“He’s my brother,” Nojan muttered, “and he’s just turned the tables on Kange.” Switching back to the exterior view, he watched as a squad of Vartik attack ships swooped around Kange’s ship.
“Stand down,” Zelup said, “or we’ll blast you out of the stars.”
It didn’t take long for Kange to pull his grappler back in. His ship started to retreat, but before he was out of range, he sent out one last transmission. “I don’t know how you did it, but you’ve convinced the galaxy that you’ve gone extinct. I now know this to be false. I’d watch my backs if I were you, Vartik kings. You never know who might be creeping up behind you to cut your throats.” The ship made a jump to hyperspace and disappeared.
“Vartik, huh?” Sanri’s eyes were wide. Nojan wanted to groan. She was the last person in the universe who needed to know that his people still existed. Now he couldn’t afford to drop her off on the nearest planet. He would have to bring her to Vartik to consult his father and figure out what do with her.
Quadruple fuck. “Thanks,” Nojan said once he’d brought his brother back onto his viewscreen. “I don’t know how you found me, but I’m fucking glad you did.”
Zelup gave him a smile. “You and your damn devices. I knew I wouldn’t be able to track you once the cloak was operational, so I figured I’d better keep my eye on the bounty hunter. I followed his tracks, and I would have been here sooner, but we stopped to investigate debris from an exploded cruiser a few light-miles back. I thought it might be your ship.”
“Nope,” Nojan replied. “It was her ride.” He motioned toward Sanri.
“Is that the oracle?” Zelup asked. “I thought she was a redhead.”
“She’s not the oracle,” Nojan replied. “She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I bet she’s going to regret it soon.”
“I doubt it,” Sanri said with a smile. “Not if the rest of you Vartiks are as good looking as your brother. And kings, no less? I think I’d be right at home on your planet.”
Zelup laughed. “She’s certainly feisty.”
Nojan frowned. “If you want her, you’re welcome to her.”
“Well, if she’s not the oracle, then where is she?”
Leaping up, Nojan felt his heart jump into his throat. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath, climbing up on the back consoles to open the compartment. He gently retrieved Mayra from inside it.
His chest felt like it was collapsing into itself. He could see the streaks of tears on his beloved’s face. “I’m so so sorry,” he crooned as he cradled her. “You’re safe now.”
“I’ll never be safe again,” she whispered, her voice tiny.
Nojan wanted to vomit. He feared that at long last, she had broken. He’d made her confront her worst fear and it had bested her.
He set her on her feet but didn’t want to stop touching her. “The bounty hunter is gone. My brother and his troops scared him off.”
It was as if she didn’t hear his words. She stood there, eyes vacant.
“Come back to me, angel,” he said, cupping her cheek. “Didn’t you hear me? You’re safe now.”
She shook her head, her beautiful curls falling over her face. “Don’t worry,” she said, her tone neutral. “You don’t have to keep up the act on my account. You can steer the ship back to Vanfia now. I won’t make a fuss.”
Nojan was deluged with nausea at her words. What could have made her think he would take her back to that awful planet? “Sweetheart, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but we’re not going to Vanfia. We’re headed to Vartik.”
Mayra laughed softly. “Sure. You’re an extinct alien with magical blood. And I’m a beautiful, irresistible woman who’s stolen your heart.”
Nojan nodded. Why was her tone full of doubt? “Come and sit down,” he said, leading her to a chair at the table. “Let me make you some tea.”
Sanri slinked into the galley, leaning against the counter and staring at Mayra. “She’s lost it,” the dark-haired woman said, rotating a finger around her ear in the ancient sign for crazy. “You had her stuffed up there too long.”
Nojan winced. He heated up the water in the flash-cooker, then plunked the tea in to steep. “Leave her alone, Sanri. Go find some other vulnerable creature to torture.”
Sanri laughed. “Last time I checked, she’s the only vulnerable creature on the ship. And you’re the one who broke her.”
Her words were too close to the truth. Nojan hated the fact that he’d caused Mayra pain. If they were alone, he would have pulled her into his arms and kissed her until she felt better. Instead, they were stuck with the hitchhiker from Hell. He almost considered calling his brother and begging him to take Sanri off his hands. He would, too, if he didn’t think she might get into more trouble off the ship than on.Quintuple fuck.
Did I break her? And if so, can I fix her?
Nojan wasn’t sure. He’d only known his angel for a handful of hours. During those hours, she’d been stronger than most women he’d met. He wouldn’t have expected a bout of claustrophobia to jar her so badly.
