Wild is the Blue

by Cecilia Randell

  Blue wasn’t sure why this was such a big deal, but there was no denying what was in front of her.

  They needed to fix this. She needed to fix this, and just like Forrest, she had no idea how. She half rose and Trev caught her arm.

  “Let me. I started this, I need to finish it.”

  Blue stayed in her awkward position, bent at the knees.

  “Trust me.”

  She eased back into her chair. Around her the only movement was Felix and Forrest’s hands on Vivi, and Trevon rounding the table. When he reached them, he knelt across from Forrest.

  “Vivi, girl. I’d like you to listen to me,” he said, voice a low croon. “Just listen to my voice, all right? Your Felix, he’s fine. No one will touch him, not like they did to your Forrest. I will make sure of it.”

  Vivi shifted until she faced Trevon, though a majority of her was still pressed into Felix. A whine hissed from her chest.

  “That’s right. I won’t let anyone touch him. And what I said, I didn’t mean they’d done that to him. It happened a long, long time ago. And what we’re doing now? We’re going after the guys who want to do similar things to other people.”

  She chirped.

  “Yeah, yeah, you can tear a few of them open, no problem. I’ll let Felix tell you the rest, but you know we’re also going there to arrange things so Felix doesn’t ever have to leave you all, right? Now, just imagine, if Felix reacted like this to my news, how do you think the mean man who might take Felix away will react?”

  Vivi chirped again, and her head came up.

  Trevon laughed. “Yup. It will be worse.”

  Blue couldn’t look away from the scene. Did Vivi understand Trev’s words, or was she simply responding to his tone? Could he pick up on the piquet’s emotions, or was he extraordinarily perceptive?

  More than that, what was Felix’s reaction? Shock, yes, and betrayal, if the emotions filtering through Garfield were any indication. Fear was there. Under it all lay… anger.

  Anger that Vivi wasn’t showing.

  “Trev?” she called out. “What am I not understanding here?”

  Felix lifted his eyes and green nearly glowed out at her. “Do you know what they teach us when we’re growing up?”

  She shook her head.

  “It’s not so much written in the text books as it is an idea ingrained in Cularnian culture. While equality is a hallmark ideal for us, that is something that applies within our own world. Everyone else is…”

  “Less,” Mo’ata finished for him.

  Blue frowned. That didn’t match up with what she’d read, what Mo’ata and Felix had previously told her—what she’d seen in Felix. Wasn’t the Order of Terril a Cularnian institution? They upheld order and justice throughout the Alliance. They fought for the rights of every individual.

  No, it didn’t match up.

  “Yes, less. Well, not less, but we are taught that we are born superior. The speed, the strength, everything that makes us superior soldiers, we are meant to be that way.” He let out a bitter laugh. “If we trust Zeynar’s words, it’s all a lie. The thing that makes us special, that separates us from the rest of the races, was manufactured.”

  “It is not a lie. If any cared to look, the history is preserved in old records of the Alliance,” Trevon said, never taking his attention off of Vivi.

  “So, your whole world just got rocked,” Blue mused, keeping her voice light. “Mind blown.” She brought her hands up and exploded them from her head.

  Felix’s brows quirked, his green gaze remained locked on Blue, as though the rest of the people in the room didn’t exist. “Not… as badly as you may be thinking. As Zeynar has suggested, the information is there if one cares to look for it.”

  “You knew?”

  “Most of it. I have not looked through the file, of course.”

  “Then what was the…?” She waved her hands around her.

  His lips quirked up. “It’s one thing to read about something in a back room of the Alliance archives when you’re a curious teenager trying to get out from under the thumb of your overbearing and very large family. It is another thing to have your enemy throw it in your face, and suggest you do the same to your father.”

  “Trev’s not our enemy.”

  “Well, if you’re going to toss logic into it.”

  From the edge of her vision she saw Trev’s mouth quirk into a smile.

  Felix drew in a deep breath. “My father no doubt knows this information as well. But, I will look it over and consider if there is a use for it. I’d rather not, though, as this is a very… sensitive subject for Cularna.”

  Blue nodded, her eyes wide. No kidding.

  Vivi twisted her head up and chirp-growled at Felix.

  Garfield gave his own chirp from somewhere under the table then returned to his spot against her legs. Better. Vivi better. Scared lock up. Scared hurt.

  “I think you’re right, our emotions were feeding off each other,” Felix said to Forrest as he stroked his hand over a now purring Vivi. He looked too Blue. “Like what happened to you and Garfield after Forrest and Levi were taken.”

  That… made a lot of sense. “So she’s connected to you?” Was that possible?

  “Has been for a while,” Forrest said, eyes unfocused. He shook his head. “Vivi likes him. He’s like a… big brother.”

  “So, no longer the youngest?”

  Felix laughed. “Guess not.” He looked down at Trevon. “Thank you, criminal.”

  Trevon gave Vivi a scratch and stood. “Any time, mercenary.” Resuming his seat, he gestured toward Blue’s forgotten lists. “Now, let’s get back to it.”

  They waited as Forrest resumed his own seat. Felix kept Vivi with him, though the piquet was no longer in distress.

  “Well, I’m about to be abrupt again,” Trevon said. “I have to assume you’ve all discussed what to do with Felix’s family over and over. Other than killing them with politeness, have you come up with anything?”

  “Not in so many words,” Mo’ata said.

  “Then I say we leave it at that for now. Barring the opportunity for that heroic effort, that may be all you can do. Minds are not so easily changed, especially when they are convinced they’re right.”

  “Agreed,” Blue said. “If I’m honest, I’m tired of discussing it. I feel like we’re just talking in circles.”

  “Agreed,” Felix said next. “To much talking, too little doing.”

  “Agreed.” Forrest, Mo’ata and Levi said.

  “Strategies for Ekarill and stirring things up?” Blue said. She tapped the pencil against the pad.

  A new folder was placed onto the table by Prin. “This is everything I know. Everything.” Trev flicked a look at Blue and cringed. “I thought about sending it via comm, but… there are advantages to paper in a digital age.”

  A chill moved through her.

  “Pakesh has been spotted on Earth. Denver, to be precise.”

  The pencil stilled. “That’s where Jason is.”

  “Yes. He is… cooperating.”

  “Really?” Mo’ata raised a brow.

  Trev shrugged.

  Blue ignored the byplay. “If we poke at that connection, Denver and Earth, do you think we could knock something loose?”

  Trevon turned to Mo’ata. “De— your Boss has people in place who are digging into things within the guilds?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then, yes, the best strategy is to shake everyone up and see what falls out. I would do the same, honestly.”

  “Would Ekarill really be that stupid?” she asked. “I mean, if the timeline is right, he’s been avoiding detection by everyone for a really long time. Why would he give himself away now?”

  Trev waved a hand and leaned back in his chair. “Criminals are stupid. It’s why they get caught. Eventually, they do something that screams ‘here I am, lock me up.’ Not me, of course.”

  “They’re already on alert,” Felix pointed out, ignoring hi
m.

  “That’s right.” Forrest leaned forward. “Miyari’s gone. They have to be wondering what exactly is known, what was recovered from the fire.” His tone echoed with dark satisfaction. “And Mika is gone.”

  Blue tapped the pencil against the blank paper once more. Then she turned to Felix. Something had been bothering her. “We’re sure your father has nothing to do with what Ekarill is currently involved in?”

  “Almost.”

  “How good is he?”

  Cocked heads.

  “I mean, he’s a general.”

  Felix held up a hand. “He is a very good strategist, and takes security very seriously. However…”

  “There is that slim chance he’s gotten himself tangled in this.”

  “Yes.” A sigh. The mercenary swept his gaze over everyone. “Be careful of what you say.” He flicked a finger at the jammer. “And don’t rely on those, at least not at the house. Culan’s bones, even having this conversation here is a risk, but there’s no other place to have it at this point.”

  “So we may have just given away our assignment,” Mo’ata said with a glare to the mercenary. “This would have been good to know before we began.”

  Felix flushed. “Then I suppose we’ve already begun with the stirring.”

  Blue could guess what else he didn’t say. As much as the mercenary claimed he was “fine,” he was no doubt shaken by the whole ‘going off to face down the family as part of an assignment’ thing. “It’s too late either way at this point. Let’s just be careful from here on.”

  “It’ll be fine,” Forrest said with a wave of his hand and eyes locked on Vivi.

  Mo’ata rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Can we track the connections back from the Earth angle?” he eventually asked. He drew the second folder of Trev-provided information toward himself with one finger, then flipped it open.

  “Working on it,” Trev said.

  “Jason,” she guessed.

  Trevon froze for the briefest moment before relaxing back in his chair.

  “What? Damn, just spit it out you… ass.”

  Forrest leaned toward Felix. “I think that’s his new nickname,” he stage whispered.

  “Still better than mine,” Felix shot back.

  “Just tell me about Jason.” Blue poked at the Ass.

  “He’s fine.”

  “But?”

  “He knows most of what I know.”

  “But?” She asked again. “Damnit, stop yanking us around. You’re about to lose all the…” She didn’t know the words in Common. “You’re about to lose all the brownie points you just gained,” she said in English.

  “Sorry, my star.” He sighed. “Jason has the information, and a way to reach me. I… hope he calls when he needs to.”

  “Hope?”

  Trevon held up his hands. “Sometimes you roll the dice and see where they land,” he replied in English.

  “So, we’re winging it.” Forrest bobbed his head. “Okey dokey. This will be fun at least.”

  Blue looked down at her lists. She’d written nothing. She set the pencil down.

  Maybe she’d try doing this one without a list, or a plan. “So, how long until we’re there? And is there a bed on this thing?”

  If she was winging it, she may as well apply the strategy to a few other pieces of unfinished business.

  Chapter 18

  FELIX

  His palms were not sweating. He rubbed them along his pants. No, not sweating at all.

  When Blue had asked if there was a bedroom, his heart had leapt. Then fell to his stomach as she slid her gaze to Trevon. Then rose to his throat as her blue eyes settled on him.

  He looked over his shoulder. She was still there, a few feet behind him. Was this happening? Was this really happening right here, right now? He couldn’t read her. She looked the same as she always did—wide, innocent eyes that saw more than anyone ever suspected and hid a mind capable of slicing to the heart of things. Full lips that seemed to come to rest in a permanent smile. Her steps were quick, light.

  “So, we really have like five more hours?” she asked.

  He turned forward and continued down the passageway. “Yes?” he answered, his voice cracking. Culan’s bones, he sounded like a boy just out of puberty.

  “Perfect.” Satisfaction filled her voice.

  How did this get so out of my control?

  He’d been the one to say they needed to take it slow, and Blue had respected that. But with a few sentences, here they were. She’d made some sort of decision, and Felix didn’t want to fight it.

  He didn’t want to fight it, her, or himself. He was finally about to face his family. It was time to fully committed himself to Blue.

  And let’s not think of my family right now.

  He stopped outside one of the two sleeping rooms. They weren’t proper bedrooms. Barely large enough to hold a medium sized bunk and a small side table, they were for one purpose only—allowing the general and any guests a place to rest. Triggering open the door, he stepped inside.

  Blue followed and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her small body to his. While she’d always been slim, she’d gained muscle over the last months. Her frame still carried hints of the soft curves she’d sported back when he first met her, and those curves were now pressed against him.

  “We are doing this, pookie.” Determination hardened her voice.

  His blood surged and he swallowed. Then he swallowed again as her hands slid up his chest then down.

  “First things first.” She pushed away from him and slapped his butt. “Take off the damned pants.”

  His groin tightened. What the hell was she doing to him?

  BLUE

  She swallowed. Where the hell was this coming from? Yeah, she’d been frustrated about the lack of physical progress, but basically ordering him to strip? Before they’d even warmed up?

  Hell with warming up. We’ve been warming up for months at this point. It’s time to buuuuurrrrnnnnnn.

  Blue choked on a laugh as she stared at Felix’s broad back. She’d just dragged a giant into a tiny bedroom, and apparently a thirteen year old, cheesy dominatrix had taken her over.

  “Pet?”

  Images of collars filled her mind. Nope, not going there. “Yes, pookie?”

  “You sure about this?”

  “I’m not the one who’s been holding back.”

  He turned to face her, his green eyes wide. “Part of me still wants to wait until you’ve met my family.”

  “I don’t care what they do or say. I really don’t. Short of kidnapping you and locking me on a prison planet in an underground cell, what can they do? And even then, I’ve got four other guys who would break me out, and then we’d come and kidnap you back.” She grinned. And wasn’t that a fun image. Then the smile fell away. “I want to do this in a way that lets you have it all. Us, your family, the guild, the Order, all the things you wanted for your happy ending.”

  He swallowed but otherwise didn’t move.

  She bit her lip. “What if, in the end, they really do force you away from us and back home?”

  “Then I walk away,” he said.

  Her heart stopped.

  “From them.”

  Water filled her eyes.

  Felix grabbed her shoulders. “No, pet, not allowed. Stop that right now.”

  She smiled, but it wasn’t steady.

  “I am making my decision. For better or for worse.”

  A snort escaped her. I wonder if he knows he just echoed one of the vows of an Earth marriage ceremony.

  He lifted her so their faces were even. “I am with you. Mo’ata, Forrest, Levi, they are all my brothers.” He grimaced. “I’ll even tolerate Zeynar. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”

  Could she let him walk away from his family? “Your fam—“

  He placed a finger over her lips and silenced her. “It is my decision, Blue.”

  Just as she’d fina
lly decided to trust him when he said he was “fine,” Blue decided to trust his words now. “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  She nodded. “Okay. Let’s do this. Now, strip.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Fine.” Fingers flew over the fastenings and buckles of his clothes. In a mere minute he stood before her, hands on his hips, completely bare and not one ounce of him shy.

  Not that he had reason to be.

  Her gaze slid over his chest and the tattoos there. It grazed over his arms and moved down to his hips, then focused on his groin.

  Damn. The mercenary was definitely ready for this, his penis erect and pointing straight for her.

  Yes! First try and I thought the word!

  “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for this?” Felix said, his voice deepened to a rumble.

  She shivered, never taking her gaze from his groin. “You’re the one who wanted to take it slow.”

  He moved forward, crowding her against the door. Heat radiated from every inch of him. “Not anymore.” He stooped to pick her up.

  Jumping, Blue wrapped her arms and legs around him. Meeting his green gaze, she savored the moment. She only got to have one first time with each of her men. While she and Felix had done many things as they danced around their issues, this was their first.

  “I love you,” she said. She wanted to make that very, very clear.

  Somewhere between her first day of school in Austin and now, she had changed from a girl who needed a burst of courage to even talk to a new person, into a woman who had helped defeat at least three of the bad guys, and who had gathered to herself five of the most incredible men—her family, her friends. People she would never have to leave, and who would never leave her. She’d make sure of it.

  Felix, his lips parted as though begging her to kiss him again, let out a long exhalation. “I- “ He swallowed. “I love you too.” Then he groaned and kissed her again.

  Their lips tangled as Blue pushed her hands into his short hair. Felix, one hand just under her butt, backed up toward the bed. His knees hit the edge and he sat, taking Blue with him. No longer needing to hold her, he began working at the buckles for the waist-cincher.