by Lee Savino
I cum, screaming Mirak’s name. His tongue works over me, licking and lapping, catching the sensitive spot on the side of my clit, lifting me higher. Only when the aftershocks ebb away does he stop with a final nuzzle and a kiss.
Awareness slowly returns. I take in the room. The ceiling is still filled with stars. Patrons still mill around us, their conversation muffled by the privacy shield. Drones still zoom around, delivering food and drinks. My knives are on the seat of the booth, and the scrap of cloth that is the remains of my panties is crumpled on the floor.
My fingers are still gripping Mirak’s hair. Slowly I release him. I don’t want to let go. That was good. Too good. Scarily good.
One night, I remind myself. Just one time.
But the night’s not over, not by a long shot. And it doesn’t have to stop with one orgasm.
“Get naked,” I tell him. I reach for his waistband when my comm beeps again. I glance at it in annoyance, and then go still.
This time, it’s red overlaid with Thel’s personal code.
Fear slices through the haze of lust. Thel knew I was out tonight; he wouldn’t interrupt unless it’s an emergency. When I left him, he was planning on swallowing a bunch of painkillers and passing out. Why is he paging me? What is it? Has someone been hurt? Killed?
I jump to my feet, grabbing my clothes, stepping into my pants, buttoning my blouse up with shaking fingers, scooping up my knives. “I have to go,” I tell Mirak as I snap the cuffs back on my wrists. “I’m sorry. That’s Thel’s personal code. It’s an emergency.”
If he’s disappointed, he hides it well. “I understand, spitfire.” He hands me my weapons belt. “There’ll be other times.”
Wasn’t this supposed to be a one-night thing? “There will?” I tighten the belt over my waist. He’s just being polite, Diana. He doesn’t mean it. “I mean, good. I owe you an orgasm.”
“Are we keeping score?” He gives me an amused look, and then he pulls me in for a hug. He’s still shirtless and my pussy weeps at the thought of leaving him like this.
“Be safe,” he murmurs into my hair. “Don’t do anything reckless.”
I swallow. The tone in his voice… it sounds like he cares. And I don’t know what to do with that, because I don’t trust it.
I pull free of his embrace. “I have to go,” I repeat. “Thank you for the drinks.” We never did get to dinner. I don’t really expect we ever will.
He studies me silently for a long moment. “We will do this again, Diana. Don’t forget—I still have your knife.”
14
Diana
Thel isn’t in his healing tank. He’s in the Mahala’s conference room. He’s not alone. Azeer is already there, as are Soren, Krep and Ganni. A pirate council of war. When I walk in, Zabek slips in behind me.
Did Thel invite him?
I push that thought aside. Now is not the time for petty rivalries. Thel summoned me, he called it an emergency, and he’s not prone to exaggeration. Whatever it is, it’s serious.
“We got a message from Blood Heart,” Thel says as soon as I take a seat. He looks exhausted. His skin is a pale shade of gray and his eyes are bleary. “You were out. I didn’t want to disturb you, so I sent it along to the Rebellion, as we usually do. Blood Heart has located another underground laboratory. They’re estimating it has at least sixty Draekons.”
I was out. Thel doesn’t intend the words to be a rebuke. At least, I don’t think so. But I still feel its sting. My mentor is in constant pain. He’s fighting a ruthless, ravaging disease. I should be here to handle emergencies. I am the Second-in-Command; the Mahala comes first.
Instead, I was shirking my responsibilities. I was fucking Mirak, for heaven’s sake.
“But there’s a problem,” Thel continues.
I wipe my mind free of self-recrimination; right now, I need to focus. Casting my thoughts back to the last briefing report I’d read about the Rebellion, I realize what’s happened. “First’s incursion into Nestri took them by surprise,” I say. “They’re busy evacuating the Draekons that lived there. They can’t save the ones in the laboratory?”
“They don’t have a ship in range,” Soren replies. “The laboratory is located in the Sarkanon sector.”
“That’s the sector we’re in.” Now I understand the emergency code. Thel didn’t just pull me here to give me bad news. We have a decision to make. Rescue the Draekons or let Blood Heart kill them all.
If it were up to me, I’d be screaming for a course correction. But now more than ever, I’m responsible for my crew. This will not be an easy decision.
Thel is the Captain. “What would you like us to do?”
“I’ve had three glasses of lodihe, Diana,” he replies heavily. “I can barely keep my eyes open. My brain feels like it is underwater. I’m in no condition to make this call. I trust you. We do whatever you decide.”
When Thel says he trusts me, Zabek looks like he bit into a lemon. I stifle my smile—gloating is not a good look—and focus my attention on the issue at hand. “Fill me in on the situation.”
Soren reads from his screen. “A squadron of Blood Heart soldiers are on route to Avela. They’ll be there in sixteen hours. If we change our course right now, we’ll be there in thirteen. We can get there before they do.”
“You said a squadron of Blood Heart soldiers. Is First with them?”
“First was not mentioned in the communication we received, Chief Officer.”
That’s not good enough. I turn to Thel. “Can we contact your source to check?”
He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, Diana. Any contact with them increases their risk of exposure and puts them in danger. I will not risk it.”
I was afraid he’d say that. Most people would say that the purpose of a spy network is to get information, and spies are aware of the threats to their lives, and they’re prepared to do what’s required. But that’s not Thel. The Ekton pirate won’t put his people in danger any more than is strictly necessary. He might say that it's the Ekton way, but he’s being modest. I’ve met other Ektons that say all the right things, but their actions don’t match their words.
This is going to be complicated. We can take on a squadron of Blood Heart soldiers, but there’s no way we can go up against First. If the Draekon shows up at Avela, we’re screwed. First is a killer, and we aren’t powerful enough to stop him. Few people are.
“The guy in the tunnel,” Zabek interjects. “The guy you were out with tonight. The Draekon. He’s part of the Rebellion, isn’t he? Why can’t he go?”
I hear Mirak’s voice in my ear, listing out his faults. I don’t care about causes. They just bore me. I don’t get involved.
If I asked him to help the Draekons trapped in the scientists’ laboratories, would he show up? Would he care enough to do the right thing? Or would he say no and shatter all my illusions?
He’d show up.
Maybe I’m being stupidly optimistic, but something tells me that if I ask for his help, he’d be there.
But I’m not going to.
All his life, other people have taken Mirak’s choices away from him. The Zorahn scientists used him. So did the Rebellion, when they brought him out of stasis and sent him to find Lisa and me.
He deserves better. This is my problem. I’ll handle it. I look at Zabek with barely concealed contempt. “Hasn’t he already risked his life for you?”
Zabek sneers in reply. “You’re simply trying to protect your lover. It’s obvious you’re placing us in danger while shielding him.”
Soren intercedes hastily. “We asked the Rebellion about Fourth when they said they didn’t have anyone nearby,” he says. “They said that he’s not one of them. The Draekon is not an option.”
I rub my forehead. The beginnings of a stress headache are taking hold. I’ve only had a glass or two of Vabrian—I was too busy flirting with Mirak—so it’s not the booze that’s making me feel sluggish. It’s everything else. The adrenaline has worn off, and
I’m drained. I’m not in peak condition to make this decision either.
You can’t stand by while sixty innocent Draekons are killed, Diana. You can’t stay on the sidelines.
I take a deep breath. “If we rescue the Draekons, nobody can find out we’re involved. We can’t risk painting a giant target on our backs. Soren, can we hide our tracks?”
The Venan nods. “Fourth gave us a blueprint on Neiptiun,” he says. “He blocked the comm feeds, and then he blew up the colony ship as a precaution.”
One of these days, I should ask Mirak what he did with the mercenaries on Neiptiun before he blew the station up. Then again, I’m not sure I want to know the answer.
“So, we need to evacuate the sixty-odd Draekons, who might or might not be in any condition to walk, and then blow up the lab.”
“There’s also the scientists,” Soren says. “They might have also hired mercenaries for protection. We need to be prepared for that eventuality.”
The scientists. Of course. Realization hits me like a clap of thunder. Zorahn scientists are the best geneticists in the universe. Thel might consider the idea of a cure a fantasy, one he’d rather not spend any time dreaming about. But I’m not ready to let this go.
These scientists, whoever they are, are talented enough that they’re in charge of one of the underground labs. I can divert their research into Ekton autoimmune disorders. With enough incentive, they might be able to help Thel.
It’s a chance I have to take.
“Change our course,” I announce. “We go to Avela.” I turn to Ganni. “Get together with Krep and come up with a battle plan, please. Run it past Azeer. We’ll review it first thing in the morning.”
Ganni looks delighted at the responsibility. “Yes, Chief Officer.”
“Aren’t you the second-in-command?” Zabek asks, a sneer on his face. “Shouldn’t you do it? Or are you afraid your lack of tactical experience will get us all killed?” He turns to his father. “Her? Seriously?”
I glance at Ganni’s face. It looks like it’s carved from stone.
Zabek has just made a tactical blunder. He saw an opportunity to take a shot at me, and he did. But he also insulted Ganni’s planning ability in the process.
That’s a mistake. Ganni is former Zoraken. She’s more than capable of planning this mission. She won’t say anything to Zabek, but she also won’t forget.
Thel’s eyes harden. “Enough, Zabek.” He gets to his feet. He puts his palms on the table and stares around at us. “We’ll be in Avela soon. We will have a fight on our hands. If you can, get some rest before the battle.”
It’s good advice. I head back to my quarters. I set my alarm to wake me in six hours, wrap myself in thick blankets and wait for sleep to claim me.
My last conscious thoughts aren’t of the upcoming mission. They aren’t of Zabek, and his attempts to undermine me. They’re of a dark-haired, hazel-eyed Draekon.
Mirak.
15
Mirak
Diana is my mate.
When I touched her hand, laced my fingers in hers, the rathr had vanished. For the first time in my life, the pain that has been an ever-present companion had disappeared.
Everything suddenly makes sense. From the moment I met Diana, I couldn’t get her out of my mind. I gave her enhanced comm access; not even my brothers use that setting, not unless they need it.
I told her my name. A name I haven’t revealed to Kadir, Ruhan, Fifth, Sixth, or anyone else. On the trip back from Nestri, Lani had gently teased me about my designation. “Fourth isn’t a name,” she’d said. “You should pick one.” I told her I’d work on it.
Only Diana calls me Mirak.
I told her about spending a thousand years in stasis. I told her about my navigation ability, about training with Baderre. It doesn’t sound like much, but I don’t reveal information about myself to anyone.
She’s my mate.
Now what?
Nothing’s changed. Diana is still Tarish’s secret source. First is still coming for us. Now more than ever, I can’t let my sociopath brother find out about my mate.
I close my eyes for a second, and let the memories wash over me. I’m back in Zuha. Removing the poison-tipped pins from her hair, letting the dark tresses fall free. Running my hands through them, both of us still with anticipation, locked together in that quiet moment, in the calm before the storm, our pulses racing… Did I know that the second I touched her, that everything would change? Did I know that the instant my lips met hers, I would find it impossible to let her go?
You can’t stay in her life. You have to walk away.
I make my way back to my ship. Out of habit, I pull out my screen and check on the Mahala.
It’s not there. It’s not berthed where it’s supposed to be. The departure log of the spaceport tells me the pirate ship took off less than a knur ago. Destination: Unknown.
Why would they leave? The Mahala took damage on Besep 3. Theldre likes his ship to be in peak working condition. They’ve only been grounded for a few hours. Not long enough for the techs to finish their repairs.
I lift my comm and try to connect with Diana, but she doesn’t answer. I call again—nothing. Kashrn, where is she? Where did they go?
Worry gnaws at me. Diana had received a message, and she’d left in a hurry. Whatever made the pirates take off has to be both urgent and time sensitive.
Could they have found a new target? Another evil corporation to rob? Unlikely. Theldre is extremely rich. He wouldn’t have cut short the repairs for something as trivial as a new target. No, this has to be something more important than money.
I try Diana again. No reply. Muttering a curse under my breath, I comm Kadir. He’s on vacation, and I’d have preferred not to disturb him, but it can’t be helped. “What’s going on in the Sarkanon sector?” I demand as soon as he answers.
Kadir grimaces. “How did you find out?” he asks, and then his expression clears. “Never mind, you’re tracking the Ekton ship.”
“Kadir. Sarkanon. What is happening there?”
“Tarish’s mysterious source sent word. A Blood Heart ship is on its way to Avela. They think they’ve located another underground Draekon lab.”
My heart stops. The source is Diana. “How many Draekons?” I ask, not sure I want to know the answer.
“Sixty.” He looks grim. “No one is close enough to do anything about it.”
“I am. Why didn’t anyone comm me?”
He looks straight at me. “You didn’t choose this path, Fourth,” he says. “You don’t want to join the Rebellion. I did what Tarish did. I took away your choices. I told you about our financial troubles; you almost got killed. I told you about our information gaps, and now you’re chasing down Theldre. I’ve been doing some soul-searching. What I’m asking you to do is not right. I can’t call on you whenever I need your help. You can’t solve all the Rebellion’s problems.”
I give him a deeply irritated look. “You idiot,” I tell him feelingly. “You’re one of the five people in the galaxy who can and should call on me whenever you need help. Tarish tried to poison me; you asked me for a favor. One is very different from the other. And, as strange as this sounds, if I don’t want to get involved, I am capable of saying no to you.”
“You’re upset.”
“Aren’t you a genius.”
His eyes narrow. “Because I didn’t ask you to rescue the Draekons?”
“Yes.” My fingers fly over the ship’s nav computer as I talk to him. “And also because I’ve narrowed down who Tarish’s secret source is. It’s either Theldre, or it’s Diana. Given that Theldre has never given the Rebellion any intelligence to speak of in the past, I’m wagering it’s Diana.”
He sucks in a breath. “The woman who’s quite possibly your mate.”
“Mate?” My head jerks up. How did he know? “Kadir, don’t be ridiculous. I mean, I know that you’re happily bonded, as is Ruhan, and I’m happy for you both, but seriously—”
“Nothing’s going on, right?” His expression turns amused. “You’re setting a course for Avela. You’re charging to the rescue once again, and you’re so flustered that your pants are undone, and you’ve forgotten to button up your shirt. Was it a fun evening, Fourth?”
Oh. Bast. I’m never going to hear the end of this. “Can we get back to the topic at hand?” I ask quellingly. “Tell me everything you know.”
“A squadron of Blood Heart soldiers are on their way to Avela. No indication of whether First is with them or not. No way of finding out.” He steeples his fingers. “The Ektons aren’t stupid. First is dangerous. They’ll stay out of his way.”
If only. “Diana’s been passing on messages about Blood Heart’s activities to the Rebellion for months now. She’s too invested. If there’s even the slightest chance that First won’t be there, she’ll mount a rescue attempt. She won’t let the Draekons die.”
My thoughts race as I formulate a plan. The pirates are well-trained. They know how to take care of themselves. If First isn’t present, they will have no trouble rescuing the imprisoned Draekons.
But if First is in Avela, then Diana is in grave danger. First destroyed two entire units of the Zoraken in Nestri. Kadir thwarted him on Consalas. Ruhan bested him on Nestri. First is lethal, and he’s angry, and that’s not a good combination.
My imagination throws up an image of Nala being tortured. My stomach goes queasy, and bile fills my mouth. I won’t let that happen to Diana.
I can’t reach her. I can’t tell her I’ll take care of the Draekons myself. Even if I could contact her, would she believe me? I’ve already told her I don’t care about causes. Why would she think this time is any different?
“I need to know if First is on that Blood Heart ship.”
“You’re going to ask Ruhan to hack into Blood Heart’s comms? He’s already tried.”
“No, I’m thinking of a more direct approach.” I get to my feet. “I’m going to comm First.”
