Page 22 of Dark Survivor (The Qaldreth Warriors #2)

“She does not want to involve herself out of fear. Revenge is driving her to take the hauler, but after that is completed, she might…leave me.” Drafe slumped, his shoulders bowing.

“You want a way to keep her?” Nenn arched a brow. “Drafe, she is not Qaldreth—”

Drafe growled.

Nenn raised his hand to silence Drafe. “Let me finish.” He popped the vibuy dangling from his fingers into his mouth.

“She does not know our ways and cannot be held to our expectations.” He paused to swallow.

“In addition, she is a warrior who will not be subservient to you. Perhaps all you need to do is ask her, warrior to warrior.”

“That is our way.” Drafe frowned. “To ask.”

Nenn swallowed a laugh, aware of Drafe’s dismay. “No, I mean, explain it to her, how staying with you will change her life.”

Drafe rested his chin on his hand. “She knows nothing of our homeworld. It is right that I share this with her.”

Nenn hid his grin by sipping his steaming asturo tisane. “If you are serious about having her for your love mate, then yes.”

“Wise, Nenn.” Drafe straightened, a small smile forming. “Do we have any Ivoyan data vids on Qaldreth?”

“We do.” Nenn gritted his teeth, smothering his urge to curse. Males could be such fools. “Images are wonderful, but memories spoken from the heart have greater impact.”

Drafe’s frown darkened. “She has my symbiotes and access to all Meorri history.”

“Yes, but she has not learned to commune with them.” Foq, it had taken him ages as a young male. His mother had despaired that he’d never learn. “You are rushing the most beautiful thing to occur to a warrior, Drafe.”

“I know.” He slumped, dipped his gaze, then leveled it on Nenn. “I want it done. I want her to be mine with no chance of her walking away.”

Nenn laughed. At last, the truth. “You are feeling insecure. It is not the way of a fearless warrior.”

Drafe glared at him. “Foq, Nenn. Wait until you meet your female.”

Images of tongues attacking him swept across his mind. It took all his focus to offer a shrug. “I hope to be as senseless as you.” He pushed aside his empty plate, then licked his thumb. “On a more serious matter, her besting Ulvus has enraged the male. I will guard your back.”

After Nenn’s demonstration, Ulvus had stayed clear of him. But when she bested Ulvus, he’d directed all his anger and frustration at her. Nenn was partly to blame for Ulvus’s vindictive state of mind and would protect her, as well.

“Ulvus is predictable.” Drafe downed his water and rose. “Thank you for the advice and warning, Nenn.”

Drafe’s nonchalance made Nenn smile. There went an arrak who’d tackled Ulvus on more than one occasion. Nenn had managed to avoid the male for the most part, but who knew if he was just biding his time?

He sighed at his cooled tisane. If Drafe mated with the human, Nenn didn’t know how the Q.C.C. would react. He leaned back, a decision forming. No matter what lay ahead, Nenn would make damn sure he and the males onboard the Aroagni , Ulvus excluded, sided with the couple.

“All personnel have been allocated full access to all areas, including the engine rooms. Do not…disturb me, even if it’s life and death.” Captain’s voice snapped Tiny awake.

She blinked, trying to understand the reason for the announcement. Where hadn’t she been allowed to go before? Not that she’d need to know when her room, the mess, the zoo, her med bay, the bridge, and hydroponics were the only places she frequented.

She scrambled out of bed and hurried through her ablutions.

Did she sneak out of her room? Yes. She listened with care to make sure no one crept up on her despite her stomping along the passages.

The air in her lungs had solidified, like a pressure built, and the effort to inhale became a mission, so she veered to hydroponics, hoping to find some peace.

Stroking the leaves while crooning at the plants gave her a sense of normalcy.

The organic smell alone bathed her in peace.

“Oh, no,” she whispered when her thumb brushed along a jagged leaf. “You poor thing.” With clippers in hand, she glided her fingers along and snipped the leaf off, placing it in a bucket she’d later dump in the compost bin.

Focusing on not cutting off a finger kept her mind on the moment and not on the fact she’d survived a night without being jettisoned.

And despite the aroma of bacon wafting from the mess, she’d avoided spending any time with Nikko, Leah, and Dieter.

If she didn’t need to ‘act’ happy or lie, then she wouldn’t put a target on her back.

Approaching footsteps made her pause. The cadence was like Vic’s except for the heavy treads accompanying it. Was she losing her mind?

“Hi, Tiny.”

She froze, her breath hitching. “Vic.” She faced the door, wishing her vision returned for a moment. Seeing was believing, so they said. “I thought you… Nikko said we’d lost you to some freak accident.”

Dragged into a hug, she almost dropped the pot. But the sunbaked perfume that was Vic engulfed her. She succumbed and squeezed back.

“You did. My tether was cut.”

Tiny gaped. As she’d suspected. Oh, Lord, let it not be of Dieter’s doing. She couldn’t be that wrong about the man. “Cut?”

“Yes,” Vic muttered. “Carne’s ship passed us, so I rushed inside to warn Nikko.

I was a fool to think he was friendly. To my face, sure, then when he sent me out again, he made sure I didn’t come back.

Thankfully, I was rescued by Qaldreth warriors on their own mission somehow tied to Carne.

Which leads us to believe there are prisoners onboard the Mula Pesada . ”

“Us? Wait, did you say warriors?” Tiny angled her head, zeroing in on the breathing. “Three?”

“One at a time, introduce yourself,” Vic said.

Tiny stiffened, drew in a shaky breath, then faced them. Farg, she hadn’t even brushed her hair. At least she’d showered and wore clean underwear. Mom would be so proud.

Someone stepped closer. “I am Meorri aac Drafe Arrak. Vic is my female.”

“Oh.” Tiny gasped then gasped again when he took her hand. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

“More than you can know.” Vic hugged her from the side. “Nenn, you’re next.”

Excitement swelled inside Tiny, summoning a grin. “Describe them for me, Vic. Oh, I do love the way they smell. Like I’m in a biodome on Ganymede, filled with rich soils, succulent plants, trickling water...” She took a long sniff. “Volcanic rock.”

Silence met her request. Tiny frowned. Had she said something wrong?

“Only Drafe and Nenn are near to you; the others... Besides, we’re out of time. Will you help us?” Vic asked in a rush.

Tiny folded her arms across her chest and waited, tempted to tap her foot for good measure. She wasn’t going to budge until she had some idea of who she was helping.

“Fine,” Vic huffed. “They have obsidian skin. Their hair runs from their brows to the base of their spines. All are muscled, strong, and skilled. Drafe’s a warrior guardian. Caah’s a tech guru, I think. Nenn is like you, a medic.”

“He is?” Tiny swiveled, widening her eyes to peer at the smudges. Not that she could tell anything apart, but right then, she wished she could.

“Can you not see me?” Nenn gathered her hands in his, sending a zing up her arms. He was hot to the touch, and the urge to snuggle against him was a little overwhelming. “Loss of sight is no more where I come from. Allow me to heal you.”

She scowled at the offer. Just like that? Let a stranger operate on her? “With implants?” She shivered. “That’s a no, thank you.”

Nenn’s husky chuckle coiled heat in her core. “We regrow your eyes and encourage the optical nerves to reconnect. I will return for you when our mission is complete.”

Tiny leaned toward where she thought Vic stood and whispered, “Is he for real?”

“Yes.” Vic laughed. “Now, will you help us?”

“Sure. What you need is access to the engine rooms. Security was restricted, but last night, Captain just up and gave everyone full-access status. He did sound…odd. Anyway, that means I can appoint you as our new captain.” Tiny giggled. Served Nikko right for kicking her friend off the ship.

Vic arched a brow. “That could work, but won’t Leah notice?”

“Why would she?” Tiny scoffed, ignoring the sliver of fear sliding down the nape of her neck. “She’s probably got her boots up on the console and her nose buried in smut.” Tiny offered a smile at the room in general. “Computer, set all crew to staff access only, and grant Vic full control.”

“Control granted, Captain Vic.”

“See. Easy as that. Computer, locate all storerooms.” Tiny gestured to the console, hoping Computer was showing Mula Pesada’s floor plans.

“I would start there.” She raised the pot to bury her nose in the aromatic rosemary leaves.

When a thought struck her, she stiffened and peered over her shoulder at the door. “But Vic, what if you’re wrong?”

“Then we leave the ship without bloodshed,” Vic said.

Tiny squeaked. Farg. What had she done? First do no harm, that’s what she’d sworn to do. “Don’t hurt…anyone.”

“Especially Dieter?” Vic teased.

Tiny swallowed a growl. “No,” she pursed her lips, “go ahead. Kick his ass.”

“What the farg?” Vic cursed. “You’re coming with us. Pack what you need.”

Tiny gaped. Sure, she’d wanted off the ship but to where? For all she knew, she was going from the pan into the fire. “But—”

“Do you want to stay on the Mula Pesada if it’s true, Tiny? Wouldn’t that make you complicit in whatever the hell Nikko’s up to?”

Tiny slumped and placed the clippers in the bowl. “No, you’re right. I’ll be ready.”

They stomped out except for one. She waited. Hot hands clasped hers again. She offered Nenn a tentative smile.

“I am pleased to have met you, Tiny.” He pinched her chin and angled her head with the gentlest of nudges. “I look forward to learning all there is know about you.”

Then he was gone, taking his volcanic touch and smell with him. She shuddered, sucked in a sharp breath, but didn’t move. She stood there, hugging herself. With a gasp, she hurried to her room to pack. It didn’t take her long. Accumulating pretty things had fallen to the wayside many months ago.

With careful steps, she headed to the med bay, bag in hand, to collect her chess set. No way was she leaving it behind. She’d just dropped her bag in the corner and sank into the chair when Leah approached.

“Your turn to man the bridge,” she snapped.

Heat splashed across Tiny’s cheeks at almost being caught with her bag in hand. That would have raised suspicion for sure. “Is it that time already?”

“Whatever,” Leah said. “Get your ass there. I need to piss.”

“Oh.” Tiny scrambled to her feet, waited for Leah’s footsteps to fade, then darted onto the bridge.

She couldn’t see the console and its many buttons or figure out what they did. What she did do was listen to the beeps. A single beep seconds apart meant all was well. Anything else, she had to notify Nikko or Leah.

Manning the bridge was dull work. She couldn’t listen to her audiobook for fear she’d miss a bad beep, so she sat there, spinning the chair until dizziness drove her to stop.

While she waited for her cybersickness to dissipate, she sifted through worst-case scenarios. This could all go bad, fast. She needed backup. “Computer, patch me through to Grunt. Secure the channel.”

“Grunt is unavailable.”

Farg. “And Trent?”

“Asleep. Do you wish to wake him?”

She slumped. “No… No, thank you.”

She gripped the edge of the console and prayed everything worked out in the end.

Never had she been so helpless, with Vic’s and the warriors’ arrival ramping up the tension in her shoulders.

More than her life was in her hands. And that included the prisoners, if they existed.

She’d better act normal like everything depended on it.

Because it did.

Leah couldn’t suspect a thing.