Page 10 of Stealing the Star Stone

Chapter Six

Tarnis’ Messis Station

Terra Lux VIP Bar

Betrayal hurts.

Day One.

Eli couldn’t forget the pain in Nova’s eyes.

The sight of it had been like a blaster shot to the heart.

Maybe getting arrested with her might have strengthened their relationship, but he needed to be free to somehow convince Orien the artefact’s destruction was a good thing.

After all, the xeno-archeologist had been correct in saying nothing had happened until she’d touched it.

So far, Eli had become his benefactor with a decent donation.

That was a start. But the hour was late.

The Terra Lux’s clientele had thinned and yet, Vex and he nursed another bottle of brandy.

He drank on predetermined days—to uphold his playboy image.

Tonight, he’d bribed the server to water his down, but it couldn’t be too diluted.

Brandy was all about the rich gold color, and his resembled piss.

He’d outright switched to water an hour ago.

Orien slumped in the couch, sorrow in his posture. “Broken, lost my life’s work,” he chanted. “All gone.”

“Is it?” Eli asked, then frowned at the slur in his voice. “After all, you wanted a reaction, right?”

Orien glowered. “I can’t study shattered glass. I’m damn furious station-sec took that cursed woman. Did you see her hand?”

Despite the discussions being about this…event, not once had Orien mentioned the blue ink spreading to Eli’s palm. He curled his fingers into a fist and shoved it into his pants pocket where he’d kept it for most of the night.

“With the star stone gone, I could analyze the effects on her,” Orien mumbled. “Will get my lawyers to secure her freedom on one condition.” A wicked smile lit the man’s dark eyes. “And if she somehow escapes, nowhere will be safe for her.” He met Eli’s gaze. “Your saw it go down, right?”

Eli smothered a wince. “Can’t you find another with additional funding?” He drank from the water bottle, hoping to clear the persistent furriness from his tongue.

Orien shook his head. “Everything in the universe can be bought, except this. We found it by sheer chance.”

Stole it, no doubt, and as Eli got to know Orien, his instincts told him the man would kill anyone or anything that might stop him from stealing relics. Who knew how many natives had paid the price.

“I shouldn’t have agreed to put the stone on display. The Galactic Scientific Journal begged me to share my remarkable find with the known universe. And look what happened?” He threw back his brandy. “I should sue them, too.”

“Where did you stumble upon it, if I may ask?” Eli leaned back on the couch, grateful for the padding. Exhaustion had drained his energy, but he didn’t see this night ending soon.

“Some planet on the outskirts of this solar system. I won’t bore you with the details.” Orien tapped his nose. “It rhymes with pinata.” Then he cackled like a mad witch.

“Another round?” the blonde server asked, trailing her fingers across Eli’s shoulders.

He blinked at her, trying to remember her name. Belinda? Belle? Beth .

“Please,” Orien said, resting his elbows on his knees with the empty snifter dangling from one hand.

“Of course, milord,” Beth said, offering a smile. She was all professionalism, but lust burned when her gaze lingered anywhere on Eli’s person.

He far preferred the hatred in Nova’s amber eyes. Not the hurt. She’d jerked back as if he’d slapped her. What he should’ve done was bail her out and flee in the Honor . But like Orien had said, nowhere was safe. Not even if she managed to hide on a backwater station.

Eli glanced at the two men standing five feet behind Orien.

They didn’t twitch, their expressions didn’t change, and not once did they shift on their feet.

Blasters were strapped to their thighs, though how Orien had managed to get those weapons past security, Eli couldn’t fathom. Maybe because they were his bodyguards?

Eli cleared his throat, fighting the fuzziness of brandy blurring his thoughts. “Tell me, milord—”

“Vex. I insist.”

Eli bowed his head in thanks. “ Vex , do you have any women on your archeology team?”

The man stilled, his refilled snifter halfway to his mouth. “Oh, I’ve given that some thought, too, thinking her gender was the trigger. But no, other women have touched the stone.”

“Then perhaps it stores our energy?” Eli set his bottle onto the coffee table. “Something had to cause it to shatter like that. Yours, mine, and Nova’s energy combined?”

“I like how you think, Eli,” Orien said, a smirk teasing his top lip. “And no, I considered that as well. Alas, without the stone and the woman, I can’t confirm or deny any of these theories.”

“Even if you have the woman, you’d need another stone.”

“True.” Orien grimaced. “All the viewings will have to be canceled.”

“Your reputation’s not in tatters when you have evidence of your discovery.”

“I do, indeed,” the man said. “I should sue the gallery, this station, all of Tarnis.” Anger flushed his cheeks. “My star stone…” His bottom lip trembled. A suspicious sheen formed in his eyes.

“Such a waste of effort and credits.” Eli spun his water bottle, finding the light reflecting off its surface mesmerizing. “Channel all that into a new stone. I want to know more, y’know. Why the color? Why lose it? Why only when Nova touched it? Could it happen again?”

“Finding another would be a miracle.” Orien groaned. “Only to see it shatter again?”

Eli shrugged, growing bored with this topic when freeing Nova wasn’t becoming any easier.

“Rainbow rocks are easy to come by, but ones that do stuff… This is progress in my unscientific opinion. It reacted!” He jumped to his feet, swayed, then sank onto the couch.

“From full-blown color to clear glass, then to a thousand pieces. Boom. You don’t get more spectacular than that.

If you need additional funding, I can make a few calls.

Let’s get another stone, monitor it, then throw people at it.

Someone has to trigger it again, but this time, have all your sensors ready. See what it does.”

Orien stared at him. “You’re right. I’ll find another and another.

There has to be more somewhere. Even if it means clearing all the jungles from that wretched moon.

” He clambered to his feet, a little unstable.

“I’ll keep tabs on this Nova. She could suffer from longtime effects or die. Either would be good to know.”

Eli rose to stretch the kinks from his back. “It’s about time I head back. Release her into my care. I’ll guarantee she’ll remain in my company. The less we have to deal with station-sec, the better.”

“You’re too much in the public eye, and I want to keep this under the radar.

Besides, I haven’t decided what to do with her.

” Orien slammed down his snifter. “At this precise moment, I know where she is. If I let her go, she’ll make a run for it.

” He gestured to the closest server. “Come, Eli. I have secured for you accommodation.”

Eli scowled. He’d thrown his charm and credits at the man, but to no avail. And there was no way he’d head back to the Valiance without Nova’s freedom secured. Orien was batshit crazy. Eli wouldn’t leave any woman in this man’s clutches.

When he’d flown across the floor, his focus had been on Nova surrounded by glass, his concern solely for her. That instinct had to be analyzed and prodded. Other than his family and Graham, no one else had intruded on his emotions as much as Nova did. Damn fool woman.

The pod ride to the hotel floor was made in silence. One bodyguard had gone ahead, the other crowded Eli and Orien in the gilded cage. When it stopped, Eli exited without thought, then accepted the card Orien offered him.

“We will talk more at breakfast.” And the doors sealed on Orien’s features.

At last, Eli was alone, standing in the carpeted passageway. Tea time with Nova seemed like ages ago. Should he visit her in station-sec? Would they let him see her?

The expression she’d worn when she’d been escorted away said he’d be lucky if she agreed to talk to him. He swayed and threw up a hand to catch himself from toppling over. No, maybe after a night’s sleep, she’ll be calm enough to understand his intentions when he explained them to her.

A glance at the keycard drove him to the left, counting down the numbers on each door until he stood before his.

The room was luxurious, even by his standards: cream walls, brass uplighters, velvet and satin fabrics.

He slipped off the S.O.S. strap, shrugged off the captain’s coat, unstrapped his boots, and sprawled onto the bed, uncaring that a feminine-shaped lump took up most of one side.

After the day he’d had, he was done.

A scream like a peacock snapped Eli’s eyes open. He blinked at the bright white ceiling, his mind struggling to register what he was looking at. The bed was ultra hard, and his back pulsed in agony. He moaned, raised his hand to rub his face, and stiffened.

Delicate blue-stained fingers moved as he commanded.

He squeezed his eyes shut then opened them. Had he been drugged? Was he dreaming? He snorted, and ice drenched him. That sound! He snorted again. Nova was here? He sat up and gaped at the white-walled cell. Beyond a shimmer trailed sec officers and their prisoners. None spared him a glance.

What the fuck?

Why was he in a cell? He stretched out his legs, reality slow to dawn. Tiny booted feet? Shapely feminine legs? The red uniform was the clincher. He fluffed the pony tail then slumped, his mouth opening and shutting with but a squeak slipping out.

“I’m dreaming,” he muttered, then jerked back at Nova’s husky voice speaking.

Panic flared to life, a roar climbed his throat, and he leaped up, needing a doctor.

“Officer,” he yelled, striding toward the shimmer and stopping short of it when the hem of his coat sparked and burned. “Officer, please.” Each word pierced him, confirming he’d gone insane. “A doctor!”

“Oh, good, you’re awake,” Orien said, striding toward him.

Eli almost sighed in relief. If there was anyone who could ‘fix’ this, it was Orien. “Yes, Vex, I need—”

“Who gave you the right to use my name? Do not speak it, you witch.” Fire blazed in the older man’s eyes.

Eli stepped back, his eyes widening. He’d be an idiot to reveal his current predicament to this madman. The fool might not believe him, or worse, his tests could be lethal.

“What do you want?” Eli demanded, folding his arms across his chest and resisting the urge to stare at Nova’s amazing cleavage.

“I’m here for an…apology.” By Orien’s wince, speaking the word hurt.

“I accept.” Eli arched a brow. “Will that be all?”

“No,” Orien spluttered, “you say sorry to me.”

“For what?” Eli smirked, loving channeling her sass.

“Three of us touched your stupid rock. Did you ask Eli for an apology?” He narrowed his eyes.

“Or did you just assume I had a hidden agenda?” He strode backward and sank onto the bench.

“Neither of us had even heard of your exhibition until we arrived on Messis.”

“Regardless, the evidence proves this was your doing.”

Eli hummed, unraveling his arms to stroke his chin—his mind marveling at her silky skin. “Something tells me you have mommy issues. That women frighten you.”

Orien blustered.

Angering this idiot wasn’t wise, but it was oh so enjoyable and exactly what Nova would do. Eli could honestly get behind this woman’s attitude.

“And here I was going to offer you a truce.” Orien glanced at his goons guarding his back. “Come with me to Lethara to find another stone. Eli has most generously funded my expedition.”

Eli stilled. Was that the name of the planet? Rhymes with ‘pinata’ he’d said. But this about-face had him on edge. Sure, he’d reminded Orien that the stone and Nova would lead to more breakthroughs, but still. The man had hardly looked convinced while sulking over his brandy. “Why should I?”

“I’ll drop the charges,” Orien continued as if Eli hadn’t spoken. “A luxurious escort to the jungles covering the Lerathi temples.”

“Why?” Eli waited, his gaze fixed on Orien. Last night, he’d been determined to have Nova killed or experimented on. What had changed?

“Eli Thorne suggested you be there when I find a replacement.”

Right, pass the blame . Eli shifted on the bench. Her backside was soft, making anything almost comfortable to sit upon.

“So it can shatter again? No, thanks,” he said. Slipping into her personality was so much easier than had she been an imaginary character he had to portray.

“Have breakfast with me.” Orien flashed a charming smile, making him appear grandfatherly.

Eli eyed him. “For me to accept the invitation, you’d have to get me out of here.”

“True,” he chuckled. “As a show of good faith.” He turned to a mountain. “Make it happen.”

Eli’s thoughts darted around his brain like cats escaping a bag. What was Orien up to? A chat with Nova was what Eli needed. She had to be awake by now and losing her mind.

He studied her hand, admiring the daintiness of her fingernails and the scar where a wedding ring used to be. Without anyone noticing, he pinched his arm hard. Fire exploded outward and dulled to a heated throb. No, he wasn’t dreaming.

This shit’s real.

Somehow, he’d swapped bodies with Nova.

And Lord Xeno-Archeologist had no clue what the stone could do.

Eli grinned. “Sure, I could eat.”

Staying near Orien was a good start. All there was to know about the Lerathi and their rainbow rocks was in his possession, whether in his mad brain or on some database somewhere.

And Eli had every intention of getting that info. At all costs.