by ML Guida
He slowly pulled away. “I need…I need to talk to Captain Topaz.”
She cupped the side of cheek. “Do you think you’re ready? I could tell him.”
“No.” He stepped back and wiped the dreaded tears off his face. “I was their captain.” He swallowed the guilt threatening to pierce his pounding heart.
She nodded. “Okay. I’ll go with you.”
He opened his mouth to tell her to stay behind, because he wasn’t sure what Topaz’s reaction would be. But the glint of determination in her eyes, and the stubbornness of her chin, meant the request was mute.
He pulled out his telicator. “Tash to Captain Topaz.” Luckily, his voice didn’t sound like a blubbering idiot.
“This is Topaz. Go ahead Tash.”
“Scarlett had a vision. We need to debrief.” A ball of lead swelled in Tash’s throat then dropped to his tense gut.
“Good. I’ll send security to escort both of you to the conference room.”
“Fine. Tash out.” He shoved the telicator into his belt.
They both looked at each other, but neither said a word. All Tash could think about what happened on Sutois. Where had he gone wrong? His security bear Walfea had been held in one of their dungeons and Arians and other creatures were being eaten.
A pounding headache throbbed between Tash’s temples. He raked his hand down his face. It had been over a year since Sutois. A year of bondage and torture.
Someone knocked on the door.
Tash braced his shoulders. “Come in.”
Hoss entered and bowed slightly. He gestured with his arm. “I’m here to escort you to the conference room.”
“Thank you,” Scarlett said. She went to clasp his hand, but Tash moved away.
Hurt flashed in her eyes. But he couldn’t bear to be touched. Anger, guilt, frustration, and fear all jumbled through him, and any minute, he’d shatter. He shook uncontrollably. It took all his training as captain, and his Arian power, to stay in control. He was hanging on to reality by a thread.
If he indulged in her sweetness, his captain façade would crash, and he wouldn’t get through the upcoming interrogation.
“Let’s go.”
Scarlett followed alongside him with her head down and her arms wrapped around her body.
Hoss chatted about the ship, mostly talking to Scarlett. He was charming, but Tash couldn’t even repeat what he’d been saying about the Orion. Black dots flashed in front of Tash’s eyes and he sucked in deep breaths to keep from passing out. His head spun with the knowledge that his crew could be alive, but being tortured. How many had he left behind? How many had survived?
Hoss stopped in front of the door and it swished open. Captain Topaz sat in a chair. His officers were on either side of him. Three seats were vacant. Hoss slipped into one.
Tash held out a chair and Scarlett took her seat without looking at him. His heart jerked. He was definitely in trouble. Not just with her, but he’d was swimming in a sea of strife.
He slumped into the last seat.
“Captain Tash and Scarlett, let me introduce my officers.” Topaz turned to a slightly smaller man. “This is Iagan, my communication officer.” He gestured toward another man on his right. “This Padean my science officer.” He leaned forward slightly. “And the man on the other side of Padean is my chief medical officer Tryker.”
“You know my security officer, Hoss. Now that we’ve gone over introductions.” Captain Topaz clasped his fingers on the table. “Tell us about your vision, Scarlett.”
Scarlett quickly relayed what she’d seen.
Topaz expression hadn’t moved. His officers gasped and murmured among themselves. The captain held up his hand. “Silence.”
Just like Tash’s men would have done, they stopped talking without question. The captain held Tash’s gaze. He tilted his head. “Based on what she’s saying, you and your father’s crew could still be alive.”
Tash sucked in his breath. “My father’s?”
“She said there were children,” the science officer Padean said. “Your crew died or at least we believed they died over a year ago. Unless you had children on board your vessel at the time–”
“I didn’t. Cubs are too young to be on board a starship.”
“Agreed,” Padean said. “Then where did they come from?”
Tash’s heart soared into panic mode. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He gripped the arms of the chair. “You’re saying they’re not from my crew?”
Padean lifted his eyebrow. “You tell me?”
“The children are from your father’s crew,” Scarlett blurted. “Not yours.”
Tash rubbed his hot forehead. “This is something right out of nightmare.”
“But what it means,” Topaz said grimly. “Is that your dad didn’t abandon his crew to die, but for enslavement.”
“I don’t understand.” Tash dropped his arm. “Why would he do such a thing? We could have rescued them.”
Scarlett gripped his hand. “Maybe he didn’t have a choice.”
He frowned. “What?”
“I just got the feeling that the man with a nasal voice––”
“You mean a Kamtrinian,” Hoss interrupted. “He’s not a man.”
Scarlett shook her head. “No. It’s not. The Kamtrinians felt different in my visions. The man I’m thinking of is something else.” She scowled. “But I’m not sure what.”
“The first thing we need to do is find this ledge with the moving wall, which could be anywhere on that planet,” Padean said. “Your description doesn’t give us much to go on. The geography of this planet is mostly tropical and mountains.”
Tash rubbed his chin and leaned back in his seat. “Then based on Scarlett’s visions, we need to eliminate what wasn’t in her vision.”
Scarlett chewed on her lip. “Well, I can tell you I didn’t smell or hear any water nearby.”
“How can that be?” Topaz asked.
“When I have visions,” Scarlett said. “I’m actually in the location. I not only see, but I smell, and hear what’s going.”
“Interesting,” Padean said. “What about touch?”
She shook her head. “Not yet. Whenever I try to touch anything, it’s like I’m a ghost and I’m unable to grasp anything no matter how hard I try.”
“So, you’ve tried before?” Padean pursued.
She lowered her head. “Yes, but each time, I’ve failed.”
“How long before we reach Sutois?” Tash asked.
“We’ll be there in less than two hours.” Padean looked at Scarlett. “Do you think you could have another vision?”
Anger flashed into Scarlett’s eyes, and she snapped her fingers. “I don’t have visions at a drop of hat.”
“But we need you to try.” Topaz stood. “Because Tash’s people are being tortured––including children.”
Anger simmered beneath Tash’s skin. Scarlett’s face had turned ruby red. Nobody lashed at his mate. He clenched his fists, wanting to smash his fist into Topaz’s condemning face.
But the truth was that Topaz was right. Sutois was too big of a planet to look for the one mountain that held his people. It could take months, or even years, to find it.
Scarlett held her head up high as if she were willing to challenge a dragon. “I won’t let another child suffer. I will find this mine.”
Topaz’s face softened. “Good. We all have our jobs to do. Padean, I want you to go over every inch of the planet. Let’s try and narrow where the main isn’t. Iagan, get in touch with Tash’s brother, Rye. I want to know what he’s uncovered on that Ambassador ship.”
“Yes, sir,” Iagan said.
Tash grimaced. He hadn’t even given a second thought to either Rye or Vaughn, because he was so caught up in his own grief and guilt.
“I need to notify my brothers.”
“Fine. Iagan, pull up the ship-to-ship communications in here for Tash to contact the Intrepid and the Zion.”
�
�Yes, Captain.”
Iagan pulled out a drawer from the conference table and a small screen slid out of the table. He typed furiously on the buttons. “I have both the coordinates for the Intrepid and the Zion, Captain Tash. You just need to use voice activation to reach either one of them.”
“Thank you,” Tash said.
Topaz slapped his palm lightly on the table. “Good. We’ll meet back here in one hour.”
Scarlett’s eyes widened. “One hour? What if I can’t summon another vision?”
“Then you just made our job harder.” Topaz’s piercing blue eyes glowed.
Scarlett put her hand on her throat. Tash squeezed her shaking hand, trying to reassure her.
Topaz walked out of the room. His officers filed out behind him one-by-one.
“That could have gone better,” Scarlett mumbled.
“It could have gone worse. A lot worse.” He turned her chair and looked into her sad eyes. “Are you ready to try one more time?”
She sighed and wiped off a stray tear. “I guess I don’t have a choice. But I’m so tense. I don’t think I can do it.”
“Try and relax. I need to contact Rye and Vaughn.” He released her small hand then hurried over to the com. He contacted Vaughn first.
“Tash to the Intrepid. Please come in.”
“This is the Intrepid, Krup, communication officer, speaking.”
“Krup, let me speak with Vaughn.”
“Vaughn, here. We have a situation, Tash.”
Tash stiffened. “What?”
“Let me patch in Rye.” Vaughn’s voice was even, but because he knew him so well, he could detect a hint of fear.
“Tash, this is Rye.”
Tash clenched his fist. “What’s going on?”
“Your mate was right about the explosives. My team and I found a nitrinium photon torpedo in engineering. The torpedo was set to go off the minute the Ambassadors’ ship was set to return. It would have been powerful enough to take out both ships.”
Tash’s pulse shot up and heat flushed through his body. A vein throbbed on the side of his cheek. He flexed and unfixed his hands. “Who set it?” His tone deepened.
“We don’t know,” Rye said grimly. “None of the crew nor the Ambassadors are admitting they had any part in setting the bomb.”
“You need to use the Telsa Sifter. I want to know who wanted to blow up my ship.” His voice turned into a growl, his bear threatening to shift.
“I agree,” Vaughn chimed in. “Unfortunately, the Zion is not equipped with a Telsa Sifter. We would need to bring the Ambassadors over to the Intrepid.”
“I want my ship and crew to be safe, Vaughn. That’s the first priority.”
“I understand,” Vaughn said. “We’re currently scanning the Zion for any more nitinium.”
“Have you found any?”
“No,” Vaughn said. “But Rye isn’t through combing the ship yet for anymore devices.”
“Keep searching,” Tash said. “Don’t bring anyone on board unless you’re completely sure they are not carrying any weapons or hidden devices. Strip them naked if you have to.”
“Understood,” Vaughn said.
“Rye, inform me immediately when you finish your search.”
“Yes, Tash,” Rye said. “Rye, out.”
“Vaughn, do whatever you need to do to keep the Intrepid safe. I want you to increase the distance between the Intrepid and the Zion.”
“But Tash––”
“That’s a direct order.”
Vaughn sighed. “Very well. Vaughn out.”
“Damn it, I should be with my ship.”
“You can’t be two places at once, Tash,” Scarlett said gently.
“I know.” His throat closed up as if all his mistakes were choking him. No matter what he did, Arians died. Now, he was risking both his brothers’ lives. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling, wishing an answer on what to do would pop out and land in his lap. “But I can’t go through losing my crew again.”
Scarlett clasped his hand. “You can do this. You’re the captain of the Intrepid and the fiercest man I’ve ever met. We’ll get through this. Together.”
He clung to her for dear life. He didn’t have the all answers, but no matter what happened, she gave him strength. His cleared his throat. “Are you ready to try having another vision?”
She lowered her gaze. “I don’t know. Every knot is twisted in my back. I don’t think I can do it.”
“I think I know a way to help you.” He stood and pulled her up. “Let’s go back to our room.”
“We don’t have––”
He put his finger on her frowning lips. “Trust me.”
Back in their quarters, he gestured toward the bed. “Lay down.”
She rolled her eyes. “Tash, we don’t have time to fool around.”
“Please. Face down.”
Scarlett climbed up on the huge bed. He followed her and sat on her buttocks. He rolled up her shirt and unhooked her bra.
She jerked her head up. “Tash!”
“Just relax.” He gently pushed her upper her back and she laid her head down. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Just to let you know, I’m an expert at this.”
She sighed and glanced over her shoulder. “Whatever. We don’t have much time.”
“I know.” He put his hands on her stiff shoulders and kneaded them, pushing his palms into her flesh. He used his thumbs to push against the knots and tightness, then worked and manipulated each knuckle of her spine to release the built up tension. “You’re really stiff. I wish I had some oil to work into your muscles.”
She groaned. “Actually, that feels good.”
“Breathe in and out.”
Scarlett didn’t argue and inhaled and exhaled.
“Again. But this time, deeper.”
Scarlett took a big breath.
“Hold it. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Now exhale.”
She exhaled, which was music to his ears.
“Now, let’s do three more times.”
Each time she exhaled, he could feel the toxins inside her fly out.
Her back was sleek and silky and he’d had to force himself not to kiss every inch of her. He thumped his knuckles up and down her back as if she were a piece of dough, ready to form in his hands. His fingers worked into her flesh battling every bunched up muscle until it was putty.
She moaned.
He turned the corner of his mouth up into a grin. “Feel good?”
She didn’t answer him.
“Scarlett?”
He pushed back her hair and sucked in his breath. Her beautiful eyes had turned white.
He waited patiently, but decided to keep using his hands to manipulate her sleek muscles. The massage was obviously helping.
But would it be enough?
13
Scarlett groaned underneath Tash’s magical fingers. Her muscles were melting under his expert touch. At her last inhale and exhale, tingles swept over Scarlett, and the hair on the back of her neck itched.
The vision flooded over her…
She was back on Sutois. Rain pelted on the leaves and hurt her skin. She walked through the thick forest.
Something small was moving through the trees. She narrowed her eyes and thought it looked human. Suddenly, the person shifted into a small bear and climbed up a tree.
Heavy footsteps crashed through the jungle. This time large hairy creatures ran through the jungle, trampling over foliage. Scarlett shivered. Gogs. Their single orange eyes creeped her out.
The little bear tried to hide among the leaves and remained perfectly still.
The Gogs gurgled to each other and Scarlett assumed it was their language that reminded her of grunts and groans. One of them pointed toward the tree where the poor little cub was trying to hide.
“No!”
But they couldn’t hear her. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Her voice was always silent in her
visions.
Knowing it would probably be useless, she tried to pick up a rock, but her fingers went right through it as if she were ghost.
She could do this. She wouldn’t let them hurt that poor cub. Who knows what they’d do to it? Eat the poor thing? Torture it?
No. Topaz was right. This was her job to save the child. Her visions had been haunting her her, throughout her life. She’d never had control over them.
Until now. Until she met Tash.
Drawing on her power, she concentrated on that rock. Her head thundered as if hammers were slamming on either side of her temples. But she didn’t care.
Her fingers vanished through the rock.
“Damn it!”
The Gogs edged closer and closer and closer to the tree.
Tears burned her eyes. “I’ll save you, little one! I swear!”
Her heart pounded faster and determination snaked through her veins. Sweat dripped down her temples, and she wiped her forehead on her arm. She could feel the fear of that poor child. Bear or not, she wouldn’t let those foul creatures hurt him or her.
“God, help me!”
Taking a deeper breath, she concentrated on that rock and willed it to go into her trembling hand. This time when she bent over, her fingers clutched the rock. She gasped and her gut clenched. She threw the rock as hard as she could in the opposite direction of the frightened child. The rock ripped through leaves and plopped in a stream.
The Gogs turned their heads in the direction of the sound.
But her strength ran out. Her legs wobbled and gave way. The ground rushed up to her and she slammed into the ground face first.
Her head snapped again.
She clenched her fists and pounded the mattress. Tears stung her eyes. “No. No. No.”
Tash rolled off her and drew her into his arms. “Scarlett, what’s wrong?”
“The Gogs,” she choked. “They were chasing a child. I tried to save him, but…” A sob tore through her. “But I couldn’t…I couldn’t.”
“Shhhh.” He kissed her cheek and rubbed her back. “Take your time and tell me what happened.”
Scarlett inhaled a quivering breath and unlocked herself from Tash’s strong embrace. “I saw a child running through the jungle. He was so scared, so desperate. The Gogs were chasing him. I had to do something.” Her voice wavered again.