Voidhawk - Lost Soul (14 page)

“It’s about everything,” Jenna said. She turned to face him. “I used to be so strong. So sure of myself. Now look at me. I’m just pretending to be. I’m scared, Dex. Scared of everything these days.”

“We’ll get her back,” Dexter insisted.

She shook her head, blinking back fresh tears. “I want to believe you, but what if you’re wrong?”

“I’m not.”

She looked at him, her eyes shimmering, and she offered a pathetic smile. “You make everything seem possible
.”

“I went from being a street urchin to the admiral of the Elven Navy. If that doesn’t mean just about anything’s possible, I don’t know what i
s.”

Her smile grew to something more genuine, but it faded.

“What else troubles you?” Dexter asked.

“Everything,” she admitted. “Jia, you, the way I’ve acted and who I really am, the elves, Rolxoth, Tasha, the future, h—”

“Tasha?” Dexter asked, picking the name out of the mix. “What’s Tasha got to do with the way the winds blow?”

Jenna bit her lip again and looked away. Dexter reached over to pull her face back. “Jenna? What’s going on?”

“She’s strong and exotic and beautiful!” The words burst out of Jenna’s mouth, surprising Dexter with their force. “She’s spent so much time with you and now you’re praising her and giving her special consideration. Even making her the second mate…I’m supposed to be your mate!”

Dexter forced his eyelids to relax before his eyes fell onto her lap. She looked away from him but he could feel her trembling against him. “I done that so we could catch an odd bit of time together,” he said as gently as he could. “
She’s a great friend and as much a part of our family as Bailynn or Bekka. Logan too, I suppose. I guess even Xander, though I trust you never to repeat such a thing. She proved she’s got heart and a mind to go with it, that earned her what she’s been given. I got no interest in her beyond that.”

Tasha nodded but still wouldn’t turn to look at him. “I’m so confused, Dex. I don’t know what I’m thinking anymore. What’s happening to me?”

“You’ve been calling the shots and being strong for a long time now. Maybe it’s time you let someone take care of you?”

She sat still and silent, weighing his words.

“Or maybe that’s some of what’s eating you, you was about as in charge as in charge can get. Now I’m running this boat and you’re having a hard time with it?”

She shook her head. “The Voidhawk is yours,” she said. “It’s always been yours. Your ship, your hard work, your vision. It’s got you blood and your soul in it, the same as it had Kragor’s.”

Jenna took in a breath and turned to face him at last. “No, I like being on the ‘Hawk. I love it. I just wish I felt different about me. If we weren’t here I don’t know what I’d do. Here at least I can fall into routine and pretend to know what I’m doing.”

Dexter leaned in and kissed her. It was gentle and exploratory at first but he felt Jenna’s need within a few heartbeats. She pulled at him, her hands going around him and clutching
at him. This time Dexter let her pull him back to the bed, having a notion of what it was she was after.

* * * *

A knock at the door roused them both. Dexter grunted, intending to let the caller know he was working on getting around. The door opened and in stepped Keshira, her eyes going to their intimate state.

“Shut the door!” Dexter snapped.

Keshira did so, albeit behind her rather that in front. “Captain, Tasha sent me to—”

“Again with the Tasha,” Jenna mused.

Dexter glanced at her, wondering if their love making had been undone. He saw the mischief in her eyes and knew he was safe. Then he remembered the beautiful pleasure golem standing not five feet from him while he was lying nude in bed without the benefit of a blanket covering him.

Dexter scrambled, reaching for the blanket to yank on top of their bodies. Jenna laughed and ignored his attempts, even going so far as to climb out of bed and stand beside it facing Keshira.

“Dex, it’s not a problem. This is Keshira, remember?”

“Aye, I remember,” he sputtered. “I remember her saying how different things felt to her know. Things she heard, things she felt, things she could smell, and things she could see.”

Jenna pursed her lips, then turned to raise an inquisitive eyebrow to Keshira. The golem smiled and nodded. “It’s true, this is exciting being here with you both. Very exciting.”

Dexter stared at her, noting how her cheeks seemed redder than usual and her lips remained parted and almost swollen even after she’d spoken. Her eyes had a soft and dreamy look about them. Lower, below her face, he could saw other indications of the constructs arousal even beneath her luxurious clothing.

“Where’d you get clothes like that?” Dexter asked. She’d always dressed very nice. Immaculate, even, aside from when some physical confrontation inevitably ended with her being displayed scandalously as her clothing was ripped in part or in whole around her.

“Trilliana and I have been—”

Dexter held up his hand. Trilliana reminded him a free spirited version of Jenna back when he’d first invited her to sail on the Voidhawk. If that was possible. He shook his head and looked at his wife. She looked fit to burst with laughter.

“You’re very beautiful, Keshira. I think that’s what our Captain means to say,” Jenna said. “But he’s also very shy. I’m trying to get him to loosen up, but I don’t want you to be distressed. If you’ll wait outside we’ll be ready in a moment.”

Keshira nodded and stepped out, shutting the door behind her.

Dexter cursed under his breath. “I’ll show you shy,” he muttered.

“Now now Captain,” Jenna said as he swept her up in his arms and spun her about in the tight quarters. “We have guests waiting. And if Tasha sent her, it’s probably important.”

“Tasha again,” Dexter echoed her earlier words with a wink.

“Troublesome, isn’t she?”

“Not to worry, I’ve only to remember who she’s related to.”

Jenna’s eyes widened and she let out a giggle of delight, then nodded. They’d traveled 12,000 years back in time to release the elders from imprisonment. It was there that Rosh met Tasha’s ancestors and
sown the seeds for a line that would become the rulers of her people. “Even descended six hundred generations from Rosh isn’t far enough.”

“Six thousand wouldn’t be enough,” Dexter said. “Now be a good wife and hand me my pants.”

Jenna winked at him and passed them over before moving to the trunk she kept her own clothing in. “Trilliana reminds me a lot of myself when I was younger. I knew what I was doing then, perhaps I should—”

Dexter put his hand on her shoulder. She’d knelt to look through her garments and now turned to stare up at him. “Not a one of us knew what we was doing. We were young and dumb. And lucky. Now we’re mostly just dumb but old enough to know it.”

“Seems like you’ve always made your own luck.”

Dexter grinned. “Every little bit helps.”

“So you don’t want me wearing a loin cloth and some paint on the deck?”

His grin faded and his cheeks burned. “Won’t be no good for crew morale if I’m beating ‘em off with a stick.”

“I think you kind of like the idea,” Jenna said, her eyes considerably lower than his. She licked her lips suggestively and added, “In fact, if you don’t put that pants on right quick Keshira and Tasha are going to have to wait.”

Dexter stepped back to heed her warning. He pulled a fresh shirt on without waiting for prompting before turning back to see her tying the laces on a vest. She
’d already donned breeches, he was glad to see, even if they only went just past her knees.

“Ready, Captain?” She asked, winking at him.

Dexter grabbed her and pulled her to him. She let out a surprised yelp as he kissed her, then let her go a moment later. “Don’t ever doubt it, either.”

Jenna’s hand went to her bruised lips. She smiled as she got his message, one of eternal affection. “I won’t, I promise.”

Dexter nodded and strapped on his sword belt while Jenna slipped past him and opened the door. “All right Keshira, what is it?”

Keshira turned to stare at her, drawing a gasp from Jenna. Dexter looked up and saw his wife staring at the pleasure golem, then he noticed how Keshira looked somehow even more wanton and seductive than she had moments ago in their cabin. He shook his head, trying not to imagine just what she could use her sultry lips for.

“Tasha wanted me to tell you we’re being followed again. Two ships this time, of unknown allegiance.” Even her words were oozing sensuality.

“There’s that itch,” Dexter muttered. He shook his head and squeezed between the women. “
Are they closing?”

“No, they’re keeping distance enough to not disturb our gravity sphere.”

Dexter frowned. Such a thing was far from unheard of, it was just rare that he’d come across other ships that weren’t bound to complicate his life. “I don’t like the coincidence. Let’s go, I got my own itch that says there’s trouble on the rise.”

Dexter peered into the void, trying to catch sight of the vessels against the backdrop of stars and planets so distant they were little more white dots. He turned to see Tasha watching him. She turned and nodded, looking off the port bow. Dexter followed her gaze, studying the scenery for nearly a full minute before he picked out the movement.

“That’s a ways off,” he said. “You sure they know we’re even here?”

“Can’t say when they showed up
, but they been holding their position relative to us.”

“Where’s the other one?” Jenna asked
. “Keshira said there were two?”

“It was heading off, chance encounter, I think.”

Dexter frowned. Chance encounters were often anything but. “Well let’s get this over with, head their way and signal a parley.”

“Sir?” Tasha asked. Jenna caught Dexter’s eye and smiled.

He nodded. “You’re going to play deaf you should wear your helm.”

“Aye, Captain,” Tasha answered stiffly. She turned and called out the orders to bring the Hawk to port a few degrees. Short on crew, she hurried to a chest lashed to the deck and pulled out the white flag that could be used to signal a truce, surrender, or a desire to talk.

They sailed another hour with the distant ship growing larger. “Maybe they don’t see us,” Jenna suggested.

“They know we’re here, they’re playing dumb,” he said. “Smugglers or bandits. Maybe even slavers.”

“This close to the Feds?”

“You forgetting the type of folks we ran into in the heart of the Federation?”

Jenna frowned. “All right. What makes you think we can catch them?”

“We been drawing closer. Might take time, but we’re far enough out they know we’ll catch them. They’ll have to turn and talk to us.”

“Talk? Or fight?”

Dexter shrugged. “Seems like there’s less and less of a difference.”

Jenna sighed. “This used to be a lot more fun.”

“It’s still fun, you just grew up enough to be worried.”

The elf queen rolled her eyes, pulling a fresh grin from Dexter. She smiled a moment later. “Damn you, Captain. After we get Jia back I’m not sure having you on the ‘Hawk is going to be a good influence!”

Dexter cut his chuckle short and pointed at the ship they followed. It was turning to face them. “Seems they couldn’t pretend no more.”

“Shall we ready for battle?” Tasha asked.

“Might be prudent, just don’t get too jumpy.”

Tasha nodded and called out orders to ready the crew, then she hurried below to don her armor. Jenna scowled, drawing a chuckle from Dexter. “She’s all right, just anxious. Got another half hour till they get close enough to worry about.”

Tasha returned after only a few moments, clad in her gleaming golden armor. The remainder of the time passed in anxious boredom. Even Xander showed signs of frustration when he s
howed up and had to wait.

The wait was over when the ship came to a stop with their
curved prow facing the Voidhawk. An ornate carving on the bow named the ship, Scimitar. The name served it well, given the sweeping blade-like designs of the ships maneuvering sails.

Dexter stared across to the forecastle as three figures walked across it to face him. It was closer to a hundred feet than fifty,
allowing Dexter to see that two of them were men and the third was a woman. “What business have you, Voidhawk?” A voice carried across the distance with such force Dexter cast a startled look at his crew.

“Magic,” Xander muttered. He reached into a pocket and rifled around, pulling out three pouches before finding a tiny chest that made him happy. He slipped the pouches back into the pocket of his robe. Dexter stared at the man’s actions and, more importantly, at the smooth pocket that couldn’t possibly hold the volume he’d just shoved into it.

Xander ignored him for a moment longer. He opened the miniscule chest and chanted while circling a finger over it. A moment later he thrust the chest towards Dexter. “Here, rub this cream on your lips.”

“You want me to paint my lips?”

Xander frowned. “It’s not colored.”

Jenna cackled behind him, earning a glare. Dexter dipped his finger into the waxy looking substance and pulled his finger out. He stared at a moment, then
rubbed it on his lips. He gasped at the tingle it imparted, then fought the urge to wipe it off. “Tickles,” He muttered, his voice so loud it sent Jenna and Tasha stumbling backwards in surprise. Even Xander, who was prepared, flinched at the noise.

“Captain, the parl
ey?” Xander said, pointing towards the Scimitar.

Dexter turned, clamping his mouth shut before he could say anything else that would carry to the edge of their joined atmospheres. “Bound for Port Freedom,” Dexter called back. “Ships that cross winds in the void without plan or purpose are bound by the wayfarer’s code to share news or trade.”

“Fair enough, what news have you?”

Dexter frowned. He bit back the mutter he’d intended, not wanting it to be shared abroad. “Was hoping you might have something useful. We ran into a Federation warship a day or so past, Ora’s Bounty. Prior to that it was New Winds, an elven ship.”

“We’ve had no such encounters, we’re bound for Port Freedom and our business is our own.”

“That’s fair. Have you a name, Captain?”

“Aye, don’t you?”

Dexter ground his teeth in frustration. He growled, keeping his lips clamped shut.
“I do, Captain Silvercloud.”

Dexter watched the three react to his announcement. His name didn’t seem that big a deal to him, but a moment later the woman stepped forward and, cupping her hands to her mouth, called out, “Captain Dexter Silvercloud?”

Her voice tugged at Dexter, taking him back to a smoky bar made smokier by a scantily clad beauty with a fondness for smokesticks. The same woman that offered him a job to carry cargo without the Federation’s awareness to a destination that he was never meant to reach.

“Aye,” he called back. “And I believe you owe me twenty five hundred gold.”

Dexter couldn’t be certain, but he thought he saw the woman aboard the bow of the Scimitar laugh. That or she was asking the ship’s captain to fire their weapons on him. She raised her hands to her mouth again to satisfy his curiosity. “Why don’t you come aboard and we can talk about it?”

Dexter glanced at the narrow-eyed Jenna first, then the remaining officers he had on deck. “Come abroad to port.”

Dexter turned, gesturing for Tasha to enforce his own orders. He reached up to his lips then glanced at Dexter, concerned.

Dexter shoved his hand in another pocket and removed a silk handkerchief. He handed it over so Dexter could wipe his lips clean of the magical balm. He whistled experimentally and was pleased to see no one clutching their ear drums in pain.

“Who is she?” Jenna asked as soon as she was certain his voice was back to normal.

Dexter raised an inquiring eyebrow, but his wife refused to back down. “Remember that run through the Devil’s Breath we took?”

“Our first job?” She asked.

“Aye.”

“The one where we were betrayed and captured by bandits?”

Dexter shrugged. “You always remember the bad parts. We found Rosh there too!”

“And where’s he at now?”

The Captain sighed.
They had no idea where Rosh had sailed off to after he’d stormed away from them years ago. Truth be told, it had lessened the tension on the ship when he’d gone and made life a little easier, if less exciting. “Optimism, that’s what you need. A healthy dose of it too, methinks. Look, what’s done is done. We cut our teeth and learned a thing or two. Showed others we’re not to be trifled with. That’s how a reputation is earned.”

“So is raping and pillaging,” Jenna muttered.

“You’re still rooting for the right side here, aren’t you?”

Jenna sighed. “I’m sorry, it’s hard for me to let go.”

Dexter knew what she didn’t say. It was hard for her to let go of being in control. She’d been privy to everything, as Empress. He was amazed they’d gotten free of the place as easily as they had. Between the knowledge he and Jenna possessed of the inner workings of the Elven Empire, only their speed and relative stealth had ensured their escape.

“Xander, we’ll be needing one of th
ese shiny disc things again. Big enough for me, Jenna, and yourself.”

“Captain!” Tasha protested. “I insist on being there to offer my protection!”