KISS OF EON

EON WARRIORS #4

ANNA HACKETT

Kiss of Eon

Published by Anna Hackett

Copyright 2019 by Anna Hackett

Cover by Melody Simmons of BookCoversCre8tive

Edits by Tanya Saari

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-925539-82-0

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-925539-83-7

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, events or places is coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form.

CONTENTS

What readers are saying about Anna’s action romances

Action Romance Box Set

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Preview: Gladiator

Preview: Hell Squad - Marcus

Also by Anna Hackett

About the Author

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ANNA’S ACTION ROMANCES

Cyborg - PRISM Award Winner 2019

Edge of Eon and Mission: Her Protection - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) finalists 2019

Unfathomed and Unmapped - Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) finalists 2018

Unexplored – Romantic Book of the Year (Ruby) Novella Winner 2017

Return to Dark Earth – One of Library Journal’s Best E-Original Books for 2015 and two-time SFR Galaxy Awards winner

At Star’s End – One of Library Journal’s Best E-Original Romances for 2014

The Phoenix Adventures – SFR Galaxy Award Winner for Most Fun New Series and “Why Isn’t This a Movie?” Series

Beneath a Trojan Moon – SFR Galaxy Award Winner and RWAus Ella Award Winner

Hell Squad – SFR Galaxy Award for best Post-Apocalypse for Readers who don’t like Post-Apocalypse

“Like Indiana Jones meets Star Wars. A treasure hunt with a steamy romance.” – SFF Dragon, review of Among Galactic Ruins

“Strap in, enjoy the heat of romance and the daring of this group of space travellers!” – Di, Top 500 Amazon Reviewer, review of At Star’s End

“Action, danger, aliens, romance – yup, it’s another great book from Anna Hackett!” – Book Gannet Reviews, review of Hell Squad: Marcus

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CHAPTER ONE

Everything was just right aboard Captain Allie Borden’s starship. Well, at least for the next hour, it would be.

She stood with her feet spread, her hands clasped at the small of her back. Around her, the bridge hummed with activity, her crew busy at their stations.

On the viewscreen, stars streamed by as her ship, the Divergent, traveled at top speed toward their destination.

“Time to arrival, Dempsey?” she asked.

“On schedule, Captain. One ship hour until we arrive.”

“Thank you, Ensign.”

Allie had mixed feelings about their next assignment. Space Corps had ordered them to take part in several weeks of training exercises with the Eon. They’d be playing wargames with the pride of the Eon fleet, the Desteron.

She pulled in a deep breath. The warship’s commander, War Commander Thann-Eon, was one of the most renowned Eon warriors in existence.

And he was now mated to a Terran.

Allie gave a slight shake of her head. For decades, the Eon Empire believed Earth inferior and beneath their notice. She couldn’t really blame the technologically advanced species. Earth hadn’t put on a convincing display at first contact. Terrans and the Eon shared a common ancestor, but the Eon were more advanced, had amazing technology, and possessed bigger, more powerful bodies. Their warriors were also disciplined, well-trained, and bonded to alien symbionts called helians, which gave the warriors all kinds of amazing abilities.

So, for a really long time, the Eon had believed Terrans to be wild, unruly, and not worth their time.

A small ping echoed from Ensign Dempsey’s console and the woman leaned over it, her fingers sliding over the control screens. No doubt something hitting the Divergent’s long-range scanners.

As long as it wasn’t the Kantos.

Even thinking about the dangerous, insectoid aliens made Allie’s lip curl.

The Kantos had set their beady eyes on Earth. The aliens had swarms of fighters, and while the Divergent was filled with experimental tech, it wasn’t enough to stop an invasion. That had forced Space Corps into taking some pretty fucked-up risks.

Those risks had centered on the Traynor sisters of Earth.

Sending the Traynor sisters to convince the Eon to help Earth had been a desperate move. Space Corps had wanted the Eon’s attention so badly, that they’d sent each of the sisters on dangerous, ill-conceived missions.

Allie slipped her hands into her pockets. She felt some folded paper, one of her origami designs, and stroked the sleek paper. Sub-Captain Eve Traynor—one of Space Corps’ best—had been sent to abduct War Commander Thann-Eon. Jeez. The woman was lucky to be alive. Allie had read the reports. Eve and Thann-Eon had been attacked by the Kantos, and ended up on a wild adventure. They’d barely survived, and somehow, they’d also fallen in love.

One after another, Eve’s other sisters had also fallen for the warriors sent to hunt them down. Luckily for everyone, it had ended with all three sisters happily mated to warriors.

Allie shook her head again. Tying yourself to any man—especially a big, bossy alien one—sounded like a really bad idea to her. Nope. She valued her freedom and independence far too much to make room for a man in her life. She didn’t need or want her world to revolve around one single person.

She loved commanding her ship and that was all she needed. The Divergent was experimental, and was the best ship she’d ever had under her command. Her crew was top-notch.

She thought about the Eon again. No way Allie would fall for one of them. In fact, there was one Eon warrior in particular who she frequently fantasized about killing. She blew out a breath. In her head, she pictured him—dark hair, bronze skin, blue-black eyes. He was arrogant and irritating, but there was no avoiding the fact that the man was delicious eye-candy for any woman with a pulse.

She ruthlessly shoved the image of the warrior out of her head. She was going to see Second Commander Brack Thann-Felis soon enough. Too soon.

What she needed to do was to stop planning the annoying warrior’s demise, and focus on her mission. She was expected to work together with the Eon to strengthen the alliance between their species, not try to kill them.

Ugh. Diplomacy was not Allie’s strongest skill.

“Looking a bit fierce there, Captain. Might want to practice smiling.”

The deep rumble came from her sub-captain. She glanced sideways at Sub-Captain Donovan Lennox. His muscular arms were crossed over his chest as he looked at the viewscreen. He had gorgeous dark skin and kept his hair shaved short showcasing a well-shaped skull. She was well aware far too many of her female crew members had secret fantasies about her second.

Allie was grateful to have a strong friendship with him. She’d been a year ahead of him at the academy, and she knew she’d be gutted the day he was promoted to captain. The man was just so steady and damn good at his job.

“Playing war games with arrogant warriors doesn’t make me feel like smiling, D.”

He grinned. The man had a hell of a smile. “You can pull your big girl panties up and play nice for a few weeks.”

She sniffed. “I’m sure talking about a captain’s panties on the bridge is against the Space Corps Code of Conduct.”

Donovan snorted. “Not me and your panties you should be worried about.”

She stiffened, her eyes narrowing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He didn’t respond, just lifted one dark brow. Damn, she hated when he did that. She’d tried to mimic it, but both hers moved. Who the hell could only raise one eyebrow?

“Captain?”

Shooting Donovan a “you’re a pain in my ass” look, she swiveled to face Dempsey. “Yes, Ensign.”

The woman frowned. “I have some anomalies on scanners. It looks like some sort of debris, but it’s not asteroids or ship debris, and our scanners can’t detect exactly what it is.”

Allie frowned and traded a look with Donovan. Now, his dark brows drew together.

“On screen,” Allie said.

The viewscreen flickered and zoomed in. Taking a step forward, she stared at the small field of brown objects.

“They look like small asteroids,” she mused.

“They don’t read as any kind of rock or mineral in our database. And their behavior…it’s strange.”

“Strange?” Allie prompted.

“They’re moving. Small movements, almost like they’re vibrating.”

“They’re right in our path, Captain,” Lieutenant Li, her security specialist said. The lean man was scowling at his screens.

“Look for an alternate route—”

“Captain!” Dempsey cried. “Some of the objects are moving toward us and picking up speed.”

Allie straightened. On the screen, a group of the small objects broke off from the larger field, zooming straight toward the Divergent.

As they got closer, she saw that they definitely didn’t look like simple space debris. She didn’t like this.

“Donovan, put us on alert.” Her second was already moving to his console. “Li, weapons ready, and shields at full capacity.”

The man’s hands danced over his console screen. “Yes, Captain.”

A second later, they hit the objects.

Allie watched flashes of brown stream past the viewscreen. She heard distant thudding sounds, and an alarm started to blare. On the screen, she saw the small impacts on the ship’s hull.

“Report?” she barked.

“I still can’t get a reading on the objects.” Dempsey’s voice was tight and stressed.

“Shields are holding,” Li responded.

Donovan made a sound. “Some of the objects are…sticking to us.”

Yeah, really not liking this. “Harris, get us out of this debris.”

“Increasing speed.” Her lead pilot’s voice was calm. The woman was a Space Corps veteran, and a hell of a pilot. The engines vibrated beneath Allie’s boots.

“Captain.” Li looked up, his mouth pressed into a flat line. “The objects on the hull appear to be…burrowing in.”

What the fuck? Surely their shields would hold.

More alarms.

“Shields have failed in areas where the objects are attached to us,” Li yelled.

“I need options,” Allie said.

“Captain,” her science officer called out. “The objects appear to be eating through the metal of our hull.”

“What?” Allie spun.

“I’m getting some readings on them now. The objects appear to be organic. They’re some sort of a lifeform.”

Dammit. Trust them to run into an alien lifeform that liked to eat metal. “Li, reroute weapons power to the shields and give us a pulse across the hull. Let’s see if we can nudge these things off us.”

Her crew refocused and Li nodded. A second later, a pulse of light pumped over the Divergent’s hull.

“Yes.” Li looked up and smiled. “They’ve been repelled!”

Cheers broke out across the bridge. Allie drew in a deep breath, and saw Donovan do the same.

Allie kept her gaze on the screen. She wasn’t celebrating yet. She eyed the now-still blobs floating off into space. “Can you confirm they’re all off the hull?”

“No,” Li replied. “We’ll have to run more detailed scans.”

“Do it. Hull integrity?”

“At eighty-three percent.”

Dempsey nodded. “There are a few small places where the hull has been breached.”

“Containment fields are holding,” Donovan said. “I’ve already alerted maintenance and engineering. They’re responding.”

“It appears the worst breach is near crew quarters,” Dempsey added.

“I’m going to take a look,” Allie said.

This was not what she needed right now. To turn up to these Eon exercises with holes in her ship. Not happening. She wouldn’t give Brack Thann-Felis the pleasure.

“Sub-Captain, you have the bridge.”

“Yes, Captain,” Donovan replied.

Allie strode out the doors. She’d make sure her engineers could patch things up as soon as possible. No one messed with her damn ship.

She wound her way through the Divergent’s corridors, nodding at crew members as she passed. As she hit E deck, she tugged at the hem of her navy-blue uniform. It gave her a sense of pride to wear the uniform and captain her ship.

It was a dream come true. Both hers and Drew’s dream. Growing up, she and her twin had done everything together. They’d spent endless hours dreaming of space, of starships and aliens, of space battles.

Grief hit her, as it always did when she thought of her brother. Over ten years had passed, but missing him still made her throat tight and left behind bittersweet love mixed with a sense of helplessness. She never forgot that there was nothing she could ever do to bring him back.

Her twin’s death had left a hole inside her from the very first moment she’d learned that he’d taken his life.

Allie turned another corner. She was now living the dream for both of them. For the handsome young man, the promising Space Corps cadet, who’d never grown up.

Ahead, she heard voices and spotted her engineering team clustered in the hall. Above them was a ragged hole that was covered by the shimmer of a containment field. Beyond it, lay the blackness of space.

Shit, it was bigger than she’d thought.

Allie paused, setting her hands on her hips. Whatever it was that had burned through their hull, it hadn’t mucked around. There were several burn marks on the floor as well.

“Hi, Captain.” Her burly, no-necked, ginger-haired chief engineer rose and moved to meet her. His broad shoulders strained against his uniform.

McNamara was the best engineer in the Space Corps fleet. He kept threatening to retire, and Allie kept bribing him with bottles of his favorite whiskey.

“Can you fix it fast?” she asked.

He raised a bushy brow.

“Right. Of course, you can. How long?”

“I can have a decent patch up in an hour.”

“Do it. We have to play nice with the Eon shortly. I’d prefer for them not to see our bare asses through our spotty hull.”

McNamara snorted. “I’ll get—”

A thud and an echoing noise vibrated in the air vent above their heads. They both froze, and McNamara’s engineers did the same.

“What the hell?” McNamara barked.

The sound moved down the vent, away from them.

Allie broke into a jog, following the sound. Something was moving through the vent.

She touched her comm badge. “Dempsey, do you have anything on internal scans? Anything that’s not human?”

“No,” came the woman’s reply. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure…”

The noise came again, right above Allie’s head. Then she saw the metal start to turn red, like it was heating up.

Fuck a duck. The engineers behind her started shouting and backing up.

The metal burned away, and a large, brown blob of goo dripped down and dropped onto the floor right in front of Allie.

The blob swiveled, looking a lot like brown Jell-O. Then it moved. Fast. It flew off the floor, past Allie, and hit one of the young engineers in the face.

“Fuck,” Allie yelled.

The other engineers shouted. McNamara took a step toward the man. “Sharma!”

“Back up.” Allie threw out her arm, stopping the older man.

She studied the alien creature. It was covering Sharma’s face, and the man was struggling, his legs kicking.

Allie spotted a heavy-duty glove on top of the one of the engineer’s tool kits. She snatched it up, slipped it on, and charged in. She grabbed at the lifeform.

The thing stuck to the glove and she clenched her hand. The blob detached from Sharma, and she staggered backward.

The thing in her hand wriggled, trying to break free of her hold. It was twisting and jerking, like it wanted to jump onto her face.

Not today. But as she turned, the thing slipped free. It spun and leaped at her.

Allie dodged to the side. The blob hit the floor with a squelch, turned and leaped up again. She ducked and it hit the wall.

Fuck. This thing wasn’t going to hurt her people. She snatched up a tool that one of the engineers had dropped. It was a sonic driver.

Then she lunged forward and went after the lifeform. It leaped off the wall, hit the floor, and slithered over her boot. The leather where the creature had touched began to bubble and burn.

When the creature leaped at her face again, Allie was ready. She swung the sonic driver and stabbed the creature. With a shout, she ran forward and pinned it to the wall.

It writhed, jerking against the tool. Rust-colored blood sprayed, hitting Allie in the face and chest.

Oh, gross. She grimaced, but held on until the thing shriveled. Then she dropped the tool.

“McNamara, containment box.” Lifting her arm, she wiped her face on her sleeve.

“On it, Captain.”

“Somebody get Sharma to Sick Bay.”

“Yes, Captain,” another engineer replied.

The brown-skinned, dark-eyed Sharma was sobbing, but alive. All in all, he looked fine. His fellow engineer led him down the corridor.

“Here.” Her chief engineer handed her a rag.

Allie wiped the rest of the blood off her face, as McNamara ordered the rest of his team to set the containment box down and load up the remains of the alien.

She was going to need a long, hot shower.

Her comm badge chimed. “Captain.” The voice of Abara, her comms officer. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s an incoming call from the Desteron.”

Allie screwed up her nose. Just freaking great.

Her cabin was closer than the bridge. “Patch it through to my cabin.” She looked at her chief engineer. “Get my ship fixed, McNamara.”

“You’ll owe me more whiskey.” He eyed her. “I might even share it with you.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” She powered down the corridor and made it to her cabin. She didn’t have enough time to clean more of the gunk off her face. Oh, well.

She sank into the chair behind her small desk. Her pile of colored origami paper was stacked neatly in one corner. She and Drew had taken up paper folding one summer vacation in their early teens. He’d lost interest, but Allie had continued on. It was the thing she did when she needed to relax and clear her mind. Folding the paper and making a pretty, cheerful design never failed to ease her stress.

But she didn’t have time for it now. She pressed her fingers—still sticky with alien blood—to the screen.

A rugged face appeared. Brack Thann-Felis, annoyer of Terran captains.

Allie swallowed an internal groan.

The man’s black eyes, threaded with strands of electric blue, narrowed, taking her in. “Captain Borden, you appear to be…smeared with blood.”

“I dressed up for you, Second Commander.”

The man’s face didn’t change. “The Divergent was running on time, but my warriors informed me that your speed has slowed, and you altered course.”

Damn, this man made her blood boil for no good reason. “We decided to take the scenic route.”

His head tilted. “I thought you might have a problem and require assistance.”

“And you’d rush in to save the inferior Terrans with your brawny strength and big, bad warship.” Shit. You’re supposed to be diplomatic, Allie.

Brack smiled, which of course, made his rugged face look even more handsome. “Your words, Captain. I am happy to offer you any and all assistance I can.”

And then he’d toss her into a black hole when he got the first chance.

“We’re fine. Nothing we can’t handle.” She wiped more blood off her cheek.

He stared at her for a long moment. “Then I’ll see you soon, Captain Borden.”

“I can’t wait, Second Commander.”

The screen went black.

Ahh. Allie sank back in her chair. She had weeks ahead of spending hours and hours with the man. Just her luck.

CHAPTER TWO

“Second Commander, the Divergent is five ship minutes out.”

“Thank you, Azan,” Brack Thann-Felis responded.

Brack stood on the bridge of the Desteron, watching his warriors working. They all wore their sleeveless, black uniforms, muscular arms of well-conditioned warriors on display. He flexed his hands, and the helian encased around his wrist pulsed. It enhanced the sense of annoyance and excitement coursing through him.

He scowled.

“War Commander on the bridge,” a warrior called out.

Brack turned his head as Davion strode in. The man was smiling. Davion smiled a lot more since he’d been mated.

The war commander nodded at the warriors and stopped beside Brack. “Report?”

“The Divergent is almost here.”

“Good. These training exercises will be good for the Eon and for Earth.”

Brack grunted, and Davion’s lips twitched.

“No need to look so happy.” Brack scowled. “You get to leave on your trip with your mate. I’m the one left in charge of nurturing our ‘alliance’ with Earth.”

Davion crossed his arms and raised a brow.

“These training exercises are unnecessary,” Brack said. “Our tech is decades ahead of Earth.”

“We both know we’ve underestimated the Terrans for a long time. The Divergent saved the Rengard and its crew from destruction.”

That just made Brack’s scowl deepen. The Rengard was a sister warship to the Desteron. It had been damaged by a Kantos attack. Brack had no liking for the ravenous, vile insectoid species. They hungered for everything that wasn’t theirs, and swarmed to destroy. The Divergent—despite its inferior tech and weaponry—had been instrumental in saving the Rengard.

Brack sniffed.

“You will work courteously with Captain Borden,” Davion said.

“I won’t push her out an airlock, don’t worry.”

“Keep an open mind, Brack. The Terrans know they are disadvantaged when it comes to numbers and technology, so they think creatively and come up with ingenious ideas at times.”

“You are mated to one, so I think you’re a little biased.”

A warm look crossed Davion’s rugged face. “Perhaps.”

The viewscreen flashed, and Brack spotted the Divergent moving in to dock. The small, heavily-armed ship was close. It was small by Eon size, with a bulkier design, but he had to admit, there was something about it that caught the eye.

The doors to the Desteron’s bridge whispered open, and Eve, Davion’s mate, entered. The Terran female’s face was pale, and she wasn’t walking quite as smoothly as she usually did. Eve was a warrior at heart, and he knew she could handle herself in a fight. Davion was both Brack’s commanding officer and friend, and he knew this woman was the perfect match for him. She made him smile, and for that fact alone, Brack liked her.

She had one palm pressed to her stomach. Davion moved straight to her, sliding an arm around her.

“You’re feeling sick,” Davion murmured.

“Happens when your mate gets you pregnant without asking.” Her tone was sharp, but her lips curled.

A sense of togetherness emanated off them. They were in love, mated, with a child on the way. Helians controlled the fertility of Eon warriors, and they were only fertile with their mates. These days, mating was rare and most Eon babies were created in labs. All things that were not in Brack’s future.

He wasn’t capable of it.

As Davion stroked Eve’s belly, Brack thought of his father. He’d never seen such gestures between his parents. Stonil Thann-Felis was an excellent warrior, a terrible husband, and a mediocre father.

“Second Commander?” a warrior called out. “The Divergent has docked with the Desteron.”

Wonderful. “Acknowledged.”

“And our shuttle is ready to leave,” Davion said.

“Enjoy your trip.” Brack looked at Eve. “I hope you enjoy meeting Davion’s family.”

She shot him a weak smile. “Thanks.”

“I need to prepare for Captain Borden’s arrival,” Brack said. “Safe travels.”

“Play nice,” Eve said.

He growled, lifted a hand, then strode off the bridge.

Brack knew the corridors and conduits of the Desteron almost as well as he knew the halls of his childhood home. Nodding at several warriors he passed, he made his way to the docking bay. When the doors opened, Captain Allie Borden was waiting, flanked by two of her top officers.

Cren. He’d forgotten how gold her hair was. All Eon had brown hair, with no blonde or black. She wore it in a braid that rested over one shoulder on the dark blue of her Space Corps uniform.

Her head lifted, and her gaze locked with his like a targeting array. Her eyes were bright green.

“Captain Borden.” He inclined his head. “Welcome aboard the Desteron.”

She shot him a sharp smile. “You didn’t even choke saying that. Impressive.”

Cren, she had a quick mind, and an even quicker mouth. “I’ve been practicing.”

She pressed her tongue to her teeth and stepped closer. “I’ll do what I can to make these training exercises as painless for you as possible.”

Heat shot through his veins. “I’m an Eon warrior, I can handle anything.”

Her eyes flashed. “So, us little Terrans don’t bother you?”

He pretended to dust off his shoulder. “Exactly.”

“Asshat,” she muttered under her breath.

“Captain, you already have a pet name for me. So sweet.”

She growled. “My crew is going to annihilate yours in these exercises.”

Brack made a tsking sound. By Ston’s sword, he was enjoying himself. “We’re supposed to work together. So you and your people can learn from us.”

Allie bristled. “So we can learn from each other, you arrogant—”

He lifted a hand. “That’s what I meant.”

Her eyes narrowed, and her second-in-command took a step forward, eyeing both of them warily. The tall, fit man had dark skin and intelligent eyes. “Second Commander Thann-Felis, we met briefly the other week. I’m Sub-Captain Donovan Lennox.”

“Smooth,” Allie muttered.

“I remember.” Brack shook the man’s hand. “Welcome aboard.”

“And you might remember my head of special forces, Lieutenant Jamie Park,” Allie said.

The athletic woman with long, black hair, and face with up-tilted, dark eyes raised a brow. She let off a dangerous vibe of someone trained to assess the situation and fight when required. A warrior.

Brack shook her hand.

“We really need to get to work planning these exercises,” Donovan said. “And not killing each other.”

Jamie snorted.

Allie released a breath and nodded. “Let’s get to work, but don’t piss me off, Second Commander.” She shot Brack a smile that said she wanted to kill him in his sleep. “I’ve already washed the blood of one alien off me today.”

Cren. Instead of her words being a deterrent, Brack felt a rush of desire hit him.

That was the last thing he needed. An inconvenient attraction to a woman who drove him crazy.

“I don’t want to get another uniform dirty,” she added.

Then she brushed past him and headed out the door.

Brack smiled. Let the games begin.

ALLIE COVETED THIS SHIP.

Her boots echoed on the smooth, metal floor of the Desteron. All of it was sleek, powerful, built for battle.

The same way their warriors were built.

She stared at Brack’s broad back as he led them down the corridor. The man sure knew how to light the fuse on her temper. He was big, arrogant—

At that moment, he looked back over his shoulder and their gazes met. Those eyes—filaments of deep blue threaded through space black.

He raised a dark brow, she rolled her eyes, and he flashed her a smile.

As he looked ahead again, her gaze dropped to his ass. Dammit, the man filled out his uniform in a way that would make anyone’s mouth water.

“If you ever get lost on board, just contact me,” Brack said. “I know the Desteron is considerably larger than your ship.”

Jamie made a coughing sound that was a poorly disguised laugh. Yeah, the warrior was taking a jab.

“It’s not the size that matters, Second Commander,” Allie said. “It’s if you know how to use it.”

Donovan made a choking sound, and Jamie was clearly biting the inside of her cheek.

Brack stopped beside a door and turned, his gaze narrowed on her. The door opened, and he waved them in.

Inside, a huge light table filled most of the space. Oh, she really, really coveted Eon tech. Her people entered, and as she passed Brack, he leaned in.

“An Eon warrior always knows how to use his equipment.”

Allie shrugged. “The way you were talking…I thought you might be overcompensating. I prefer action to words.”

A slow smile appeared on his face, and it hit her low in her belly.

“Then I’ll just have to show you, Captain,” he drawled.

Now, Allie felt tingles. Stupid, traitorous body. She lifted her chin, reminding herself that she had a job to do.

“Then let’s get to work, Second Commander.” She strode to the table.

Star maps of local systems were on display at the light table. A second later, another warrior entered the room. He was a little bigger than Brack, with a tough, impassive face. She knew Caze Vann-Jad was the Desteron’s security commander. A woman was by his side.

“Lara.” Jamie moved to embrace the other space marine. They slapped each other’s backs.

“Good to see you again,” Lara said.

Lara Traynor, Eve’s sister, had been sent on a foolish mission by the Space Corps to steal sacred gems from the Eon. Caze had been sent to track her down. There had been a chase, followed by a confrontation with the Kantos, and then somehow, this Earth woman had also fallen in love with her warrior.

“It’s a pleasure to have you and your ship back, Captain Borden.” Caze’s voice was low and deep.

“Thank you, Security Commander,” Allie said.

“Caze,” he amended.

“Caze. And I’m Allie.”

“I’m looking forward to these exercises. The maneuverability of your ship is impressive, as are the tactics you use to attack the Kantos ships. We can learn a lot from you.”

Pride filled her. It was her and her crew who’d developed the tactics he was talking about. “Thank you, Caze.” She shot a pointed look at Brack.

He returned her gaze, then tapped the table. Lights flickered, and she watched information appear.

“Let’s get planning,” Brack said.

Over the next few hours, they found a rhythm and planned out the training exercises. There was some bickering, some excellent ideas, some rolled eyes. To be fair, the Eon had written Earth off a long time ago, and they had a lot of built-in prejudice, but they were trying.

Brack crossed his arms. “Mixed teams might not work—”

Allie felt a burst of annoyance. She opened her mouth to blast him.

He held up a hand. “I was going to say that I think it’s a good idea. Everyone can learn a lot if we have to work with each other directly.”

Her teeth snapped together. Damn him for surprising her. “If you go all reasonable on me, Second Commander, I’m going to think you’re coming down with something.”

“Eon warriors don’t get sick.”

Of course they didn’t. Her gaze dropped to the thick band around his wrist. She’d heard the helian gave the warriors all kinds of healing abilities.

“I need a drink,” Jamie said. “Preferably caffeine-packed coffee.”

“I have some,” Lara said. “The real stuff, not the synthesized stuff these warriors think passes for coffee.”

As the others headed to the synthesizer built into the wall, Brack moved closer to Allie. The heat of him washed over her, along with the scent of him. Something dark with a citrusy edge.

Man, it was a real shame he was so annoying.

“Your people can learn a lot from this,” he said. “And help protect your planet from the Kantos.”

She swiveled. “And your people can learn that big and brawny doesn’t always mean better.”

A faint smile curved his lips. “Oh, you Terrans are teaching us that already. The Traynor sisters have already turned the lives of the three toughest Eon warriors I know upside down.”

Allie tilted her head, detecting something in his voice. “You don’t approve of their matings?”

He shrugged. “It’s not Eve or her sisters that worry me, or even Terrans. I just don’t see the point of mating in general. In fact, true matings among the Eon are rare these days, most people marry for other reasons. I’m not even sure marriage is a good idea.”

Allie looked at the table. So, Brack was just another man who wanted to dodge commitment. Typical.

“Mating…it messes with a warrior’s head,” he continued. “Destroys their focus.”

“You think Davion is less of a war commander now?”

“Of course not.”

“So, it’s that you don’t believe in love, then?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw.

“I just know that some people aren’t built for it,” he said, after a beat.

There was something buried in his voice and it made her straighten. “Did someone break your heart, Second Commander?”

His blue-black gaze met hers, and her belly tightened. She couldn’t read what she was seeing in them, but she saw a flash of quickly hidden pain.

“I don’t have a heart to break, Captain.”

They stared at each other, and Allie had a strange sense of time stretching.

There was a story there, and strangely, it was one she suddenly really, really wanted to know.

Boom.

The Desteron shook beneath their feet and tossed Allie sideways into Brack’s hard body. He caught her with an arm around her waist.

The others in the room cursed.

“What was that?” Allie asked.

Brack straightened, his face grim. “An explosion.”

CHAPTER THREE

Brack burst out of the door and into the corridor, Allie on his heels. He’d sent the others to the bridge to coordinate from there.

He touched his collar. “Bridge, report?”

“Second Commander, there was an explosion in the docking connection between the Desteron and the Divergent,” a warrior answered.

By Ston’s sword. “Status of the Divergent?” He caught the serious line of Allie’s face.

“Appears to be minor damage.”

Allie’s tense shoulders relaxed a fraction.

“And the Desteron? Any casualties?” Brack pointed to a side corridor and they switched directions.

“Casualties unknown at this stage. There is damage at the docking port, but containment fields are holding. There are active fires in the docking bay, and rescue teams are inbound.”

“What happened?” Brack barked.

“Unknown at this stage. Sorry, Second Commander.”

He and Allie rounded a corner, and hit a cloud of smoke.

He paused and commanded his helian to form his armor. Black scales flowed out from his wristband, spilling over his chest and down his legs.

Allie stood, watching with interest.

“We have firefighting equipment in the storage compartments at the docking bay doors.”

He strode over and opened the compartments. He pulled out two sleek extinguishers and handed one to Allie.

She took it, checking it over. She nodded.

Voices echoed down the corridor and he saw the warriors from the rescue team approaching. But he also heard screams and moans from inside. He shifted on his feet, desperate to move. Allie took a step toward the bay doors.

“You should wait for the team,” he said, interrupting her movement.

She lifted her chin. “No way. My people are in there, too.”

He nodded and shoved his way through the malfunctioning doors, Allie one step right behind him. Cren. There were flames and debris everywhere.

He heard screams—Eon and Terran.

He and Allie charged through the smoke. Several ceiling panels had collapsed in places.

“We need to get the fires out,” he yelled.

She nodded. They worked side-by-side, spraying the high-tech extinguishers around, and putting out the flames.

Finally, Brack spotted an injured warrior. The man was unconscious on the floor, burns on one side of his face. Brack hooked his hands under the man’s armpits and dragged him away from the ruined area. Allie moved closer, dousing more flames nearby.

After handing the warrior to the rescue team, Brack strode back to Allie. Through the smoke, he spotted her with her arm around a Terran, leading the soot-stained man to the door. A second later, the Desteron’s medical team—led by their Medical Commander Aydin Kann-Ath—entered the docking bay. The big warrior waved at Brack, then set to work treating the injured.

“Can you see anyone else?” Allie asked, before she coughed from the smoke.

Brack’s own throat ached. He shook his head.

As they fought the last of the flames, Brack stared at the jagged hole in the side of the ship, right where the Divergent had been connected to the Desteron. The containment field shimmered blue, and through it, he could see the Terran ship off in the distance.

“Help.”

The faint sound made him swivel. “Did you hear that?”

Allie nodded, scanning the debris. “Where the hell did it come from?”

“Help.”

“Over there.” She pointed to a large pile of debris clustered near a shuttle.

Together, they worked their way through the wreckage. Parts of the rubble glowed red-orange from the heat. Brack grabbed some metal pieces and heaved them out of the way.

Beneath them was an Eon warrior and a Terran woman. They were pinned down, and the warrior was wearing his helian armor, shielding the woman from the burning-hot metal.

Brack lifted his extinguisher and sprayed it over the hot area. Allie did the same.

Then he lifted his arm, and commanded his helian to morph into a cold weapon. The blaster formed on his arm. He aimed and sprayed an icy layer over the hot metal.

“That’s handy,” Allie murmured.

The warrior rose, lifting the Terran woman in his arms. “She has burns. She needs help.”

“Let’s get her to the medical team,” Brack said.

The rescue team was starting to clear the debris. Brack directed them around the docking bay.

“All clear, Second Commander,” a sweat-stained warrior informed him.

Brack nodded. “Thank you.”

The fires were all out, and all the injured were in Medical. Brack turned and saw Allie—her face was sheened with sweat and streaked with soot.

“What the hell happened here?” she said.

He scowled. “I don’t know.”

“Don’t you guys have some fancy fire-suppression system?” There was a bite of anger in her voice.

“We do.”

She froze. “So why didn’t it activate?”

“Another good question.”

Her eyes glittered. “Then it’s time we found some answers.”

ALLIE WAS HOT AND TIRED, and she reeked of smoke. She pushed back the strands of hair that had escaped her braid and stuck to her cheeks.

She’d just finished checking in with her crew. The Divergent was okay, with only minor damage at the docking port.

But she had several crew members who’d been injured. And several Eon warriors had been hurt, as well, although they had the benefit of their helian symbionts to speed up their healing. At least her crew who were in Medical aboard the Desteron had the advantage of some pretty high-tech Eon medical gadgets.

She blew out a breath. Everyone was going to be fine, but it could’ve been worse.

Brack’s quick actions, leaping right in to fight the fires and find the injured, meant a lot fewer people had been hurt.

Ugh. She didn’t want to like the guy.

“Captain?”

The voice made Allie glance up from where she’d been leaning against the wall. She saw a young female warrior watching her.

Allie straightened. “Yes?”

“Second Commander Thann-Felis has organized a cabin for you. Your things have already been delivered from your ship.”

“Thank you.” Good. She could shower and wash the stench of smoke off her skin.

“He said to tell you that you’re to attend a meeting about the explosion in thirty ship minutes. Meeting room Desteron-7.” The warrior cleared her throat.

Allie raised a brow. “What else did he say?”

“Not to be late.”

“Thanks.” Okay, he’d cured her of liking him too much. Following the young warrior’s directions, Allie found her cabin.

Nice digs. The cabin was spacious and tidy. Her bag was resting on the bed. She stripped off her stained uniform and headed for the washroom. After shoving her uniform in the clothes cleaner, she made a beeline for the shower. Flicking on the water, she turned the temperature setting to scalding. She stepped under the water and sighed. So good.

When her hair was finally clean, she dried off, then pulled on a clean uniform from her duffel bag. Next, she braided her damp hair, and synthesized herself a large coffee.

She saw that some eager and organized crew member had also stashed some origami paper in her bag. She smiled. Her crew knew her too well. She pulled out a sheet of bright red paper and a folded creation slid out.

Smiling, she picked up the tiny origami rocket. Drew had made it for her. She smoothed her fingers over it. It was a little lopsided, but she took it everywhere with her. Setting it on the table beside the bed, she sipped her coffee, then folded the crisp red paper. Soon, she had a pretty 3D star.

Allie pulled in a deep breath and felt at least a few of her tense muscles loosen. She set the star on the bedside table. Then she touched the small comp screen beside the door.

“Computer, tell me where meeting room Desteron-7 is, please?”

A map lit up. She spotted the room in question, then headed out of her cabin and off down the corridor. She let herself take in more of the Desteron on the way. It was a hell of a ship.

Despite the explosion, the warriors she passed all looked focused, giving her respectful nods.

When she entered the meeting room, Brack looked up from the light table. This room was smaller than the one they’d used for planning the war games. He scanned her and his clearly tense shoulders relaxed. “Your people?”

“On the mend.” She looked at the data on the table. “Any idea what caused the explosion?”

His face was unreadable as he pressed his hands to the table. Her gaze slid up his big, brawny arms. So big and strong. He had a few scars, no doubt from previous battles, and her gaze snagged again on the black, helian band around his thick wrist.

“I’m not entirely sure yet,” he said cautiously. “But…”

His serious tone raised the hairs on the back of her neck. “But?”

“Initial data says the source of the explosion came from the Divergent.”

She stiffened. “What?”

He was watching her intently.

Keep your cool, Borden. “Show me.”

He tapped the table and she moved closer, looking at the reports. “Something caused an explosion in the docking link.”

“Or someone,” Brack said.

She bristled. “I have an excellent crew.” She couldn’t imagine a single one of her crew deliberately doing this. No one had objections to them working with the Eon…except herself.

Brack lifted a shoulder. “We have to cover all the options. We can’t afford to make assumptions.”

Dammit, he was right. “I’ll have Jamie investigate from our end. She’s like a dog with a bone when she’s on the hunt.”

“It could’ve been an accident,” Brack said.

A part of her really hoped it was an accident, but Allie wasn’t a big believer in coincidences. “Unfortunately, my Spidey sense is tingling.”

Brack’s brow creased. “Your Spidey what?”

“Never mind. You think we have a traitor somewhere?”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions.”

But she felt the throb of his anger, like she could almost touch it. She’d heard that a warrior’s symbiont amplified their emotions. Damn, if someone was trying to sabotage the alliance between Earth and the Eon… “So, training exercises. Are we going to continue?”

He nodded. “We can’t let anything delay the exercises. I suggest we start with simulations, with mixed teams.”

“Okay.” Getting back to business helped steady her. Simulations meant they wouldn’t risk their ships until they got to the bottom of the explosion.

“We should do randomly generated simulations.” He tapped the table’s surface. “And we’ll also randomly generate the teams.” He tapped several more times, and she leaned over to see.

She studied her team list. She had Caze, and several other warriors. She could work with that.

Brack had Donovan and several of her bridge crew.

She smiled. “I’m going to leave you crying, warrior.”

Brack sniffed. “I don’t cry.”

“Weeping.” She grinned at him.

He shook his head. “You’re delusional.”

“Let’s get our teams together.”

A short while later, their people crowded into the main meeting room. Brack had engineers there, setting up the simulations. They’d each have a bank of screens to simulate their “bridges” on either side of the room.

Allie’s first order of business was to talk to Jamie and prep her on the investigation.

“Sorry you’ll miss the start of the training exercises,” Allie said.

Jamie shrugged. “More important to get to the bottom of the explosion.” The space marine’s eyes hardened. “And if we have a traitor, I’ll find them.”

After Jamie had left, Allie assembled her team. “Right. We’re focusing on working together, learning new tactics and techniques.”

Her people all nodded.

“Get familiar with your stations.” Across the room, she noticed Brack was talking intently with his team.

Finally, everyone was ready to start the first exercise.

“Okay.” She leaned closer to her team. “The Second Commander’s team are the Kantos with a Kantos battlecruiser. We’re Terran, with a ship like the Divergent.”

“Ready?” Brack called out.

Allie winked. “Bring it.”

The screens all flashed and the simulation started. She watched her team warm up, getting used to their “ship” and working together. It didn’t take long for the warriors to relax and adapt to each other. Soon, Eon and Terran alike were firing out questions and ideas.

“Captain,” Caze said. “Kantos ship in range.”

“Bring us around,” Allie ordered.

Caze lifted his head. “They’re launching swarm fighters.”

So predictable. “Attack position, Alpha-Beta 5.”

“Bringing the laser array online.” Caze frowned. “Your range is abysmal.”

“No, we just like to get up close and personal when we’re fighting.” She looked across the room and saw Brack was smiling.

You won’t be soon, big guy. She smiled back.

“They’re coming in fast,” Harris yelled.

“Gleeson, dump the halo gas from the engines,” Allie ordered.

“What?” Caze said incredulously.

“Trust me, warrior.” She knew they had to think outside the box. Terrans were used to being the underdogs. They had to fight hard and scrappy, and do the unexpected.

“Done,” Gleeson said.

“Second Commander!” A harried voice from across the room. “They just dumped gas from their engines. It’s blocking our scanners. We’re blind.”

“Harris, get us in close,” Allie ordered. “Caze, fire everything we have.”

On their screens, their simulated ship flew in close to the hull of the simulated Kantos cruiser. Caze obeyed orders and laid down laser fire.

“They’re losing hull integrity,” Gleeson said.

Allie smiled.

“Cren!” The curse echoed from the other side of the room.

The simulated Kantos ship exploded and broke up.

The simulation ended. Words flashed up on all the screens in the room. Team Two wins.

Allie’s team cheered. Grinning, she fist-bumped with Caze. The warrior shook his head and nodded at her.

“I’ve learned to never underestimate a Terran woman on a mission,” he said.

Allie winked, then turned to see Brack striding toward her. She closed the last few meters between them.

“Congratulations, Captain.”

She buffed her nails on her uniform. “Did it hurt to say that?”

“A little,” he conceded.

She’d thought he would be angry, but there was a smile on his handsome face.

“You won’t win the next round,” he said.

She arched a brow. “Cocky and confident gets people killed.”

“You won’t catch me unawares again.”

She leaned in, dropping her voice so only he could hear. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

Something intriguing moved through his eyes. “I want to see everything you’ve got, Captain.”

The way he drawled the word captain felt a little naughty. A shot of heat filled her lower belly. Jeez, Allie. It looked like she was adding inconvenient lust to the annoyance she felt for this man.

“Better watch out, Second Commander.”

She spun to return to her team.

“Oh, I’m watching, Captain,” he replied.

CHAPTER FOUR

“Bring us around, Barin.”

“Yes, Second Commander.”

The Desteron moved. On the viewscreen, he watched the Divergent move to match them.

This was their first live exercise. He and Allie had spent the last few days in simulations with their teams.

Both Brack’s warriors and Allie’s Lieutenant Park had found no reason for the docking bay explosion. They’d ruled it an accident. Brack still didn’t like it—he didn’t believe in accidents. He’d spent hours rerunning security footage, but it had been clear.

With no evidence that the Kantos or any other foe were responsible, they’d put it behind them and focused on the simulations.

Currently, their teams were tied up for wins.

Brack had to admit that both sides had learned a lot. The Terrans were chaotic, but thought creatively and unpredictably. He now knew that they were forced to, because they faced more technologically advanced foes.

And they never gave up. That grit and determination was admirable. Allie fought with every ounce of energy right to the very end. Every time.

Brack wondered if she’d give the same attention to a lover. His cock hardened.

Cren. He fought for some control, but this desire was getting harder to ignore, even when she drove him crazy. He wanted her. Naked. Under him. Moaning.

His hands clenched into fists. Sex was something he indulged in when he was on leave. He didn’t mind a visit to the pleasure planets to find a willing partner. He certainly didn’t mind sharing something fast, hot, and temporary. The last thing he needed was an entanglement with the feisty Terran captain who he had to work with.

“Okay, it’s time to think like the Kantos,” he said.

“Swarm,” Donovan said. “They always rush in and try to overwhelm.”

“Do it. Release the fighters.” In a few short days, Brack had come to trust and respect Donovan Lennox’s sharp mind.

A squadron of Eon fighters cascaded out of the side of the Desteron, pretending to be Kantos swarm ships.

Of course, for the exercise, all weapons were off-line. They were recording “hits” in the system, but neither ship had active weapons.

“They’ll come in close,” he warned. “Be ready.”

Like clockwork, the Divergent powered close to them in a dizzying array of maneuvers. Allie had a warrior-grade pilot.

“Activate the zero-point energy field.”

“Activated,” a warrior called out. “We caught them!”

On screen, he saw the Divergent snared in the field and held in place. He could almost hear Allie’s curses. He bet she was coming up with a few creative names to call him.

“Fire,” Brack ordered.

Simulated laser fire registered in the system. Then, suddenly lights flared to life on one of the consoles.

The warrior in front of it jerked. “Second Commander!”

Brack frowned. “Cathan?”

“Cren! The weapons are live.”

“What?” Brack thundered.

On screen, he watched laser arc through the space between the Desteron and the Divergent. It hit the Terran ship.

“Shut it down!” Brack roared.

“I’m locked out of the controls,” the panicked Cathan called back.

Another barrage of laser fire hit the Divergent. He saw the shimmer of the ship’s shields and prayed they’d hold. His gut went tight. Most of the blasts had hit close to the Divergent’s bridge.

Allie.

Brack shouldered in front of his warrior, touching the controls. He let his helian link him with the system and closed his eyes, moving through it quickly.

There. He spotted the lockout and tried rerouting the commands. It didn’t work, and his jaw tightened.

Taking the weapons offline was going to take too long.

He initiated another command and freed the Divergent from the zero-point energy field.

Then he activated the comms. “Allie, move. Now! Shields up. We’re trying to shut down the weapons systems.”

“Missiles are priming,” Donovan yelled. “We need to stop this now!”

Cren. Brack’s gut was tight, and he stared at the Divergent on the screen. “Cathan, shut down the Desteron’s power.”

The shocked warrior lifted his head. “All of it?”

“Everything except environmental.”

A second later, the warrior slammed his palm against the console. Lights blinked off around the Desteron. The bridge was plunged into darkness, then, a second later, red emergency lighting came on.

Cathan blew out a breath. “Weapons are offline.”

Thank the warriors. The viewscreen flickered, and the face of an enraged Allie appeared. Her ponytail was askew, and behind her, a half-collapsed bulkhead dangled from the ceiling.

“What the fuck, Thann-Felis?”

Injured crew members limped past behind her, but Brack only had eyes for Allie. By Eschar’s bow, she was alive.

“Allie—”

“No live weapons. Was this your plan all along?” She threw out an arm. “Squish the pesky Terrans like annoying ants?”

He drew in a breath, knowing she was scared and angry. “Allie, something went wrong. I need you to come aboard the Desteron. We’ll talk then.”

“What, so you can assassinate me in private?”

“Allie.”

She blew out a harsh breath. “I’ll be there when I’ve seen to my ship and crew.” The screen went black.

Brack pinched the bridge of his nose and turned. Donovan was standing beside him with a serious look.

“I’ll talk to her,” Donovan said. “I know this wasn’t your doing, Brack.”

“And she does, too, she’s just angry right now.” Brack swiveled. “I want a full system diagnostic. I want to know what went wrong and why. Now.”

His warriors jumped to obey.

ALLIE WAS FUMING. Her body was rigid as she stepped aboard the Desteron.

She had a damaged ship, and two crew members still in sick bay. They’d heal, but they should never have been there in the first place.

Only Brack was waiting for her.

“You’d better have an explanation for me, Second Commander.” She closed the distance, and stabbed a finger against his hard chest.

He grabbed her wrist. “I know you’re upset—”

“Damn right, I am.” She tried to rein it in, but she was failing. That impassive, rugged face didn’t help. He looked so contained and controlled. “You tried to blow up my ship!”

“Not on purpose.” His eyes flashed. “You need to calm down—”

“Don’t tell me to calm down.” She shoved him.

Of course, he didn’t go very far. He gripped her arms and she yanked one free, elbowing him in the gut.

“Cren, Allie.”

“I have two members of my crew in sick bay.”

He cursed. “Are they okay?”

“They will be.”

“Good.”

“It’s my ship and my people, Brack. I’m responsible for keeping them safe.”

“You didn’t fail them. Right now, it’s looking like an accident.”

“Really?” she drawled. “First the explosion, and now this?”

The docking bay doors opened and some warriors entered. They looked like maintenance crew.

“Come to my office,” Brack said.

She shoved past him. They were both silent as they moved through the corridors, and Allie’s temper cooled a bit. A teeny, tiny bit.

If Brack wanted to blow the Divergent out of the sky, he wouldn’t be so underhanded about it. Besides, she knew he had no reason to do that.

They entered his office and the door shut behind them.

“The Desteron’s weapons came online mid-exercise.” He circled his desk. “We were locked out of the controls.”

Allie frowned. “How does that happen?”

“I don’t know. I have my people running diagnostics.”

“It’s either a hell of a glitch, or…”

“It was done on purpose,” he finished grimly.

Added to the explosion in the docking bay, this wasn’t looking good.

With a sigh, she sat on the edge of his desk. “Brack—”

“We need more information before we speculate.”

She nodded. No point in them guessing, but she was more than happy to blame the Kantos. Still, they needed data and evidence. “Should we continue the exercises?”

“Yes. With caution.”

“Agreed.”

He stepped closer to her, an intense look on his face. Damn, he was so big, and she was so aware of him.

“I don’t want you, or your ship, hurt,” he said.

“Really?” She cocked her head. The blue filaments in his eyes were glowing. “That wasn’t the impression you gave when I first arrived. Figured you wouldn’t mind knocking me off.”

Brack pressed his hands on either side of her hips on the desk. “No.”

Shit, danger, Will Robinson. Allie’s heart fluttered in her chest, but she couldn’t move or look away from him.

“For a few seconds, I was terrified you were hurt,” he said.

She blew out a breath. “This is an exceptionally bad idea, Brack.”

The air charged. His mouth was just inches away from hers. “I know.” He didn’t move.

Fuck it. She grabbed his shirt. “Super ill-advised.”

“Ill-conceived. Inconvenient.”

“Crap, I can’t think of another I word.” She yanked his mouth down to hers.

Heat flashed over her, and her lips parted. His tongue stroked inside her mouth, and she met it, kissing him deeply. Oh, shit. The warrior could kiss.

Allie sank her hands into his hair and wrapped one leg around his hip. He groaned, pressing her back onto his desk.

His big body moved over hers. Damn, he was so big and she liked it. Scorching-hot desire coursed through her.

“Captain Borden?” Donovan’s deep voice. “Allie, are you there?”

Allie froze, confused for a second. They broke the kiss, both of them panting. They looked at each other, and she stared into his eyes. The strands were glowing electric blue now.

She licked her lips and touched her comm badge. “I’m here, D.”

“I just wanted to let you know that Royston regained consciousness. And the urgent repairs on the bridge have been completed.”

Allie closed her eyes and swallowed. “Thanks, D. I’m on my way back.”

“The Second Commander didn’t try to murder you?” Her second’s voice was laced with humor.

Brack had very good hearing. He raised a brow.

Allie cleared her throat. “No.” He’d kissed the hell out of her, though.

“I was with him during the incident, Allie. He did everything he could to shut those weapons down, including cutting the warship’s main power. That left them defenseless.”

She met Brack’s gaze again. “Acknowledged. See you shortly.”

Brack straightened, and she couldn’t help but notice the very impressive bulge at the front of his trousers.

Allie sat up. “Well…”

“Allie—”

She lifted a hand. “Let’s not talk about it right now.” She needed time to process. Maybe a decade or two.

He paused. “Okay, but I have another I word for you.”

She stood and locked her shaky legs. “Oh?”

“Incredible. I’ll see you later, Captain.”

Something swelled inside her chest. Damn, this man was dangerous with a capital D. “Later.”

CHAPTER FIVE

Brack straightened in his desk chair, pressing his fingers to the back of his neck. He’d been bent over, analyzing the system reports, for—he glanced at his comp screen—several hours.

He heaved out a breath. So far, he hadn’t found much. It looked like the weapons coming online had been a malfunction.

He sank back in his chair. Cren. It couldn’t be.

The comp screen pinged, and he saw an incoming call from Davion. His friend’s face appeared, looking stern. “Anything?”

Brack had already briefed Davion on the incidents. “Nothing. It has to be sabotage, but I can’t find any evidence of it.”

“You’ll find it,” Davion said.

Hopefully before someone died and the alliance with Earth disintegrated.

“Are you playing nice with Captain Borden?”

Brack snorted. “The woman wouldn’t know nice if it hit her in the—”

“Brack.”

“We’re doing fine, Davion.” Brack skipped the part where he’d devoured her on his desk. About how clever and mobile her mouth was. Heat flashed through his veins, and his helian throbbed.

Davion nodded.

“How’s your vacation going?” Brack asked.

The war commander smiled. “Eve is handling it like a warrior. And thankfully, her nausea seems to have eased.”

“Good.”

“Update me if you find anything.”

“I have it under control, Davion. But I’ll let you know.”

Brack went back to the data, combing through it. By Alqin’s axe, his eyes were starting to blur. Time to take a break.

Then something jumped out at him.

There. He searched the information. Someone had used a back door into the weapons system, and changed the commands. His pulse spiked.

He looked at the code. He was no expert—he hesitated—but it looked…Terran. The commands weren’t like anything an Eon engine would use. He stiffened. The only possible answer was that one of Allie’s crew had done it.

Brack’s lips pressed into a flat line. How did he broach this with her?

Still, he had more to worry about, because there was no way a Terran had accessed the heart of the Desteron’s systems unless they had an Eon warrior to help them.

He shoved his hands through his hair. It had to lead back to the Kantos. It was the only answer that made sense. Cren. He didn’t like to think that one of his own people was a traitor.

When his comp screen pinged again, he turned and smiled. He swiped the screen. “Mama.”

Trayla Thann-Felis appeared on the screen, a wide smile on her handsome face. “My baby.”

Brack didn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes.

“Okay,” his mother said with a pretty laugh, “I know you’re a big, bad warrior, but you’ll always be my baby.”

It didn’t take much for Brack to see the strain under her smile. “How are you?”

“Fine. Wonderful. Your father…is very busy at headquarters.”

Brack curled his fingers against his thigh. That meant there was a woman. “Mama—”

His mother waved a slender hand. “It’s just a dalliance, Brack. She’s too young to hold his interest for long. He loves us, in his own way.”

No, Stonil Thann-Felis loved his own pleasure. And destroying Brack’s mother one painful cut at a time.

“I love you, Mama.”

The smile she gave him now was a real one. “When is my handsome, brilliant son going to marry and give me grandbabies?”

Never. “I’m busy at work.”

Her nose wrinkled. “With this alliance with Earth. Such a backwater species.”

Brack didn’t bother correcting her. He knew many of the Eon had old-fashioned, built-in prejudices about the Terrans. Cren, he’d been one of them until recently. It wasn’t until the new Eon king had been crowned that things had started to change. “Yes, I’m busy with the alliance, Mama.”

“Okay, I’ll let you get back to work. Visit me soon.”

“Bye, Mama.”

She was gone with a wave. Anger at his father surged through Brack, but he knew it was hopeless. It didn’t matter how angry he got at his father, or the arguments they had, Stonil never changed anything.

The man was a good, dedicated warrior. True to the Eon Empire. He just had no faith, loyalty, or love for the woman he’d married. Those were the genes Brack had inherited.

The tension gripping him strung his muscles tight. With thoughts of traitors, faithless fathers, and alliances swimming through his head, he decided to go to the gym. This time of night, he’d have the space to himself, and could work off his stress.

After stopping by his cabin to change into his workout gear, Brack entered the Desteron’s large, fully-equipped gym. He got started lifting weights.

He’d worked up a good sweat, his muscles burning, when he heard the door open.

“Couldn’t sleep, Second Commander?”

He almost jerked and dropped the weight. He looked up.

Allie sauntered in, wearing tight, black leggings, and a tiny T-shirt. The outfit hugged her fit body and showcased her curves.

Cren. His body responded, and he quickly stepped behind a weight rack.

He swallowed. “How are your injured crew members?”

She gave one nod. “Awake and healed. They’ll be fine.” She trailed her fingers over one of the machines.

Brack forced himself to look away, and set his weights down.

“I’ve cooled down now.” She gave him a small smile. “I have a temper.”

“I noticed,” he said dryly.

She turned toward him. “Someone wants our alliance to fail.”

“That’s my take.”

She lifted a smaller weight and did some bicep curls. He watched the flex of her toned arm muscles.

“I’m not going to let some fuckers use me and my crew to do that.”

Her tone was fierce. She hadn’t cooled down, she’d just switched her anger from Brack to the perpetrator.

“I will not stand for it either,” he said.

Her gaze met his. “You and I need to find whoever is behind this.”

“I’m already working on that.”

Her smile was sharp and a little feline. “And then crush them like a bug.”

Cren, he appreciated her bloodthirsty side. “It has to be the Kantos.”

“I totally agree with you there. They have the most to gain if our alliance crumbles.”

Brack crossed his arms over his chest. He saw Allie’s gaze drop to his biceps. “But somehow, they’re using our people to do the sabotage.”

Her weights dropped to the floor with a rattle, and a crease appeared between her brows. “Explain.”

He went through what he’d found in the commands for the weapon system.

She hissed. “So, we have traitors aboard both of our ships?”

“Maybe the Kantos got to them somehow? Exploited a weakness?”

Allie shifted closer, her ponytail swinging behind her. “My crew has been on the Divergent for several months. We haven’t made port for a long time. No one has had contact with the Kantos.”

“I’ve had some warriors take leave, but no flags on anyone when I checked. I’ve contacted the Rengard, and I’ve asked Wren Traynor to run some enhanced searches on the Desteron’s security footage. To look for any strange behavior and enhance feed to show more detail.”

Allie nodded and bent over. Brack’s gaze zeroed in on her ass. It was perfectly formed and curvy.

Control. Control.

She straightened. “We have to make this alliance between our species work, Brack.”

“Yes. Whatever it takes.”

She pressed a hand to her hip. “That means you shouldn’t look at me like that.”

Brack blew out a breath. “Right.”

“We have demanding jobs,” she said. “And an alliance to strengthen. Besides, we don’t like each other.”

He nodded. “And I fuck, Allie. Nothing else.”

She made a humming sound. “Me, too. I have no time for love and roses.”

They stared at each other.

Cren, he couldn’t stop imagining hot, hungry things. This woman had begun to fuel so many fantasies.

“I need to shower.” He forced the words out. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Captain.”

Her chin dipped. “Second Commander.”

ALLIE FELT ITCHY AND FLUSHED.

She finished her stretching. She was excruciatingly aware of her body—the way her muscles moved, the brush of her leggings against her skin, the way her thighs rubbed together.

Okay, so she had the hots for a warrior who aggravated her.

She pulled in a shaky breath, her belly jumping. In her head, she pictured his big, powerful body. There were so many good reasons for them not to indulge their desire or risk their working relationship.

Especially with the Kantos possibly behind the sabotage, and traitors aboard their ships.

But it didn’t stop the need curling inside her, her cheeks going hot.

Screw this.

Swiveling, she followed him out the door.

It led to a washroom area and she heard a shower running. Oh, God. Now she was imagining all those muscles bare, water running over his bronze skin. Wet hair stuck to his scalp, and water sluicing down those hard pecs, over his ridged stomach, and then down to his—

Allie pressed her forehead to the wall. Get a grip, Allie.

She never lost her mind over a guy. She liked to keep things pleasant, fun, casual. It was all she had time for with her demanding job. Losing yourself to one person handed them the power to hurt you. She’d seen that up close and personal. A broken heart had driven Drew to the unthinkable. His girlfriend had left him, telling him he wasn’t worth the effort, and it had shattered her brother. Allie would never let anyone close enough to mess her up.

But this churning need… It was intense and distracting as hell.

Suddenly, the shower shut off.

Walk away, Allie.

But instead, she stepped into the changing area. There were neat rows of lockers against the walls, and the shower room was off to one side.

And framed in the doorway was Brack, with a drying cloth slung around his hips.

Oh, boy. The cloth stuck to his wet skin. His chest and abs were bare, and he was cut. There was no fat on his body. She wanted to lick him all over. Instantly, she felt a rush of damp between her thighs.

He hadn’t noticed her, and he moved toward the lockers. He pressed his hands to the lockers, his head dropping forward. The drying cloth dropped dangerously low on his lean hips, and he groaned like he was in pain.

Then he lowered a hand and nudged the cloth aside. Oh, God. Allie froze. She knew she should leave. She should tell him she was there.

She was such a stalker. She couldn’t look away. He was in profile to her, and her greedy eyes drank in the slope of his back, his lean flank, and, as the cloth fell completely to the ground, she saw his firm ass, and the shape of a long, thick cock.

Oh, sweet Jesus. She swallowed a very un-captain-like moan.

He still didn’t notice her, and she watched as one big hand took hold of his cock, circling the thick girth. She sucked in a hot breath.

Then he started to pump it, and a groan ripped from him again.

Damn, he was magnificent.

“Allie,” he growled.

She jumped, then realized he still hadn’t noticed her. Her body trembled. She took a step closer and his head flew up. Blue-black eyes met hers.

He stilled, but didn’t look away, and didn’t release his cock.

Allie swallowed. They stared at each other for a long, humming moment.

Then he pumped his cock again.

She sucked in a breath, her gaze dropping to his hand. She couldn’t look away. Her body was alive with sensation.

“Keep going.” Her voice was husky.

“You like watching me, Captain?”

“Yes.”

He canted his hips, turning more so she had a clear view of that proud cock jutting up toward his hard stomach. She licked her lips and pressed her thighs together.

“You are so damn arrogant,” she said.

“When you can back it up, it’s confidence.”

She fought back a laugh. Jeez, when was the last time she’d laughed when a naked man was in front of her, working his very hard, very erect cock? Never.

Brack’s strokes got faster, more brutal. A flash of angry color appeared along his cheekbones. She watched his chest rise and fall, quicker and quicker.

And then she couldn’t stop herself. She crossed the space, moving up beside him. She closed her hands around his on his cock. Together, they stroked him.

“Cren.” His head dropped back.

They pumped him together, and Allie leaned forward, pressing her mouth to one of his nipples. She raked her teeth over it, and a rough sound rumbled out of him.

Allie’s hands became slippery with pre-come.

“Harder.” His voice was a growl.

She obeyed, and his cock pulsed in her hands.

“So good,” he groaned.

Allie sped up her movements and his hips started jerking. She watched the muscles in his stomach strain tight.

He slid a hand into her hair. “Allie.”

“Let me see you come, Brack.”

With a deep growl, he spilled. She worked him through his climax, watching as his come spilled onto her hand and dripped onto the floor between them.

His chest was heaving. Then he stepped back abruptly.

She looked up and watched his face go blank. She frowned. He scooped up the drying cloth off the floor and wrapped it around his hips.

He cleared his throat. “That was…”

“Hot,” she answered.

Brack looked away.

Her frown deepened. He wasn’t shy, so what was this?

“I can’t do this, Allie.”

“Share my bunk for a bit? Trade great orgasms?”

He shook his head. “It never stays that way. Women always want more.”

“Are you a catch, Second Commander? The ladies always trying to tie you down?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw.

“Look,” she said. “I don’t want anything serious either—”

“Let’s just cool things off.” His voice was sharp, final.

Wow, those few words hurt more than they should have. “If you don’t want me—”

“It’s obvious I do, but attractive women are easy to find.”

Ouch. That helped to cool her blood. “I’m just another pretty face?”

He looked at her. “I can’t afford to mess up this alliance. Not for something that just isn’t worth it.”

Direct hit. “Not worth it. Right.” She stiffened, her mind sliding to the past, to her brother. Fuck this. She set her shoulders back.

He frowned, studying her face. Something worked through his eyes. He muttered a curse. “Allie, I didn’t mean—”

“No, it’s okay.” Allie just wanted to beat a fast retreat. She backed up toward the door. “I don’t need the entanglement either. I’ll see you around, Second Commander.”

“Allie—”

She ignored him and headed out the door.

CHAPTER SIX

The next morning, Brack made his way to the meeting room. As he navigated the corridors, he called himself a few select names.

Cren, he’d messed up. He should never have crossed the line with Allie. He’d spent half the night reliving having her hands on him, stroking him. He rubbed his hand over his face. He’d spent the other half of the night remembering the way she’d shut down when he’d said it wasn’t worth it.

He hadn’t meant her—he had no doubt they’d be incendiary together—he’d meant relationships in general. They never worked. They either imploded, or were a torturous charade like what his parents shared.

When he entered the meeting room, he found she was already there. She looked up, her gaze cool like she was greeting a stranger. Brack felt the chill to his bones.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Morning.”

He wanted her to smile, but there was no emotion on her face.

“Where are the others?” she asked.

“I sent them out on some tasks.”

Allie cocked her head. “Why?”

“Wren sent through something on the security footage.”

Allie tapped her fingers against the table. “She found something.”

He moved up beside her and her scent hit him. Fresh. She always smelled fresh. He touched the light table and pulled up the footage Wren had sent. It showed a maintenance conduit in the docking bay. The beginning of the footage showed day-to-day operations that passed the conduit.

Then, a figure appeared, sidling inside.

“How did this get missed?” she asked.

“The footage was tampered with. Someone had enough skill and knowledge to mess with the security cameras.”

From the height and way the figure moved, it was a man, and he kept his back to the camera. They watched him crouch, planting something right where the explosion had occurred.

“Fuck a duck.” Allie sounded pissed.

The man was wearing a Space Corps uniform.

Then he turned and the image froze, giving a clear view of the young man’s face.

Allie hissed. “He’s one of my engineers.”

“Name?”

“Erick Sharma. He’s a good kid, Brack, and good at his job. I can’t see him doing this.” She frowned, her fingers tapping a beat on the table. “On our way here, we were hit by some alien lifeforms. Ate through the hull.”

Brack frowned. “The reason you had blood on your uniform.”

She nodded. “One got inside and attached to Sharma’s face for a few seconds before we got it off him.”

“You think it…altered him?”

“Maybe.”

“There’s always more to people than you think,” Brack said quietly.

“Dammit.” She smacked the table. “I don’t want him to be a traitor.” She blew out a breath. “Let’s find him and ask.”

They walked in silence toward the docking bay.

“Allie, about last night—”

“It’s forgotten, Second Commander.” Her voice told him she had more important things to deal with.

Brack frowned. He didn’t really like that it was so easy for her to forget. His helian pulsed, no doubt sensing his confused emotions.

They reached the docking bay, and moved through the docking port into the Divergent.

Allie powered down a corridor. “I don’t want to summon him on the comm and get his back up. He should be in Engineering.”

Brack nodded, taking the time to look around the Divergent. Quarters were a lot tighter than on the Desteron, but she was well built.

They reached Engineering and Brack heard the low hum of equipment. A grizzled, older man rose from an open console, tools and parts littered around him. He wiped his grease-stained hands on a rag. “Captain.”

“McNamara, you know Second Commander Thann-Felis.”

The man grunted. “Yes. Although, you warriors all look alike. Hard to tell you apart.”

Brack dipped his head. “Chief McNamara.”

“We need to talk to Ensign Sharma,” Allie said.

The chief engineer frowned. “He’s not here. Sent him back to his cabin because he said he wasn’t feeling well.”

Brack frowned. He had a bad feeling about this. From the look on Allie’s face, she did too.

She headed for the door. “Follow me. Crew quarters aren’t too far from here.”

In the corridor, she picked up the pace. Brack lengthened his stride as they hurried toward the crew quarters. They entered a well-lit lift and were whizzed upward.

On the next deck, Allie stopped in front of a door and banged her fists against it. “Sharma, it’s Captain Borden. Open up.”

Silence.

Her lips flattened into a firm line. She called out again, waited a beat, then pressed her palm to the electronic lock.

The door slid open and they stepped into the cabin. It wasn’t big. The bed looked neatly made, and there were no clothes lying around. There was a comp screen on the desk, and beside it, a framed picture of a young, brown-skinned man surrounded by a large, smiling family.

Allie strode to the washroom, then shook her head. “Empty. Damn.”

“Let’s split up,” Brack said. “See if we can track him down. He can’t have gone far.”

She nodded. “I’ll search the Divergent.”

“And I’ll check to see if he crossed over to the Desteron.”

Worry gleamed in her eyes. “Call me if you find him.”

ALLIE STORMED INTO HER OFFICE, annoyed and frustrated.

Could Sharma really be a traitor? He was young and dedicated. She shoved a hand through her hair, messing up her braid. She’d checked his file. He was the first of his family to be accepted into Space Corps, he was proud of the fact.

She dropped into her chair, and even seeing the line of colored origami figures in the shape of Star Wars characters on her desk didn’t ease her mood.

She touched her comms badge. “Jamie, my office.”

A moment later, Jamie stepped inside. “You sound like you’re in a foul mood.”

“I need you to search the ship for Ensign Sharma.”

“From Engineering?” Jamie frowned. “What’s going on?”

“Thann-Felis had the security footage enhanced. It shows that Sharma was responsible for the docking bay explosion.”

“Fuck.” Jamie looked at her boots, her mouth a flat line. Then she looked up, her brown eyes looking almost black. “Don’t worry, I’ll find him.”

As the space marine strode out, Allie moved toward the window. She’d spent plenty of time in this spot, staring out at space and the stars, thinking, worrying, strategizing.

Now, her mind was too churned up for her to think. Screw it. She was going to help with the search.

She touched her comm badge. “Jamie, give me somewhere to search.”

“Cargo bay.”

“I’m on it.”

As she stepped into the large, empty cargo bay, she tried to focus on Sharma, but instead, she found herself thinking about a certain hot, asshole warrior.

Dammit. She was not going to think about him.

But she was, anyway. So, she was really attracted to him, and—against her better judgment—she was starting to like him as well.

She said I’m not enough. My life isn’t worth it. I’m not important.

Drew had left a note before he’d shot himself with his Space Corps blaster. The words her twin had written were etched into Allie’s head. He’d been so loved, and they’d been connected from birth. They’d made plans and had dreams.

But a love affair gone wrong had left him feeling worthless. Air shuddered out of Allie. Somehow, her happy-go-lucky brother had let a broken heart affect him so much, he couldn’t see all the good in his life. She blamed herself for not seeing how much he was struggling.

She straightened. Now, she was living her life for both of them. She had no time for anyone who didn’t want to be with her. And she definitely was sticking to her “no serious relationships” rule.

She heard a noise. Something falling to the metal floor. Her pulse leaped, and she froze for a second.

Allie’s hand slid to the blaster holstered at her hip and she circled a stack of storage boxes. She needed to get her mind off her personal life and onto finding Sharma. She needed answers. This alliance with the Eon had to work, or the Kantos would annihilate Earth.

Not spotting anything, she moved deeper into the back corner of the cargo bay. She flicked the catch off her blaster.

There was no one here.

A body flew out of the shadows and hit her. She grunted at the impact, and they smacked into the floor. She rolled, wrestling with her attacker.

He got on top of her, and she saw Sharma’s face. He clutched a tool in his hand and swung it down at her head.

She dodged to the side, the metal tool clanking against the floor. She rammed her hand into his arm. He cried out and the tool dropped to the floor with a rattle. She bucked her hips upward.

Sharma’s face twisted. He made an enraged sound and tried to pin her.

“Sharma, stop—”

His knee drove into her gut and Allie hissed out a painful breath. They rolled across the floor, and she tried to pin him down. He was so damn strong. She gritted her teeth, straining against him. She had trained with all her crew, and she knew that he hadn’t been this strong in training.

They rolled again, and he managed to get on top of her, straddling her body. He clamped his hands around her throat.

Fuck. She kicked her feet, trying to buck him off her again. His face was devoid of any emotion as he started to choke her.

Allie tried to breathe, her boots hammering into the floor. The sound echoed through the cargo bay.

Dark blotches started to dance in front of her eyes, and her lungs felt as though they were on fire. She couldn’t breathe.

No, dammit. She wasn’t going to die like this.

Suddenly, Sharma’s weight was gone, his body wrenched off her.

Gasping for air, Allie sat up and saw Brack, wearing his black-scale armor, throwing Sharma to the floor.

Brack swiveled and advanced on the man.

“Brack…” Her voice was barely a croak.

She pushed to her feet, dizziness hitting her. She heard Sharma shout and launch at the warrior.

Brack kicked him. Hard.

The young engineer doubled over with a groan. She was sure he’d go down, but then he straightened, tensed, and attacked again.

Brack kicked him again, sending the young man flying into a stack of storage crates.

“Brack,” Allie said.

This time he heard her. His head swiveled and blue-black eyes met hers. They were turbulent, the blue strands glowing.

“He’s…” She coughed. “There’s something wrong with him.” Suddenly, her knees turned to spaghetti and she started to collapse.

Somehow, Brack crossed the room in a blur of speed and caught her before she hit the floor.

“Damn,” she muttered.

“What?”

“I’ve never done this before, but I’m going to pass out.” Her hands tightened on Brack’s arms.

He gave her a tiny smile. “You’re going to faint.”

“No, fainting is completely different.”

“Really?”

Allie tried to fight it, even as her head went fuzzy. “Totally.”

His voice softened. “I’ve got you, Allie.”

For the first time in a long time, she trusted someone to keep her safe. Then, the blackness dragged her under.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Brack stood to the side in Medical on the Desteron, watching as Aydin assessed Allie.

Her crew had wanted to treat her aboard the Divergent, but he’d insisted on bringing her back to the Desteron. No one had dared argue with him.

Aydin moved around her, treating the vicious bruises on her neck. Instantly, the healing solution started to make the ugly marks fade.

“She’s okay?” Brack kept his gaze on her closed eyes.

“I told you three times already, yes,” Aydin replied.

“You’re sure?”

The medical commander made an annoyed sound. “Yes.”

Allie’s eyelids fluttered, and Brack shoved past the doctor. He took her hand and leaned closer.

She came up swinging. She managed to punch Brack in the jaw before he pinned her arms down. “Allie, you’re safe.”

She turned her head, their gazes meeting. Her eyes were unfocused, and he saw her fighting her way through the fog. He could almost see her putting the pieces together.

“Hey, Captain,” he murmured.

“Second Commander.” Her voice was husky, and she lifted a hand to her throat.

“You’re all healed.”

“I was in the Divergent’s cargo bay. Why are we on the Desteron?”

“I…” Panicked. Was worried you’d die. “I brought you to our doctors.”

She sat up. “Ensign Sharma?”

“Your Lieutenant Park restrained him, and your doctor checked him out. The general consensus was to lock him in your brig.”

“I detect a ‘but’,” Allie said.

He jerked his head and Allie turned. The engineer was strapped to a medical bunk, being scanned by Eon equipment.

“Your doctor couldn’t find anything wrong with him, and I suggested our medical team take a look.”

She managed a tight nod. “Damn, what a mess.”

Her golden hair was loose, falling around her shoulders. To stop himself reaching out and touching it, he pressed his hands to the edge of her bed. Cren. He wanted to sink his hands into it and use it to pull her closer to…

By Eschar’s embrace. He sucked in a breath.

He was so churned up from seeing her hurt. When he’d entered the cargo bay and seen the engineer choking the life out of her…

If Brack hadn’t gone looking for her, driven by the crazy sense from his helian that she needed him, she would have died on the floor of the Divergent’s cargo bay.

“Hey, are you okay?” She touched his wrist.

Brack grabbed her hand, their fingers tangling, and squeezed.

Her gaze was on his face, trying to read him. Then she squeezed back.

“Don’t worry, Second Commander. I’m still here to annoy the hell out of you.”

He couldn’t help but smile. “Actually, now that you remind me, maybe I shouldn’t have intervened.”

She elbowed him in the gut, but there wasn’t much power behind it.

“Brack,” Aydin called out. “We found something.”

Brack helped Allie swing her legs off the bunk. He went to slide his arms beneath her, when she slapped a hand to his chest.

“You are not carrying me.”

“You’re weak—”

She glared at him.

“From the attack,” he hastily added.

That stubborn chin pointed straight at him. “I’m walking. It’s three meters away.”

Obstinate woman. He followed her unsteady progress across Medical, staying close in case she fell.

They stopped by Sharma’s bunk. The young Terran was still and sedated.

Beside him, a large scanner screen showed the outline of his head. And a strange, bright spot behind his left eye.

“There’s something in his head,” Brack said.

The doctor pointed. “See the tendrils?”

Leaning closer, Brack saw thin filaments that snaked deep into the man’s brain.

Aydin shook his head. “Whatever it is, it’s controlling a lot of his bodily functions and impulses.”

“And directing his actions?” Allie asked.

Aydin nodded.

Anger colored Allie’s face. “What is it?”

Suddenly, whatever it was moved. On the screen, they watched as the tendrils flickered and danced. Sharma’s body twitched.

Brack stiffened. He could see the thing better now. It looked like a…bug.

Allie swiveled. “God.” She looked at Brack. “That thing is Kantos.”

“INJECTING THE DRUG NOW.”

Allie watched the Desteron’s medical commander inject a green fluid into Erick. She tapped her foot on the floor, trying to keep her nerves under wraps.

She eyed the concentration on the doctor’s rugged face. Medical Commander Aydin Kann-Ath looked like he spent more time fighting battles than he did doing delicate medical procedures. He had the same powerful body as Brack and similar features, but his brown hair was several shades lighter and well-cut. All warriors kept themselves in fighting form, and from what she could see, Aydin was also a gifted doctor.

“The Kantos hate this concoction,” Aydin said. “It’ll force the bug to make its own way out of the man.”

Then the medical commander lifted a tool and started cutting a hole in Erick’s head. She tried to control the gorge rising in her throat. He’d assured her Erick would be healed up just fine afterward, but it was still disconcerting to watch.

Fingers brushed her hip, and she felt Brack standing silently beside her. That small touch was reassuring.

You were pissed at him, remember? Planning to keep some distance.

Next, Aydin picked up a long set of tweezers. He reached into Erick’s head and started extracting the Kantos bug.

“I thought those brown blobs that attacked us were just some primitive space life-form.” She shook her head. “I should have known it was the Kantos.”

“You couldn’t have known,” Brack said. “They’re always breeding new creatures.”

“It’s resisting.” Aydin frowned, but kept pulling slowly.

Allie watched the first brown tendril release, waving around. It was so thin, it looked like a wire.

Then the medical commander smiled darkly. “Here it comes.”

With one last tug, the entire bug came free.

It squirmed around wildly, then broke free of the tweezers. Aydin cursed, and the alien creature dropped to the floor.

It looked like a spider, but with longer, more delicate legs. It started flowing across the room. Fast.

Shit. Allie and Brack both lunged for it. Then suddenly, the bug swiveled and jumped at Allie.

She dodged, crashing into a bunk.

Brack appeared with a small, clear container. He chased the bug and slammed the container down.

The Kantos bug was trapped. It banged violently against the side of the container.

“Feisty little guy,” Allie muttered.

“Reminds me of someone I know,” Brack said.

Allie screwed her nose up at him. “Ha ha.”

His gaze dropped to her mouth.

Uh-oh. She licked her lips and heard him groan.

Aydin moved between them and crouched. He scooped the container up and screwed a lid on. He lifted the creature to eye level. “I’ll pick this thing apart and work out everything it can do.”

“And Sharma?” Allie asked.

The medical commander nodded. “We’ll take good care of him.”

Brack’s comm chimed.

“Second Commander.” A female warrior’s voice. “The war commander and the king are on the comm line. They’re requesting an update.”

Brack tapped his chest. “I’ll take it in my office.” He looked at Aydin. “I want to know everything about that thing.”

Allie followed Brack out of Medical.

A resigned look crossed his face. “I don’t suppose I can convince you to rest?”

“Nope.”

A sigh. “Or allow me to carry you?”

“Absolutely not. You are never carrying me anywhere. Ever.”

He grunted. When they reached his office, they moved to the desk and she saw that his screen was split into two images. On one side, she saw Davion and Eve. On the other, was a handsome warrior with an aristocratic face. He had long, brown hair and a sharp blade of a nose. His sleeveless shirt was royal blue, and a gold cord circled one of his muscled biceps.

Allie swallowed. King Gayel Solann-Eon, King of the Eon Empire.

“Report?” Davion ordered.

Brack gave a brief rundown of events, with Allie adding a few extra details.

“Are you okay, Allie?” Eve asked, her face a mix of concern and I’m-pissed-the-hell-off.

“Sure,” Allie replied. “I’m more concerned about Ensign Sharma right now.”

“I have Aydin and his team analyzing the bug,” Brack said.

Davion nodded. “And have the doctors from the Divergent help as well.”

Brack inclined his head.

The Eon king leaned forward. “The Kantos are becoming stealthier and more strategic. That hasn’t been their main mode of operation in the past.”

And that left Allie’s nerves humming. The Kantos were bad enough when they were swarming their prey, but if they got sneaky, and Earth couldn’t see them coming…

“We must ensure our alliance stays strong.” King Gayel’s gaze zeroed in on Brack and Allie. “Whatever it takes, Captain and Second Commander. Get your teams working smoothly. We won’t let the Kantos dig their claws between us. We need unity.”

Allie and Brack nodded.

“We’ll make it happen, Your Highness,” she said.

“Yes, sire,” Brack added.

“This is a stressful time for you and your crews,” the king added. “I suggest you get your people interacting on a personal level, as well as for work. In a more relaxed environment, where they can get to know and understand each other.”

Allie tapped her lip. He probably didn’t mean by helping Brack stroke his big cock until he came all over her hand. Jeez, Allie. Focus.

“What are you suggesting?” Brack asked with a deep frown.

“I have an idea,” Eve said.

Brack’s face turned wary. “We’re listening.”

“A party.”

Allie’s eyebrows winged up, and Brack’s frown got deeper.

“It isn’t a good time for a party,” Brack said. “With the Kantos breathing down our necks—”

“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Davion said.

The king nodded. “It will be a chance to ease some of the stress, for them to get to know each other outside of work.”

Allie glanced at Brack. “Suck it up, Second Commander. Looks like we’re throwing a party, and you are expected to have a good time.”

Brack groaned.

CHAPTER EIGHT

This party was a bad idea.

Brack looked around the large room situated at the front of the Desteron, and knew his bad temper was throbbing off him. Most people were giving him a wide berth. A large window gave a breathtaking view of space, and he could just see the edge of the Divergent. The walls were hung with decorative, historical Eon weapons—swords, staffs, knives. The room was filled with people.

With the Kantos causing problems, the last thing they needed was this.

Allie appeared and shoved a glass in his hand. It was some bright-blue Terran drink, that no doubt tasted too sweet. One of her navigators had commandeered the bar and anointed himself chief bartender. The concoctions were…interesting.

“Loosen up, Second Commander,” Allie said. “You look like a storm cloud.” She lowered her voice. “Dark and looming.”

He glared at her, but his gaze flicked to her neck, noting all the bruising was gone. A lot of people, including all his warriors, were in uniform, but Allie had encouraged her crew to dress up for the party. Several had taken the opportunity seriously, and were wearing all manner of bright, shiny clothes.

Indeed, the bartending navigator was wearing a horrific shirt of clashing colors, with a design of some sort of large leaves on it.

He looked at Allie and almost swallowed his tongue. Her dress was the same bright blue as his drink. It was also short and tight. He couldn’t help but take in her long, smooth legs. He jerked his gaze up, and it snagged on her hair. She wore it in loose waves, the golden strands shimmering and shining.

His gut tightened. “This party is not a good use of our time.”

She snorted and sipped her drink. “Sure, it is. Look.”

He forced himself to scan the room. Everywhere he looked, Terran and Eon crew members were engaged. Engineers were busy in an animated conversation. Caze and Jamie looked like they were good-naturedly arguing about something. Others were laughing, talking, clinking glasses.

“It doesn’t have to be all discipline and hard work to learn new things,” Allie said.

Brack took a gulp of his drink. He grimaced. He was right. It was way too sweet. “How’s your engineer?”

“Awake. Confused. But thanks to Aydin, he’s on the mend. He doesn’t remember much since he was attacked by the alien lifeform.”

“We’ll make the Kantos pay.”

“Oh, yeah.” There was a wealth of promise in her voice.

But there was also a cool distance. She wasn’t meeting his gaze and he hated it. He told himself to leave it alone. To walk away. It was best if they just focused on their jobs.

Against his better judgment, his mouth opened. “Allie, I’m sorry. About how things ended last night.”

She glanced away. “It’s fine. We’re both professionals.”

“I never meant that you weren’t worth it.”

She lowered her drink and hissed out a breath. “Just leave it alone.”

“I meant relationships aren’t worth it.”

“Brack—”

He leaned closer. Cren, she was wearing a different scent tonight. It was more floral than her normal fragrance, but he liked it.

“You’re incredibly attractive and intelligent, and I get hard every time I look at you.”

She made a strangled sound, her hands tightening on her glass.

“But almost every long-term relationship ends in tears, fights, and ugliness.” Brack shook his head. “Added to that, we have plenty of work obstacles between us as well. And we’ve both been ordered to make this alliance work.”

Now she looked at him directly. “Who screwed you up, Brack?”

He blew out a breath. “It doesn’t matter.”

“I guess not. You’re right, the alliance is riding on us being able to make it work.”

He nodded. Good. This is what he wanted.

So why the cren was his gut as hard as space rock?

All of a sudden, shouts and screams broke out across the room.

By the warriors. They both spun, and Brack spotted one of his engineering warriors, Koro, acting strangely.

The warrior shoved a Terran male into a table. Drinks and plates crashed everywhere.

Koro turned, his helian armor forming over his body. He lifted a chair, heaved it above his head, then threw it into the crowd. People scattered.

Brack charged forward. He saw Caze closing in on the other side of Koro, shouldering through the partygoers.

“Koro!” Brack yelled.

The warrior ignored him, then spun to face several shocked Terrans. Koro’s sword started forming on his arm.

Cren. Brack dropped his arms and let his own armor form. He had to stop this madness before blood was shed. Beside him, he watched Allie grab a ceremonial staff off the wall.

“Allie, stay back,” he yelled.

Of course, she ignored him.

Brack lunged forward, kicking Koro. The warrior staggered backward, then roared, his face contorted.

Stomach clenching, Brack watched the man. Something was wrong.

Koro charged like a rampaging hinda beast. Brack blocked his kick, then followed through with a punch. They traded more blows—another punch, followed by two kicks.

Somehow, the warrior was stronger. Koro’s blow made Brack grit his teeth. He was far more powerful than he usually was.

Caze ducked in from behind, joining the fight. Koro spun, kicking at Caze. While he was distracted, Brack landed a punch to Koro’s lower back.

The warrior let out a bellow. He grabbed a long table, knocked everything off it, then lifted it high. He threw it at Caze and Brack.

The heavy table hit them and they both grunted. Together, they thrust their arms up and shoved it off.

“What the cren is wrong with him?” Caze yelled.

Brack straightened and saw Koro bearing down on a terrified Terran woman in a pink dress. Cren. Before Brack could move, Allie raced at Koro. She’d kicked off her shoes and was raising the staff.

Somehow sensing Allie’s approach, Koro turned, and Brack exploded into action, pumping his arms to reach them.

The warrior charged at Allie. He managed to hit her before she darted to the side and swung the staff again, breaking it over Koro’s head.

The warrior staggered, shaking his head.

Then Allie tackled him, knocking him to the ground. Moving fast, she leaped on his back, wrapping her arms and legs around him. She had an arm around the warrior’s neck, pulling him into a chokehold.

Brack stumbled to a stop.

Koro struggled, but Allie—dogged as ever—held tight, keeping her legs clenched tight around him. Her short dress rode up, flashing her toned thighs. A second later, Koro blacked out.

From beside Brack, Caze shook his head. “Cren, these Terran women are bred tough.”

ACHING IN QUITE A FEW PLACES, Allie rose to her feet. The damn berserker warrior had gotten in a couple of blows. Her right arm was on fire.

She watched Brack and Caze lift the man. Other warriors appeared and carried the man’s limp, unconscious body out of the party.

She looked around and caught Donovan’s gaze. Her second was checking in on everyone. He lifted his chin. Thank God, no one was injured.

Except her.

Allie sat on a nearby table and dragged in a breath.

Brack appeared in front of her. “Nice fighting.”

She raised her chin. “Is your warrior prone to fits of rage?”

“No. The opposite.”

“Think he might have a Kantos bug in his head?”

Brack rubbed the back of his neck. “Yes.”

“Damn.” Then she winced, as pain vibrated through her.

Brack frowned. “Are you hurt?”

“Maybe.”

He touched her arm, his fingers sliding over her skin. “Where?”

“Pretty sure my arm is broken.”

Brack made an angry sound, and a second later, he scooped her into his arms.

Heat flooded her cheeks. “Put me down.”

He ignored her. “Caze, Donovan, please clean up in here. The party’s over.”

The two men nodded.

“Down. Now,” she said again.

She got no response from the arrogant, bossy warrior. She noticed Donovan had his tongue pressed into his cheek.

“Help me,” she said.

D raised a brow. “He’s bigger than me.”

“Not by much.”

Donovan cleared his throat. “Where are you taking her?”

“I’m taking your stubborn captain to Medical.”

“That sounds reasonable, Captain,” Donovan said.

Allie glared at her second. Brack strode out of the room, and she swore she heard some of her crew giggling.

“Dammit, warrior. My arm is broken, not my leg.”

“I don’t care.”

“Brack—”

“I’m not letting you go.” His voice was tight.

Fine. Allie reluctantly gave in and relaxed against him.

Moments later, they entered Medical. Aydin appeared. “Back again?”

“Your second commander is overreacting.”

“She has a broken arm.”

Aydin looked like he was valiantly trying not to laugh. “I’m needed to treat Koro. Radha, will you heal Captain Borden’s arm, please?”

The female doctor moved over, gesturing to a bunk. Brack set Allie down and, after checking the damage, the woman set a small device on Allie’s arm.

“It’s a small, clean fracture. It’ll be healed shortly.”

“Thanks.” When the woman lifted a pressure injector, Allie tilted her neck to let the doctor press it to her skin.

“How’s the warrior?” Allie asked.

“The medical commander found a bug in his head,” Radha said. “He’s extracting it now.”

The female doctor left and Allie jiggled a foot. “How could the bug have transferred to your warrior?”

“He’s an engineer. I believe he was working with your Ensign Sharma.”

Damn. So, the bug could pass from person to person.

The female doctor returned, lifting the device off Allie’s arm. She extended the arm, bent it in. “All clear.”

Allie loved Eon tech.

Suddenly, Brack lifted her off the bunk.

“Warrior,” she growled. “I’m healed now.”

Once again, he ignored her.

“I hate it when you don’t listen to me,” she said between gritted teeth.

“I’ve learned that you’re rather hard-headed sometimes.”

She snorted. “Takes one to know one.”

He carried her back to her cabin. She sighed. “We’ll have to scan our crews for any more of these bugs.”

He nodded. “We’ll delay the next set of training exercises until everyone is clear.”

After he carried her into her cabin, he set her gently down on her bed.

Then he scraped a hand through his hair. “I knew I was going to hate this party. I need a drink.”

She watched him stalk to the synthesizer. The man could move. She watched his lean hips. He moved like a predator, ready and waiting to launch into action. He returned carrying two amber-colored drinks. He handed one to her.

Allie cradled it, trying not to focus too much on the fact that she and Brack were together with a bed in close proximity.

“What’s this?” He lifted the origami rocket from the bedside table.

Her throat tightened. “A paper rocket.”

“Looks old.”

She nodded. “I like folding paper. On Earth, it was an ancient tradition, most commonly associated with the country of Japan.” She shrugged. “I find it relaxing.” She was sure an Eon warrior would find it silly.

He gave a thoughtful nod. “We have several arts we practice that help focus the mind.”

Allie sipped her drink and stilled. “Mmm, this is good. What is it?”

“It’s called Mynah nectar. It’s my mother’s favorite.”

Wow. She couldn’t imagine Brack with a mother.

He tilted his head. “What?”

“I can’t picture you as a kid. A little mini-warrior.”

He sipped his drink. “I wasn’t born with a sword in hand.”

“You sure?”

That got a smile out of him. When he smiled, he was unbearably handsome in a rough, rugged way. A way she liked. A lot.

“Do you have siblings?” she asked.

He shook his head. “My parents have a…difficult relationship.”

“Ahh.” Allie leaned back on the pillows.

Brack’s gaze narrowed. “What does that sound mean?”

“So it was your parents who put you off relationships.” She sipped the nectar again.

“They are really bad at theirs.”

“So? That’s their failing, not yours.” Her parents didn’t have a perfect relationship, but they made it work most of the time. Losing Drew had put a strain on their family.

“I’m their son.” Brack swirled his drink. “It makes sense that I inherited my father’s inability to commit, and my mother’s inability to love healthily.”

“We are more than our genes, Brack. You’re a respected second commander. Loyal, steady, smart.”

“Do you have siblings?”

She recognized it for what it was, a desperate attempt to change the subject.

Pain cut her. “I had a brother. My twin. He died.”

Brack lowered his glass. “I’m sorry.”

“He committed suicide. You think that means that I will, too?”

“No! You’re the last person who’d do something like that. You always fight to the very end, with everything you have.”

She went silent, plucking at the bedcovers.

“You miss him,” Brack said quietly.

“Every day. I vowed that I would live for him as well as for myself. Life’s too short.” She smiled. “Drew dreamed of captaining a starship.”

Something flashed in Brack’s eyes. “He made you the rocket.”

She nodded.

“So, you’ve achieved the dream for both of you.” Brack’s voice was low and quiet.

The old grief never went away, and right now her defenses were low. God, it made it all feel worse. “Drew was in love and his girlfriend broke his heart. Told him that he wasn’t worth it. Instead of moping, drinking too much, and bitching about her, he…”

Suddenly, Brack pulled her close. His strong arms wrapped around her, and he tucked her against his broad chest.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “About your brother. About what I said.”

Damn, he felt good. With a sigh, Allie wrapped her arms around him and held on tight.

He felt nice. Too nice. And this wasn’t the burning-hot lust that had been plaguing her for days, this was something else.

Brack tipped her chin up, his lips brushing against hers.

Okay, there was also the lust.

Then his comm badge chimed.

He groaned and she grimaced. It was a reminder that their jobs were demanding, and that they were never truly off-duty.

Brack touched his collar. “Go ahead.”

“Second Commander, Medical needs a word with you,” a warrior said.

Brack pressed his forehead to Allie’s. “I have to go. Get some rest.”

“Sure.”

“I mean it, Allie.” He rose. “You’re to stay in bed and relax.”

Yeah, like that was going to happen. She made a shooing motion. “Off you go, Second Commander. Get out of my hair.”

CHAPTER NINE

The next morning, Brack knocked on Allie’s door. For reasons he refused to analyze, he was excited to see her again.

When she opened the door, she was standing there in her workout gear. “Hey.”

He handed her a baked roll from the dining room. “Breakfast.”

“A bacon and egg roll.” She smiled. “Who told you I was addicted to these?”

“Donovan may have let it slip that they were your weakness.”

She bit into it and moaned.

Brack felt his cock sit up and take notice. Cren.

“Well, now you know.” She closed the door behind her. “I was headed to the gym to work out.”

He walked beside her. “We need to plan out the next exercises, but first, all crew members need to be scanned for Kantos bugs. Aydin’s devised a schedule.”

She nodded. “Starting with us.”

They reached Medical and Brack gestured her inside. Aydin raised a hand and waved. The medical commander was standing beside a high-tech scanner. “Take a seat.”

It took no time for him to run the scanner over them.

“All clear,” Aydin said.

“You have a schedule for testing the crews?” Brack asked.

Aydin nodded. “Both the medical crews are already done, and we’ll be working through security, the bridge crews, and engineering as a priority.”

“Let us know if you find anything,” Allie said.

When they reached the gym, Allie headed for the treadmill. As she picked up the pace and started running, Brack watched her. In fact, he could watch those toned legs run all day.

“Sir?”

Brack set his weights down and turned to the young bridge warrior who’d just approached without Brack noticing. “Yes, warrior?”

“I need your approval on several orders.” The young man held out a small comp screen.

Brack read through the information and touched the screen to sign off. They were mostly items Davion would have taken care of.

Once the young man had left, Brack moved out onto the mats. He saw Allie had worked up a sweat, and was running at an impressive pace.

He started going through one of his warrior routines, bending, dipping, and stretching his body.

“What are you doing?” Allie appeared beside him.

“The karna. It’s about focus and strength. For a warrior’s body and mind.”

“It looks a little like some of the martial arts we have on Earth. Drew did a discipline called judo for a while.”

“And you?”

She nodded. “I took it up when he did. I got all the way through to my brown belt.”

Brack studied her for a moment.

“What?” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Do you do anything just for you?” he asked.

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Your brother did martial arts, so you did. He wanted to be a captain, so you became a captain.”

She scowled. “Don’t psychoanalyze me, warrior. Your issues sound far worse than mine.”

Clearly, he’d struck a nerve. “Here.” He showed her one of the warrior moves, stretching an arm out.

Blowing out a breath, she moved into the pose and mimicked the move perfectly.

He moved into the next pose, then slid into a kick, followed by a lunge, before stretching out his other arm.

Allie copied him, and he moved closer, adjusting her arm to get it in the correct position. Then he stilled. His chest was pressed against her back, and they were so close he heard her suck in a breath.

He slid a hand down to her hip, loving the way she filled out her leggings. “You smell so good, Allie.” He leaned down, breathing in her hair.

She moaned. “I thought we weren’t doing this?”

He pressed closer. “Mmm.”

She shivered. “You don’t do relationships. I don’t do relationships.”

His mouth was a whisper above her neck. “And we’re both busy.”

“And we have the success of an alliance between our two species riding on us.”

He licked her skin.

Her lips parted and she arched her head, giving him better access.

“Yes, we did agree not to do this, didn’t we?” He wrapped his hands around her waist, and she pushed her ass back against him.

By Ston’s sword, he was going to combust right there in his ship’s gym. He couldn’t stop himself from sliding his hands up her firm torso and then cupping her breasts.

“Shit, we are so screwed,” she muttered.

“Tell me to stop.” He licked her skin, shaping her glorious breasts in his palms.

She undulated against him, her ass torturing his swollen cock. “I can’t.”

Using his thumbs, he flicked her nipples and felt them pebble in response. “I want to suck these, then lick you all over.”

“Oh, God.”

Brack forgot that they were standing in the middle of the Desteron’s gym, where any warrior could walk in at any moment. When Allie spun, he was already pulling her closer and lowering his head. Their mouths met in a hungry kiss.

They drank each other up, tongues tangling. They kissed like they needed the other to breathe, to survive. Allie pressed into him, her breasts rubbing against his chest. Her hand slid into his hair, tugging hard. She kissed exactly how he’d expected—fully engaged, with everything she had. He loved the husky, hungry sounds that came from her throat.

Then Brack felt the vibration and heard her make an annoyed sound. She broke the kiss and looked down at her watch.

“Damn, I have a message from Donovan.” She huffed out a breath. “I’m needed on the Divergent.”

Brack pulled in a breath. Well, at least it wasn’t his comm that was interrupting them this time. “I think the universe might be trying to tell us something with all these interruptions.”

“That we should follow the rules and not jump each other’s bones?”

He stroked his chin, trying to get his body to calm down. “I’m usually pretty good at following rules.”

Allie pressed her hand to his arm. “I’m not.” She went up on her toes and nipped his lips.

Brack clamped his hands on her hips and groaned.

“But I’m good at making rules and giving orders,” she said. “Kiss me, warrior.”

With a groan, he obeyed. He kissed her deep, drawing the taste of her into him.

She pulled back panting. “I have to go.”

“Go.” If she didn’t move in the next second, he was finding a private corner where he could strip her naked and do very naughty things to her.

She flashed him a smile. “I’ll be seeing you later, Second Commander.”

He watched her saunter out and dragged in a breath. He wanted her. Fiercely. And he couldn’t control it or put a stop to it.

Cren, he didn’t want to. Shaking his head, Brack moved onto the treadmill to try and run off some of his frustration.

He’d been going at it for twenty ship minutes when Donovan entered.

The big man raised a hand. “Hi, Brack, have you seen Allie? You haven’t tied her up somewhere have you?”

Brack slammed his hand against the emergency stop. “She isn’t with you?”

Donovan frowned. “No.”

“You didn’t send her a message earlier to meet you?”

Now Donovan straightened, his face hardening. “No.”

“Cren.” Brack leaped off the treadmill. “Call her.” He was already running when he hit the door. “We have to find her.”

ALLIE CAME TO, groggy and nauseated.

What the hell had happened?

She realized she was being dragged by her arms. She blinked, taking in the corridor. It was empty, but she recognized the Divergent.

Blearily, she squinted at the markings on the wall. They were close to Engineering.

She twisted, trying to pull free of her captor, but strong hands dug into her wrists. She winced and twisted her head. Her eyes widened.

“McNamara, what the hell are you doing?”

Her chief engineer looked down at her, his face twisted with rage.

Her stomach clenched. Fuck. Kantos bug.

“The drug will keep you uncoordinated,” he rasped out. “Until we can leave.”

Great. He’d drugged her. She had vague memories of heading to find Donovan and someone jumping her, then a sting on the side of her neck.

“Leave the ship, and then what?” she asked.

“The Kantos have plans for you. They want the Space Corps information you possess to plan their glorious conquest.”

Allie snorted. Their glorious extermination, he meant. They wanted to use humans as a fucking food source. So, they wanted to tear into her head, suck out classified information, and then she’d probably end up with a bug shoved up her nose. Ugh.

She tried to fight him, but he was right. Her limbs felt heavy and floppy, and she had no control or strength.

Fuck a duck. Okay, Allie, think.

McNamara continued dragging her down the corridor, and all she could think was she was screwed.

He started to slow and she twisted her head. Shit. She could see where he was headed, and her belly curdled

The escape pods.

“They’ll know we’ve launched,” she said.

McNamara scoffed. “I can hack the system. They won’t know for hours.”

And by then, she’d be on a Kantos ship somewhere, being tortured. Now, she felt like a swarm of bees had taken over her belly.

As they neared the first pod, she grabbed the edge of the doorway and held tight. McNamara tugged and growled, then he kicked her hand.

Ow. She let go, and he dragged her right in front of one of the escape pod doors. He touched the panel and the door whooshed open.

The escape pods on the Divergent were quite large, and contained seats for several people.

He dragged her in and dumped her on the floor. Then he turned to the control panel and started tapping.

“Launch sequence initiated,” a melodious female computer voice said. “Please fasten your safety harnesses.”

McNamara was still tapping. Trying to not gain his attention, Allie dragged herself up. She crawled toward the door.

“No,” McNamara barked. He grabbed her and shoved her back.

Frustration was a ball in her throat. The doors started to close. Oh, no.

Suddenly, a big hand grabbed the door and stopped it from closing. A large form barreled into the pod. A second big body followed.

Elation hit her. Brack and Donovan.

Brack launched himself at McNamara, and the two men rammed into the console. They wrestled against each other.

Donovan leaped in and joined the fight.

“Don’t hurt him,” she called out. “He’s got a bug in him.”

The three of them slammed into a wall. McNamara lifted a hand and suddenly slapped some sludge on Brack’s wristband.

Cursing, Brack stared down at his arm, then with a roar, he rushed McNamara. They hit the ground, and she saw McNamara grabbing at his belt.

The engineer whipped out a stunner.

“Watch out!” Allie cried.

McNamara fired. Without his armor on, the blast hit Brack’s exposed chest. He collapsed on the floor and didn’t move.

“No,” Allie yelled.

D was already moving, but McNamara swiveled and fired on him as well. Her second fell backwards, out the still-open door of the pod. McNamara kicked Donovan’s boots out into the corridor.

Then the escape pod doors closed.

McNamara stomped back to the console.

Allie dragged herself across the floor and reached Brack. Her heart hammering, she touched his neck. Air shuddered out of her. He had a pulse, and it beat strong under her fingers. With a shaky hand, she pushed his hair back off his forehead.

“Launch countdown beginning,” the computer said. “Ten, nine—”

“You won’t get away with this,” Allie said.

The Kantos-controlled McNamara smiled.

“—six, five, four.”

“It’s better if you don’t cause me any problems.” McNamara advanced on her.

Allie stiffened. She leaned across Brack’s chest, trying to protect him. Then the engineer leaned over and hit her in the back of the head.

Pain rocketed through her and she collapsed over Brack. She fought to stay conscious, but as the darkness engulfed her, she heard the escape pod computer.

“Launch successful.”

CHAPTER TEN

Brack woke, stifling a groan.

Instantly, he knew he was cut off from his helian. His heart beat hard against his ribs, and he tried to adjust to the strange feeling.

He heard muffled sounds around him and he cracked his eyes open. He was in a Terran escape pod, and a disheveled male Terran, with one swollen eye, was at the controls.

Allie’s chief engineer.

Memories stormed in. Allie.

Brack turned his head, trying not to get the man’s attention. She was sprawled right beside him on the floor. Cren.

A spike of fear unlike anything he’d felt before moved through him. Was she breathing? He couldn’t hear anything over the low drone of the pod and without his helian, his senses were dulled. He reached across and pressed his hand to her chest. He felt the warmth of her, and the slight rise and fall.

Relief shuddered through him.

Then, her eyes fluttered open, and when she saw him, they widened. Then she looked to the side, taking in the escape pod.

He pressed a finger to his lips and she nodded.

They needed a plan. Fast.

He looked over. Even without his helian, he could overpower the engineer. Then they could aim the pod back to the Desteron.

He pointed at the man and then made a punching motion. Allie nodded and lifted up a little.

All of a sudden, a chime sounded, and the engineer straightened. “Finally.”

Brack looked at the pod’s small viewscreen and his muscles froze.

A Kantos battlecruiser was on approach. It looked like a giant bug, with a brown, bulbous hull, and several leg-like protuberances.

Cren.

He watched the docking bay door on the back of the Kantos ship open, the escape pod heading straight toward it.

Allie’s fingers brushed his.

Clunk. There were several more thumps and metallic noises, and then the escape pod stopped moving.

McNamara rose and kicked Brack. “Time to wake up.”

Brack glared at the man and let everything he was feeling show in his eyes. The engineer stumbled back, fear on his face.

Allie sat up. “McNamara, you are a strong-willed bastard, fight the bug’s control.”

The man’s eyes narrowed. Then the pod doors opened, and two Kantos soldiers stood in the opening.

Brack ground his teeth together.

Each soldier had four long, jointed legs, torsos made of a hard, brown shell, and two arms held out in front of them. Brack knew from experience that the edges of their arms were as sharp as swords. Armored plates covered their shoulders and the top of their heads. Four beady, yellow eyes glowed in two rows of two above a narrow mouth filled with needle-like fangs.

“Shit,” Allie muttered under her breath.

“Up,” the engineer ordered.

Holding her arm, Brack helped Allie to stand. Then McNamara grabbed a handful of her shirt and jerked her out of the escape pod.

They stepped into the large docking bay, and a rock-hard weight lodged in Brack’s gut. Swarm ships were attached to the walls in rows, like insects in a hive. Dozens of Kantos soldiers stood in rows, filling the rest of the bay.

They were well and truly outnumbered.

His gaze moved back to the swarm ships. If they could get to one…

An elite Kantos moved forward, stopping in front of them. It was a little larger than the other soldiers, its hard shell a little paler color.

The Terran is to be interrogated, and then implanted.

Allie stiffened. Yeah, Brack didn’t like it when the damn Kantos spoke in his head either. He stepped in front of her.

The elite’s four eyes glowed like pinpoints, staring right into Brack’s face. The Eon is not required. Torture him for any useful information, then execute him.

Allie made a choked sound.

Brack drew in a breath. Cren, they needed to get out of there. Now.

“Swarm ship,” he whispered to her.

Her gaze widened, and her lips twitched. No panic or distress. “Let’s do it.”

They both burst into action.

ALLIE WATCHED Brack barrel into the elite Kantos at full power.

Man, he’d be gold on a football field.

The alien toppled over, knocking into several others.

Allie turned, snatching the stunner off McNamara’s belt. A Kantos swung at her with its sharp arms. She lifted the weapon and fired.

Terran stunners didn’t have enough firepower to take down a Kantos, but it was enough to make the asshole’s ears ring. For a few seconds, he was dazed, shaking his head.

That was all she needed.

She leaped up and planted a hard kick in the soldier’s midsection. He staggered, his long legs tangling, and he fell.

Spinning, she saw Brack fighting two soldiers. Then she saw another soldier swinging at Brack’s back.

No. Way. Striding forward, she whipped the stunner up and fired. She followed through with several kicks and a jab to his beady eyes. Then she swiped the bastard’s legs out from under him.

A roar filled the air, and she turned to see McNamara running at her like a linebacker.

Sorrow filled her. He was hers to protect and she’d failed him. She lifted the stunner and when the beam hit him, he collapsed like he’d hit a wall.

He fell, skidding across the floor.

“Come on.” Brack grabbed her arm.

Together, they sprinted around the escape pod, and across the docking bay.

“McNamara,” she yelled.

“We can’t rescue him now. We’d have to contain him, and we have no way to extract the bug.”

Fuck. She knew what Brack was saying was true. If they had to contain McNamara, they’d never escape. But shit, it hurt to leave the man behind. He was her crew member and her friend.

I’ll come back for you.

Suddenly, Brack jerked to the side and Allie almost tripped. A strange, scorpion-like bug was skittering toward them. It almost reached her waist and the large stinger rose to chest level.

Damn ugly bugs.

The alien creature darted forward, stabbing with its sharp stinger. They dodged again, and the stinger slammed into the floor, cracking it.

Brack moved to the left and it matched the move. They went right, and the bug followed.

Allie glanced over her shoulder. Kantos soldiers were headed in their direction. “Brack.”

“I’ll distract it,” he said. “You run around and get to the swarm ship.”

He ran at the bug, leaping into the air. He dodged the stinger and landed a hard kick. She heard the crunch of bug shell.

Oh, yeah, how do you like that? Brack moved in a whirlwind of kicks and hits. Even without access to his helian, he was fast and a hell of a fighter.

“Allie, move!” he roared.

Right. Sucking in a breath, she sprinted for the swarm ships.

Another scorpion bug skittered into view. Its head turned her way and it ran at her.

Great. She lifted the stunner and fired. The beam bounced off the creature’s hard shell.

The stinger rushed at Allie and she threw herself sideways. Before she could recover, the bug slammed into her body.

She flew backward, rolled, and came up in a crouch. The scorpion rushed at her, giving her a perfect view of sharp, snapping pinchers on either side of an oval-shaped mouth. The stinger rushed toward her and she grabbed it, jerking it to the side.

Damn, it was strong. She gritted her teeth, holding on as hard as she could.

The bug made a screeching sound and tried to back up. Allie launched herself forward. She released the stinger, then rammed her stunner into the alien bug’s mouth. She fired.

Jerking wildly, the bug gave another wild screech, then slumped.

Allie pulled back, heaving in air. Her heart was hammering hard, adrenaline coursing through her.

“Allie.”

Brack appeared and thrust a hand out. She grabbed it, and he pulled her to her feet and jerked her into a run. He was covered in green ooze that she guessed was bug blood.

Three more of the things appeared in front of them, stingers poised to strike. Shit, they were running out of time.

Brack dipped, lifted her into his arms, then ran at the bugs.

What the hell? She clung onto him. “This is a crazy—”

He leaped into the air, sailing high over the bugs. He landed, set her on her feet, then tugged her forward.

“We can’t stop,” he said. “If they catch us, we won’t get another chance to escape.”

She looked back again. Soldiers were streaming across the docking bay. Her pulse spiked, and she pushed for more speed.

They finally reached the wall of the docking bay. It was coated in some kind of webbing. Brack gripped it and started climbing.

Allie followed. Ugh, the webbing was sticky and actually reminded her of a spider’s web. Still, she’d wade through literally anything to escape.

Brack reached the closest swarm ship and cracked open the door. He climbed in, and she followed, dropping into the vertically docked vessel.

Ew. The rotten smell overpowered her. Kantos ships did not smell good.

Brack touched the controls, then cursed. “I wish I had access to my helian.”

She perched on one of the large, Kantos-sized pilot seats. Through the viewscreen, she could see the Kantos coming.

“Speed it up, warrior.”

“I’m going as fast as I can,” he growled.

Despite the circumstances, Allie found herself smiling. “Don’t get bent out of shape, Second Commander.”

He palmed the controls. “I’m trying to save our lives, and you are intent on vexing me.”

“Just trying to lighten the moment.” The first Kantos soldiers were almost at the swarm ship. “Besides, I know you’ll get us out of here.”

Brack’s gaze met hers, and damned if she didn’t feel the click of the connection between them.

Then the engines of the swarm ship flared to life.

“See?” she said.

They took off so fast that Allie tumbled out of the chair and hit the console. “Dammit!”

“Strap in,” he said.

“You could’ve warned me.” She pulled the harness on. It was way too big since it was designed for a Kantos body. “I’ll still probably fall out of this, especially if you fly like a typical teenage boy with his first car.”

“I am more concerned about getting us off the Kantos cruiser so they don’t torture and kill us.”

They made a wobbly track out of the docking bay, skimming so close to some soldiers that she saw them topple over.

Then they shot out of the cruiser.

Allie’s heart leaped. “We made it!” She reached out and punched his arm. “Nice work, Second Commander.”

But Brack’s jaw was tight. “Not clear yet.”

He was staring at the control screen. She spotted several dots on the screen, following them.

Swarm ships.

Her stomach did a sickening turn. Suddenly, alarms started squawking.

“What now?” she said.

“The cruiser has locked weapons on us.” Brack touched the controls, and their ship veered to the right and moved into a roll.

Allie was thrown against her seat. She felt like her stomach had bounced into her head. “Warn me, warrior.”

“I’m busy flying.”

Laser fire arched past them.

Stay calm. Brack could fly. They still had a chance.

Then they were hit by a huge blast. The ship shuddered, and more squawking, high-pitched alarms sounded.

“We’re hit,” he cried out.

Smoke started to fill the cockpit.

Allie gripped the sides of her seat. Oh, fuck.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Another blast of laser hit them. The ship convulsed.

Brack was losing control. He ground his teeth together, and tried to get the ship to obey his commands.

“Brack?” Allie said. “Talk to me.”

“We’ve taken too much damage.” He coaxed as much speed as he could from the ship. “The engines are failing.”

Allie started coughing. The smoke was getting thicker.

“Cren, I wish I could access my helian.” He hated being cut off like this. “We need to land.”

“Okay, okay.” She swiped at the screen in front of her seat. “Ugh, I hate Kantos systems.”

He glanced over and saw she was looking through star charts.

“There’s nothing out here!” she cried.

Lights started flickering in the cockpit. “We’re losing environmental systems.”

“Fuck a duck.”

“Fuck a duck?” he said incredulously. “Do Terrans actually do that?”

“What? No! It’s just a curse.”

Brack shook his head. “Allie, find us something.”

“The nearest star is too far away, Brack. I can’t make a star appear out of nowhere.”

“Asteroids?”

She made a humming noise. Then another blast hit them, and they were both tossed forward in their seats.

“Oh shit, here come more swarm ships.”

The ships streamed past them, ducking and weaving around their ailing ship.

“Cren.” Brack forced them into a dive.

“We still have weapons.” She was tapping at the screen, pulling the weapons controls up.

“Use them!”

“I’m trying to! Yes, okay, weapons are activated.” A second later, she started firing. She managed to take one ship out, and it exploded in front of them.

“Woohoo.” She grinned at him.

So bloodthirsty and beautiful.

“Watch and learn, warrior.” She hunched over the controls, firing at the swarm ships. She took out another ship.

Then their engines stuttered. They started to lose speed.

Brack slammed his palm against the console. “We’re down to one engine.”

“Shit.” She tapped her screen again. “Wait!”

“What?” he demanded.

“I found something. A planet.”

He frowned. “A planet? You said there were no stars nearby.”

“It isn’t orbiting a star.” She turned her head, her face alight. “It’s a rogue planet.”

An orphan planet that didn’t orbit a star. “It’ll be dark and frozen. We won’t last a minute on the surface.”

“If I’m reading this damn Kantos system correctly, I’m detecting heat. And flora.”

He shook his head. “That can’t be possible.”

“Look.”

He leaned over. “Scans are showing geothermal heat, and a breathable atmosphere. Not quite what we’re used to, so we’ll have to breathe a little deeper.”

“But we won’t die a painful death.”

Brack grunted. He plugged in the coordinates and changed course. “Hold on.”

The swarm ships were still after them. He ducked and dived, using every evasive maneuver he could coax from the ship. Allie managed to damage one more swarm ship.

Another alarm squawked, hurting his ears. “We’re losing maneuverability.”

“There it is,” she said.

He looked ahead and made out the dark form of the planet. They were close.

Another laser blast hit them and their ship spun out of control.

“Brack!”

“Brace!” he roared.

The ship revolved wildly, both of them pinned to their seats. Then they hit the rogue planet’s atmosphere. The ship shuddered and shook.

Brack fought to straighten them up, but then the controls stopped responding. He reached over and grabbed Allie’s hand.

They barreled through the darkness and the lights flickered off. As they hurtled toward the ground, he tried desperately to bring the nose of the ship up.

He couldn’t tell how far they were from the ground. The consoles were completely dead, as were the scanners.

A second later, they hit the ground, hard.

The ship dug into the planet’s surface, dirt flying up over the viewscreen. It flipped over twice, and Brack’s head cracked against his seat.

He heard Allie scream, metal groaning, things smashing.

Then there was nothing.

WHEN ALLIE MANAGED to crack her eyes open, all she saw was pitch blackness. Damn, she couldn’t see a thing.

Her body ached like she’d been through a grinder.

“Brack?” She sat up in her seat, reaching across for him. “Brack?”

She heard a deep groan from beside her. She unclipped her harness and crawled toward him. His seat was partially torn from the floor. She patted his body, finding him slumped in the seat. Nothing felt broken. She cupped his cheek.

“You with me, Second Commander?”

“I’m okay,” he ground out.

“We’re alive, so that’s a good start.”

“We just crashed and you think that’s good?”

“I’m an optimist.” Her eyes had adjusted, and she realized now that a dim light was coming from somewhere in the cockpit. Some sort of emergency lighting. She scanned around.

“We’re stuck on a rogue planet—” he straightened and let out a groan “—in a crashed Kantos swarm ship that’s completely out of commission, and very soon, the Kantos will come looking for us.”

“Could be worse,” she said.

She saw him shake his head, but she also saw the gleam of his teeth.

Then, a rush of sound tore through the sky outside. Swarm ships. “Shit.”

Grunting, Brack unclipped his harness and rose. “We need to search the ship for any gear that might help us survive the planet. Look for anything useful.”

He started tearing storage compartments open. Allie patted around, pulling open a cabinet and searching inside. Brack shoved a canvas-like bag at her. It had extra-long straps that were clearly designed for a Kantos body. It smelled strongly of Kantos. Blah. Still, she started shoving things inside it. She found an object she recognized and touched the controls. A reddish glow came from the Kantos version of a flashlight.

“Move faster, Allie,” Brack said.

It wouldn’t take the Kantos long to find the crash site. Brack and Allie needed to be very far away when that happened.

She found some bladders filled with fluid and held them up. “Brack?”

He frowned at them. “It’s drinkable. Bring it.”

She found some strange-shaped containers that she thought might have food in them. They were large, with odd dips in them that she guessed made them easy for Kantos claws to hold. She shuddered at the thought of what the Kantos might eat, but she stuck the containers in the bag. When you crashed on a rogue planet, you couldn’t be choosy.

Next, she found two tiny vials nestled in a drawer. She gasped. “Brack.”

He sucked in a breath. “Helian antidote.”

She handed it over and watched him crack open one of the vials. He poured the liquid onto the black goop covering his helian. She watched the substance melt away, and a second later, he smiled. Scales flowed over his body until his armor was in place.

Nice.

Brack tucked the second vial away in his pocket.

With renewed enthusiasm, they finished searching the ship. Allie found a jagged, Kantos-style knife and smiled, slipping it into her pack. The Kantos didn’t make many weapons, so she was lucky.

“We can’t stay any longer.” Brack kicked the door open.

Allie lifted her flashlight, and Brack got his helian to form a light on his shoulder. The narrow beam speared into the darkness ahead. She swung her pack over her shoulder, knotting the overlong straps to adjust it to her size.

All she saw was tall vegetation, made of long, narrow, oily-looking leaves.

They set off.

“Where are we headed?” she asked.

“Away from the ship.”

It wasn’t a very detailed escape plan, but she guessed it was better than nothing. They pushed through the tall plants. As she brushed past them, blue light illuminated on the leaves like a spill of color. Her lips parted.

“Bioluminescence,” he said.

She laughed, fingering one of the leaves. “Not surprising on a planet that has eternal darkness. It’s so pretty.”

“Gorgeous,” he said.

She looked up and saw he was looking at her. Warmth spilled through her chest.

They kept moving, leaving a trail of bioluminescence behind them. She frowned. “Brack, what if the Kantos can follow this?”

He studied the plants and shook his head. “It isn’t bright enough to be visible from the sky, and look behind us.”

The light faded almost as quickly as it formed.

As they walked, Allie felt warmth radiating from the ground. Amazing. They passed several other different types of vegetation, some with larger leaves, others like vines. There were even strings of bioluminescence that appeared to float in the air.

“We need to find shelter,” Brack said.

She could practically hear the scowl in his voice. Lights speared across the sky, the sound of ships nearing.

Kantos. They both ducked, and Brack pulled her in under some larger leaves. A swarm ship swept past, lights piercing down to the ground.

It was moving back and forth, searching.

“Run,” Brack said.

They broke cover and ran in the opposite direction to the ship. Both of them doused their lights, and Allie prayed she wouldn’t trip over something.

She ducked and weaved through the plants, ignoring every time a large leaf would slap her in the face.

“Incoming,” Brack barked.

The swarm ship shot right over them. Lights illuminated all around them.

Shit. Laser fire whizzed through the air, hitting the ground nearby.

Allie threw her arms up, then Brack tackled her. They hit the ground hard, his big body sheltering hers. More laser fire hit and dirt rained down on them.

She felt his body jerk. “Brack?”

“Just debris. Come on.” He rose and jerked her up. He thrust her into the wall of vegetation.

They ran hard and he picked an irregular path. More laser fire hit and she saw ripples of agitated bioluminescence flow across the plants.

Then she frowned. “We’re heading back close to the ship.”

“Yes. They’d expect us to run away from it, but I don’t want them to have even a general idea of our location.”

Soon, she’d worked up a sweat, and she shot Brack a few disgruntled glances. The man ran like he could keep it up all day.

Suddenly, he stopped. She rammed into the back of him and swallowed a curse. “What is it?” She kept her voice low. She couldn’t see anything, but his night vision was much better than hers.

He held up a hand, his head tilted.

Then she heard it. Large bodies crashing through the plants.

“Kantos soldiers,” he whispered.

Crap. He grabbed her arm and changed direction. She followed, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. She lost track of time, but she guessed they’d been running for an hour.

When they reached a small clearing, she looked up and saw the lights in the sky were far in the distance. She smiled.

“I think we can take a short break.” Brack slowed to a stop.

They rested for a moment, drinking carefully from the bladders they’d taken from the Kantos ship. Thankfully, it tasted like water.

As she eyed the sky, she saw the swarm ships weren’t getting any closer.

“Now what?” she asked.

“All we can do is hope that the Kantos lose interest in searching for us and leave.”

Hopefully that didn’t take too long, or they’d run out of food.

They set off again, at a slightly slower pace. As she passed a long stand of the bioluminescence, she reached up and touched it. It wrapped around her wrist and she smiled. But when she tried to shake it off, it tightened around her arm.

Shit. She pulled at it, but it kept curling tighter and tighter. “Crap.”

As she struggled, another strand snaked along the ground and wrapped around her ankle.

Shit. “Uh, Brack?”

He turned, studying her predicament. “Hmm, it appears the plant life shares a few of my own ideas. Tying you up to keep you out of trouble.”

She screwed up her nose at him. “Ha ha.”

“I would have added a gag as well.”

“He crash-lands on a rogue planet and then thinks he’s a comedian. Can you get me free, please?”

A knife formed on his arm, and Allie didn’t think she’d ever tire of watching Eon armor and what it could do. He cut through the strands and they fell to the ground.

“Thanks.” She rubbed her wrist.

“Be careful, we have no idea what kind of defenses the vegetation on this planet has.”

Suddenly, a rustle sounded in the plants behind them. They both froze.

“There’s wildlife?” she asked. “Nothing showed on scans.”

“If there’s vegetation, there’s likely wildlife.”

“Hopefully it’s small.” And not vicious and man-eating.

“Let’s keep moving.” He pointed. “My helian’s detecting a large heat signature in that direction. It’ll be warmer, and hopefully we can find shelter.”

“Lead the way, Second Commander.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Brack pushed through some plants, watching as they lit up under his touch. Thanks to his helian, he could see extremely well in the dark.

They were close to the hotter area, and the vegetation was getting thicker, as well. His enhanced senses also detected the pungent scent of minerals. Several small animals skittered through the plant life, but nothing that appeared to be any danger to them.

Now, they just needed to find some decent shelter so they could hide and rest.

He glanced off to their right and watched the lights flying in a chaotic search pattern. The Kantos were still looking for them.

He glanced at Allie. He was worried, because she was only wearing her workout gear. His armor provided him with excellent protection from the environment, but her clothes didn’t offer much at all.

She pushed through some leaves, staying close. Right from the beginning of this ordeal, she’d stayed calm and focused. Just exhibiting her no-nonsense determination.

By Eschar’s embrace, she was unlike any other woman he knew.

“Brack.”

Her warning tone made him look up. A swarm ship was heading in their direction.

“Down.”

They dropped and he ensured they were under the widest leaves. He wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into him.

“Don’t move,” he warned.

“Damn, I was thinking of breaking out in a jig.”

His lips quirked. The swarm ship swept overhead, then circled around. He heard Allie pull in a breath.

Cren. Had it detected them? Tense, they both waited and watched as the ship zoomed by again. Then it turned and arrowed back toward the other ships.

Brack released a breath. “Come on.”

They picked up their pace, and then all of a sudden, the plant life stopped. He slowed.

A rocky, muddy plain lay ahead of them, devoid of any plant life. The ground here was paler and smelled of sulfur.

Allie took a few steps forward, then lifted her foot. Mud squelched. “Yuck.”

Brack felt warmth pumping up off the ground.

“The plant life seems to be clustered around this area,” he said. “The geothermal heat is close to the surface.”

Across the clearing, he also saw what looked like rock formations. “Look.”

Allie peered ahead, frowning. “I can’t see in the dark like you can, Second Commander.”

“There are some rock formations. They might make a decent shelter.”

“Onward, then.”

They started across the plain, the mud sucking on their boots.

“You missed an opportunity to make any cracks about the weakness of Terrans with their puny eyesight.”

He glanced at her. “It’s safe to say that I no longer have the same beliefs about Terran inferiority.”

She gasped, and theatrically pressed a hand to her chest. “Why, Second Commander, I think you’re flirting with me.”

A laugh broke out of Brack. “That smart mouth of yours will get you into trouble one day.”

“Oh, it already has, many times. Drew was worse.”

“Really? Did you learn from him?”

“Yes. He taught me lots of things he shouldn’t have.” Sadness threaded her voice.

“I didn’t know your brother, but I’m certain he’d be proud of the woman you’ve become.”

“Yeah, I hope so.” She paused. “Sometimes I’m still angry at him for leaving me. And at myself for not realizing he needed help.”

Brack touched her arm. “That’s a normal reaction, Allie. I’m angry at my parents every time I talk to them. My father, for not being able to show any loyalty to the woman he claimed. My mother for staying with him.”

“That’s normal too,” she said.

Suddenly, the ground started to rumble beneath their feet.

Brack scowled. They were halfway across the plain. Allie almost fell, and he grabbed her, holding her up.

“Hell, what now?” she muttered.

His helian vibrated against his wrist, warning him of impending danger. He sensed heat bubbling up beneath their feet.

“Allie, run!”

She didn’t hesitate or question him. They broke into a sprint and, as they ran, the shaking got worse.

Suddenly, behind them, there was a roar of sound. A fountain of hot water burst out of the ground and speared into the air.

“Fuck a duck,” Allie bit out.

Boiling-hot drops of fluid fell on Brack’s arm. He fell in behind Allie to block any spray from hitting her. “Faster.”

They leaped over puddles, arms pumping. Another geyser shot up, just to the side of them. Allie cried out and he knocked into her, pushing her out of the way.

The rumbling beneath them increased.

All of a sudden, Allie dived into him, tackling him to the ground.

They landed with a splash in a shallow puddle of mud. He turned his head and saw that where he’d been standing, a narrow geyser was now shooting into the air.

“Thanks,” he said.

“Any time.”

The shaking had subsided a bit. He pulled her up and saw her grimace. They were both coated in mud.

She flicked her hands, flinging mud off. “Ouch, this stuff is hot.”

“How did you know the geyser was going to blow?”

“The dark patches of mud. We need to stay off of them.”

Brack scanned the ground behind them and saw she was right. The jets were shooting out from darkened mud.

“Keep running.” He wanted her off this plain.

They were getting closer to the rock formations. He saw that they were actually made of solidified mud. They were all different, irregular shapes, and the mud from numerous eruptions in the past had dried into paler bands of color. Some glittered with luminescence.

“That one.” He pointed to a dome-shaped formation with an asymmetrical opening at the front of it.

The ground started to shake again. More violently than before.

And they were standing right on a patch of mud that was so dark it was almost black.

Brack lifted Allie off her feet. The ground beneath them began to bend upward, forming a mound. He leaped the last of the distance to the shelter.

They tumbled inside, just as he heard water spraying. It drummed against the sides of the shelter.

He rolled them deeper inside.

When they came to a stop, he was lying on top of Allie.

Cren, she felt perfect under him.

She looked up at him and smiled. “Nice jump, Second Commander.”

She was caked in mud and it streaked her hair, yet he’d never seen anything more beautiful.

He lowered his head and kissed her.

ADRENALINE COURSED through Allie and she poured everything she had, everything she was feeling, into the kiss.

God, he tasted so delicious. And those lips. She moaned and he deepened the kiss, that clever tongue delving deeper. She moaned again.

Outside, she heard the geyser die off.

Brack lifted his head.

His rugged face was streaked with mud, like a toddler had used him as a canvas. She grinned, and he smiled back.

“You smell,” she said.

“So do you.” He pulled her into a sitting position. “We’re alive, that’s all I care about.”

Allie glanced around and saw that the bands of mud in the walls were glowing, bathing the shelter in a low light. Hmm, had to be a luminescent mineral or bioluminescent organism.

She realized the geyser would have sprayed another layer of mud on to this shelter, that would no doubt solidify as it dried.

Suddenly, she heard the whizz of swarm ships in the sky. Shit. “The persistent bugs haven’t given up.”

Together, they crawled to the opening, crouching in the shadows and peering out.

Lights cut across the dark sky.

“They’re probably investigating the spike in geothermal energy,” Brack said.

They sat there, tense, waiting for the ships to move off.

Finally, the lights disappeared, and Allie sagged in exhaustion. She plucked at her mud-caked clothes. Mud was drying on her skin as well.

“I think it’s safe to clean up, eat, and rest,” he said, shouldering off his pack.

“Clean up?” She let her eyebrows wing up, and shrugged her pack off as well. “Where?”

“Look.” He pointed just outside their shelter.

She arched her head and then delight filled her. The geyser had filled a shallow bowl in the rocky ground, forming a small hot pool.

Allie almost groaned. “Is it safe?”

He exited the shelter, and crouched by the pool. He touched the water, swirling his fingers through it. As his hand moved, the water luminesced.

“God, it’s so pretty,” she said.

“The geothermal activity has settled. The temperature’s fine, although a little on the warm side. The water composition is safe.”

He stood and his armor retracted until he was back in his black uniform. He stepped into the pool, uniform and all.

She followed, watching as the mud slicked off her clothes. The water was hot, but that was how she liked it on the rare occasion she had a bath. She ducked under the water and unfastened her hair, letting the water clean it.

When she rose, Brack was taking his uniform off.

Oh. God. He removed his shirt, showing off a glorious wall of hard muscle. A different kind of heat licked through her.

Allie bit her lip, taking in the hard ropes of muscle in his chest. He was built to fight, for strength. His wet hair was plastered to his head, and she watched as he unbuttoned his trousers. She couldn’t look away. He slid them off.

Sweet Jesus. He was wearing the tiniest pair of boxers she’d ever seen. God, his thighs. They were so solid. Something else was solid as well.

She pressed her legs together, fighting the flutters in her belly. He lifted his head and his gaze met hers.

All the obstacles between them seemed so far away. Here, it was only the two of them…well, if you ignored the swarm of Kantos looking for them.

Well, she should play fair. She rose and pulled her shirt over her head. It only took her a moment to shuck her leggings. She stood in only her black sports bra and boy-leg panties. They weren’t provocative by any means, but the scorching look on his face made her feel like she was wearing the sexiest lingerie.

Clearing her throat, she rinsed off her clothes, then stepped out of the pool to drape them over the top of the shelter to dry.

“So, we just wait?” she asked.

He followed her, laying his uniform beside her clothes. “We need the Kantos to leave before we can find a way off this planet.”

She scanned around. A way off? How the hell would they get off this rogue planet?

“Are you hungry?” he asked, tugging her into the shelter.

It was damn distracting to think coherently with his near-naked body on display. She watched as he opened his pack and unfolded what looked like a leather-like mat.

“The Kantos had a mat in their ship?” she said.

“Well, it isn’t what they use it for.”

“What do they use it for?”

He shot her a look. “You don’t want to know.” He dropped down and looked through the pack.

“What’s on the menu?” she asked.

“Well—” He rummaged around the pack and pulled out some odd Kantos containers of what looked like black, jelly-like mush.

Her nose wrinkled. “What is that?”

“Obviously some Kantos delicacy.”

She groaned. The words Kantos and delicacy did not go together.

Brack poked his fingers into several holes in the container and it cracked open. He sniffed the contents. “From what I can tell,” he said, “it’s high in protein.”

Allie sat and took one of the containers. She stabbed at it until it opened, then using two fingers, she scooped some of the stuff out and forced it down. It wasn’t the worst thing she’d ever tasted, but it had crunchy bits in the slop. Ugh. It was pretty gross.

“It’ll keep your energy up.” Stony-faced, Brack ate his food.

The faint light of the shelter threw interesting shadows over his strong features. He looked at her over his container, and they stared at each other across the space.

Allie felt the air around them heat even more and it wasn’t from the geothermal energy. She swallowed, her body alive with sensation. Neither of them said anything, and finally, he deliberately set his container down.

A second later, they jumped at each other.

Hungry mouths met, limbs tangling.

“God, I can’t get enough of the taste of you.” She pressed against his bare chest.

He groaned, wrapping his arms around her. “You are driving me out of my mind.”

She slid her hands into his still-damp hair, his hands reached down and cupped her ass.

“So, stop thinking.” She pressed her mouth back to his.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“I’ve been wanting you under me for days,” Brack growled.

“I’ve been wanting you under me for days.”

When he bit Allie’s neck, she moaned. Need rushed through his body, a fire in his gut. He turned, lowering her to the leather covering he’d laid out on the ground.

But of course, it was Allie, so she moved, pushing up to straddle his lap. She rocked against him and his cock was harder than it had ever been. His blood was burning.

He made a growling sound and bit her neck again. She arched her back.

He yanked at her bra, pulling it off. Her gorgeous breasts spilled into his hands.

“These are beautiful.” He shaped her rib cage and pulled her up so his mouth could close over one peak. He sucked on her nipple, then flicked his tongue over the tip. She made husky cries and rubbed against him. The warmth of her, covered only by thin panties, pressed against his throbbing cock.

Brack moved his hands down, kneading her toned, curvy ass.

Her hands dug into his chest, tracing the contours. Then she slid them to his shoulders.

“I love how you’re built.” Her hands moved into his hair, tugging.

“Nowhere near as much as I love your body.” He sucked her nipple again.

“Suck me harder,” she ordered.

He moved to her other nipple and obeyed. He took his time, loving the feel and taste of her. Then he moved one hand down, sliding it between her legs and into her panties.

She gasped, moving on his fingers.

“Stand,” he said.

She did, her legs quivering. He slid his fingers into the side of her panties and jerked them down her legs.

Then he shoved his hand between her thighs again, stroking. She was soft and slick.

She gasped and jerked.

“Already wet for me,” he murmured.

“Looking at you does that. And arguing with you.”

He thrust a finger inside her.

“Oh, God.” Her words blended into a moan.

He jerked her back into his lap, sliding another finger in her tight warmth. He brushed his thumb over her clit.

She gasped. “More. Brack, please.”

Allie was riding his hand now, and he kept teasing her, stroking her. She lifted her head and he saw the heat and need in her eyes.

“Come for me,” he ordered. “Come, shara.”

Her body clenched on his fingers and she threw her head back, crying out his name.

Cren. Need was a constant throb inside him. An urgent beat. His cock was so hard it was painful.

Panting, Allie gripped his shoulders. “I need you inside me, Second Commander.”

Using his title right now sounded like a caress. “I’m more than happy to obey that order, Captain.”

It took him seconds to shed his underwear. Allie watched him, her gaze hot.

With one hand, he gripped the base of his cock. With his other hand, he gripped her ass and guided her down.

The head of his cock butted against her folds, and they both made a harsh noise. She sank lower, taking him inside her.

“Oh.” Her face spasmed.

Brack gritted his teeth. He felt her warmth stretch around him, rippling as she took him in. She moaned.

Then she moved her hips and shoved herself down, taking him deep. They both groaned.

“Give me a second,” she panted.

He’d give her whatever she needed. She reached over his shoulders, pressing her hands to the wall, then she started to ride him.

Cren.

Pleasure—hot and scalding—crashed through him. She moved faster, a smile flirting on her lips.

A groan rumbled in his chest, and it felt like lightning streaked down his spine. “You like driving me crazy, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she purred. “And I’m not done yet.”

Her inner muscles squeezed on his cock and his hips jerked up.

“I like this.” Her words were a hot murmur. “I like you deep inside me, filling me up.”

The final thread of Brack’s control snapped. With a growl, he flipped her over.

With a small cry, she landed on her hands and knees. Gripping her hips, he plunged back inside her.

“Yes,” she cried, thrusting back against him.

He slid a hand into her hair, holding on as he kept driving into her, rough and hard. His cock plunged into her, over and over, each powerful thrust forcing a cry out of her.

She started coming again and Brack lost it.

With one last wild thrust, he snarled through his release. “Allie.” As pleasure rocked him, he poured himself inside her.

LYING ON HER BELLY, Allie had no strength to move. She didn’t even care that the Kantos leather beneath her smelled vaguely of bugs.

Brack lay beside her, his fingers trailing up and down her back.

“Shara, are you breathing?”

She liked the Eon pet name. It sounded pretty. She managed to make a noise and heard him laugh.

He sounded very pleased with himself.

“I think we need to bathe again.” His fingers curved over her bottom, dipping between her legs where she was wet and sticky.

She moaned. “I can’t make it out to the hot pool—”

He picked her up and she squeaked in surprise. He carried her so easily.

When he stepped into the pool, the warm water felt like heaven on her body. She glanced around. “Is it safe?”

“I wouldn’t bring you out here if it wasn’t. There are no Kantos in the sky, and my helian isn’t detecting any increased geothermal activity.”

She relaxed, letting the water soak into her muscles.

Mmm. They might be stuck on a rogue planet, with no way off, but being naked in a hot pool with the sexiest guy she knew—who also gave the best orgasms—wasn’t so bad.

She watched Brack lounge against the side of the hot pool, a smile on his lips.

Drew would have liked Brack. She could imagine her brother teasing her about her brawny warrior.

But Brack wasn’t all just hard muscle. He was sharp, disciplined. Arrogant, for sure, but there was a lot to like about him.

Careful, Allie. Don’t get attached. The guy had issues with commitment with a capital I. Besides, she had her own issues. Her heart did an extra hard bump in her chest. Getting this close to someone…

She shoved the chaotic feelings down deep. They had to get off this planet before she could worry about anything else.

When she looked at his face again, she saw he was watching her. He wore a hungry expression again and her belly fluttered.

She leaned back against the rocky side of the pool, then splashed water onto her chest. Next, she cupped one breast.

His blue-black gaze sharpened.

She rose up, plucking at her hardening nipple. Oh, it was fun to tease him. She rolled her nipple again, feeling desire arrow down to her belly. Her lips parted.

“Allie.” Her name was a growl on his lips.

“Watch, Second Commander.”

He stayed where he was, his big body quivering. She cupped both breasts, squeezing them together. She heard him groan. Then she let one hand drift lower, sliding down her belly, then between her legs.

She stroked herself and her breath hitched.

“Tease,” he bit out.

“I like teasing you.” She tilted her head. “Are you hard again?”

“I was hard before we got in the water.”

She shivered. Her clit was swollen, and need was growing like fire in her belly. She moaned again.

Brack surged up out of the pool, sending water streaming off him, and he crossed the space to her. She saw his thick cock rising, hard and ruddy, toward his abs.

Her belly clenched. He gripped his cock, squeezing it and giving it two slow pumps. His face twisted, the muscles in his stomach tensing. He stroked again. Damn, he was magnificent.

Allie moved on to her knees, water sloshing around them. She took his hard cock in her hand, loving how hot his skin felt.

“Allie—”

She leaned forward and wrapped her mouth around the thick head of his cock. Then she sucked.

“Cren.” His body locked, his hands gripped her hair.

She wanted to drive him wild, to push him right over the edge. She took as much of him as she could in her mouth, going deep. He groaned, then she started to bob, sucking him hard.

His fingers twisted in her hair, but he didn’t force her movements. His hips jerked forward.

She pressed a hand to his sturdy thigh, squeezed. She sucked harder. His big, strong legs tremble. This huge warrior trembled for her.

“Your mouth…” His words were guttural. “Enough.”

He grabbed her and sank back into the water, spinning her. The next thing she knew, she was in his lap, facing away from him. He was hot against her back and his cock was hard beneath her ass.

He nudged her folds. “Ready, Captain?”

“For your hard cock? Oh, yeah.”

Brack pushed her down and they both groaned. He stretched her, making her chest hitch, then he was seated deep inside her.

“Ride me, Allie.” His mouth was hot on her neck, finding a sensitive spot that drove her wild. She felt surrounded by him. She moved her hips.

Allie was so full, and it had nothing to do with the size of Brack’s cock.

“You like it.” A hot whisper in her ear. “My big cock filling you up.”

“Yes.” God, his sexy talk pushed her closer to the edge.

He bumped his hips up to meet her downward thrusts. Then they were straining against each other, the water splashing around them.

She rested her hands on his rock-hard thighs, using them for leverage. She picked up speed until their pace was fast and brutal.

But she still needed more.

His hand slid around her hip, then between her legs. He groaned. “I can feel you stretched around me, taking me in.”

Then he found her clit. She cried out and his teeth sank into her neck.

“Come, Allie. Just for me.”

Her orgasm hit her like an explosion. She bucked, gasping his name. With a harsh roar, he shoved her down, filling her as he worked through his own climax.

Moments later, he nuzzled her neck.

“Okay?” His voice was gruff.

She managed a nod.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“Fan-freaking-tastic.”

“I’ll assume that’s good.”

She snuggled back into him. “Yep, that’s good.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

They slept for a few hours, forced down some more Kantos food, and now they were getting dressed.

Brack couldn’t drag his gaze off Allie. It didn’t matter that she was back in her workout gear, he knew exactly what was under it now.

When she caught his gaze, she winked.

By Alqin’s axe, she made him feel good. They were in the worst of circumstances, but being with her made it seem okay.

“Right, so we need a plan.” She spread her hands. “As much as I’d love to stay here, living on outstanding orgasms, our people need us.” Her face turned serious. “And the Kantos need an ass-kicking.”

Brack pulled her close, almost tugging her off her feet, and kissed her, long and deep. “You’re the only person who’s ever made me want to smile when things look grim.” He set her down. “I think our best bet is to try to make the swarm ship operational.”

Her eyes widened. “The swarm ship that was first damaged by laser blasts, and that we subsequently crashed into this planet?”

“That one.”

Her nose wrinkled. “Damn, I knew you were going to say that.”

“We haven’t detected any other signs of sentient life or tech on this planet.”

“You’re right, we haven’t. That leaves us with no real other options. So, let’s get moving before the ground starts shaking again.”

They packed up their gear and pulled on the packs. Brack commanded his helian to form a light on his shoulder. Allie flicked on her Kantos light. They eyed the geothermal plain. The quickest route back to the ship was across it.

“I don’t detect any geothermal activity,” he said.

“Let’s hope it stays that way.”

They set off quickly, falling into a steady jog. Brack kept scanning the sky, but thankfully he didn’t see any ships.

“You think the Kantos left?” she asked.

“I hope so. They aren’t known for being very patient.”

He dodged several hot pools, and out of the corner of his eye, he watched Allie leap gracefully over one. Soon, he spotted vegetation ahead. They were almost there.

Then the ground started to rumble.

“Oh, shit,” Allie bit out.

“Run,” he yelled.

They sprinted. The vegetation wasn’t too far away.

Small geysers jetted up out of the mud. There were dozens of the narrow beams of water. It almost looked like the fountain out in front of his parents’ home.

“Watch out,” he yelled.

Brack and Allie dodged through the small geysers. Almost there.

Then Allie cursed.

“Allie—”

She was clutching her arm. “One sprayed me. Just a minor burn. I’m fine.”

They kept running, but the mud was getting slick. She almost slipped, and he was losing traction.

Then the shaking stopped. Cautiously, they slowed to a walk.

She blew out a breath. “Finally, we caught a break.”

Brack grabbed her arm, checking it. There was a nasty burn that had chewed through her shirt.

“It isn’t too bad,” she said.

He nodded. He had nothing to treat it with, but he hated seeing even this small wound on her skin. “Come on. Let’s get into the vegetation and get to the ship.”

“What if we can’t get it flying?” she asked.

“I thought you were an optimist? No pessimism allowed.”

“Yes, Second Commander.” She tossed him an Earth military salute.

He smiled at her, and then realized that the sharp stench of sulfur was growing around them. Frowning, he scanned the ground and suddenly realized that the mud was bulging. Like something was pushing up beneath it.

The mud started churning.

Allie frowned. “What the hell?”

Forms started rising up out of the slop, the mud coalescing into strange shapes.

Cren.

Brack commanded his sword to form. The long blade slid out, blue glinting on it. He stepped in front of Allie.

“Ah, Brack—”

He turned his head and saw more creatures forming in the mud behind them. Between them and the line of vegetation.

The closest mud monster took on a humanoid shape. It was the same height as him, and even had a sword-like protuberance on its arm. Some of the other forms were the exact height and shape as Allie.

Whatever these creatures were, they were mimicking Brack and Allie’s bodies.

Suddenly, the closest one lunged at them. Brack swung his sword, cutting right through it. It dissolved, the mud slapping back to the ground. It instantly started reforming.

Another creature rushed at them, and Allie kicked it. It collapsed, but mud stuck to her leg and she shook it, trying to get it off.

“Ugh.” She shook her leg again. The mud was crawling up over her knee.

More of the mud monsters converged on them. Brack’s sword arced through the air, back and forth. He cut through several more creatures, slashing and swinging. Mud was clinging to the blade.

He spun, shaking his sword, and then heard Allie shout.

Mud flew through the air, aiming right at her. She ducked, and it sailed over her head. But as she turned, another clump hit her in the face, covering her mouth and nose.

She waved her arms, clawing at the sludge, and almost lost her balance in the process.

Brack closed the distance between them and grabbed her. He saw she was struggling to breathe and had her lips clamped together. He lifted her off her feet, his pulse pounding, and then dodged several of the mud lifeforms. He threw her into the closest hot pool.

She came up, gasping, the mud sluicing off her face.

But as he swiveled, he spotted more mud creatures closing in on him.

Gaze narrowed, he swung out with his sword. He wasn’t letting them hurt Allie. Letting his training take over, he lunged and slashed, cutting through as many of the creatures as he could. But the mud was starting to crawl up his legs, and suddenly, he found himself stuck in place.

He heaved on one leg, but it wouldn’t move. Cren. He kept swinging his sword, more creatures rushing at him.

Suddenly, a splatter of mud hit his face. Brack jerked and felt mud crawl into his throat. He choked, trying to spit it out.

It felt like fire was closing around his throat. He couldn’t breathe. The mud sliding inside him burned.

He commanded a new weapon to form. He could barely see through the mud over his eyes, but he lifted his arm. His helian had formed a water blaster and he started firing.

Water splashed around him. He couldn’t see, but he kept shooting.

“Get the fuck off him.” Water splashed over his face and the mud slid off.

He blinked and looked at Allie, who was holding her sodden backpack. She’d used it as a container.

“Brack?” She rushed to him.

“I’m…okay.”

More forms were rising out of the mud nearby, and he sprayed water again. The creatures slid back into the mud.

He grabbed Allie’s hand and broke into a run.

They hit the vegetation and kept sprinting, stumbling through the vines and leaves.

Then, the burning in Brack’s chest became too much. He stumbled and went down onto his knees.

“Brack!” Allie dropped down in front of him.

He fought back a shout of pain. His insides were on fire.

She cupped his cheeks, her face contorted with worry. “Warrior, talk to me.”

BRACK WAS STRUGGLING TO BREATHE.

Allie studied him. His arm was splattered in mud, but otherwise he looked fine.

Damned mud monsters. She hadn’t been prepared for that.

Brack lifted a hand to his throat. Realization hit her. “Oh, God, you swallowed some of the mud?”

He nodded and panic engulfed her. How could she help him?

He coughed, chest heaving like he couldn’t take in any air. God, his helian should be fixing him. Lines of pain were etched deep into his face.

“Brack. Tell me what to do.” What if she lost him? Fear was a lead ball in her gut.

His turbulent gaze met hers, like he was trying to communicate something.

She stroked his stubbled cheeks. “Don’t you dare die on me, or I’ll be really pissed.”

Despite the dire circumstances, she saw a flash of humor through his pain.

“This is not funny.” She stroked his lips. “You’ve got me addicted to that sexy body of yours. I know you warned me off, and I don’t usually do this, but I…have feelings for you.” The words tumbled out of her.

He froze. His eyes bored into hers.

“You’ll just have to deal with it.” Her voice lowered. “And you have to live.”

Emotion boiled in his eyes, the blue threads glowing.

God, for the first time, she imagined the pain that Drew had felt. The churning emotions of knowing the person you were falling in love with might leave you.

But dammit, she wasn’t going to give up, she was going to fight for her man.

“Retract your armor off your chest,” she ordered.

Instantly, the scales flowed back.

She tore open the tight, black shirt of his uniform, then a cry caught in her throat. The veins in his neck and chest were black. They showed starkly under his skin.

She traced them, her belly threading with despair. “Oh, Brack.”

“I’m…o-kay.”

“How is this okay?” she said.

“Helian.”

She stilled. “It’s healing you?”

He nodded. “Slowly. Poison.”

“You’re not going to die?”

He shook his head. “Just need…some time.”

Relief punched through her. She pressed her forehead to his, her hands shaking. “I am damn glad to hear that. Can you walk?”

He nodded again.

“All right, then, up and at it, warrior.” She wedged her shoulder into his side and helped him to his feet. He was a little unsteady, and she wrapped an arm around him. “Now, one big boot in front of the other.”

They set off through the plants, slapping the glowing leaves out of their way.

“Damn, you’re heavy,” she muttered.

His hand tightened on her hip.

They staggered through the bioluminescent vegetation and Allie kept an eye out for any other unfriendly wildlife. She definitely didn’t want to run into any more mud monsters, or anything else keen on killing them.

Suddenly, they hit a large vine on the ground and went down. Brack grunted, and as the air rushed out of her, Allie winced.

Brack pushed up on one arm, breathing heavily. “You…go on.”

“No freaking way, Second Commander.” She sat up, wrapped an arm around him, and scowled. “No giving up. Not now. Not ever.”

His eyes flashed blue. “You…never give up.”

“Damn straight. Now, quit lazing around.”

It took some heaving and grunting, but they got upright again. This time, she tried to keep a better eye on the ground, as well as one eye out for predators. She shoved some leaves aside and was so focused, she almost walked straight into the wreckage of the swarm ship.

“Finally.” She sat Brack down, helping him lean back against the hull.

“Poison level decreasing,” he rasped out.

She opened his pack and held some water up to his mouth. He took a few gulps, but he was sweating and his gaze was unfocused. His usually bronze skin was still too pale.

“I’m going to take a look at the ship,” she told him.

He gave her a nod.

She circled the crash site, spotting deep tracks on the ground. Kantos.

Looking back at the ship, she set her hands on her hips. There was an ugly tear in the side of the vessel, and the engines were badly damaged.

One engine wasn’t repairable, unless they had a full engineering team and a bunch of spare parts. The other one… It might be doable.

She moved back to Brack and crouched down.

“One engine is toast.”

He raised a brow.

“Sorry. It isn’t going to be coming back from being blown to smithereens. The other one…” She wrinkled her nose. “Maybe.”

Brack jerked his head. “Help me up.”

She helped him to stand, taking a second to press a kiss to his cheek.

“What was that for?” he asked.

“Because we both needed it.”

He brushed his knuckles along her jaw. Then they moved over to the engines.

“We can work with this.” His brow furrowed. “I’ll do the work, but I’ll need scrap metal to repair some parts, and some tools.” He pulled in a shaky breath. “Look for tools inside, and scavenge whatever you can from the other engine.”

Relief poured through her. He looked steadier and sounded stronger. The veins in his chest were still dark, but the color was fading.

As Brack started work on the engine, Allie made several trips around the ship and inside. She found some tools—strange-looking, Kantos ones—but Brack seemed happy with them. Next, she started scavenging parts and metal off the broken engine.

She held up a small sheet of hard, brown…something. It wasn’t metal, and there wasn’t a lot of it. She wasn’t sure what the hell it was. She placed it in the pile she’d started beside Brack.

“Allie, pass me that long piece of metal.”

She grabbed it and reached over to hand it to him. His head was partly inside the ship engine. She saw that he’d morphed his helian into some sort of pronged tool. When he pulled back, a deep scowl of concentration covered his face. She loved watching her man work.

Her man. Her belly fluttered. Damn, she liked that. She was falling for this tough warrior, and she wasn’t sorry one little bit.

Drew had been young, had been sick, and needed help. She was not her brother. And what she was feeling for Brack Thann-Felis was bright, amazing, and okay, still terrified her a bit.

“Allie, you standing there staring at my ass is distracting.”

She rolled her eyes. “You can’t see me, so you can’t know where I’m looking.” She unabashedly ogled his ass.

“Allie.”

“Fine. But in my defense, it is a mighty fine ass.”

She heard him laugh and, smiling, she looked back at the tear in the side of the ship. Even if they got the engines operational, there was a risk that this tear would open up on takeoff.

She rubbed her hands together. Let’s see what we can do.

Grabbing some metal scraps, she started fitting them over the tear. Shit, she had no idea how she could attach them. This was why she had an engineering team. She’d barely scraped by on her engineering subjects at the academy.

Brack appeared. “Are you planning to hold them in place like that while we take off?”

Smartass. She lifted her chin. “Maybe.”

He shook his head, his helian morphing again. It looked like a small blaster. He shifted closer and a small, intense flame shot out. He moved it over the joint, welding the sheet to the ship.

Nifty. “Thanks.” It wasn’t pretty, and it probably wouldn’t last long, but it was better than nothing.

“The engine is ready to test,” he said.

Her eyebrows winged up. “Already?”

He leaned down. “I’m very good with my hands.”

She snorted. “And so modest.”

They ducked inside the ship. She watched him drop down in the damaged pilot’s seat. He still looked a little unsteady, but his color was coming back.

She gripped his arm, and he reached up and ran a finger over her chin.

“I’ve lost count of how many times this stubborn thing has been pointed in my direction,” he said.

“Don’t piss me off, warrior. How about we see if we can leave this dark planet to the mud monsters?”

He tugged her until she fell into his lap.

“Brack!”

Then he kissed her. It was long and deep, his tongue thrusting into her mouth. Damn. She slid her hands into his hair.

Then he released her. “Now let’s try the engine.”

He tried the controls, but nothing on the console responded. He tore a panel open beneath it, rummaging around inside. When he touched the controls again, still nothing.

“Cren!”

Allie shifted closer and gave the console a kick. It flared to life.

“Just needed some Terran muscle,” she said.

He shook his head and his hands moved over the controls. “Okay, starting the engine.”

Nothing. Her shoulders sagged. Dammit.

But Brack’s jaw firmed and she saw two slender cables come from the armor at his wrist and tap into the console.

Then, a second later, the engine spluttered and fired.

With a little cry, she smacked a kiss to his cheek. “Nice work.”

The cocky smile he shot her warmed her insides.

“Let’s see if we can get off this rock,” he said.

Allie pulled her harness on. Brack took his time, babying the ship, but then they lifted up off the ground. They rotated into position, and then he blasted them into the sky.

The ship trembled and vibrated around them. She gritted her teeth. God, if this kept up, they’d rattle apart.

Something in the back broke free, and she heard it pinging off the walls. The swarm ship tilted to the left, and she clenched the chair to stop herself from sliding.

Brack pressed his hand to the console, and she felt a pulse of energy fill the air. He was using his helian to control the ship. His eyes were glowing.

A Godawful, squawking Kantos alarm started blaring. She looked at the console. Damn. The hull integrity was dropping. “We can’t take much more of this.”

He looked grim. “Increasing the speed.”

They shot forward and the shaking increased, rattling her bones. Something else crashed in the back of the ship. When she looked back, the patched metal around the tear in the hull was distorting. God, it wasn’t going to hold.

Then suddenly, they broke through the atmosphere, and the pressure eased. Ahead, the blackness of space opened up for them.

“Woohoo!” Elation filled her, and she tore her harness off. She jumped in his lap, and he grunted.

She smacked a kiss on his lips. His arms wrapped around her, and he groaned into her mouth.

“I want to make out with you so badly,” she said.

He smiled. “Later.”

“Right, once we get back to our ships and you’re all healed up.” She pressed a kiss to the black veins on his chest. “It’s a date, Second Commander.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

It was going to be a long, slow journey back to the Divergent and Desteron. Brack was sure Donovan and Caze would be doing everything they could to track him and Allie down, but they had no easy way to find them.

Brack coaxed everything he could out of the ship, just to keep the engine going. Allie was taking what she called a “power nap” in the chair beside him. He let his gaze run over her face.

I have feelings for you. Deal with it.

He was surprisingly okay with knowing that this woman felt something for him. He wanted her to feel something for him. He wanted her tied to him.

Then he released a slow breath. He knew he should get away from her. He was likely bad for her. He never wanted to see the same disappointment and pain on her face that he saw in his mother’s eyes.

No. He and Allie were good together. By the warriors, he’d fight for her, for this connection between them.

An alarm started screeching, hurting his ears.

Allie jerked awake. “What is it?”

Brack stared at the screen, his heart pounding. He closed his eyes.

“Brack?”

He looked at her.

“What?” she asked.

“A Kantos battlecruiser is bearing down on us.”

She cursed. “I guess they had more patience than we thought. They just waited for us to pop back up on their scanners.”

“We can’t outrun them,” he told her. “Not with one barely-functioning engine.”

She reached over and grabbed his hand. “We won’t give up.”

He couldn’t protect her. His chest was so tight he could barely breathe. “We won’t give up.”

They both stared at the viewscreen. It wasn’t long before they saw the cruiser appear. It loomed closer and closer. He stared at the brown hull, unable to see a way out.

Suddenly, there were clunking noises, and he realized that they were caught in a zero-point field. They were being pulled inside the battle cruiser.

They both rose out of their seats.

“Here we go again,” Allie said.

“Allie—” There was so much he wanted to say to her, but he couldn’t find the words.

She pressed her hands to his chest. “I know.”

Their ship came to a stop. More clunking, and the door opened.

For a second, Brack felt that strange sense of having been in the same position before. Two Kantos soldiers glared at them.

“Hey there, asshats,” Allie said.

Soundlessly, the soldiers moved forward. Brack and Allie were shoved out of the swarm ship.

His gut hardening, he looked around at the wall of soldiers in the docking bay. The Kantos clearly weren’t taking any chances this time.

One soldier skittered closer, pressing another blob of the black gunk over Brack’s helian. Next, an elite stepped out of the line, watching them emotionlessly.

You can’t escape us.

Allie rolled her eyes. “We’ve already done it once.”

Brack pressed his lips together. Cren, she made him want to laugh at the worst of times.

I want all Space Corps data from the woman’s head.

A Kantos soldier lifted its arms, shoving Allie forward. Brack saw her muscles tense, and knew she wanted to fight.

See if the Eon has any useful knowledge. If he proves too problematic, kill him.

“I hate you bugs,” Allie snapped, spinning as she spoke. She kicked her guard, but three more soldiers rushed in.

She swiped out with a leg, tripping one soldier over. Then she spun and ducked, coming in low to grab the leg of the second soldier. She yanked and the alien toppled.

But the third one attacked hard.

The soldier knocked her to the ground. Several more moved in and kicked her.

Brack surged forward, but several soldiers crossed their sharp arms in front of him. He felt a sharp point press into his lower back.

A Kantos kicked Allie while she was down. She grunted and rolled away from the bug. When she rose, she spat a mouthful of blood on the floor. “Do your worst, bug brains.”

Helplessly, Brack watched as they dragged her away. Her gaze met his, that stubborn chin lifting.

Brack’s own guards shoved him forward. He had no choice but to do what they wanted.

Hold on, Allie.

ALLIE WAS TOSSED INTO A CELL. She caught herself before she crashed to the floor.

“Brack!”

Through the bars, she watched several soldiers drag him down the hall. His gaze met hers and she didn’t look away until she lost sight of them.

Shit. She sagged. The smell hit her. That gross bug smell that screamed Kantos. She touched the wall for balance, then immediately drew her hand away from the hard, brown substance. It reminded her of the soldiers’ hard shells.

Without warning, the door opened, and she heard a soldier’s footsteps, then a pained moan. She swiveled. The Kantos soldier shoved a man into the cell with her.

A human man.

“McNamara!”

Her chief engineer tumbled to the floor, the door slamming closed behind him.

“McNamara, it’s Allie.” She dropped down beside him.

“Allie?” He blinked at her, his face streaked with blood and grime. Blood was leaking from his nose. “Where the hell did you come from?” His voice sounded nowhere near as strong as it usually did.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“I don’t know how the hell I got on this Kantos cruiser. Or what happened. Or why I have a hell of a headache.” He pressed a palm to the side of his head.

“You had a Kantos bug in your head, like Sharma did.”

“Fuck.” Her chief engineer uttered a few more choice curse words.

But as she watched, his eyes turned unfocused, his mouth going slack.

“McNamara?”

He stared at her blankly, looking around the cell, confused.

She bit her lip. Damn, she needed to get him to their doctor. She glanced around the cell, and was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness and dread.

Brack had been dragged somewhere else. She had no idea where he was. Or if they were hurting him.

She took some deep breaths. Despair was threatening. She had no weapon, no way to escape, and no help was coming.

It would be so easy to give into the fear. She bit her lip hard enough to hurt. She thought of her brother.

She dragged in a breath and steeled herself. “I’m not giving up, Drew,” she muttered to herself. “This time, it’s for me, and for the warrior I’m falling in love with.”

Jeez, she was in love with Brack Thann-Felis. Man, she had bad timing.

Suddenly, the door opened, and an elite stepped into the cell, flanked by two Kantos soldiers.

One soldier moved, jerking McNamara off the floor. Her engineer flinched.

“Leave him alone.” She stepped forward, but the other soldier blocked her way.

McNamara was herded out of the cell.

“Where are you taking him?” she demanded.

I ask the questions, Captain Borden.

The voice echoed in her head and she stiffened. So, they knew who she was.

We want all your Space Corps command codes.

Allie shot the alien the finger.

The soldier surged forward and shoved her against the wall. The air rushed out of her and she grunted.

Make it easy on yourself. The Kantos elite’s eyes glowed gold. Tell us, or we’ll torture it out of you.

“I’ve never really been one to take the easy way.”

Very well.

The Kantos soldier lifted its sharp arm. Before she realized what it had planned, it stabbed the tip of its claw-like hand into her shoulder.

Pain rocketed through her, and she tried to stifle her groan. Damn, that really hurt.

Allie felt the trickle of blood down her chest. “I don’t care what you do to me. I won’t betray my planet or my people.”

The elite just stared at her, its creepy eyes glowing. Then, a deep, masculine groan of pain echoed through the wall. She tensed and turned her head. Another groan, one that sounded ripped out of someone’s soul.

Brack. The color drained from her face.

“What are you doing to him?” she whispered.

The elite moved to the wall. She didn’t see what the alien did, but suddenly a square patch in the center of the wall turned transparent, like a window.

In the neighboring cell, she saw Brack pinned to the wall. He was held in place by some sort of black, web-like substance. His arms were confined above his head. A Kantos soldier stood in front of him, driving sharp, black spikes into Brack’s gut.

No. God, she was going to be sick.

Tell us the codes, your fleet’s routes, your ship numbers.

She swallowed. To save Brack, they wanted her to betray her people. To give up the lives of billions of Terrans.

A tear slid down her cheek. She had no choice. Besides, even if she told them what they wanted, she knew they wouldn’t let him go.

“I’m so sorry, Brack.” She closed her eyes.

Terrans. So stubborn.

She ignored the elite, and sensed the soldier move. A blow hit her in the stomach, and she cried out as she doubled over.

A beat later, she heard an enraged roar. Tensing, she lifted her head.

Brack was staring through the window, straining against his bonds.

Her heart beat hard. He was staring right at her. He could see her.

His face was twisted with worry. For her. Yep, she was totally falling in love with the arrogant warrior.

If they got out of this alive, she was going to prove to him that love was real. That they could beat the odds.

The soldier jammed another spike into Brack’s gut, and the muscles in his neck strained as he struggled through the pain.

More tears streamed down Allie’s cheeks.

The elite tilted its head, and the soldier beside Allie skittered away, heading out the door. The elite kept watching her, in a creepy way, and she stared back defiantly.

The soldier returned in a few moments, holding a small metal box.

Allie tensed. What now? She watched the alien open it.

She hissed. Fuck a duck.

The box contained one of the mind-control spider bugs, its thin tendrils waving around like it was dancing.

You selected the hard way, Captain Borden.

“Fuck you,” she said in a shaky voice.

The elite lifted the bug out of the box, and it curled around the elite’s claw lovingly. Then the alien brought the bug closer to Allie’s face.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Agony made black splotches move in front of Brack’s eyes.

The spikes in his belly were pure fire, and without access to his helian, he couldn’t block the pain or slow the bleeding.

His trousers were soaked with blood. He could feel his life sliding out of him. But he kept staring through the glass.

He watched Allie thrashing against a soldier. The elite was moving closer, holding something in his hand.

Cren.

When the alien shifted, Brack spotted the bug resting on the elite’s clawed hand.

No. No!

Brack jerked, and the pain almost made him pass out. But he kept pushing, using every bit of strength he had left. He wouldn’t let them hurt Allie. Wouldn’t let them turn her into a mindless Kantos puppet.

She lifted her foot and kicked the elite. The alien staggered back a few steps.

Brack heaved, pulling against the web holding him to the wall. It was strong, and he fought against it.

He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t fail her. He wouldn’t let this brave, smart-mouthed woman down. Unlike his weak father, Brack knew loyalty.

And despite his best efforts to avoid it, he realized he also knew love.

Yeah, this warmth inside him when he looked at Allie Borden, he knew what it meant now.

Brack roared, heaving with everything he had. One of his arms broke free, and he saw the soldier nearby turn.

With his free hand, Brack reached into his pocket. He pulled out the small vial of antidote he’d hidden there back on the rogue planet. He grabbed it, crunched it between his fingers until the container cracked, then let the fluid drip out over his gunked wristband.

The black substance dissolved, and the link with his helian shone brightly.

Brack’s lips tipped into a grim smile.

As he tore himself off the wall, his helian armor flowed over his body. He threw his arms out and his sword formed, glowing blue.

Then he launched himself at the soldiers, swinging.

One by one, the soldiers toppled, blood spraying. One Kantos skittered closer, arms slashing through the air.

Brack met the alien’s hard arm. They traded several blows across the cell, and he backed the alien up against the wall.

Then Brack pulled back and thrust forward, skewing the soldier on his sword.

He yanked his weapon back and spun.

Through the window, he saw the elite close to Allie, holding the bug to her face. The soldier had his arm pressed to her neck, pinning her head while her body thrashed.

Brack roared.

His sword morphed into a blaster, and he aimed at the window between the cells. He fired.

Boom.

The window shattered, and part of the wall collapsed. Brack ran and then leaped through the gaping hole.

The elite and the soldier turned, their yellow eyes glittering.

Brack’s sword was already reforming. He strode forward. “You do not touch my woman.”

He swung, slicing the elite’s head off its body. Brack turned to see the soldier backing away.

But before Brack could launch an attack, Allie shouted and ran forward. She slammed a metal box into the Kantos’ head.

The soldier staggered drunkenly, and Brack hacked off one of his arms. The alien teetered, and Brack sliced the soldier’s gut open.

“Brack, watch out!”

Allie’s cry had him turning and ducking.

The tiny bug was free, and flew at his face. He grabbed it, and held it a whisper from his eyes. It struggled desperately, tendrils wrapping around his fingers. He could see hunger burning in its tiny eyes.

He flung it onto the floor.

Allie brought her foot down, crunching the bug with a twist of her heel.

She looked up, her hair tangled around her face, blood streaked on her cheek.

Then she smiled.

Cren. Brack’s tight chest loosened.

“Hey there, Second Commander.” She moved forward, pressing her face to his shoulder. “I so want to jump your bones right now, but while my mind is willing, my body isn’t.”

There was blood all over her and bruises forming.

He wrapped an arm around her. “I’m afraid to say I’m in much the same shape.”

Her expression turning serious, she pressed her hands to his bleeding stomach. She touched the ugly spikes embedded in his skin.

“We need to get these out.”

He nodded and let her help him ease down to the floor. “We don’t have much time. Make it quick.”

She heaved in a deep breath. “Your helian will block the pain, right?”

“Most of it. Do it, shara. I’ve never met a braver, fiercer warrior than you.”

Allie gripped the first spike, her eyes meeting his. She yanked.

It felt like fire. His chin dropped to his chest, gritting his teeth.

“Dammit, Brack.” Her voice was shaky.

“Keep going.”

One by one, she pulled the spikes out of him. By the end, he was panting, his hair soaked with sweat. She tossed the last spike on the floor and pulled his head to her chest.

He was already feeling better, his helian working hard to heal his wounds. But he took a second to nuzzle her sweet breasts.

“I think you’re feeling better,” she said dryly.

He lifted his head. “Thank you.”

“It really wasn’t my pleasure, so don’t let them stick any more spikes into you, okay?”

He nodded and together, they pushed to their feet.

She touched his bleeding stomach, stroking his skin. He saw the worry in her green eyes.

“My helian is already hard at work, healing me.”

He dropped a kiss to her mouth and she clung to him.

“Jeez, what a mess.” Then she tilted her head. “So, I’m your woman, huh?”

Brack brushed his nose against hers. “Yes, you’ll just have to get used to it.”

She smiled. “I hope to hell you have a plan to get out of here and off this Kantos cruiser.”

“I’m working on it.”

She groaned. “That means no.”

“I’ll come up with something,” he told her.

“So arrogant.” She kissed him again. “Apparently, I like it.” When she drew back, she suddenly staggered, pressing a hand to her head.

“Allie?” He reached for her.

“I’ll be okay.” She gave him a grim smile. “Just a little beaten up.”

“We need to move. Kantos soldiers will swarm us soon.”

Together, they hobbled out of the cell. Allie squeezed his arm. “This way.” She pulled him down the corridor.

“We need a plan.”

“Let’s put some distance between us and these cells first.”

The corridor walls glowed, veins of gold light built into the brown surface. Allie tugged him, picking up speed. He sensed her urgency.

He frowned. “Allie—”

Then he heard the beat of Kantos claws on the floor. Cren.

“Here.” She pulled him through a doorway and into a darkened room.

They pressed against the wall and listened as Kantos soldiers thundered past.

She peered out. “They’re gone.” She darted out. “Let’s move.”

She broke into a jog and Brack pushed down the throb of pain in his gut to follow.

“Slow down,” he said. “This way is a dead end. We need—”

A clicking noise filled the corridor, raising the hairs on the back of Brack’s neck. At the end of the hall, he saw several bugs skitter into view.

They were the size of hunting dogs, with hard shells of a deep red, and fan-like antenna on the tops of their heads. The antenna waved back and forth.

He recognized them. “Allie, these bugs spit poison.”

She took a step forward. “It’ll be fine.” She was staring at the bugs, a smile on her lips.

Brack morphed his sword and lifted his arm. “Stay back.”

But she kept walking forward. What was she doing?

Then the bugs rushed forward. His gut clenched. Allie broke into a run to meet them.

“Allie! No!”

But the bugs didn’t attack her. Instead, they swarmed around her, brushing against her body. She laughed, stroking them like pets.

What the cren?

Turning, her smile sharpened. She patted the closest bug. “You will never win against the might of the Kantos.”

Brack’s gut dropped away. He stared at her face, the twist of her lips, and the glitter in her eyes.

A mind control bug. The cren-cursed elite had possessed more than one and had managed to implant one inside her.

Cren. Cren. He felt like his insides were being shredded.

“Earth will fall,” she continued. “And you interfering Eon will regret your involvement.”

“Allie, fight it.” He took a step forward.

A bug spat bright-green poison. Brack dodged, heard the poison hit the floor and sizzle. He slashed out with his sword.

With a screech, the bug hit the floor, its side cut open.

“Take him down,” Allie yelled.

The bugs rushed him. His sword became a blur. He dodged poison and snapping pincers. He slashed, sliced, and kicked. Green blood sprayed the walls.

Soon, his chest was heaving, his gut burning, but all the bugs were dead.

He turned and ran at Allie.

She backed up, throwing her hands up in front of her. He slammed her against the wall, pinning her in place.

She growled and shoved against him. Her strength was enhanced and she pushed him off her.

Before he recovered, she kicked him, then swung her fist.

They danced backward—her attacking, and Brack blocking her hits.

“Allie, you are so strong. Don’t let the Kantos control you.”

She leaped on him.

Cren. They toppled over and hit the floor. Agonizing pain ripped through his still-healing stomach. They rolled across the floor, wrestling for control.

With a heave, he pinned her. She bucked against him.

“Allie.” His voice cracked. He hated seeing her like this. “Come back to me.”

Suddenly, she went still and sucked in a huge breath. Her brow creased. “Brack?”

“Allie?”

Her eyes were panicked and strained. “I…something’s wrong with me.”

He swallowed against the lump in his throat. “You have a bug in your head.”

Her face fell. “Fuck. Fuck!”

“Stay calm—”

“Screw calm. I hate the Kantos.” She licked her lips. “I can feel it. Trying to take control.”

He could see all her veins popping out against her skin. Her body vibrated with tension as she fought to keep control.

“Fight it.”

“I can’t hold it…forever.” She winced and blood trickled out of her nose.

Fighting the bug’s hold was killing her. He tightened his hold on her.

Her green gaze met his. “Brack, I don’t want to be their damn puppet. Don’t want my brain raped.” She sucked in a harsh breath. “Kill me.”

Everything in him revolted. “No.” By the warriors, no. “Never.”

“You can’t escape with me if I’m fighting you every step of the way.” Her face spasmed, blood leaking from her left eye. “Brack.” A plea.

He made a pained sound. “I’ll get it out of you.”

“How? You don’t have the equipment and drugs Aydin used.”

“I’ll force it out.” Gut churning, a plan formed. One his heart screamed at. “I’ll cut off your air.”

She nodded slowly. “Once I stop breathing, it’ll leave. Looking for a new host.”

“As soon as its out, I’ll bring you back.”

But as they stared at each other, they both knew the risks. Cren, could he do this?

“You are a hell of a man, Second Commander.” She nodded, complete trust in her eyes. “Do it.”

Feeling like his arms were as heavy as space rock, he pressed his forearm to her throat. “I’ll bring you back.”

“If you can’t…it’s not your fault,” she rasped.

Gritting his teeth, he pushed harder. As she choked for air, she instinctively fought. She bucked against him, her shoes kicking the floor.

Brack felt hollowed out, devoid of everything. He made himself watch as she fought for her life. He watched as her face went slack and her body stilled.

No. He felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest. Inside him, a howl of pain echoed.

Then he saw a thin tendril come out of her nose. His muscles locked.

He forced himself to wait, watching the delicate bug work its way out. It’s filament-thin tendrils waved around, like it was dancing.

Then, in a fast move, he snatched the tendrils and yanked. Got you.

The bug came free, waving wildly.

Brack held it up and squished it in his hand, as hard as he could. That’s for Allie. It went limp and he tossed it aside.

“Allie.” He maneuvered up. Her face was pale and still. He pressed his mouth over hers. Then he breathed.

He pressed a palm to her chest. Her heart was still beating sluggishly, but her chest wasn’t moving. He breathed again. And again.

“Please, Allie.” Breath. “Come back to me.” Breath.

Her face was tranquil, her skin so white.

He breathed into her again. Tears pricked his eyes. He hadn’t cried since he was a child, before he’d started his warrior training.

“Allie.” A broken sound.

Suddenly, her body jerked. She heaved in a breath, flying upright.

He caught her.

“Brack?” Her voice was croaky.

“Cren, I’m here, shara.” He pulled her close and rocked. “Right here.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Allie held onto Brack, swallowing against her thick throat. He was holding her so tightly, and damn, she needed it right now.

“The bug?” she asked.

“Out and dead.”

She pressed her face to his neck, breathing him in. “Thank you.”

He made a sound. “Don’t ever ask me to do that again.” Then he lifted his head. “I hear Kantos coming.”

He helped her up and she looked at him. He was holding himself stiffly. “You’re hurting.”

“Stomach wounds opened up again.”

Because he’d been trying to subdue her. Guilt hit her, although she knew the Kantos were to blame. A wave of dizziness hit her and she swayed.

God, they were in no shape to walk, let alone fight more Kantos.

“We need to hole up and rest,” he said.

Fighting to clear her head, she nodded. Arms around each other, they limped down the corridor. He directed her through several adjoining corridors, then stopped.

“Here.”

She blinked, frowning at the wall. “What?”

“I’m trying to remember the Kantos schematics I’ve seen.” He touched the wall. A panel slid sideways. Inside was a small space, filled with organic-looking tech that formed part of the cruiser’s systems.

“Maintenance space.” He urged her inside.

When the door closed behind them, the light dimmed. There was only a faint glow from the walls. Several brown cables hung from the ceiling and packs pulsing filled with a gel-like substance pulsed.

They dropped down, and Brack pulled Allie into his lap.

She stiffened. “Your stomach—”

“Is healing. Hold still.”

She stilled instantly.

He settled her against him, then rubbed the dried blood off her cheek and from under her nose. “How’s your throat feel?”

“It’s healing.” The look on his face made her breath catch.

He gently circled her neck with his hand and stroked the skin there. She felt the remorse pumping off him.

“Hey.” She cupped his cheek. “I’m alive and not being controlled by the enemy thanks to you.”

His gaze fell on her bleeding shoulder. “This looks bad.”

“Hurts like hell.”

He reached down and tore some fabric off the bottom of her stained, dirty shirt. He wadded it up and pressed it to her wound.

He grunted. “It would be helpful if you Terrans healed faster.”

“Sorry to be so inferior.”

His other hand slid into her hair. “There is nothing inferior about you, Allie Borden. I’ve never met a woman like you. One who was so brave, so strong, and so tough. I’ve never had a woman who makes me feel the way you do.”

God. He was turning her insides to mush. Brack would never spout poetry, thank God, but his words were perfect, nevertheless. She leaned into him, drawing in his strength.

He nodded and tucked her in close. They stayed there, quiet and calm. Wrapped up in his strong arms, she felt safe.

“I never want you hurt,” he said. “I want you safe and protected.”

“I’m pretty good at protecting myself, Second Commander.”

“I know.”

“But having decent backup is always a good idea.” She snuggled into him.

“Good,” he said, his voice thick.

Then next thing she knew, Allie jerked awake. Wow, she’d managed to fall asleep.

“Hey,” he said.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Much better. You?”

“I’ll survive.” She sat up, then something hit her. “Oh, shit.”

In the dim light, Brack frowned. “What?”

“McNamara.”

“You saw him?”

She nodded. “I think the bug is out of his head, but when I saw him, he was disoriented and injured.”

“We’ll get him out of here,” Brack promised.

They would. McNamara was hers and she wasn’t leaving him again.

“We need a plan,” Brack said.

Allie cleared her throat. “Okay, I have a plan.”

He looked at her. “Should I be afraid?”

“Ha ha.” She pulled in a breath. “We take control of the bridge and fly this cruiser out of here.”

He blinked slowly and stared at her. “What?”

“You heard me.”

He cursed, rubbing the back of his neck. “That’s a crazy plan.”

“Do you have a better one?”

He cursed again.

“It’s our only option, Brack. They’ll have locked down the swarm ships, and they’re searching for us.”

He nodded. “Okay, let’s do it.”

She smiled. “Let’s do it, but we need to find McNamara first.”

They rose and she was happy to see Brack wasn’t moving gingerly anymore. She had a whopper of a headache, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her.

Cautiously, they slid out of their hiding place. Brack nodded his head and they jogged down the corridor.

It didn’t take them long to get back to the cells. They didn’t run into any soldiers.

“They wouldn’t expect us to come back here,” she whispered.

She peered into the cells. They all appeared empty. “We can’t leave McNamara here. They might use him as leverage against us if we do manage to storm the bridge…”

In the next cell, she saw McNamara cowering against the wall.

“Here!”

“Allie,” Brack said slowly.

She shook her head. “I won’t let them hurt him even further. He’s one of mine, Brack. A man I respect.”

Brack gripped her shoulder. “I know. I have an idea.” He pointed down the corridor. “There.”

She turned to look at the wall, staring at the strange panels. “What am I looking at?”

“Kantos escape pods. We put your engineer in one, and launch it. With us in control of the cruiser, they can’t go after him.”

That was a damn good idea. She nodded. “I wish we could crawl into one, too.”

Brack shook his head. “You know they’d immediately come after us and hunt us down.”

Yeah, they would. The two of them moved back to McNamara’s cell. With one pull, Brack ripped the cell door off its frame.

The engineer looked up at them, blinking and confused.

“Time to go, McNamara,” Allie said.

“Captain?”

“Yes.” Together, they hefted the older man onto his feet.

Allie pressed a hand to his forehead. “He’s feverish.” Worry punched through her.

“The quicker we get him out of here, the quicker we can get him help.”

They got him down the corridor, and inside one of the small Kantos pods. The smell within was almost intolerable. But McNamara’s eyes closed as she strapped him into his seat.

Brack tapped the controls, and then urged her out.

She stared at McNamara as the door closed with a whoosh. Stay safe, my friend.

A second later, the pod launched.

Brack turned, cupping her cheek. “We need to get to the bridge.”

She nodded. “Let’s do this.”

They jogged down the corridor. Thankfully, Brack knew the layout of the cruiser. They stuck to out-of-the-way corridors, although a few times, when they heard the approach of Kantos soldiers, they were forced to duck inside rooms to hide.

After climbing up a maintenance ladder, she knew they were getting closer to the bridge. They pressed against a closed door, pausing to listen. On the other side, she heard soldiers. Lots of them.

Brack shook his head. “There are too many Kantos in there. We can’t get to the bridge this way.”

Crap. Allie bit her lip. Then she thought of Wren Traynor. The woman had hijacked the Eon warship, the Rengard. She’d spent days staying hidden in the ship’s maintenance conduits and vents.

Allie looked up. “We can use the ventilation conduits and crawl in above the bridge.”

Her warrior smiled. “I like the way you think.”

He jumped up, and yanked off a panel of the vent conduit. It was a decent size. He boosted her up and she crawled into the tunnel. A wave of dizziness hit her and she ground her teeth together. She knew the pain would pass, but man, she’d give her firstborn for some decent painkillers about now. There wasn’t an inch of her that wasn’t aching.

Setting her shoulders back, she pulled in a breath. She didn’t want to slow them down. Or worry Brack.

He pulled himself in, setting the cover back in place to cover their tracks. He turned, and his gaze narrowed on her.

“You’re in pain.”

So much for hiding it. “I’ll be fine.”

He shifted closer, touching the wound on her shoulder. “It’s bleeding again.” Anger glittered in his eyes. “I want to kill those Kantos.”

“Um, you already did.”

He touched her wound again and she gripped his wrist. “It’ll be fine. Sooner we’re off this bug ship, the better.”

He patted her back. “Can you move?”

She nodded. She watched him start crawling, his shoulders brushing the sides of the conduit. She followed, and every move of her body hurt. Everything just felt like one huge throb of pain.

“You okay?” he called back.

“Yeah. I’m dreaming of a hot shower, a soft bed, and your naked body.”

He laughed quietly. God, she loved making him laugh.

They crawled on for a while, and then he stopped. Allie almost ran into his perfect ass.

He swiveled to look back and pointed down. “Bridge.”

She pulled in a breath.

“Ready?” he asked.

“To fight off a pack of Kantos soldiers and hijack their ship? Sure.”

Brack lifted his arm, and she saw a small knife forming. Man, she really wanted a helian symbiont.

He detached the black knife and handed it to her.

She took it, fingers closing over the hilt. She realized it was the perfect weight for her. She did a few test thrusts and smiled at him.

Then Brack looked down. He looked like he was taking a moment to gather himself, then he punched through the panel. He moved fast, dropping down through the gap.

Allie followed, landing in a crouch that made all her injuries ache.

Thankfully, the bridge wasn’t as large as the Divergent’s. Six Kantos immediately swiveled to face them from large seats in front of a row of consoles.

Brack moved like a vicious whirlwind.

He cut down two soldiers before they could rise. Boy, her warrior could fight.

He engaged the other Kantos, swinging his sword and letting out a battle cry.

A Kantos rushed at her. Turning, Allie ran and leaped onto one of the consoles. She surprised the alien by swiveling, and then jumping onto its head. Gripping it with her legs, she brought her knife down and stabbed it between the eyes.

As the soldier toppled over, she leaped off it and lifted her knife.

Another soldier was racing toward Brack.

Oh, no, you don’t. Allie dived, slashing with her knife. She hit the tough shell of the Kantos’ leg. She stabbed hard, and heard something crack.

The Kantos toppled and she rolled.

The soldier rose up, lifting its arms like giant skewers.

Shit.

She started to roll, but then she spotted a rush of blue. Brack’s sword cut into the alien’s torso, green blood spraying from the fatal wound.

The soldier let out a shuddering breath and then collapsed, its legs in a tangle beneath it.

Allie pushed onto her hands and knees. Brack reached down and helped her up.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“No new injuries.” But her old ones were bleeding, and she was feeling a new definition of agony.

“We need to barricade the door,” he said.

They moved to the doors. Allie moved to the Kantos-version of a control panel. She flipped the knife around and slammed the hilt into the panel. It smashed and the lights on the doors blinked out. Then Brack changed his helian weapon. Flames shot out if it and he aimed it at the join of the closed doors. The metal melted, welding the doors closed.

Brack studied it, then turned. He ripped some metal railings out of the floor and crossed them in front of the doorway, like a cage, welding them in place.

At that moment, Allie’s legs gave out. She sagged against the wall.

He crouched in front of her. “Hey.”

“Just need to catch my breath.”

His fingers brushed her neck. “I need to get our course set. The quicker we get back, the quicker we can get some help.”

“And painkillers,” she said with a grimace.

Suddenly, bangs and thuds sounded on the doors.

Shit. The Kantos knew they were in here. They’d do everything they could to get through those doors.

Brack quickly checked her bleeding shoulder.

“I’m fine. Get us moving, warrior.”

He hesitated for a second, then patted her uninjured shoulder. He strode over to the consoles. Her gaze dropped to his ass as he moved.

“Allie.”

“Just a little peek.” She pushed off the wall. “I’m ready to captain this smelly cruiser, Second Commander.”

He glanced back over his shoulder. “I thought I was in charge.”

She made a scoffing sound. “No, I’m the captain here. I outrank you.”

He cupped her cheeks. God, she loved his big hands.

“Just so you know, Allie, I’m falling in love with you.”

She sucked in a breath, feeling warmth, shot through with a healthy dose of panic, cascade through her.

“You’ll just have to deal with it,” he said.

“I thought you didn’t believe in love?”

He stroked her tangled hair. “Guess you changed my mind.”

“I won’t lie, this freaks me out, because I’m falling in love with you too.”

“That makes both of us.” He cupped her jaw. “But we get out of this alive, we can work it all out together.”

She smiled. “You got it. Now, can you get this ship pointed in the right direction, please? That’s an order.”

Brack helped lower her into one of the seats, then his hands moved over the console.

Allie touched the closest console. “I’ll see if I can cause a little upheaval on this cruiser. Keep our bug-eyed friends too busy to try and knock down the bridge doors.”

“There’s my blood-thirsty Terran.”

She winked. “Set course, Second Commander. To the Desteron and the Divergent.”

As the Kantos cruiser turned and changed course, Allie smiled.

They were headed home, and Brack was falling in love with her. Which was lucky, because she was pretty sure she’d finished her fall and hit the bottom.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

“Take that, assholes.”

Brack looked up from his console and watched Allie give a sharp-edged smile. She was tapping quickly at the Kantos console in front of her.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I just decompressed one of their cargo bays.” Her eyes glittered. “Unfortunately, they’re doing their best to lock me out of the system.”

“You know Kantos systems pretty well.”

She lifted a shoulder. “Space Corps gather what data they can, but our knowledge of their language is rudimentary. I learned some from Caze these last few days.” She smiled. “Enough to be dangerous.”

“Part of a warrior’s training. We learn the systems, languages, and tech of all our enemies.” Brack checked the navigation system again. They were on course to the last known destination of the Desteron.

She tapped some more. “I’m going to see if I can shut off power to parts of the cruiser. Lock down some bulkheads and keep them away from the bridge.”

There was a high-pitched peal from the controls, and a warning light blinked on the console.

She frowned. “What is it?”

Brack cursed. “The Kantos are sabotaging parts of the cruiser.”

She sucked in a breath. “We knew they’d fight us.”

Suddenly, the ship began to slow. Brack cursed and tapped the controls, fighting the aliens.

“I’ve locked them out of a part of the engineering area, so they can’t shut down anything else.” He scowled. “But I can’t increase our speed.”

More ear-splitting alarms sounded, and Allie tapped the screen closest to her. She froze. “Oh, no.”

“Allie?”

Her gaze met his. “I think they just shut off air to the bridge.”

Cren. He tapped the console and nodded. “Yes. We need to get it back.”

She nodded, tapping and swiping. She cursed several times. “Nothing’s working! I can’t get it back.”

Brack tried as well, then slammed his hands against the console. He looked up, staring out the viewscreen at the stars.

“Can you get a message to our ships?” she asked.

“We’re too far from the Desteron for them to pick up a message. I’ve sent some distress calls, but we won’t know if anyone intercepts them.”

Allie rubbed the back of her neck. “Damn.”

“We stay on track, and if we’re lucky, there will be enough air to last us until we can reach the Desteron.”

“Brack, I can do the calculation. You and I will be out of air long before we even get close to the Desteron.”

His gaze bored into hers. “We’re alive, we have a chance, and we’ll find a way.”

She blew out a breath and nodded.

The banging on the door increased. Then a violent explosion rocked the ship, and Allie staggered. Brack caught her, and they turned to stare at the door.

It held.

“We need to add more to the barricade,” he said.

As they strode over, he ripped some consoles out of the floor. He started piling them up in front of the doors. Next, he ripped seats out of the deck as well. Allie arranged them, interlocking them with the rest of their barricade.

He could feel heat pumping off the door, and he rested a hand on the dark metal for a moment. The Kantos were throwing everything they had at getting into the bridge.

They moved back to the command console, and he tried again to coax more speed from the cruiser’s engines.

It wasn’t long before the air in the bridge felt warmer. Sweat began to drip down Brack’s face, and his uniform was sticking to his skin.

Beside him, Allie swiped her arm across her face. He checked the console. They had hours to go yet.

Tension filled his shoulders, and he could see the nervous tattoo Allie tapped against the edge of the console.

No. He wasn’t letting the Kantos take her.

The ceiling vibrated above them and they both looked up. The noise got louder, becoming a droning hum.

“God, I hate the Kantos,” Allie muttered.

Suddenly, a swarm of tiny bugs poured out of a crack in one of the vent conduits. The small cloud circled around the bridge, buzzing loudly.

“What are they?” she asked, frowning.

“No idea.” The Kantos bred thousands of different bugs of all shapes and sizes, and experimented regularly.

The cloud of insects moved as one, darting at Allie. She waved her hands in the air.

“Ah, they sting.”

Cren. Brack charged closer. Half of the cloud detached and raced at him. They swirled around his head and he felt them biting his cheeks. His helian pulsed, letting off a throb of energy, and the creatures backed off.

He looked over at Allie. Welts were rising on her face. He pulled her close, pushing her face against his chest. He commanded his helian, and a fine-mesh net formed on his arm. He fired it at the bugs.

It missed, flying past the insects and landing in a heap on the deck.

The bugs rushed at them again. Allie made an angry noise, slapping wildly at them.

The swarm whizzed away, coalescing back into a ball. Brack formed a second net.

He took his time aiming, watching the creatures getting ready to attack again.

Thwap. The net fired, closing around them, entrapping them.

The bundle dropped to the ground, with the bugs buzzing angrily.

“Nice shot, Second Commander,” Allie said.

He strode over, aimed his flame blaster at the creatures, and poured fire over them. Soon, they were fried to crispy husks.

His flame blaster morphed away.

“I love what that helian can do,” she said.

By now, he and Allie were breathing heavily. Her hair was drenched with sweat. He could see that her breathing was becoming more labored now. Each time she breathed, it seemed harder and harder to pull in a breath.

Their air was running dangerously low, and battling the bugs hadn’t helped.

Then, all of a sudden, the ship lurched to a stop.

“Cren.” Brack raced back to the command console.

“The insects were just a distraction,” Allie said.

He tapped furiously at the console and then stopped, pressing his hands against it. His chin dropped to his chest. “They’ve locked us out of the engines.”

ALLIE HEAVED IN A BREATH. Her face was stinging and her lungs felt heavy.

Brack’s jaw was tight, a muscle ticking under his eye.

“Can you get us back in?” she asked.

“I’m working on it—”

A deafening bang hit the door, and it felt as though the entire bridge vibrated. She gasped and turned.

A deep, wild screech echoed from the other side of the door. Damn, they were using some sort of battering ram—a giant bug, maybe?—to batter down the door.

She sensed more vibrations, and watched, as the door started to bend inward.

But before she could curse, a spasm of pain wracked her body, and she collapsed against the console, panting.

Brack caught her, lowering her gently into a seat. “Allie?”

“Hurts.”

He pressed a palm to her forehead. “A reaction to the stings, most likely.”

Great, she was probably allergic to the fucking Kantos now, too.

He smoothed her hair back off her face. “It doesn’t appear to be life threatening.”

Bang.

Bang.

Metal groaned. The enraged Kantos were trying to get through the door.

She sucked in another breath, and this time it was even harder than before. Her chest ached. She looked up into his rugged face. “We aren’t going to make it, are we?”

His mouth tightened. “No.”

“Damn, we were so close.” She gripped his hand, entwining her fingers with his. “I wanted more time with you. Mostly a lot of naked time.”

He shook his head, the faintest smile on his lips. Then he pulled her to his chest.

“I must look horrible.” She touched a welt under her eye.

“Your face is an interesting shade of red.”

With a laugh, she smacked his chest.

He lowered his head. “I still love you.”

Her breath hitched. “I thought you didn’t have it in you?”

“Well, apparently I hadn’t met the right smart, confident, take-no-prisoners woman from Earth yet.”

“Oh, Brack—”

“You’re beautiful, strong, a warrior at heart. And mine.”

“God, I love you so much.” She held onto him as tightly as she could. “I’ve never said that to any man before. I was always too afraid.” She looked around the bridge of the Kantos cruiser. “This isn’t quite how I imagined it happening.”

There was another huge bang on the door and they both glanced over. A small hole was forming in the center of the panel. Her belly clenched.

“They’ll get through soon,” Brack said.

She gripped his arm as a dark and crazy thought struck her. “Brack? I have an idea.”

He stiffened. “I don’t think I like your tone.”

“I think we should blow up the ship.”

“What?” His brows drew together.

“I don’t want us to be tortured to death. If we can blow up the ship, we go out on our terms, and we take out as many Kantos as we can.”

He tugged on her hair. “So bloodthirsty.”

“Practical.”

He kissed her again, his arms convulsing around her. Then she saw him pull in a deep breath.

“Okay, Captain, let’s blow this Kantos battlecruiser out of the sky.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Brack knelt down in front of the command console and ripped the front of it open. The interior of the console was filled with sinewy wires, pulsing fluid packs, and other Kantos tech. He started pulling out the wires.

“What’s the plan?” Allie knelt beside him, peering in with a grimace. Her breathing was harsh and rasping.

“Try and overload the ship’s fuel cells.” He yanked more parts out, tossing some things on the floor and ripping apart some wires, then rejoining others.

Allie started helping, her face set with grim concentration. He loved that determined look she got. One-hundred-percent dedicated to this task.

He was constantly amazed by her.

She glanced at him and winked. Brack felt it deep inside. This woman loved him. Just as he was, his strengths, his weaknesses.

By Eschar’s embrace, he wished things had worked out differently. That they weren’t about to bring about their own deaths.

There was another massive bang behind them. They both glanced back. The door was now partly broken open. Kantos soldiers were desperately trying to claw their way through the gap.

They’d be inside in minutes.

It was now or never.

“Ready?” He held up the final wires. “Once I connect these, it’ll start the energy cascade in the fuel cells.”

She leaned forward and kissed him. “I’m ready.”

Brack wrapped an arm around her and she nuzzled in close. He breathed her in—sweat, blood, and Allie. Sorrow cut through him like the sharpest sword.

“Whatever’s after this, I’ll find you,” she promised. “I’ll track you down, Second Commander.” Her voice was thick.

“It won’t take long, because I’ll be looking for you, Captain.” He couldn’t keep the emotion out of his voice.

Her fingers tightened on him, then she lifted the other wire up, holding it close to his end.

“Three,” he said.

More banging and scrabbling on the doors. It was getting louder.

“Two.”

She shifted her other hand onto his wrist, fingers stroking close to his helian. They’d do this together.

“O—”

Before Brack could finish the countdown, a brilliant flash of light cut through the bridge. He shielded his eyes, and heard Allie curse.

He frowned. He hadn’t touched the wires yet, so it wasn’t the fuel cells exploding.

He raised his head.

“Holy hell.” Allie leaped to her feet, staring.

The Desteron filled the viewscreen, and a second later, the Divergent appeared beside it.

Allie jumped on Brack, laughing.

He lifted her off her feet, relief flooding him. But then his elation turned sour. “Oh, cren.”

“What?” She slid back to the floor.

“They’re going to fire.”

Brack watched his warship coming around. He knew the maneuver, had ordered it numerous times. The ship’s weapons were swiveling to lock onto the Kantos battlecruiser.

He raced to the console. “Desteron, this is Brack. We’re aboard the Kantos cruiser. We’re aboard the cruiser!”

No response.

“Desteron, respond! This is Second Commander Brack Thann-Felis.”

Allie shook her head. “The messages aren’t getting through.”

There was a blaze of light.

Laser fire poured from the Desteron, tearing into the Kantos cruiser. The ship shuddered. They both grabbed hold of the consoles to stay upright.

Allie hunched over her screen. “Fuck, the cruiser’s comms array was destroyed.” Her wide eyes met his. “We have no way to contact the Desteron.”

“Cren.” He kicked the console. Then he sucked in a sharp breath. “They’re arming missiles.”

Allie’s eyes widened even more. “Shit.”

If the Desteron’s missiles hit the cruiser, it would blow the Kantos ship to pieces. And that included Allie and Brack.

OH. God. They’d made it this far, and now they were about to be blown to smithereens by their own ships.

Time slowed for Allie as she turned toward Brack. His fierce gaze was on her. Beyond him, she saw bright flares, lights zooming across the space between the Desteron and the cruiser.

The missiles.

From their trajectory, they’d hit right near the bridge.

“Brack.”

He wrapped his arms around her, so tight she could barely breathe.

“No,” he roared. “No!”

She saw the scales on his armor shifting, and a helmet formed over his head. His helian was protecting him. She felt something loosen inside her. He might survive. He’d live.

The ship shuddered and the world exploded apart.

Allie might have screamed, she wasn’t sure, because the noise was deafening.

She was sucked violently off her feet, and then she was hurtling through space, Brack still desperately holding on to her.

They tumbled over and over, and she caught a glimpse of the Kantos cruiser splintering apart.

She dug her fingers into Brack’s arms. She knew she only had minutes before the exposure to space would kill her.

She looked up and saw the torment on Brack’s face. She moved her lips. I love you, Second Commander.

Then, scales started to flow off him. They hit her chest, sliding over her body. Allie jerked, watching incredulously, as armor formed on her.

Suddenly, her chest locked and panic filled her as her lungs started to burn. But a second later, a helmet formed over her head. She sucked in sweet, sweet air.

She lifted her gaze. “Wow.”

The arms holding her convulsed, pulling her closer. Their helmets thunked together.

“By Ston’s sword.” Brack’s voice was thick and shaky. “Thank the warriors you’re all right.”

She nodded, looking down her body. The armor was badass.

Without warning, a piece of something whizzed past them. Brack cursed, propelling them away from the wreckage of the Kantos battlecruiser.

“Desteron, this is Brack.” He shook his head. “I’m still not getting through. There must be too much interference from the exploding cruiser. We need to get closer to the Desteron.”

More pieces of wreckage flew past them. Then a sharp pain sliced across Allie’s thigh, and she cried out. She slapped a hand over the wound.

“Allie,” he barked.

“I’m okay. Something just clipped me.” She could feel the armor repairing over the tear.

They floated together, moving away from the cruiser. She pressed in closer to him. “Are you going to admit that you’re totally, completely in love with me now?”

“I’m thinking about it,” he said.

They both smiled.

“If you do,” she said. “I’ll let you bang my brains out later.”

Through the helmet, she saw him raise an eyebrow. “Are you bribing a fellow alliance commander with your body, Captain?”

“Only you,” she said.

“As it happens, I like your brains where they are. I love everything about you.”

“See, you do love me.”

Before he could reply, another explosion rocked the cruiser. A piece of wreckage hit them, making them spin wildly. Then a large, molten-hot piece of hull rushed past and Allie gasped.

If that had hit them…

“We need to get out of here,” she cried.

More pieces of the Kantos ship pelted at them. Brack wrapped his big body around her, shielding her.

“Brack.”

“Hold on.”

Then she felt him jerk and grunt.

“Brack?”

“Just…a scratch.” His voice was strained.

Oh, God. Allie reached behind him, patting his back. When she touched the terrible gash across his upper back, her stomach dropped away. It was huge and bad.

Really bad.

Then she felt him sag against her.

“Brack, hold on!” She tightened her hold on him. “Desteron, are you there? Desteron, damn well respond!”

“Allie?” A deep, shocked voice came across the line. She was too panicked to work out who the hell it was.

“Yes. We were in the Kantos cruiser. We’re now floating in the wreckage. Brack’s injured.”

“Hang on, we’re sending a team to get you.”

“Okay, hurry. We’ll—” Movement caught her eye and she turned her head.

Oh, shit.

Several large bugs were making their way toward her and Brack, arrowing through space with surprising speed. She’d seen them before. Sleeker, with harder shells, they were the bugs that the Kantos sent out into space to infiltrate ship hulls.

“We have incoming Kantos space bugs,” she said into the comm. “Make it fast.” Then she gently shook Brack. “Hey, you with me, warrior?”

His eyes were only slits, but he nodded.

“We have bugs incoming.”

His head jerked, but then his eyes drifted closed again.

Shit. She had to protect them. If only she had a—

Suddenly, a long blade started forming on her right arm.

Yes!

She released one hand from Brack, holding his hand with her left. The first bug got close, its sharp pincers snapping. Allie jabbed with her sword and the creature reared back.

But more were coming in behind it. She kept swinging, trying to scare them off.

She had to protect Brack.

One bug darted in and she stabbed it. Damn, it was solid. She grunted, pushing as hard as she could, trying to get the blade through the hard shell.

The bug convulsed and went still. With a smile, she yanked the sword back.

But her smile dissolved fast. Damn. There were too many of them.

A crowd of bugs were gathering, ready to overrun her. Her fingers clenched on Brack’s hand. Sorry, Second Commander.

“Need a little help, Captain?” said a deep, female voice.

Allie turned her head.

Jamie, wearing her high-tech spacesuit, was arrowing toward her. Behind her was her team of space marines, including several Eon warriors in their scale armor, swords glowing.

“Jamie.” Allie’s heart lodged in her throat.

The space marine winked as she shot past Allie, pulling a large combat sword off her back. Without a pause, she attacked the bugs.

“The cavalry’s here, Brack.”

“Allie?” His voice was weak, but his eyes were open.

“You’re missing the fight, Second Commander.”

He gave her a faint smile. “Love you.”

Her heart filled. “I know you do.” She hugged him tight. “I love you, too.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

Jamie

“Stevens!” Jamie Park yelled into her comm. “Taro!”

“I see them, Lieutenant,” her space marine answered.

“As do I,” the warrior responded.

Terran and Eon soldiers shot forward, engaging the bugs.

Jamie swung her sword, slicing into one of the aliens. Damn, she loved a good fight. With controlled slashes, she sliced up the bug.

Another arrowed toward her and she raised her weapon. Using her suit’s propulsion system, she flew forward, skewering the Kantos alien.

When she wrenched her sword back, she saw that her team had fully engaged the enemy.

Sorry, bug brains, no snacks for you today. She swiveled and flew closer to the injured couple. She slid her sword back over her shoulder.

“Hey, Captain.”

Allie looked up. The woman looked like she’d had a rough day.

“Damn glad to see you, Jamie. Brack’s hurt.”

Jamie could see from the warrior’s sluggish movements that he wasn’t doing well. “We’ll get you both back to the Desteron, and you can get poked, prodded, and healed.”

Taking a second, Jamie studied Allie—who was wearing Eon black-scale armor just like the second commander. Interesting.

Under their helmets, the pair looked like they’d been through hell.

Then Allie jerked. “Jamie, look out!”

Spinning, Jamie moved fluidly into a combat stance. She and her marines practiced space combat daily.

One of the bugs was coming straight at them. This one was bigger than the others, moving more aggressively. The alpha bug. Throwing her arms out, she let her combat knives slide down her forearms and into her hands.

Then she attacked.

Jamie used the propulsion from her suit to spin around the bug. It tried to match her movements, but her knives were already flashing. She sliced one of the bug’s legs off with two well-aimed slashes.

Oh, yeah. Jamie spent hours honing the edges on her blades.

Injured, the alien drew back, remaining legs flailing. She spotted another bug coming up from the side to attack Allie and Brack.

Fuck. Jamie shot forward. “Allie, move!”

The captain jerked, trying to spin the second commander around. But they were too slow.

And Jamie wasn’t going to be quick enough.

She threw one knife, but it missed by an inch, sailing past the bug’s head.

The bug’s focus was on Allie.

Jamie hit the control for max propulsion, pressing her arms to her sides. She exploded forward, ramming a shoulder into Allie to knock her out of the way.

The bug’s sharp pincers rammed into Jamie’s gut.

Oh, damn. That hurt like a motherfucker.

“Jamie!” Allie’s cry.

Jamie swung her knife around, cutting into the bug’s head. Its pincers were moving, tearing up her belly. She yanked her knife back, and then stabbed the alien in the eye. She twisted the blade.

The bug released her, floating away. Its ugly mouth opened, and there was no sound, but she could easily imagine the screech it would have made.

But then her knife slipped from nerveless fingers.

She felt blood oozing out of her. As her body floated backward in space, she saw the Desteron and the Divergent in the distance, flying close, working together.

She drifted, her mind floating. There was no pain now.

Alone. She’d been alone most of her life. Even when she’d lived with the assholes who’d contributed to her DNA, she’d been alone. Then through all the foster homes.

She’d made a family for herself at Space Corps. Her squad of marines both loved and cursed her, which she took as a sign that she was doing a decent job as their leader.

But Jamie wondered if any of them would mourn her death for long. She’d be replaced, their work would go on, and she’d fade from their memories.

She felt wetness on her cheek and realized that it was a tear.

She hadn’t cried since she was a terrified child, hiding from her drunken, abusive parents.

“Jamie!”

Sound crashed back in on her…and so did the pain. She groaned.

Hands gripped her arms. Then Allie’s helmeted face was in front of her.

“Stay with me, Lieutenant.”

Her captain, her friend. Jamie tried to nod, but her muscles wouldn’t respond.

“A shuttle is on the way to pick us up,” Allie said.

Jamie turned her head, blinking. The bright-blue lights of the Eon shuttle were blinding. It zoomed toward them.

She drifted off again, her thoughts scattering. Suddenly, hands were on her, and then she was being lifted.

More lights. Pain. Fuck, the pain was frigging horrible.

Then blackness. The next thing she knew, she was lying on a firm bed. Then there was a deep, male voice.

“Let’s see those eyes open, marine.”

Jamie blinked. The face of a handsome Eon warrior came into view. His brow was creased in concentration, his neat brown hair fell over his forehead, calling attention to his rugged face.

“I’m alive?” Her voice was barely more than a croak.

“Yes.” He arched a brow. “And I’m planning to keep it that way. I had to use our healing havv to patch you up.”

She knew the Eon havv was similar to the helian. A red fluid of bio-organisms that could heal up wounds spectacularly.

Her gaze snagged on his hands. He had big ones, with long, well-shaped fingers. They had a few nicks and scars. Not a man who sat at a desk all day.

“You’re in Medical,” the warrior said. “Aboard the Desteron. I’m Medical Commander Aydin Kann-Ath.”

“Allie? Brack?”

“Alive, thanks to you. Captain Borden is all healed up, and hovering over the ever-stubborn, but healing, Second Commander.”

“I heard that,” came the rumble of Brack’s voice from nearby.

Jamie didn’t have the energy to turn her head and look. Damn, she hurt so much. She was damn glad Allie and her warrior were alive.

“You’re in pain.” The medical commander shifted, and she saw him lift a pressure injector.

Jamie stiffened. “No drugs.”

He frowned at her. “It’s a painkiller—”

“I don’t like them.” She tried to grab his arm and missed by a mile. Her parents used to dope her up when she was a kid.

“I’m not allowing you to be in agony,” he said firmly.

“Do it and I’ll break your kneecaps.”

He made a scoffing sound. “I might be a doctor, but I’m also a fully-trained Eon warrior.”

She glared at him. “I could take you.”

Then he smiled. God, it was a damn nice one.

“I look forward to you trying, when you can actually stand.” Before she could stop him, he touched the pressure injector to her neck.

She growled, but the pain instantly started to dull. “Bastard.”

His lips quirked. “I think you’re feeling better already.”

Then he leaned closer, and she felt him touching her neck. He smelled good. Really, really good. She stiffened. The drugs must be affecting her brain.

“I like your face,” she murmured.

He stilled, surprise a quick ripple on his features. “I like yours too.”

“And you smell nice.”

His lips quirked. “You suffer adverse effects from the drugs.”

“Told you I didn’t want them.” She felt the unfamiliar urge to pout.

“I thought you space marines were tough?”

The medical commander shifted, turning to move away, and her belly clenched. Jamie’s hand shot out, and this time, she managed to grab his wrist.

Her fingers brushed over the thick band that she knew housed his helian symbiont. She felt warmth pulse up her arm.

He turned back to her, frowning.

“Don’t…” Jamie swallowed, could barely force the words out. “Don’t leave me alone.”

Something moved across his handsome face. Then his warm fingers closed over hers.

“I’m not going anywhere, Jamie. I’m right here.”

God, it was so weak to need someone else. “Don’t tell anyone.” Her words were a whisper.

He seemed to understand her. “Your warrior reputation is safe with me.”

And that was all she needed.

With his warm presence beside her, she closed her eyes and let sleep take her.

WHEN BRACK WALKED onto the bridge of the Desteron, all the warriors cheered.

He nodded his head, ushering Allie ahead of him. Lara and Eve appeared, pulling Allie into tight embraces. Donovan was right behind them, waiting for his chance to hug his captain. The man inclined his head at Brack.

Then he yanked Allie into his arms.

“I’m okay,” she muttered.

“Shit.” Donovan sucked in a breath. “I want to be a captain one day, but not because my captain got herself killed by the Kantos.”

Allie pulled back and patted her friend’s chest. “I’m still alive and kicking.” Her smile dissolved. “My chief engineer?”

Davion stepped forward. “The shuttle we sent just intercepted his escape pod. He’s alive, they’re treating him, and he’s saying something about a crate of top-shelf whiskey.”

“Mercenary old bastard,” Allie muttered, but she was smiling.

Happy to see her relief, Brack slid an arm around her, hugging her to his side. He felt curious gazes on them.

“So,” Davion said. “I hear that Captain Borden arrived aboard the Desteron wearing your armor.”

“Lucky for me, I did,” Allie said. “Because when you guys blew the Kantos cruiser to pieces—”

Davion frowned. “We didn’t know you were aboard.”

“—I would’ve been toast, otherwise,” she finished.

The war commander glanced at Brack. “You haven’t told her?”

Her eyebrows winged up. “What?”

“We were too busy surviving,” Brack said, dryly.

“What?” She elbowed Brack in the gut. “Talk, warrior.”

“God, she’s perfect for you.” Eve grinned.

Brack cleared his throat and turned to Allie. “An Eon warrior can only share his armor when he and his helian are deeply connected to someone.”

Allie’s green eyes narrowed. “Spit it out, Second Commander.”

“You’re my mate.”

Allie did a slow blink. “You and I are…?”

“Mated.”

Then she threw her head back and laughed. It was wild, bold, and gorgeous. He saw warriors staring at her in consternation.

“Some decorum, Borden,” he said.

“You, Mr. I-can’t-do-relationships, and I, are mated.”

He grabbed her, lowering his voice. “I couldn’t do relationships before you.”

“Shit.” The curse was a whisper, her face softening. “If you make me cry in front of everyone, I’ll deck you.”

Laughing, he drew her up and kissed her.

“We need to debrief you on what happened,” Davion said.

Brack nodded. “I’m sorry you had to cut your trip short.”

Davion lifted a hand. “As soon as we heard you and the captain were missing, Eve and I wanted to be here.”

Eve held up a hand. “Believe me, you did me a favor. I felt like a circus act. Everyone wanted to see the puny Terran who dared mate with their esteemed war commander.”

“We’ll get this debrief completed quickly,” Davion said. “And then let you clean up. The king is also waiting for a report.”

Allie moaned. “Oh, I can’t wait for a hot shower.”

Suddenly, a pain speared through Brack’s gut. It was a burning heat that was spreading through him, licking at his veins. He dropped to his knees.

“Brack!” Allie was right beside him. She glanced up at Davion. “Your medical commander said he was all healed.”

The heat flared again and Brack’s skin tightened. Vicious desire curled in his gut, the scent of his mate working deep inside him.

He looked up, his gaze narrowing. Davion and Donovan were standing too close to her.

Way too close.

“Get away from my mate,” he growled.

Everyone froze. Allie’s fingers stroked his cheek.

Davion coughed. “I believe I know what the problem is.”

“Will he be okay?” Allie asked.

“When the mating fever has passed, he’ll be back to his usual self,” Davion said. “It seems the debrief will have to wait.”

Allie sucked in a breath. “Mating fever?”

Brack surged up, grabbed her, and tossed her over his shoulder.

“Hey!” She smacked him between the shoulder blades. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Here we go again,” Eve said.

He strode off the bridge, taking the quickest route to his cabin, moving fast and not talking to anyone they passed.

“I’ll get you back for this, warrior,” Allie hissed.

He shoved through the door to his cabin and went straight to the washroom. He set her down.

She spun, her eyes sparking. “Brack—”

He started to strip her clothes off.

“Brack.” She smacked at his hands.

He lifted his gaze. “I need you.”

She stared at him for a beat, then her body relaxed. She held her arms out.

He stripped her naked. Her body was strong, but soft in all the right places. He stroked her belly, loved hearing her sharp intake of air. Then he cupped her breasts. He stroked and played until she was squirming and biting her lip.

Then he straightened and started taking his own clothes off. She watched him, color streaking along her cheekbones, her nipples tight, little pebbles.

He reached past her and flicked on the water. “You said you wanted a hot shower.” And he’d give his mate everything she needed.

He urged her inside and followed her in. They were both still streaked with the dirt and grime of their ordeal. But soon, the warm water washed over them, cleaning them off. Brack squeezed some liquid soap into his hand, and massaged it into her hair.

She leaned back against him, her eyes closed. He felt her trust, the amazing gift of it.

Then there was only Allie and her smooth, smooth skin. He washed down her torso, along her limbs. He stroked her, listening as she moaned.

Need pounded inside of Brack. The need to take, to claim, to pleasure his mate.

“What’s the mating fever?” she murmured.

“My body needs to claim its mate. Affirm our connection, physically.”

He lifted her, taking her mouth with his. He pinned her to the wall.

“Take me, Second Commander, I’m all yours.”

Brack thrust inside her.

Cren, she was so tight and warm. His perfect mate.

He started a wild rhythm, feeling her nails digging into his shoulders. She writhed against him, straining and moaning.

She was no meek lover, no weak mate. She was everything he’d never known he needed.

Brack changed the angle of his thrusts, knowing that he was rubbing against her clit with each move.

Her fingers tightened on him and she cried out. “I can’t hold on…Brack, I’m going to come.”

He moved faster.

With a cry, she clenched around him, and started coming. He lost his cadence, his thrusts wild and desperate.

With another plunge, his release took him, ripping through him like lightning.

“Mate.” He leaned down and sank his teeth into her neck. “My mate.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

With a final moan, Allie pushed her warrior off her naked body. He flopped onto his back on the bed beside her.

Shivers of pleasure were still shaking through her. She cracked open one eye and looked at her smug mate. He lounged beside her, looking very content and satisfied.

And so blindingly alive.

Those terrible moments—when they’d been trapped in the Kantos ship, the explosion, and then floating in space with him horribly injured…

Air shuddered out of her.

“Allie?”

“I’m fine.”

More than fine. He’d just spent the last twenty-four hours showing her that he was very much alive. And that he knew a lot of creative ways to pleasure her. Surprisingly, the man knew how to follow requests in bed perfectly. In fact, he’d made it his mission to learn everything she liked.

Her eyes drifted closed. Damn, she was tired. Not in that exhausted, can’t move way. She stretched her arms above her head. She was tired in a relaxed and lazy way.

Brack nuzzled her neck and she lifted a hand to stroke through his hair.

“Feeling better?” she asked.

The blue strands in his eyes glowed. “Feeling like I own the universe.”

She snorted. Then she leaned over and snatched up a sheet of blue paper from her origami stack. Someone had thoughtfully had her duffel bag delivered during their sex-a-thon. She’d been happy to discover her stash of paper.

As she folded the sheet that matched the color of Brack’s eyes, he watched her intently. When she finished the heart, complete with a pretty folded design on one side, she handed it to him.

He stroked the edges. “Thank you.”

“You already have my heart, but I’ll no doubt make you a collection of these.”

“I’ll cherish every one of them.”

Then a chime sounded from the table beside his bed. Brack rolled over and hit something. “Brack, here.”

“Good morning.” Davion’s amused voice. “Think you two can make it to the bridge for a debriefing?”

“Yes.” Brack sat up. “I’m feeling mostly back to normal.”

“Happy to hear that.”

“We can be there in thirty ship minutes.”

“Excellent. See you soon. And Brack?”

“Yes?”

“I’m happy for you. You’re not your parents, and you never were. I’m glad you finally realized that. See you shortly.”

Allie propped herself up on an elbow and studied Brack’s face. Varied emotions played over his features. She thought of how much she missed her brother, the powerful mix of grief, sorrow, anger and happiness. Brack clearly felt some similar mix for his parents and their relationship. It would never go away, but she hoped he could learn not to let it bother him so much.

He wasn’t his parents, or the genetic material they’d passed onto him. And she wasn’t her brother. She rose up and pressed a kiss to Brack’s bare chest. Then she turned and her eyes widened. “Holy cow.”

The bed was a mess. In fact, the entire cabin was a mess. Covers were torn off the bed, discarded drying cloths dangled off the synthesizer, and a pillow was lying on top of the desk.

Brack rose, and Allie was instantly sidetracked by all his hard, naked gorgeousness.

He glanced at her. “Are you looking at my ass again?”

“Absolutely. I’m your mate, so what’s yours is mine. That means, it’s my ass, now.”

He shook his head and smiled. “Shower?”

“Sorry, I’m still stuck on firm ass and hard abs.”

He scooped her off the bed. “We can have more sex later.”

She moaned. “That might kill us.” But she still felt a throb between her thighs.

They took a shower, with a lot of roaming hands. Afterward, she pulled out a clean uniform from her bag and hugged it to her chest. “Oh, God, clean clothes.”

Soon, both of them were dressed and looking presentable. She tilted her head. They looked exactly how they had when she’d first arrived aboard the Desteron. Back then, they’d been reluctant allies who didn’t trust each other. Hell, they hadn’t even liked each other.

A lot had changed since then.

Allie pressed her face to Brack’s black-clad chest. “Love you.”

“I love you too, Allie. So much that it’ll take my entire lifetime for me to express it.”

But she felt a little tingle of uncertainty. How the hell were they going to make this work? She captained a Terran starship, and he was the second commander of the pride of the Eon fleet.

Still, now wasn’t the time to worry. They had a debrief to complete, and Kantos to fight.

When they stepped onto the bridge, there were lots of smiles and curious looks. Allie didn’t care. She immediately spotted Donovan, standing with Davion, Eve, and Caze.

Davion looked up, his powerful body clad in his black uniform. Easy authority pulsed off him. Eve waved.

“You look well rested,” the war commander said.

Allie snorted. “No, but we’re well… Let’s just say we’re feeling pretty awesome.”

Davion looked like he was fighting to subdue a laugh.

Brack just shook his head. “Allie says exactly what she thinks.”

“As does my lovely ambassador,” Davion said.

Eve pulled a face. “Don’t call me that.”

Allie looked at Donovan. “How’s Jamie?”

“Recovering.” Her second’s lips twitched.

“I believe your lieutenant is driving my medical commander to the edge,” Davion said, voice dry.

Uh-oh. Jamie was a hardass, and she was also the worst patient known to man…and apparently the Eon.

“War Commander,” a warrior called out. “The king is on the comm.”

Davion swiveled. “Put him through.”

King Gayel’s aristocratic face appeared.

Allie felt the need to straighten her spine. Eve leaned in close. “I know, he takes a bit of getting used to.”

The king of the Eon did not look happy.

“War Commander.” He nodded at Davion, then his gaze moved around the bridge. All the warriors bowed their heads.

“Gayel,” Davion said. “Captain Borden, her chief engineer McNamara, Lieutenant Park, and Second Commander Thann-Felis are all recovered and healing.”

“Excellent. But I am well aware that it could have ended differently.” The king’s face hardened. “We can no longer ignore the Kantos incursions. Today, the Eon Empire formally declares war on the Kantos.”

Allie sucked in a breath, then she smiled. “Hell, yeah.”

The king’s blue gaze swung to her and she stilled.

“Um, hell yeah, your highness,” she said weakly.

King Gayel’s mouth quirked. “It’s a pleasure to see you fully healed, Captain Borden.”

She felt a strange urge to bow or curtsy, or something. “Thank you.”

Brack slid an arm across her shoulders. “I’d also like to inform you that Allie and I are mated.”

The king’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes.” Davion smiled. “And Brack was certain he wouldn’t fall under the spell of an Earth woman.”

“That is most excellent news,” Gayel said. “I’ve no doubt that you will continue to strengthen our alliance between Earth and the Eon Empire. Along that line, I want to expand the training exercises. The Divergent and the Desteron have made a tremendous start, and I’d like to have the Rengard and some other warships join in.” His gaze moved to Allie. “Captain, I’m hoping you and Eve can talk to Space Corps and arrange to have more Terran ships involved as well.”

Allie nodded. “I think that’s a great idea. All our crews have been learning a lot.”

The king nodded. “I’m also planning to ask our scientists to work out why so many warriors are compatible mates with Terrans. Mating has become rare among the Eon, but perhaps the key to changing that lies with Earth.” He looked at Eve. “Ambassador, I hope that some Terran scientists might be interested in working with the Eon on this.”

“I’m sure I can rustle up some eager scientists for you,” Eve said.

The king turned his focus back to Brack and Allie. “Our alliance is strengthened by your union, and the work you do. The Kantos don’t stand a chance against our combined might.”

Allie leaned into Brack. “No sir, they don’t.”

“BRING US AROUND, HARRIS,” Brack ordered.

“On it, Second Commander.”

“Bran, ready the weapons.”

“Yes, Second Commander.”

“Now, get us in close.” Brack’s simulated Kantos ship shot forward, and he kept his gaze glued to the training screens. “Open fire.”

Across the room, he heard Allie cursing. “Shields up. Scramble our fighters.”

“It’s too late, Captain—”

There was a burst of light on the simulation screens and words popped up.

Team One wins.

Brack grinned, and his team cheered.

He turned to meet Allie’s gaze across the room. She shook her head, but she was smiling. He strode across the training room and met his mate in the center of the space.

“Using my own tactics against me. You’re a quick learner, Second Commander Thann-Felis.”

“As are you, Captain Thann-Felis.”

Her eyes widened with the realization. “Shit, we’re essentially married.”

“Yes, and I’d be happy for you to take my name.” He stepped closer, barely resisting the urge to curl his hands around the back of her neck. He knew he couldn’t touch her or kiss her while they were working, but he really wanted to. “But I don’t care, as long as you’re mine.”

She smiled. “Always.”

But Brack saw a glimmer of worry in her eyes and his gut hardened. He’d noted that something had been bothering her the last few days. He’d prodded her a few times, but she hadn’t wanted to talk.

Did she regret their mating? Would she leave him? Would he end up like his mother, pining for someone who didn’t love him enough?

Allie’s gaze was sharp on his face and she frowned. “Brack—”

“Captain?” A young ensign interrupted.

Allie huffed out a breath. “Yes, Ensign?”

“There’s another call from Medical.”

Allie groaned. “Another one?”

“The medical commander and Lieutenant Park are shouting…again.”

“Tell them that they’re adults. I’m not going down there to referee them again.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Hey.” She stepped closer to Brack with a frown. “What’s wrong?”

He heaved out a breath and looked at his boots.

She eyed him, then swiveled. “Teams dismissed. Let’s have lunch.”

With happy exclamations and chatter, their people streamed out of the room.

Then Allie put her hand on his chest. “Explain the look on your face, Brack.”

“You look…concerned. I know something’s been bothering you since we mated.”

Her face softened. “That doesn’t change the fact that I’m head over heels in love with you, Brack.”

“Then what is it?” he asked. “Talk to me.”

“I’ve just been thinking through the logistics of things. I’m worried about how we’ll make our relationship work. And I want to make it work.” Her fingers flexed on his chest. “I don’t want to be away from you constantly, but you work on one ship, and I’m on another.”

His chest eased with a touch of relief. “I spoke with Davion.”

She stilled.

“You were there when the king announced he wanted increased training exercises. There are more ships already on their way. Davion spoke with Space Corps, and everyone has agreed to mix the crews of the ships involved.”

She blinked. “What?”

“They want to swap some Terrans and Eon warriors. Have Terrans aboard the Desteron and Rengard, and warriors on the Divergent and the Relentless.”

“I can’t leave my ship,” Allie said.

“I know. But luckily, I’m an excellent second commander.”

She sucked in a breath. “Donovan—”

“I broached the subject with him. With your blessing, he’s very keen for a stint aboard an Eon warship.”

“You’d be my second?” she said quietly.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. “I’ll be whatever you need me to be.”

Her man. She went up on her toes and kissed him until they were both breathless.

“Can I trust you to follow my orders?” she asked.

He stroked a hand down her side. “I’m very good at following commands.” He nudged her backward until her butt hit the edge of a desk. He lifted her onto it. “Let me show you.”

Allie laughed, feeling light and free. She was living her life her way, with the warrior she loved in her arms. Right where she’d fight to keep him, forever.

“I love you, Brack. Never stop loving me.”

His mouth pressed to her ear, tugging on her earlobe before he touched that sensitive spot on her neck. She arched into him with a breathy moan.

“That would be impossible,” he murmured.

“Then, my first order as your captain, is for you to kiss me and tell me that you love me.”

Brack’s lips moved to hers, and he kissed her hard and thoroughly. “I love you Allie, and I’ll love you for all eternity.”

I hope you enjoyed Allie and Brack’s story!

Eon Warriors continues with Mark of Eon starring Medical Commander Aydin Kann-Ath as he collides with Terran space marine, Lieutenant Jamie Park. Coming early 2020.

For more action-packed romance, read on for a preview of the first chapter of Gladiator, the first book in my best-selling Galactic Gladiators series.

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PREVIEW: GLADIATOR

Fighting for love, honor, and freedom on the galaxy’s lawless outer rim…

When Earth space marine Harper Adams finds herself abducted by alien slavers off a space station, her life turns into a battle for survival. Dumped into an arena on a desert planet on the outer rim, she finds herself face to face with a big, tattooed alien gladiator…the champion of the Kor Magna Arena.

Just another day at the office.

Harper Adams pulled herself along the outside of the space station module. She could hear her quiet breathing inside her spacesuit, and she easily pulled her weightless body along the slick, white surface of the module. She stopped to check a security panel, ensuring all the systems were running smoothly.

Check. Same as it had been yesterday, and the day before that. But Harper never ever let herself forget that they were six hundred million kilometers away from Earth. That meant they were dependent only on themselves. She tapped some buttons on the security panel before closing the reinforced plastic cover. She liked to dot all her Is and cross all her Ts. She never left anything to chance.

She grabbed the handholds and started pulling herself up over the cylindrical pod to check the panels on the other side. Glancing back behind herself, she caught a beautiful view of the planet below.

Harper stopped and made herself take it all in. The orange, white, and cream bands of Jupiter could take your breath away. Today, she could even see the famous superstorm of the Great Red Spot. She’d been on the Fortuna Research Station for almost eighteen months. That meant, despite the amazing view, she really didn’t see it anymore.

She turned her head and looked down the length of the space station. At the end was the giant circular donut that housed the main living quarters and offices. The main ring rotated to provide artificial gravity for the residents. Lying off the center of the ring was the long cylinder of the research facility, and off that cylinder were several modules that housed various scientific labs and storage. At the far end of the station was the docking area for the supply ships that came from Earth every few months.

“Lieutenant Adams? Have you finished those checks?”

Harper heard the calm voice of her fellow space marine and boss, Captain Samantha Santos, through the comm system in her helmet.

“Almost done,” Harper answered.

“Take a good look at the botany module. The computer’s showing some strange energy spikes, but the scientists in there said everything looks fine. Must be a system malfunction.”

Which meant the geek squad engineers were going to have to come in and do some maintenance. “On it.”

Harper swung her body around, and went feet-first down the other side of the module. She knew the rest of the security team—all made up of United Nations Space Marines—would be running similar checks on the other modules across the station. They had a great team to ensure the safety of the hundreds of scientists aboard the station. There was also a dedicated team of engineers that kept the guts of the station running.

She passed a large, solid window into the module, and could see various scientists floating around benches filled with all kinds of plants. They all wore matching gray jumpsuits accented with bright-blue at the collars, that indicated science team. There was a vast mix of scientists and disciplines aboard—biologists, botanists, chemists, astronomers, physicists, medical experts, and the list went on. All of them were conducting experiments, and some were searching for alien life beyond the edge of the solar system. It seemed like every other week, more probes were being sent out to hunt for radio signals or collect samples.

Since humans had perfected large solar sails as a way to safely and quickly propel spacecraft, getting around the solar system had become a lot easier. With radiation pressure exerted by sunlight onto the mirrored sails, they could travel from Earth to Fortuna Station orbiting Jupiter in just a few months. And many of the scientists aboard the station were looking beyond the solar system, planning manned expeditions farther and farther away. Harper wasn’t sure they were quite ready for that.

She quickly checked the adjacent control panel. Among all the green lights, she spotted one that was blinking red, and she frowned. They definitely had a problem with the locking system on the exterior door at the end of the module. She activated the small propulsion pack on her spacesuit, and circled around the module. She slowed down as she passed the large, round exterior door at the end of the cylindrical module.

It was all locked into place and looked secure.

As she moved back to the module, she grabbed a handhold and then tapped the small tablet attached to the forearm of her suit. She keyed in a request for maintenance to come and check it.

She looked up and realized she was right near another window. Through the reinforced glass, a pretty, curvy blonde woman looked up and spotted Harper. She smiled and waved. Harper couldn’t help but smile and lifted her gloved hand in greeting.

Dr. Regan Forrest was a botanist and a few years younger than Harper. The young woman was so open and friendly, and had befriended Harper from her first day on the station. Harper had never had a lot of friends—mainly because she’d been too busy raising her younger sister and working. She’d never had time for girly nights out or gossip.

But Regan was friendly, smart, and had the heart of a steamroller under her pretty exterior. Harper always had trouble saying no to her. Maybe the woman reminded her a little of Brianna. At the thought of her sister, something twisted painfully in Harper’s chest.

Regan floated over to the window and held up a small tablet. She’d typed in some words.

Cards tonight?

Harper had been teaching Regan how to play poker. The woman was terrible at it, and Harper beat her all the time. But Regan never gave up.

Harper nodded and held up two fingers to indicate a couple of hours. She was off-shift shortly, and then she had a sparring match with Regan’s cousin, Rory—one of the station engineers—in the gym. Aurora “Call me Rory or I’ll hit you” Fraser had been trained in mixed martial arts, and Harper found the female engineer a hell of a sparring partner. Rory was teaching Harper some martial arts moves and Harper was showing the woman some basic sword moves. Since she was little, Harper had been a keen fencer.

Regan grinned back and nodded. Then the woman’s wide smile disappeared. She spun around, and through the glass Harper could see the other scientists all looking around, concerned. One scientist was spinning around, green plants floating in the air around him, along with fat droplets of water and some other green fluid. He’d clearly screwed up and let his experiment get free.

“Lieutenant Adams?” The captain’s voice came through her helmet again. “Harper?”

There was a sense of urgency that made Harper’s belly tighten. “Go ahead, Captain.”

“We have an alarm sounding in the botany module. The computer says there is a risk of decompression.”

Dammit. “I just checked the security panels. The locking mechanism on the exterior door is showing red. I did a visual inspection and it’s closed up tight.”

“Okay, we talked with the scientist in charge. Looks like one of her team let something loose in there. It isn’t dangerous, but it must be messing with the alarm sensors. System’s locked them all in there.” She made an annoyed sound. “Idiots will have to stay there until engineering can get down there and free them.”

Harper studied the room through the glass again. Some of the green liquid had floated over to another bench that contained various frothing cylinders on it. A second later, the cylinders shattered, their contents bubbling upward.

The scientists all moved to the back exit of the module, banging on the locked door. Damn. They were trapped.

Harper met Regan’s gaze. Her friend’s face was pale, and wisps of her blonde hair had escaped her ponytail, floating around her face.

“Captain,” Harper said. “Something’s wrong. The experiments have overflowed their containment.” She could see the scientists were all coughing.

“Engineering is on the way,” the captain said.

Harper pushed herself off, flying over the surface of the module. She reached the control panel and saw that several other lights had turned red. They needed to get this under control and they needed to do it now.

“Harper!” The captain’s panicked voice. “Decompression in progress!”

What the hell? The module jerked beneath Harper. She looked up and saw the exterior door blow off, flying away from the station.

Her heart stopped. That meant all the scientists were exposed to the vacuum of space.

Fuck. Harper pushed off again, sending herself flying toward the end of the module. She put her arms by her sides to help increase her speed. Through the window, she saw that most of the scientists had grabbed on to whatever they could hold on to. A few were pulling emergency breathers over their heads.

She reached the end of the pod and saw the damage. There was torn metal where the door had been ripped off. Inside the door, she knew there would be a temporary repair kit containing a sheet of high-tech nano fabric that could be stretched across the opening to reestablish pressure. But it needed to be put in place manually. Harper reached for the latch to release the repair kit.

Suddenly, a slim body shot out of the pod, her arms and legs kicking. Her mouth was wide open in a silent scream.

Regan. Harper didn’t let herself think. She turned, pushed off and fired her propulsion system, arrowing after her friend.

“Security Team to the botany module,” she yelled through her comm system. “Security Team to botany module. We have decompression. One scientist has been expelled. I’m going after her. I need someone that can help calm the others and get the module sealed again.”

“Acknowledged, Lieutenant,” Captain Santos answered. “I’m on my way.”

Harper focused on reaching Regan. She was gaining on her. She saw that the woman had lost consciousness. She also knew that Regan had only a couple of minutes to survive out here. Harper let her training take over. She tapped the propulsion system controls, trying for more speed, as she maneuvered her way toward Regan.

As she got close, Harper reached out and wrapped her arm around the scientist. “I’ve got you.”

Harper turned, at the same time clipping a safety line to the loops on Regan’s jumpsuit. Then, she touched the controls and propelled them straight back towards the module. She kept her friend pulled tightly toward her chest. Hold on, Regan.

She was so still. It reminded Harper of holding Brianna’s dead body in her arms. Harper’s jaw tightened. She wouldn’t let Regan die out here. The woman had dreamed of working in space, and worked her entire career to get here, even defying her family. Harper wasn’t going to fail her.

As the module got closer, she saw that the security team had arrived. She saw the captain’s long, muscled body as she and another man put up the nano fabric.

“Incoming. Keep the door open.”

“Can’t keep it open much longer, Adams,” the captain replied. “Make it snappy.”

Harper adjusted her course, and, a second later, she shot through the door with Regan in her arms. Behind her, the captain and another huge security marine, Lieutenant Blaine Strong, pulled the stretchy fabric across the opening.

“Decompression contained,” the computer intoned.

Harper released a breath. On the panel beside the door, she saw the lights turning green. The nano fabric wouldn’t hold forever, but it would do until they got everyone out of here, and then got a maintenance team in here to fix the door.

“Oxygen levels at required levels,” the computer said again.

“Good work, Lieutenant.” Captain Sam Santos floated over. She was a tall woman with a strong face and brown hair she kept pulled back in a tight ponytail. She had curves she kept ruthlessly toned, and golden skin she always said was thanks to her Puerto Rican heritage.

“Thanks, Captain.” Harper ripped her helmet off and looked down at Regan.

Her blonde hair was a wild tangle, her face was pale and marked by what everyone who worked in space called space hickeys—bruises caused by the skin’s small blood vessels bursting when exposed to the vacuum of space. Please be okay.

“Here.” Blaine appeared, holding a portable breather. The big man was an excellent marine. He was about six foot five with broad shoulders that stretched his spacesuit to the limit. She knew he was a few inches over the height limit for space operations, but he was a damn good marine, which must have gone in his favor. He had dark skin thanks to his African-American father and his handsome face made him popular with the station’s single ladies, but mostly he worked and hung out with the other marines.

“Thanks.” Harper slipped the clear mask over Regan’s mouth.

“Nice work out there.” Blaine patted her shoulder. “She’s alive because of you.”

Suddenly, Regan jerked, pulling in a hard breath.

“You’re okay.” Harper gripped Regan’s shoulder. “Take it easy.”

Regan looked around the module, dazed and panicky. Harper watched as Regan caught sight of the fabric stretched across the end of the module, and all the plants floating around inside.

“God,” Regan said with a raspy gasp, her breath fogging up the dome of the breather. She shook her head, her gaze moving to Harper. “Thanks, Harper.”

“Any time.” Harper squeezed her friend’s shoulder. “It’s what I’m here for.”

Regan managed a wan smile. “No, it’s just you. You didn’t have to fly out into space to rescue me. I’m grateful.”

“Come on. We need to get you to the infirmary so they can check you out. Maybe put some cream on your hickeys.”

“Hickeys?” Regan touched her face and groaned. “Oh, no. I’m going to get a ribbing.”

“And you didn’t even get them the pleasurable way.”

A faint blush touched Regan’s cheeks. “That’s right. If I had, at least the ribbing would have been worth it.”

With a relieved laugh, Harper looked over at her captain. “I’m going to get Regan to the infirmary.”

The other woman nodded. “Good. We’ll meet you back at the Security Center.”

With a nod, Harper pushed off, keeping one arm around Regan, and they floated into the main part of the science facility. Soon, they moved through the entrance into the central hub of the space station. As the artificial gravity hit, Harper’s boots thudded onto the floor. Beside her, Regan almost collapsed.

Harper took most of the woman’s weight and helped her down the corridor. They pushed into the infirmary.

A gray-haired, barrel-chested man rushed over. “Decided to take an unscheduled spacewalk, Dr. Forrest?”

Regan smiled weakly. “Yes. Without a spacesuit.”

The doctor made a tsking sound and then took her from Harper. “We’ll get her all patched up.”

Harper nodded. “I’ll come and check on you later.”

Regan grabbed her hand. “We have a blackjack game scheduled. I’m planning to win back all those chocolates you won off me.”

Harper snorted. “You can try.” It was good to see some life back in Regan’s blue eyes.

As Harper strode out into the corridor, she ran a hand through her dark hair, tension slowly melting out of her shoulders. She really needed a beer. She tilted her neck one way and then the other, hearing the bones pop.

Just another day at the office. The image of Regan drifting away from the space station burst in her head. Harper released a breath. She was okay. Regan was safe and alive. That was all that mattered.

With a shake of her head, Harper headed toward the Security Center. She needed to debrief with the captain and clock off. Then she could get out of her spacesuit and take the one-minute shower that they were all allotted.

That was the one thing she missed about Earth. Long, hot showers.

And swimming. She’d been a swimmer all her life and there were days she missed slicing through the water.

She walked along a long corridor, meeting a few people—mainly scientists. She reached a spot where there was a long bank of windows that afforded a lovely view of Jupiter, and space beyond it.

Stingy showers and unscheduled spacewalks aside, Harper had zero regrets about coming out into space. There’d been nothing left for her on Earth, and to her surprise, she’d made friends here on Fortuna.

As she stared out into the black, mesmerized by the twinkle of stars, she caught a small flash of light in the distance. She paused, frowning. What the hell was that?

She stared hard at the spot where she’d seen the flash. Nothing there but the pretty sprinkle of stars. Harper shook her head. Fatigue was playing tricks on her. It had to have just been a weird trick of the lights reflecting off the glass.

Pushing the strange sighting away, she continued on to the Security Center.

Galactic Gladiators

Gladiator

Warrior

Hero

Protector

Champion

Barbarian

Beast

Rogue

Guardian

Cyborg

Imperator

Hunter

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone

Sentinel

Defender

Also Available as Audiobooks!

PREVIEW: HELL SQUAD - MARCUS

In the aftermath of a deadly alien invasion, a band of survivors fights on…

In a world gone to hell, Elle Milton—once the darling of the Sydney social scene—has carved a role for herself as the communications officer for the toughest commando team fighting for humanity’s survival—Hell Squad. It’s her chance to make a difference and make up for horrible past mistakes…despite the fact that its battle-hardened commander never wanted her on his team.

When Hell Squad is tasked with destroying a strategic alien facility, Elle knows they need her skills in the field. But first she must go head to head with Marcus Steele and convince him she won’t be a liability.

Marcus Steele is a warrior through and through. He fights to protect the innocent and give the human race a chance to survive. And that includes the beautiful, gutsy Elle who twists him up inside with a single look. The last thing he wants is to take her into a warzone, but soon they are thrown together battling both the alien invaders and their overwhelming attraction. And Marcus will learn just how much he’ll sacrifice to keep her safe.

Hell Squad

Marcus

Cruz

Gabe

Reed

Roth

Noah

Shaw

Holmes

Niko

Finn

Theron

Hemi

Ash

Levi

Manu

Griff

Dom

Also Available as Audiobooks!

ALSO BY ANNA HACKETT

Team 52

Mission: Her Protection

Mission: Her Rescue

Mission: Her Security

Mission: Her Defense

Mission: Her Safety

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Treasure Hunter Security

Undiscovered

Uncharted

Unexplored

Unfathomed

Untraveled

Unmapped

Unidentified

Undetected

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Eon Warriors

Edge of Eon

Touch of Eon

Heart of Eon

Kiss of Eon

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Galactic Gladiators: House of Rone

Sentinel

Defender

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Galactic Gladiators

Gladiator

Warrior

Hero

Protector

Champion

Barbarian

Beast

Rogue

Guardian

Cyborg

Imperator

Hunter

Also Available as Audiobooks!

Hell Squad

Marcus

Cruz

Gabe

Reed

Roth

Noah

Shaw

Holmes

Niko

Finn

Theron

Hemi

Ash

Levi

Manu

Griff

Dom

Also Available as Audiobooks!

The Anomaly Series

Time Thief

Mind Raider

Soul Stealer

Salvation

Anomaly Series Box Set

The Phoenix Adventures

Among Galactic Ruins

At Star’s End

In the Devil’s Nebula

On a Rogue Planet

Beneath a Trojan Moon

Beyond Galaxy’s Edge

On a Cyborg Planet

Return to Dark Earth

On a Barbarian World

Lost in Barbarian Space

Through Uncharted Space

Crashed on an Ice World

Perma Series

Winter Fusion

A Galactic Holiday

Warriors of the Wind

Tempest

Storm & Seduction

Fury & Darkness

Standalone Titles

Savage Dragon

Hunter’s Surrender

One Night with the Wolf

For more information visit AnnaHackettBooks.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I’m a USA Today bestselling author and I’m passionate about action romance. I love stories that combine the thrill of falling in love with the excitement of action, danger and adventure. I’m a sucker for that moment when the team is walking in slow motion, shoulder-to-shoulder heading off into battle. I write about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals. I like to believe it’s possible for all of us to do the same.

My books are mixture of action, adventure and sexy romance and they’re recommended for anyone who enjoys fast-paced stories where the boy wins the girl at the end (or sometimes the girl wins the boy!)

For release dates, action romance info, free books, and other fun stuff, sign up for the latest news here:

Website: www.annahackettbooks.com

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Contents

What readers are saying about Anna’s action romances

Action Romance Box Set

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Preview: Gladiator

Preview: Hell Squad - Marcus

Also by Anna Hackett

About the Author