on this.” Jax was pleading with her friend to understand. To trust her, even though her vision said she shouldn’t. Jax knew how hard this must be for her sensitive friend to deal with; however, she didn’t know how else to ease her mind.
“I really need some time to think about this Jax. I’ll keep our secret and think about it. We can talk about it later when you get up. Ok?” Sarex needed more time to think than she knew she had, but she had to get away right now. She needed to get away from Jax so the emotions rolling off of her in waves would stop clouding her own thoughts.
“I understand. Please really consider this Sarex. It is the only way. I swear on my life it is.” Jax held her friend's hands tig
htly as she stood up with her and walked her to the door.
“I know you believe that Jax. I’ll think about it. Try to get some sleep.” And with that, Sarex walked out of Jax’s room and back down the hallway to her own room, even though she knew she wouldn’t be getting anymore sleep.
Jax stood in the doorway and watched Sarex enter her own room and silently close the door behind her before she did the same. Walking to her bed, she laid down and spread out her body, trying to relax, even a little. She wasn’t the least bit surprised when Gibly jumped up and lay beside her.
“Do you think that she’ll tell Banatar?” Jax asked while she absently stroked Gibly’s soft fur.
“I do not think so. We will have to wait and see.” Gibly had rolled over onto his back, so she could pet his belly and almost purred his response to her, before standing back up again.
“I must go. He needs me. He having another nightmare.” Gibly had walked to the door and waited for Jax to open it for him.
“Are you sure he’s going to be alright for this Gibly?” Jax asked again; she couldn’t remember how many times she’d asked him the same thing. However, it was the one part of her plan she was the least sure about. Not the plan itself, the person who was supposed to take care of that part was what bothered her.
“He is perfect. You will see.” Gibly replied before walking down the hall in the same direction Sarex had gone. Shutting her door and laying back on her bed, Jax went over the plan in her head again.
*****
“Good morning Amalaya.” Amun whispered in Jess’s ear as, he nuzzled her neck with worry. She didn't sleep much again; tossing and turning all night and that was after spending hours just staring silently at the wall in the dark.
He knew something was wrong but every time he asked her she would insist that everything was fine. He couldn’t help but worry that maybe they had planned the mating ceremony too soon; that she needed more time to heal before she was ready for such a serious commitment.