Page 35 of Stolen Fire (N.O.A.H (Nostradamus Outerspace Advancement of Humanity) #2)

Blaize pressed her fingers to her lips as she rushed to the bridge.

She couldn’t outrun the impulse or the dream she had.

In. His. Bed. Another wave of heat flooded her.

She should be freaked out by the way his arms had stretched unnaturally to retrieve the orb.

But all the skills he had—the ability to change his appearance—only intrigued her.

She’d have given anything to change her appearance as a child to blend with the members of her community.

But the more time she spent on The Treasure, and with Cifer, the less she worried about how she looked.

No one teased her about being translucent or a moon rock or a demon.

She was just Blaize. Engineer. Desirable.

That last one was the most difficult to resolve.

Cifer desired her. As much control as he had over his body, he couldn’t hide the way he reacted.

He was authentically attracted to her. But her fascination with the man would have to wait until they could once again deal with the vile pest that kept reappearing.

She took her usual seat on the bridge and logged into the ship’s computer. Before she could decide her first move, Dez and Cyra arrived.

“Captain.” Blaize stood. Cyra looked more relaxed than Blaize had ever seen her.

“It looks like you had a good visit with your family, but I’m sorry…

There’s been an unexpected development. Cifer had a buyer for the Din’ Gale shipment, like he told you, but then he found out the male was working with Varik.

Varik’s here, on Chalcanth. And we think he might have more kids.

So, we’re going to try to stop him. Cifer got the information about the ship.

I think I can find a way to disable it so Varik can’t get away again before we get proof.

And hopefully, there are some decent law-abiding officers here who will keep him in custody instead of accepting a bribe to let him go. ” Blaize sucked in a breath.

Rhysa entered the bridge before Dez or Cyra could respond. Her hair was messy, and her clothes were wrinkled. She wore a huge smile. “What’s going on?”

“Varik is on planet,” Dez replied.

Rhysa halted mid-saunter. “He’s an unsquishable bug. What are we doing about it?”

Blaize appreciated that Rhysa aligned instantly about dealing with the problem.

“I’m not sure there’s much we can do.” Cyra’s gills flapped. “If the Cassan authorities didn’t keep him?—”

“He’s got more kids. I’m sure of it.” Cifer went to Blaize and stood facing Dez and the captain. “They were buying the food. All of it. We know Varik only has one other crew member. The sailing ship of the buyer was big, but there were very few crew members when we met.”

“Blaize, you have a plan?” Cyra asked.

“Yes, Captain.” Blaize took a breath. “Cifer should find another buyer while I research Varik’s spaceship. We need to incapacitate it so he can’t leave with the kids.”

Silence lingered, and Blaize pressed her lips together. She didn’t have to fill it.

Dez crossed his arms. “What about the other ship? The watercraft.”

“I— I don’t know.” Blaize winced at the hole in the plan Dez had so quickly identified.

“My brother works security at the docks. Just started there.” The pride in Cyra’s voice was clear. Blaize hadn’t known the captain had a sibling.

Dez nodded. “We’ll contact him. Blaize can figure out what to do about Varik’s ship. I’d rather we contacted the port authority here, but that didn’t work out last time. So, let’s find the right people to handle this.”

Bodi rushed in with a large bag in each hand. She paused at the entrance, just inside the bridge. “What’s going on? Where’s Veda? I found the perfect thing for her.”

Rhysa spun in her chair. “You went shopping?”

Bodi scowled back at her. “Chalcanth fabrics are universally famous. You could have come with me instead of getting fucked by strangers.”

“I’m sure that, as much as you paid for whatever is in those two sacks, we both got screwed.”

Blaize blocked out the rest of the conversation and began the search for the ship schematics.

Bodi and Rhysa would get tired of their toxic banter, and nothing she could say would help.

Dez and Cyra left the bridge. Cifer settled into the empty chair next to her and tapped away.

Hopefully, one of his other contacts would come through and they could offload the produce.

Worst case, they’d eat really well on the way to Hiargus.

But first, the problem of disabling Varik’s ship.

Blaize entered the information Cifer had gathered.

There . The class, make, and model of the ship piloted by Varik.

She added the serial number but didn’t have the date of manufacture.

That last detail, and she’d be completely certain that she had the right plans, but as it was, she was ninety-eight percent sure.

If she could read the digital identification…

But no way Varik left the DID untampered.

She clicked through the screens, focusing on the external panels and the mechanics behind them.

“This could work.”

“What?” Cifer crouched by her side, one arm around her chair.

She hadn’t meant to say that out loud, not until she verified. But since he was already there… “See? This panel. If we can get it open, and if I have the right tool to reach back to there…” She pointed at the screen as she zoomed in on the schematic.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to reach it.” He gave her a half-smile.

“That connector provides the power connection to the nav system. If that were to come loose , the ship won’t launch. It’s in the safety checks. No nav system verification, no liftoff.”

Cifer kissed her cheek. “Brilliant.” He stood up before she could react to either. “I’ll go tonight.”

“ We’ll go tonight.” She touched his arm to get his attention. “You need my expertise.”

Cifer opened his mouth. Clamped his jaw shut. Crossed his arms and glared at her. “Fine. But you have to do everything I say. I won’t have you get caught by the bastards.”

“Like you were?” Blaize couldn’t believe she’d said that. “I… Um… I didn’t?—”

“Yes, Beauty. Like I was. I don’t think I could stand to see you in a cage.” He caressed her shoulder.

Warm, gooey affection shoved Blaize’s embarrassment away.

“Ah, true love.” Rhysa smirked at Blaize.

Cifer tugged the hood of the jacket tight over Blaize’s head and tucked each stray lock of her gorgeous red hair away. “You’ll listen to me. Do everything when I say. Nothing else, and not until I say so.”

“I know what I’m doing.”

Her lip stuck out adorably, and he considered kissing her silly, fucking her senseless, and leaving her safely behind. “You know what you’re doing with the engines. But you don’t have a clue about breaking the rules and stealth missions.”

“I saved you, didn’t I?”

Cifer tilted his head. “You beat the hell out of a ship with a giant wrench and then broke open cages with the same blunt force tool. Not stealthy.”

“Fine.” She stepped out of his reach. “I’ll let you lead.”

He tugged her forward and gave her a quick kiss. “You can lead later.”

A calculated look flashed across her face, and Cifer couldn’t wait to find out what she had in mind. But first they had to deal with that bastard, Varik.

In the loading bay, Rhysa leaned against the wall next to the door. “I’m going with.”

She was dressed all in black and stood as Cifer and Blaize approached. Cifer scowled. “This isn’t a party.”

“I’d be dressed differently if it was,” Rhysa shot back. “You two will be busy with the ship. I’ll keep watch.”

Cifer considered the change in plan. Not a terrible idea to have some backup.

“Dez suggested I tag along. He and Cyra are meeting her brother at the shipyards.” Rhysa’s pink-eyed gaze narrowed. “By suggested, I mean ordered.”

“Fine. But same rules apply. You do what I say and only what I say when I tell you.”

She rolled her eyes. “Duh.”

Cifer already regretted agreeing to her coming, and they hadn’t even left.

Using the shadows of the other ships, Cifer led the two women toward Cain’s Alibi .

The smaller ship was at the opposite end of the port from The Treasure .

Cifer had noted the cameras, and while the coverage was good, it wasn’t perfect.

Cameras were more of a deterrent and after-the-fact evidence than any kind of warning system.

He would not be deterred when it came to protecting kids, and if the mission went according to plan, no one would need to review the images for evidence.

He slowed as they neared the target ship.

The splash of water at the edges of the tarmac covered any sounds they created but made confirming no one was around more challenging.

“Wait here. I’ll get the panel off, and then I’ll signal like we practiced.”

Rhysa melted into the shadows.

Blaize handed him a slim metal tool. “You’ll need this for the bolts.”

He took the tool, even though it was unnecessary. His ability to morph his body meant tools were always at his fingertips. “Stay.”

The panel came off easily enough. Before he could wave her over, Blaize was at his side. She shone a flashlight into the cavity. Wires going every which way, multiple flexible conduits, and pipes filled the tight space.

“That one.” Blaize pointed with her finger and the flashlight.

Cifer handed her the tool and stretched his arm into the cramped space.

“No, to the left.”

Footsteps stomped down a ramp.

“Hurry,” Blaize urged.

Rhysa’s voice wafted to them from under the ship. Was she trying to provide a distraction? Had they been found out?

Cifer tugged on the connector, but it was stuck.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

He yanked harder. The connector popped free. Cifer snatched the flashlight out of Blaize’s hand and shone it in the face of the confronter. “Run,” he hissed at Blaize. “Get Dez. Run.”

“Get that fucking light out of my eyes. Who are you? What are you doing to my ship?”

“Go. Now.” Every instinct screamed at Cifer himself to run. He could get out of the situation, but not with Blaize at risk.

Blaize crept away from him, and as soon as she was in the shadows, her heavy footfalls testified to her obedience.

Floodlights on vehicles lit the area. Blaize screeched.

Varik sucker-punched Cifer, and he dropped the flashlight.

A port officer came around the ship a moment later.

Cifer could still escape, but they had Blaize. He raised his hands in surrender.

Varik laughed. “Got you.”

The officers put Cifer in the same vehicle as Blaize.

She leaned toward the barrier between the driver and the containment portion of the vehicle—a box with staggered benches.

“You don’t understand. We’re the good guys.

That ship is being used to traffic children.

All you have to do is go in there. He has cages.

There will be kids in those cages. You have to believe me.

Please check. You’ll never forgive yourself if I’m right and you find out too late. They could be kids of people you know.”

Cifer had to give it to Blaize. Her emotional appeal was on point, but she’d killed any argument he could make that she wasn’t involved. He’d already freed himself from the shackles. The officer eyeballed Blaize.

“Please, I’m not lying. You have to check.”

As soon as the uniformed male left the vehicle, Cifer released Blaize’s cuffs.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting you out of here. They don’t need us both. They can blame me.”

“If you can get me out, you can leave too. Come with me.” Blaize tugged on his arm even as she shifted one leg out the door he’d opened.

“That won’t work, Beauty. They have to have someone in custody.

Otherwise, they’ll hunt us down, and the entire crew would be compromised.

” He pressed his lips to hers, savoring their last kiss.

“Deliver the orb. Collect the fee.” His future didn’t matter.

Only hers. Blaize’s safety mattered more than anything else.

“What about the kids?”

“If they’re on this ship, they’ll find them.” He nudged her. “Go, now. While you can.”

She glanced back a few steps into her escape.

He jutted his chin for her to continue, his hands back in the cuffs.

He’d sworn he’d never sacrifice his freedom, his reputation, or his income for another being.

But that was before he fell in love. There was something fitting about having to give her up and take the blame, considering everything he’d gotten away with in his life.

But his heart still ached with her absence.