Hell yes, I could shoot with both hands. Thank god, because Oberon had my right side completely blocked.
“Mated?” He looked from me to Chloe. “Both?”
“She’s mine.” Oberon made the statement publicly, despite the fact that I was not, technically, his mate. Yet.
Seth hadn’t lowered his weapon. “Touch my mate and you die.”
Rukzi looked at both males, then back to Chloe. “You do not command me, little female.” His claws clattered together as if to emphasize his point, and I could have sworn they were twice as long as they had been before he walked over. Then again, this close, everything about him seemed bigger. I wasn’t sure how that was even possible.
“Then get the fuck off my ship.”
Tense silence. One second. Two. Bright green eyes bored into Chloe. Hands on her hips, she stared right back, despite the fact that she had to crane her neck back so far to meet his gaze, it looked like her head could snap off her spine at any moment.
Rukzi burst into laughter. “I want one.”
Oberon grinned and his entire body visibly relaxed. “Get your own. These two are taken.”
One of the Atlans appeared next to Rukzi and placed a hand on the nearly naked male’s shoulder. “Stop stirring up trouble, Ruk.” He inclined his chin to me and Oberon, then addressed Chloe. “Commander Phan, I’m Warlord Enzo. My ship and my team are ready.”
“Excellent.” Chloe glanced over her shoulder at Seth. She must have made a face at him or something because he finally lowered his blaster rifle—eyes locked on Rukzi the entire time. His blaster wasn’t a small one, like the thing strapped to my thigh. Seth’s rifle looked like it could do some real damage.
Enzo looked at Oberon and broke into a real smile. “Prillon, good to see you again.”
Oberon held out his hand and they did the manly forearm hold by way of a greeting. “Have you been monitoring the base?”
“Of course.”
“And? Any sign of the prisoners?”
The Atlan shook his head. “I’m sorry, my friend. But no. We have not been able to break through the Nexus unit’s security to scan the interior.”
“But the base is still active?” Chloe asked.
“Yes. They have drones patrolling their perimeter. We will not be able to sneak up on them. We will need to convince them our ship is part of their collective.” He tilted his head to the side, motioning toward where he must have parked his spaceship. “Which is why we took their ship after our escape."
“You were Hive prisoners?” I blurted the question. Had a hundred more in line behind it. When? Where? How long? How had they escaped? What kinds of experiments were done to them? Bit personal? Yes. I still wanted to know.
“Indeed.” Rukzi’s chest heaved. “I am not yet finished bathing in their blood.”
“Don’t get him started, my lady. Trust me.” Warlord Enzo slapped the huge Hyperion on the back.
Oh, I could just imagine…
Chloe lifted her hand and waved them along as she walked toward the largest room on the ship. “Come on, then. Let’s finalize our plans. We only have a few hours.”
Eight hours, thirty-two minutes. Not that I was counting.
Enzo, Rukzi, Seth and Bastion—who had been following the activity in the room where he leaned against the wall—followed Chloe. Oberon remained.
“Aren’t you going to go with them?”
He shook his head and lifted a hand to cup my cheek. “No. I am a pilot, not a battle strategist. I will go where they tell me I am needed.” He lifted his opposite hand and wrapped it around my waist, pulling me close. “Right now, I need to be with you.”
“Oh.” Could this warrior be more perfect? I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes. God, he felt good. Warm. Strong.
Without warning, a feeling like cold sludge moved in my gut, making me nauseous. I concentrated on getting fresh air in and out of my lungs, waited for the feeling to pass.
“What is it?”
