Her Savage Mates

by Jayne Ripley

  He had ripped through several uniform seams already. He had to be careful not to flex his arms, shoulders, and thigh muscles, or he feared he would explode his disguise off his body and leave it in rags.

  Darkon had a short-range communicator in his hand to talk with Masyra. She had sent it by courier to him yesterday, letting him know they were both encrypted and safe to use for a short time. So far, she’d guided them past all robot security patrols and identification check stations without incident. Apparently, she’d also heard their comments about Nahkar’s ill-fitting disguise.

  “Sorry,” Masyra said. “I couldn’t find anyone in docking maintenance who wore the size double-huge. And do me a favor. Try to appear more bored and disgruntled and less monster hunter looking for a fight, okay?”

  “Got it,” Darkon said, glancing up and down the white-paneled service corridor that led into one of the station’s exclusive docking bays. “How much longer?”

  “Soon,” she said impatiently. “Keep your loin cloths on. This isn’t easy. Timing is everything.”

  Jennifer leaned in to speak into the communicator Darkon was holding. “We know, Masyra. You’re amazing. We really appreciate everything you’re doing for us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

  There was a moment of silence on the other end, and then Masyra came back over the encrypted communicator. “You’re welcome.” Then after another pause. “Darkon, I like her. You’ll be a fool if you don’t keep her.”

  Nahkar leaned in so that Masyra would hear him clearly. “He is a fool, but for a prince, he isn’t half bad. My mate speaks for me as well, Masyra. We owe you a blood debt for this.”

  Masyra’s voice suddenly sounded thicker with emotion. “Just promise me you’ll get to the safe place I have in mind and live out a long and happy life together. At least until I can put Darkon on the throne. You make Jennifer one happy female, you hear me?”

  Nahkar smiled. “On our honor, we will love and cherish her always. You may rest assured of that truth.”

  “Believe it or not, for once Nahkar and I agree wholeheartedly,” Darkon added. His silver eyes flashed with care for her and with the easy camaraderie the two of them had always shared before Jennifer had exploded into their lives and changed everything forever.

  Nahkar couldn’t help but grin back at Darkon. If he had to be here, doing something this mad and dangerous, there was no one else he’d rather have at his side than his friend, Darkon Trava.

  Although he did wish that Jennifer was already spirited away somewhere safe and far, far from here. Then he could relax and enjoy himself a little more. Perhaps break a few things for good measure.

  Soon. Soon she will be safe.

  The wait dragged on. They tried to look as if they had a reason for standing in the corridor with a hover case container. Luckily, the two service robots who zipped by didn’t pay them any mind.

  Then all at once, the locked maintenance door chimed and began to slide open. A light above the door flashed green. Nahkar’s heart began to pound with excitement. Finally! Something was finally happening.

  “Hurry,” Masyra said over their encrypted communicator. “The system’s only going to be open for a short time. Turn to your right. Do you see the metal arch there?”

  All three of them glanced to the right. Sure enough, there was a metallic arch three or so meters high, covered with lights and circuitry.

  “Got it,” Darkon said. “What now?”

  “Walk through it. Each of you. One at a time. It will turn off the data tracker circuits in those slave chips you have in your head.”

  “I’ll be glad to have that turned off,” Jennifer said. Before either of them could protest, she walked through the arch. The holo-screens flashed a bunch of incomprehensible data, but the lights all stayed green.

  “I should have tested it for you, little one,” Nahkar grumbled, feeling a little put-out.

  She laughed sweetly. “You will have plenty of opportunities to protect me, don’t worry.”

  He stepped under the arch and felt a distinct tingling inside his head. When he was clear, Darkon did the same.

  “Finished,” Darkon told Masyra over the communicator.

  “Good. Now get to bay seventeen. There’s a Jiven luxury speed yacht there. I think you’ll like it. It belongs to someone you know. The boarding code is one, one, eight, seven, zero. I have its nav computer programmed with your destination. You’re fueled and ready to fly.”

  Jennifer looked excited, eager. Her eyes sparkled at the thought of escape and how close they were to freedom.

  Darkon darted deeper into the docking bay, glancing around him in all directions for threats. Jennifer followed him closely, with Nahkar bringing up the rear. He pulled along their crate of luggage which floated on hover-lifts and followed them like a leashed animal. He hoped it didn’t slow them down too much. He was too sentimental to leave behind a sword that had saved his life countless times.

  “Walk slowly,” Masyra cautioned. “Don’t go too close to the main entrance. This docking bay has heavy security all around it. Those robots won’t be fooled by a few stolen uniforms. Stay along the outer bulkhead and try to act like maintenance workers who aren’t happy to be there. In other words, walk bored for the holo-cameras.”

  Nahkar did his best to “walk bored.” He suspected he looked foolish, trying to slouch, scowl, and act as if he not only belonged here but knew the first thing about starships.

  Jennifer glanced at him and bit her lip, choking back a giggle.

  He raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m glad you think I’m funny.”

  Now she did laugh. “You’re like eight feet tall and wider than a truck, packed into that too-small uniform and trying to act like you’re bored.” She leaned close to him with a huge grin and whispered to him. “It’s not really working.”

  He grunted, trying not to laugh himself. Darkon glanced at them and then spoke to Masyra. “We’re almost to bay seventeen. Who owns this Jiven starship?”

  “Is it Ms. Bitchy-Britches Princess?” Jennifer asked with a wicked grin and venom in her voice. “Because she would totally deserve it.”

  “No,” Masyra answered with an amused snort. “All royal ships have their own high-security docking bays and high-clearance personnel. There’s no way to get you to that area. But you’ll still like this one. That ship you’re about to steal? It costs twenty-million credits and belongs to Omgan Rarda, wealthy aristocrat traitor from Ketera. Enjoy.”

  Darkon laughed with delight. Jennifer joined him. Nahkar couldn’t help but add his laughter to theirs. Stealing their one-time owner’s ship wasn’t as good as introducing him to Blood Eater, but it was a close second.

  They made it to bay seventeen without incident. The ship was sleek, graceful, stunning. It gleamed with polished tyrerium, shaped like a sword ready to cut its way through the emptiness of space, with huge engines and every inch of it designed by some of the galaxy’s most refined artists and engineers.

  Darkon stopped at a terminal at the edge of the ship bay and quickly used the holoscreen to punch in the code Masyra had given them. As they approached the base of the ship, the walkway gangplank descended from the bottom, and the speed yacht’s interior lights all came on. It was almost as if the ship were greeting them and inviting them in.

  “It’s beautiful,” Jennifer said with awe in her voice.

  “It’s fast,” Darkon replied as he glanced over the ship and nodded in approval.

  “Can you fly such a thing?” Nahkar asked. He was still dubious about his friend’s piloting skills. Darkon claimed to be an exiled prince too, but all Nahkar had ever known of him had been a Quindon who fought wearing a mask and always came in second place.

  Now Nahkar felt trapped in second place and out of his element. He had never been off the station or in outer space in his life. The ship might look beautiful, but he worried about how such a delicate, fancy-looking thing would do out there in the coldness of space.

 
“Get on board,” Masyra said over their comm. “The ship’s pre-launch sequences are all finished. You have complete control. Fire up the engines and head for the main docking bay doors. When your ship gets close, the sensors will scan your authorizations. This ship is triple-code approved. You should be all set. God speed, Darkon.” Masyra paused and said, “Jennifer, take care of my prince for me. He was a better arena fighter than he was a prince, but don’t hold that against him. He’s a good person.”

  “He is,” Jennifer agreed, drawing Darkon into a quick kiss. “And I promise not to hold it against him.”

  Darkon looked nonplussed. Nahkar had a good chuckle at that. The females had clearly bamboozled him. It was amusing.

  “And Nahkar,” Masyra continued. “Keep them both safe.”

  “You have my word, Masyra. Be safe yourself.”

  “Me? I’m too smart to be caught. Now you should quit all this chatter and get out of here. You’re making me tear up, and someone’s going to notice me crying on my holo-screens.”

  They did as she ordered. Together, the three of them walked up the ship’s ramp. It closed behind them. Inside, the ship was luxury the likes of which he’d only seen in the palace. Artwork, pristine craftsmanship, every amenity, every excess he could imagine. He left the crate with their meager possessions near the gangplank ramp and stared around, impressed by the ship they had stolen.

  He could get to like it.

  “I need the cockpit,” Darkon said, hurrying forward through the ship. “I need to see what I’m up against.”

  “You swore you could fly this thing,” Nahkar said, eyeing him with rising concern.

  Darkon gave that cocky smirk of his. “I can fly anything. I just need a few minutes to wrap my head around it, that’s all.”

  Nahkar wasn’t reassured by his friend’s words or that damned smile. But there was definitely no going back now.

  Besides, there was no hope for them here. They had to gamble and win. They had to take this risk. Because if they stayed, the two of them would have to face each other in a battle to the death while Jennifer was forced to watch. Nahkar would win, true, but how could he live with himself after that? Every time Jennifer looked at him afterward, she would remember how he had killed one of the males she loved and who had loved her. He could not endure that.

  Not ever.

  Darkon found the cockpit. Jennifer and Nahkar followed him. There were four seats, including one for main piloting. Darkon took that one, while Jennifer took the one next to him. Nahkar had to content himself with a tiny chair behind the two of them.

  If that wasn’t bad enough, when he sat down, he tore the seat out of his ill-fitting pants. The loud ripping startled him. He tensed up, flexing the rest of his muscles. Sure enough, he ripped apart the sleeves and blew out the seams under his arms. He gave a frustrated curse.

  Jennifer turned around. Her eyes widened…and then she started laughing. He wasn’t upset that his mate found it funny. Her laughter was so contagious that she immediately had him grinning too. Although he really didn’t appreciate how hard Darkon was laughing.

  “Let’s get the hell out of here,” Darkon said, his chuckles finally dying away.

  His hands were a blur as he pushed buttons and activated holo-screens and moved levers. The ship slowly lifted off. The main computer greeted them and told them the landing gear was retracting.

  The atmosphere shielding for the closest hangar door dropped away. Darkon expertly steered the ship toward the exterior hangar door.

  Alarms suddenly began to blare throughout the docking bay. Nahkar could see security robots racing their way.

  Their communicator with Masyra came to life. “Something’s wrong!” she said, clear panic in her voice. “There must have been some security factor I didn’t see. Something that tripped when you fired up the ship. You have to get outside the station’s force fields or they’ll hack your onboard computer and shut you down!” There was a pause, and then she came back in a harsh whisper. “I have to go! I’ll do everything I can for you. Good luck and Godspeed!”

  The communicator went dead. The alarms continued to blare. Warning lights were flashing.

  Jennifer looked shocked and pale. Darkon appeared as grim as Nahkar had ever seen him. Nahkar only wished he had his sword in his hand. It wouldn’t have done him any good, but it would have been a comfort to hold the heavy tyrerium blade that had been with him through times as dangerous as this one.

  “Hold on,” Darkon said through clenched teeth. “This is going to be tight.”

  He hit the thrusters. The speed yacht surged forward toward the still-closed exterior docking doors. A security robot ran toward them, firing its energy weapons. Darkon dipped the yacht’s wing and took off its head as they flew past.

  “Better pray to whatever gods you prefer that the exterior doors are still on automatic open,” Darkon told them. “Otherwise, this is going to a very short and very fiery escape.”

  “Oh, God,” Jennifer moaned.

  “That’s the spirit,” Darkon said and gave the yacht even more speed.

  They shot through the huge docking bay toward the exterior bay doors. Those doors finally began to open. They must have still been on their automatic settings, or Masyra had overridden the security alarms and opened it for them.

  Nahkar suspected it was the second possibility and prayed to the stars that she would be okay. The three of them owed her a debt they could never repay.

  The doors were only halfway open as they rocketed toward them, but Darkon hadn’t been lying about his piloting skills. He expertly dropped the ship, caught the perfect angle, and shot through the half-open hangar door with only millimeters to spare.

  Jennifer cheered wildly and pumped her fist in the air. Darkon was grinning and looking triumphant. Nahkar clutched his seat arms in a death grip. All he could imagine was how close they had come to smashing into the docking bay hull and exploding into fire. In the arena, at least he felt in control. Right now, he deeply wished he knew how to fly because right now they had an insane pilot behind the control stick.

  Once they were clear of the exterior bay doors, Darkon gave the engines full power. The yacht was as fast as promised, zooming away from Quasarask Station at staggering speeds.

  The ship’s communications array immediately began bombarding them with messages.

  “Jiven ship, Alpha One Zero,” a cold, angry voice said. “This is Quasarask Station Control. You are ordered to kill your engines and stand down for boarding by imperial police.”

  “Sounds like someone’s upset,” Darkon muttered under his breath.

  “Which one is the reply button?” Jennifer asked, staring around at all the hundreds of complex screens that already had Nahkar’s head spinning.

  Darkon glanced her way and showed her as they continued to race away from the station.

  Jennifer activated the comm relay. “Quasarask Station,” she said. “This is Alpha One Zero. I hereby advise that you suck my dick and then go fuck yourself, over.” She turned and beamed at them like a kid having the time of her life. “I’ve wanted to tell someone that since I was abducted.”

  Darkon was laughing. Nahkar had to join in. By the stars, he loved her fire. She burned as bright as a sun, and he adored every bit of her. He wanted to pull her onto his lap and kiss her soundly, but he also didn’t want her out of her seat’s safety harness in case Darkon crashed into something. He might trust his friend to watch his back in a fight, but he wasn’t sure he trusted his piloting skills just yet.

  Or ever.

  The angry voice blared over the ship’s comm speaker again. “Alpha One Zero, we are sending interceptors in pursuit. If you do not power down your engines immediately, you will be destroyed.”

  “Ah, groxxing hell,” Darkon said, staring at the holo-screens and gauges. “I hoped we’d be out of Onocron Four’s gravity field long before they chased us.”

  “How long do we need?” Jennifer asked tensely.

  �
��At full speed, a few more minutes at least. We have a good head start, which will keep us from immediately being blasted out of space, but those interceptors are even faster than this ship.”

  Just as he finished speaking, blue-white energy blasts streaked past their cockpit window. The ship’s screens showed that two interceptors had raced out of the station and were after them, blasting away.

  Darkon veered the speed yacht hard to the right to avoid the fire from the interceptors. He sent their ship into a barrel roll. Nahkar discovered a new thing. He did not like it when the ship spun around.

  More blue-white energy bolts shot past them. These blasts were close and getting closer. The two interceptors were walking their fire in on their target.

  The yacht suddenly shuddered and shook as they were hit. Their stolen ship’s power flickered but stayed on.

  “They hit us!” Nahkar shouted. He hated this. Space travel was for the insane. This was the first time in his life he’d been off Quasarask Station, and he was already being chased and shot at. Worst of all, they had no defenses. No way to fight back. This was some kind of nightmare.

  “I noticed!” Darkon yelled back, putting the speed yacht into more evasive maneuvers.

  His hand gripped his sword hilt uselessly. “Do something!”

  “Are you blind? You might have noticed this is a luxury speed yacht, not a starfighter.”

  “Guys!” Jennifer said, strapped into her seat and holding on to the side of the chair for dear life. “New rule. No bickering if we’re about to die in a fiery explosion.”

  Darkon laughed as if they weren’t being chased and shot at and might actually die in a fiery explosion as predicted. “We’re not going to die. We’ve come too far for something that boring.”

  “Boring?” Nahkar was having a hard time believing the words coming in his ears.

  “You heard me. Life will never be mundane for the three of us. That’s a promise.”

  He put the ship into another series of evasive moves, causing their pursuers to stop firing and concentrate on matching his maneuvers.