Kade (sci-fi romance - The Ember Quest Book 2)

by Arcadia Shield

  “I can do that.”

  “And I’ll take Lincoln and Tobias.”

  “Happy to come along for the ride,” said Lincoln.

  “Grab Tobias,” said Heath to Lincoln. “We’ll meet you in the vehicle bay in fifteen minutes. I’ll make sure Danni knows what we’re doing and Jude is free to monitor our movements from the control room.”

  Lincoln nodded, before striding out of the room. Kade followed, ignoring his aching ribs as he collected weapons and equipment and loaded them into their modified Foxhound.

  Fifteen minutes later, they were all in the vehicle. Heath drove, with Kade sitting next to him, and Tobias and Lincoln in the back. This smaller vehicle was kitted out with the latest Invis-Tech, so they could move undetected.

  They were dressed in head-to-toe black, the color of the State militia. They had caps pulled over their eyes and carried State-approved pulse laser weapons. With luck, they’d be able to walk into the Pleasure Dome without any questions, grab the rest of the women, and get out.

  The cloaked vehicle slid through the gray tinge of dawn undetected, and they made it to Viller Town with no problems. They stopped by the barbed wire fencing, Heath parking the Foxhound in the shadows.

  “You wait here,” said Heath, as he opened his door.

  Kade shifted into the driver’s seat. “First sign of any trouble and I’ll comm you.” He touched the earpiece that linked him to the rest of the group.

  Heath nodded, and slunk into the darkness, with Tobias and Lincoln flanking him.

  Kade tapped his fingers on the dashboard, hating that his injuries made him a liability, but not wanting to slow the group down by insisting on going in. Doing that would only piss off Heath, and he was still sore with him for bringing in Honor.

  Ten minutes ticked slowly by, and there was no sign of the others returning.

  Kade climbed out the vehicle and walked to the front, keeping a gun in his hand. He heard a double-click through his comms earpiece, signaling they were coming out, and got back in, turning it around, ready to leave.

  Letting the engine idle, he got out again, and walked to the back of the Foxhound. The scent of burning wood was in the air and he spotted flashes of light above the Pleasure Dome.

  His fingers flexed around the gun. Something felt wrong. He took a step forward and felt the hard jab of a weapon against the back of his head.

  “One move and you’re dead.”

  THE ANGER THAT FLOODED Honor’s veins when she’d discovered Kade had gone, was replaced with fear as she saw him ambushed by a militia guard.

  The second she’d realized Kade had returned to Viller Town, Honor had retraced her steps back to the bike Kade had stashed in the corridor. She’d had to hide from a patrol as they checked the exit, but then had broken through the door code, jumped on a bike, and begun tracking him.

  And she wasn’t alone. Anastasia was on the back of the bike, and had insisted on coming with her, when she realized what Honor was going to do.

  “Your man is in trouble,” whispered Anastasia. “What you want to do?”

  Honor licked her lips. “You know that fire-breathing trick of yours?”

  “It’s not a trick.”

  “Whatever it is, can you direct it toward that guard without singeing Kade?”

  “We have to get closer,” said Anastasia. “But it will be my pleasure to burn one of those bastards.”

  They left the bike and crept through the darkness. Honor’s heart pounded in her chest as they grew closer, and she kept her tread light to avoid detection.

  Anastasia placed a hand on her arm. “This is close enough.” She took a deep breath and exhaled a thin jet of fire at the guard. Honor watched in amazement.

  The guard yelled and spun around as fire blasted him from behind, before dropping to the ground and rolling to extinguish the flames.

  Honor raced toward the guard and kicked the gun out of his hand.

  The guard grabbed her ankle and knocked Honor off her feet. He rolled on top of her and forced his arm onto her throat. “Mutant scum!”

  “She’s not the mutant, you idiot.” Anastasia spat a ball of flame on top of the guard and he rolled away, screaming in agony. “That would be me.”

  Honor jumped up and landed a kick in the guard’s stomach. “Thanks for that,” she said to Anastasia, keeping her focus on the smoldering guard.

  “Anytime. I’ll take care of this charmer, you go see how Kade’s doing.”

  Before Honor could reach Kade, he was at her side, yanking her away by the elbow, an angry glint in his eyes. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Saving you.”

  “You should be back at base.”

  “You didn’t tell me you were coming back here.”

  “You didn’t need to know.”

  “I want to help.”

  “You can help much more if I know you’re safe,” said Kade. “It’s reckless, you being out here.”

  “Same goes for you,” said Honor.

  Kade’s eyes narrowed. “I need to be here.”

  “No, you don’t.” Honor let out a sigh. “And I get it, neither do I. But I want to see what’s going on. None of you will answer my questions, so I decided to find out for myself.”

  “And risk getting killed?” Kade’s grip loosened on her arm. “You had no idea what you were walking into.”

  “By doing that I saved your life,” said Honor, anger making her see red. “It looks like we’re even. I saved you, so don’t owe you anything.”

  “Fine by me.” Kade dropped her arm and frowned. “Get out of here before the militia arrives and take you prisoner.”

  “We’re not leaving.”

  Anastasia joined them at that moment, a cautious look on her face. “You’re getting everyone out of the pleasure dome?”

  “That’s the plan,” said Kade, his angry gaze shooting to her. “It’s not safe for them. Now, take Honor and leave before more militia arrives.”

  Anastasia’s gaze went to the dome before she nodded. “It will be good to set them free. And don’t bother thanking us for saving your ass.”

  Kade opened his mouth but then shook his head and turned away.

  “Let’s go.” Honor grabbed Anastasia’s arm, and they walked back to the bike.

  “Everything okay?”

  “He doesn’t trust me.” Honor slung her leg over the bike, digging her nails into her palms as she tried to quell her fury at the way Kade treated her.

  “Do you blame him?”

  “Yes! I’ve done nothing to make him think I can’t be relied upon.”

  “Oh, really?” She arched one eyebrow. “We snuck out of the underground bunker to spy on him,” said Anastasia. “You had to use your computer skills to hack the system to get us out. Not the most trustworthy of actions.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re sticking up for him?” Honor switched on the bike’s engine, her hands gripping the handlebars so tightly her fingers ached.

  Anastasia chuckled. “All I’m saying is you’ve got a stubborn streak. Personally, I love it, but it might make your boyfriend agitated and a little jumpy when it comes to your safety.”

  “Trust me, Kade is not my boyfriend.” Honor spun the bike around and they sped away. And by the way he was behaving, she never wanted him to be.

  Chapter 15

  Kade had managed a few hours of sleep after the dragon hybrids had been rescued from the Pleasure Dome, but his lingering frustration with Honor made him restless.

  There had only been a few guards posted at the dome, all of them drunk and easy to get rid of. Heath, Arlo, and Tobias had returned with six scared-looking women, who’d come willingly with them and were now settling into the bunker.

  Since they’d returned, Kade had stayed away from Honor. They’d only argue again if they met. But he was fighting the urge to find her, shake sense into her, and stop her from risking her life for him.

  He should bend her over his knee and spank the rules i
nto her. Kade licked his lips. The thought of Honor naked and leaning over his knee made his heart race and a hardness grow between his legs. This woman was impossible. She never listened to sense, no matter what he did. He’d have to resort to spanking her if she still resisted him.

  A smile slid across his face at the thought. Honor would never agree to that, but it was an image he’d make use of when he was on his own in his quarter’s later tonight.

  He walked into the canteen, grabbed breakfast, and sat with Heath and Annie.

  “Feeling better?” asked Annie.

  “My ribs no longer want to bust out of my chest, so it’s a good start,” said Kade. “And Sophia dosed me up with this new serum she’s working on. Seems to be helping. How are the hybrids doing?”

  “They’re doing well,” said Heath. “A couple are on the thin side, but Sophia and Clarissa have been feeding them up and making them rest, so they’ll be fine.”

  “They want to stay?” Kade shoveled toast into his mouth, not realizing how hungry he was until the food hit his stomach.

  “They do,” said Annie. “They weren’t at the dome willingly. The militia were treating them as playthings.”

  Kade grimaced. Everything the State touched turned rotten.

  Anastasia dropped into the seat next to him, a plate of food piled high in her hand. “Am I forgiven for last night?”

  Kade shot her a glare. “There’s nothing to forgive. I have a feeling Honor talked you into it.” He’d told Heath and the others what Anastasia and Honor had done. They’d teased him about it all the way back to base until he’d threatened to shoot them.

  “Glad to hear it,” said Anastasia. “Because you will need my help again.”

  “With what?”

  “That’s not the only Pleasure Dome.”

  Heath dropped his fork. “There are more of those places? More hybrids out there, being used by the State?”

  “You’d better believe it,” said Anastasia. “One in particular. And it’s more like a circus. It gets moved around the country so everyone can sample the delights.”

  “We need to get them out,” said Annie, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

  “My thoughts exactly,” said Anastasia. “But I can’t do it on my own.”

  “You said it’s a circus,” said Kade. “How do they travel?”

  “Unmarked trucks,” said Anastasia. “They load the equipment and the hybrids in them. There are cells in the trucks so no one can escape.”

  Kade shook his head and pushed his plate away, revulsion at how low the State stooped squashing his appetite. “We’ll get them out.”

  “We will,” said Heath. “You think they’ll want to join us?”

  “They might,” said Anastasia. “Some will be worried about being underground, though. Dragons like caves for sleeping and breeding in, but we like our freedom in the air much more.”

  Kade’s gaze ran over Anastasia. “You feel that strongly about your habitat?”

  “It depends,” said Anastasia. “Some of us are more dragon than others.” She flashed her red eyes at him.

  “So I’ve seen,” said Kade.

  “The trucks are guarded?” said Heath.

  “They are,” said Anastasia. “But we can take them out.”

  “Who says you’re coming?” said Kade.

  “I do,” said Anastasia. “And Honor will want to come, as well.”

  “Since when do you know what Honor wants?”

  “I know a strong woman when I meet one,” said Anastasia. “And she won’t want to miss out on this.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  Anastasia grinned at Kade and then set to work on the food on her plate.

  The door to the canteen opened and Honor walked in, dark circles beneath her eyes and her shoulders visibly tight.

  “We can ask her directly how involved she wants to be,” said Anastasia, a smirk on her face, as she gestured at Honor with her fork.

  Kade glared at her before his attention dragged back to Honor. He watched as she collected some food and a mug of coffee. She wore snug-fitting, green army pants, and a fitted black shirt. Even in borrowed clothes, she looked stunning.

  He gritted his teeth. Honor would insist on coming with them to see this circus and help the hybrids. He needed to distract her and keep her at the base. But from the determined glint in her eyes as she approached the table, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

  HONOR’S SHOULDERS ACHED with tension as she sat opposite Kade and stirred a spoon through her oatmeal. She was still pissed at him for not taking her with them last night. It was as if he didn’t want her help, was deliberately excluding her.

  She’d been so angry that she hadn’t been able to sleep and had spent the night analyzing Anastasia’s blood work. The results were startlingly like her analysis of the bone and egg fragments. Maybe there was something to this hybrid theory after all? Whatever it was, she was still missing a crucial link, and the DNA strands had corrupted. But she’d made good progress and had welcomed the distraction. It had stopped her thinking about Kade and the fact he’d nearly died, and how angry he’d been at her for helping. What was wrong with the guy?

  “We’re going to the circus.” Anastasia grinned at Honor.

  Honor raised her eyebrows. “Didn’t know we got time off here.”

  Kade snorted, his angry glare on Anastasia. “It will not be fun. No clowns juggling fire at this place.”

  “Glad to hear it. Clowns freak me out,” said Annie.

  “The State have a traveling circus of dragon freaks they parade around,” said Anastasia. “Used for the State sickos’ kinky pleasures. They’ll be passing through Old London today and staying for a week. And I want my fellow hybrids out of there.”

  “Who’s going on this rescue mission?” Honor stared straight at Kade.

  “You want to come?” asked Anastasia, an amused glint in her eyes.

  “Not sure I’ll be welcome.”

  “You’re welcome,” said Kade slowly. “But you don’t have the same training as us.”

  “Doubt many people do.” Honor recalled Kade telling her about his time in the forces.

  “You could stay behind and work on fragment analysis,” said Heath.

  “I’ve been doing that all night.”

  “You have?” Kade’s head shot up. “What did you find?”

  “Still working on it,” said Honor, feeling a tug of pride in her stomach. “Anastasia gave me some of her blood. The findings are... interesting.”

  “Interesting how?”

  “Similar to the bone and egg fragments you’ve collected.”

  Kade’s gaze shifted to Anastasia. “How purebred are you?”

  Anastasia grinned at him. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to grow wings and burn this place to the ground. Well, I can conjure a little fire when I need to, but it’s stronger when I use a fire bite.”

  “A dragon stone.” Heath’s eyebrows rose. “They’re real?”

  “As real as I am.” She smiled. “And it’s just chemistry. A fire bite enhances my natural abilities. But I can’t tell you about my ancestors. They were killed by the State.”

  “Whatever this unusual DNA is, it’s got nothing to do with dragons,” said Honor abruptly, not willing to fuel the bizarre dragon conversation any longer. “But I would like to study it more. Figure out what it is and if it might be helpful to others.”

  “You’ve had enough of my blood for one day,” said Anastasia, as she chewed on her last piece of toast. “You need to get out of here and see what the world’s really like.”

  “This hybrid circus?” Honor shook her head. “It will all be smoke and mirrors. Some clever trick people use. Just like your fire-breathing.”

  “You didn’t think it was a clever trick last night.”

  Honor shrugged. “You’re good at what you do.”

  “So, how do I do my fire breathing?”

  Honor saw the anger in Anastasia’s eyes. “I’m still w
orking that out.”

  “Sounds like you’re working on a lot of stuff, but not getting far. You need to see the truth for yourself. Drop your barriers and try a different way of thinking.”

  Honor looked around at the others, who all studied her with interest. “I would like to know what’s going on.”

  “Then come to the circus,” said Anastasia. “If they stop at the place I think they’re going to, then I know the layout. I’ve been there before. There’s a back way in where they keep the hybrids before they perform. We can get in, take them, and get out.”

  Heath nodded. “Send the information to Hive Two. Give them details about the building the circus will use, so we can get a schematics layout. If the circus arrives today, it makes sense to leave tonight and grab them right away.”

  Anastasia stood and wiped toast crumbs from her fingers. “I’m on it. You in, Honor?”

  Honor stabbed at her oatmeal and nodded. “You want me to see the truth, then I need to come.”

  Kade shoved his seat back and glared at her. “Fine. But make sure you stick with me.”

  “As if I’d want to be anywhere else.” Honor watched as Kade left the canteen before letting out a sigh. That man knew how to press her buttons. But he had to stop being so protective of her. She could look after herself, and she’d helped him twice when he’d gotten into trouble. Kade had to know she could be relied upon.

  Maybe whatever they’d discover at this circus would be her way of proving that to him. No matter what it took, she’d get him to believe in her.

  Chapter 16

  Heath had briefed Danni and cleared the mission to investigate the circus with her. They’d waited until nightfall before Kade, Honor, Anastasia, Heath, and Lincoln took a large armored truck out of the base, and headed toward the old theater district. The buildings in this part of the city were ideal for putting on a performance, and Anastasia was certain the Palladium Theater was the place the circus would stop.

  Kade sat next to Honor on the bench in the back of the truck, checking and rechecking his weapons. They worked fine, but he needed a distraction from the tense atmosphere. Honor hadn’t spoken to him all day. And he’d kept out of her way, giving her a chance to cool down and stop his thoughts obsessing over her.