No Quarter (Bounty, Book One) (18 page)

Not once in his life had he ever been on the receiving end of this type of attention. He’d always taken great pains to blend into the background, become nothing more than a passing ghost through a room. People didn’t remember him unless he made it a point for them to never, ever forget.

Unlike Faolan, who laughed and flirted, making verbal love to everyone they met. Being with a man so full of life forced Gar into a role he’d never experienced before. Being the center of attention had never been something he’d sought out.

“Here we are,” Faolan grinned as they finally reached a large door. A simple palm scan was the only identification needed to trigger access to the room.

Gar shook his head. “Secure quarters, you say.”

“Only allows access to certain crew members. That reminds me, if you’re staying around we’ll have to make sure we get your prints in the system. Want to make sure you don’t get stuck in an inopportune place.”

“Like your private quarters?” Gar cocked an eyebrow and smiled at the familiar comfort of the banter.

“I told you they were secure. It prevents people from escaping when I don’t want them to.” Faolan winked and led the way in.

If Gar were to say his room was functional for a ship, then Faolan’s could have been perfectly at home in a brothel. It really wasn’t surprising.

“You live here?” Gar tried to take in as many details as possible, nearly overwhelmed by the odd collection of items. Old and new items from a countless breadth of planets and colonies cluttered the chamber in no obvious semblance of an order. Scanners, data chips and bits of engines were splayed in random piles about the room.

“I sleep here. Occasionally, Mace will come and chat, but mostly this is the lair where the great and mysterious Captain Wolf hides.” Faolan snapped his belt off, tossing his sword onto a tabletop covered with datapads. “Speaking of mysterious, let me show you my stone.”

“There’s a setup if I’ve ever heard one.”

Faolan laughed. “Like I’d ever need a setup to get someone in my bed. They are queuing up for a chance to be with me.”

A sickening thought hit Gar, sending a jolt of panic through his body. “You haven’t…with Mace? Have you?”

Faolan’s eyes grew impossibly wide. “With Mace? Gods, she’s like a part of my own family. Younger sister I never had. Plus I think she’d cut my balls off if I ever tried anything.”

Relief washed through him. “That’s good.”

“It would have been a bit weird, fucking both brother and sister.”

Gar grimaced, not wanting to dwell on the disturbing idea any further. “Stranger things have happened.”

Faolan chuckled. “As today has proven. Hang on one minute.”

Gar stood in the center of the room, unable to find a clear spot to sit that wasn’t the bed, and watched as Faolan pulled a hidden panel from the wall to reveal a safe beneath. Unlike the one on the
Geilt
, this one was comprised of the latest in technology. A quick DNA scan later and the door popped open.

“We raided a known Loyalist cargo transport a month ago. The ship’s captain was a bit too willing to part with the things in his hold, which told me there was something more precious hiding on board. I found this in his personal quarters.”

Faolan turned around and held up a large emerald stone dangling from the end of a gold chain. It was the most amazing thing he’d ever laid eyes on. The back of his brain itched, nudging him closer. Stepping forward, Gar automatically reached for it until Faolan snatched the jewel away, hiding it behind his back.

“It does that to everyone. We’ve run scan after scan on the bloody thing, but we can’t for the life of us figure out how it works.” Faolan chuckled as Gar shook his head, clearing the muckiness away. “It pulls people in, almost compels them to put it on. It’s how we discovered the truth about it.”

“The mind-reading thing?”

Faolan nodded as he stepped close to Gar. “When someone puts the item around their neck, they can read the thoughts of anyone else they focus on. It takes some practice, but Mace and I have both been able to make it work.”

Curiosity gnawed at Gar. He wanted to try it out, see exactly how powerful it could be. “Do you think?” He pointed at Faolan’s hidden hand. “If you don’t mind, that is.”

“For you, Stitt?” Faolan stepped up and held the stone between them. “Of course. Let me put it on you.”

The heady musk Gar now immediately identified with Faolan enveloped him as the older man reached behind Gar’s neck to fasten the catch. The pang of want unwound once more in Gar, tempting him with the promise of closeness and connection. Without thinking, he let his body fall forward until he could rest his forehead on Faolan’s shoulder, giving him a better view of his neck. It was only for practicality’s sake and had nothing to do with the urge to get closer.

“Have I told you how much I like seeing you like this?” Faolan muttered against Gar’s ear.

He shivered. “Like what?”

“Proper, formal, ready to be stripped down and licked from head to toe.” Gar groaned when Faolan stepped out of his grasp. “Sorry, Stitt, you’re going to need to work for the next one.”

“Bastard.” Gods, it was never enough.

“Already established. Now,” Faolan backed up until there was no physical contact between them. “The first time is the hardest. I’ll have some random thoughts going on in here and I want you to try to pick up what I’m saying.”

Frowning, Gar reached up and thumbed the stone now resting across his tie. “How do I do that?”

“Concentrate on me. What I’m doing and saying. You’ll start to hear a whisper, like someone having a conversation in another room you can barely make out. When the buzzing starts, grab on to it! Those are my thoughts. Okay?”

Gar nodded, not completely convinced, but willing to give it a shot for Faolan’s sake. “Go.”

Faolan began to chat about his ship, the size of his cargo bay and the last raid they’d pulled. At first, Gar focused on the words themselves, only to find himself becoming lulled by the sound of the other man’s voice.

There!

Something must have shown on his face, because as he looked up, Faolan’s smile widened as he continued to speak. Ignoring everything, Gar concentrated on the soft buzzing taking root in the back of his mind. Slowly, it grew, taking shape as a soft murmur, to finally explode into a richer version of Faolan’s voice.

I want to strip you naked and suck your cock.

Gar groaned. “Of course it had to be sex with you.”

“Is that a no then?” Faolan laughed and took the opportunity to pull his shirt off. “That was pretty fast for a first try. Better than both of us at least.”

“I had a good target.” Gar held the stone in the palm of his hand, surprised by the warmth. “Do you have to keep focused on the target?”

Maybe I’ll ride you again or let you fuck me in the chair.

“Nope, once you make the connection the stone seems to maintain it. You only need to take the stone off to break it though.”

Gar’s cock jumped to life at the thoughts now bombarding his brain. “I don’t think sex would be a good idea considering you were spacesick just a little over an hour ago.”

Not spacesick.

Gar snapped his head up, but Faolan didn’t seem to register the thought which had bounced through his mind at hyperspeed pace. The pirate was rummaging through a drawer and pulled out a black, long-sleeve shirt. Gar knew there was more to things that what Faolan had alluded to. He relaxed his mind, hoping to pick up another glimpse of what Faolan was hiding.

“I told you it was nothing. Besides, it would be a shame to waste a perfect opportunity like this.”

The thought
want to jerk your cock so I can watch you come
nearly bled over the softer one of
don’t want him to see
. Gar didn’t miss it. Faolan didn’t realize exactly what was slipping through the cracks and being hauled in by the stone.

“What opportunity is that?” Gar moved closer, making an effort to move slowly while he concentrated on the words. “I’ve seen your ass, remember?”

“But I haven’t shown you all the tricks I can do with that ass. Not to mention the things I can do to yours.”

Gods, I want to make him feel so good. I’m hungry.

The utter randomness of the logic jumps were making it difficult for Gar to continue with the conversation. Still, there was something wrong with Faolan and he wasn’t about to let an opportunity to discover what it was to slip away. With Faolan now changing his pants, Gar moved, careful to stay out of his line of sight.

“Well, I don’t want to start something, old man, and have you not able to finish. Nothing worse than a lover who runs out of steam halfway through, leaving me to finish off on my own.”

Won’t be there for anyone. Not much longer.

“Shit, Faolan!”

They both froze. Faolan frowned and reached for the stone. Gar moved back, protecting it with his hand. “No.”

“What’s going on, Gar? Not thinking of running out on me? I’d hate to kill you now.”

Better not. Please don’t. Mace will hate you.

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on.” Gar squeezed the stone until the edges cut into his palm. “What is wrong with you?”

Dying.
“There’s nothing wrong with me. Now take that bloody thing off.”

“What?” The world bottomed out for Gar. His knees weakened and his heart pushed the blood through his body at a maddening pace. “You’re…what?”

Gar knew the moment Faolan realized he’d screwed up. The older man closed his eye, smiling softly. “Gar, don’t do this.”

“No! After everything that’s passed between us, everything that’s happened today with Mace, I think I’ve earned the right to know. Now tell me.”

Faolan sighed.
I’m dying.
“Sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Chapter Twelve

“Please, Gar, take the stone off and we’ll talk.”

Faolan wasn’t exactly sure what he let slip through to get them to this point, but he didn’t want to have this conversation and be at an unfair disadvantage. Really, he was surprised this hadn’t happened sooner in his earlier tests with Mace. He’d been too busy flirting, too cocky in his ability to control his thoughts and feelings, and had forgotten that Gar brought out another side of him. Things were still new, untested and now the fragile relationship they’d somehow built was in danger of shattering.

Without further prompting, Gar reached behind his neck and undid the chain’s clasp. He held out the stone, his hand trembling slightly as he waited for Faolan to reclaim his prize.

“Thanks,” he muttered, careful to only touch the chain. “I’ll just put this away and then we can discuss things.”

It only bought him a little bit of time, but Faolan planned on using every second he could to collect his thoughts. This really shouldn’t be a difficult task. Gar wasn’t as close to him as Mace or the rest of the crew were. Their few days together, although giving Faolan some of the best sex he’d had in years, shouldn’t mean anything more to him than a casual encounter he could easily walk away from.

He couldn’t.

“Mind if I sit?” Faolan sauntered over to his chair, pushed the pile of clothing on top of it to the floor and sank down into it. “I need to know exactly what you heard.”

Gar continued to stand in the middle of the room. He wasn’t looking at any one particular thing, but Faolan was sad to note the young man’s gaze didn’t come his way either.

“You said you were dying.”

Idiot.
“We’re all dying in one way or another. You know that.”

“Faolan, don’t.” Gar’s voice lacked all of his normal self-confidence and his blue eyes had grown impossibly wide. “Just tell me what is going on.”

He didn’t want to say the words, knowing the moment he did, it would make them true. He’d been fighting it for so long, the illusion of health giving him strength to continue.

“Last year I pulled a scam on one of the Loyalist colonist administrators. It was simple. Go in posing as an outlander colonist security detail, make some offers of providing information and snatch a cache of ID datapads on the way out the door. What I hadn’t realized was the bastard recognized me from one of the security bulletins a few months earlier.”

“Shit,” Gar muttered.

“To put it mildly. He poisoned my food. Small dose, just enough to put me out of commission long enough so he could collect the bounty on my head—and more than enough to leave my immune system in shreds.” Faolan finally looked away from the pained expression on Gar’s face to study his lifeline. “I’ve been taking what meds I can find here and there to prolong things, but I’m fighting a losing battle.”

“Is there a cure?”

Faolan ignored the heavy emotion in Gar’s voice. “Probably, but I’ll be damned if I can find one. It’s not like I have access to the best doctors the Loyalist colonies have to offer.”

“And the man?”

“Dead. Was killed when Ricoh came in and saved me.”

“Good.”

A rustle of clothing and before Faolan realized, Gar was by his side running a hand through his hair. The strong fingers felt good on his scalp, so Faolan selfishly leaned in.