Solara 12
Onidus leads me to a hallway lined with doors to simulation rooms. He puts in a program, shakes his head, and pauses. He tries another program, and the doors open. When they close behind us, the room shimmers as it replicates a target-practice facility and a floor covered with training pads.
He hands me a rifle from a rack. “Remember, it’s just a simulation. It won’t actually hurt anyone.”
I clumsily take the rifle and wonder why it feels so awkward when in my dream I seemed to know what I was doing.
Onidus grabs it by the muzzle. “Steady it the best you can.”
I try to tuck it into my shoulder like my father taught me.
“Ready?”
I shrug. “I don’t know.”
He shoves the barrel toward me, jerking me back. I take a step backward. “You weren’t ready. You have to be able to take the recoil. Lean into it.”
Onidus walks around me and forms his body to mine. “Like this. Spread your feet.”
Using his boots, he guides my feet into a broader stance.
He draws my back to his stomach. My ass presses into his crotch, and a delightful tingle of interest unsteadies me again.
His breath is warm against my neck. “Feel the way I’m leaning forward. You’re going to learn to adjust the amount you lean based on the type of gun you fire. Some need more. Some need less.”
“How do I know?”
“Bullet size is a good indicator.”
He draws my hips back and into his. The moment I feel his rigid shaft brush my pussy, he gives us a breath of space. “Sorry. Haven’t been this close to a female before.”
He fixes the positioning of my hips with his large, hot hands, then squares up my shoulders. “See how it feels steadier with this posture?”
“Yes. But I am getting tired.”
“Using new muscles. Yeah.” Onidus’ hand slides down my side. He pants once, then clears his throat.
“What now?”
He steps back and lights up a target at the end.
“You can’t be serious. I can’t see that!”
“Use your sights, Solara.”
I squint through the scope and see the poster’s image is bigger. He walks me through the firing sequence, and I hit the target’s outer perimeter with the first shot.
“Hey, that’s good.”
“In a simulation, with beginner’s luck,” I reply.
“Well, sure. But it’s calibrated to within a few millimeters.”
He walks me through several rounds of ammo until I start to feel more comfortable with the kick. Then Onidus trades the rifle out for a handgun.
Onidus forms his body to mine again. The heat of him against me, his boots spreading my feet, and the way his arms circle me to help me position my hands correctly, has me eager for a lot more training like this with him.
When he steps back and asks me to shoot, I do, but it feels strange.
“Can you show me again?”
He gets in behind me. “One hand on the grip, one supporting underneath.”
But I’m not looking at the gun. I’m studying the decorative mask over his face, with swooping Art Nouveau-style curls around the star shape on each side. I linger on the white augmented eye and the way it moves, focusing downrange. Onidus blinks, exposing his soft gold-brown lashes.
He notices me watching him, points toward the target, then jerks his eyes back to me. “What?”
I shake my head and shrug. I’m just looking at the boy I remember who grew into a sexy as fuck badass while I’m trying not to be horribly embarrassed by my novice skills.
Onidus seems oblivious to the one obvious thing. But when he backs up, I let him this time. He motions for me to shoot. So I empty the magazine at the target and get the vast majority inside the target range.
“That’s good. It’s harder with the handgun because it’s much shorter with a single grip instead of two, so it kicks a lot higher and easier than a rifle. But that’s a solid cluster for your first time.”
“It’s not my first time.”
He gives me a knowing look.
“Dad always tried to show me, but he didn’t want me to use guns unless someone innocent was going to die.”
I want to tell him about my dream. How he was the one I saw before the race even started, like Abr just knew and screwed with my head. But I’ve heard they pull out our deepest desires.
“Now, I saw you kick that female. But what if she had gotten a hold of your hair?” he asks.
“Easy. I grab her hands to brace myself, then take her out with whatever I can: fist, foot, or a bodyslam if that’s what it takes.
I’ll take us both down if it’s the only way.
Cat fighting is something I’m used to. What I need is to learn what to do if a Neb or a Myndrous gets to me.
I know how to handle most species. Just not them. ”
“Oh, really?” he asks with a challenge in his eyes as he crosses his arms over his proud chest. “How do you take down a Gnakatoa?”
“The lizards with packmate behaviors? Easy. Stick a finger in their ear hole. Had one of those a few months back. He wanted diamond scales around his hemipenis. Horny little bastard in more ways than one.”
Onidus’ brows dart up. “Okay. How about Ksions?”
“Gotta take them by the tail, then poke them right in their butthole.”
Onidus cackles.
“I’m kidding, of course.”
“Stars, I’d hope so.”
His laughter is a nice sound, deep and carefree.
“They have a small floating bone over their abdomen like an extra rib. Just hit that,” I reply.
“Correct.”
“So…Myndrous?”
He gets serious. “There isn’t much I can train you on for them. Shield disruptor blades are best. But if you lose control of the blade, they can hurt you much worse.”
“Do they have any soft spots?”
“Augments. Break them. Rip them off. Shoot them. Stab them. Anything you can.” Onidus grabs my arms. “If one of them gets a hold of you, you fight like hell. You understand me?”
“Yes.”
A light smile touches his eyes. He spins me around, kicks a foot out from under me, and takes me to the mat. I land on my back with a grunt.
Onidus lowers his face to mine. “Never get in a position with one of them behind you. Always face them so you can keep your legs between you and them. Myndrous care less and less who they take. Now, find a way out, Solara.”
I wriggle and twist, leverage myself against his arms. Strain for an opening. He fights me hard.
“Come on, Solara,” he growls.
I finally get my hips rotated just right so I can turn and wedge a boot between us.
The door flies open. Security charges inside. “Get off of her!”
Onidus backs up and lifts his hands.
“What is this?” a human male guard demands.
“I was teaching…”
“I’m not asking you, alien.” The guard looks at me.
I get to my feet and move between him and Onidus. “I told him I was scared of Myndrous coming after me. I wanted to learn how to fight them.”
“You cannot fight Myndrous. They are far larger and stronger than humans,” a male guard replies. He is scarred and decked in every weapon that will fit on his armor.
I clench my fists. “Fine. But I’m going to go down fighting, not lying back and taking it.”
He fumes for a breath and lowers his rifle. The other soldiers stand down. He clears the program with a tap on his wristband and the pads and shooting range vanish. “Tactical programs are forbidden at Abr. If you want to train, do it on your own ship in your system.”
“Yes, sir.” Onidus hangs his head.
“You’ve missed the creatures tour and dinner, but you can join the pool party. There are food and drinks out there.”
I nod. “Yes, sir.”
The moment he and his men turn and walk out, Onidus tries to slink away from me.
“Ah, no.” I walk up to him and lift a hand. “High-five.”
He squints at me. “We’re celebrating?”
“Yeah.”
“Celebrating what?”
“Getting away with it for as long as we did,” I whisper.
Amusement touches his eyes as he slaps my hand. “I’ll remember that.”
“Good. Now, I need a shower before I get in the pool. I’m all sweaty. See you there?” I say, lifting a fist.
Onidus fist-bumps me and heads toward the males’ wing. “Whatever you want.”