by Vi Voxley
Her knuckles had been white around the edge of her seat, watching Havoc and Chase dodge the deadly blows without blinking an eye. The danger they were in was very real. It was the only way for them to prepare.
Sean ran up to her, ripping Dana from her musings – and from ogling at her fated, trying to stop the walls in her heart from crumbling. There was no cure for getting caught daydreaming about a Gargon, as far as she could see. Every woman aboard the Sanguine would have, and had, told her that. Gargon warriors were impossible to resist, damn them.
The truth was slowly dawning on her. As much as her son's happiness came first, she also wanted the warlords for her own sake. Dana's heart longed for the kind of love she couldn't share with anyone not part of the bond.
"Good morning," she said to Sean, smiling brightly.
Her lips were beginning to hurt from that. For a week, Dana had done everything in her power to keep the full reality of war from Sean. The warlords had convinced her that it was better for Sean to know, but Dana was having a hard time setting the line of exactly how much he needed to know.
Finally, the day of reckoning had come. She'd let a permission slip and as with children everywhere, they had magical memories when it came to things they weren't usually allowed to do.
"Good morning," Sean chimed back at her, beaming like a little beacon. "Can you tell me the story now?"
Me and my big mouth.
A few days ago, Sean had been pestering her about the war at the dinner table and carelessly, as only a mother could, Dana had let the words slip across her lips. "I'll tell you when I get back from the Sanguine."
It's uncanny. He can't remember to brush his teeth in the evening or which way our rooms are in this maze of a villa. But that he remembers.
Havoc and Chase were coming over, wearing twin grins on their faces. They had been at the table too. It amused them, the bastards, and of course they’d heard Sean asking her now. Like they heard everything.
Dana noticed the hostile animosity between them was less present as of late. It was still there, as their rivalry hadn't gone anywhere. She'd merely noticed that near her and Sean, it didn't flare up that much. Like she was a catalyst for peace between the two, bringing them close in the one matter they agreed upon.
"He didn't forget, did he?" Chase asked, chuckling softly. "I told you. Boys have a natural interest in war."
"This is all on you," Dana said accusingly, smiling despite herself as she waggled a finger at the warlords. "You put it in his head that he needs to protect me, that's why he is so obsessed now."
"He should," Havoc shrugged. "Agreed, he is not a man yet, but he will be one day. It is never too late to start."
"Sean is not a Gargon," Dana reminded him sharply.
"He's not," Havoc agreed. "Doesn't mean he shouldn't be able to make up his own mind. Ask his own questions."
It has hard to argue with that. Dana didn't want to baby her son. It had been her biggest concern when she'd taken the boy from his father and Ryan's rigorous regime of a "normal boy". It had included everything from football to cars to tools not fitting for a child in any way.
She had needed to get Sean away from a man who lived through him like he was nothing but a conduit for his beliefs. It didn't mean she had to go around and come out of the same door. Many single mothers she'd seen instantly became overly paranoid gooses when left alone with their children.
She didn't want that for Sean. There had to be a golden midway between telling her seven-year-old son to man up and hiding him from the world altogether.
"Alright," she said, trying to glare when Sean reacted to that by jumping up and down. "I promised. Fair is fair. Ask away. If Havoc and Chase can help me answer you, I hope they will?"
Both warlords nodded. Leaning against the edge of the arena, they waited with Dana, who was sure all her boys were conspiring against her.
"Okay," Sean said.
He pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. Dana bit her tongue not to laugh, her eyes flickering to the warlords. Havoc, unsurprisingly, was nodding, an amused grin on his lips. It figured the man who liked being prepared understood coming prepared to a conversation Sean undoubtedly knew wouldn't be repeated.
As for Chase, he was barely holding back laughter himself, shaking his head ever so slightly, warning her against pointing out Sean's over-eagerness.
He's killing me with this, but gods above, this is kind of adorable.
"What is the League?" Sean asked, reading carefully and attentively from his paper.
With a look, Dana warned the guys that she was going to take that one.
"The enemies," she said simply. "Bad men and women. You have seen many good people. They all belong to the Alliance. The League wants to... take our worlds. Havoc and Chase won't let them."
Sean nodding, crossing off the item from his list with a pen that appeared from his pockets as miraculously as the list had.
"Why aren't we with the others?" the boy went on.
"I went to see the Sanguine yesterday," Dana replied, although it pained her to think of that visit.
It was hard enough for the women to know they hadn't gotten everything they'd dreamed of. It was worse to be forced to stay in the place that reminded you of that disappointment with every little detail.
Dana hadn't known what to say. A part of her wanted to offer them the hope of finding someone while they were trapped on Octava. Giving possibly false hope hadn't seemed like the way to go, though, so Dana had chosen to assure them they were safe, which they were.
That was the good part.
The fact she hadn't been able to find Isabel anywhere was the bad, and still weighed heavily on her soul. If the girl was choosing to hide from her like a pouting teenager, the blow she'd suffered the day at the arena had to have been great.
Dana's sadness sprang from knowing what such misfortunes lead to. She'd seen it go bad, very bad. A lion's share of women dealt with their anger, grief, disappointment and heartbreak in a natural, healthy way. Some cried, some worked through the pain, some took the forget-it-all pill and carried on with their lives.
Isabel's refusal to deal with the matter put her in the danger zone of unhealthy reactions. Dana made the mental note to find the girl soon and put her right before she did anything stupid.
"Havoc has kindly offered that we can stay in his home until it's safe to go," she went on. "This house is big, but not big enough for all of our friends. They are in a town nearby. I can take you with me the next time."
She hoped she'd successfully avoided answering the question the way Sean asked it. In truth, Dana was guilt-ridden by the fact she and Sean were much safer in Havoc's villa than the crew of the Sanguine. Nothing could have made her put Sean's life in danger, though.
They were staying.
Her son was crossing off the second item.
"Who are the twins?" he asked then. "Everyone keeps talking about them. Are they bad?"
Before Dana could reply, Chase cut in.
"We'll take this one," he said, more to her than to Sean. "First of all, little warrior. You can point out whoever told you about the twins later. Havoc and I can have a little chat with them."
Dana suppressed a chuckle, hoping they weren't going to murder anyone. She gave her fated a little nod of thanks, dreading what was still coming.
"As for the twins," Chase went on, leaning on the edge with both arms, a casual smile on his lips. "They are bad, yes. The League wouldn't be coming here if it weren't for them. They don't like me and Havoc very much, which is fine. We don't like them either."
"Are you going to fight them?" Sean asked, his eyes wide with excitement.
That was the one thing Dana hadn't wanted to think about. So far, the impending war had seemed more like a vacation in Havoc's villa. Very soon, her fateds would embark to actual battle and leave them behind, to worry and hope they returned.
"Yes," Havoc said. "And we are going to win."
Judging by the look in Sean'
s eyes, her son had no doubt about that. Dana wished she herself could be so certain.
"What are they like?" Sean pressed on, unrelenting.
Dana wanted to warn the warlords, but apparently they weren't completely dropped on their heads when it came to dealing with children.
"Their names are Uttom and Crann," Havoc answered. "They belong to a species called Rabors. If you ever see one, you should run.
"It's easy to recognize them. Their armor is as green as their skin and almost as thick. Yellow eyes, big swords and a lot of teeth. Very ugly. That's why you should run. No one wants to look at them for too long."
"Are they big?" Sean asked, looking like it was the best day ever while Dana tried not to think of the enemies.
"Not as big as Havoc," Chase jested, making Sean laugh.
Even the clear, happy laughter of her son couldn't ease Dana's mind. The warlords had described the twins to her as well. The imagery had been a little different and she was sure they had still omitted a few details from her. Huge, green monsters with sharp, jagged swords and not a merciful bone in their bodies – not the mental image a worried mother wanted to have. Or a potential bride, for that matter.
If those ever set foot on Octava, Dana wasn't sure there was a safe place anywhere on the planet.
"We wouldn't let them anywhere near you," Chase said and this time, Dana was certain the warrior was talking to her.
Both her fateds were looking at her, in fact.
Their amazing, gorgeous eyes glittered with emotion as Chase repeated:
"You are safe here. As long as we draw breath, nothing can harm you."
She believed him. Although Dana could practically feel the League drawing nearer every day, she believed him without reservations.
Her heart beat wildly in her chest as she realized how deep she'd fallen. It had been a long time since someone had made her feel taken care of, made her feel like she could look to the future without fear.
That wasn't all. Dana didn't know if her fateds were doing it on purpose or not, but she certainly noticed. An entire week had passed and there hadn't been a word about the expectations the bond between them heaped upon her. Not a single hint.
She was beginning to think her damaged soul had been mistaken. Dana had considered the idea before, that perhaps she only noticed and heard the bad rumors about Gargons because she needed to protect herself. All that time, she'd been so certain they were some baby-obsessed brutes who mounted a woman, got her pregnant and went off to war.
Very... Neanderthal.
Faced with actual, living-breathing men of blood and flesh like her, Dana was a little embarrassed for her earlier convictions.
The thought rose from the bottom of her pained soul, up through the many layers of denial with which she protected herself. Dana didn't speak it out loud yet, she didn't dare to. In her own mind's eye, the dream took form, burning as brightly as it ever had. As though it had never been put out.
Could this be what I've been searching for after all? Could we be home?
14
Havoc
The message came that night after the boy had long gone to bed.
The three of them were sitting in one of his trophy rooms on one of the lower levels. It was still mind-boggling for Havoc to think he and Chase were sharing a fated.
The presence of the other warlord in his house wasn't uncommon, exactly. To see him there as a permanent presence was a bit of an adjustment, though.
He couldn't deny it grated on his nerves, just a little. The way Dana sometimes looked at Chase was almost too much for him. In that, Havoc knew Chase felt the same whenever the same gaze fell upon himself. It was clear to both of them that as far as physical attraction was concerned, at least, their fated was quickly falling for them.
To her credit, she didn't bother to deny that.
"Tell me honestly," Chase had just prompted her. "All these flights of yours. Bringing the Sanguine here time and time again. Seeing all the heartbreak, yes, but there must have been happily bonded couples as well.
"We know the success rate. It's impressive. And judging by how protective you are of the other females – tell us. Did you never feel tempted to look for a bond for yourself?"
To Havoc's surprise, their fated laughed a little.
She looked gorgeous, leaning back in a deep armchair. It was made for his measurements so the little Terran was practically lost in there, her long legs curled under herself as she toyed with her chalice of wine. The knee-length white dress she wore was flattering her.
The lights in the room were dimmed, mimicking a naturally burning fire. Dana's blue eyes sparkled as she smiled coyly, looking so incredibly sexy with the shy grin on her lips that Havoc felt his cock stir immediately. He heard a barely inaudible groan from Chase, telling him their fated was doing things to both of them.
"Of course I did," Dana admitted. "Look at you guys. On Terra, we have all sorts of men. Some are big like you and some are not. To each their own, I always said. Before I came to Octava, I mean.
"Then I realized that there is some statute of hotness a woman can handle, some line in the sand that Gargons have crossed with your entire species. Everything about you is just so damn masculine. It's like catnip to women."
"Catnip?" Havoc asked, a hint of lust in his voice that he couldn't hide, and it having nothing to do with the question he asked.
"It means we can't resist you," Dana said, the look in her eyes making all air rush out of the room.
"Is that so?" he asked, standing up.
Her eyes went wide as Havoc slowly approached her, setting his own chalice down on the low table between them. He could see all the signs of hesitation, of the inner conflict that was raging in her.
She didn't say anything. Dana's lips opened and closed as she searched for words that didn't come.
Havoc had known that. He had seen the signs for days. Piece by piece, her stubbornness was falling behind, breaking down like the barriers she had built around herself. With every day, she had tempted him more, opening up without even noticing it.
The way her body moved when they were near was a clear testament to that. She no longer tensed up, on the contrary. Whenever he was close, Dana edged closer to him too.
He wondered if she knew that.
Havoc extended his hand to her, just like a week ago on the arena. This time, slowly, with her pulse so loud he could hear it, Dana took it. She let him pull her to her feet gently and then further, into his sure embrace.
It was indescribable, to hold her at last. The feeling of having her in his arms, the softness of her skin and the warmth of her body under his fingers... Havoc doubted he could have stopped.
Even so, he needed to be sure. Unlike Hannah, Dana was a wild, dangerous creature, one you never took for granted or underestimated. She needed to be tamed, brought in slowly and surely.
He lifted up her chin with his right hand, the left holding her against his wide chest. Without his armor, Havoc could feel her rapid heartbeat.
"Go ahead," he said quietly, his lips almost touching hers. "Resist."
He could feel Dana tremble in his arms, the shudder that went through her body like lightning. She hadn't turned her burning gaze from him for a moment. They were so close Havoc could feel the softness of her lips without actually kissing her.
"I can't," Dana whispered. "Havoc..."
That last word had been a plea, he was certain of that. Even without it, to hear his name from that mouth, in that gorgeous voice, it was too much for him.
He leaned in, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss at last. Dana whimpered, trembling like she was surprised before the whimper turned into a long, drawn-out moan. Her body arched against his, slipping easily into his arms that were now wrapped around her, pulling her closer until there was no air between them.
He had been right, too. Dana's lips were incredibly soft as he nipped at them, claiming them again and again, never getting enough of her taste. When she finally
opened them enough to let him deepen the kiss, Havoc knew he could never let her go.
At the back of his mind, he realized he was probably holding her a little too tightly for comfort, possibly hurting her, but there was no complaint from Dana. She held onto him for dear life, her tongue dancing with his in her mouth, fighting for dominance that she so easily lost.
Havoc could tell how much she liked it like that, how much she enjoyed letting go and giving herself over to him when she knew he wouldn't take advantage of her.
The kiss was so intense Havoc could feel himself growing harder, the heat of the moment making him lust for her more than ever before. Her body was simply calling to him, loudly and clearly this time.
When they broke for air, Dana's eyes were clouded over and her lips were swollen. The smile on her face was the happiest he'd seen yet. The desire to make her look like that all the time burrowed into his heart, refusing to let go.
Neither one of them had noticed Chase approaching, if Dana's surprise was anything to go by. Chase turned her around while Havoc was still holding on to her, pulling her into another deep kiss. The deep, low moan sent a surge of pleasure down Havoc's spine even if he wasn't the one giving their fated pleasure.
He glared at Chase, but the moment was too precious to pick a fight with his rival. While the other warlord was kissing Dana, his hands in her soft hair, Havoc let his hands wander all over her amazing body.
Dana shivered under his touch, trying to arch against both of them, lean into every touch. It left her writhing in their arms, caught between them, her moans becoming louder and the desire in them building. Havoc groaned silently when he rubbed his cock against her ass, the need to be inside her and claim her at last quickly overpowering his mind.
The comm link on his wrist chose that moment to ring. Startled, Dana pulled away from both of them, taking a step back.
Havoc answered the call immediately, ready to kill. He would have thrown the device against the wall if only the color code wouldn't have marked it out as one he needed to answer.