by Jaymi Hanako
Jaren cursed, struggling against his bonds, but they held fast.
A primal shout, completely unladylike, emerged from her throat as she turned her full attention back to the girl.
Taimi’s arms quivered, and she staggered back several steps. Ethlinda pushed again and again, the needle drawing ever closer to the younger woman’s face. Not the best place to find good veins, or so she assumed, but the temptation of marking her in such a visible way was nearly irresistible.
Another scream.
Ethlinda didn’t know if it had come from the girl or from herself. Taimi lashed out, her foot striking Ethlinda’s leg just above the ankle, followed by another rough shove as the girl released her wrist.
Ethlinda fell back. Nearly lost her hold on the syringe.
This would never do.
She waited for the girl to strike again. She would have the needle ready for her when she did.
The attack never came.
Ethlinda laughed.
Seemed the slave girl didn’t have the courage to take advantage when her opponent was down. It was a decided lack of fighting spirit. Taimi’s weakness was perfectly suited for this situation. Ethlinda could work with it. Turn it to her advantage. Keep chipping away at the girl’s resolve, and she would fall.
Simple.
Ethlinda struck low, aiming for the belly. Not as dramatic, unfortunately, but a much softer target. Came close to hitting her. Not close enough. The girl locked her hands on Ethlinda’s wrists again, her aim annoyingly accurate.
They shoved back and forth. Twisted. The hand with the syringe was forced to one side. Lower than she wanted it to be, but the girl’s hands were over hers, giving Taimi extra leverage to push down on Ethlinda’s. She changed direction. Shoved her arms forward, but Taimi was ready for that move too.
Her arms ached. She wasn’t used to doing this much work. Even in prison, she’d never been forced to do manual labor. One small holdover of the noble privileges she’d long ago married into.
She only had one good shove left in her.
Success. The needle struck something. Pain shot through her leg, probably from the strike of the girl’s hand. Without looking, Ethlinda forced the plunger down as quickly as possible.
No reaction. The poison took nearly an hour to finish a person off, but the girl should be feeling something.
Like what Ethlinda was feeling. A burning sensation racing through her leg. She looked down.
The syringe was imbedded in her thigh, the cylinder empty. Ethlinda yanked the needle out, but it was too late.
Not good.
A prickling sensation filled her mouth and quickly spread throughout her body. The numbness would come next; her lungs would be paralyzed.
She could still take one of them down with her. And since the little slave girl was the closest…
Ethlinda tossed the syringe aside. Resorted to the only other weapons left—her hands. Closed them around that scrawny neck and squeezed. The girl’s face turned scarlet. A gasp sputtered out of her lips as she clawed at the backs of Ethlinda’s hands.
Her strength was fading. She was losing sensation in different parts of her body. Her fingers did not wish to obey her mind; breathing became difficult.
Only the hold on the neck mattered. She focused on it. Her head spun from the lack of air, and her lungs grew heavy. Picking such a fast-acting poison didn’t seem like a good idea now.
She heard the captain’s voice. Still swearing. And too close. The poison worked against her magic too. Loosened the spell on his bindings.
She was going to die.
She was going to take the girl with her. She would…
Jaren pulled her away at the same moment she lost her hold.
Her hands grew cold. Her feet felt like ice. The chill moved up her body, numbing every nerve. She tried to tell them one last thing but could not move her lips.
Ethlinda’s world tilted, and she slid to the ground.
JAREN RELEASED ETHLINDA, and her body made a solid thunk when it hit the floor. Ignoring his ex-wife’s shallow, labored breathing, he locked his attention on Taimi.
She braced her hands against her neck. Red welts were carved into her soft skin. From her nails, when she’d tried to break free? There were no other marks from Ethlinda’s attempt to strangle her, but perhaps the bruises were not showing up yet.
She swayed. Began to fall.
He caught her before she hit the ground.
Taimi stared up at him. The blankness of her gaze terrified him. Her breath wheezed, straining in and out of her chest, but at least she was still breathing. She was still with him. That was the only thing that mattered.
He stroked her back. Her arms. Every inch of her he could reach. He wanted to clutch her close but knew he had to give her space to breathe. “Easy, there. Don’t try to force it. Slow. In and out. That’s it. Stay with me.”
He didn’t realize he was crying until he felt her hands on his face, tracing the path of the tears. “We…we don’t have much time.”
“Don’t talk like that. You’re going to be fine.”
She swallowed. Slowly. Painfully. Turned her head to one side. “We have to get her to the medic ward.”
“What?” She couldn’t possibly intend to help the murderous witch. Could she?
“Poison takes…hour to kill. When swallowed. Don’t know about injection, but might be faster.”
Jaren refused to move. Refused to release her. “I don’t care. She doesn’t matter to me. You do.”
She shook her head again, just the slightest movement, and he saw how much the effort hurt her. “Please.”
“I don’t understand.” He shushed her when she tried to speak again. Brushed his lips against her forehead. Stroked her long black hair away from her face. “But if it’s important to you. Can you stand up?”
“I-I think so.” Her legs shook, and she leaned on him as she rose to her feet. “Thanks. I think…I think I can walk.”
The door to the bridge opened, and the corridor echoed with the sound of heavy footsteps. Dev slammed to a halt. His quick glance swept from Jaren to Taimi to…Ethlinda. Instant recognition. “How…?”
Jaren locked his arm around Taimi’s slender waist when she tried to pull away. “Magic. She disguised herself as one of our mechanics.”
“Okay. The message makes sense now.”
“What message?”
“That’s what I was coming to tell you, Captain. We received another Priority One message from Lorus. They said they found one of our crewmembers tied up in a closet in some inn. I thought they were mistaken.”
“Obviously not.” Jaren glanced at Taimi. She made another visibly painful swallow, and he thought she wanted to speak. To keep her from further straining her damaged throat, he gestured toward his ex-wife. “She poisoned herself. Take her to the medical ward and call for the doctor.”
Dev raised a brow. “Not eager to be accused of murder, huh?”
“No.” Part of him was tempted to let her die. If she died, she couldn’t tell any lies about what had happened here.
Jaren felt a soft touch on his arm.
Taimi. Staring up at him, reading every doubt and temptation in his expression. She gave him a small smile, her gaze knowing, but she wasn’t judging him. Or anyone else. She was a stronger person than he could ever be.
He lifted one hand to her cheek. “Let’s move.”
Dev sighed, then picked up Ethlinda and carried her back to the medical section.
Taimi and Jaren followed, her hand braced against his arm as they walked. He tried to mince his steps, to slow down for her. Though she was still shaking, her short strides were quick and sure. Easily keeping pace. Her voice was hoarse and painful sounding, though a bit stronger than before. “You still have that full vial, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“Can I see it?”
She squeezed a small puddle of the syringe’s contents into her palm. Sniffed. Made a face. “Just as I
thought. Her favorite.”
“Favorite?”
“The same poison she gave you two years ago. I suppose it’s lucky for her she’s a creature of habit.” A faint flush tinged her cheeks. “And so am I, in a way. I have the antidote with me.”
“I told you to order whatever you needed in the markets.”
“I didn’t think I needed it.” An odd thing for her to say. She ducked her head, letting her long black hair fall forward to hide her face.
Jaren knew her well enough now to understand she was hiding something from him, but there was no time to press for answers. The doctor arrived. Taimi explained the situation and began preparing the herb she needed with quick, precise movements. In this role, she was clearly the teacher. Showing her expertise. The roles were briefly reversed as she consulted with the older man on the best method for administration.
Ethlinda’s chest barely moved, yet her eyes were wide open. Frozen in place as though already dead.
The doctor drew Taimi’s potion into a clean syringe and did the injection.
Ethlinda’s color changed. Flushed. Her fingers twitched and unlocked from their unnatural paralysis.
The doctor checked her vital signs. Nodded. “I think she’ll be fine.”
Jaren tried to recall the speed of his recovery from the poison, but the hazy memories eluded him. He looked at Taimi. “How long before she can use her magic again?”
“Hard to say. There will be a period of disorientation and a lingering numbness in her hands and feet.”
Jaren turned to Dev. “How far are we from the Lorus system?”
“Fifteen minutes, with the full load we have on.”
“Not enough time, then.” Jaren sighed.
“Perhaps,” Taimi said. “And perhaps not. The spells she used may actually work to our advantage.”
“Explain.”
“She was showing signs of magic fatigue, Captain. The cloning spell, especially, would have taken a great deal of energy. Even without the poison in her system, she would have needed several minutes to recover.”
“We’ll have to hope it’s enough. Strap her down.” Jaren nodded toward the restraints normally used to hold someone in place for midflight surgery. Taimi gave him another of those quick, assessing looks, and a faint surge of heat rushed into his face. “If she shows any signs of stirring, Doc, sedate her.” Before the older man could protest, he added: “She’s a wanted fugitive that we’re returning to Lorus.”
“Of course, Captain.”
Jaren looked at Dev. “Get us back to the system as fast as possible, and make sure the authorities are fully notified of the situation before we land. I’m placing you in charge.”
“What are you going to do?”
He crossed the medical bay in two quick strides, catching Taimi around the shoulders and waist. He hauled her up into his arms, stopped her surprised protests with a kiss, then turned and headed for the exit.
Jaren didn’t look back. “I’ll be in my quarters if you need me. But Dev—” He paused, waiting for the door to open. “Don’t need me.”
His first mate’s laughter followed him down the corridor. “It’s about time you figured it out!”
Chapter Twelve
Jaren traced his fingers along the welts on Taimi’s throat. His eyes were dark, their expression full of more than just desire. There was need. And guilt. So much guilt. His voice remained hoarse. “I’m sorry, Taimi.”
“You don’t have to say that. There’s nothing to apologize for.”
“I do. I do have to apologize.” He continued to study the bruises, letting his fingers linger on the damaged flesh. “This is my fault.”
“You didn’t do this. She did.” She reached up with a trembling hand, half-afraid to touch him, but she sensed he needed the contact as much as she did. “I know you’re used to being in charge of everything on this ship, Captain, but there are some things you can’t control.”
He didn’t speak, his gaze locking on her with an intensity she’d never seen from him before. He cupped his hands around her face. She felt his hands—his big, strong hands—tremble. “I thought I was going to lose you,” he whispered.
Fear. It was an emotion she knew well but had never expected to see in Jaren. “I’m still here,” she said, keeping her voice as low as his. “I’m not going anywhere.”
The intensity of his kiss took her breath away.
He carried Taimi to his bed and laid her gently on the rumpled linens. Made short work of her belt, then tugged her trousers out of the way. She flattened her palms against his muscular chest, the heat of his body seeping through the thin cloth of his shirt. “Jaren, wait.”
He stopped her protests with another hard kiss as he reached for the buttons of his trousers. The head of his cock, hot and hard, soon pushed against her entrance. “I need to be inside you. Now.”
A small tremor ran down Taimi’s spine. This wasn’t like Jaren. This rushed desperation. He’d always been careful with her, deliberate and controlled in every seduction, to the point of driving her mad with longing at times while never putting his needs before hers.
All the adrenaline, all the emotion from the confrontation with Ethlinda, flooded over her.
She had come too close to losing him again. Words were unnecessary now. The need to touch. To feel. To know he was still beside her. On top of her. His weight was a welcome burden. She answered without words. It still hurt to talk. To nod. She wrapped her legs around his waist and anchored her fingers on his broad shoulders as he entered her with one swift thrust.
Taimi gasped.
“Sorry,” he whispered, his voice still ragged.
“Don’t apologize.”
“I hurt you.”
“You didn’t.” She rotated her hips, drawing him deeper. Letting him feel her body’s response to his strong strokes, her need-slicked muscles convulsing around the thickness of his shaft. “I want this. I need you.”
Jaren groaned.
His motions remained frantic, hurried. Gliding in and out with hurried slams of his hips. He brought his mouth down on hers, his kiss nearly as violent as his thrusts. Their cries blended together, trapped between their locked lips. She let her hands slide down his back, clutched at his lean hips and rose up to meet him. Felt the taut muscles flex. He ground deep into her body. Deeper. Harder.
It was too much. Too intense.
It wasn’t enough.
He buried his face against her shoulder, his arms tightening around her so it was impossible to tell where he began and she ended.
This was what she wanted. What she had always needed. To keep him with her. Inside her. A part of her forever.
She loved him. Even if he wanted to deny the existence of her feelings, though he didn’t want to hear the words, they were there. Pressing down on her heart.
She bit her lip to keep the words from tumbling free.
He knew. Somehow, he knew what she was doing. Perhaps he felt her tension, joined together as they were.
He lifted his head. Touched her lip, his finger grazing the edge of her teeth. “Don’t hold back like that. Don’t try to hide. Not with me.”
Tears welled in her eyes, the pain in her heart nearly overwhelming the pleasure racing through her body. “You said you didn’t want me to…that I can’t…”
“I was a fool to say that.” His hazel eyes were clear and intense. Not shuttered. Nothing hidden. “I didn’t want to believe…and I didn’t think I deserved someone like you. I still don’t.”
“I know. You said that too.”
He stopped midstroke. Buried deep inside her—so deeply it felt like his heart was beating inside her, though she knew it was only the pulse of his cock. That was all this was to him. A physical connection. Nothing more.
He stroked her face again. “Can you forgive me for this too, Taimi?” The look in those beloved eyes… She had never seen him like this. So very vulnerable. “Please.”
“I—” Maybe she was a foolish gi
rl, just as Ethlinda said, but she could deny him nothing. Not when he looked at her like that. “Yes.”
He kissed her again, softly this time, but the intensity was still there. He feathered his lips over her forehead, her cheeks, and back to her mouth. His voice grew even huskier. “It’s damn selfish of me, but I like the sound of that. I want you with me, Taimi.”
“What do you mean?”
“I know I offered you a job here on the Marama. But I’m not asking you to stay as a member of my crew. If you want, you could hire on to any other ship in the Alliance as a healer. Saving me—and Ethlinda—has more than proved your skills. I want you to stay because I need you. For me. Not for the ship. I know I don’t have the right to ask…”
That wasn’t what she was worried about. “If you think we can keep this a secret—”
“We won’t.” He braced his hands on either side of her face, forcing her to lock eyes with him. “I can’t hide how I feel any longer, and I don’t want to try. I love you.”
“Oh.”
“Oh?” His expression lightened into a teasing grin. “Is that all you can say?”
The words were even more difficult now, despite what he had just said. It all still felt like some kind of dream. “I told you how I feel.”
“Tell me again. I’m a glutton for compliments.”
Taimi laughed. “All right. I love you.” And so he wouldn’t think she had given in too easily, she added: “Captain.”
He growled, low in his throat, but there was no threat in the sound. The haunted look was completely gone for the first time. Only happiness shone through. And mischief. “You’re in a pretty vulnerable position to be teasing me, sweet.”
“Oh? And what are you going to do about it?”
It was a challenge, and they both knew it.
He rotated his hips, a drawn-out and deliberate motion, telling her he was no longer in need of haste. “You’ll just have to wait and see. Won’t you?”
“Do we have time before we land? The officials will want to take a statement from you and—”
“Dev can handle that for a while. It’s what I pay him for. You and I have something more important to do. Something long overdue.”
