by Debra Jess
"Huh. I always wondered about that, especially after hearing the Cuffs go at it."
"Yeah, well, you learned what they needed you to learn."
"And what's that?"
"Perspective." Johza pushed away from the table to stand up, so Darvik did the same. They both walked away from the cafe. "The Harts have been pirates for twelve generations, but when Naz broke away, your folks realized no one in any of the families had been to the Unity Homeport in so long, you all had forgotten why your families left in the first place. They wanted you to learn why, in your own bullheaded way. I can't speak for the Cuffs, but the Harts…they wanted you to stay on the Iron Heart but knew when to let you go."
Letting him go had saved his life and changed it in a way they never would have wanted. "So on behalf of my parents, you want me to have a happy relationship with Shade."
"Yeah."
"You know that she won't want to be just the captain's girlfriend, and she won't settle for second-in-command."
"I know that too."
"And you can't have two captains on the same ship."
"Of course not." Johza weaved around a couple of youngsters running toward them as their parents chased them down.
"And not before the Guardians will I ever give up my captaincy of the Queen of Hearts."
Johza returned to Darvik's side. "I'm not asking you to."
"Then what under the Stars are you asking?"
"For you to buy your woman a bouquet of flowers. The rest of it you'll have to figure out on your own."
"That's not helpful."
"It's the best advice you're going to get."
Flowers. Where on Station Six would he find flowers? He didn't even know if she liked flowers. His mother hadn't. She preferred jewels. Flowers die, she had said, but rocks last forever.
Which meant Johza's point had nothing to do with flowers, or jewels, or anything physical. It had to do with happiness, something they all wanted in their own unique way. What he needed to figure out was what would make Shade happy. And if he made Shade happy, would that make him happy too?
A quiet alert chimed in his ear. "Yes."
"It's Ezick."
"I know who you are. What do you want?"
"The Silt just decelerated. They're docking at Station Six, lowest ring, right next to the Queen of Hearts."
"Steady as she goes, my man. Keep the channels open and don't do anything until I get back."
"But what about—"
"No buts. We need to restock before we even think of opening the slipstream to the haunted nebula."
"But the Silt is right next to us."
"Relax. As far as the Silt is concerned, we're just a cargo ship."
"Um. Okay."
Great. Ezick had his good points, but by the Guardians, Darvik didn't have time to babysit the kid. "Panicking now will get you and your sister killed. Stay on the bridge and monitor things. When I get back, I'll have this all figured out."
"Yes, Captain."
Ezick shut down the comm. With the Silt right next to the Queen of Hearts, just getting on board presented a challenge if there ever was one.
He promised Ezick he'd have it all figured out, and he would, but not before he bought some flowers.
Chapter Twenty-One
Station Five, fourth ring, section twelve distinguished itself with soft lighting, soothing rouge-colored walls, matching carpet with gold accents, and respectable artwork interspersed with the hotel room doors. The compression gate dropped her off at the far end, so Kelra made use of the narrow slidewalk to bring her to the correct door. Stepping off the slide, she dissolved the door, hoping to find a soft bed for a nap before Darvik arrived. She still had time to spare, so she should have time to refresh herself before—
A light sweetness tickled her nose, not what she would have expected from a sterilized room. Freezing in place, she kept the door behind her dissolved in case she needed to make a speedy exit. Even though she was certain that the shadow she'd lost on Station Seven hadn't followed her, her fight-or-flight instinct dominated her reactions.
A low rumble rolled across the room. "Lights."
As the room brightened, the light revealed a forest of flowers in all shapes and colors decorating every corner. The sound system provided a symphony of birds chirping and wind whispering that added a nice touch. No, not just one room—a full suite. From a corner, Darvik unfolded himself from a love seat, no longer wearing his mask, or anything else for that matter. Stars above, she’d been trying not to imagine how his clothes hid all his best parts. His arm muscles rippled from his shoulders all the way to his wrists even as he walked toward her. His thighs were large enough to hold her secure and never make her feel as if she were trapped. Every inch of him was perfect, and she wanted to sink herself onto him right at this very moment.
"For all my investigations, I never thought to ask what sort of flowers you liked, so I bought a dozen of each." He strolled over to the bar, pulling out a bottle, and filled two flutes with a dark liquid.
"You sure know how to seduce a girl. What's the vintage?" Was that her voice squeaking?
"No vintage. It's still billibloom juice just for you."
He handed her one of the flutes. Only then, as she reached for the glass, did she realize she still wore her mask. "Hold this for a minute while I…"
"Your packages from Station Four arrived, by the way. They're in the bedroom. Why don't you go back there and change? I'm assuming you found something more comfortable to wear?"
Had she? Right, she had. The teddies, but which one? She brushed past him, dashing into the other room to find the packages sitting on top of the bed. Tearing into the smallest one, she pulled out the slinky red fabric. No, maybe she should wear the gold? What is his favorite color? She realized she didn’t know and was surprised to find that she wanted to.
Don't overthink this. Red is fine.
Right. Red. She'd planned to seduce him in the red, but he'd beaten her to it. Without checking to see if she resolved the door, she turned off her mask so she could yank off her clothes. Even the hotel soap had a touch of extra silk as she scrubbed her face and body. Her hair would have to stay the way it was, hanging down around her shoulders. She didn't want to waste more time styling it. After slipping the teddy over her shoulders, she shoved the rest of her packages into a closet before returning to the front room. Darvik waited for her, still standing at the bar sipping his wine as if drinking while naked was something he did every day.
"What do you think?" She added a spin, letting the slinky fabric twirl around her upper thighs.
The flute Darvik held slipped from his hand, splashing what little wine remained onto the floor.
"Oh, dear," she cooed. "I guess you like the color red."
"Right now I do," he acknowledged, his eyes heavy with lust, staring at everything she had to offer. "It appears our thoughts are the same. You didn't just happen to buy that piece if you were planning to sleep alone."
"Nope. Sleeping alone was the last thing I intended to do." For greater effect, she danced over to him on tiptoes, which caused the teddy to slip higher on her thighs, giving him a peek at what lay underneath.
Standing so close, she could smell the pleasant scent of soap and aftershave, which she inhaled, long and slow. She leaned into his chest, her breasts rubbing against him with each breath. His skin warmed hers, cooled by the air of the room, while the rest of her heated up under his touch. First he threaded his fingers through her hair, massaging the back of her head.
"Ummmm, so good," she murmured, her head falling back, luxuriating in the sensation. It didn't last long enough before he slipped his hands down her body and under the thin material separating them. Not too high, though, just enough for him to cup her backside and pull her closer to him, his hardness now pressed between them.
His fingers returned to the same rhythm he played with her head. Oh, yes, that got her wet and wanting more. Before she could wrap her legs around his waist, he sh
ifted his hands, skimming them along her belly, tickling her there lightly before slipping under the material to reach for her breasts, his thumbs finding the tips, twirling them until she hardened under his touch.
While he played, she stretched her arms upward, reaching for the ceiling, letting her spine stretch after so many hours hunched, trying not to look conspicuous. One of her vertebra popped in appreciation, before she hung her arms over his neck.
She claimed his mouth, licking his lips before finding a way inside, teasing him with jabs as she worked her way deeper. Abandoning her breasts, he returned his hands to her backside, picking her up this time, pulling her flush against his waist as he carried her through the perfumed cloud of flowers and into the bedroom.
Her back hit the soft surface of the bed, arching immediately to feel more of him against her. She reached for his shoulders and pushed him over to his back.
"No." He caught her hands in his. "This time, let me take care of you."
Let him take care of her? Okay then. Letting her hands drop to the bed, she lay still. "Come and get me."
"I'll come all over you, if you keep acting like this." He rubbed himself between her thighs, emphasizing his point.
She allowed a girlish giggle loose to see how he'd react. He growled his delicious frustration, flattening himself on top of her so he could reach her lips again. Oh yeah.
"I mean it," he said between nips. "Be still."
She huffed but couldn't avoid another arch, lifting her hips to tease him a little bit more. Her temptation had its desired effect. Darvik rolled to the side, enough to reach down to touch her.
"Oh, yes." Fire raced along her nerves, curling her toes as she dug her heels into the mattress. The friction tightened every muscle of her abdomen, his rhythm creating a pressure of pleasure, but release still lay too far away.
"Don't stop," she whispered.
Wrong words, because he pulled the finger away, only slip inside her, filling her, but not long enough nor thick enough to satisfy. Instead, the beast brought his thumb into play, grinding in just the right place but stopping before she could finish.
She couldn't keep her arms at her side, so she grabbed his shoulders to pull him closer, but that didn't give her what she needed. Changing tactic, she dragged her hands down his back, using her nails to scratch him lightly in all the places he could couldn't reach, before giving him as good as he gave by grabbing his backside. With a yank, she forced him up along her body while she pressed against him.
The sight of his face turning from amused to severe almost pushed her over the edge. He was bound and determined to keep her on the edge of needing more, wanting him inside her, but he couldn't hold out forever either, and he knew it.
With a single savage thrust, he pushed his way inside, stretching her wide, every inch of him scraping along tight muscles until he could push no farther.
He set the rhythm, keeping her gasping as they rocked in unison, the sheets tangling around their legs, the bed knocking against the headboard. Her pleasure rose to a height she'd never experienced before. It wasn't just about the pleasure Darvik made her body feel—it was how he made her feel.
The sensation of floating along a river of pure bliss enhanced each touch, every moan. She searched for ways to share with him what she was experiencing, but fell short.
Rivers had ends, however, and with a final thrust, both of them reached a climax that sent them over the edge. He roared while she yelled, but they still rocked together as they slowly wound down until the ride came to an end.
Curse her health, it still took her several minutes to figure out that after everything that had happened today. Catching her breath was going to take longer than expected.
Darvik rolled away, propped himself on an elbow, and smiled down at her.
"I swear, as soon as we get back to the Queen of Hearts, I'm going to start exercising." Her breath hitched, so she stopped talking. Lying there, staring at the ceiling, didn't make for an exciting evening, but for the first time in her life, she found she didn’t care. Just being next to him was enough.
She finally asked, "Tell me about Ezick."
He took a long time to answering, which made it clear he was calculating what to say. "Okay, but only if you tell me your side of the story about what happened at Cordova Station."
She found it interesting that he wanted to know. It would give him an advantage to understand why she let him go, when she could have captured his ship and his crew. Right here, right now, she was tempted to share everything with him, but what would it cost her if he wouldn't permit her to enter the Majesty of the Stars first, on her own?
You haven't found the Majesty of the Stars yet. One thing at a time.
"Deal," she said. "After we shower."
"Deal," he repeated, before shoving himself off the bed, picking her up, and carrying her into the bathroom. Ooooo, all the romantic notions he’s conjuring with ancient chivalry. The potential for more treatment like this nudged her desire to fight harder for her life when she confronted the alien, and after when Darvik would decide if she stayed on the Queen of Hearts or not.
Scrubbing each other while steamy hot water poured over their bodies woke up the sluggish part of her brain that wanted to sleep. The fluffy towels turned their mutual rubdown into a gentle wrestling match, which he won, of course. By the time they redressed in night clothes, she felt more vigorous and refreshed than she had since her rescue.
Spoiled by a pirate had her wanting to wrap this memory into a chrysalis, setting it free only when she needed a reminder that she wasn't alone in this quest. With Darvik by her side, everything seemed not only possible, but also worth living for. She would hold on to that feeling for as long as she could, before she had to decide if betraying him was worth the price she would have to pay to complete her mission.
Pesky doubts.
Go away. I'm having fun.
They wandered back into the main room to sit at the bar. Darvik took a moment to pour more billibloom juice for both of them and handed her a nutri-pack.
"You don't have to drink this just because I do." Now that she had a closer look, each flute had delicate filigree etched along the bowl.
"Honestly, I haven't drunk billibloom juice since I was a child. The taste does bring back some good memories." He took a sip as if he were drinking a fine wine.
"Me too. It was supposed to be a treat for special occasions, but my mother always kept a container in the apartment and would sneak me some when my father was working his shift. Not a lot, just enough to keep me happy and make it sound like we were doing something really naughty."
"You like that feeling, being naughty." He wiggled his eyebrows for good effect, which made her laugh.
"Oh, yeah. Naughtiness with a flare of danger."
"That's what made you a good captain."
"It certainly helped. Not all the time though."
A comfortable silence fell between them. She couldn't stay silent forever, though. "Tell me about Ezick."
"He was a street rat on Stratos along with his sister. When the Shadows arrived, they were just an activist group. They recruited kids like Ezick to perform simple jobs for pay to keep them off the streets. His sister bought into the Shadows propaganda. She really got into it, street preaching about an independent Stratos."
"Then Manitac abandoned the system."
Darvik nodded. "Manitac pulled away, and then the riots started. The Shadows who survived the riots were arrested."
"And turned into puppets. No wonder Ezick hates Manitac." Kelra placed her flute on the bar. Billibloom juice had a pleasant taste, but not so pleasant that she needed to have more. Not tonight, at least.
"Not just Manitac. He hates the Shadows too."
"So how did he and his sister wind up on the Queen of Hearts?"
"I'm not certain how he managed it, but he conned his way on board the prisoner transport ship." Darvik took her empty glass and tossed it into the recycler along with his own.<
br />
"Conned or sold himself?"
The way Darvik tilted his head gave her the impression he didn't know but suspected what had really happened to Ezick. "Either way, he got on board. He also had enough Z-nips to boil in his quarters and let loose into the air ducts. Once the crew was incapacitated, he dragged their bodies into one of the launch bays and dissolved the hatch."
Kelra's heart clutched, her mind racing. This was her backup plan. Her exact plan, except for killing the crew, if Darvik refused to let her board Majesty of the Stars alone.
Ezick wouldn't know that, though, and if he were quick enough to recognize what was happening, he might do something to sabotage the plan.
She had no choice now but to plan for that possibility.
"Where did you find them?"
"Near Torensia. The puppets were to provide labor there. We stumbled across the prison transport and decided to plunder it.
"However Ezick got on board, he hadn't considered what he would do after he killed the crew. He didn't know how to pilot a ship, or fire a cannon, or even activate a comm system. What we found when we boarded was a very scared but determined young boy. He made me an offer: take him and the puppets on board the Queen of Hearts, keep the puppets safe, and he would do whatever it took to become a part of the crew. He pledged his life to the Queen of Hearts."
"Wow. Do you think he'll keep the pledge?"
"I hope so. Ezick won't admit it, but he likes it here. He'll make a fine pirate when it's time."
He sounded like a proud father. Did he enjoy that role as mentor, if not a biological father? Did he want to become a father?
Red alert! These questions do not contribute to the completion of your mission.
My heart wants to know.
That part of you can wait. If you survive this and you don't have to betray Darvik to finish, THEN you can pursue this affair later. Much later.
Right. Later. There would be plenty of time later. Maybe.
