92. Chapter Twelve
Chapter Twelve
T arrex
There are many things we need to do right now and it’s hard to decide what’s most important. We need to tend to our wounds, rid the bridge of the dead bodies, and take showers, since we’re all drenched in blood. Savannah’s right, since King saved our lives, it would be nice to reward him.
But all of that needs to happen after I kiss Savannah. She was so close to death, and I was helpless to save her. I’ve never felt the depth of despair anywhere close to how it felt to watch Khour wield that knife while I stood by, helpless to protect my female. I tried to control Khour as I controlled her henchmen, but her mind is powerful.
Although I’m loathe to sit in Khour’s seat, I commandeer the captain’s chair and pull my female into my arms.
I’ve never been so terrified as I was when I thought she was going to kill you. Since the day we met, I’ve known I loved you, Savannah. I never hid it from you, did I? I lavished you with praises, and never stinted on my affection.
But I don’t believe I could have conveyed the depth and breadth of it before because I didn’t know it. You’re more precious to me than I ever dreamed. I’d give my life for you a thousand times over.
Aye, she says, imitating me. Somehow, she finds a way through all the terror to smile at me and press her palm to my cheek.
“Let’s take care of business, guys,” she says. “Showers, food, cat treats, whatever it takes. We reconvene in one hour back on the bridge and get the fuck off this ship.” She slides off my lap, pulls me up, and tugs me toward medbay, the K’tar trotting happily behind us, still licking his chops.
As the medbot efficiently stitches her, a wave of delayed fear slices through me. I could have lost her a hundred times in the last two days. Is this what it’s going to be like being mated to a warrior?
Mated.
As quickly as the fear subsides, a new feeling washes through me. Relief. We’re safe. We’ll find our way back to the Fool’s Errand . And I’m going to ask the bravest, most courageous female I know to be my mate. As soon as she’s patched, she insists I get sewn up as well. Then we have the medbot assess King, but he wants no part of any treatment. His scales deflected the worst of the few laser bursts he received. We take turns showering. Even King gets his stint under the spray.
Now we’re dressed in blue coveralls we found in a drawer in the medical supply room. Theos and Doctoré are on the bridge when we arrive. They’re wearing clean clothes they found in the crew’s quarters. The clothes are so baggy, they highlight how emaciated the two are.
I’ve seen the look in their eyes before. It was usually in gladiators who had been culled from the herd and marked for death. They would be entered in matches they had no chance of winning. It was often to pay a debt, or for the master to win easy money by betting against his own fighting male.
Sometimes there was a stench that went along with it. Fear. There is a certain level of terror that carries its own odor. I don’t smell it on these two, but the look is in their eyes.
They’re pretending to be happy, excited about their freedom, but they’re not certain they even want to be alive. I could confirm my thoughts by climbing into their minds, but over the last few days, I’ve had enough darkness to last me a lifetime.
The four of us stand, ringing the nav chair, as we hail the Fool’s Errand .
“This is the Diabolus . Can we speak with Captain Zar?” Savannah asks giddily.
“Savannah? Is that you?”
“Yes, Cally. We made it! The four of us are alive.”
Cally turns on the vid screen and we see her happy face and bright eyes. A minute after she calls him, Zar rushes into view, naked. He slides into his chair, and despite his lack of attire, he’s immediately in command mode, asking probing questions that all center around our health.
He’s smiling, beaming actually, in the fearsome way that pulls his lips tight and displays his prodigious fangs. His mouth will give King’s a run for his credits.
“We can beam you back aboard the Fool in less than two hoaras ,” he says.
“How is that possible?” I ask. “I assumed we’d been traveling away from you for days.”
“I said I’d risk no more lives in this pursuit. I never said I wouldn’t welcome you back when you accomplished your mission. We’ve been tracking you and staying no more than two hoaras away, shrouded of course. Sorry, Theos. Sorry, Doctoré. I just couldn’t lose more crew trying to save you. It was too risky.”
Both males turn to Savannah and me, questioning looks on their faces.
“Savannah wouldn’t give up,” I say, looking straight into Theos’s blue eyes, hoping he understands how deeply this female cares for him, knowing the lengths she would go to rescue him. “I offered to help.”
That wasn’t exactly a lie.
I wouldn’t have to be an empath to feel their profound gratitude. It’s so strong I can almost taste it.
Do you feel their appreciation, Love?
Yes.
When I slide my arm around her waist, she pulls away. I don’t want to hurt his feelings. I want to explain things when we get back to the Fool .
He’d have to be blind not to have figured out we have feelings for each other. He saw me bleed for you. But if you want me to keep my hands off you for two hoaras, I can do that.
It will be a hardship, though. I want her in my arms, to slide my fingers through her hair, to kiss her fingertips. I press all those pictures into her mind, so she feels the depth of my emotions.
She flashes me her most loving smile and a picture of our bed, then says, I want to talk to him directly. You understand?
“Yes.”
“Uh, Zar?” Savannah asks.
“Yes?” Of course he sounds wary. Her tone alerted him that whatever’s coming next is going to be a request he might not wish to grant.
“All aboard are dead except Khour who escaped, and the K’tar .” She pats her knee and the animal leaps to her side and sits as close as he can without cutting her with his deadly blades. “I’m requesting permission to bring him aboard, Sir.”
Sir. I’ve not heard that word since I walked onto the Fool . There’s a clear power structure, but not the usual trappings you see in the military. It’s clear she’s angling to curry his favor.
“I’m looking right at him, Savannah. He’s a walking death machine. It’s a wonder you’re not cut to bits.” His focus changes as he looks around the bridge, still littered with body parts and bathed in blood since none of us wanted to spend the energy cleaning it up.
“He saved all four of our asses, Sir.” She’s using the tone one uses with their superior officer.
“I’m looking at his handiwork right now. How do I know he won’t do the same onboard the Fool’s Errand?”
“Because the only thing he wants to do is climb on my lap to get kisses. And he’s not doing that because he doesn’t want to hurt me. I’ll keep him in my quarters, Sir. No one will see him.”
He closes his eyes, thinking.
Think they might be related? I ask with a smile. They’re both felines, after all.
Her eyes flare open. Don’t ever, ever let him know you had that thought.
My lips will remain sealed.
“I’ll agree to a trial basis, only because he saved all of your lives. And we might share an allele or two of DNA.” He laughs, showing all those sharp teeth.
Savannah
I’ve broken my word already. Everyone onboard except golden Axxios, who has stayed on the bridge to pilot the ship, has congregated in the ludus . Everyone, including King, who I promised would be locked in my room.
Tarrex, King, and I have segregated ourselves in the corner so no one freaks out, although they all took a good long look at the K’tar and then scooted their chairs farther away.
“Welcome all,” says Zar. “As you know, I like to keep this a democracy. We have one question on the table and then you can get back to your busy lives. First, let’s welcome back Theos and Doctoré!”
Although most everyone had already greeted the males privately, we all give a cheer, and the gladiators bow their heads and thump their chest with their fists. It’s how one gladiator acknowledges another with the utmost respect.
“We thought you were a goner, Doctoré,” Zar says with a smile. “I officiated at your funeral in this very room. It was touching. You should look at the vid when you desire to feel good. You are well-loved here. As are you, Theos.”
I’m not certain whether I hear it directly through the two males, or whether I’m just receiving an echo of it through Tarrex, but neither of the males is touched. They’re barely hanging on by a thread emotionally. This couldn’t be easy for either of them. All they want to do is go to their rooms, take another shower, and… cry? They’ve been so damaged. It’s heartbreaking.
“Our deepest thanks to Savannah and Tarrex, who risked their lives on this mission. And our sincerest gratitude to both them and the Gods for making their quest successful.
“And…” He casts a pointed glance at the K’tar. “Our gratitude to King. I’m told he dismembered every one of the crew. Although sadly, Khour escaped us. For those of you with strong stomachs, you might enjoy watching the vid of his accomplishments. We pulled it from the Diabolus’s computers.”
This piqued several of the gladiators’ interest. I can’t say I blame them; they all hate her as much as I do.
“When Tarrex and Savannah told me that the Manjibs contacted Khour and informed her about our deal with the sword, I comm’d Thantose, our friendly pirate captain. Although the sword had already changed hands, Thantose was so furious he made it his next mission to steal it back. I’m happy to say his heist was a success and we don’t owe him even one credit. He and his crew were happy to help.” Surprise, relief, and smug satisfaction swirl through the reactions in the room.
“Now one question. What to do with the Diabolus ? We could commandeer it. Retrofit it. But we don’t have the crew to man it. I suggest we blow it up.”
I don’t pay much attention to the discussion, I’m so ready to get back to my cabin and lie in my male’s arms.
They consider letting it sit in space, ready to commandeer if we rescue more slaves in the future, but that idea is shot down. The cartel will look for it. They might be on their way this very minute since the ship’s been out of communication for several hours and certainly has homing beacons.
“It’s settled,” Zar says with finality.
“You’re all invited to a pyrotechnic display of the first order. We’ll have a watch party in the solarium,” announces Anya, his mate.
As much as I want to be in bed with you, I tell Tarrex, I need to see this. I want to see that fucking ship blown to smithereens.
I understand and agree, he replies. Where is this Smithereens?
That was so adorkable I’m going to have to think of a special way to reward you.
I don’t know what Smithereens is, or adorkable for that matter, nor do I know why I’m going to be rewarded, but I have no objections.
The generally jubilant mood is shared by everyone but the two male rescuees who seem shell-shocked.
We need to catch up with them. I want them to know down to the marrow of their bones that we will never mention what we were forced to watch them do. On my planet, some sects believe what they did was shameful. I don’t know what these males’ belief system is, but I don’t want them to worry that we’ll talk about what we saw.
They aren’t headed to the solarium, they’re on their way to their cabins in the crew wing.
“Theos! Doctoré!” Tarrex calls.
When we catch up with them, I pull Theos aside. “Theos, you’re my best friend. I never understood why we couldn’t be more than that, but I get it now. We were never meant to be lovers.”
He nods. “I have such deep feelings for you, Savannah. You’re an amazing female. I knew it from the first day we met. My affection for you is deep. I tried to care for you like a mate, but… for some reason I couldn’t.”
I can’t contain myself from hugging him. “You’re such a good male,” I say into his chest as I feel a gust of support from Tarrex.
I’m sure Tarrex must be feeling some jealousy, but my male is too good to let me feel it right now. “Now that I expect nothing from you and we both know we’ll never be mates, perhaps you’ll find the perfect female for yourself.”
Because I’m still hugging him, I feel him stiffen in my arms. What happened on the Diabolus must haunt his every waking thought. I pray that will fade over time. He deserves love.
“Can we stay friends?” I ask.
“If that male of yours will allow it. Yes.”
For the first time since I saw him on the Diabolus, I feel the tiniest smidgeon of calm in his heart. He’ll get over this. He has to.
“Doctoré, Theos. What happened on that cursed ship will stay with Tarrex and me. We will never speak of it to anyone. You have my solemn word.”
“Aye, and mine,” says Tarrex.
They both nod, then we part ways.
“I need closure, babe. I want to see that bad boy blow up.”
“I wouldn’t mind some pyrotechnics either, my love.”
“Public pyrotechnics now, Tarrex, and I promise there will be fireworks back in our cabin. A private showing.”
We join the rest of the crew in the solarium. It’s my favorite room on the ship. I think it’s everyone’s favorite room. Windows surround the bullet-shaped room except for the side with the door. The ceiling has an unobstructed view, too.
We’re all focused on the Diabolus expecting a spectacular explosion, when Axxios shoots the ion cannon at it.
It bursts into a million pieces, but I have to say it’s anti-climactic because there are no sound effects and there’s no such thing as fire in the vacuum of space.
We all must be feeling the lack of excitement because we spontaneously start making our own sound effects.
Pretty soon, I’m laughing too hard to keep making mouth noises. There’s nothing like seeing a bunch of big, muscled gladiators make the kinds of noises little kids do when they crash their matchbox cars into each other while they’re playing.
Tarrex looks especially adorable, with his beautiful mouth pooching out, lips pursed.
I’m going to eat you up when we get back to our room , I threaten.
Race ya . To top that off, he flashes me a wicked, wicked grin.