by Averi Hope
Turning her head, she brushed aside the stray hairs along her neck to reveal the tiny scar left over from her experimental surgery. The one that had saved her life. She didn’t have time to worry about drinking too much or mysterious men—she would have her hands full. The academy would push each student to their breaking point, including her. But no matter what, she’d have to divide her attention between her training and continuing to serve the people of Earth. The two responsibilities together were daunting.
Her focus would be laser-centered on her goals. She wouldn’t walk in her mother’s footsteps. And the best way she could make sure not to fall into the same trap was to stay as far from Caleb as possible.
With her resolve restored, she stripped off her clothes and headed for the shower. But with each step the tiny scar ached, almost as if to remind her of all the things she couldn’t remember, and how the loss of such memories might be dangerous.
Chapter Ten
Caleb could think of nothing but Erin. Her face. Her smile. Her laugh.
Should he be worried? Was this the beginning of the Bonding?
He shook the thought aside. Once he had her, hopefully he would be free of his new and unexpected obsession. There were two things he could be sure of: he would bed the female, and he would find the person who drugged her and make him pay.
His first week at the academy was already proving more interesting than he could’ve hoped for.
Chapter Eleven
Across campus, two men met in the shadows of the gardens.
“Imagine my surprise when I saw Erin Stowe walking through campus this morning.”
The other almost choked on his reply. “I failed. I’ll do better next time.”
Only the sound of his racing heart filled his ears as he prayed for a miracle.
“You better. Once is a mistake. Twice will make us doubt your loyalty.”
The man felt a wave of gratitude. He’d expected a dagger to the throat. “Before the year is out, the fleet admiral’s daughter will be yours. I promise it on my life.”
“Good, because your life is the very thing we’ll take.”
Overhead, gray clouds blocked out the morning sunlight, a sure sign of the storm to come.
Chapter Twelve
Erin stared from afar at the pale, golden bubble surrounding Caleb’s dream. She lingered as far from it as she could, like a reluctant observer, torn between fascination and worry. Why was she here? Going into the dreams of others usually required a lot of work and as much of an understanding of the individual as possible. She slipped into dreams by accident only if she knew the person well.
Until now.
She neither knew Caleb well nor studied him extensively. This shouldn’t be possible. What did it mean about her powers? Were they growing, changing, or was there something wrong with her?
There was a groan from within the dream. Her heart raced. Almost unwillingly, she padded closer on bare feet to the translucent bubble, until she could see Caleb clearly.
He was straddling a woman. Their golden bodies moved together in a slow rhythm. Her legs wrapped around his back. As she watched, he rocked faster and faster.
Their moans of pleasure built until Erin felt her own need rising. She didn’t want to watch, but seeing the perfect muscles of his ass left her transfixed. A longing to touch him filled her. The need was so powerful that she stepped into the bubble and moved toward him.
He turned. They both did. And suddenly, she was staring at herself beneath the Keltair male. The Erin beneath him vanished. He rose from the ground, his gazed fixed on her.
“Come back. I need you.”
She awoke, sweating. And frustrated beyond belief. What the hell was she doing jumping into Caleb’s dreams when she’d spent the past few weeks doing her best to avoid him at every turn? She pushed her tangled black hair out of her face and wiped at the moisture on her forehead. Her whole body was tied in one giant knot.
Without wanting to, she sat up in bed, her gaze trained on the door to her quarters. Just a few steps across the hall, Caleb was lying in bed dreaming about having sex with her. It would be so easy just to go over and—
No! She would not allow herself to be distracted any further. Not only was she already up too early on combat testing day, she was exhausted from Dream Jumping. And from my first round of intro tests in my other classes this week. She threw herself back on her pillows and groaned, rubbing her face. There was no more denying the very simple fact that if she didn’t have sex soon, she was going to explode.
She’d been putting it off for reasons she didn’t want to consider. But no more. By the end of the night, she promised herself, she’d have done the deed. With someone.
Putting her hand on her stomach, she closed her eyes. It just wasn’t soon enough. Glancing at the clock again, she saw that she still had plenty of time. She walked to her dresser and pulled out Turbo. It wasn’t sex with a real man, but it was the next best thing.
An hour later, she was showered and dressed in her deep blue uniform. Her golden Starfire Academy logo shone on the front of her button-down shirt. Smoothing back her hair one last time, she smiled at her own reflection.
In a short time, she’d have her first combat test. By the afternoon, all the teachers would have posted their scores. She was bound and determined to be at the top of every list.
Even though Caleb is my biggest competition.
She scowled at the thought. Her only competition should be herself, wasn’t that what her father always said?
Her computer console played an angry tune. Speak of the devil! Her heart raced as she crossed the floor and sat down in front of her desk. Taking a deep breath, she hit the blue button on the screen.
Fleet Admiral Stowe, better known as her father, was staring down at a pile of papers on his desk. A pen had been placed behind his ear, slightly disturbing his neatly trimmed, silver hair. Next to his elbow, a small glass held an amber-colored liquid. His most expensive scotch.
None of this was good. The admiral didn’t allow a single hair to get out of place. Or drink during the daytime. And the fact that he was contacting her…well, none of it boded well for her.
He looked up, and she swore there were more wrinkles at the sides of his eyes than when she’d seen him last. But, the change was subtle. As always, his pale green eyes hid all emotion. “Good morning, Erin.”
She leaned back in her chair, trying to look casual. “Miss me so soon?”
He sighed loudly. The lack of chastisement in his face made her palms sweat. Definitely not good.
“I told you before you left that your people would need you no matter what, and that your responsibility to them would come above all else.” He paused, searching her face. “You’re needed.”
Her stomach sank, but she simply raised a brow. “Are you just calling to kill my good mood, or is there something specific you need from me?”
Picking up the papers on his desk, he shuffled them, making certain that all the edges were even. “The president herself has ordered your latest assignment.”
She sat up straighter in her chair. “Seriously? Okay. What does she need?”
“As soon as we finish this call, I’ll send you information on your target.” He cleared his throat. “President Luna would like you to enter the man’s dream tonight.”
The air rushed out of her lungs. Tonight? “No, Dad, that’s too soon—“
“She wants you to do it immediately.”
She shook her head. It was too dangerous. She needed time to study him, to view any and all information. The only time she entered dreams is when she could perfectly recall every one of the target’s physical features in her mind’s eye, and only if she had a firm understanding of who they were as a person. To do otherwise was dangerous.
Not knowing the person made it harder to separate herself from them. And what was more, she could make a mistake out of pure ignorance.
That lesson had been learned the hard way. The really har
d way.
“We both know how dangerous what you’re asking me to do is…”
His gaze met hers. “I’ve never argued with the president before. But I argued with her about this. I bought you until tonight, but not a day longer.”
She swallowed the excess saliva in the back of throat. What was she supposed to say? That she was terrified? That she refused to do it? None of it mattered. The man she was speaking to was the admiral in that moment, not her father. And a command was a command.
“Okay, what do I need to know?”
He didn’t look relieved. “The specifics will be in the file, but in general, your target is Ahmed Zhou. He’s most well-known for being a wealthy arms consultant and dealer. But to nearly every advanced government, he’s known for running one of the largest sex trafficking groups in the known universe. The problem is, no one has ever caught him red-handed, so to speak.”
Am I really being forced into this sadistic man’s dream without the proper preparation? A shiver ran down her spine. She didn’t want to do this.
Nibbling on her bottom lip, she met her father’s gaze. “Why does this need to be done right away?”
And that’s when his admiral mask faltered. “On another unrelated, highly classified situation, the president’s daughter and a small group of her college-aged friends have gone missing.”
The hairs on her arms stood on end. “Gabrielle?”
He nodded.
Gabrielle had been her close friend until the realities of their lives drew them further and further apart. They’d see each other several times a year at important functions, but they were always busy trailing their powerful parents. Until Gabrielle went to college and Erin’s training grew more intense. But still, being the daughters of two of the most influential people in their galaxy connected them in a way that seemed permanent.
“I’ll do it,” her voice came out an angry whisper.
And she was angry. Angry at the thought that they still lived in a world where young women weren’t safe. That there were people who bought and sold women like livestock. It didn’t matter that Dream Jumping so soon would be dangerous. She could help her friend, and she would.
“Erin,” her father’s voice drew her gaze. “Be careful. And if things start to go badly, jump out. You’ll have followed orders. She can’t ask for more than that from you.”
“Of course.”
He clenched his jaw. “Damn it. Losing both of you won’t do anyone any good.”
Her eyes opened wide in surprise and she simply stared at him. “I’ll be okay.”
He nodded, then rubbed his mouth. “I’ll send the information. Call me first thing in the morning.”
For a minute, she thought he’d say more. Instead, he reached forward, their gazes held for a moment before he tapped the screen. It went blank.
She sank back into her chair. Eat. Prepare for the combat exam, then study the asshole. Her legs trembled slightly as she rose. No. No! Don’t get distracted. She slammed her fists on the table. She would not allow her other responsibilities to impact the rest of her life.
Push it out of your mind, or you’ll explode. She took a deep, calming breath and stood up, her back stiff. She would be Erin the Unbreakable. No matter what.
Grabbing her leather backpack off the bed, she strode out the door.
Across the hall, Caleb’s door opened. This is your world. These are your problems. Not the others. His gaze slid to hers and held.
Seeing him, no matter how often, always took her breath away. The large, half Keltair male looked like every woman’s deepest, darkest fantasy brought to life. Dark hair, a dusting of a beard, and a body that was both impressively massive and muscular. He stirred things inside her that she’d much rather keep hidden.
She raised a brow, trying her best to hide her reaction. “Waiting for me again?”
The lighthearted words lifted a bit of the weight from her chest. She could do this. She could live only in this world.
He smirked in response. “How many times do I need to remind you? We have nearly the same schedule.” His slight Irish accent slid over his words, warming something inside her.
She shook it off. Don’t let him wind you up!
Yeah, there was logic to his point. They were both Hawks and, even worse, they were both specializing in Starship Command. That meant that not only did they have their core classes together, but they had most of their specialty classes together, too.
Which was beyond frustrating.
She turned, heading for her friend, William’s, room. “Weird. There are a lot of other Starship Command majors here, but you’re the only one I constantly seem to run into.”
Her finger hovered over the green button next to her friend’s door.
“We’re across the hall from each other, too.”
She jumped a little, surprised to find he’d silently come to stand so close to her.“Whatever you need to tell yourself.”
His arm reached over her, touching the wall.
Turning, she suddenly found herself trapped by the sexy Keltair male. She swallowed hard, gazing up into his dark eyes. Whatever he wanted, she’d need all her wits about her to refuse him.
Chapter Thirteen
Caleb had never seen the color green of Erin’s eyes before. They were like rare jade stones staring up at him. Her eyes were wide, pupils dilated. He reached forward and ran a thumb across her jaw. Her skin was so pale in comparison to his own. And soft.
God, how he loved the feeling of her skin.
It’d been weeks since their last kiss. Weeks spent dreaming of the taste of her mouth and the feel of her body pressed hard against his own. Even after the other Starfire Academy students learned that he was half Keltair, he’d had an assortment of women sending every signal that they were willing to warm his bed.
But I don’t want them. I just want her. If I can ever get her alone.
“Tell me,” he said, shifting even closer to her. “Why is the little green man always at your side?”
She stiffened. “William is my best friend.”
Sometimes the human woman hid her emotions better than a warrior, other times they were openly displayed. When she was happy, the dimples in her cheeks stood out, deep enough that he longed to touch them. When she was angry, the lines of her face suddenly seemed sharp and dangerous.
She intrigued him.
“And why do you want to be best friends with someone so weak?”
To his surprise, she pulled away from his touch, leaving an empty space between them. “Being strong doesn’t just mean having enormous muscles,” she said, scowling and pointing at his arms. “William is smart, funny, and creative.”
He frowned, wishing he’d never brought up the little man. Even when he was not there, he came between them.
“But you are all those things and more. He clings to you, because he sees all your strengths and hopes you will share them with him. You get nothing from the relationship.”
She tossed her head, sending her dark ponytail swinging. “For such an expert on friendship, I don’t think I’ve yet to see you on friendly terms with anyone.”
Her words struck a chord within him. She was right. He’d come here to put behind the shadows of his past and start anew among the humans, but things weren’t working as he had planned. It was hard to know whether it was the fault of the people he met, or himself, but he felt as ostracized here as he had with the Keltairs.
“You are right,” he said. “Friends do not come easy to me. With young Keltair males, we do not make friends. We compete with one another. I think I’ve forgotten even the basics of a true friendship.”
She nibbled her bottom lip and shifted closer. “With your…I think it’s Irish?... accent, I just assumed you grew up there.”
Memories of his home with his mother flashed in his mind. The unexpectedness of them sliced open a long-healed wound.
“I left when I was ten.”
Her brows drew together. “Why?’
“My father felt he’d allowed my mother to coddle me too long. The other Keltair boys had already been pulled into training. My mother is…a sensitive woman. He worried what the loss of me would do to her, but he could wait no longer. So on my tenth birthday, I was taken to Keltair to join them. I have not been back since.”
Students shuffled behind them through the hall, heading for the elevator, but he ignored them. The richness of her facial expressions had him drinking them in. She seemed to take in his every word, flip them around in her mind, and come to some kind of conclusion. But what is her opinion of me?
“Can I give you a piece of advice?” she asked.
He nodded.
“A friendship isn’t about what you can give to them or what you take from them.”
“Then what is it about?” he asked, truly curious about her answer.
She smiled, a half smile that was sexy as hell. “Make a real friend, and you might find out.”
Suddenly, the door behind them open. William, clutching his bag, stared at them nervously. “I thought I heard voices.” He pulled his baseball cap slightly forward, partially concealing his thick glasses. The pale green of his skin, combined with his uniform, gave an odd impression.
Erin gave a wide smile. “Yup, just wasting time. You ready for breakfast?”
The green man frowned. “Do we have time?”
She gave a small laugh, waving her hand. “We always have time.”
He shook his head. “No breakfast for me. I’m just going to head for combat class.”
Caleb watched the exchange with growing interest. “I’ll go with the green man.”
Her brows rose in surprise. “Really?”
“Yes.” He clapped a large hand on William’s shoulder and the smaller man winced. “How else are he and I going to become friends?”
