Cassandra's Challenge (24 page)

“I need you to stay still Cassandra. I’ve numbed
the area the best I can but this is in deep. It’s going to hurt,
really hurt.” Bliant looks at the Admiral.

“Just do it,” She pants, “I can’t catch my
breath.”

“Look at me,
Cassandra
look at me.”
William orders as Bliant starts.

Looking up she sees the face of the man she
loves, who she trusts more than anyone else. Suddenly she feels
like a red hot poker is being shoved up her back. She starts to
close her eyes.

“No Cassandra, look at me. Come on baby, there
you go.” He says as their eyes meet, the pain in hers tearing him
apart. “Breath now Cassandra just small little breathes. Come on
you can do it.”

The pain intensifies, but she doesn’t move, her
eyes locked with William’s. He can feel her fingers digging into
his chest but she moves nothing else.

“William.” She whispers when she can’t take
anymore.

“Hang on baby. Come on, just a few seconds more.
Blaint!”

“Got it!” Bliant says, withdrawing a three-inch
metal splinter from Cassandra’s back. Cassandra sags against
William her face damp with sweat. Cupping the back of her head,
William keeps her close as he’s eyes bore into Bliant.

“What the hell is that! How did you miss
that
! If she’d been on the pain meds…” Bliant cuts him
off.

“I missed it Admiral! I admit it. But if she’d
still been on the pain medication, she wouldn’t have felt it until
it punctured her lung!” Bliant whirls away disgusted with
himself.

“William?” Cassandra’s weak voice is muffled
against his chest.

“I’m here, baby.”

“I want to go home.”

“Cassandra, you’re hurt.” He starts.

“There’s nothing that can be done here that
can’t be done at home. Please William? I want to sleep in our bed.
I sleep better with you.” William looks to Bliant.

“She’s right Admiral, what she needs now is
rest. There are no more splinters I ran a full scan. She’ll rest
better where she’s most comfortable, I’d say that’s with you.”
William takes a moment to think.

“Cassandra, I’m going to lay you down here for
just a minute okay? I need to arrange a few things.” Laying her
gently on her side the Admiral goes to the communications
consul.

“Marat I want four more guards in medical in
five minutes, full gear.” Turning to Bliant he continues. “You will
give her something that will take the edge off of her pain. She’s
going to get bumped around. I won’t have her hurting
unnecessarily.”

”She has the right to decide.” Bliant stands
firm. “We’ll ask her.” Cassandra has been quietly listening to the
two men.

“Cassandra,” Dr Bliant starts.

“I wouldn’t mind some pain medication doc. I
told you I’d tell you. But please not the stuff from before. I
don’t like floating. Just knock it back some.”

“I can do that.”

William waits as Bliant administers the
medication. Quickly some of the pain eases from Cassandra’s eyes,
easing the grip around his heart.

“I’ll need something to wrap her up in.” The
Admiral tells Bliant. At the knock on the door he leans down. “I’ll
be right back.”

Exiting the room the Admiral addresses the six
men. “You will be executing the arrow of protection. No one gets
through! We will proceed from this room directly to my quarters.
Two guards will be posted outside. Arms are on full stun. You have
two minutes.” Reentering the room Bliant has a large blanket ready
for the Admiral.

“Cassandra,” He gently whispers in her ear
causing her to open her eyes. “Let’s get you up so we can go
home.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Wrapping the blanket around her
shoulders, he helps her stand up letting the rest of it fall to the
floor. Securing her in the blanket, William bends down to scoop her
up in his arms.

“You okay?” He watches her closely.

“As long as I’m with you.” She leans her head
against his chest, closing her eyes.

“Let’s go then.” Bliant opens the door. The
security detail forms around the Admiral as he heads out.

The corridors of the Retribution are buzzing as
the detail passes. The Admiral is carrying the Earth woman, with
Arrow protection. There has been some talk but now….Falco is one of
the crew seeing the detail. She has to decide what she’s going to
do next.

Quinn is just lying down in bed when consul
rings. “Fuck!” He sits up to answer.

“Tar!”

“Colonel, this is Lucas Zafar.”

“Do you know what time it is Lieutenant?”

“Late. I had to be sure Tori was asleep.”

“How is she?” Quinn’s developing a soft spot for
the girl

“Holding up well sir. Sir, I think I have a very
creditable lead on whose doing this.”

“What!” Quinn is out of bed.

“Sir…”

”Can the ‘sir’ stuff Lucas, what have you got!”
Filling Quinn in on Cassandra’s suspicions, Quinn interrupts
him.

“You’re going on another woman’s what?
Intuition? Damn Lucas…”

“I trust Cassie’s intuition Quinn, but I did
some digging. Did you know that Falco has an E1 explosive
rating?”

“What!”

“Specializing in directional blasts.” Quinn is
quiet.

“I know it was a directional blast Quinn. Hell
the entire ship knows. I’ve gone as far as I can, called in every
IOU that I’ve got. Now I need help.”

“Why me, why not your old man?” Quinn asks and
is greeted by silence.

“Quinn, you’ve been my father’s friend longer
then I’ve been alive. Fuck, you’re
my
Second Father! If this
information is right, if all this is because Falco is jealous of
Cassandra, and my father dismissed Cassandra’s concerns, how is he
going to react? We both know what will happen if he finds her
first. Are
you
willing to take that chance?”

“Damn, Lucas you argue like your old man. What
do you need from me?”

Quinn listens, finding he agrees with what he
wants. “I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”

Entering their quarters William secures the door
before carrying Cassandra into their private quarters gently laying
her on the bed.

“Cassandra you’re home.” Saying it out loud
fills him with a satisfaction he can’t explain. Opening exhausted
eyes she gives him a soft smile.

“Sleep.”

“What about you?” She starts to sit up.

“No, lay back down. I have a few things I need
to take care of. I’ll just be in my ready room. It won’t take long.
Rest.” Kissing her he turns the lights low leaving the room.

Cassandra watches him go with concerned eyes. He
needs sleep too. Catching a smell, she wrinkles her nose.

“What is that?” Working her way out of the
blanket she realizes it’s her. “Okay, time for a shower.”

Carefully she puts her feet on the floor.
Standing slowly she takes an inventory. She feels a little like a
human pin cushion but it was more irritating then painful. Whether
that’s the medication or not, she doesn’t know. Her right arm is
starting to show colorful bruising. Pulling her gown aside she
finds her entire right side blooming with bruises.

“Great.”

The thought of a hot shower has taken root, she
really wants one. Leaving the blanket behind she carefully walks
into the bathroom, her abused muscles protesting. With a shower the
only thing on her mind Cassandra enters and sees herself for the
first time.

“Shit.” Raising a hand she touches her cheek
where there was yet another bruise blooming. Her hair is a tangled
mess with debris falling out as she tries to run her fingers
through it. Her finger coming out smudged with soot.

“Oh, definitely in need of a shower.” Slowly
working the gown off, she turns on the shower and steps in.

In his ready room William leans his head back on
his chair. He’d gotten her home safely. Home. She’d called it home.
With everything that has happened today, all the mistakes he’s
made, she trusts him, feels he is her home. He needs to do a better
job of taking care of her. Rubbing his eyes, he sits up, starting
now. Turning to his communications consul he starts making
calls.

“Tar.”

“Quinn, I wanted to let you know that I’ve moved
Cassandra from medical to our quarters. I’ve also posted a security
detail outside.” The ‘our quarters’ isn’t missed by Quinn.

“She’s doing okay then?”

“She’s beat to hell Quinn!” William’s rage is
finally breaking free.

“Will…”

“She stopped breathing.”

“But she’s okay
now
.” Quinn persisted. He
knows his friend, knows he’s blaming himself. Even without knowing
what he and Lucas suspected.

“Yeah, she’s sleeping.”

“That’s what you need to be doing. Get some
sleep Will. There’s nothing else you can do tonight. We’ll get
started on it again tomorrow.”

“There’s no new evidence?”

“No Will. No new evidence. Go to bed.” Quinn
disconnects before William can ask anything else. He hadn’t lied.
He had no new evidence
yet
.

William knows Quinn is right but he has one more
call to make before he can sleep next to Cassandra. He waits as the
call connects.

“Zafar.” William hears a quiet voice.

“Lucas?”

“Dad? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just checking in with you. Victoria’s
sleeping?”

“Yeah, she’s been down a couple hours now. How’s
Cassie?”

“She’s sleeping. That’s what I wanted tell you.
I brought her home tonight.”

“Home?” Lucas questions before he thinks.

“Yes. Home, with me, our quarters, because
that’s what it is now Lucas, o
ur
quarters, after what
happened today I’m not letting her stay anywhere else.” Lucas can
tell he’s building up a head of steam.

“Dad, stop. You just caught me off guard. What
about Victoria?”

“I’m working on that. I just wanted to let you
know where to bring her tomorrow. Cassandra’s going to want to see
her, I don’t know if going to class is advisable yet with us still
unable to identify who’s doing this.”

“I agree.” Lucas starts, trying to decide if he
should tell him of Cassandra’s suspensions. “Dad there’s
something….”

“Fuck!” William interrupts him hearing the
shower turn on.

“What’s wrong!”

“She’s getting in the shower!” William
disconnects.

Lucas takes off his headset grinning. Yeah,
Cassandra could handle his father.

William storms into the bathroom ready to tear
into Cassandra, and stops cold at what he sees. With her back to
him William gets his first complete look of her injuries top to
bottom. On one side she’s all scraps and lacerations, closed by
Bliant but still healing. On the other one massive bruise. Taking a
deep breath he removes his clothes and joins his life mate.

“Cassandra,” he says quietly. “What are you
doing?”

She isn’t surprised to hear William’s voice.
Deep down she’d known he would come when he heard the water. What
does surprise her is that he isn’t angry. Turning slowly she brings
her hands up to his chest.

“I’m taking a shower.”

“I can see that. Why aren’t you in bed?”

“Because, not only am I filthy, I stink.”

“Cassandra….” William can only sigh. She raises
a hand to his cheek.

“William, yes I’m tired, yes I’m sore, I admit
it. But I’m not going to lie down in
our
bed covered in
whatever I’m covered in. My hair is full of soot and dirt. I just
want to get clean.” He finds he can’t argue with her.

“Come on then let’s get you cleaned up.”
Reaching behind her he fills a hand with shampoo and starts
massaging it into her scalp.

“William…I didn’t mean…”

“Shhh…lean on me.” As she does his hands work
their way through her hair, his touch soothing her. After rinsing
her hair he gently washes the rest of her body.

“You know,” Cassandra tells him as he washes her
breasts. “If you were doing that any other time I’d be all over
you.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Reaching her ankles, he
stares at the birthmark that had started the argument this morning.
It seemed darker. He’d have to ask her about it, but not now. Now
he needs to get his mate to bed.

Turning off the water he reaches for a towel to
dry her hair, just as he’d done earlier that day. But things
weren’t the same now. Finishing, he leans down to carry her to
bed.

“William I can walk.” She protests in a weak
voice, telling William just how far she’d pushed herself.

“Not tonight.”

“I don’t want to sleep, unless you’re with
me.”

“You couldn’t keep me away.” Turning off the
lights he slides in next to her, making sure he’s between her and
the door. Secured or not he’s taking no chances. Cassandra
immediately finds him in the dark, wrapping an arm around him.

“Easy, you don’t want to lie on your side.”

“You know you’re right,” She mummers in a sleepy
voice. Pulling herself up onto his chest her body goes lax.
Exhaustion catches up with William. Putting his arms carefully
around her, he follows her into sleep

Waking with Cassandra in his arms William’s
content. The ringing of his consul has him stretching trying not to
wake her.

“Zafar.”

“Dad, it’s Lucas, Victoria had a dream last
night. She says she needs to talk to you and Cassandra, something
about understanding Regulian.” William runs a careful hand up and
down Cassandra’s back as he feels her waking.

“Give us about twenty minutes then head over.”
Disconnecting he looks down to find sleepy blue watching him. “How
are you feeling?”

“Who was on the comm?” She asks instead of
answering.

“Lucas. He and Tori are coming over. She had the
dream.”

“What!” Cassandra winces as she leans up without
thinking. “Damn.”

“Cassandra…”