I stepped back to give him space, trying to focus on anything other than the way his tunic stretched across his shoulders as he worked. Seven days of him being attentive and careful with me, and I still couldn't decide if the flutter in my stomach was irritation or something far more dangerous.
Lyrin stood bolt upright, his pupils going wide. A soft tremor vibrated through the deck. Almost imperceptible. One of the monitors attached to Alicia's bed flickered once, twice, then broke into static.
Lyrin grabbed my hand. "We need to leave, now."
"Why, what's happening?" I asked.
He pulled my hand, but I didn't budge. I'm not a big fan of being told what to do and where to go without knowing why. I glared at him, dropped his hand, and crossed my arms.
"I'm helping people here. What could be more important than that?"
Suddenly, the deck lurched. I fell to the ground, tumbling away from Lyrin. The overhead lights shut off, plunging the bay into darkness. Screams and moans filled my ears as the sick and injured fell out of their beds—the acrid smell of burned wiring cut through the antiseptic air. The bay's emergency lighting came on, casting everything in an eerie red glow.
"Kira!" Lyrin screamed.
"I'm here," I said. "To your left."
He ran over and helped me up off the deck, his hands firm on my waist, steadying me against him for a moment longer than necessary.
"We need to get everybody back in their beds," I said.
"No time, please, come with me."
The bay's far door opened, and a four-armed silhouette stood there, backlit by the red emergency lighting. Kaedren had been standing outside the medical bay while I was helping out, or at least trying to. He hadn't left my side since dinner a week ago. Lyrin waved at him, and Kaedren sprinted to us, crossing the distance in seconds with thatpredatory grace that shouldn't be possible for someone his size. He scooped me up with his two lower arms, and the three of us ran out of the medical bay.
"Put me down!" I said, pushing against Kaedren's muscular chest. God, it was like pushing against a bulkhead. A very warm, very solid bulkhead that smelled like leather and something darker, more primal.
"I will, once we get to safety," he replied, tightening his grip. His upper arms were free, holding a blaster rifle at the ready, but his lower arms held me against him like I weighed nothing.
I mean, it wasn't a terrible feeling, but I am pretty damn autonomous, and I really wasn't having any of this.
"Put me down now, or I swear to you, I will give you another Kira special, right to your groin."
He glanced down at me, those four eyes studying my face, and something heated flickered in them before he dropped me. I fell to the deck as he stood over me.
"I didn't mean like that."
"Kira, please, we do not have time for this," Lyrin said, exasperation and fear warring in his voice.
"Time for what? Time for you to tell me what is happening?"
"Pirates are boarding us," Kaedren said, his voice a low growl that I felt in my chest.
"Real pirates, or people like you?" I said, waving at them.
"Real pirates. They are looking for things they can sell on the black market. Things that will command very high prices," Lyrin said, staring right at me.
"Oh, you mean me."
"That is correct," Kaedren said.
"Knights to your battle stations," Torvyn said, his voice booming from the ship's communications system. Even through the speakers, his commanding presence was undeniable. "The Starbreaker's hull has been breached. Prepare to repel boardersand—"
I threw my hands over my ears as static blasted from the ship's speakers. Then, a different voice started speaking.
"We are here for the human woman this ship rescued a week and a half ago from Corporation space. Hand her over, and nobody will be hurt."
"They only want me?" I asked.
