8. Athena
Athena
It took me a few moments to steady myself after being carried through Kashara and onto an alien spaceship.
My teeth had nearly been rattled from my mouth, and every bone in my body vibrated from being jostled so violently.
I wouldn’t complain, though. I was alive, which was not something everyone on my planet could now boast.
I tipped back my head to take in the vast expanse of the spaceship above me, walkways and swinging bridges crisscrossing the shadow-drenched chasm like a steel web. Even after all the whispers I’d heard about Vandar warbirds, I hadn’t expected this.
The ship shuddered and hummed as we accelerated through the atmosphere and burst into space, and suddenly the view from the top of the vessel was ships darting across an inky sky and red phaser fire arching behind them.
“What in the tvek were you thinking, Zarn?” The warlord’s bellow jerked my attention back to the hangar bay and the Vandar who were stomping away from the transport.
I quickly clocked that the warlord was not pleased by the warbird’s presence nearly on top of Gollun Prime. I also noted that the Vandar he was squaring off against looked a lot like him and seemed unbothered by the shouting.
“Welcome back, Raas Lorken.” He shot the warlord a cocky grin. “I was thinking that my big brother needed saving. Or would you rather we left your landing party on the planet while the Zagrath laid waste to the city?”
Big brother. That explained it. I slid my gaze between the two tall, brawny aliens, their tails slashing behind them through identical leather kilts. It definitely explained the hostility.
Lorken huffed out a breath, opening and closing his fists. “It was too big of a risk.”
His brother folded his arms over his bare chest. “We are Vandar. You are called The Demon Raas. There is no such thing as too big of a risk.”
Lorken grunted, but before he could answer, his brother’s gaze drifted to the non-Vandar passengers. I wasn’t the only one gawking at our surroundings, although Hatch and Ringo had their hands on their knees as they caught their breath.
“Who do we have here?” Zarn’s gaze snagged on me, and his pupils flared. “I didn’t know we’d be welcoming so many new crew members.”
Lorken’s jaw was tight, and he avoided looking at me. “These are the people who helped Kolt and his human mate escape. If you remember, I promised Wrexxon I would ensure their safety. Since Kashara is no longer safe, my only option was to bring them aboard.”
“Was it?” His brother eyed him, the challenge evident in the lilt of his voice.
I was curious that he didn’t mention our deal, but I decided not to bring it up.
The tip of Zarn’s tail quivered as he stepped toward me, but Lorken moved to block his path. “I will see to our guests while you return to the battle.”
A muscle ticked in Zarn’s jaw, and he glanced around his brother and met my gaze with a scorching one of his own. Then he shifted his attention back to Lorken and grinned. “As you command, Raas, but I look forward to encountering our new guests again soon.”
Even if I didn’t have well-honed instincts when it came to men, I would have known that comment was intended for me. It wasn’t lost on Lorken either because a deep growl simmered in his core as he watched his brother saunter off.
“So, that’s your brother?” I said, keeping my voice light.
Lorken turned and leveled his gaze at me as if not sure if I was trying to provoke him. When I didn’t flinch, he made a rough noise in the back of his throat. “It is. He is my battle chief.”
I nodded, choosing my words carefully. “You know what they say about working with family.”
He frowned. “I do not. In Vandar hordes we often fight alongside brothers and cousins.”
I fought the urge to ask him how well that was working out for him, but Lettie walked up and gave me an excuse to turn away.
“So, this is your fancy ship?” She craned her neck to peer up. “And we’re going to be staying here?”
“Unless you wish to return to Kashara and take your chances with the Zagrath attack.”
Lettie cringed. “Not me, sweetie. You won’t hear me complaining about shacking up with a bunch of hot Vandar.”
She openly ogled a raider walking past, and I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. The Vandar might be experts on fighting off the Zagrath, but I wasn’t sure they were ready for Lettie.
Lorken swept his gaze over the rest of our group, as if just seeming to realize that we were milling about in the hangar bay as raiders rushed by and pilots dismounted from cockpits.
When another raider approached, he clapped him on the shoulder.
“My first officer, or majak, will arrange for accommodations for you all.”
The Vandar blinked at him then took in the sight of our motley troupe. “These are the ones who assisted Kolt?” He lowered his voice as he pivoted away from us. “I was unaware the plan was to bring them all aboard, Raas.”
“The plan had to change when the Zagrath started to destroy the city. I could not leave them to be killed after Kolt promised to liberate them.”
The Vandar he’d called majak tilted his head. “So, they will stay here…?”
“Until we can relocate them to a safe place.”
The Vandar’s shoulders relaxed at the realization that we would not be permanent residents. “Understood, Raas.” Then he glanced at us again. “I am not sure if we have enough empty quarters.”
“They are colleagues and friends,” Lorken said. “I am sure they will be amenable to sharing quarters.”
Lettie sidled up to the majak and doled out a slow wink. “Some of us would be amenable to sharing with Vandar.”
The raider’s dark brows popped so high I suspected they might leave his face entirely.
“She’s teasing you,” I told him with a grin.
Lettie twitched one shoulder and shamelessly eyed him up and down. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not.”
Hal cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. “Since I’m the stage manager, I’ll pair us off.” He swung his pointer finger. “Obviously, Ringo and Hatch can share.”
“If I can’t bunk with hot pants here,” Lettie said with a last mournful look at the majak, “I can share with Vern. We shared a room growing up anyway.”
“Anything’s better than prison,” Vern muttered, rubbing his head and gaping at the massive ship teeming with equally massive aliens. “But what about Dell here?”
Hal blinked at the sandy-haired man he clearly hadn’t clocked earlier. “Dell?”
“Friend from prison,” Vern said. “I can bunk with him if we’re pairing off boys with boys.”
“Fine,” Hal continued, “Athena, you and…”
“Athena will not be sharing quarters with the other members of your troupe,” Lorken said loudly enough to make Hal jump.
Hal inclined his head at the warlord. “It’s gracious of you to make allowances for our star, but…”
“I am not making allowances,” Loren interrupted. “She will not be sharing quarters with you because she will be sharing quarters with me.”
Hal’s jaw fell, Lettie sucked in a breath, and even Lorken’s majak stared at him in disbelief.
“Raas,” the raider said slowly, as if selecting his words with great care. “You wish me to take her to your private quarters?”
Lorken didn’t look at his officer when he answered. He looked at me. “Yes, Dawz. That is what Athena and I agreed.”
The intensity of his gaze made my breath hitch in my chest.
“Thenie?” Vallia asked in her high voice, using the nickname that very few called me. “Is that true?”
There was no point in lying or pretending I hadn’t made a deal with the devil. Besides, it was only temporary. As soon as there was a safe place for us, we would be off the ship, and I’d be out of his quarters.
“It’s true.” I forced myself to smile and laugh. “I’m going to be a special guest of the warlord for a little while. It’s no big deal.”
Hal opened and closed his mouth a few times, but he didn’t manage to make a sound.
Ringo folded ropey arms over his chest. “You sure?”
“Don’t worry about me,” I told my friends as I avoided looking at Lorken or his officer. “I’ll be fine.”
“I assure you that your friend will not be harmed in any way.” Lorken’s eyes remained locked on me. “Nor will she be coerced into anything she does not desire.”
“See?” I forced my voice to sound artificially cheery. “Nothing to worry about.” I glanced at Lorken. “What did you call me earlier? Your war bride?
Dawz snapped his head to Lorken, his voice barely a rasp over the rumbling of the ship’s engines. “You have taken her as a war bride?”
“War bride?” Lettie pressed a hand to her overflowing bosom. “Does this mean I get to be a bridesmaid?”