He wanted to know who the fuck this bird-of-prey-taunting rival was and why the asshole had decided to mess with the Phoenix brothers. Zayn had been itching for a new mission, for something to keep him busy. And now he had it.
Maybe it wasn’t the same as tearing through space at interstellar speed, but he vowed he wasn’t going to stop until he found their tormentor.
“Whoisthis thief?”Niklas asked.
Zayn sat sprawled on a stool in the tiny alcove that housed their medical equipment on the ship. TheInfinitaswas hauling ass away from Braxx’s space station and back to their home base—the small moon of Khan. Dathan was competent at the controls, but Zayn felt a slight vibration in the engine that told him she needed his care and attention.
“I don’t know, but I sure as hell plan to find out.” He craned his neck. “Dathan, for God’s sake, adjust the thrusters.”
“You get your ass up here and fly this bucket,” came the response.
“Can’t. Your wife wants to play patient and nurse with me.” Zayn shot a grin at Eos who’d just plucked the metallic cylinder of the medscope off the shelf.
She returned his grin, nudging the braid of her dark-brown hair back over her shoulder. On her hands, her mehndi—the floral designs that looked almost like tattoos—were visible. They were unique to her race, the Vedic.
“And she’s so pretty,” Zayn added.
Dathan’s response was short and pithy.
“Stop teasing him.” Eos crouched and studied the bloody tear in his trousers. “Lucky that guard didn’t aim a little higher.”
Zayn winced at the thought and out of the corner of his eye saw Nik do the same. Eos clicked on the medscope and waved its soft blue light over his thigh.
Footsteps thunked on the corridor’s metal grating and Dathan appeared. As usual, he’d let his hair grow a little too long and it was a shaggy mess around his tough face.
“Ship’s on autopilot. I’ve already started putting out some feelers to our regular contacts. See if anyone knows anything about this new player.” He frowned. “Why is my wife so close to your crotch?”
“I think she’s decided she’s had enough of burned-out, old treasure hunters, and decided a younger, leaner space jock is more fun. Has more stamina.”
Dathan growled.
Eos clicked off the scope. “Stop it, both of you. All finished, Zayn.” She touched a finger to his face. “Glad you’re okay.” Then she turned to Dathan. “Now come here, my burned-out treasure hunter, and show me I picked the right Phoenix brother.”
Dathan wasted no time. He swept her into his arms and pressed a wild kiss to her lips. Eos gripped his shoulders, pressing her body into his.
Something in Zayn’s chest tightened. He was damned happy for his brother. If anyone deserved some happiness, it was Dathan. He’d copped the brunt of their father’s bitter disgruntlement with the world before the old man had drunk himself to death.
But as Zayn watched the couple—two people who belonged, who were making a life together, fulfilling all their passions—he felt something else he refused to name or acknowledge.
Zayn glanced over at Nik. His older brother had a brooding look on his face, his gaze zeroed in on Dathan and Eos as well. He was always more reserved, more academic than Dathan and Zayn, but lately broody had been his main mode of operation.
Zayn hopped off the stool. “If you two can drag yourselves away from each other for a few seconds, how about we discuss Mr. Bird of Prey. Guy’s becoming a right royal pain in the ass.”
Dathan swung an arm around Eos’ shoulders. “Damn straight. We need to work out who he is.”
“And how he knows about all our hunts,” Eos added.
Zayn and the others stared at her.
“Why the hell didn’t we think of that?” Zayn said. “How does he know what we’re going after?”
“I just want to know what the hell he wants,” Nik added.
Zayn had a thought. “You don’t think its Darc, do you?”
Nik pondered for only a second. “No, she doesn’t go for subtle. She’d be letting us know she’s stealing our targets and rub our faces in it. Just like all the other times she’s bested us.”
“Bitch,” Dathan added.
