A Star Pilot's Heart

by Eva Delaney

  Something thumped outside the dining room door. Both Castor and I turned to it. There was a muffled shout and the door hissed open.

  Thirty-Eight

  “Hands off my commander,” a man shouted. He rushed into the room among a fading cloud of white smoke. A gas mask concealed his face. But I would know that deep voice anywhere. It was the same voice that greeted me every time I returned to Star Keeper Base.

  Polaris froze when he saw me. “Commander?” he said, confused. “He’s not torturing you?”

  “Po,” I said, stunned. “You’re kicking ass.”

  “I could take on the entire galaxy for you.”

  Castor’s hand slipped under his cloak. I whirled and leaped across the table, fork in my fist. But he was fast, damn him. His gun came to rest between my eyes. I froze, halfway across the table, kneeling in what was left of my dinner.

  Castor’s yellow gaze bore into mine.

  Three sets of footsteps beat the ground and slid to a stop. My heart skipped a beat. Were they guards? My crew? Which crewmembers? There was one missing…

  Castor didn’t break our gaze. “You must be Captain Bellatrix’s manwhores.”

  “Always,” Polaris said, softly.

  “Proudly,” Hamal said.

  Something swelled in my chest like a rising balloon. I grinned at Castor. They weren’t letting him hurt their pride. But it was more than that. They meant their words; I knew in my bones that they did. Polaris and Hamal wanted to be mine. No, they were mine; that was why they were here now.

  “I recommend you surrender before my finger slips on this trigger,” Castor said.

  As quickly as my heart had soared, it crashed. I’d put people who care about me in danger again. If they had run or remained hidden, they would have been safe. Because they came for me, their lives were at risk.

  “Drop your weapons,” Castor said, still not taking his gaze from me. Rux cursed. I flinched as their weapons clattered onto the ground. Castor’s mouth quirked just a little. “How our fortunes change, Captain. Drop the fork.”

  I hissed under my breath and followed his order.

  “You won’t kill me,” I said, my voice wavering. “If you do, you won’t have a human shield anymore.”

  “There’s a lot I can do before killing you.”

  “Wait until you see what we have planned for you,” Rux roared.

  “Tsk,” Castor said. “You don’t know when you’ve lost.”

  I had to do something. The men were in danger because of me. Orion might be dying this very moment. I took a deep breath and with my heart in my throat, called Castor’s bluff. “You said that if you were going to harm me, you would have already. You don’t like hurting people, do you? You rather not do it.”

  I didn’t believe a word of that, but maybe Castor would. If he did, he might back down or make a mistake.

  His gaze wavered. “Take off the masks, all of you,” he ordered. His voice was edging on panic.

  I kept my gaze on Castor, but his eyes slid to the men. Their gas masks thumped on the floor. Castor inhaled sharply, his eyes going wide as jumpgates. I followed his gaze to Antares. As usual, Antares’s expression was somber and hard to read. He stared steadily at Castor.

  “You too, Hyacinth? You’re one of hers now?”

  Antares’s gaze shot to me. His turned back to Castor with his eyes cold. “I belong to no one. I never have.”

  I shouldn’t be disappointed because we barely knew each other. I had no claim to him, but a part of my heart dropped anyway.

  Castor smirked. “That’s never been true and you know it.”

  Antares clenched his fists and said nothing. I wanted to go to him to touch his wrist gently. But I couldn’t.

  “Now, you plebs, put your hands behind your thick skulls and scurry over to stand against the far wall. Not you, Captain Bellatrix,” Castor commanded. His condescending tone was back. He shrugged it on like a coat.

  The men leaned against the wall. I studied their faces, searching for Orion as though he were here and I hadn’t spotted him yet. But that was a lie. He was captive somewhere. Maybe even dead.

  They should be saving him, rather than me. He could be dying while they rescued me from a meal. I could have gotten him killed.

  Castor stood with his gun still trained on me. He started to back towards the door, pausing to grab a gas mask from the floor.

  “Let the prince go,” Hamal called, even though everyone was already in the room.

  Castor didn’t bother with another threat. He didn’t need to. He had already won. We were unarmed and halfway across the room from the dropped guns. If Castor wanted to, he could shoot us all before we could stop him.

  But like on Sule, he didn’t open fire. And that more than his confession made me think he was telling the truth. We had defeated him on his own turf, but instead of killing us, he shot a glare at Antares and slipped out the door.

  “Stay back,” Castor ordered when he was in the hall.

  I gaped at the empty space where he had been, expecting him to use the wall as cover to open fire. But he didn’t re-appear. That made my stomach lurch like Vinera had tilted violently. Was it true, that he wasn’t entirely a monster? That he was capable of something like mercy?

  No, because Orion still faced the mind melter.

  The room echoed with footsteps as the men dashed for their guns. Antares and Rux raced for the corridor, unarmed.

  “Fuck, we need him to open the jumpgate,” Rux cursed.

  Somewhere in the hall, Mr. Pancake barked. I sighed in relief and jumped down off the table. At least I had ruined the fine expensive Rigel dress.

  Hamal smiled, warm and soft. “You’re the best thing I’ve seen in a long time, Calpurnia.” There was a time when I would have blushed under his gaze, but not now, not with Orion dead or dying. I could barely manage a broken smile.

  Rux stomped into the room, “He’s gone. Took the lift and will be back with guards in minutes. We’ve got to go…” He glanced around. “For fuck’s sake. We’re sleeping in air vents, bartering for weapons, stealing knock-out gas, and risking our asses. But you’re playing princess and drinking—” he paused to sniff the bottle of wine, “Arthow wine. Shit, Trix, this stuff is worth more than your ship.” He almost sounded impressed.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Now is not the time for drinking.”

  “Why not? We won. Partly.” He shot Polaris a glare again. “And lost, partly. Both are reasons for expensive wine.”

  “Orion is still in a cell. He could be dead,” I snapped.

  The men fell silent and glanced at each other. My heart caught in my throat. They had bad news. I wanted to ask, but my throat closed off, my breath wouldn’t come.

  “But you saved us,” Polaris said.

  His words didn’t make sense. Orion surrendered despite my attempts to save him.

  “Rion,” Hamal called and his rumbly voice prickled my skin. “Your princess is waiting.” He gave me a teasing grin.

  Before I could form words to ask what he had meant, boot steps echoed from the hall. A man stepped over the unconscious guards in the doorway. A gas mask obscured his face and eyes, but I would know that tangled hair anywhere. I could pick it out of a crowd of thousands. I realized I had been looking for it on space stations and in markets for three years.

  He didn’t stop until he was within arm’s reach of me. My heart leaped, but he didn’t reach for me; not yet, not when we parted on bad terms.

  “You’re okay,” I said, stunned.

  He peeled the mask from his face, letting it fall from his calloused fingertips. It clattered to the floor. I met his jade eyes, wide with wonder. “So are you,” he said, equally stunned. “I thought I had lost you. I thought…” Orion shook his head. His tangled hair fell over his eyes. “I thought we’d find you dead or bloody. I couldn’t stand to see you like that. My heart would die within me.”

  “I thought you had surrendered to save me, that you were in the min
d melter.”

  “I considered it…” his gaze slipped to Hamal for an instant before coming back to me.

  “You were never captured?”

  Orion shook his head.

  I wanted to sag in relief, but instead rage flared through me. I pounded a fist on the table. “That fucker lied to me.”

  Antares’s mouth quirked. “He does that.”

  I glanced at each of them and the rage evaporated as quickly as it appeared. Polaris grinned shyly. Hamal smiled soft and kind. Rux chugged wine. Orion stared at me in awe. Antares almost smiled. Mr. Pancake peed on the rug. He always knew exactly the right thing to do.

  “You came for me,” I said. “You all did.”

  “I couldn’t lose you too,” Hamal said.

  “You didn’t leave me,” I said in wonder.

  “Never,” Orion said. “Not when my heart beats only for you.”

  Why were my eyes wet? It must be allergies to the silk dress.

  “Hurry it up,” Antares said. “Castor and his guards could be back any minute.”

  I nodded and dried my eyes. I was about to give the order to head out when Orion started speaking.

  “When you disappeared into the docking bay, my world ended. I realized you felt the same way when I vanished. The pain of losing someone doesn’t go away because they did it for your sake. Hell, it makes it worse.” Orion laughed nervously and ran a hand through his tangled hair. Talking about emotions never came easy for him. “I wanted to trade my life for yours. But I had to do the more difficult thing. I had to trust you to survive while I found a way back to you.”

  His words were like water in the desert. I threw my arms around him and buried my face in his neck, breathing deep of his woodsy smell. Orion’s hands pressed against the small of my back, warm and steady.

  “But don’t disappear on me again,” he growled against my hair.

  “Don’t you disappear,” I growled back. But guilt gnawed at me. “I’m sorry,” I added softer. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you. I’m sorry I didn’t fight for you three years ago—”

  “You’re here now. That’s all that matters,” he said. “With you back, my heart is whole again.” He grabbed my hair and gently yanked my head back, baring my lips. His hot, hungry mouth pressed against mine. Warmth and desire spread through my body, and I tried not to moan before the other men.

  “They’re adorable together,” Hamal whispered, but not quietly. My face went hot. Orion pulled back and chuckled.

  “That word doesn’t mean what you think it does,” Antares said. That was the reaction I expected.

  Polaris muttered something I couldn’t hear and Rux laughed mockingly. “Lovesick puppies.”

  Antares growled, and the sound sent a surprising jolt of warmth through my body. Rux curled his lips in disdain. Antares bit the air before Rux’s nose and grinned at the other man’s glare.

  “Sorry to interrupt your lovely reunion,” Hamal said. “But we have to go before that knock-out gas wears off and the guards wake up or Castor returns with new soldiers.”

  “Of course,” I said and pried myself from Orion’s arms. He was reluctant to let me go, as though he feared I’d disappear.

  A bang echoed around the room and my stomach clenched.

  Castor was back already with a new gang of guards to capture us. I whirled toward the sound as the men raised their guns.

  But there were no guards or Castor, just Rux. He picked the wine bottle off the table, took a swig from it, then slammed it back down again. “Still empty.”

  “Motherfucker,” I said.

  “What?”

  “We thought we were about to be captured,” I snapped.

  He shrugged. “Not my fault.”

  I wanted to strangle him.

  Orion sighed loudly and lowered his gun. I turned to him and he looked me up and down. “Cali…” he said, a note of mischief in his voice. He smirked. “Is this fancy dress for my sake?”

  Normally, I would roll my eyes at his cockiness. But this time, it was a joy like it had been three years ago.

  “Where are we supposed to go now?” Rux said. “The jumpgate is still closed; all the docking bays are locked. That prince was our ticket out of this shithole and you lost him.”

  His words felt like an accusation. “I’ve had enough of your whiny garbage” I said. His eyes went wide over the edge of the wine bottle.

  “A lot of angry pilots are trapped on this base,” Orion said. “We can get them together, storm the docking bays, and capture Castor’s fleet. They’ll be enough of us to take every fighter.”

  “Then what?” Hamal said.

  Orion shrugged. “Blow shit up.”

  I snorted.

  “For once I agree with you, pretty boy,” Antares said.

  “So you agree I’m prettier than you.” Orion winked. I gaped. What had happened to make them joke rather than argue?

  “It’s the one thing you’re good at,” Antares said.

  “I have a better idea than blowing up a perfectly good space port,” I said. I grabbed the edge of my dress and ripped. All their eyes went wide. Even Rux stopped drinking to look, his tongue slowly licking wine from his lips. Antares smiled a little.

  “Sorry to disappoint,” I said, pushing the dress down to reveal my flight suit underneath.

  Orion raised an eyebrow in his best seductive look.

  Antares grinned ear to ear for the first time ever. “You never disappoint, Firebrand. I like a woman who’s always ready to kick ass.”

  I flushed. Orion glared at Antares, so I guess not much had changed after all.

  One thing had, though: I was glad they were here. I paused to hug each of them. Po nearly startled before gripping me back. Hamal’s strong arms were too gentle, as though he feared hurting me. Antares’s pushed against me. “Good job handling Castor,” he said into my hair.

  I glanced Rux over. He even looked good with his beard growing long. He glanced me over with parted lips.

  “Nah,” we said at the same time.

  “Your idea?” Polaris said. His hands twisted together before his stomach. The poor boy was anxious as hell and fighting to keep a brave face.

  “We let everyone escape by opening the jumpgate and unlocking the docking bays ourselves,” I said. “No battling in the halls and risking civilian lives.”

  Rux laughed mockingly. “That easy?”

  “That easy.” I smirked, even though I was pretty sure my plan wouldn’t work. To re-open the gate, we’d need to pull energy from the nearby Dante Star. I didn’t know if the star held enough energy to do it.

  Well, if it didn’t work, we’d just blow shit up instead.

  Thirty-Nine

  The armor I had stolen from one of Castor’s guards rubbed uncomfortably against my chest as I marched through Vinera. Orion was at my side and the rest of the men were at my back.

  The crowded, narrow corridors were musty, the lights set low to hide what happened among the warrens of this seedy port. When people saw us, a band of royal guards, they hurried away. We shoved anyone who was too slow. I held my chin high and looked down my nose at everyone who scurried out of the way.

  It felt shitty to treat people like this, but acting like real guards was the only way this plan would work.

  I’d never attempt this on my own. I knew everything that could go wrong, but I also knew that one of the men could handle each problem. I just had to trust them to do it. For the first time, I saw everything that could go right.

  This might be the only time that happened. We’d have to split up afterward and leave on separate ships to increase the chances of someone escaping. But I tried not to think about that. It created a hollow ache in my chest—more wounds that would only distract me from the mission.

  As we neared the center of Vinera, the corridors became better lit until the walls glowed bright. The halls narrowed until only two could pass side-by-side. The Vinerans looked the other away on illegal activities everywhere except
central control.

  My heart was in my throat as we marched toward the blast doors that guarded the main command center. Four dragon drones hovered before it. They slithered in the air like snakes through grass. I couldn’t keep my gaze from their array of blasters. The hall provided no cover, and the royal armor was more ceremonial than practical.

  We needed to face human guards in order to bluff our way into the control room. Orion glanced at me, waiting for the change of plan. Turn back, turn back, turn back, my mind echoed. But I didn’t. This was our only way out.

  I took a deep breath. It did nothing to calm me. Good. I needed all my senses on high alert for this. I needed to trust the men to do their parts flawlessly.

  I marched without pause right up to the deadly dragon drones.

  Next to me, Orion drew his shoulders back. He lifted his chin and glowered with all the arrogance he could muster, which was a lot. He looked like a true royal, haughty and impatient. It was almost unnerving. It was almost attractive.

  “On orders from the crown prince of the Starlight Supremacy, Castor Rigel, open these doors,” Orion commanded.

  The drones slithered in the air, eyeing us through the camera lens at their tips.

  “We are on an urgent mission from the prince himself,” Orion said. “Inform the pleb who commands this station to come out and receive orders from their ruler.”

  “No facial recognition match,” one of the drones said in a stiff computer voice.

  “Why would royal guards be in your database?” Orion said with a mocking smirk. “We don’t answer to you. Our orders come from the Rigel family themselves. Now open this door or your commanders will be declared traitors to the throne.”

  The drones went still and silent. They must have been waiting for orders from the base commander beyond the door.

  “How long does it take you plebs to follow basic orders from your prince?” Orion said. He was so good at this he could beat Castor in an arrogant asshole contest—only he’d be acting and Castor would be himself. It was strange to hear Orion’s cockiness without his crooked smile or mischievous eyes to soften it.