3013: Targeted (2 page)

If he’d lived, she wouldn’t be mourning the loss of a friend.

She sighed, squared her shoulders, and made a tour of the room, making sure everyone was satisfied and there were no problems. Not that she expected any. The rules of every Krytos sanctuary were the same. No weapons use or violence would be tolerated. Inside the walls of the Black Hole, every being was safe from harm. At least, they should have been. The attack that had killed the commander and nearly cost another friend his life should never have been allowed to happen. Worse still, she had not been getting any answers from the Alliance officers on the station, or anywhere else she’d filed an official inquiry. She’d made her own inquiries, of course, but she was frustrated by the Alliance’s unwillingness to share information. The men who had attacked the sanctuary had been transported to the Mars Penal colony before she could even speak to them. Every inquiry only provided her with more forms to fill out and more red tape to wade through. Wait for the new commanders, she’d been told. They’d be there soon, and would be overseeing the investigation.

They damned well better find some answers for her, and soon. Her home and livelihood had been threatened. The peace of the sanctuary had been violated. T’karra wanted to know who was to blame, so she could claim her pound of flesh.

Preferably while the bastards were still alive to feel it.

She growled deep in her chest, encouraging several of her regular patrons to move back a few discreet steps. Not that she would ever hurt anyone…unless they did something foolish, like disturb the peace of her bar. T’karra was tense enough she almost wished someone would, so she could tear them to pieces. A little violence would do wonders for her mood.

She was nearly done with her rounds when she spotted another potential problem seated at the end of the bar. Danny Fields was drunk again. She couldn’t blame him, the liquor dulled the pain of the grief consuming him since his partner had died. He and Commander Jarrod Janes had been together for decades, and T’karra couldn’t imagine coping with that kind of loss. Worse still, Danny wasn’t an Alliance officer, and with the death of his partner, he had suddenly found himself adrift. The new commanders would be arriving soon, which meant he had to move out of the official commanders’ quarters. There were so many things the older man needed to be doing, but he had done nothing but hide in the Black Hole and drink since the day of Jarrod’s funeral. He was going to join Jarrod in the afterlife very soon if he kept on this way, and T’karra didn’t want that to happen.

“Hey, Danny. Have you eaten anything today?” she asked, joining him at the bar.

He turned his bloodshot gaze her way and gave her a thin-lipped smile. “Do you nag all your customers, T’karra?”

“Only the ones I like. Today, it’s a very short list.”

Danny waved her away with an unsteady hand. “You don’t need to fuss over me, you know. I’m fine. Perfect—perfectly peachy.”

“You neither look nor smell, peachy at the moment.” She looked at his grief-ravaged face and made a decision. “You need food, a shower, and some rest. And you need to stop drinking. Jarrod would be heartbroken if he saw you like this.”

“You cutting me off?”

“If you make me? Then yes, I am. But I’m hoping you’re not going to force my hand.” She fished an access card out of her pocket and set it down beside his drink. “Go downstairs, take one of the reserved rooms and clean yourself up. I’ll have one of the staff bring you some food in a little while.”

He frowned at her in confusion. “Place is packed. There’s no way you have rooms free.”

“I don’t have any other sanctuary guests now, not proper ones. Sonja left last week, remember?”

“I’m not under sanctuary protection,” He argued, but his fingers inched a little closer to the card.

Stars save me from stupid men.

“No, you’re not, because you haven’t asked to be. You need a place to stay while you get back on your feet, right? So, ask me already.”

“Pushy damned female,” he muttered.

“You have no idea. If you would rather not find out just how pushy I can be, I’d suggest you start talking.”

Danny straightened, and she saw a pleasing bit of fire back in his eyes as he met her gaze. “Fine. T’karra of the Ryvern pack, I ask for the protection of your sanctuary.”

“Granted. And might I add it took you long enough. I’ve been carrying that damned card around for days. Now, get your booze-soaked hide downstairs and take a very long shower. Food will be down later.”

“Days, huh?”  he asked.

T’karra pushed the card under his fingers and then awkwardly patted his hand. “Days. Jarrod Janes was a decent human. This is the least I can do for him...and for you.”

“You’re a kind soul.”

“Not really, you merely caught me in a moment of weakness. And for star’s sake, don’t tell anyone what happened here. They’ll think I’ve gone soft, and then I’ll have to maim someone just to prove otherwise.”

He took the card and eased himself off the barstool, and T’karra was relieved to note that while he was far from sober, he was still able to stand upright without help. “No need to kill anyone, you’re secret’s safe with me.”

“He was my friend, too, Danny. He will be missed.”

Danny nodded, and his eyes filled with fresh tears of grief. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. And don’t come back up here until you are clean, rested, and fed. You hear me?”

Danny waved her off and made his way slowly and carefully to the locked door separating the bar from the private areas of the sanctuary. What most customers never realized was the sanctuary was comprised of far more space than just the bar. Her pack controlled the floors above and below it as well. Below were the private meeting areas and rooms set aside for those guests who wished to indulge in some of the Black Hole’s more personal entertainments, as well as an area set away from the others, where only those who had claimed the full protection of the Krytos sanctuary could stay. Above the bar was where T’karra and the rest of the pack lived. Every inch of that space was protected by T’karra and her pack.

Once Danny had gone through the door, T’karra slipped back behind the bar and keyed in an order of soup, bread, and coffee to be brought down to his new quarters. Out of all the chaos of the day, at least she’d managed to do some good. She’d see to it that Danny’s things were moved out of his old quarters, too. Now, she had to tackle the rest of the problems plaguing her business, and make another damned inquiry as to when the new commanders were arriving. If she had her way, she’d be waiting for them in their office the second their boots hit the decks of X2.

***

CHAPTER TWO

Hawke hadn’t intended to eavesdrop on what was clearly a private conversation, but he was very glad he had. That quiet exchange put to rest any doubts he had about T’karra Ryvern’s possible involvement in the former commander’s murder. It was real grief he’d seen in her eyes. Whatever was going on, she wasn’t part of it. She couldn’t have been, or else there’d have been guilt interwoven with the sadness she’d expressed.

He’d been in the Black Hole for over an hour, and so far, it had more than lived up to its reputation. Dimly lit, with all black furnishings, the place was full of shadowy corners where the patrons could meet and talk discreetly, or simply enjoy a drink in relative peace despite the throngs of people filling it. Not only humans, but aliens as well, including a handful of D’Aire drinking in one quiet corner, while several Reema were boisterously enjoying the gaming tables at the back. Based on their sibilant hisses of satisfaction, the reptilian Reema were beating the odds. Their race had a lust for wealth in all its forms. It made them motivated businessmen, and they were responsible for a large portion of the trade flowing between Earth and her allies. Despite their reptile-like appearance, they were decent enough beings, so long as you weren’t standing between them and potential profits.

Hawke had chosen a seat near the end of the bar, one that allowed him to see most of the room, while keeping his back to the windows lining the outer wall. The dim lighting wasn’t really an issue for him, since thanks to his enhancements and his Krytos ancestor, he could see very well in the dark. There were certainly enough of them around. Even in the dark, it was hard to miss them. All the males were over seven feet tall, the females only a few inches shorter, and both sexes were dressed in black or crimson vests that left much of their powerful arms and torsos bare. They wore their dark hair long, and their black eyes were forever scanning the crowd as they watched from various vantage points around the bar. Krytos females were as dangerous as their male counterparts, and all of them could transform into violent beasts at the slightest provocation.

He watched as T’karra patrolled her domain, her keen, black eyes assessing every patron, table and employee along the way. He recognized her from the pictures attached to her files, but even if he hadn’t, it was obvious to anyone with eyes, she was the one running things. The statuesque beauty wore her authority like a crown, announcing to any and all that she was in control. Standing at about six and a half feet tall, her tawny-brown hair cascaded down her back in dozens of thin braids. The simple black and red vest she wore was cut low enough he could see the rounded swell of her breasts, along with a generous portion of her golden skin.

From the moment he’d set eyes on her, Hawke had been entranced. Her picture hadn’t done her justice. T’karra Ryvern was drop dead gorgeous, with legs that went on for light years and a body built for…things he shouldn’t even consider doing while pretending to be someone else. But fuck, was he tempted. His cock hardened as he watched her finish her patrol and head back to the bar, her hips swaying with every stride of those long, luscious legs. Thoughts of what it would feel like to have her limbs wrapped around him as he plumbed the depths of her mouth had his blood heating almost to the boiling point, and it was only by sheer force of will he tore his gaze away from her.

Stay on target. I’m here to observe, not ogle.

Hawke dropped his head to stare down at the last inch of his drink. It was time to go, at least for now. He’d gotten his preliminary assessment completed. There were other places he still needed to hit tonight before he could return to the civilian hotel he and Brandt were staying in for the next few days. Staying in the bar too long would attract attention he didn’t need, and it would be best if T’karra didn’t see his face…and possibly recognize him in a few days when he
officially
arrived. They were going to need to work closely with the beautiful Krytos bar owner in the future, and that wasn’t likely to happen if she caught him spying on her. Her species valued honor and integrity highly, and it wasn’t likely she would appreciate their tactic of slipping in unobserved and unannounced. It had never occurred to either of them she’d be a hands-on type of owner. They’d assumed she’d be tucked away in an office somewhere, out of the crush and chaos.

They’d thought wrong.

He tipped back his head and downed the last of his drink, intent on leaving once it was gone. All his intentions were for naught, though, because when he set the glass down on the gleaming black bar, he discovered he wasn’t alone.

“Want another?” T’karra asked in a low, husky voice that flowed over him like dark honey. She was holding up a bottle of the same whiskey he’d been drinking since he’d arrived. Well, fuck. So much for slipping out before she noticed him. He considered his options and decided he might as well stay. The damage was already done, right? At least, that’s what he tried to tell himself as he looked up into her beautiful face.

“Sure. Thank you.” He pushed the glass toward her, and she refilled it with a skillful pour that didn’t waste a drop of the golden fluid.

“It’s what I’m here for,” she said as she set the drink down in front of him. “How about something to eat? The kitchen’s a bit slammed, but if you want something simple, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“If you have anything resembling a steak on the menu, I’ll take one, done rare.”

“I’d offer you a selection of vegetables to go with it, but you don’t strike me as the salad type.”

Hawke wrinkled his lip at the suggestion. “Ugh, no. Salad is what you feed to the animals before they become food themselves.”

T’karra allowed herself a small smile at his comment, then nodded before making a few quick keystrokes on her wrist-unit, sending an order for a large steak to her one functioning food console. She had stepped into the familiar role of bartender to take some of the pressure off her other staff, but she’d claimed this part of the bar for one reason,
him
. Even seated, she could tell the male across the bar from her was taller than most humans, and his dark looks and powerful frame suggested he had Krytos blood pumping through his veins. He wasn’t wearing a uniform, and he was a little too scruffy to be an off-duty elite, but he carried himself like a soldier, and one who’d seen true conflict. He had picked a seat away from the door, so he could see anyone who approached him, and his gaze didn’t stay in one place for long. This was a man trained to keep track of his surroundings at all times.

Not to mention the fact he was hotter than a supernova.

She liked guys with a rough edge to them, men who could hold their own and not be intimidated by who, or what she was. Because of her position, T’karra tried to avoid romantic entanglements with Krytos males. Taking on two or three males at once was never simple, and any indication of interest could lead to courtship and offers for mating she had no interest in accepting. She already had to manage the sanctuary and protect everyone living within it, not to mention watch over her two younger brothers. It was easier to select her occasional lovers from single males who were passing through, so there was no time to form attachments, and no expectations of anything lasting. Her life was hectic enough without adding the complications of a full-time lover, or worse yet, a trio of mates demanding her attention. It had been a long stretch since a male of any species had drawn her interest, but the new arrival had her taking notice of every detail. He was tall, well-built, and moved with the predatory grace of a trained warrior. His clothing was loose-fitting, ensuring he could move and fight without being restricted, but she could still see the bunch and glide of muscle and sinew beneath the dark green fabric.

She inhaled softly, savoring his scent. He even smelled good, the sharp tang of citrus tangled up with the whiskey he’d been drinking and a subtler note that was purely his own. A few days growth of beard shadowed his jaw, and his eyes were partially hidden beneath the fall of his wavy brown hair. Until he looked up, she hadn’t been able to tell exactly what color they were, and she was surprised to discover they were different colors. She had never seen such a thing before, but one eye was bright blue, while the other was such a deep brown it looked almost black.

“Can I bring you anything else?” she asked.

Hawke briefly considered taking a safe, sane course of action, then tossed the idea right out the airlock. T’karra was beautiful, and he wanted to get to know her better. Not as the Alliance commander he’d be in a few days, but here and now, when he could be himself. “What I’d really like is the pleasure of your company for a bit longer, and a recommendation for dessert. I find myself in the mood for something dark and spicy.”

T’karra smiled, an honest smile that added warmth to the impossible darkness of her eyes and softened her aristocratic features. “Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer something sweet and fluffy?” she asked in a voice tinged with laughter.

“Positive.” Hawke leaned forward, setting his drink down and locking eyes with T’karra. “If I’m going to indulge in something, I want it to have substance, not fade away after an hour or so and leave me feeling unsatisfied.”

“Well then, I have just the thing. Once you’ve tasted this, you’re never going to want anything else.”

“Sounds perfect. May I have the name of this wonder I’ll be enjoying later?”

“Dark Decadence.”

He couldn’t help himself, he stuck out his hand and said, “Hello, Decadence. My name’s Hawke. Nice to meet you.”

For half a heartbeat, he wasn’t sure whether the beauty on the other side of the bar was going to take his hand or break it, but in the end she threw back her head and laughed as she shook his hand.

T’karra felt a shimmer of heat course through her as their hands touched. “You get bonus points for originality, Hawke, but my name is T’karra. The dessert is called Dark Decadence.”

“Were we still talking about dessert?” he asked as he stroked a calloused thumb across the top of her hand. The small, but intimate gesture had her pulse racing, and T’karra felt another surge of heat shimmer and dance across her skin.

“I believe we were. I was, anyway. And if you’d like me to order for you, I’m going to need the use of my hand.” She glanced down pointedly, reminding him he hadn’t released it yet.

“I’ll have the dessert, on one condition,” he said, deliberately closing his fingers a little tighter around hers.

“I don’t do conditions. This is my bar you’re sitting in. If there are any conditions to be set, I’m the one who sets them, not the other way around.”

He tugged on her hand, and she allowed herself to be pulled a few inches closer. “If it will make you happy, you could consider it a request instead of a condition.”

She smiled, deliberately baring her fangs. “Let me hear this
request
, then.”

“Share my dessert with me.”

T’karra blinked in surprise and shook her head, laughing softly. “I would be honored to share your meal, Hawke. But in future, you should be careful about making such an offer to a female of my species. That’s courting behavior.”

Hawke waited until she stopped laughing before lifting her hand to his mouth and brushing a delicate kiss to her fingertips before releasing them. “Decadence, my dear, if I were courting you, I’d have offered a great deal more than a taste of my dessert.”

“If my brothers heard you speak like that to me, they’d gut you where you stand,”

Hawke grinned, enjoying every second of their banter. “Only if you took offense, and I doubt you’d need your brothers to step in if I insulted you. Honestly, you don’t look offended to me.”

“No? How do I look to you?”

“Beautiful, and a little intrigued.”

She laughed again, and the low melody of her amusement sent a ripple of heat down Hawke’s spine. Fuck, she was beautiful, and she was definitely going to be pissed off when she found out who he really was. He knew he shouldn’t be here, flirting with her, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret it, either. He simply had to hope his intentions would count for something when the truth came out. Investigating the sanctuary and the beings running it was important to their mission. Normally, this part of the job, the pretense, and the lies, didn’t bother Hawke, but this time it mattered. He and Brandt had an unspoken rule to never get involved with anyone even remotely connected with their assignments, but when it came to T’karra Ryvern, he was already considering making an exception.

“Enjoy your drink, Hawke. I’ll be back when it’s time to claim my share of your dessert.”

T’karra gave him a wave and started working her way down the bar once more, but she could feel his eyes on her every step of the way. She kept her attention on the customers, refilling drinks and spending a few minutes with some of her regulars before she took the time to add Hawke’s dessert to his order. As it happened, it was her favorite. The cake was made with dark chocolate from Earth, blended with smoked peppers from several other worlds, and finished with a chocolate ganache. It was one of the more expensive items on the menu, but judging by Hawke’s taste in whiskey, he could afford it. If he was a mercenary, then he was a well-paid one.

For the first time in a long while, T’karra was looking forward to spending a bit of time with a man for no other reason than because she liked his company. Her life was too busy to do it often, but after everything she’d been through lately, it would be a well-deserved reprieve.