“Sorry, little bird, but I don’t think I can take the commander’s mate chatting the whole way there,” Colt said as he climbed into the back of the shuttle with Pax.
Pax covered his mouth with his hand, trying his best to suppress a giggle. “Neither could I,” Pax confessed. “Don’t get me wrong. I like Gigi a whole lot”—Pax ignored Colt’s low growl as he finished his thought—“but he can be a little exhausting.”
“Just don’t go liking him too much.”
Pax’s eyebrows shot up as he stared at Colt. “Seriously?”
“You belong to me, remember? No touching anyone else?”
Pax tilted his head as he tried to figure out yet another quandary with one of the crew, his mate this time. “Why would I want to? I have you.” It made perfect sense to him. “I don’t need anybody else.”
Colt’s features immediately softened, and the man reached for him. Pax eagerly went into Colt’s embrace. He may be a lot of things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. If Colt wanted to hold him, Pax was all for it.
“You say the most astonishing things, little bird.”
Pax blinked, bewildered by the roughness of Colt’s voice. “What did I say?”
Colt tightened his grip around Pax and rested their heads together. “You just—I wish I could describe it to you, little bird, but there really are no words to describe how you make me feel.”
Pax tilted his head back, a little frown worrying his forehead. “Is that good or bad?”
Colt chuckled. “Oh, it’s definitely good.”
“Oh.” Pax tucked his head into the side of Colt’s neck and breathed in the strong masculine scent that was uniquely his mate’s. No one ever born smelled as good as Colt did. “Okay then.”
Colt chuckled again. “Okay then.”
Pax wished he understood half of what happened around him, but he didn’t. He always felt like he was orbiting around everyone else, lost in his own little space. Maybe he was dumb or something. People just didn’t make sense to him. They talked in riddles and never said what they meant. He felt like the only sane person in a world of crazy people.
“We’ll be to the mineral springs in a few minutes, Pax,” Colt said. “I called ahead and got us a private spring, just for the two of us. You know what that means, don’t you?”
“No,” Pax said as he leaned back again.
Colt’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he wiggled his eyebrows. “I get to have your gorgeous naked body all to myself.”
Pax groaned as he tried to understand Colt’s words. “You already get my naked body all to yourself. How is this any different?”
Colt roared with laughter. Pax frowned and buried his face back in Colt’s neck. He should have just kept his mouth shut. Pax tried really hard to keep it from his mate, but now Colt knew he was dumb as a rock.
“Oh, you’re wonderful, Pax. I haven’t laughed this much in years.”
“So glad I could help,” Pax mumbled. He squeezed his eyes shut to keep his tears at bay. His heart ached, and his head began to throb. It just wasn’t fair. He finally found someone that seemed to want him just for him, and yet Colt laughed at him.
Pax tentatively reached up and wiped his eyes so that Colt wouldn’t see the tears that were about to fall. Maybe he was asking too much. He had done a lot of bad things in his life. Maybe this was all he could hope for.
Colt seemed to like him. The man certainly wanted him. Maybe accepting that fact that everyone thought he was odd was all he would ever get. At least Colt wanted him around. Pax pressed his lips together and resolved to keep his feelings of inadequacy to himself.
He would take what was being given to him and learn to push his desire for more aside. So what if Colt thought he was odd? So what if he didn’t understand everyone? So what if Colt didn’t really love him for who he was? At least he was wanted. He’d just have to remember to be what everyone wanted him to be and keep his true self hidden.
Keeping his identity wasn’t worth losing Colt.
Colt had felt the mood change in his mate and couldn’t understand for the life of him why it happened. They were having a good time in the back of the shuttle with great conversation and laughter. Hell, he even lavished his mate with compliments. So why was Pax so saddened now?
They walked to the desk inside the Mineral Springs Spa, Colt taking the lead. “I have a reservation for Colt Walking Cloud and Paxton Chambers,” Colt said as he strummed his fingers on the counter. Pax stood to his left and slightly behind him, his mate’s eyes wide as he looked around at the spa.
“Your room is ready, sirs. It’s right down the corridor, the last door on the left.” The concierge smiled at Colt. “Just press your thumb here.”
He handed Colt a touch pad. Colt pressed his thumb onto the pad, watching information scroll down, and then a green light appeared.
“You’re all set. Just press your thumb on the door panel in the corridor, and it should open for you. I hope you enjoy your treatment.” The concierge once again smiled brightly as Colt thanked him and grabbed Pax’s hand.
“Come on, little bird. Let the spoiling begin.” Colt chuckled when it took twice as long to get to their room. Pax was stopping every few feet to explore one thing or another. Ohs and ahs were escaping his little bird’s lips as he touched various objects decorating the hallway or stared out of the large glass panels at the scenery outside. Colt had forgotten how ethereal the landscape here really was.
Colt didn’t raise one complaint as his mate yanked at his hand again, wandering off to poke at a rare plant. It was refreshing to see the world through his mate’s innocent eyes. For too long Colt had looked through jaded eyes, not really seeing the beauty in things any longer. Pax was changing that for him. His mate was breathing new life into stale lungs, and Colt realized how much he loved Pax for that one small feat alone.
“I’m sorry.” Pax suddenly stopped and looked up at Colt as if he just realized the shifter was attached to his hand. “I don’t mean to delay us.”
“Don’t apologize, little bird. I’m having a great time.” And he was. He was speaking the god’s honest truth. Colt wouldn’t trade this small amount of time basking in Pax’s wonderment for anything in the galaxy.
Pax twisted his lips up as his brows lowered. “I’ll believe you like I believe my eyes when Gigi’s ham flies outside the porthole window.”
Colt roared with laughter at his mate’s indignant look. Things were definitely never dull around his little bird. He had such a different way of thinking that Colt felt like a young eyas again. Colt found himself on pins and needles, anxiously awaiting the next thing his mate would say or do. It was brilliant and fantastic the way Pax’s mind worked.
“Let’s go take our dip in the springs, little bird.” Colt leaned down and kissed the tip of Pax’s pert little blue nose.
Pax glanced up at him with a yeah right expression but let Colt pull him away from the plant. After what felt like hours, they stood in front of their door. Colt pressed his thumb on the wall panel, but nothing happened. He tried again, making sure to roll it slightly so the reading caught the full imprint, still nothing.
“Is something wrong?” Pax asked as he glanced at the pad and then at Colt.
“It should open. The concierge programmed my thumbprint into the system so my thumb works like a key, but it’s not opening,” Colt said as he tried for a third time with no success. The door remained closed.
“Are you using the correct thumb?” Pax asked and then curled his lips in, his eyes dropping to his feet.
“Good idea, little bird.” Colt saw Pax’s head snap up with a slight smile as he released his mate’s hand and tried his other thumb. No dice. The damn door wouldn’t open. Colt couldn’t figure out what was going on, but a cold chill started to run down his spine the longer he stood there trying fruitlessly to get the damn door open.
This wasn’t right.
Blade rolled his eyes as yet another stack of supplies was set on the loading do
ck. Just how much crap did Gigi need anyway? At this rate, they’d run through their advance credits in a matter of hours. Gigi was a spending fiend.
“Where do you want this?” another man asked as he stood there, his arms piled high with boxes.
Blade grimaced and pointed to a spot at the bottom of the retractable ramp. When Tank walked down the ramp and saw the new stack of boxes, he sighed and picked them up, shaking his head as he carried them into the cargo bay.
“Drop that box and you’re a dead man,” someone shouted from behind Blade. “And I don’t fix what I don’t want to.”
Blade swung around to see a very tall and elegant-looking man walking onto the loading dock behind several men carrying boxes. He was pointing and glaring, gesturing to the men on where to set the boxes.
Blade’s eyes roamed over the man’s features, noticing right away the no-nonsense stiffness in the way the stranger walked toward him. Just fucking great. A guy with a phaser stuck up his ass was something Blade had no patience for right now. His throbbing headache only reminded him that he should have gone to the mineral springs with the others instead of volunteering to get the cargo loaded.
As soon as the boxes were set on the ground, the man hurried over and checked each one. He ignored the carriers who were waiting, hoping for a tip. When the man was all done checking his boxes, he walked over and nodded to Blade.
“This is the Lady Blue, I assume?”
“It is.”
“Very good. I am Imlay Jones. I believe you were expecting me.”
“I was but not until tomorrow.”
“Well, time is of the essence. My cargo and I are on a tight schedule.” Imlay waved his hand at the boxes. “Please see to it that these boxes are placed in cold storage as soon as possible. Has a room been arranged for me? I’d prefer something with a bathroom attached. Crew quarters are not acceptable. Are the captain’s quarters available?”
Blade blinked. Who in the hell did this guy think he was? God? “Only if you want to fight the captain for them.” And Blade would love to see this dandy take on the commander. He might even pay to see it.
“Yes, well, I imagine I can discuss that with your captain.”
Blade waved his hand at the men standing behind Imlay. “Aren’t you going to tip them?”
Imlay frowned and glanced over his shoulder. “Why? They were paid to do a job. We had an agreed upon price. I paid them that price. Why should I pay them more?” He turned and looked back at Blade. “If they had wanted more, they should have stated so when we discussed our transaction fee.”
Blade blinked again. Was this guy for real? He couldn’t wait for the rest of the crew to meet the man, especially Remy. As far as Blade knew, they were supposed to be transporting cargo. No one said anything about transporting passengers.
“Well,” the man said as he folded his hands together in front of him, “how soon until we lift off?” Imlay’s nose turned up slightly, and Blade’s toes itched to kick the guy square on his backside.
“Uh, tomorrow.” Hadn’t the man heard him in the beginning? They weren’t due to lift off until tomorrow. Just because he arrived early didn’t mean they were leaving early. The man could sit and spin as far as Blade was concerned. He wasn’t changing their schedule for anyone without Remy’s say so.
“No, no, that just won’t do. I have got to get this cargo to End of the Line as soon as possible. Lives depend on this shipment, and I was assured that your ship was the fastest way there.” The doctor looked at Blade like he expected plans to change just because he said so.
“Sit and spin, doc.” Blade turned and walked away. He hated doctors.
Chapter 5
Pax’s fingernails were biting into Colt’s hand as his mate pulled him along the corridor of the Mineral Spring Spa. He had no clue what was going on, and Colt wasn’t forthcoming with the information. Pax could only run behind the hawk and trust his mate knew what he was doing.
Colt pulled a com link out of his pocket and slung it onto his ear as they cut yet another corner in the large maze of corridors. “I have a feeling we need to shake this planet loose a day early. I think I’m being set up.”
Pax tried to listen, but he was gasping for breath. Colt’s legs were longer, able to carry his large frame along much quicker than Pax could keep up. He could feel the burn in his calves and lungs as he ran behind Colt.
Pax used his free hand to cover his mouth, stifling the scream when two very large men started toward them, phasers aimed at Pax and Colt.
“Fuck,” Colt shouted as he backpedaled, shoving Pax down the closest corridor.
Pax was in deep trouble now. Colt was using an all-out run, and Pax was failing to keep up, his mate practically dragging him along. He yelped when Colt bent at the knees and tossed Pax over his shoulders. Pax grabbed onto Colt’s shirt as he looked down the corridor behind them. The two men were giving chase, one stopping short and raising his phaser.
“Colt,” Pax shouted in warning. “They’re about to shoot us!”
Colt dodged left, taking another corridor and slamming the door open in front of them. Pax had to blink a few times before his eyes adjusted. They were outside now, or so he thought until he got a good look around. It was some sort of solarium.
Colt dropped Pax to his feet, his index finger covering his lips to signify he wanted Pax to remain quiet. Hell, Pax wasn’t going to say a damn word. It wasn’t like he was going to wave his hands in the air and invite the armed men to join them for a cup of Barilliam tea.
His mate pulled on Pax’s arm, both dropping to their knees as they crept along the foliage, keeping their heads down.
“I’m in the solarium,” Pax heard Colt whisper into his com link.
Pax had no clue who Colt was talking to, but he hoped whoever it was would get to them quickly before the armed men did. Pax ran his fingers over the bright-orange leaf in front of him and wondered what the beautiful plant was called.
Pax mentally slapped himself and lectured his brain on staying focused. He was really starting to believe he was dumber than a box of rocks. Who would take their time to investigate plant life when two gunmen were after them?
“Follow me, little bird,” Colt whispered as they moved deeper into the solarium.
Pax nodded, holding his breath as he followed behind his mate. His legs were beginning to cramp in the squatting position, and he wished he could stand straight and stretch them. This only solidified Pax’s resolve to never leave the ship. There was just too much danger in walking off of the retractable ramp. Sooner or later the crew would learn what Pax already knew. Staying on the ship was safer.
Pax cursed his attention span when he found himself fingering another plant. What the hell? He clipped a piece off with his fingernail and shoved it in his shirt. Maybe Gigi could find a way to make it root if they made it back to the ship in one piece.
“Get down!” Colt shouted as he shoved Pax nose-first into the dirt path.
Pax tasted the gritty soil in his mouth and spit it out. Phasers began to blast all around him as Colt shot and then ducked behind the plants. Pax could feel his body shaking convulsively as he tried to keep his head down.
“Colt!” Pax shouted and got to his knees when his mate fell over, the smell of burning flesh stinging his nose.
No! Colt had been shot. Pax felt the tears cascading down his face as he reached past his unconscious mate and grabbed the phaser, wondering how in the hell to use it.
“There’s a big bounty on your head, mister. Why don’t you come out with your hands raised, and we might not take your lifeless body in. The bounty didn’t say anything about dead or alive,” a menacing voice called from Pax’s left.
Pax swung around, the phaser clutched tightly in his hands as he aimed it toward the voice. His hands were shaking uncontrollably, but Pax was going to do whatever it took to keep Colt safe. He may not deserve the hawk shifter, but Colt wanted him, and that was good enough for Pax.
Pax slammed his ey
es shut and shot the phaser when he saw a man step onto his path. Pax fell on his ass. The blast kickback was stronger than he had anticipated.
“You piece of shit!” the man shouted as he fell into a grouping of plants.
Pax was more concerned about the foliage being hurt than the man. Pax quickly got back up, knowing there was a second man to deal with. He squeezed off another round when he saw movement. He breathed a sigh of relief when he missed. It was just Remy.
“Hold your fire,” Remy shouted as he shot his phaser over Pax’s shoulder. Pax heard another scream and assumed it was the other gunman. He didn’t much care. He dropped the phaser and scrambled to Colt when Remy ran toward him.
“He’s been shot,” Pax cried. He was trying to hold it together, trying to be brave for his mate, but it wasn’t working so well when he saw the smoldering wound in Colt’s shoulder. “Help him!”
Remy grabbed Colt’s unconscious form from the ground and lifted him up, running down the dirt path and toward the exit. Pax grabbed the phaser off the ground and tore off after Remy. His heart thundered in his chest the entire way.
Pax had no idea what he would do if Colt died—probably curl up and die himself. He hadn’t had that much time with Colt, but he already knew he didn’t want to live a second more than the sexy hawk shifter. The man was his entire world.
This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. Colt was the good one. He was kind and caring and sexy as hell. Pax was the one that should have been shot, not Colt. Pax got so worked up he was sobbing by the time they reached the Lady Blue.
His entire body was shaking as he followed Remy onto the ship then to the middle deck where the sick bay was located. He hovered near the door when Remy carried Colt inside and laid him down on one of the medical tables.
Pax covered his ears when Remy started shouting. He backed farther and farther into the corner as crewmember after crewmember came running into the room. Pax didn’t have a clue what to do. He’d just be in the way, and he knew it.
Glenn, Stormy and Hagen, Lynn - Pax's Blues [Lady Blue Crew 2] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) Page 5
