Ignite: A Sci-Fi Alien Warrior Romance (Inferno Force of the Drexian Warriors Book 1)

by Tana Stone

  “Isn’t that why you’ve been so restless and miserable lately?” Jax banked us hard around the side of the station, our fighter flying so close to the transparent hull that I spotted workers on scaffolding and Drexians in dark uniforms crossing suspended walkways.

  “I’m not miserable,” I insisted. “But I am anxious to get back to Inferno Force. I wasn’t built to be a babysitter.”

  “Is that what you think of this mission? Babysitting?”

  “What would you call it? We’re watching over a building project. Inferno Force was never intended for this. We’re the fiercest warriors in the fleet.”

  “Which tells you how important this station is to the empire.”

  “I think you mean how important the human females are,” I corrected him, bitterness dripping from my words.

  “Personally, I’m not interested in a tribute,” Jax said. “But I thought you’d be first in line. You enjoy women as much as any warrior I’ve ever known. Is it because they only have two breasts instead of three, because I’ve heard that the two they do have are quite—”

  “It’s not that they only have two breasts,” I said, not wanting to hear Jax wax poetic about breasts. “It’s that The Reveal is destabilizing the empire. Now our focus is totally on the brides, when it should be on eliminating the Kronock threat. They’ve only gone quiet. They haven’t disappeared.”

  “I agree with you there. The Kronock going dark is never a good thing. When I was first assigned to fly patrols, I was sure we’d see some action.”

  “You thought the Kronock would attack this station?”

  “What better way to strike a blow to our empire than to destroy our newest station before it’s even complete?” Jax let out a breath. “But the skies have been as quiet as a ship’s graveyard out here. Most days it’s so dull I have to fight to stay alert.”

  “You’ve just described every day on the station for me.”

  Jax swung our fighter around, and made another pass alongside the side of the station, this time taking us fully around to the other side. From outside, the station looked almost idyllic—all glossy, white surfaces and gleaming chrome. It was a far cry from the battered, iron Inferno Force battleships, but I’d take one of those dented hunks of metal any day.

  “It won’t be so boring when the tributes arrive,” he said. “That should shake things up.”

  “By that time, I should be gone. I’m only acting captain, remember. I never signed on to do this for good.”

  “High Command must have thought the Kronock would strike, too. That’s why they outfitted this place with so many Inferno Force warriors. Once the security systems are fully operational, I’m sure you’ll be replaced with a peacetime captain.” Jax flipped our fighter upside down so that our cockpit dome was almost brushing the clear hull of the station as we flew up one long side. “And they won’t need so many fighter patrols.”

  “Then we can both get back to Inferno Force,” I said, as the blood rushed to my head. “Unless you intend to stay for the tributes.”

  Jax snorted out a derisive noise, as he righted our fighter and put some distance between us and the station. “Not me. Give me a pleasurer any day. But I think we’re the only Drexians on the station who think that. You have seen how our fellow warriors have reacted to the human females on board, haven’t you?”

  “You mean the women who’re part of the station construction team?” My hackles rose when I realized that included Zoey. “They aren’t tribute brides.”

  “That’s what makes them even more desirable to our Drexian brothers. They’re forbidden.”

  “Forbidden?”

  “The fraternization rule has never been an issue for us before, but I’m pretty sure High Command wouldn’t look kindly on our warriors fucking their way through the carefully selected scientists and crew.”

  The thought of any of my Drexian crew fucking Zoey made me clench my teeth. “I don’t think they would.”

  “The first thing I’m doing once this tour is over is finding myself the kinkiest pleasure house in the galaxy, and not leaving for a full lunar cycle.”

  That didn’t sound so bad. Before I could tell Jax that I’d be doing the same, our consoles started beeping. I glanced down at the readouts and flashing red lights illuminating the cockpit.

  “An energy anomaly,” I said, touching a finger to the console.

  “This isn’t the first time I’ve picked up a fluctuation in energy levels in space.”

  “Really? You’ve never reported it.”

  “It’s usually a blip and then it disappears.” As if on cue, the red lights stopped blinking and the readouts returned to normal levels. “See? I assumed it has something to do with the construction and the amounts of energy we’re using to set up the holographic interfaces.”

  I nodded, though my eyes didn’t leave the console. “That would explain it. And it doesn’t happen often?”

  “Only a handful of times, total. And it’s never been connected to anything else. No other readings change before or after, which makes me think it’s either a glitch, or a natural result of the space construction.”

  “I don’t know enough about space construction to say if that’s what we’re looking at.”

  “You could always talk to the foreman,” Jax said. “Or even better, that astro-architect. If you want to, I could talk to her.”

  Zoey might make me crazy, but the thought of Jax with her made me want to hit something. Even if he did claim disinterest in human females. “I’ll talk to her.”

  “Suit yourself, Captain,” Jax muttered, spinning the ship around and heading back toward the hangar bay entrance at full speed.

  We rocketed into the station and hit down hard before he engaged the dampeners to slow us. I wasn’t pleased with the new revelation, although my pulse did quicken at the thought of talking to Zoey again so soon. So much for purging her from my mind.

  Chapter Eight

  Zoey

  “You don’t think he’s serious, do you?” I asked Nina, as we walked down the corridor toward our quarters.

  Unlike the fantasy suites that were located on the upper levels, the staff quarters were below the promenade and did not use holographic technology to make them appear to be located on a Greek island or in the Swiss Alps. And since most of the residents of the lower staff quarters were Drexian warriors, the decor wasn’t even the bright white of the rest of the station, which suited me just fine. Even though I understand why the station was so bright and airy, I preferred the darker corridors below decks, as well as the lower lighting.

  “Serge?” Nina paused when we reached the door to my room. “I don’t know if he kids around.”

  “The last thing I need is a wedding planner running around trying to set me up with a total stranger.”

  Nina shrugged, running a hand through her curls. “Maybe it won’t be a stranger.”

  “Even worse,” I grumbled. “The only people here who aren’t strangers are the construction crew, and the Drexians manning the bridge, and the patrols.”

  “What’s wrong with them?” Nina nudged me. “Have you seen the Drexian pilots?”

  I frowned. “Not interested.”

  “Come on, Zoey. Every woman loves a guy in military uniform—” her words trailed off and her face crumpled. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry, Zo. I didn’t mean to—”

  I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. “Don’t be silly. It’s fine. I’m fine. It’s been two years.”

  Nina knew about Theo. My sob story had come out over a few too many Cressidian gin cocktails one night after we’d been working late. I’d literally sobbed when I’d told her, hiccupping as I’d spilled my guts about my fairytale romance with Theo and how I’d been planning our dream wedding when I’d gotten the news of his death. By the end, we’d both been sniffling and hiccupping, and it had cemented our friendship. To her credit, Nina never brought up that night or Theo. Not on purpose.

  “It doesn’t matter how lo
ng it’s been,” Nina said, dropping her voice as a pair of Drexians in sharply creased uniforms passed us. “And it’s okay not to be fine about it.”

  I exhaled deeply, releasing the tension in my chest. “What bothers me the most is that it actually doesn’t hurt as much as it used to.”

  “That’s a bad thing?”

  “I thought there’d never be an hour when I didn’t think about him and feel that twist in my gut when I realized he was gone all over again, but now I can go almost an entire day.”

  “And you feel guilty that the pain is fading with time?”

  It sounded ridiculous when she put it like that, but that was it. “I guess I do. I thought loving him as much as I did meant the loss would never fade.”

  Nina touched her fingers to my arm. “Just because you don’t hurt as much doesn’t mean you didn’t love him. It means you’re healing. And healing is a good thing.”

  “What if I don’t want to heal?” I said, more forcefully than I’d meant to.

  “Do you seriously think Theo would have wanted you to suffer so much? He would have wanted you to be happy, not to use him as an excuse to shut yourself off from love forever.”

  Even though she’d whispered the words, they still hit me hard. My first instinct was to snap back that she didn’t know what she was talking about, but she was right. Theo would have hated seeing me miserable. He wouldn’t have wanted me to be in pain for so long. Just like I never would have wanted to see him in pain. But that didn’t make it any easier to let it go.

  “No,” I said, “he wouldn’t want me to use him as an excuse, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to move on or be one of Serge’s matchmaking victims.”

  Nina squeezed my arm gently. “Why don’t I talk to Serge? He has no idea about your past. Maybe once he—”

  “No.” I held up a hand. “I don’t want anyone else on the station to know. I hate the way people look at me once they know. I’d rather deal with his aggressive matchmaking than pity eyes.”

  “Fine, but I’m sure he’d back off if he knew.” She tilted her head at me. “I don’t give you pity eyes, do I?”

  I managed a smile. “Actually, you never have. Why is that?”

  She twitched one shoulder but dropped her eyes. “None of us is a stranger to grief, right?”

  That seemed like a vague answer, but I guessed she was right.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to take a hot shower and get to work on the waterfall,” Nina said, jerking a finger toward the door next to mine, which led to her quarters.

  “You’re going back to work?” Guilt of another kind gnawed at me. I’d added hours to her workload, and the captain had been clear that the timeline hadn’t changed.

  “I’ll work in my quarters. I have all the holographic software on my tablet, so I can work anywhere. I usually like being in the lab because Vekron always has some innovative way to code that makes my job easier, but I’m sure he’s long gone.”

  I didn’t know the Inferno Force warrior well, but I’d heard Nina talk about his inventions more than once. Despite being a part of the Drexian’s elite battle unit, the alien was a bit of a tech wizard, although you wouldn’t guess it from his hard body and badass tattoos. Not that I’d noticed.

  “See you tomorrow then?” I asked. After the combative encounter with Captain Kalex and nearly being killed by a falling beam, I was ready for my own hot shower and early bedtime.

  “You know I never miss our breakfasts, even if the Drexians have no clue how to make a decent bagel.”

  “Coffee and bagels,” I said. “They should devote way more R & D to those.”

  Nina laughed as she headed for her quarters. “I’m not holding my breath.”

  I gave her a final wave before swiping my hand over a side sensor panel, and the gunmetal-gray doors slid open. Stepping inside, I touched another panel to turn on the lights. I could have used the voice activation technology, but I preferred to be old-school about some things. That, and I didn’t like it when inanimate objects talked back to me.

  The ambient recessed lighting illuminated the large studio suite, and I made my way past the king-sized bed covered in a beige duvet, tossing my ear cuff onto it. I stepped down into the sunken sitting area that made up the other half of the suite. Although it had been furnished with a pair of low, brown swivel chairs and a small kidney-bean-shaped coffee table, I’d moved the chairs over to one side and positioned a cushion in front of the table.

  I sat down on the puffy, purple cushion and crossed my legs into a half lotus position, closing my eyes for a moment and breathing out. I opened my eyes and picked up the lighter wand, flicking it on and lighting the candle in the middle of the table. The warm, gold glow of the flame danced across the framed image of Theo, his smile wide and preserved forever behind glass.

  I smiled back at him, only the smallest ache clenching my heart. I might not grieve for him as deeply as I did at first, but I would never let myself forget him. Closing my eyes, I focused on stilling my thoughts and emptying my mind. I still wasn’t great at it, but I was a lot better than when the doctor had first recommended meditation. Then, I’d scoffed at it. Now it was one of the things that kept me sane.

  Despite the images and emotions that rushed through my head—arguing with the captain, the strange way my body had reacted to him, the terror as I’d tackled Serge to the ground, the adrenaline that had surged through my body as I’d lay on top of Serge and realized that we were both alive—I steadied my breath and slowed my heart rate.

  After a few minutes, all the chaos of the day vanished, and a sense of calm settled over me like a warm blanket. It was then that all my worries and fears slipped away like water sliding off a duck’s back, and I laughed out loud as I imagined myself to be a duck swimming through the water as stress beaded off my feathers and washed away.

  At first, I was so deep into my visualizations that I didn’t notice the beeping of the door. When the sound changed to pounding, I opened my eyes, jerked from my peaceful journey, and returned to the reality of my quarters. I huffed out a breath as I stood, blowing out the candle and feeling dazed as I crossed to the door.

  Who needed me now? It couldn’t be Nina. She was probably standing under a hot shower. If it was William wanting to discuss the accident, I’d have to put him off until tomorrow. I was too tired to rehash it now.

  I pressed the sensor panel, my heart sinking when I saw Kalex standing in the corridor, his expression stern. Just who I didn’t want to see.

  Chapter Nine

  Kalex

  As soon as the doors swished open, I realized I’d made a mistake. I’d never been to Zoey’s quarters, and what had seemed like a good idea at the time—to find her right away and ask her if any of the station’s new design could contribute to random energy fluctuations—now seemed impetuous and ill-timed. Although she wasn’t dressed for sleep, she did look either sleepy or drunk. I glanced over her shoulder into her tidy quarters, which carried the same faintly floral scent she did. The bed was still made.

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “Have you been drinking?”

  Her expression instantly sharpened, and she put one hand on her hip. “Excuse me?”

  Once the words had left my mouth, they sounded ridiculous. Why should I care if the woman was drinking in her own quarters after hours? I cleared my throat and straightened, trying to remember the reason I was there.

  Before I could speak, she glanced past me into the empty corridor. “What are you doing here? Did you get lost?”

  I frowned at her. “Of course, I didn’t get lost. I’m the captain of the ship. I don’t get lost in my own ship.”

  “Good.” She folded her arms tightly over her chest. “Then what are you doing at my door? I don’t hear sirens, so there isn’t an emergency. And if this is about what happened with Serge, I’m handling it.”

  This was not going like I’d expected it to, although now I wasn’t sure why I’d expected anything else. I couldn’t
seem to take a step without getting into a fight with the infuriating woman.

  “No emergency,” I said, then paused. “Wait. What happened with Serge?”

  Her expression of irritation morphed into regret. “So, you’re not here about that?”

  I crossed my arms in front of me. “No, but maybe I should be.”

  Zoey’s shoulders sagged, and she huffed out an impatient breath as she stepped into the hall with me. “Like I said, I’ve got my foreman on it. We’ll figure out why the cable snapped and have everything up and running so your precious schedule isn’t affected.”

  I gave my head a quick shake. “A cable snapped? What are you talking about? When did this happen?”

  She raised one eyebrow quizzically. “How did you miss it? I thought you were the captain and knew everything that happened on your ship.”

  Annoyance flared in me, making my heart race and my skin prickle with heat. The woman had a talent for getting under my skin like no one I’d ever met. I curled my hands slowly into fists and inhaled a slow breath to steady myself. “I am the captain, and unless you want to end up in the brig, you’ll tell me exactly what happened.”

  Her eyes flashed as she glared up at me. “Fine, but good luck keeping the project on schedule with me in the brig.”

  I remained silent, waiting for her to talk. She was right, of course. I couldn’t throw her in the brig. For one, it wasn’t constructed yet, and for another, I did need her to keep the project moving. The thought of tossing her in did give me a slight thrill, though, so for now, that would have to suffice.

  “It happened after you stalked off earlier today,” Zoey said.

  “I didn’t stalk off,” I said, despising the petulance in my voice.

  “Okay, after you calmly and reasonably walked away,” she said, giving me a sugary smile. “Better?”

  I growled. I preferred her snark to her sugary tone. “Go on.”