by Kate Rudolph
Vita left him to it, escaping somewhere in the ship without a farewell. He let her go. They’d be leaving the planet together, and he didn’t think she was about to wander off to find another lover, not when she’d kissed him like she needed him. She needed time to process. He needed time to process. He was new to this whole denya thing and he wished there was someone he could ask for advice.
Then again, Shayn had more or less handled it on his own and if his brother could do it, so could Brax.
Even if he couldn’t talk about Vita, he needed to contact his family. Shayn and Deke and even Naomi had to be sick with worry, unless his brother’s denya’s visions had let everyone know he was alright. But given the unreliability of her power, he wouldn’t count on that. He moved up fixing Vita’s communication screen on his list of things to do. Once that was done he could send a message, even if he couldn’t have a two way call. That was probably better anyway. They’d have questions he wasn’t ready to answer.
When was he coming home?
Why had he left so abruptly?
Could he really trust the woman who’d kidnapped him?
That last one came with a resounding yes. She was his mate. Of course he could trust her.
As he sank into the work of repairing some of the ship’s paneling, he remembered what he’d been offered just before Vita found him: the chance to learn more about artisan work, the chance to do something so different than what he’d done for his whole life. There were still weeks until the class started, but he doubted he’d make it back in time. And if Vita didn’t want to go to Earth... he couldn’t just abandon his mate. And what use did a bounty hunter have for an artisan? She needed a mechanic, and he could give his skills with ease, no matter that he found it a little boring.
Or he had, back on Honora Station. There it had all been routine maintenance, fixing problems before they cropped up or running into disasters that some idiot had created by a bit of carelessness. There had been procedure on top of procedure on top of procedure and little in the way of creative thinking. Creativity got the job done, but it usually led to even more problems down the line.
But on a ship like Vita’s, creativity was the only option. She didn’t have the ideal supplies and she didn’t have the budget for the best fixes, so he had to take what he had and what she could afford and find a way to make do. There was a certain kind of craftsmanship to it, just like carving a bird out of a branch, but instead his medium was metal and wire and if he failed they both died. That should have made it impossible to work, or at least should have had self-doubt creeping in; instead Brax had never been more sure of himself.
A crash came from deep inside the ship followed by a flurry of curses and Brax took off. Given the number of times this had happened, he doubted Vita was hurt, but he didn’t want her breaking their—her—ship.
“Is everything alright?” Brax asked as he came to the galley where some of the plates from one of the cabinets had fallen to the floor. They were normally secured during flight, especially for when they were under zero gravity, but things always shifted.
Vita was breathing hard and glaring at the dishes as if she could make them burst into flames. Her hair looked like she’d combed her fingers through it a dozen times, parts of it flying in every direction, a halo of bright red flame ready to light at the tiniest spark. “Stupid fucking ship. Stupid fucking job. What the fuck am I supposed to do now?” He didn’t think she knew he was there at first, but she looked over to him at the last, her gaze beseeching. Brax wanted to hug her, wanted to tell her that it was okay, but she was angry and upset, and she probably wanted a fight more than a hug.
He had to say something, but he struggled for a moment and realized how little they really knew about each other. He was getting an idea about what mattered about her, but the facts were still a mystery. So he took a stab in the dark. “I know what it’s like to be stuck in a job you...”
She cut him off. “I don’t hate my job.”
“Never said you hated it.” He was going to, of course, but she didn’t need to know that. And he was glad she’d stopped him. It would have been a lie. He’d been bored on Honora, but he hadn’t hated his job, he was just beginning to realize that he’d wanted more of a challenge.
Vita’s eyebrows lifted and she smirked. “Really? Then what is a space station mech doing on Earth?”
He shrugged and tried to ignore the things her smirk did to his cock. Now was not the time. “Living. Trying new things. Being a mech can be boring, but it’s not like I was about to throw myself out the airlock.”
She threw herself into one of the chairs and slumped down. “I am good for one thing in this life, and it’s hunting down scumbags. What am I supposed to do now?” And there was that beseeching look again.
Did she really think he had answers? He was a kidnapped Detyen hybrid so far from any home he’d ever known. No one thought he had answers. Ever. But she needed him to say something. He could tell she didn’t normally air her grievances and if she was reaching out to him, he had to try. “Find something else? You’re free, you have a ship. You can do anything you want.”
“With what credits?” She threw her hands up and was on the verge of shouting.
And now Brax was the one that was frustrated. “So hire out with someone else! You’re not the one thousands of light years from home!”
He didn’t know a ship could get so silent. They stared at each other for a long moment, neither willing to look away, neither willing to talk. Even though Brax wanted to be with her, even though she was his mate, it didn’t change the fact that she’d stolen him away and his family had no idea what was going on. That reality was never far from his mind.
And Vita slumped even further, her words mumbled. “Without the payment from Roski I can’t afford to take you back to Earth.”
Brax could get mad, could pretend that was some big tragedy, but he wasn’t about to play games. Still, he couldn’t quite bring himself to tell her why that didn’t matter. He wasn’t a fool. Explaining the denya bond would have her running away faster than her ship could fly. Or she’d leave him stranded. So he went with something else. “It’s a shame he doesn’t see what you’re worth.” He’d only seen the one interaction with Roski, and clearly the man didn’t appreciate Vita. He was an idiot.
Vita pushed out of her char, nodding slowly. “Now there’s something.”
“What?” Was it going back to that station and punching Roski until he saw reason? That might be fun.
His denya started to grin as she thought. “What if there was a way to get enough money to take you back to Earth... but I’d need your help first.”
“What are you thinking?” Again he held back his thoughts about a return to Earth. It didn’t matter yet. Once she’d learned to care for him he could tell her the truth.
And Vita was so caught up in her plan she didn’t notice what he didn’t say. “If I hunt down the man I was supposed to grab in the first place and return him to Roski, that will prove I can do this job. He’ll reinstate me and pay me my fee. Then I can take you home.”
“Are you sure that will work? You’re putting an awful lot of faith in the man.” And nothing he’d heard so far made him trust Roski at all. The man apparently had a team of interstellar bounty hunters and enough people in debt to use them. Who exactly was he? And why would Vita trust him?
“I have reason.” And she left it at that, even though Brax desperately wanted to know more. “So... what do you say? Partners? Work one job with me and you’ll get what you want.”
She had no idea what he wanted. But the longer he could stay with her, the longer he had to convince her it was a good thing. And kissing. He could definitely make more kissing happen. She had no idea what she was about to unleash.
Brax smiled. “Partners.”
Chapter Eight
ADDEX AND KYA CAME through with the supplies and Brax disappeared into the work. Vita watched him with growing delight over the next few days. He wa
s the best sort of entertainment, a sexy man who didn’t seem to understand his appeal, who could get lost in his work, but always had a smile for her.
That last part could have been scary. From someone else it might have been too much. Not that she didn’t like smiling lovers.
Not that Brax was her lover.
No, he’d quickly become something more. Her partner. Her friend.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had one of those. It was a lonely life out in the black of space, and given the pace at which she took jobs, she didn’t have time to take a break and find someone willing to take the scraps she could offer.
And yet she’d been around Brax for hours and hours and days and hadn’t felt a strain. They’d slipped into a comfortable routine as if they’d been doing it for years. Hell, sometimes she was certain she could sense him, like some kind of psychic power. She’d wonder where he was and it was like there was a force inside of her that could lead her directly to him if she concentrated hard enough.
But it was a small ship, and she’d probably just figured out his habits.
Psychics weren’t real.
They were lifting off in the morning to chase down a lead she had on Coyl Ygreen. There were bound to be other people after him, and she had to beat them to him. Had to be the one to return him to Roski if she wanted to get reinstated. It was the perfect plan. She’d prove to her old boss that she was still capable of doing her job, that he could trust her, and she wouldn’t be left adrift in empty space, hoping for something to come along and rescue her. Not that she needed rescuing. She always rescued herself.
And yet, if she thought about things for too long, doubts crept in. Would Roski be happy? Would he take her back?
He had to. He’d done it before. And this screw up was so much smaller than the last time. No one had died. And it wasn’t her fault there’d been some sort of glitch in the system. How could she have known?
Anxiety like she hadn’t felt in years threatened to bubble up and she wanted to scream. But she was keenly aware of Brax’s presence and the fact that she’d basically summoned him through her fury more than once before. It didn’t matter if she screamed and hit and yelled when she was alone, but now she had company. Now she had to behave herself.
But if she kept thinking about Roski she was going to go mad.
She paced back and forth in the cargo hold. It was the biggest space on the ship and she’d used the excuse that she was storing some of their provisions to hide out.
No, not hide out. She had no reason to hide.
Except for the fact that she was going crazy. She’d spent so much time in strictly regimented environments, forced to do whatever her masters demanded whenever they demanded it, that Vita had sort of expected to hate structure once she had her freedom. But in that short time after her escape and before Roski had taken her under his wing, things had been... dark. And she’d been on the edge of plummeting into a dark hole that she would have never escaped from. He’d shown her a different kind of discipline, one she could use for herself, one that could gain her status and the freedom to be free. And she’d embraced it.
But here she was again, her structure gone and teetering on the edge of frustration and madness once more.
Being alone wasn’t doing her any good. Though Brax didn’t know it, he’d probably done more to keep her together than she had. She owed it to him to get him home, and she couldn’t do that if she was stalking the halls of her ship, wailing and scratching the walls.
She needed him.
Not needed, needed. She just liked having him around. It was kind of nice to have company, and she appreciated that she had someone to talk to. The conversation was more stimulating than what she usually had with the empty navigator’s seat or her food.
They were scheduled to take off after catching one more night of sleep, and she knew Brax had a hundred or more things he wanted to do. But it was time for a break. Captain’s orders.
She shoved the box she’d been sorting onto a shelf and strapped it in so it wouldn’t float away when they took off and made for the heart of the ship. She couldn’t hear Brax banging against anything, so she closed her eyes and concentrated. She felt pulled towards the crew quarters, so she must have heard something that way, and she didn’t question it, instead following the trail that one of her senses had picked up on.
The air was a bit warmer and humid, and when the door to the shower opened her eyes widened.
No, Brax wasn’t working on the ship.
He had a towel slung over his hips and his dark hair was wet, a rivulet of water dripping down over his chest and down his defined abs. Vita’s mouth went dry and she completely forgot what she’d been seeking him out for. She wanted to reach forward and unwind the towel and let it drop to the floor, wanted to see him in all his naked glory. She wanted to taste him again.
That kiss in the marketplace had been soul searing, and she’d done her best to put it out of her mind. She couldn’t let herself get addled by a beautiful man.
But damn.
She had to clench her fingers into a fist to keep from reaching out, and she jerked her gaze up when she realized she’d been staring at his body for far too long. How would she feel if he were looking at her like that?
Well... if it were Brax, she was pretty sure she’d love it. And only Brax.
When she met his eyes she saw they’d shifted to blue and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He took a step towards her and Vita didn’t move. She’d been worried that he didn’t want her advances. But this was something else.
He stood close enough that she could feel the heat and humidity of the shower coming off of him in waves. She wanted to press up against him and roll around in the feel of it, the sensual glory of Brax and wet and heat.
How did he do this to her? She’d never had such a strong reaction to someone before in her life and she couldn’t imagine it with anyone else. He was like a drug, something only whispered about in back alleys and dark corners, something she’d give anything to have just once.
No, if she had him once chances were she’d need him again and again.
That should have made her step back, and yet she held her ground while Brax leaned in close. “Did you need something?” he asked. “Thought I had time to grab a shower.”
You. She almost said it, almost let the sentiment escape, clawing it back just in time to avoid giving herself away. “Plenty of time,” she agreed, and almost didn’t recognize her own voice. And then she must have been possessed because there was no other way she could explain what she did next. “Maybe I should get cleaned as well. Feeling kind of dirty.” And she unfastened her top and pulled it over her head.
Brax made a sound she couldn’t describe, a frustrated groan and an animalistic growl all rolled up into one. Could she get him to make that noise while they were in bed together?
The siren’s spirit that had possessed her made her brush past him, the hot skin of her shoulder touching him as she threw a glance over her shoulder. “Want to wash my back?”
SOME TEMPTATIONS BRAX just couldn’t refuse. And his denya would always be one of them.
She led him into the steamy shower and his towel disappeared somewhere. He couldn’t remember dropping it, but from the way she glanced back and saw the way his cock was standing at attention, she was pleased.
He wanted to claim her, to bind their souls together until they were one whole, but he couldn’t do that yet. She still had no idea who she truly was to him. But they had time yet, time for him to explain and hope. Time to win her heart even as he pleasured her body.
She undressed quickly and kicked her clothes out of the shower stall. The harsh light of the bathroom did no favors to her skin, giving it a sallow, yellow undertone, strangely contrasted against her bright red hair, but it did nothing to detract from her beauty. She could be covered in muck or wearing a sack and he’d still feel her allure. She was his denya.
The shower wasn’t small,
much to Brax’s chagrin. It was an open stall with three heads to allow a small crew to clean simultaneously. But Brax didn’t let their space prevent him from stepping in close. Vita shivered and little bumps appeared on her arms, but it couldn’t have been from the cold.
He wanted to kiss every centimeter of her skin and lick until she was writhing beneath him and begging for more. He wanted to devour her and drive her mad with pleasure.
But he’d promised her a wash, and so he’d be a man of his word.
She stepped under the spray and wet her hair while Brax reached for the soap. “Allow me,” he said, and began to run his fingers through her hair when she tilted her head back. She leaned into him, and there was no way she couldn’t feel the hot flush of his cock pressing against her ass, but she said nothing and didn’t move away.
It was torture, but nothing could have dragged Brax from that moment. He massaged his fingers carefully, grinning when she moaned at the pleasure of the contact. And then he let his hands roam, spreading the soap over her body and washing away the dirt of the day. He wanted to take his time, but something made him work quickly, running his hands over her and cleaning her with an almost detached discipline.
Vita flattened her hand over his as he ran it across her stomach and leaned even further back. “If you don’t want...”
“I want.” And he twisted her around and kissed her, taking her mouth and showing her just how much he wanted. He didn’t care when a bit of soap got in his mouth, but he did push them back until they were both under the spray, the heat of the water ratcheting up the heat of their desire.
He broke away and detached the showerhead from where it was anchored to the wall, carefully running the water over his denya until she was sparkling clean. And then he replaced it and dropped to his knees.
