Hearts and Minds
Page 9
“Am I dead?” His voice was a ragged croak that descended into a shallow cough.
Syna pushed the damp curls back and kissed his forehead. “Not anymore.”
“How?”
She patted the autodrug she’d jabbed into his hip. “I’d tell you love kept you going, but it was really just adrenaline. Kept your heart pumping until I could get you hooked into the autosurgeon. I keep one of these with me in case of acceleration trauma.”
“Lucky me.” He smiled, coughed again. She placed her fingers over his lips to quiet him.
“No, lucky me.” She had him, had dragged him back from the edge of death, and there was no force in the hells that would keep him from her. “Now don’t strain your throat.”
“Can I have some water?” His voice in her head was like a warm blanket around her shoulders.
“I should tell you not to do that, either.” She tapped his forehead with her fingertip. “The autosurgeon’s not good with brains, so I don’t know what damage you’ve got in there.” She pulled a bag of water from the med-bay’s chiller unit and fed the straw between his lips.
He drank greedily, then looked at her. “How long have I been out?”
“Five days. Plenty of time for us to move to a new location. I didn’t want to wait around Proxima Thule for the Tse to come calling.”
“Good choice.” He smiled and pushed the straw out of his mouth. “What now?”
She grinned. “What now is you need to rest. You shouldn’t even be awake, but Bree told me you were coming out of it and I wanted to be here when you did. When you’re better we can discuss the what nows beyond that.” She checked the readouts on the autosurgeon and adjusted the sedative feed so he could sleep.
“Not getting rid of me that easy.” His hand folded over hers, squeezing lightly.
“You fool. I’m not getting rid of you at all. I just want you to get your strength up. You’ve got a debt to repay.”
“I won the bet.”
“Hardly. You lost consciousness. Hells, according to the autosurgeon you were technically dead for twenty-two seconds. That makes me the winner by default.”
He laughed, coughed, laughed again. “Unfair.” It took her a moment to realize he’d said it out loud.
Bree called out from the bedside monitor. “Actually, I can confirm your death if you want. I’m supposed to keep a copy ‘as proof.’ Oh, and I’d have an easier time following the conversation if one of you wasn’t mind-talking.
Syna smiled. “Maybe we just don’t want you eavesdropping this time.” The AI made a mock-hurt noise as Syna placed a clean bandage over Galen’s stitches. “And as for you, unfair or not a rule’s a rule. You forfeit. Not to mention that you scared me half to death. What the hells were you thinking?”
“Thinking’s overrated sometimes.”
“Says the psion. Very cute. Once you’re healthy, I’m going to make you wish you had died.”
“Kill me with your body, I’ll die happy.” The thought carried images of ways she could do exactly that.
A warm flush blossomed on her cheeks. “You’ll need to rest up more for that, Mr. Ambitious.” Syna grinned and kissed his forehead again. “And work on your flexibility. Then we can think about it.”
“So I get to stay?”
Syna laughed and squeezed his hands in hers. Had he been stronger, she’d have hugged him. “Yes, you big idiot. You get to stay. As long as you want. You’ll be tired of me long before then.”
He grinned and opened one eye, squeezing back with what strength he had in his fingers. He cleared his throat and croaked, “I’ll take that bet.”
“Loser’s on the bottom.” Syna pressed his fingers to her lips and smiled.
Before you go
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed Hearts and Minds as much as I enjoyed bringing it to you. I just want to mention a few things before you go
Reviews are one of the best ways for readers to find new books, and I always appreciate honest reviews whether positive or negative.
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Author's Note
Slightly better than seven years ago, Samhain publishing took a chance on an untested and untried romance writer and published my first space opera romance. I met a spectacular editrix (in the form of Sasha Knight) with whom I'm still honored to work. I made friends, and took my first larger steps into the romance industry. At the time I was deeply proud of the book I had written, and I still am. This edition, however, allows me to correct one of the issues I had regretted since the original release. In the original version, I used names from mythology to indicate the cultures that had colonized the various regions of space. In my original vision, Chinese space – closer to the core and the advancing Hegemony – had fallen early and been absorbed. On later readings, however, I realized that it looked like the enemy were the Chinese, which I had never intended. Aware of this, particularly as a writer in the predominantly white field of Science Fiction, I knew this needed to change. For this reprinted edition, I changed the names of Hegemony ships to be affiliated more with generic Mediterranean mythology.
As with all books, nothing can exist in a vacuum. To Christian and Shannan, who kept my feet on the path, and helped keep me aloft when I felt like I was sinking, I offer my most humble thanks.
To Sasha, for sticking with me through the long years – you're a saint, and your patience and support have been astounding.
Most of all, to my spouse – my partner in every dimension of that word – thank you for believing, and for sticking with me through all this madness. You are the best HEA I could write.
And lastly, thank you dear reader, and all the readers. Science Fiction Romance is a niche inside another niche, and it is your belief that they aren’t strange bedfellows, your voracious appetite for more great stories, and your dedication that keep me going. You are collectively the reason I sit down in front of the keyboard every day, and the payout that makes all the low times worthwhile.
Find your fantastic future!
JC Hay
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JC Hay writes romantic science fiction and space opera, because the coolest gadgets in the world are useless without someone to share them.
In addition to Romance Writers of America, he is also a proud member of the SFR Brigade (for Science Fiction Romance), the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal Romance chapter, and a proud member of RWA’s PAN (the published authors network).
Did you love Hearts and Minds? Then you should read Flare: Team Corona by JC Hay!
They could go all the way, if they don't go straight to hell
All Kayana wants is respect. Jilted by her fiancé, turned out by her family, and rejected by her crew – she's got nothing left but the clothes on her back. When she hears about the cash prize for winning the Great Space Race, she realizes it's more than enough money to get her old life back. Or buy herself an asteroid someplace where she won't care what people think.
Ax Turner just needs to hide, and the Race gives him the best opportunity to do so. In plain sight. Surely the thugs and criminals he's ripped off won't come after him while cameras are rolling on the galaxy's most popular reality competition. And if they do, well, having a partner who's able to fight and looks like a devil seems like a win.
They're on the run - from the past, from the lethal challenges of the Great Race, from their feelings, and straight into each other. They've got more than their share of problems, and those secrets could drive them apart, or be the key to winning the biggest prize of all: each other.
Read more at JC Hay’s site.
Also by JC Hay
Corporate Services
Dubai Double-Cross
Mumbai Manhunt
South Seas Salvation
Co
rporate Services Bundle
Great Space Race
Flare: Team Corona
TriSystems: Rangers
Inouye
Grenville
Chen
Penzak (Coming Soon)
Standalone
Hearts and Minds
Watch for more at JC Hay’s site.