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She winced at the sincerity on his face. “I’m sorry, Drafe. I didn’t mean to insult you and imply you had hidden motives. Go, fly this ship to the source. I’ll stay here.”

He tightened his arm around her. “And when I return?”

She closed her eyes not to see his sadness, but it didn’t matter. Darkness engulfed her soul, and she wasn’t sure if it was her own or Drafe’s.

“I’ll be in a better frame of mind.” She forced a smile but couldn’t keep it in place. “I promise.”

He hesitated, then cupped her cheek. “Be careful.”

“Me?” She snorted. “I’m not about to take a militarized medical facility. You be careful.”

He nodded and let the door shut behind him.

She ignored the tear trickling free and faced Themba.

“Right, let’s tidy this cesspit and get some food into you.

” As she picked up shards of broken glass, stacked his books on unused shelves, and watered his desperate bonsai, she told herself that she was doing this for Ande.

With the quarters clean and Themba sleeping, she lifted her gaze to the looped match.

Ande had fought the same Devlin who had tormented her when she first ‘joined’ Carne. Now she had a target. Argh, there went any chance of freedom. She would have to breach the Ring, and stroll into Sebastian Carne’s domain to kill him and his puppet, Devlin.

To do that, she would need a ride.

Farg . Bolting out of Themba’s quarters, she sprinted along the passages and burst onto the bridge.

Drafe raised his head, then closed the distance between them. He gathered her hands in his and tugged her against him, creating a sense of privacy. “What is it, gevatia ?”

“I’m coming with you.”

He shook his head. “We decided it is safer—”

“Carne killed my…brother, Drafe. I want vengeance, and I need an arsenal. Both can be gotten from taking the facility.”

He closed his pale-yellow eyes, his fingers squeezing her. “I cannot lose you, Vic.”

“How better to guard me when I’m at your side?” She offered him a wide smile, needing to go, to keep herself busy, to vent her anger, to find someone closer to blame.

He grinned. “That is illogical.”

“Fine.” She gripped his waist, clutching onto his armor-covered pecs. “Ask Aehort.”

Drafe huffed. “That is cheating.”

She shrugged, rose onto her toes, and stole a kiss. His breath caught, and before she could pull away, he cupped the back of her head. With a sweep of his tongue, her will crumbled. She adored the taste of him, inhaled his addictive cologne, and leeched what strength she could from his embrace.

This was foolhardy. She hadn’t wanted to involve herself, but as she saw it, if she helped Drafe find justice for the Ivoy, he might help her return to Earth and kill Sebastian Carne.

Either way, what would follow was her kind of mayhem, and Carne had ensured she was more than equipped to orchestrate their destruction. Oh, the irony was sweet.

Panting for breath, she rested her temple on his chin. “How’s Tiny?”

Drafe smiled when he pulled away and gestured to the med bay. “See for yourself.”

“Call me when we approach the facility.” Without waiting, Vic hurried from the bridge, aware his men had watched them kiss. She should be mortified, but sex and the acts thereof had been bandied about Carne for the last ten years.

Whispering warned her she might be walking into something a little intimate so she cleared her throat before peeking through the door.

Tiny sat on the med bunk, her legs spread with Nenn nestled between them as he ran a weird device over her eyes.

She stroked his chest and any part of him she could reach.

Vic smiled. “Am I intruding?”

“Not at all, Vic.” Tiny raised her gaze to Nenn’s, the white of her eyes paler, revealing a little of her green irises.

“How are you feeling?” Vic crossed to the bed and clasped its railing.

“Good. Nenn has a soft touch.” Tiny’s cheeks flushed. “You’ve been busy.”

“I have?” Vic shuffled on her feet, not wanting to mention who she killed or the latest news squeezing her chest. ‘Ande is dead’ looped in the back of her mind.

Perhaps she was in shock and shouldn’t be making decisions?

Too late. She gritted her teeth as tension thickened and climbed up her throat, choking off her breathing. Her vision spun.

Breathe, Vic.

“Aehort?” she gasped, expecting to find the orange alien in the room with her.

Right, the symbiotes . Her future spread out before her.

Take the facility, destroy the Ring, and travel to Ivoy.

All were decided for her, either through her actions or the consequences of what had happened to her.

Despite winning the deca-match, her life was not her own, her path not hers to choose.

She had some choice, though. Heading to Europa with Drafe was her decision to make.

And he would help her destroy the Ring whether she took the facility with him or not.

But her ma had raised Vic to help where she could.

If she asked someone to endanger their lives, she had to be willing to do the same.

She flicked a glance over her shoulder, as if she would find Drafe behind her. His quiet support was as precious as water. Farg, she would need to tell him how she felt about him and soon.

“Vic?” Tiny’s voice broke through Vic’s thoughts. “Are you all right? Nenn, scan her too.”

“I’m fine.” Vic threw out her hands to stop him, but he ignored her to wipe away the blood staining her arm. As Drafe had claimed, only smooth skin remained. “I know I told you to come with me, but you can stay with Themba. If you want.”

“Nenn invited me to travel with him to his home.” She pursed her lips, her purple hair bouncing. “I’m undecided. You?”

Vic drew in a slow breath, taking the plunge. “I too will be going to Ivoy.” At some point in the future.

“Oh. Then, of course, I’ll go. I didn’t want to be a burden nor the only human woman on board their ship.” Her smile was so bright and carefree. Vic had never known such an emotion, not as a child, and sure as shit, not as an adult.

“Tiny, sweetheart, you helped us free the prisoners. You’re not a burden.” Vic squeezed her shoulder. “Since you’re in Nenn’s capable hands, I’ll return to the bridge. I’m sure there’s much to discuss. When you are feeling better, please care for Themba. He’s…” she winced, “not well.”

Abandoning them to whatever she had stumbled upon, she hurried along the passage to the bridge, sliding in to lean against the bulkhead, her knees trembling. Pretending to be emotionally stable was draining. A dark room, a bed, and time were all she needed.

When Dez spotted Vic, he crossed the room to grab her hand. “Victorious, thank you.”

“It’s just Vic.” She forced a smile, uncomfortable with his gratitude.

He bobbed his head. “Fair enough. Drafe tells me he has the security protocol to breach the facility’s defenses.”

She grasped the news, needing it to focus her spiraling thoughts. “Good. We must end these experiments and the deployment of explosive pods.”

“With Iain’s promise of assistance, we hope to find a new home down there. Maybe set up a control base.” Dez smiled but sadness lingered in his brown eyes.

He and his fellow prisoners must have endured much, yet he chose to face the future with courage. So too should she. There would be time later to mourn Ande.

She rolled her shoulders, trying to ease a burning ache in the middle of her back.

“So, minimize damage is what you’re asking for.

” A shadow pressed down on her again, smothering her thoughts, what her senses communicated, what her purpose was for being there.

Her gaze settled on Drafe leaning over the console, chatting to Caah, flashes of a smile between comments.

He would be her beacon of light and hope.

Dez chuckled. “Something like that.” He squeezed and released her hand, drawing her back to the moment.

“I’ll try.” That was all she could promise, because at that moment, she wanted to burn Carne to the ground.