“Calm down. I’m not here to hurt Breanna.” Shade crossed his arms and leaned back against the far wall like he wasn’t worried I might tear out his throat.
I still might. Watching Breanna collapse in pain had rattled me, and I was not fully recovered. “What do you want?”
Shade sighed and I tried to remember the reasons I did not hate him. “You never should have brought her here.”
“I had no choice.”
“So I heard.” He shifted his feet, crossed one ankle over the other as if I would believe the casual stance made him less of a threat. “Drakdak Trach is already on his way to Rogue 5. Last I heard, he travels with at least twenty fully Hived-up Scions. I have to turn you over to them. It's too late to change the plan. Even if I wanted to let you go, I need the bounty on your head, Mikos.”
“Why?”
“Personal business. But I need it. I’ll kill you if I have to. Drakdak will give me less if you’re dead, but it would still be enough.”
I snarled at the mention of the sadistic fuck who’d put the price on my head, but Shade raised his hand. “But I likeBreanna, and that would make her unhappy. So, I’m here to make sure your head is in the right place. We finish this, I collect the bounty, you survive long enough to kill Drakdak. If you pull of that miracle, you can even keep your mate.”
“She’s not?—”
Ruk snorted. “Do not bother with the lie. We know the truth, and so will everyone on Rogue 5. Your female is the only one who does not know what she is to you.” He narrowed his eyes and moved his claws so they made a clattering sound as they struck one another. “Why is that? Why are you lying to your mate?”
“You heard him.” I pointed to Shade. “We set a trap for Drakdak. He will bring at least twenty augmented mercenaries with him to the hearing. Maybe more.”
“This is a stupid plan.” Ruk was not amused.
“The plan was to set up an ambush on Xerima, not face him in the open on Rogue 5. Would have worked, except…” I glanced down at my unconscious female.
“You fucked up, got yourself taken prisoner by the Hive.” Shade held up his hand and wiggled his fingers as if I owed him something. “You’re welcome for that save, by the way. Who do you think sent the Coalition after you?”
Fuck. I wondered how the Coalition Fleet just happened to find the ship where I was being held prisoner. There were hundreds of integration ships. Maybe thousands. ReCon teams located a fraction of them in time to save the prisoners on board.
Shade did not speak often, but when he did, at least in my experience, he had a hard time shutting the fuck up.
“Even after I manage to send a ReCon team after you, one of them happens to be your mate. The odds are astronomical. Then she almost dies, so you’re forced to bite her. And now, you need that fucking secret antidote to save her life. We don’t have time to detour to Xerima. Drakdak will force the issue of yourexecution in the Sim Arena. The Legions will vote, and you’ll be dead, friend. Fucking dead.” He glanced over at Breanna as if he actually felt sorry for her.
I looked from him to the stunned face of Prince Ruk. “Shade speaks true. We set the trap for Drakdak weeks ago. Breanna changed everything. I have not told her she is mine because I thought to spare her feelings if our plan fails, if Drakdak, or his Scions, manage to kill me.”
Shade raised his brows and shook his head as if I were the biggest idiot in the sector. “Have you met the other human females? Styx’s mate, Harper? Cormac’s Abby? Ivy is in Astra Legion, is she not? Have you not been paying attention?” He chuckled and rubbed his head. “I supposed not. You’ve been gone a long time. Breanna is going to destroy you for this. Gods help you.”
I had heard rumors and stories of the females Shade mentioned, but not met any of them. I’d been on the run for more years than those females had been mated to Legionnaires on Rogue 5. I had begun to suspect my mate would be difficult, but that was a problem for another time,aftershe had the antidote.
Shade moved to stand next to Ruk. “What is the new plan?”
“I kill them all.”
“With your bare hands?” Ruk asked. “In the Sim Arena? Are you mad?”
“I don’t have a choice.” None. Not if I wanted to keep Breanna.
“I can help, but you must promise me not to move against Drakdak until I am out of the arena.” Siren Legion was no friend to Astra. In fact, anyone caught in the other’s territory usually ended up dead. No one would suspect him of helping me, as long as he was out of sight.
“You have my word.”
“Excellent.” Shade reached for his collar and pulled his armor away to reveal his neck. There, embedded under the skin, was a blinking light.
I lunged for him, but Ruk caught me around the shoulders and turned to face him. “A tracking device? That’s why you ran your mouth on the Zenith. Youwantedus to bring you onboard.” I’d made sure he was here, had asked the Atlans to make sure they brought him on board.
Shade inclined his head. “Yes. The Silver Scions are aware of my location. They will be waiting to take Mikos into custody on Rogue 5. Once Drakdak arrives to witness the execution, I will receive my reward.” His gaze locked with mine. “And you can kill him.”
“I doubt he will travel to Rogue 5. That paranoid fuck never leaves Occeron.” Ruk’s claws clicked faster, in irritation. “You are both idiots.”
