Part 9 (1/2)

Great. Just what he'd always wanted to be. An STD to the only female who'd ever owned his heart. Mom and Dad would be so proud.

But there was one thing he needed to make clear. ”And I need to warn you, Kareem. While they are here, the Baturs are under my protection and are to be left alone. Any Tavali who f.u.c.ks with them will get the worst end of me. That includes your father.”

As soon as they docked at the Tavali station, Fain saw Braxen Venik waiting to greet them, with an entire squadron of Hadean Corps soldiers as his escort. The Hadean Corps were the Tavali enforcers and their version of a highly trained tactical police unit. They had to be since The Tavali were an extremely rough and well-trained group who lived to fight and play hard.

Tall and fierce, Brax was half Andarion, but looked mostly human with his dark eyes just like Kareem. Only his elongated canines betrayed his Andarion heritage, and that tiny bit of Andarion biology had cost the male dearly in his life, and left Brax with a bitter resentment toward the entire Andarion race. It was why Brax had hated Fain the first time they'd met.

Why, even though Fain had been a bound slave kept by humans, Venik had dragged him off the s.h.i.+p which was then called the Cerulean Escapades by his hair, and shot out both kneecaps while he'd been chained and unable to protect himself.

Venik would have done more, but the fire and venom in Fain that refused to beg or be dominated by anyone or anything had given the Tavali pause.

Fain's only response to the a.s.sault had been to look Venik in the eye and laugh. ”Pain I can take, old man. Do your f.u.c.king worst, and you better make sure I die. 'Cause if I get loose, I'm going to rip out your guts and strangle you with them. I promise you.”

Those growled, hostile words had finally won the pirate over and made him respect the fact that Fain was every bit the warrior Venik was.

However, the expression on Brax's face today said something bad was brewing. And that the male was highly p.i.s.sed off and out for blood.

Curious about what had him in such a foul mood, Fain left the s.h.i.+p first.

As soon as Fain was close enough, Brax hugged him like a brother before he narrowed his dark gaze at the twenty-two Andarions with them. ”I heard you were shot on your arrival. Should we return the favor to them?”

”No!” Fain said quickly. ”Two of them are my family.”

Brax quirked a brow. ”As I recall, your family disowned you. Left you for dead.”

”Not these two. And it's complicated. I'd just rather they be treated with respect.”

Brax nodded slowly. ”I'll let the others know, then.” He moved toward Galene. ”Commander Batur?”

She hesitated at the flash of his fangs. ”You're part Andarion?”

”My father. My mother was a Qill warrior, as is my wife.” He frowned as he saw Talyn approaching them. A knowing glance at Fain let him know that Brax had already deduced who Fain was related to and why it was complicated. ”Another Commander Batur in the mix.” He took a moment to study Talyn. ”You're not the Talyn Batur, are you?”

”I am.”

He held his hand out in friends.h.i.+p. ”Nice to meet you, Hammer.”

”You, too, Captain Venik.” There was an underlying crisp chill to Talyn's voice.

His friendliness vaporizing, Brax curled his lip the moment he saw Chayden disembark and head in their direction. Without a word of greeting, he spun and led his men away.

Chayden grinned widely as he joined them. ”Look at me, making friends everywhere I go.” Lifting his nose, he sniffed at the air. ”You can just smell the happy welcome... oh wait, someone needs a bath.” He clapped Fain on the back. ”Oh yeah, that's me, too!”

Galene pa.s.sed a quizzical stare to Fain.

”Chayden has major brain trauma. I think his sister must have slapped him too hard in childhood.”

Laughing good-naturedly, Chayden winked at her. ”Venik hates my Tavali father, Gadgehe Hinto. It's an old blood feud between them. Which means I get to irritate the grand Porturnum leader with impunity. It's awesome.” He glanced to Fain and grinned before he spoke to Galene. ”And if you want me to rattle his cage, just holler at your boy and I'll do it. I live to make beautiful females happy.”

Galene smiled. ”Thank you, Chayden. I just might take you up on that.”

Flas.h.i.+ng his dimples, Chayden clicked his teeth. ”By the way, we should probably let you know that Venik isn't a captain. His rank is technically high admiral and Tavali presidium.”

Talyn gave him an emotionless stare. ”I know. I did it to p.i.s.s him off.”

Chayden let out a low, insidious laugh as he clapped Talyn on the arm. ”You and me, Hammer, we're going to be good friends. I can tell.”

From across the bay, Brax motioned Fain away to speak to him while a small group of Tavali women came forward to show Galene, Talyn, and their soldiers where to bunk.

Talyn carried his mother's gear through their impressively clean and modern hallways toward their rooms.

After what seemed like miles of hiking, the Tavali women finally showed them the bunk corridor where their rooms were lined up like prison cells.

With a smirk, the shortest woman opened the closest door. ”For you, Prime Commander.”

Galene screwed her face up at the small, cramped quarters they'd reserved for her group. They really did look like prison cells. It wasn't just the hallway. They even held that peculiar antiseptic, inst.i.tutional smell. ”Is there nothing better than this?” she asked the female Tavali closest to her.

She shrugged. ”It's where we always put our special guests. Sorry it's not up to Your Majesty's high standards.”

Talyn caught Galene as she started for the woman. ”It's fine, Commander. I'll take the smallest one.” He cut a fierce glare at the woman who'd led them here. ”Give our females the larger rooms. If there are any to be had.”

The woman stepped back to let Talyn enter his ”closet.”

Galene wanted to weep at the paltry quarters. She knew The Tavali had better accommodations than this there was no way they'd bunk their crew in something so horrible but The Tavali and Andaria had a long and ugly history of war between them.

Obviously, this was their petty way of getting back at their former enemies, even though they were here to help them and be allies.

Something that proved to be more than apparent when she entered her hot, stifling room. Without another word, she set her duffle on the small cot. Sadly, it was better than what Talyn was dealing with. At least she could turn around without b.u.mping into anything.

Disgusted, she picked up her link to call him. ”Hey, mi tana. You want to exchange rooms? Mine's a little larger and you're a lot bigger than me.”

”It's fine, Mum. I had a smaller bed in gen-barr. At least it has its own bathroom. I can manage.”

I can manage. Her heart broke at his most common phrase to her after the word ”fine.” ”Ever my brave soldier. Love you, Talyn.”

”You, too.”

Galene hung up and started to unpack, only to learn that there was nowhere to store her gear. Not even a closet or nightstand. Infuriated, she'd just set her duffel on the narrow desk when Fain texted over a map of the facilities and instructions on where their command center was located, as well as her office.

Disgusted with all of The Tavali in general and Fain in particular, she refused to text him back. Effing b.a.s.t.a.r.d. He was probably the reason they were being housed here.

Trying not to think about it, she went to the bathroom to freshen up.

Fain frowned as he waited and waited for a text from Galene. When she didn't respond, he traced her location.

No... that had to be a mistake.

Someone's s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g with me.

a.s.suming they were being toured and not actually placed on that side of the base, he finished up his reports for Nyk and logs for Brax before heading to the room numbers a.s.signed to Galene and her team.