DarkRevenge (25 page)

Funny, no one questioned her right to step in as commander.
Tory’s respect had influenced his crew. The ship sped up and the vibrations
felt good, almost soothing, on her skin. She was going to get that fucker.

What about your sister?

If she’s not dead, then the Solly bloodline will use her
as leverage. It would have worked too. It still might. But Tory thinks I’d put
Celeste before him. He’s a softie.

But not you?

I’ll see them in Hell first.

Chapter Nineteen

The stars flicked past them in streams of light and Alex
remained standing on the bridge, no relaxing, no giving up. They were going to
kick ass.

The shuttle came into sight.

“Shall I get them on vid?” Dink asked.

“No. Fuck that. Shoot at them.” Aggression was all Pulzer
would understand here.

“But Tory—” Dink started and she glared at him.

“You’ll have to trust me. Jezar, fire at their aft burners,”
she ordered.

The disintegrator charge resonated off the shuttle’s
shields. “Fire the resonator.”

The next blast shook the shuttle and Pulzer’s voice came
over the com. “What the fuck are you doing, Jezar?”

Alex answered him. “I’m blowing you out of space, asshole.
What does it look like?”

“Tory will die too.”

“I don’t even know he’s alive. Fire again,” she said so
Pulzer could hear.

“No!” Pulzer shouted and Alex raised her hand to indicate
Jezar stop.

She waited.

A few million years—or seconds—later, Tory’s voice came over
the com and she almost collapsed from relief.

“Alex? Honey, back off. If you kill him, Ena will murder
your sister.”

“If she’s not already dead.” In her voice, she let the
murderous intent show. “I’ve got nothing to lose, Pulzer, are you listening? If
you don’t get your ass back on this ship, I’m going to send the contents of
that box to the planet surface. It won’t just be the infected people who will
die.”

That’s right
, she thought.
Your precious Ena will
get her body ripped to little bitty pieces, asshole. Give me back my mate.
The silence that followed was agony.

“You win.” Pulzer’s voice sounded resigned but Alex didn’t
trust him for a minute.

She cut him off and ordered Dink, “Send ten men to the
shuttle bay. If Pulzer so much as sneezes, dust him.”

Dink sent the men to the shuttle bay and Alex shot a glance
at Jezar. He nodded and headed down the elevator. He’d read Tory and make sure
he was okay. Nerves were beginning to take their toll on the crew.

They were in Teran One space. Fighters would appear soon.
Her bluff about the vials worked for the moment, but it wouldn’t work on Ena.
And Ena probably had the other vials, the other shipment. They’d have to get
down to the planet, rescue Celeste and take out Ena Solly. All without setting
off an outbreak of a deadly plague that would ravage her planet and possibly
the other planets.

He’s fine, Alex.
Jezar’s reassurance signaled she
could relax.

She slumped into the commander’s chair, her hands shaking as
they covered her face.

“Damn. You are fucking amazing,” Dink murmured.

Bud smiled faintly. “She’s a product of good breeding.”

“Fuck you, Bud,” she said, but the words had no heat. He was
right, after all. It was all in the genes. “Get us out of here. I don’t want to
be this close to Teran One.”

* * * * *

Tory stared through the one-way screen at the man he’d
thought was his friend.

Pulzer sat in the interrogation room, calm, collected. He
wasn’t afraid.

But he should have been.

Tory wanted to rip him limb from limb and that was nothing
compared to what Alex wanted to do to him. The man had risked Alex’s planet,
her bloodline, her mate. Jezar had kept her from murdering Pulzer in cold blood
by reminding her they needed names of the other Solly traitors.

Pulzer and Tory had fought side by side on Teran Four.
They’d been stranded on the wastelands on Teran Three. Tory had saved his life
and vice versa several times. How could any man turn away from that?

Apparently, all it took was a woman.

That Pulzer was Ena’s lover became quickly apparent when
Alex told him she was going to grind the woman’s face into the floor. It was
the only time since the shuttle landed that Pulzer showed any reaction.

He had lunged at Alex, who had started to beat the shit out
of him. The man never had a chance. It was only Jezar’s timely interference
that had saved Pulzer from being pulverized.

Now what?

Ena had Celeste. Ena had the remaining vials. Ena was the
key. And Pulzer wasn’t going to give her up.

Dink was combing through all of Pulzer’s transmission to
make sure there wasn’t some code or message to reveal Pulzer had been caught.
Alex was on the bridge with Bud, keeping an eye out for Teran One fighters.

And Jezar was about to go into that room and deep read
Pulzer. Tory felt sorry for Jezar. What a muck and mire the asshole’s mind must
be.

Jezar sat down across from Pulzer who gazed at the Ardasian
with hooded eyes.

“Alex wants to kill Ena. Since her whole family is gone,
she’d just as soon infect the whole planet.”

“She won’t do it. Celeste will die if she does.”

Jezar’s gaze rose. “You didn’t hear me. She believes Celeste
is dead. I don’t have the authority to stop her.”

Pulzer’s nostrils flared. “Tory will.”

“And why would he do that?”

Sweat gathered on Pulzer’s forehead.

Jezar continued. “It might be in your best interests to tell
me how Ena can be contacted. Without proof that Celeste is not dead, no one
will stop Commander Ingle from wiping out Teran One’s human population.”

“You’re lying,” Pulzer spat.

“Am I?”

“Alex Zeerah would never turn on Teran One. Ever.”

“Even if she had no bloodline left there? Darius isn’t on
the planet surface. Her sister is dead. Who is left that she would care about?”

Pulzer opened his mouth and closed it with a snap. “Celeste
isn’t dead, I told you.”

Jezar leaned forward, his chin jutting aggressively. “You
also told me you were loyal to Tory. That knot on Tory’s head says otherwise.”

The man’s face shuttered. Tory had seen that look on
Pulzer’s face before. Once, when a Teran Four officer had spit at him. That
officer was dead.

But he didn’t need to warn Jezar. When Pulzer sprang at the
Ardasian, there was nothing there. Jezar was up and behind the man pinning him
to the surface of the table. “Playtime is over.”

Tory had never seen his friend deep read a human. Never. And
he hadn’t watched when Jezar bridged Tesia. His odd eyes expanded, emerald
bleeding throughout his entire eye until the whole orb shone green. The inward
swirls throughout his enlarged pupils were fascinating, though disturbing.
Pulzer jerked, his muscles tense and corded from resisting.

What surprised Tory was the twist of disgust on Jezar’s face
as if he tasted something bad. From some bits and pieces of memories of past
conversations, Tory had known it cost Jezar to deep read someone. Now he
guessed why. Some of the nasty essence bled into Jezar’s mind, infiltrating
him. That’s why reading Alex had been such a pleasure. Not a nasty part there.
She was all innocence and light. Well, except for the parts he most definitely
enjoyed.

Those were pleasant for me too.

Did I distract you?

No. I’m finished.
Jezar’s mental tone seemed negative
and tired. He hadn’t liked being in Pulzer’s mind.

What did you find?

More than I expected. I have the codes you need. But it
may not be as easy as you think to rescue Celeste.

Why is that?

Because Pulzer…formed an attachment with her. And with
Ena.

Explain.

Better I show you.
And Jezar hit his brain with a
vision of Pulzer and Ena in a passionate embrace with Celeste watching. The
eyes of the couple were locked on Celeste’s as she masturbated.
Pulzer’s
promise to Celeste was to include her in his mating to Ena when this is all
over.

For a moment, his vision was clouded by a red, hot rage.
Was
there any intention to follow through?

No, his only intention was to use Celeste to blackmail
you out of the vials.

Did you get a location?

No. Ena was supposed to move and give him the new
location when he contacts her.

Lock his ass up. He’ll be lucky if I don’t dump him on
that planet with his girlfriend and her lethal vials
.

His head still spun a little from the blow he’d received
from Pulzer earlier. The question now was whether to inform Alex about the
unorthodox relationship between her sister and the two traitors.

He slapped the com. “Jezar’s on his way, Alex.”

“Did he talk?”

Talk? No. “We got what we needed.”

“Good. Can I kill him now?”

Tory’s lips twitched. That was his woman—sweet, loyal, and
violent. “No, honey. We still need him.”

“Fine. You should rest. The medic said a good night’s sleep
and you’ll be good as new.”

“Only if you join me.”

“Tory!” she protested and he chuckled. Yeah, she wouldn’t
like him announcing their personal shit over the com. Too bad.

“You’ve got fifteen minutes and then I’m coming to get you.”

“Is that an order?”

“Fuck yeah,” he told her. He needed her. Twice in
twenty-four hours he had thought he wasn’t going to see her again. There wasn’t
enough time in the galaxy to erase those feelings. He was going to bury himself
inside her as many times as it took to forget.

“Yes, sir.” She clicked off.

A permanent bridge between you would be strategic
.
Jezar’s voice intruded on the sexual fantasies spinning in his brain.

I’ll talk to her. It’s a big decision. Besides, it might
not work
. Permanent bridges were tricky. Sometimes one mind wasn’t capable
of the connection. One way wouldn’t work for either him or Alex.

I think it will. And before you arrive on Teran One, you
should bridge.

She and I have fought many battles together without it. I
won’t push her. You know the consequences.

If one of you dies, the other experiences it.

And is forever alone.
Tory strode down the corridor
toward his quarters.
I don’t want either of us to feel that.
There was a
good chance he’d die and he wanted Alex to move on if he did. No point in both
of them being miserable. Of course, if she died, he wouldn’t rest until he
wreaked vengeance.

The connection between you is already strong. I’m in the
elevator, almost to the bridge. She’s on her way and she’s… You’re a very lucky
man, Ingle.

Okay. Get out of my head, old friend.

I never get to have any fun.

Go talk to Tesia.
Tory laughed when Jezar’s mental
connection cut off abruptly.

In his quarters, he waited, anticipation built, his cock
responding to his fantasies. He wanted it all. The rack. The toys. Her ass. She
was probably still sore from the last time.

He took his uniform off and laid on the bed, his cock in his
hand. He stroked it slowly, rubbing the skin beneath the head. She’d come in
and jump him. She’d strip for him, unbraiding her hair with slow, deliberate
fingers and…

His eyes drooped. Shit, he was tired. He hadn’t realized how
tired until he lay down. Maybe he could just close his eyes for a moment.

Chapter Twenty

Fuck, his head hurt. But he was warm and comfortable.
Something soft and pliable was wrapped around him, something warmer than a
blanket. He pried his eyes open.

Twisted around his body, his mate clung to him, her
breathing even and deep. Her lashes brushed her cheeks and her hair drifted
around her in all its glory. His cock, with a mind of its own in his sleep,
nestled between her legs, the tip pressing against the entrance to her warm
channel.

That woke him up. He could watch her sleep. Or he could wake
her up in the best way possible. God, she was soft and warm in all the right
places. His hands traveled over her breasts and his lips brushed hers. She
murmured his name in her sleep, her hips shifting to send electricity through
him. Damn, she was sexy, even sleeping. He leaned in and ran his tongue over
the gentle curve of her neck and she shuddered. His hands cupped her tits, his
thumbs scraping her erect nipples. Her back arched and the tip of his penis slid
into her pussy easily. Her response drenched his cock and he groaned against
her neck. She was made for him.

Her hands were busy and she dragged her fingernails across
his back. He lifted his head and discovered her eyes were half open, their
golden depths filled with the same need he knew shone in his. He swooped down
and plundered her mouth, reveling in the way her tongue twined around his. His
balls tightened, his cock throbbed, but he held back, only allowing the tip to
rub in and out of her pussy. She tried to thrust forward but he resisted, not
allowing her to deepen his penetration.

She whimpered and rubbed his body with hers. Sparks shot
through him and he almost lost his grip on his sanity. He tore his mouth away.
He slammed her onto her back on the bed, his hands grabbed her wrists to hold
them over her head. He loved her in this position. Her hair fanned out, her
breasts high and jutted out, the muscles in her arms tensed. He didn’t hold her
tightly, but she wasn’t fighting him. She arched her back and thrust her hips
until his cock sank deep. Her pussy squeezed around him and he growled, a low,
vibrating sound in his throat. What was it about her that brought out the
animal in him?

“Alex, I won’t last a second if—”