by Anna Hackett
Xenia’s eyelids flickered. She frowned. A…sensation was rising in her. She blinked and shook her head.
Axton was talking but she couldn’t make out his words. All noise sounded distant and distorted.
Suddenly she lunged forward and snatched the Codex from his hands.
“What the hell?” He turned to her.
It felt like someone had taken over her body. Her muscles trembled. She fought for control.
She moved, raising an arm and slamming it against Axton’s throat. They crashed into the rusted hulk behind him.
His eyes were wide. “Xen-ia?” He could barely talk since she was cutting off most of his air.
She was trembling all over, fighting whatever foreign force was invading her. Her inner alarms were blaring. “Virus. It’s…invading my systems.”
“Hold on. We’ll you to Security. They’ll fix it.”
A sob tore from her throat. The virus was winning, blanking out everything inside, everything that was Xenia.
“You don’t understand.” The struggle washed away, leaving the cold, emotionless cyborg she’d always thought she’d wanted to be. “I have new programming now.”
He pushed against her hold. “Xenia?”
“I will take the Codex back to the Rahl.” She pushed her forearm harder against his neck. “And assassinate you.”
Chapter Eight
Axton watched the neon green leak away from Xenia’s eyes. And a glowing red take them over.
Fuck. He’d known something had been wrong when she’d interfaced with the Sync in his office. But he’d ignored it. Again, he’d missed something important and he’d failed her.
She eased her arm off a little. “Now, I must select the best way to kill you. I believe my knife would make too much mess.” She raised her other hand. “I think my electrical implants would be best.”
“Xenia, I know you’re in there. Fight this.”
Her red eyes flashed. “Any humanity is gone, Prime Saros.” She pressed her palm to his neck and zapped him.
Axton’s body jolted. The pain was outrageous, electricity racing through his body.
He activated the secret failsafe systems that had been embedded in him when he’d become Prime. A secret implant that gave him auxiliary strength when he needed it.
“I’m sorry.” His pushed her off him and she flew several meters away, slamming into the ground.
He had to find a way to bring her back before he had to hurt her.
If he could bring her back.
Damn the fucking Rahl, still messing with his people. And now his woman.
Xenia was back on her feet. She set the Codex aside and flexed her hands. Her face was completely blank. There was nothing of the woman he’d made love to, fed breakfast to, who’d fallen in love with the taste of zhoma-berries.
She charged, moving so incredibly fast. Before he could take another breath, she hit him.
They smashed into the side of a cruisership, then fell onto the dirt. As they wrestled for control, they rolled across the hard-packed ground, sending up a cloud of dust.
Damn, she was strong. She rolled on top, straddling him, her knees digging into his sides. Hard.
Axton fought to draw a breath. His hands were wrapped around her wrists battling to keep those deadly palms away from him.
“You can’t win.” Her tone was as cold as an ice-planet winter.
“Says who?” He used all of his strength boost to roll them. He trapped her beneath him, using his weight to keep her down. He slammed her arms above her head.
Their faces were only inches apart.
“I’ll fight for you,” he whispered. “It doesn’t matter what happens, how hurt I am, I’ll keep fighting.”
Her eyelids flickered. It was brief, he barely noticed it, but it gave him hope his CenSec was in there, fighting for control.
She tried to buck him off but he gritted his teeth and held on.
Then he lowered his head and kissed her.
She tried to bite him. But he forced her mouth open, pouring everything he felt for her into the kiss.
She stilled, her body rigid beneath him.
He pulled back, his cheek pressed to hers. “Feel, Xenia. Feel all that emotion. I’m planning on falling in love with you, so you have to come back.”
“I am machine to do the Rahl’s bidding.”
“Fuck that. You aren’t your implants, you aren’t your programming. I love your strength and your intelligence, but I also love your softness too.”
She stiffened. “I am not soft—”
“It’s okay to be vulnerable with those who care about you, those who…love you.”
The red in her eyes dimmed a tiny fraction. “No one has ever loved me.”
“I will.” He let go of her hands and slid his fingers into her hair. “Come back to me, Xenia and let me love you.”
The red drained away and her body sagged. “Axton?”
“I’m here.”
She gave a small, contained sob. “I could have killed you.”
“Never. It wasn’t your fault.” He kissed her. At first her lips didn’t move, but then her arms wrapped around his neck and she kissed him back.
“The virus took over.” Her lips trembled. “I lost control of everything, was barely conscious of what was happening.”
“And now?” he asked.
“I have the virus contained.”
“Good. We’ll have the Security doctors take a look and remove it.”
Her breath shuddered out of her. “It was the perfect trap. They wanted a CenSec to follow this little treasure hunt and fall prey to the virus so they could kill you.” She shook her head. “I should have seen it.”
“Hey.” He tipped her chin up. “I meant it, for all our enhancements, we’re still human. And being human means we sometimes make mistakes, and we aren’t perfect or infallible.” He sat up and pulled her into his lap. He held her tight and never, never wanted to let go.
She looked at him, her eyes once again their beautiful cobalt blue. “That applies to you too, Axton.”
***
Axton stilled. “What?”
Xenia stared into that handsome face that had somehow become vital to her. “You need to admit that there was nothing you could have done to stop Dax and the Rahl during the coup. Your guilt is eating you alive. It’s time to let it go.”
“I’m the Prime—”
She raised a brow. “Being human means we sometimes make mistakes and we aren’t perfect or infallible. It sounded very wise, but I’m wondering if the man who told me that is an idiot after all.”
He gripped her chin, forcing her head back. “He’s got you in his arms, so he can’t be that idiotic.”
She wanted to see him rid of the darkness riding him. “Let the guilt go,” she said. “It’s time to focus on the future.” She lifted a hand and traced her fingers down his cheek. “You once told me that sometimes we need someone. I understand now. Someone to hold us in the dark and lead us to the light. I want to fall in love with you, too.” She felt all the color drain from her face. Oh, had she really said that? That meant… “If we do this…that means I might become—” She couldn’t force the words out.
“Prime Consort.” Her cheeks had gone pale and Axton smiled. “Seems I’ve finally found something my tough CenSec is afraid of.”
“I hate parties. And I’m not…charming or diplomatic. I can’t make small talk.”
“I don’t give a fuck about small talk, Xenia.” He teased her lips with his, sipping at her mouth.
Needing the contact, Xenia straddled him, her hands sinking into his hair at the back of his neck. The kiss changed in a blink and they plundered each other’s mouths. He tasted so good, felt so good.
“I see that you don’t need any help.” Xander’s voice rang out around them.
Axton started and Xenia went stiff as metal. Oh, no.
“Oh my stars, are Axton and Xenia kissing?” This from Malin. “This is so pe
rfect.”
Xenia buried her face against Axton’s chest. This could not be happening. “I’m going to stay here and maybe they’ll go away.”
He stroked a hand down her back. “They were going to find out anyway.”
“Yes, but I would have preferred my boss didn’t find out by seeing me wildly kissing his brother.”
Axton laughed. “While straddling him on the ground.”
She groaned again.
“We’re fine,” Axton called out.
Xenia gave him a final squeeze and got to her feet. She bent to retrieve the Codex, then steeled herself to look at Xander.
He looked his usual composed self but she thought she detected faint humor dancing in his eyes. She held out the Codex. “We retrieved the Codex Da Vinci.”
“So I see. Well done.”
A team of CenSecs poured into the area. Xander pointed. “I want you all to fan out and check for anymore booby traps. I want this area secured.”
“I heard the traps trigger and called Xander,” Malin said.
Axton stood beside Xenia, close enough for her to feel the heat of him.
“Xenia needs to be checked by a medic,” Axton said. “The Rahl managed to upload a virus into her systems and she took a projectile to the stomach.”
“I ran a quick diagnostic, everything is fine—”
“You’ll see a medic.” His tone was unyielding.
She blew out a breath. “I don’t—”
“Please.”
She threw her hands up. “Fine.”
He pressed a quick kiss to her temple. “Thank you.”
“So, you seem very comfortable kissing my second in command,” Xander noted.
“I’ve been doing more than kissing.”
“Axton!” Xenia slapped him in the chest.
Malin laughed and Xander looked like he was fighting a smile.
“I’m also falling in love with her.”
Xenia’s heart melted. She was helpless to resist him. This time she kissed him—in full view of Xander, Malin and all the CenSecs surrounding them.
His hands gripped her shoulders. “I haven’t forgotten about that medic.”
Damn it, she was hoping he would.
Xander waved a black-uniformed CenSec over. “Dexter, can you check Xenia out?”
Sucking in a breath, Xenia yielded to seeing the medic. Axton leaned down and whispered in her ear. “I’ll make it up to you later. We can eat lots of zhoma-berries…in bed.”
With Axton’s promise warming her, she let Dexter lead her away. Then she took a deep breath and surrendered herself to the lovely journey of falling in love with Axton Saros.
***
“I always knew she felt.”
Axton turned from watching Xenia argue with the huge CenSec medic. “You never talked to her about it?”
“No. She’s damned good at her job. And she fought so hard to hide it, to be perfect.”
“She’s perfect as she is. With the emotion.”
Xander nodded. “I’m working with the Security scientists to combat the emotional deadening that too many enhancements causes. My own experiences—” his gaze found Malin where she was helping some of the CenSecs dismantle a booby trap “—have shown me that emotions can make us better at our jobs, not worse. And they give us so much more in the process.”
“I’ll do everything I can to help,” Axton said.
Xander gave a short nod. “I’ll get the Codex back to the museum. It’ll be in place for the reopening on the weekend.” Now Xander smiled, a wide smile Axton had never seen before. “I’m really happy for you, brother, and for Xenia.”
Axton clapped a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Thanks, Xander.”
“You better keep her happy. You know she collects knives, right?”
Axton laughed. “Yeah, I know. I find it strangely attractive.”
Moments later, Axton stood with a grumpy Xenia who’d just finished with the medic.
“See, told you I was fine.”
“He said you still need to see the doctors back at Security to double check.”
“Enough nagging.” She tilted her head. “What were you talking about with Xander?”
“I’ll tell you about it later.” He took her hand. “Right now, I have a big bed and a very large bowl of zhoma-berries that need some attention.”
She laced her fingers with his. “I haven’t had a better offer, so let’s go.”
As they walked back to their transport, Axton planned in his head. He’d ply her with berries, love her until she was exhausted, then tell her she was coming with him to the museum reopening party.
Her first outing as his future Prime Consort.
Hmm, he was going to need a lot of zhoma-berries.
~Official Document~
G! News – For all your Galactic Gossip!
Daily News Update - #7856340885
Subject: New Couple Alert! Prime Axton Saros has a Prime Consort!
The Centax Museum in Haxx reopened with much fanfare at a lavish party yesterday evening. But eyes were not on the priceless Antikythera or recently recovered Codex Da Vinci. Oh no, all eyes were on Prime Axton Saros and his statuesque redheaded date.
During the star-studded affair, Prime Saros was never far from Xenia Alexander’s side [click here for exclusive images of the beautiful couple]. So, who is Xenia Alexander? Well, she is in fact Commander Alexander of Centax Security. That’s right, Prime Saros is dating a CenSec! He’ll want to make sure he keeps her happy, or he might be risking bodily harm.
A rep for Prime Saros confirmed that he is involved with Commander Alexander and that she is his future Prime Consort. Sorry ladies, the delicious Axton is off the market!
Stay tuned to G! News for all your breaking galaxy gossip.
The Phoenix Adventures will continue with RETURN TO DARK EARTH—starring Niklas Phoenix and Nera Dark—out in 2015.
The Phoenix Adventures
At Star’s End
In the Devil’s Nebula
On a Rogue Planet
Beneath a Trojan Moon (novella)
Beyond Galaxy’s Edge
On a Cyborg Planet (novella)
Return to Dark Earth – Coming 2015
Return to Dark Earth – starring Niklas Phoenix and Nera Darc will be available in 2015.
Don’t miss out! To ensure you don’t miss the release of the next book in the Phoenix Adventures, sign up for my VIP mailing list at AnnaHackettBooks.com
Craving some holiday romance, sci-fi style? How about winter holidays on an ice planet?
WINTER FUSION – a novella set on Perma in the Phoenix Adventures universe.
Read the first chapter of Winter Fusion
“Seduce her.”
Savan Bardan’s head snapped up. Was this a joke? He stared at the holo-com of his boss, but Kolar looked his usual unsmiling self. “You can’t be seri—”
“Soften her up, Bardan. Get her to like you.” Kolar leaned forward, his three-dimensional image flickering a little. “Your entire world is depending on you to secure this new power source.”
Savan bit back a curse, swiveling in the pilot’s seat of his interstellar tradeship. Kolar was a master at “motivating” his negotiators.
And he wasn’t finished.
“If these fusion crystals are half as powerful as the Permans say they are, we need them. The Permans are as icy toward Rendar as their gods-forsaken planet.”
Savan knew the Permans still resented his planet. They blamed Rendar for barring their way into the Galactic Trade Guild five stellar years ago. “They weren’t ready. We had good reasons to delay their membership.”
“Well, they don’t see it that way. Especially Negotiator Fjord.”
Yes, Perma’s top negotiator was very vocal in her dislike of Rendar.
An image of Brinn Fjord flickered into his mind—moon-pale skin, blond hair and ice-blue eyes. He’d noticed her the first time she stepped onto the Trade Guild Space Station two ye
ars ago as a newly minted negotiator. He’d been a part of some fierce negotiations with her.
She was young for a negotiator, smiled too easily and laughed too much. But she was surprisingly ruthless. The Guild could swallow up the naive and inexperienced and spit out their broken bones. But Fjord held her own at the trade tables.
Somehow Savan doubted there was anything he could do to get Fjord to soften up. He wasn’t known for his charm. He’d been a trade negotiator for ten stellar years and was damned good at it. He closed his deals with hard negotiation and tough bargaining. Not by being nice.
“I’ll get the contract. There’s no need for me to…seduce Negotiator Fjord.”
Kolar sighed. “You see all that behind me, Bardan?”
Savan let his gaze drift to the window behind his mentor. While Savan was seated in his ship, Kolar was several light-years away in his office high above the megacity that covered their home world.
Buildings speared into the sky. Everyone on the metropolis world lived, worked and played in skyscrapers hundreds of stories high. Parks and gardens had died out centuries before, when the planet’s water had dried up.
As the population had grown, every available space was needed for housing. Now even the empty ocean space was covered in buildings.
Aerial traffic filled the sky like a swarm of insects. Smaller personal transports zipped between buildings while larger public transports lumbered between rooftop stops. Neon signs flashed and blinked from every available space—advertising everything from the latest personal Sync devices to the Interplanetary VelocityBall Championships.
“Everything out there is dependent on energy. Without a new power source, Rendar and her people will grind to a halt.”
Kolar’s words rang through Savan’s head. He knew everything they used was powered—transports, housing, holo-com projectors. Even the food units that made the tasteless cloned food Rendarians ate consumed vast amounts of power.
“Your world is depending on you.”
A heavy weight settled on Savan’s shoulders and he scraped a hand down his face. He’d felt this demanding responsibility before, while fighting in the Galactic Wars for Rendar’s survival. Leading his men into hopeless battles that got them slaughtered. His fingers gripped the chair’s armrests.
