Ride the Stars

by Autumn Dawn

  It was a wonder they hadn’t all expired of boredom.

  Lore and Quadril were roaming around, amusing themselves while Jaide tried on some clothes. Sesame couldn’t be pried out of the Black Tide for anything so frivolous as a good time, and so Nemesis had been forced to stay behind and keep an eye on her.

  Skye suspected he wasn’t as opposed to the plan as he professed to be.

  He glanced at the changing room. She’d been in there a good ten minutes now, and he was getting impatient.

  He’d never seen a woman so reluctant to shop. Not that he’d been around many. Still, all women liked it, didn’t they? So why was Jaide so reluctant to search for party clothes? She’d just stood there with her hands in her pockets, eyeing the racks of clothing like dread crusaders. Growing impatient with her hesitation, he’d finally made a selection himself and practically pushed her into a room to change. After all, he couldn’t let her cruise the town in faded denim and a t-shirt, especially not where they were going.

  If he hadn’t known better, he’d swear she thrived on being contrary. She hadn’t wanted to burn off energy with the rest of them. Even the mention of the exclusive club they planned to visit hadn’t moved her. Still, for her own good he couldn’t just let her cut herself off from life. Granted, it had to be hard to cope with the fear of assassination hanging over her head, but he suspected she’d be reclusive even without it.

  Who better than he to change all that?

  The door slowly cracked open. Skye straightened, unconsciously holding his breath.

  Jaide poked her head out and grimaced at the attendant. “Give me back my clothes. I can’t be seen like this.”

  Annoyed, Skye held out a hand to stop the woman, then scowled at Jaide. “Let’s see it.” When she balked, he took her clothes from the attendant and held them up by one hand. “You want them? Come and get them.”

  With a growl of disgust, the door banged open, exposing her glowering form. For a moment Skye only stared, amazed at the transformation. Sleek black leather with silver snake skin panels hugged her legs with loving precision, curving around delicate calves, flowing up her thighs to wrap around a luscious pair of hips. A chain belt held up pants that couldn’t possibly sag, its golden links glinting at her waist. She was wearing a sleeveless turtleneck of scarlet lace over silk with invisible support that lifted and shaped her breasts.

  His mouth watered.

  Lore returned to Skye’s side. He, too, stared. “Whoa.”

  Fierce pink color stained her cheeks as she crossed her arms protectively, unwittingly bunching her assets in a very tempting manner. “Give me back my clothes.” Standing in front of two prime males who insisted on looking her over like a rare delicacy unnerved her.

  Skye in particular reminded her of a junkyard dog scenting steak.

  Skye slowly shook his head. Handing the bundle to the attendant, he told her, “Put these someplace safe.” Then he swiped his debit card through the teller machine and grabbed Jaide’s hand. “Come on.”

  “I can’t go out there dressed like this!” she hissed at him, dragging her heels. Skye gave her hand a little tug that brought her skipping after him. Given no choice, she matched her pace to his. “I’m going to kill you for this,” she swore, stinging with embarrassment.

  Spinning on his heel, he twirled her into his embrace, trapping her against his chest with strong arms. The cheeky rascal grinned. “That would be a waste.” Those gorgeous eyes darkened as he noticed her parted lips and rapid breathing.

  A knowing chuckle from Lore gained her release. The men continued on in high spirits, taking her with them, willing or no. Collecting Quadril, they hailed a transport and headed for the club called the Bonviet.

  She felt like a fool.

  Jaide sat hunched over at a corner table, poking at the ice cubes in her drink with her straw. The deep bass of the music rattled through her feet and up into her brain. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lore laughing and mingling, dancing with women in the crowd of strangers. Variegated lights danced and spun over the dance floor, adding to the frantic party atmosphere. Skye had disappeared, but the last she’d seen of him he’d been talking to a gorgeous waitress who’d seemed far too happy to see him. Even Quadril was off in the game room.

  Good riddance, she though, sulking. She didn’t care where they were, or what Skye did. For all she cared he could spend the entire evening boinking his brains out with strange women.

  Her shoulders hunched.

  Since she’d flatly refused to participate, they’d left her to her own devices to while away the evening. So here she sat, plunking away at her ice and watching with bored satisfaction as they submerged beneath the fizzing pink liquid.

  “A pretty lady such as yourself should never have cause to scowl so.”

  Jaide looked up in annoyance as a stunning male about her own age dropped into the seat opposite her. Alcohol or dancing had flushed his bronzed skin, and the slightest dusting of gold stubble grazed his jaw. Flipping his long gold hair over his shoulders, the stranger settled into a relaxed sprawl. Giving her a rouge’s smile, he purred, “I could make you smile, beautiful.”

  “She doesn’t need your help to do that.”

  Both of them looked up in surprise as Skye appeared out of nowhere and sat down next to her, draping an arm over the back of her seat. “Hello, heartflame,” he said, kissing her temple, never taking his eyes off the stranger. “Who’s your friend?” Skye could tell from the man’s expression that he’d been recognized.

  “What are you doing?” she hissed under the music.

  “Are you ready to dance?” he murmured, winding one of her silky locks around his finger. Still staring at the intruder, he said, “Your friend was just going.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed, noted Jaide’s acceptance of his rival’s familiar touch. Still, he didn’t stand. With another killer smile and a blatant, heated glance, he asked Jaide, “Are you sure you prefer him, sweetheart?” His rich voice lowered a seductive octave. “I’d never leave you lonely in a corner,” he raised an arrogant brow at Skye, “to flirt with our waitress.”

  Skye’s answering gaze was scathing, deadly. “I was looking for an empty holoroom.” Grazing the backs of his knuckles against Jaide’s soft face, he murmured, “I’m sorry, heartflame, but they’re all spoken for. Another night, perhaps?”

  Eyes narrowed, Jaide looked between the two men with growing suspicion. Men did not squabble over her like cats over a solitary mouse, and their teasing was making her edgy. “This is some kind of joke, right? You two know each other?”

  Patently astonished, the blonde’s eyes widened. He glanced at Skye as if wondering about her sanity. Amazed himself, Skye drew back a little and frowned at her. “What are you talking about?”

  “Don’t play coy, spaceboy!” she snapped. “I know you arranged this, and I don’t need your pity.” His continued act, this blatant attempt to make her feel desirable by arranging a fake fight for her affections insulted her. Surely she hadn’t looked that miserable? “If I wanted male company, I can hexed well find it myself,” she added, infusing her voice with all the contempt she could muster.

  At her continued and hostile skepticism, the stranger stood up. Giving her a leery glance, he said, “This doesn’t look like a good time. Another night, beautiful,” he said and melted into the crowd.

  Skye appeared both stymied and vexed. He opened his mouth to retort, but at that moment the music changed to a slow, seductive melody. His mouth closed, and he glanced at the floor. Without another word, the tall Draconian drew her to her feet and over to a darkened corner.

  “I’m not going to dance with you,” she warned him, her entire body stiff.

  He ignored her bitter words and drew her into his arms, rocking her slowly to the beat.

  “D-did you hear me?”

  “Mmm.” Closing his eyes, he rested his chin on the top of her head, slowly nuzzling her hair. One large hand stroked her back in a soothing rhythm. Aft
er a moment her body relaxed, and he smiled to himself in deep satisfaction as she began to tremble with awareness. Shifting her in his arms, he dared even more, sliding one strong thigh between her legs.

  Jaide gasped as the action brought her nearly flush against his hard body. “What do you...ohhh.…” she trailed off, as he moved his leg in a particularly wicked caress.

  “Like that?” he murmured and caressed the rim of her ear with his lips, setting her shivering. Closing his eyes, he savored the feeling of holding her body close to his, enjoying the intimate brushing of hot points. Jaide remained speechless, so he murmured teasingly, his voice deep and earthy, “If you’re not enjoying yourself we can leave now and find another source of fun.”

  “I’m....” her voice lost strength as he rubbed his slightly rough cheek against her hair. No one had ever danced with her, certainly not like this. His mouth brushed her cheekbone, bringing his lips a dangerous fraction closer, and her heart revved. This sudden teasing warmth of his left her reeling. “What are you doing?” she whispered almost plaintively.

  With a sigh, he brought her closer. “You know.”

  Yes, she did know, and the knowledge frightened her. It was too much, too fast, and she

  liked it far too well. “Well, stop it,” she ordered, pushing at him. This had to stop, and now, before she lost all sense.

  He withdrew a fraction to look at her. For a long moment he searched her face, his wildfire eyes penetrating deep. “That’s not what you want,” he said with utter conviction. Still, his hands relaxed, and he let her go.

  The world wobbled around her, and the strobe lights only made it worse. Cursing herself for a fool, she gripped her pants, using the thin leather as a ground. She would not reach for him.

  A careless dancer bumped into her, jarring her out of her torment. Without looking at Skye, she headed for her table. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lore approach, but since he was headed for Skye she didn’t track his movement further. Just as she was about to sit down someone gripped her arm.

  “We’ve found your ship,” Skye told her.

  “The Bat?” Jaide gasped, her pulse jumping.

  His face was very grim. “Yes. It’s been abandoned in the space port. We just found out this evening.”

  Jaide stared at him for a stunned moment and then grabbed his arm, as eager to leave now as he’d been a few moments before. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go.” Weaving through the throng of people, she dashed out of the club and grabbed the first transport at hand. Lore informed Quadril of their plans and followed, squeezing into the transport next to Skye.

  All the way back she could talk of nothing else. “Why did he leave it, do you think? It’s the perfect ship. I don’t understand why he’d just walk away from it after all this time.” Biting her lip, she thought for a moment. “I’ll bet he trashed it. He’s always been hard on equipment. Still, even Chrys would have a hard time hurting the shell with all the reinforcement I used. Did I tell you that I used a platonium carbonate alloy in the hull?”

  Knowing what he did, Skye found himself a bit stiff with his responses. Still, he couldn’t quite bring himself to break the news to her. An exchanged glace with the silent Lore confirmed that he wasn’t the only one dreading the coming revelation.

  At least the incident had distracted her from their disastrous dance. Settling back against the stiff bench seat with a sigh, he let the coolness of the seat soak through his thin shirt as he watched the transport zip through the heavy night traffic. Thoughts of how she’d felt in his arms tormented him. The woman was amazing, both to the touch and in her response to him, and he’d gotten carried away. What had he been thinking, exciting her to the point a human woman would expect consummation? A Draconian woman would understand the need to wait and enjoy the chase, but he’d seen how it was with humans. It wouldn’t surprise him if Jaide despised him later for lighting a fire he hadn’t planned to quench.

  At least, not tonight.

  Closing his eyes, he savored the idea of leading her through several hot kisses. A wicked smile teased his lips at the thought of what would come later. And she would be willing, oh, so willing. He slanted a hungry gaze at Jaide, who stared out her own window. There was a fire in her; he could sense it. She only needed the right man to kindle a flame.

  Jaide was totally oblivious to his thoughts. All she could think about was the Bat, and her plans for it.

  A great deal of her enthusiasm drained out of her, though, when she caught her first glimpse of it.

  With a cry of dismay, Jaide stepped forward, staring at the small fighter’s damaged hull. It looked like acid had burst all over it, eating away at the glossy black paint. Pock marks at least a centimeter deep pitted the surface, showing blistered metal. She ran her fingers over it and they came away covered with black dust. Heedless of the costly leather, she wiped it on her pants and grabbed the ladder to climb to the cockpit.

  One look inside and she closed her eyes in despair. The ripped seat was the only thing still bolted down. Everything else had been stripped, including her prized engine. An ugly hole was all that remained of what had once been the console. That and a few forlorn, dangling wires. A snag in the metal strip banding the cockpit caught her palm, tearing it. It left a smear of bright blood behind as she slowly descended the ladder.

  “What would you like us to do with it?” asked the port official who’d accompanied them.

  “Scrap it,” she answered, her tone flat.

  “There will be a fee.”

  She didn’t even look back as she stalked across the hanger. “Bill me.”

  “But” the clueless official started to follow her, but Skye blocked his way.

  He glared down at the fat official. “Later.” He wasn’t asking. The self important man backed down.

  It was a wonder she found the Black Tide. Nearly blind with rage and pain, Jaide stumbled up the gangplank.

  Chrys had murdered her ship!

  Hot with rage, she retrieved her sparring gloves and headed for the workout room, locking the door behind her. There she punished the bag with every ounce of fury in her.

  Punch! Chrys’ face.

  Kick! Chrys’ ego, by far the most painful blow. Jaide wasn’t terribly skilled, but the exercise was an excellent purge. She didn’t stop until she was coated with sweat and trembling with exhaustion. Then she held onto the bag, panting.

  Slowly the anger leeched out of her, leaving black despair. Nemesis had been right; advanced cloaking technology wasn’t beyond either Sesame or her. And now her brother had it, along with enough jamming equipment to baffle the entire Allied Force. Presuming they could find something fast enough to catch him. She’d gone all out on the Bat, just to see what she could do. She’d been so proud....Then her brother had swooped in and ruined it for her.

  So what else was new? The knowledge seared like sulfuric acid. The man had been born a user.

  Long held hope crumpled like so much foil. She put her head in her hands. He never was going to turn it around, was he? Whatever blood they’d ever shared must have come from completely different genes, because that man had no desire for anything finer in his life than a fast ride and plenty of money. Let’s not forget the drugs and the women, she reminded herself. Long ago she’d stopped reaching out to him, but still she’d wished....

  Wasted effort.

  The sweat started to chill on her body, and Jaide stood up. She needed a shower and some sleep. After that she would attack Nemesis’s augmentations with all she had. He was going to need everything they could give him if he was going to catch Chrys.

  Nemesis blinked in surprise at her new schematics. He looked like he didn’t know whether to be delighted or appalled. “A one quarter increase in speed? How can you do this without tearing the ship apart?”

  “We could make it almost one third if you docked the Tide,” Sesame told him, gulping her breakfast shake. “Presuming money was no object.” Her eyes skipped over his, avoiding direct c
ontact.

  Jaide couldn’t help but notice that her friend’s color was high this morning. Glancing at Nemesis, she wondered if he were the cause. Sesame hadn’t mentioned anything about last night, but would she have? There were a few things Jaide herself had left out of the evening’s narrative when she’d discussed boosting the augmentations with her partner.

  Thinking of those things, she peeked at the unusually taciturn Skye. He raised a brow but said nothing. Apparently he wasn’t going to mention last night if she didn’t.

  “What pilot could fly at those speeds?” Lore demanded, pulling Jaide’s attention back to the conversation.

  “Chrys could.” Sesame popped a handful of raisins in her mouth, talking around them as she grabbed her tablet from Nemesis. “I can.”

  “You said you weren’t much of a pilot,” Nemesis reminded her with a sharp look.

  She shrugged. “I say a lot of things.” She ignored Jaide’s derisive snort. “Besides, I do daydream. When I’m not traveling with lightning under my tail.” She pointed a corner of spiced toast at her tablet. “Put me in a cockpit with that much travel and you can bet you’ve got my full attention.”

  “What about you?” Skye asked, looking at Jaide with keen interest. “Can you fly that fast?”

  Jaide made a negating gesture with her hand. “Maybe, but it doesn’t matter. I won’t be flying it. You will.” Despite Lore’s earlier question, she noticed no one questioned his ability to fly at blinding speeds. She raised her brows. “Get ready to break some records, master pilot.”

  Skye searched her face. Was her sudden change of heart just because of the Bat, or did it have anything to do with what had happened between them? “This is all for Chrys?”

  She shook her head. “This is all for me,” she said, unknowingly disappointing him. A short, cynical laugh escaped her. “Though you, of course, will benefit.”