Starfire

by Imogene Nix

  * * * *

  Jemma stretched, feeling better than she had for some time. Her head was clear, and she opened her eyes. She catalogued what she could see, knowing she was back on the Elector. The gray walls and impersonal cabin space surprised her. The bed felt comfortable though, and the light no longer hurt her eyes. She turned her head, noting that her muscles no longer screamed in pain. Jemma drew a cleansing breath. Then her actions stilled.

  He was here. Raven. In the cabin. With her. His eyes were closed, and he looked soft and so appealing in that moment. She drank in his features as he rested quietly in the chair, his slightly rumpled clothes, the fine blond hair that lay close to his head, the chiseled jaw covered with stubble she wanted to run her fingers over, a mouth that seemed to call her to kiss it, and a high forehead.

  She’d dreamed about him, not that she would ever admit that to anyone, and some of those thoughts had been seriously R-rated. The question that rose in her mind now was simply Why was he there, with her, in this cabin right now?

  She turned, groaning as her sore body protested slightly. She looked again, this time into his deep-blue eyes.

  “Good to see you awake. How are you feeling? You gave us a fright.” His eyes crinkled in the corners as his lips turned up in a small smile, confusing her with the warmth she detected from him.

  “What happened?” Her voice croaked, surprising her.

  “You must have hurt yourself and ignored it. It turned into an infection, which you also ignored...the wound on your hand?” He looked at her, questioning, and she remembered the cut on the jagged metal of her Raptor. “With exhaustion and everything else, your body had enough and you basically collapsed coming back from sorting out the pirates.”

  He moved forward in his seat, and she could smell his body. The musky scent of him rose in the still air of the cabin, making a slow heat begin to curl deep in her belly.

  “How long was I out?”

  He smiled, and God help her, she smiled back. “About twelve hours. It’s 1700 hours. I had arranged for your meal and mine to be delivered here shortly, but since you look and seem to feel so much better, we can go to the mess hall. Do you want to clean up a little?”

  Levering up on one arm, she took a deep breath. “Yeah, that would be great.” She closed her eyes briefly then flicked her gaze back to him. His rumpled ship suit told the tale that he had been with her for some time. “Why aren’t you in engineering, doing the thing with the matrix?” she asked as she rose.

  He reached a hand toward her, offering support. “My crew is clearing the area, getting it ready for me to start tomorrow with the weld patches. Just so you don’t worry, Chowd is flying the Raptor for you, so there’s no need to rush at the moment.”

  He smiled, and she itched to reach her hand out toward him to touch his skin, but she stopped herself before she could follow through and stood carefully, pleased when no vertigo or nausea assailed her.

  He threw her a clean ship suit and pushed her toward the sanitary unit, closing the door after her. “I’ll wait here in case you need me.”

  She closed her eyes. For a moment, she made a mental check of her body. Her temperature seemed back to normal, her head had definitely improved, the thumping headache was gone, and even her stomach had settled. She felt a little shaky still, but a quick shower would help.

  Stripping out of her underwear, she engaged the shower, stepping into it. The feeling of well-being rose as the water ran over her body. She lathered her hair and body, smiling as she imagined Raven with her in the shower. Briefly, she wondered how he would react if she just opened the door, but she quickly cut off the thought, castigating herself mentally. Not a good idea, she sternly told herself.

  The image of Mellissa in the bay rose in her mind. She knew she had to make peace there too. A modicum of understand had dawned and she wondered if maybe she didn’t have all the facts. That shook her. What else could she have been wrong about? “No, Jemma. Don’t go fooling yourself.” It didn’t change anything though.

  Jemma turned off the water and reached for the towel she expected to find on the hanger. She discovered there wasn’t one there. Damn. Now that was an oversight. She looked at the discarded underwear. At some point, someone had stripped her down so she didn’t even have a flight suit to act as towel.

  She couldn’t see anything that would do the trick. She sighed then firmed her shoulders. “Nothing to do but ask, Jemma.”

  Slipping behind the door, she opened it a crack, looked out, and caught his eyes. “There’s no towel in here. I don’t suppose there’s one out there?” She felt more than naked without her flight suit to act as a barrier between her and Raven.

  His eyes gleamed, and she could see a burning emotion present. It could be desire; his eyes narrowed and started to glitter in the dim lighting, and the heat ramped up a notch in her belly, curling like a living thing and calling to her. His face tightened, and he stepped toward the cracked door. He advanced slowly, snatched up the toweling cloth from the chair beside the bed, and stepped closer—like a predator—clutching the towel in his strong hands.

  She swallowed as he reached out.

  “Want me to dry your back?” he said with soft words that seemed to argue with the heat in his eyes.

  “No. I think that should be sufficient.” She grabbed the towel and held on, watching his eyes for a moment longer until he let go. She watched a minute longer.

  “You’d best get dry quickly. You don’t want to catch a chill.” His voice was deeper, and she dragged in a breath then slid the door shut.

  Jemma leaned back against it while her heart thudded in her chest. She shuddered, closed her eyes, took one breath, two. She opened her eyes then, shaking her head, started to dry and dress.

  * * * *

  Raven watched the door close. Oh yes, she felt it too, the consuming passion. The way her eyes had darkened and the flush that rose on the inches of pale skin had told him that. He felt his heart rate increase. He could imagine her right now, her eyes glazed with her hot passion, her skin rosy, and he felt his body grow hard.

  He wanted to push into the room but didn’t. She needed careful wooing. Strategy was something he did well, and he knew that his instant action might get him a short-term bit of sex, but that wasn’t what he was looking for. She wouldn’t believe him if he pushed hard and fast now. It could only be temporary, and that wasn’t what he wanted.

  It had taken all his willpower not to look into the mirror behind her. He knew the reflection of her body’s curves would have been on show, but it would have made it more difficult, so he’d resisted the temptation and continued to focus on her eyes during the challenging exchange, but his sweating body and the thumping of his heart continued to remind him of his arousal. Her beautiful body called to him, the silken skin arrayed for him to see if he just shifted his gaze. No, he would wait until she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  He puffed out a breath, listening to the rustling sound behind the door. Now he’d taken the first step, and he just needed to get her to realize she wanted to join him on the long walk he associated with relationships. He sat down on the bed and waited for her, fighting his body and subduing it—for now anyway.

  * * * *

  When Jemma slowly emerged from the sanitary unit, he was waiting for her on the bed.

  “I contacted the mess hall and said we’d come up. “ His voice and mannerisms were casual, but she could sense a tension in the air.

  “Why?”

  “Because you have something you need to do, and now, before anyone else is there.” His eyes were kind, but she didn’t want his pity. She just didn’t want to have to do this.

  “Maybe I don’t want to,” she countered, knowing what he was alluding to.

  “Maybe you don’t, but you’re not a coward or a quitter. You need to do this. Clear the air and move on. You know you can’t move on with your life until this issue between you and Mellissa is dealt with and fixed.” His voice was soft lik
e his eyes. She could see the understanding in his face.

  He was right, of course, just as Duvall had been, but facing it was harder than anything she’d had to do. She nodded jerkily.

  He raised a hand and touched her face. “I’ll be with you, all the way. In your corner.” Raven grabbed her hand in his, and the shock of his touch was electric. She looked at him and saw he had felt it to. He smiled at her, winked, and pulled her out of the cabin.

  She stopped as they stepped into the corridor. “Thank you.” She took a deep, shaking breath and steeled herself.

  “What for?”

  “Just for being you. For staying. For…” She waved a hand in the air, hoping he’d understand.

  He smiled and her knees took on the consistency of jelly.

  With a nod, she signaled her readiness, and they started up the corridor along the metal decking toward the stairs that would lead to the mess hall and to the room where Mellissa waited for her. She’d have to confront her behavior and the demons of her past.

  But once they stood outside the mess, her feet refused to move. Panic rose in her chest. Damn! Why did I let him talk me into this? The only answer waiting for her was the truth. Because he promised to stay by your side.

  The honest thought flashed through her mind and calmed her agitated emotions a little. She took another deep breath, trying to settle the racing of her heart and the ragged jumping of her nerves. He was watching her, waiting for a sign she was ready.

  She squared her shoulders and nodded silently. This was it—she was there to do a job.

  “Ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be, I guess.” One step took her through the doorway. She glanced around. Nothing much had changed since she’d last been aboard the Elector, except maybe her...for the better? Well, she wasn’t sure about that either.

  The gunmetal gray of the walls offered her no relief from the pounding of her blood through her system. All it did was make her relive the memories of her previous time on the Elector. The color and feel reminded her of the fright and anger that had filled her system then—something she had no intention of reliving.

  Jemma looked around. The seating was still rudimentary, as the Elector was a stealth ship—it was built for battle, not for comfort. Her gaze landed on Mellissa, and she took another deep breath to steady herself.

  “Want me to come with you?” His voice was soft.

  “No, this is something I need to do on my own.”

  She stepped forward, one foot in front of the other until they had carried her across the room. Elara, who’d been serving others, stepped across the room to sit with him at a table, giving Mellissa and Jemma some privacy.

  She looked up into Mellissa’s eyes. “Liss? I don’t really know what I should say.” She stopped, feeling the heat rising in her face. She dropped her gaze.

  “I know. It’s confusing, isn’t it?”

  Jemma looked back up. Mellissa’s eyes glittered with sadness, and Jemma realized she had been one of the reasons it shined in her friend’s eyes.

  “I understand. Really I do.” Mellissa’s voice was soft.

  “Liss, there’s so much more, some things I just can’t... You know, after you left...” Jemma stopped and gulped. Nerves jittered around in her body. “I can’t tell you everything. I just felt...unwanted and abandoned. I guess I should have known better. But you weren’t there and you said you always would be.” She shrugged as she looked at the woman she considered not just her friend, but her sister. A lump welled in her throat, threatening to choke her, and her eyes burned. “I don’t know what...” She stopped, lost for words to describe the loneliness and abandonment she had felt, not to mention frustration and fear.

  Mellissa stepped forward and opened her arms, and Jemma moved toward her. She felt the reassuring warmth of Mellissa’s arms around her, just like she always had. They embraced.

  “I know,” Mellissa said. “I missed you so much though. I wish you could have been with us for the wedding.”

  They stood quietly for a moment, together. Realizing that each now had a different role and status, and accepting the changes, they slowly moved apart.

  Jemma saw that neither Elara nor Raven were watching, but she was sure they knew exactly what had happened. Heat rose in her face again, burning her cheeks. Mellissa cleared her throat and handed Jemma two plates. “For both of you,” she murmured, and started to load them up with enticing-looking stew and bread.

  Once the plates were filled, they shared a quick smile before Jemma made her way toward the table where Raven waited. Elara rose, quickly patted his arm, and went back to Mellissa.

  “Sit down and I’ll grab some forks and spoons.” His voice slid over her like silk.

  She sat down and waited for him. She watched the way his body moved and felt her nipples tighten in response. She had to work hard to subdue the arousal that bubbled inside her.

  Once back, he sat beside her, and every move he made heightened her awareness of him. Their arms brushed against each other as they ate, and she nearly jerked away in response.

  They ate their meal in silence as an awareness thickened and swirled around them. At the end, they sat there, watching people make their way into the mess hall. After a few minutes, she glanced toward him to find him watching her. A small smile lit his face.

  She rose, and so did he. In silent agreement, they left the mess hall together. He reached out and grabbed her hand, and she felt a zing run through her system. Awareness of him moved up another notch, and the fire in her belly roared just a little higher.

  They stopped, and he looked at her. His eyes turned smoky in the dim light. “Come with me.”

  But instincts of self-preservation kicked in. “Where?”

  She could tell he wanted to say “my cabin,” but he seemed to think twice. “My office. I want to show you something.”

  Hesitation warred with desire. Should she? Could she? She let go of his hands. “Why?”

  “I want to show you the most amazing thing of all. The energy matrix.” His face screwed up, and she blushed once more. Dear God! She had thought he meant to seduce her. She was so dumb!

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so.” Her voice was low.

  “Sweetheart, don’t get me wrong, I do want you.”

  Oh my God! He’s either a mind reader, or I just totally gave it away. She wanted to die, or at least be swallowed up by a big black hole in that instant.

  “But you aren’t ready, and neither am I. Let me show you a little of my world.” His face was close to hers, his breath brushing her face. His voice was low and throaty, and for just an instant, she could see his desire for her blaze. “Come.” He gripped her hand again and led her to engineering.

  She was surprised. The engineering section of the Elector was much larger than she had expected. Several bodies clustered around a large glowing cylinder, which rose from floor to ceiling. She wasn’t sure quite what she’d expected—turbines? No, she knew that there was no way they could generate the amount of power needed to propel this ship forward.

  She wasn’t disappointed though with the grease and equipment lying around. Two crewmembers were actively cleaning an area around a metal structure. They had a tiny vacuum-like machine and another that was blowing any debris away.

  “That is the arm of the matrix structure that needs to be repaired,” Raven said, pointing toward the two working men.

  Another crewmember, small and dumpy with blue hair, sat at a machine, tapping and pushing on buttons and tags. There was a grace to her movements, and Jemma watched her for a while, mesmerized, until the woman turned and she could see that she was a full Te’Karan, with the elongated incisors and glowing yellow-gold eyes. She stood and stretched, and Jemma was surprised to find she wasn’t dumpy but pregnant.

  “That’s Saynara El’Fasa. She’s here until we reach the Alpha Star Colony. We’re to transfer her back to a Te’Karan Cruiser and receive my second, Blade Snyder, back. He’s been on an enforced ex
change with them for the last five months while we train recruits and specialists across the Empire.” He shook his head. “Saynara is extremely talented, but she needs to be with her mate in time for the birth of their baby. She will transfer once we reach the Alpha Star Colony, if it’s safe to do so. You know that only the full-blooded Te’Karan females give birth, don’t you? With hybrids, it’s usually the male, and the males do the feeding.”

  She started. “Umm, no. I didn’t take the courses on advanced physiology, just the basic field medicals unit. All men, whether hybrids or not, feed?”

  “Yep.”

  “Okay.” Yet another piece of information she would file away.

  He grinned playfully at her, obviously at home in the calm atmosphere of the engineering section. Slowly, he led her around the section, introducing her to his crew, explaining concepts she didn’t understand, and listening to her insights. At the end of the tour, he led her to his small office and offered her a coffee.

  “Amazing, isn’t it? Not six hundred years ago we had no idea about what was out there or even what we could achieve. Today, we don’t even blink at what we see.” He smiled expansively, and she settled in, cradling her coffee as she considered her own experiences. “But the most amazing thing of all is that we can travel through time. Meet intriguing people, and of all things, I can meet someone like you.” He stopped again and looked at her.

  She flushed. “Come on, you’ve met so many people in your role. Me? I’m just a girl whose circumstances have allowed her to experience the fantastic worlds of the future. I don’t think I could go back though. Not now. I’ve changed too much to be satisfied with the past.” She smiled and slowly finished her coffee. “And, on that note, I think it’s time for me to retire to my cabin.” He grinned, and she grinned back. “Alone.” But as she rose to leave, she stopped, her hand gripping the architrave, and bit her lip as uncertainty assailed her. “You said Chowd was out in the Raptor while I was ill?”