by Anna Hackett
Eve lifted a hand and Lara did the same. The call ended.
Afterward, Lara watched Caze slip into a brooding silence. She monitored the screens and kept glancing his way. A muscle was ticking in his jaw.
“We’re approaching an asteroid field,” she said.
He nodded. “The stealth station is on the other side. Don’t worry, the navigation computer can avoid the asteroids.”
She swiveled her chair to face him. “You okay?”
“No.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
Silence fell again.
“Do you want to fight?” she asked.
A faint smile crossed his face. “I’m just angry. Angry that the Kantos have the gem of Eschar. Angry about this weapon and their plans.”
“You’re just pissed you aren’t a superhero, and weren’t able to stop this earlier.”
He frowned. “Superhero?”
“Someone from stories on Earth with special skills who always saves the day.” She slapped his arm. “Sorry to inform you of this, warrior, you’re just a man.”
“I’m an Eon warrior.”
“Right, so one step down from superhero, then.”
He shook his head. “Mostly, I’m angry that I have to take you back into danger. Right into the heart of a Kantos hive.”
Her pulse leaped. No one worried about her. Oh, her sisters did, but they rarely knew the details of her missions. “You know I can handle myself.”
“I know. But that doesn’t make me feel any better. I…” his intense gaze met hers “…have this overwhelming need to protect you.”
Warmth filled her belly. Dammit, this should piss her off, not make her feel good. Her fingers curled around his bicep. “We’ll be together.”
He pressed his hand over hers. “Together.”
The computer chimed. “Entering asteroid field.”
Lara leaned forward. Giant rocks came into view, sweeping across the viewscreen. One had a crazy, irregular shape, and she arched her neck to keep it in view. Several more passed them. Hell, it was a pretty amazing show.
“Hey,” she said. “Some of these asteroids are glowing.”
“It’s pronyx,” Caze said. “Some asteroid miners risk their lives to mine the ore.”
Their ship slipped beneath another enormous asteroid. There were soft pinging noises, as some small ones struck their shields.
“After the field,” Caze began. “We’ll—”
Thump.
It was a hard bump from the left side. The ship jolted.
He cursed, his fingers dancing over the console.
She frowned. “I thought you said the navigation program avoided the asteroids?”
“It does. It’s never failed.”
Thump.
This time the bump came from beneath them. Lara was tossed against her harness, and the ship spun. Alarms started ringing.
Caze’s hands moved faster. “Switching to manual control of the ship.”
She saw the small cable linking him to the controls pulse. She leaned forward. There were asteroids everywhere.
Thump.
She jolted forward.
“Asteroids are not that maneuverable,” he bit out. “Anything showing on scanners?”
She searched the screens. “Nothing.”
But something was clearly aiming for them. She craned her neck, and this time she spotted…something.
It was just a glimpse of a large shadow. A huge shape. Whatever it was, dived beneath an asteroid.
“Shit. There’s something out there, Caze.”
“A ship?”
“I…I’m not sure. I just got a glimpse of it. It moved like an animal.”
There was another hard impact, followed by the crunch of breaking metal. Gasping, Lara tapped the screens. “We’ve lost part of the exhaust ports.”
“Hull integrity breached,” the computer said.
Cursing, Caze stared at the controls. “I’m activating auxiliary shielding.”
“Hull breach contained,” the computer intoned.
“Something is hunting us,” Lara said. “Do the Kantos have a bug that can fly in space?”
“Not that I know of. But they’re always breeding new monstrosities.”
Another bump, followed by something scraping along the side of the ship. Lara’s heart was pounding. Suddenly, it seemed quite possible that this thing could tear the ship apart and kill them both.
There was another jolt, and a large tentacle slapped across the viewscreen. Then it was gone, and a large creature sailed past them.
Lara stared at the enormous, yellow eye, and the huge, gaping mouth filled with teeth.
“Oh, fuck.”
“We need to use the asteroids for cover.” Caze turned their ship, nosing them down. They picked up speed.
“It doesn’t show on the scanners,” she said, “but you have cameras, right?”
“Yes.”
She pulled up the exterior cameras. The screens filled with images and she saw the creature.
“It’s coming in from behind us!” Damn, the thing was huge.
Caze jerked the ship to the right. She looked out the viewscreen, then back at the screens. Where was it?
Then she spotted movement. There. “It’s at location 8.16.”
He pulled them hard to the left.
“Shit, it’s in front of us now!”
She stared at the huge mouth opening in front of them. It was big enough to take a huge bite out of the ship.
Cursing, Caze turned them sharply. But not sharp enough.
Crunch.
The hard impact made Lara’s head shake. Alarms blared, and there was a loud hissing sound. She glanced back. Teeth had sunk through the side of the ship.
“Caze!”
“Cren!”
“Hull breach.” The computer sounded too fucking calm. “Hull breach.”
The vacuum from the breach sucked Lara and Caze hard into their chairs. She felt her seat vibrating beneath her.
There was another loud smashing sound, and a tentacle burst through the hull and into the ship.
Then it started spraying poison around. The green fluid hit the floor and walls, burning and sizzling.
The blaring alarms grated on Caze’s nerves as he fought to seal the breach. It was hard to move against the suction and the stench of poison filled the air.
“Sealing breach,” the computer said.
“Activating…weapons,” Lara bit out.
He saw an electric blue energy run over the viewscreen. She’d activated one of the ship’s defensive mechanisms.
The ship shook as the creature jerked.
If they were lucky, it might stun the alien. Caze melded with his symbiont. For now, he needed to plug the Cren-cursed hole in his ship.
The shields snapped into place. They sliced through the tentacle, and the creature released the ship. He got a glimpse of the monster as it pulled away from the ship. It had several large tentacles along its side.
The tip of the tentacle wriggled around on the floor behind their chairs.
“Ugh.” Lara stood and shook her head. “I hate the Kantos.” Then she stiffened, looking out the viewscreen. “It’s coming back!”
Cren.
Boom.
The monster hit the side of the ship, hard. The other side wall dented inward from the impact. Another tentacle burst through, reaching almost to their chairs. The force of the suction was huge, making it hard to move.
“Hull breach,” the computer said again. “Shields are not responding.”
Cren. “The tentacle is too far inside.” They needed to drive it out in order to seal the breach.
“What the hell do we do?” Lara yelled.
Caze unstrapped his harness. “You fly the ship.”
“What? Don’t take your harness off—”
As soon as he was free, he was pulled toward the creature. He had to get it out of here, or they’d be dea
d.
He sailed across the cabin and slammed into the wall, right beside the tentacle. His sword formed on his arm, and he fought to lift his weapon. His muscles strained.
The ship tilted and he slid along the wall, almost rolling into the tentacle.
“Sorry,” Lara called out.
Caze lifted his arm and slashed toward the tentacle. But before he could hit it, the tentacle waved around. It slammed into his face and chest.
Agony.
Where the tentacle touched him, he felt the poison burn. He gritted his teeth, trying to think through the pain.
He had to drive off the creature. Had to protect Lara.
“We’re free of the asteroid field,” she yelled.
Straining, Caze pushed his blade toward the tentacle.
But the strength was draining out of him, the pain increasing. He wanted to scream, but his jaw was locked.
Suddenly, Lara appeared from nowhere, slamming into him.
“Oof.” She pressed her hand to his arm, helping him to push.
His sword moved, but there was still a gap between the glowing silver blade and the tentacle.
Lara grunted. “Come on, warrior. Push, or make that sword longer.”
He tried to command his helian, but the pain was making it too hard. He shook his head, trying to focus. His vision blurred.
“Longer,” Lara said.
Suddenly, his sword lengthened. He felt a burst of strength.
The silver sword sliced through the tentacle, and the creature screeched and pulled back. Lara and Caze were sucked toward the opening.
“Computer, shields!” Lara yelled.
The shield snapped into place, shimmering. The vacuum of the breach cut off, and Caze and Lara fell to the floor. He threw his hands out, landing on his hands and knees. Lara moved, yanking open some of the built-in cabinets.
“Come on, come on.” A pause. “Yes.”
Holding a cloth, she moved beside him, carefully gripped the tentacle still pressed to his face and chest in the fabric, then threw it off him.
“Computer, full speed to the stealth station,” she said. “Now.”
The ship’s speed increased.
Lara rolled Caze onto his back. He panted through the pain. He felt like the side of his face was on fire.
“God, hot stuff. You made a mess of yourself.” Her hand stroked his arm.
She disappeared for a second, then was back with a medical kit. She pressed a wad of cloth to his cheek.
The pain made him groan, his stomach protesting.
“I know, baby.” She pressed something against his neck and there was a sharp pinch as she injected him with a stim. “That’ll help with the pain.” Her face appeared, hovering close to his. “Stay with me.” Her gaze drifted down his cheek, pain in her eyes. “God, you’re burned to the bone.”
“Not so…hot now.”
“Sorry, hot stuff, you’re so off the scale that even this wound can’t knock you down.”
“Havv,” he croaked.
“I’m on it. Lie still.”
He watched through his good eye as she squeezed the red havv onto his cheek. Pain flared and he cried out.
Her hands touched the side of his neck, stroking his skin. “I’ve got you, warrior.”
He’d never let himself trust someone else to take care of his injuries. He always tended his own wounds on a mission. He hated being vulnerable around someone else.
Pale-blue eyes stayed linked with his, and she cupped his uninjured cheek. “It’s okay. Relax. I’m here, Caze. I’m not leaving you. I’m not letting anything or anyone get close to you.”
“Lara—”
She pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m right here.”
Then Caze passed out.
Chapter Twelve
Thank God for autopilot.
As they approached the small, uninhabitable planet, Lara gazed out the viewscreen. Gray ash and huge, black mountains covered the planet’s surface. There was also a dense cover of clouds that filled the sky, letting only weak light from the distant sun filter in.
The place was desolate.
The ship flew in above the clouds, and they made Lara think of a thick, heavy blanket. She looked up, and saw they were heading straight toward an enormous cliff face of black rock rising above the clouds.
She turned and checked on Caze. He was still on the floor and out cold.
But he was healing. His wound was looking better, but the terrible damage to his face and neck made her stomach turn over.
She looked back to the viewscreen. The quicker she got him to the stealth station and safety, the better.
Where was the damn station? She hoped to hell the ship knew where it was going.
“Please confirm identity,” the computer said.
Shit. The station needed some sort of code to access it.
“Please confirm identity, or you will be neutralized.”
Oh, great. She shoved a hand through her hair. She moved to Caze, crouching beside him. Last time, he’d used his helian to access the station.
“Warrior? Caze?” She stroked his hair. No response.
Swallowing, Lara moved her hand down his scale-armor to his wrist, and gently touched his symbiont. It looked like a sturdy, black leather band. She brushed it and felt a pulse from it.
“Ah, hey, there.” She felt silly. “Look, we need to access this stealth station so I can help Caze.”
A wave of energy pulsed from the symbiont, washing through her.
Oh. It made her feel a little light-headed. Had that—?
“Approaching the stealth station,” the computer said. “Access confirmed.”
Yes. “Thanks, super cool helian.” She patted Caze’s shoulder then jumped back into the pilot’s seat. There was a shimmer on the cliff ahead, and Lara gasped.
With the camouflage shielding gone, she could now see the structure built against the rock. It was all glass and metal, with the landing platform jutting out over the huge drop to the valley below.
The stealth ship came in to land—steadily and smoothly.
“Computer, is the air here breathable?”
“Affirmative. While not recommended for extended exposure, the air is not harmful.”
Lara quickly yanked out the small, anti-grav stretcher she’d found with the medical kit. She extended it to match the length of Caze’s long form and it hovered in the air. She pushed it down and heaved him onto it. She was panting by the time she’d finished. The man was made of hard-packed muscle and weighed a ton. She lifted the stretcher to waist height, then pushed him off the ship.
She walked across the platform toward the large glass doors into the stealth station. She could feel the air was thinner and she had to use more effort to suck in deeper breaths.
The doors opened soundlessly for them.
She walked inside and her chest hitched. The place was kick-ass. The floor-to-ceiling windows showed an unobstructed view of the clouds clogging the valley between two ridges of mountains.
“Welcome to Lentz Station,” a modulated computer voice said.
Dragging her gaze off the scenery, she studied the living area. It was spread over several levels and done in cool grays.
It didn’t take long to find a bedroom and get Caze settled on a bed. His armor retracted and she checked his wounds.
She blew out a breath. They were looking much better, and she was so glad she couldn’t see bone anymore. Some of the tension eased out of her. After giving him another healing stim, she left him to sleep.
Her stomach growled. Next up, find something to eat. Now that she knew he was safe, exhaustion settled on her like a heavy weight. She forced herself to swallow down some food. She knew very well how important it was to relax in between stressful situations. The body and mind needed to recharge to cope with whatever came next.
Like an automaton, she found the washroom, stripped her clothes off, and took a quick shower to wash off the grime. She scrubbed perfunctoril
y and wrapped herself in a drying cloth.
Staggering back to the bedroom, she checked Caze again. His chest was rising and falling steadily.
Lara collapsed beside him and fell instantly into a deep, dreamless sleep.
When she woke, she blinked, feeling groggy and confused. She stretched out a hand and found the bed empty.
She felt a spurt of panic.
Pushing off the sheets, she realized she was practically naked. Discarding the towel, she searched the closet and found a simple white shirt. It would do. She pulled it on and hurried out to the living area.
Her gaze was drawn straight to the windows. The clouds were gone and she had a perfect, dizzying view of the sharp drop down the gray valley below. Overhead, the sky was a pale orange color.
Then she heard sharp bursts of breath.
She turned a corner and found a bare-chested Caze wearing only soft, gray pants. He was doing one arm push-ups.
He’d obviously showered, as his hair was damp. Her gaze went straight to his face, and she saw that his cheek was healed, although still a little pink.
He’d picked the perfect spot to exercise. He had a jaw-dropping view into the rocky valley below. She could even see a narrow waterfall falling down the dark cliff face.
As she moved closer, his brooding vibe hit her. “Caze?”
He didn’t pause in his push-ups.
“You okay?” she asked.
“My injuries are healed.” He stood. He was as tense as a board. She saw a faint sheen of perspiration on his skin. “I require a few more hours until I’ll be at full capacity and ready for us to leave for the hive station. I also sent a message to the Desteron to update them.”
He sounded like a damn bot. She tilted her head. “What’s wrong?”
“I want to rip the Kantos apart with my bare hands.”
A wave of anger hit her. Yep, he was pissed. “Look, we—”
“They could have killed you.” He sliced a hand through the air, his tone like a blade.
Her heart did an extra beat. “You were the one who got hurt.”
Something flared in his eyes. Something dark, primal, and needy.
She moved closer, pressing one hand to his hard chest. “I’m okay. We’re alive and breathing.”
He stepped back and dropped down again to the floor. He started doing push-ups on his other arm. She watched the play of sleek, sexy muscles in his back.
