The Pirate Prince

by Michelle M. Pillow

  “There are no other women on this ship, are there?” she demanded.

  Jarek gave a sheepish grin and shrugged. Stepping forward slowly, she stopped to run her finger lightly over his chest. She looked at him and smiled, completely unashamed by what the others might assume from the gesture. In fact, her eyes claimed him, as did her open expression. Her hand stopped above his heartbeat, and she stood, gazing up at him as if she wanted the crew to know she was his.

  “What did you take from Emperor Song?” Mei kept her hand on his chest, as she looked them over, one by one.

  Lucien and Viktor cleared their throats and looked away. Evan and Jackson turned back to work on repairs. Dev didn’t move. Lochlann grinned.

  “Who says we took anything?” Jarek asked, looking down at her. He liked the idea that she wasn’t embarrassed to be his woman.

  “So, what? You went to Emperor Song’s palace just so you could streak through it in women’s clothing? And now you’re going back there to do it again?” Mei nodded mockingly. “Or is it you are going to look for this Rick who is missing? And, for some reason, you believe Emperor Song has him as a prisoner?”

  “We mean no harm to your emperor,” Jarek assured her, amazed at her perception.

  “Emperor Song?” Mei laughed. “He is not my emperor. Singhai is not my empire.”

  “You were a prisoner?” Dev asked. Jarek’s heart squeezed in his chest to think of her in harm’s way. “Have you seen Rick in the prisons? You know him?”

  “No. I was a guest of Emperor Song’s,” Mei said. Her eyes stayed trained on his. “And I don’t know your Rick.”

  “Then why did you try to escape, if you were just a guest?” Jarek didn’t really have anything to hide from his crew. Not in this. When it came down to it, regardless of what he was feeling, her presence on the ship affected them all.

  Mei lifted a brow and dropped her hand from him. “I wasn’t escaping. I was fighting you.”

  Dev chuckled and held his hand out to Jackson. “You owe me twenty space credits.”

  Jackson grumbled, but nodded. “Fine.”

  “You were fighting me?” Jarek smiled.

  Mei gasped, pretending to be offended. “As if you couldn’t tell.”

  “You flew into my arms, fea,” Jarek said, knowing he was being cocky. He couldn’t help it. She was too adorable. “I thought you were unable to resist my charm, even from the distance.”

  “You’re such a gentleman.” She hit his chest, her tone wry. Walking past him to the engine, she picked up a laser and tapped it in her palm as she studied their repairs. “The least you could do is lie to placate my ego. Pretend I bruised you.”

  Jarek laughed.

  “Your wires are crossed here,” Mei said, handing the laser to Lochlann. She turned toward the door. “I’m going to cook something for us to eat. Be in the dining hall in one hour, washed and scrubbed, if you want to dine. I won’t wait for you and I will not dine with a group of lajī yaoguài.”

  When she was gone, the men laughed. Jarek stood at the door staring after her.

  “What’s a lajī yaoguài?”

  “Blessed stars, if I know,” Viktor swore. “But if she doesn’t like them, I’m not going to be one.”

  “Imagine, a little thing like her, bossing us around,” Jackson said, chuckling as he shook his head.

  “Huh, she’s right. We did get the wires crossed.” Lochlann studied where Mei had been looking.

  “I like her,” Lucien announced.

  “You like all women,” Evan said.

  “Ah, true, and they like me.” Lucien winked. “But this one is funny. And she attacked the captain, which makes her brave.”

  “Or very foolish.” Evan snipped the wires so Lochlann could fix them.

  “I’d say brave,” Dev offered, seemingly without emotion.

  “How did she know about Rick?” Jarek asked when Mei was no longer in sight.

  “Um, yeah, that might have been us. We were talking about him earlier in the hall. She could’ve been crawling around above us.” Lochlann shrugged. “Sorry, didn’t think it mattered. Evan said she was all right.”

  “Evan,” Jarek said.

  Evan cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah, I might have not been completely forthcoming when we spoke earlier about Lady Mei.”

  Jarek arched a brow and crossed his arms.

  “I might have manipulated the situation just a little.” Evan looked guilty.

  “Tell me everything. What do you think?” Jarek ordered. “Can we trust her?”

  “I don’t think we have a choice,” Evan said. “She seems comfortable with you, captain. You should show her the map. Her soul is good though there is always a risk that she’s hiding something or that her goodness will keep her loyal to others against our purpose.”

  “I hardly doubt she’s in with drug traders if she’s good,” Dev reasoned.

  “I just feel obligated to toss out the warning,” Evan said. They all knew he didn’t like to be called upon to use his gifts, even though it was sometimes a necessity. He never complained about it, but he did get a melancholy air about him afterward.

  “Agreed,” Lucien said. “I like her. I think we can trust her.”

  “You said that already,” Viktor scolded. “And I agree too. What harm can there be in it? So what if she knows we have a map.”

  “Show her,” Dev said.

  Lochlann and Jackson nodded. Jarek sighed. They were in agreement.

  “All right. Let’s get this ship up and running. I’ll talk to her after we eat.” Jarek took a deep breath and motioned Evan to follow him. When they were alone in the corridor, he said dubiously, “Not completely forthcoming? Might have manipulated the situation?”

  “I didn’t lie, captain, I promise. She is hard to read. But when you appeared she was, ah, very responsive to you as you were to her. I don’t think I needed to be telepathic to see that much. The guys see it too.”

  “Matchmaker is a little out of your area of expertise, isn’t it?”

  Evan shrugged. “All your brothers seem pretty happy with their mates.”

  Jarek lifted a brow and crossed his arms over his chest. “And have I ever indicated I am not happy without one? Have I once said I long for a wife?”

  “All right, I’ll talk.” Evan sighed reluctantly. “When you are around her, I get the same impression I get when your brothers are around their wives. Exactly the same. It’s powerful, intense, so strong it makes me shake and a little nauseous. In fact, it’s a little hard to be around sometimes, if you must know the truth. To feel that kind of passion and not have it myself is torture. But, to know that Mei is your soul mate and not push you in that direction is unthinkable. I know how stubborn your brothers were about finding wives. Being near Reid and Falke as they stumbled their way around was…well…let’s just say I would rather sit in a bath full of Lopen acid leaches. Please, for my sake, captain, don’t put me through the hell of having to feel another Var prince find and deny love because of some mistaken, yet understandable, connection to a father who was sufficiently devoid of love and compassion.”

  Jarek didn’t move. Evan took a deep breath and continued.

  “I mean, when Falke fell in love with Sam, she wasn’t much help in being forthright about her feelings for the commander… But, Reid, he’s your twin and, well, that was...” Evan whistled, shaking his head as if he could still feel the stress over Prince Reid and his wife Jasmine’s budding relationship woes. “Whoa. I don’t want another one of those on my hands.”

  Jarek chuckled. “So this is about you?”

  “Absolutely. Very much so,” Evan agreed, nodding. “Thanks for understanding. Oh, and if you could get in there tonight and fit in a ‘marry me’ when you’re discussing the map that would be great. It would save me weeks of aggravation as you ponder your future desires, only to come to the ultimate conclusion that is so clear to me and very apparent to everyone else, that you and Mei are made for each other, just as your
brothers were made for their wives. I’ll tell you, captain, you Var men are sure of that from the first moment, even if your minds are reluctant to agree with your innate instincts. I’ve never seen a race with such a single-minded purpose when it comes to…I don’t even know what to call it. A targeting device that hones in on the love object and refuses to set its sights elsewhere until it has it? Yeah, I think that works for an analogy. So, there you have it. Good luck proposing. Don’t forget to talk about how you feel when you’re with her. You cat-shifters have trouble with that sometimes. And don’t forget to ask her to life mate with you. You cat-shifters sometimes forget to ask, just assuming the other party knows about it when it happens. You’ll want to say the words out loud and clearly, so she understands what is happening.”

  Jarek opened his mouth but was speechless.

  “Yep, I think that about covers it. Good talk.” Evan patted Jarek on the shoulder and, whistling, strode back into the engine room to help the others.

  “Great,” Jarek grumbled, rubbing his temples. “Just what I need.”

  18

  “Anyway, Rick ended up spending all the scavenger hunt money on renting...” Jackson stopped his tale, suddenly a little red with embarrassment.

  Mei giggled and blinked expectantly, looking at him across the table in the dining hall. She was adorable. Jarek grimaced. He knew as soon as the stories started that they were a bad idea. The last thing he wanted was Mei getting the wrong impression of him.

  The smell of food wafted over the hall. Lochlann was piloting the craft toward a fueling dock. After looking the system over, they decided that it was safe enough to travel as long as they maintained a constant speed and didn’t accelerate. That meant no battles with other ships or they were in trouble. Optimal settings would keep them under hyper speed but above a slow drive through the X quadrant.

  Until they docked at the fuel port, there was nothing to do but wait. Mei had cooked another lovely meal of rice, fried vegetables, and seed rolls. Jarek was impressed though he still didn’t believe that she was ever a cook by trade. It amazed him how relaxed she was during the meal, as she talked and laughed with his crew. It was as if she’d known them a lifetime.

  “Well?” Mei insisted.

  “Uh-hem. Gal-y…ugh…pl-ate…ah…ma-sion,” Jackson mumbled, grabbing a bowl of fried rice and lifting it as Mei had showed them how to do. He scooped the food into his mouth. As he chewed, he said with an enthusiastic nod, “Mm, this food is really good. Do you think you can program our simulator with this when we get it fixed?”

  “Oh, yeah, great idea,” Jarek said. “If you wouldn’t mind, that is.”

  “Mm, yeah,” Lucien agreed. He took a big bite and made a show of enjoying it.

  “Galaxy Playmates Mansion?” Mei clarified, ignoring the request.

  The men choked. Bits of rice flew from Jackson’s mouth only to land on Viktor’s plate. Viktor stared for a second, shrugged, and took another bite. Lucien shook his head at him.

  “A ship full of women. Starts with a ‘gal-y’ and ends with ‘ma-sion’. And, from what you’ve said of Rick, it’s not too hard to imagine what you meant.” Mei winked.

  The men were quiet. They turned to Jarek as if waiting for his cue to react.

  Mei laughed. “He sounds interesting. I should like to meet your friend. I really hope you are able to rescue him.”

  The men relaxed, laughing nervously.

  “Galaxy Playmates, eh?” Mei whispered to Jarek at her side. She arched a brow in his direction, seemingly pleased when he looked suitably guilty.

  “They’re overrated,” Jarek said diplomatically, only to clear his throat.

  “Very good answer.” Mei winked, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek, as if doing so was the most natural thing in the world. “You’re so cute when you squirm.”

  The men laughed heartily.

  “You know, you are cute, captain,” Jackson teased.

  “Adorable,” Evan crooned, laughing.

  “Very sweet,” Lucien said.

  “Delightful,” Viktor agreed.

  Jarek growled, letting the beast enter his voice in warning. His crew didn’t look scared. Lucien snorted and threw a small seed covered roll at Jarek. Without blinking, Jarek caught it and popped it in his mouth.

  “Mm, delicious,” he said as he chewed. Already he was full, but he couldn’t seem to stop eating. Then, looking at Mei, his passion for food turned into passion for her. Letting a low rumble enter his words, he whispered to her with meaning, “Very delicious.”

  Mei blushed, looking down at her plate. She grabbed one of the seed rolls and popped it in her mouth. The men’s laughter only grew, and the stories of past voyages started once more.

  After dinner, at Jarek’s request, Mei walked with him through the corridors. She easily wrapped her arm around his waist. Her hip brushed his leg as they moved.

  Jarek had never felt so relaxed in all his life. It was as if Mei belonged there, at his side, as if she had always been there. He couldn’t explain it, and he didn’t really want to try. It was what it was. He’d never been so comfortable so fast with any other person.

  Evan was right. There was more between them than just a fling. Maybe he’d been wrong with his preconceived notions about relationships. Odd how one night with Mei had changed everything. Though, what Evan hadn’t taken into account was that Jarek wasn’t like his stubborn brothers. He wasn’t one to run from his feelings. It was why he was out in space. His feelings had led him to travel. In a way, it could be concluded that he ran from responsibility into space. Jarek didn’t see it that way. He followed his heart.

  Jarek wrapped his arm tightly around Mei’s back, stopping in the corridor to sweep her into his embrace. The urge to kiss her was strong, and he didn’t resist it. Her sweet mouth opened to his, instantly accepting his touch. He groaned as he thoroughly staked claim to her, enjoying the way she moved against him as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

  Chuckling, he pulled back, “I’ve never met anyone like you. Every time I look at you my hands start to sweat. I just have to touch you.”

  “I know,” she teased, kissing him again. She went to deepen it, but he again pulled back. “Is something wrong?”

  “I’m serious, Mei,” he said. “I’ve never felt like this with a woman before. I...”

  Her eyes saddened somewhat as he said the words and he couldn’t finish. She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and slid her legs off him. He let her down, so she stood before him. Immediately, his body ached to have her close once more.

  “I like you, too, Jarek. I’ve never felt like this either.” She sighed, threading her arm through his as he walked her through the corridor. Jarek wondered about her sadness. Maybe she was homesick. Maybe she was worried about her future. Maybe she was too scared to believe him.

  And, maybe, there was just something she wasn’t telling him. He knew there was plenty he hadn’t said to her.

  Too fast, a voice whispered in his head. Too soon.

  19

  Mei stared at the map Jarek placed before her. They were in his quarters, which made it harder to concentrate. The memories of what they’d done flooded her, stirring up desire when she should be focused on the matter at hand. Her heart beat in heavy thuds against the wall of her chest, and her hands shook. She looked at the parchment for a long time, trying to hold the sudden wash of nausea and fear at bay before glancing up. “Where did you say you found this?”

  “In Emperor Song’s palace. It’s why they were chasing Viktor and Lucien,” Jarek answered. “I’m trusting you, Mei. I want to trust you. I…I feel I can trust you.”

  Mei nodded, swallowing. She believed him. For some reason, when she looked deep into his earnest eyes, she trusted him as well. There were many secrets in Jarek, swimming about in his dark gaze, but when he spoke it was as if all the deceit was gone. Not like before when they were still testing each other, still hiding. The mere physical release they’d shared turned in
to more, a connection, an opening between them until at times she felt as if his heart beat inside her. Mei was no fool. She knew she had to be careful. Jarek was still a stranger. However, she knew to trust her instincts. The wind had urged her to go after him. Fate had a plan for her in this. It was just a matter of being patient until that plan unraveled.

  Waiting for him to continue, she stared at the familiar lines the map depicted, tracing them with her gaze over the new parchment. By her estimation, the map was drawn within the last hundred years, and it was eerily accurate.

  “Our friend, Rick, was kidnaped by intergalactic drug traders,” he said. “They’re pretty ruthless people from what we’ve discovered. Those types usually are.”

  “What were you doing dealing with them?” Mei’s jaw tightened, and she chewed her bottom lip in thought. Her concentration went from the map to Jarek, though she didn’t turn to him. She studied him with all her instincts and training as a negotiator.

  “We weren’t with them,” he answered. Again, she believed him. “Rick, if you haven’t guessed, is a bit of a lover boy. He flirted with the wrong woman at the wrong time and got caught up in her game. She was with them, and it is because of her that Rick was kidnaped.”

  Mei looked up from the map to study his eyes.

  “We discovered that they took him to some purple jade mines on your planet. It’s why we were at the palace, stealing this map. We needed to find those mines, but it’s rumored that the only known map is at Shan Gung Din palace in Singhai. Only, this map is like nothing we’ve ever seen. We can’t read it. Our translators can’t translate it. We can’t even place which part of Singhai it is. In all honesty, we believe that it may be worthless to us in finding him.”

  Mei nodded, still staring down. “You are sure they were drug traders?”

  “Yes, fairly,” Jarek said. “Please, Mei. I swear to you we don’t want to hurt anyone or take anything that’s not ours. We just want our friend back.”