Chapter 13
Kat’Chinna walked down the corridor at a steady rate, even though she wanted to run to the briefing room. The word that had made its way through the barracks was that Major Ontarii had returned to Zanthar, and he wasn’t alone.
She’d been summoned a few moments ago, and she’d immediately started for the briefing room, her nerves fighting like eels in a sack. She was working hard to keep her skin an even green color. Now that she was only a few paces away from the entrance, she took a deep breath, making sure her expression hid any of the anxiety gnawing at her insides.
The membrane opened and Kat stepped inside. She had to fight to disguise her surprise when she saw the human lieutenant staring back at her.
He wasn’t alone in the room. His two female crewmates were with him. They were huddled together, their faces excited.Seems like they’ve heard the news as well.
“Hello, Kat.”
Although she wanted to avoid eye contact, she forced herself to meet Jeffrey’s gaze.
“Lieutenant,” she replied, giving him a polite nod.
Hurt flitted over his features but he covered it quickly with a sardonic grin. “Looks like you got everyone home safely, and managed to land your first Hareema prisoner. Well done.”
Kat wasn’t sure how to respond. She’d known that at some moment in time, she’d have to interact with Jeffrey Brunt again. She’d hoped she would have a little more time before that moment arrived, however.
So instead of responding she kept quiet, relying on a tactic she’d used on soldiers of lower rank.Just stare at him until he shuts up and goes away.
She knew it wasn’t the right way to respond, knew she should say something, but she refused to give into blind panic and start sputtering things she would regret later. So she stood and stared and watched his face get redder.
“We need to talk.”
A ripple of anxiety ran through her. She wasn’t sure how it went on Earth, but on her planet, usually the female utter those words to a recalcitrant male. Perhaps humans were different.
She thought for a moment of continuing her silent treatment, but knew she was being unfair.Besides, Jeffrey looks like the tenacious type. I doubt he’d give up until he got a response.
“So talk,” she said, wincing inwardly at her tone.
She watched as his brows lowered and his respiration rate increased. “I wanted to talk about what happened in that interrogation room.”
“What are you referring to? Our capture of the Hareema infiltrator?”
Jeffrey shook his head. “You know that’s not what I'm referring to.” The last words came out close to a snarl. It seems she’d already pushed him to the edge.
Maybe if she pushed him over it, he’d leave her alone and let her get back to her life. A life of fighting the enemy. A life of harmless crushes. A life where she didn’t have to worry about her confusing feelings, where she didn’t have to risk her career and her reputation on a relationship.
Although she knew she was being cruel, it seemed the only appropriate course of action. “That capture was the only thing of consequence to happen in that room. Nothing else is worth talking about.”
Kat wanted to look away, to block out the anger and hurt in his features, but she forced herself to be brave, using all of her energy to maintain her mint-green skin and her neutral facial expression.
“You know that isn’t true,” Jeffrey said, becoming animated as he launched into his tirade. “You might want to pretend that I was the only one affected by our little interlude, but believe me, you were right there with me. If anything, you were—“
The membrane opened, and in strolled the regent with his little mate by his side. Following behind him was his brother, Drake Karren Rasveen, Minister of Defense. Kat was both surprised and relieved to see the minister. Most Zantharians thought the Hareema would have killed him by now.
Yet here he was, standing beside his brother, his keen eyes scanning the room for threats. When two more figures entered the briefing room, though, Kat’s surprise tripled. It took every ounce of concentration not to let her emotions show.
Major Ontarii had just entered, his arm around the waist of an attractive human female dressed in a flight suit that matched the rest of the human crew.
It seemed that Jeffrey was so focused on his conversation that he hadn’t noticed the new arrivals. “—than other women. I’m not unfamiliar with an aroused female’s reaction. So I have no doubt that—“
The human female detached herself from Major Ontarii and waved to Dr. Tan and Chao, who had greeted her with shouts of joy. Then she turned her attention to Jeffrey, who still hadn’t noticed her.
At that moment he realized that Kat was distracted. “You’re not listening to me!”
Kat couldn’t believe the ridiculousness of the situation and rolled her eyes, not noticing that the female had sidled up to their conversation.
