by Candy Nicks
Today she was Miss Prim in the formal blouse and pant-suit she'd worn for her escape from Aluderia. He could well imagine the buttoned-down men of the court having more than one wet-dream with wondering what she kept inside that tantalising package. A vision of elegant decadence as she swayed and flopped back to sprawl across the bench-seat.
"Oh, I'm sorry Captain Daniels,” she said, mortified. “Did you wish to speak to me? I will be with you just as soon as my legs return. I don't take my drink well, as you can see."
What a woman. Cheeks already ablaze, skin so sensitive, she only had to look at an irritant to break out into a rash. Never travelled off-world, but that hadn't stopped her taking off across the galaxy with a baby in tow in order to save its life. Cristan's mother in all but name. Who better than a mother to protect a child?
She would not give him up easily.
"I want to attempt a hyper-bounce,” he said. “Got a rendezvous tomorrow we can't miss and we won't outrun our pursuers unless we do something drastic. It's dangerous, more so with the drive out of commission. Chance we won't make it."
"You wouldn't be asking me if it wasn't our best chance.” Shula sat, back straight now, hands in her lap. A perfect lady. In another life. A life she would never see again.
"I may be about to kill us all. You want to risk that? Slavers get hold of Cristan, he'll be sold to a rich, childless couple who'll spoil him to death. Woman like you will be quite a prize. It may be your best chance."
"But if my grand-uncle catches us, we will be killed."
"So, what's it to be?” Cowardly making her decide. Not like him to think twice about any decision. Best he could hope for, if caught, was a short stint in the deepest mines of Agrat before he died. The General had already explained that particular future to him in great detail. He'd choose death over bondage, any day. But some wished to live, no matter what the cost.
The hit of the brandy was wearing off. He watched Shula clear her mind, her eyes darken to a deep violet. So beautiful. And so out of reach.
"What would Cristan choose for himself?” It wasn't really a question. They both already knew that answer.
"Hyper-bounce it is, then.” His shoulders sagged, releasing the tension he'd been holding. “I'm just diverting power from the rear drives to the front. Shouldn't take more than an hour. Hungry?"
Shula shook her head. “You have tried a hyper-bounce before?"
"Wish I could say yes. If it works, we'll patent it."
"I trust you, Dan."
"I know.” He frowned, surprised at his declaration. Even more surprised when he realised he meant it. Dancing around the issue had only led to impasse and blind alleys. Frustration and words of regret. Time they both came out and said it like they meant it.
Or better still, show her.
Those with nothing to lose are both the wisest and the most foolish of men. The words of his old teacher made him smile.
He closed the space between then and in one smooth movement, took her hand and pulled her from the seat. Sometimes, the best decisions are those made without thinking.
"We have one hour,” he said, curving his fingers about her chin. Turning her face up to his. “Might be all we have left. I think we should make use of it. Don't you?"
"Are you sure?
She trusted him, but still she looked for the trickery behind his words. Couldn't blame her for that after the way he'd treated her.
"In your hands,” he said lowering his mouth to hers.
This was one act he wanted to live to regret.
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Chapter 10
"I can't control it,” she said. “What I feel for you, right now...” Another pulse of marker reached out, ensnaring them both in its seductive thrall. “We're about to die, aren't we? That's why you're suddenly willing to risk all doing this?"
"It's only partly the reason. Kiss me again."
Oh sweet goddess, they were going to die. Heedless of his damaged lips, Dan's mouth ravaged hers with an intensity that made her head spin.
"Your poor lip,” she said wiping away a smear of blood.
"It's nothing. Why didn't I notice how beautiful you were? Why didn't I tell you?"
The room spun and she was sitting on the table, Dan between her open knees. His fingers pulling insistently at the fastenings of her pants.
"I wanted to go slow, but you drive me crazy. I want you naked, in my arms. Now."
Even as she lifted her hips to allow him to pull off her pants and undergarment, a small voice of reason told her to slow down. To give him a chance to pull back.
"Shh,” she said and placed a finger on his lips. “Listen to me. I want you, too. But I know you didn't want it like this. What's changed?"
"I'm keeping you. That's what's changed."
"You're what? Dan, this is the marker talking. You don't mean that."
"We survive the hyper-bounce, you're staying with me.” He kissed a frantic trail from her lips to her neck, expertly working open the fastenings of her blouse. “I don't want any man but me to do this with you. Devil in chains, you have the most beautiful breasts."
She meant to stop him. When he took a nipple into his mouth and grazed it with his teeth until she turned liquid in his arms. When he pushed a hand between her legs and stroked her to a slick readiness. When he slid a finger inside her and whispered words of such wicked delight, she heard herself begging for more.
"Open my pants.” He kissed her again, filling her mouth with his languorously stroking tongue. “Touch me, Shula."
The marker surrounded them, like an embrace, holding them in place with its gentle restraint. She was as much a prisoner as he as she scattered caution to the winds and took his cock, hot and heavy, in her hands. “Do you have a condom?” she said on a panting breath.
The ship lurched. Dan hardly gave it pause. “I'm clean. We don't have to."
"For your sake, we do.” It was a struggle, pushing him off when all she wanted was for him to take her, there on the galley table. “I don't want you hating me when you come to your senses. Look at me."
"Don't make me to stop. I can't....” He was a million light years away. Dark eyes glazed and distant. Holding her so hard, his nails bit into her arms. His cock hard against her belly.
"Yes you can. I won't let you lose yourself over me. To find a balance, you have to help me. Are you listening? Find a condom and then make love to me."
For a moment, she thought he would refuse. Teeth bared, every muscle rigid and shaking, he clung to her as if she were a life-raft on a stormy sea.
"Don't hurt me,” she said unable to keep the tremor from her voice.
"I would never hurt you.” The words were almost a growl. His breathing harsh. “Devils alive,” he said in between desperate breaths. “Why would you ever think I'd hurt you?"
He let go his death grip, arms still circling her, but holding now, not crushing.
"You went a little crazy just now. Looked so far away. I didn't know if I could bring you back."
Dan's breathing slowed. “Well, at least now we know. Devil in chains, I think I did lose myself for a moment, there. How did you bring me back?"
"You don't remember the condom?"
He raised his eyebrows and tipped back his head. “As great a passion-killer as ever there was. I didn't...hurt you, did I?"
"No, you didn't. Do you still want to make love to me? That...didn't put you off?"
"Still as hard as a rotovine strut,” he said looking down at himself. He groped into the back pocket of his pants. “Put this on me. And if I go again, then you bring me back."
"There's less marker now. Can you feel it? How do you do this?"
"Very carefully.” His hand covered hers. “Like this. And yes, I can feel it. Although I still want to rip the head off any man who looks at you."
"That will pass. Ahh...” A slow glide, undulating hips. None of the frenzy of before. The marker released in measured pulses, small tugs at their awar
eness. A long, drawn out pleasure.
She stroked his hair while he recovered his senses. Finally, his hips stopped moving and the tension flowed from his tight body. Had he meant his fervent declaration to take her and Cristan with him to whatever new life he'd planned? She didn't dare ask in case she'd heard only the mad ravings of a man in thrall. Or simply a man who wanted sex and knew how to sweet-talk a woman.
They stayed locked together, holding on, while the moments ticked away. In less than an hour they could all be dead. Or on their way to a new life on the other side of the galaxy.
"It's time,” he said, eventually. “Are you ready?"
In response, she kissed him, a gentle touch of her lips to his.
A kiss of hope and of thanks. Or a kiss goodbye?
Soon she would know.
* * * *
Dan took one long look at Shula before they made the bounce. No matter how hard she tried to control the marker, he'd never be free of her. With or without the marker, she was a part of his life now. Where she went, he would surely follow.
Cristan would walk another path. One which would ultimately lead him to greater things. Hidden on some obscure world, struggling on the edge of poverty, Shula wouldn't be able to give him what he needed in order to grow into the man who would one day wish to return home.
Dan made the final adjustments and strapped himself in. She'd understand this was for the best, but that wouldn't stop her blaming him for separating her from the child she loved more than anything in the galaxy.
"Okay, you got him secure?"
Shula lifted her arms to show Cristan strapped into the infant-harness which was in turn strapped about her chest.
"Good,” he said. “It will be disorientating. You might experience nausea, dizziness. Don't want you dropping him."
"He's secure.” Shula gave him a watery smile, her eyes flicking to the read-out screen counting down the moments.
"Relax and go with it and I'll see you on the other side,” he said and added a silent prayer that there would actually be an other side. And that the ship had enough power in reserve to resist the gravitational pull of the three celestial bodies involved in the complicated manoeuvre.
If it worked, they'd jump three orbits, like a stone skimming water, each time disappearing and reappearing on a different trajectory. An intricate series of dives, free-fall and power-jumps should sling them to the far side of the fourth planet from the sun. From there, they'd make their way undetected to Pasiphae, deliver the chid and then...
Executing in ten, nine, eight...
A familiar shot of adrenaline sharpened his senses and had him mentally counting down alongside the computer's monotonous voice. This time the anticipation, the promised exhilaration was shot through with a thread concern for Shula and the child. Dan covered her hand in a reassuring squeeze. Winked at Cristan. Turned his full attention to the controls.
...four, three, two...
"Love you, Dan."
Time slowed, speeded up, stopped. He was aware of Shula screaming, his own cry of triumph. The words hanging between them. A blur of light as the ship attempted the jump to hyper-space, and failed.
So far, so good. The largest moon of the chosen planet hurtled towards them, grew impossibly large, then gradually smaller. A change in engine pitch and they were free of the pull and hurtling towards their next objective. The same smooth manoeuvre and then the planet itself filled the viewing screen.
"Worst part over,” he said, head pinned to the seat. “We just got...holy sin, who put that fucking satellite there?"
"Don't swear in front of the child,” Shula returned, head tipped back, one hand gripping the arm-rest, the other wrapped firmly about Cristan.
A crunch of metal against metal and the ship was clearing orbit while the satellite spun away into space.
"Sorry,” he muttered. “Buy you a new one next time I'm in town."
Free of the G force, head spinning, he motioned Shula to stay in place while he swiftly configured a stealth route to Pasiphae. Slip into a line of traders on route for the gas mines of Electra. Or even better, fly in the wash of one of the humungous pleasure-cruisers. If some-one else wasn't already doing that. All well-tried tricks that worked, for a short while.
"That was amazing.” Shula rolled her head sideways, eyes alight. “You are amazing."
"I try,” he said unable to stop a grin spreading across his face. “Sheer poetry when theory translated so well into practice.” It reminded him of why he'd taken to the stars instead of finding a regular job on some stable world. Out here, every day was an invention, the distance you travelled limited only by the depth of your imagination.
"Cristan okay?"
"Confused, I think. Look at his creased little brow. Isn't it adorable? How far away is this world you're taking us to?"
"Half a day's ride. Less if I can sneak us a tow."
An incredulous laugh escaped her. “I'd love to have known you as a child. I can bet you drove your teachers mad."
"How did you know that?” he said, allowing himself a few moments to savour his victory. There was that word again, love. Said in the heat of extremis, did it mean anything?
"Half a day's ride and you'll see your first glimpse of your new home,” she whispered to Cristan. “Our new home. I can't bring you up like a prince, but you will know where you came from, who you are. You will have your revenge, Cristan."
Tucked safely in behind the Cruiser Elan 45A, the Marium remained masked for a few precious hours. Time enough for him to work out how to tell Shula only one of them would be staying on Pasiphae.
The pain-killers were wearing off, a dull ache pounding one side of his head. After the high came the inevitable crash, which left them both sitting in place, staring at nothing. Too tired to move, for now.
"Is he asleep?” he said at length.
"Almost. I'll take him back to his crib."
"Let me,” he said rising from his seat. “Rest, you look beat."
"I am.” Shula handed the child over without protest. Eyes almost transparent with fatigue. “How are you feeling?"
"Pleased to be alive."
"I never doubted you'd do it."
"Liar. But thanks for the confidence."
He pressed a kiss to her hair. No marker. But then he had just almost scared the life out of her. The perfect time to make love—if he didn't have more important things to do.
He turned away, unable to face Shula's look of gratitude. Or to ask her whether the words she'd spoken during the countdown, were from her heart. Cristan's tiny hand rested on his large paw. The smudged marks echoing his own.
Time to add the final trio, which were his due as foster-father elect. The rest were the privilege of the monks who would mentor him to manhood. Teach him to be a true warrior. A worthy king.
"I'll do it quick as I can,” he whispered to the sleeping child. “I promise you won't feel a thing."
* * * *
"Will we remain on the ship until we find somewhere permanent to live? Now we're finally here, I have no idea what to do. I've only a few hundred credits left, but..."
Shula giggled, her pent-up nerves getting the better of her. From the tiny viewing portal, she saw rectangular stone buildings, each small dwelling in line with the next. At the end of the avenue stood a taller, more elaborate building that reminded her of the temples back on Aluderia. Behind that, fields of purple and green stretched across a flat plain to a distant mountain range. The whole place had an aura of austere calm. It was also quite deserted.
"I'm sorry,” she said. “I know laughter isn't appropriate, but all of a sudden, I feel such a weight lifted from me. I don't know how to describe it."
She'd been prattling on since the landing, too excited to notice that Dan wasn't really listening. He'd been oddly possessive of Cristan since the bounce, but that she put down to a growing fondness for the child. The deepening bond between them warmed her heart.
"You've been very quiet since we l
anded.” She pressed into Dan's side, leaning her head onto his biceps and gazing down at child tucked into the crook of his elbow. She felt Dan's arm slip around her back, fingers curling about her waist.
"I'm so nervous I'm in total control of the marker.” She traced a pattern on his thigh with a finger. “Have we time to take advantage of that?"
"Ahh, Shula, I wish we had.” His sigh came from deep within. A sigh of such regret, that she sat up and twisted to look at him.
"Something is wrong?"
"No,” he said. “Everything is as it should be."
"Then what?” She pressed a hand to her cheek, already feeling the uncomfortable prickle of heat that accompanied anxiety. “Dan?"
"Only one of us is going ashore."
"You're not making sense. You mean you're going ashore first?” It took an effort not to reach for Cristan. To stay calm when her heart was pounding, slow and heavy in her chest.
"I asked you once how brave you felt. Cristan is staying here. You and I are not. It's as simple as that."
"What is this place?” She did reach for the child then. Dan rose smoothly, moving him out of her grasp.
"I can't tell you, but don't be angry with me. This is the best way I know of keeping him safe."
"Give Cristan to me.” She stood on rubbery legs and held out her arms. “I'm his guardian and I won't be parted from him.” She swallowed the growing lump in her throat. “He belongs with me."
"Not any more."
The look of grief in Dan's eyes made her step back. Grief, and something else. A steely determination that made her heart clench. He placed the child gently into her arms and hooked a finger under her chin, his dark eyes fixed on hers.
"You said you trusted me, Shula."
Cristan lay, peaceful in her arms, unaware that the next few moments would determine his future. Or was he? When he gave her a tentative smile, her heart almost broke. The air was suddenly too thick to breathe, her eyes too full of tears to focus.
