Born of Betrayal (16 page)

“Then why didn't you leave the military?”

“By the time I was done, Talyn was beginning his service and I didn't want to abandon him to it. He never complained. Still, I knew how they treated lack-Vests. Had I left, he'd have had no one to do anything for him at all.”

Fain pulled her into his arms and held her like he used to when they were kids. He cupped her head with his hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. It was a hold of utter protection. The kind she'd missed most. Even though she felt his erection against her hip, he kept his word and made no moves on her.

A perfectly behaved Andarion male. Just as he'd always been. An honor to his lineage and family.

Leaning her head back, she stared up at his searing eyes and the torment that melted away all the hatred she'd nursed for him through the years. “What about you?”

Fain brushed his hand through her wet braids as he refused to remember the bitter years he'd spent away from his Storm Dancer. They didn't matter and he didn't want to think about them right now. All he wanted was to savor this precious moment with her. He wouldn't let anything taint it. “I survived.”

She arched a brow. “That's it?”

“What do you want me to say? That I went through hell? Yeah, I did. But the War Hauk family motto is … Indurari. Through blood pain we conquer and endure. Out of the bad, comes the good. By our challenges, we are strengthened. Ever strong. Forever onward.” He quirked a lopsided grin. “Fuck you, fate.”

She pulled at his braids and rolled her eyes. “You are so aggravating.”

“So Dancer tells me.” And yet she beguiled him in a way no one ever had. Before he could stop himself, he lowered his head slowly, giving her time to deny him. When she didn't, he gently kissed her.

Every part of his body erupted as he breathed her in and tasted her lips. Growling, he deepened his kiss and pressed himself closer to her body, dreaming he was already inside her. Dizzy and breathless, he ran his hands over her velvety-soft skin, wishing he could turn back time and redo his entire life.

If only it were that simple.

But dreams were for fools. And wishes were for better males than him. Males who didn't owe their souls to someone else …

Pulling back, he smiled down at her and rubbed his nose against hers. “Will you have dinner with me?”

“Of course.”

“Will you have sex with me?”

She snorted at him. “Now you're pushing it.”

“You're the one standing naked in my arms.”

“That's to punish you.”

“It's working.” He pressed her hand against his cock. “At this rate, I'm going to die of testosterone poisoning.” Which could actually happen to Andarions. It was a real concern for the males of their species.

“Is that why you have a porn actress voicing the AI of your ship?”

That should probably embarrass him, but instead he was amused. “A male has to have some vices. She was the lesser evil. Besides, I modeled her voicetrack after
you
.”

“I do
not
sound like that.”

“Yeah, you do. You were ever the sexiest female born. None could touch you in that regard. The sultry strains of your voice saying my name alone were oft enough to tilt me right over the edge, love.”

She opened her mouth to ask him if he was seriously trying to tell her that he'd walled himself up on this ship with her memory when the AI rudely interrupted them.

“Fain? I have Ambassador Dane queued for you. Do you wish to proceed with your communication? Or should I take a message for you?”

She saw the bitter regret that flashed across his features. “Hold the line. Tell him I'll be right there. That it's imperative I speak with him. Don't let him close the channel.”

“Sure thing.”

“Go.” She nudged him toward the flight deck.

Inclining his head, he took off at a dead run. But as he reached the ladder, he paused to glance back at her. The raw, ragged heat in those precious Andarion eyes singed her and left her breathless.

Not sure what to feel about it all, Galene returned to his room and dressed.

By the time she rejoined him, he was speaking to Ryn Dane, the Tavali ambassador for the UTC. Like his younger brother, who was the Caronese emperor, Ryn had dark red hair and steel blue eyes that betrayed a razor-sharp intelligence. Even though he and Darling Cruel were only half siblings, related through their father, their features were strikingly similar.

“You're certain about this, Hauk?”

“Very.”

“Well, that's utterly disappointing and highly disturbing. But the saddest part is, it's not unexpected or even surprising. Just pisses me off that a Tavali broke Code. Love to lay hands on that bastard and personally strip their Canting and life blood.” Ryn paused as he saw Galene over Fain's shoulder. “Commander Batur … it's an honor to formally meet you. I can see where Talyn gets his fierceness.”

“Excuse me?”

Fain stepped aside and flashed a grin at her. “Ryn's the one who helped Talyn apprehend Eriadne years ago when Cairistiona took the throne.”

Heat stung her cheeks at the slight she'd inadvertently given someone she owed the universe to. Ryn had saved Talyn's life that day, along with their strike team they'd sent in to retrieve the queen who'd fled Andarion justice. A strike team that had comprised Morra and Qorach.

She owed this man everything.

“Forgive me, Lord Ambassador. I didn't realize that was you.” Strange, she hadn't remembered that before now. The only thing she really recalled about that event was the danger Talyn had faced, his injuries, and that when the dust had finally settled, Cairistiona had been crowned tadara and Eriadne had been effectively quelled.

Ryn smiled without malice and in good spirit. “It was an exceptionally long time ago. Think nothing of it. I'm just glad I was there to help then and now.… Small universe, sometimes.”

“Yes, it is. And I'd completely forgotten that The Tavali captain who helped them with their mission was related to the Caronese emperor.”

Ryn gave her a playful wink. “There are days I'm sure my little brother would like to forget it, too.”

She laughed. Handsome, refined, and suave, Ryn appeared to be an easy man to get along with. No wonder The Tavali had chosen him as their ambassador in dealing with the recognized nations and governments. Even though she knew Ryn came from a long line of Tavali outlaws and rogues, there was something innately trustworthy and honest about him. An air of jovial serenity that was quite contagious.

Ryn turned his attention back to Fain. “I do have shocking news for
you,
by the way. Guess who I have on board to join the confab at your Port StarStation…”

“No idea.”

“Trajen Thaumarturgus
and
his vice admiral.”

“You lie!”

“No, I swear on my father's immortal soul. I actually have him
and
his advisors heading in. Their ETA is seven days.”

Gaping, Fain shook his head in total disbelief. “How?”

Ryn shrugged. “Sacrificed six goats and a virgin.”

“That's all it took?”

Galene really wished she wasn't completely lost in this conversation. “Who's Trajen Ta…?”

“Tuh-mar-dar-gus,” they said slowly and in a strange synchronicity, as if they were used to doing it for others.

Luckily, Fain elaborated. “He's a ghost.”

Galene arched a brow.

“No, really.” Fain held his hand up in an Andarion sign of honor. “He's the leader of the True Black Flag Nation—the first of the Tavali clans. They come out for no one and nothing. Ever. Total phantoms who operate under their own law code. By the time you see them, you're dead. Tray's more myth than reality. I honestly don't know of anyone who's actually ever seen him.”

Wow …

Like Fain, she was extremely impressed with Ryn's abilities to command such a person to their side. “How did you find him?”

“He came to me.” Ryn grinned at Fain. “My grandfather's the one who fostered him into our Nation and he defected over to the Gorturnum a long time ago. I've known him all my life, but like you said, he's reclusive as hell. I haven't seen him away from his territories in decades. Apparently, his right-hand field admiral, Dagger, has a vested interest in this fight, and talked him into joining on.”

“Damn, Dane. You
are
good.”

“My mother is proud. Speaking of, I shall convey your news to the others. Have no fear,
drey
. They will know and none will be the wiser for it.”

“Thanks.”

Ryn struck his heart twice in rapid succession with a closed fist before opening it in a Tavali salute.

Fain duplicated the gesture then closed the channel.

“Feel better?”

He didn't answer her question directly. “You?”

“I'm not sure. You trust Dane?”

“More than most.”

“Why?”

“I don't know much about him, and that says a lot in this community, given how high profile he is among The Tavali. He's kept his scandals down to none, and no one knows his business. What I do know, he's had several chances to move in on his brother's throne and never has. Same for his mother's Tavali chair and rank. He's a man of rare integrity who actually understands loyalty.”

“You're right. That's a rare thing.” Galene frowned as a strange expression passed over Fain's face. Even odder, a light seemed to flash behind his pupils, illuminating them and the iris of his eyes.

What the…?

“Buckle down.”

While the female in her would have balked at a civilian male barking an order like that at her, she recognized a military command when she heard one. She obeyed without question as Fain went to the con and strapped himself to the command chair.

“What's going on?”

Before he could answer, the hailing alarm sounded. His ship answered for him.

“This is
Storm Dancer.
STA1-LY-8-GENC-NCOB-ORFC-Y.”

There was a brief pause. “Serial and captain?”

Fain took over. “You have my UCC. I don't see why you need that, especially since you have yet to identify yourself or your business.”

“We are a League cruiser on patrol in search of rebels against our nations. Now identify yourself or be arrested. You have three seconds to respond.”

“Captain Chryton Doone. STA1-8LY-5831930-GENCX.”

“Crew?”

“One organic copilot. One mecha.”

“We need visual confirmation.”

Galene's stomach heaved at that. There was no way they wouldn't know her face. She'd been prime commander of the Andarion Empire for almost a decade. Had dealt with The League more times than she could count.

We're captured.

Fain passed an evil grin toward her. “Trust me?”

“Have I any choice?”

He snorted, then hit the release on his seat. It shot back, suspending him in the middle of the control room in a thick plasma bubble.

Galene gasped as she realized what she'd seen earlier in his eyes when The League cruiser had arrived. Fain
was
the ship. Holy gods of Andaria. This was a technology every nation had been trying for centuries to perfect.

And The Tavali had it.

Stunned, she watched as he took absolute control of every part of the craft and went against The League cruiser and the fighters it launched against them. While the bubble he was in kept him cushioned, the impact was harsh on her, but she remained quiet so that she didn't distract him.

Fain cringed as one of the blasts got past his shields and struck his side. The bad thing about being hardwired to the ship was that he felt every strike against the hull as a physical blow to his own body. And in the back of his mind was the knowledge that Galene was with him.

She was in danger.

He was violating his oath to show her this technology. No Rogue was supposed to expose their neurobinders to any non-Tavali under any circumstance. But he couldn't maneuver the ship like this without a crew, and he wasn't about to let The League take her.

Laws be damned.

Life be forfeit.

The Tavali could take his Canting and his head if they wanted it. He wasn't about to surrender her to her enemies for anything. And honestly, he preferred to battle this way. It was much more personal. Like being in the Andarion Ring. Fist-on-fist. When connected to the ship, he
was
in space. He could feel the pressure of the vacuum pressing against the metal. It smothered him. And at the same time, it freed a part of his soul.

He saw all and nothing. The darkness and the light. It gave him an understanding of the vastness of the universe and how small he was in it. How extremely insignificant.

It was why most pilots couldn't pass the tests for Rogue. Why they cracked within a few weeks, or months.

Less than one percent of one percent could master the physical and mental stresses it put on the body. Never mind the synchronization process of bonding to the ship. It took a full year for the neuromapping of the brain and ship circuitry to merge into a unified whole. Another year before a pilot could actually master the ship as part of the body.

Suicide rates were high among the Rogues, usually within nine months after that initial stabilization of pilot and ship—although a lot of them ended up as fatal “accidents” that were believed to be disguised suicides and not the operator-errors officially filed on the log books.

Eventual insanity rates were even higher. Rarely did they make it a decade before their brains frayed beyond repair, and most ended up in unresponsive comas. Fain was one of the few who'd managed to hold it together for any length of time. It was the only reason Venik had ever allowed him to live.

He'd thrown Fain into this as a joke, fully expecting it to kill him. He'd thought it hysterical irony to merge Fain with the very ship he'd been enslaved on. A cruel way to get back at an Andarion.