Crusader (Battle Born Book 1) (26 page)

He scooted back onto the mounded pillows and he watched her move. “You are so incredibly beautiful like this.” He cupped both her breasts and lifted into her next stroke. “I may never let you dress again.”

Too breathless to speak and too in love to feel anything but joy, she tossed her hair back and rode him faster, taking him deeper. He slid his hands to her hips and steadied her as he countered her motion, doubling the impact.

She gasped and reached back, bracing herself on his thighs. Urgency blasted into her mind, catapulting her toward the finish line. She cried out, desperately trying to pull back the sensations, but it was much too late. She dug her fingers into his thighs as pleasure exploded inside her. He reared up and wrapped his arms around her, joining her in release.

They clung to each other, shuddering together as sensations flowed across their link. Her pleasure fueled his and his heightened hers in a circle that kept them soaring endlessly. They kissed and caressed, in no hurry to readmit reality into their private heaven.

I love you, Bandar.
She communicated her devotion with her body and mind.

And I love you.
His response was every bit as consuming.

* * * * *

They emerged from the cabin an hour later after enjoying a quick snooze in each other’s arms. The clinic was empty when they walked in and Ashley’s buoyant spirits plummeted. “You don’t think he…”

“Don’t.” Bandar reached down and pinched her butt. “No more negative thoughts.”

“You’re right.” She wiggled away from his playful punishment. “Negativity has no place in my mind.”

Apparently hearing their voices, a female medic stepped out from one of the back rooms. “May I help you?”

“Where did they take Letos?” Bandar asked.

“They took him to the
Crusader
almost an hour ago.”

“Thank you.” Bandar led Ashley out into the corridor, his face suddenly grim. “Someone should have alerted us.” He repeated the complaint when they found Nazerel in Morgan’s office a few minutes later. Morgan was nowhere in sight.

“There’s nothing you can do until he’s out of regeneration,” Nazerel pointed out. “I didn’t see a reason to disrupt your nap.” He said the last word with a smirk that assured them he knew they’d spent very little time sleeping.

“Thanks again for your hospitality and your assistance.” Bandar sounded strangely formal. “Can you clear us to leave from here or do we need to go to one of the departure bays?”

Nazerel went to Morgan’s desk and entered a couple of commands into her computer. “You’re clear. Keep us in the loop.”

“Will do.” Then Bandar pulled her to his side and wrapped his arm around her waist.

This is Bandar.
He sent the signal to the bio-stream engineer, but Ashley could hear him as well.
Please stream my guest and I directly to the infirmary.

Is this a medical emergency?

Not yet, so don’t test me.
The poor engineer couldn’t see Bandar’s playful smirk only hear his hostile tone.

Copy. Two for the infirmary.

Knowing the vertigo was coming didn’t lessen the dizzying effect, but Ashley breathed through the sensations rather than fighting against them and the spinning dissipated much faster.

The
Crusader’s
infirmary was about double the size of the clinic. Twelve treatment tables were arranged in a circle around a central work area. Two young men were seated at separate workstations within the common area. Both were dressed in black-and-gold uniforms. They weren’t armed, so they were likely medics or medical technicians. She was pretty sure Irron was the only doctor on board the
Crusader
. They shot to their feet when they spotted Ashley, but Bandar had warned her not to speak to the crew. They each greeted Bandar with a polite, “Commander”, yet their gazes were locked on her.

“This is Ashley,” he introduced. “My
mate
.”

Immediately, their gazes lowered and they returned to their seats.

Was that necessary?
Secretly his possessive growl sent a thrill down her spine, but he didn’t need to know how much she enjoyed his attitude.

Absolutely
. There was no regret in his tone.

She wasn’t sure if one of the medics signaled Irron or if he’d heard them talking, but the doctor entered from an adjoining room. He was dressed in a white lab coat piped in black and gold that made him look more like part of the crew. “Welcome back.” And without pause he added, “Does the commander know she’s on board?”

Wasn’t Bandar the commander?

My rank is commander, but I’m not in command of this ship.
He clarified though she hadn’t actually asked the question.

“I’m sure the bio-stream engineer told him by now, so he’ll likely stomp in here any minute now.”

“Easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission?” Irron winked at Ashley. “Hello again.”

Ignoring the doctor’s playful question, Bandar asked, “How’s Letos?”

“Still cooking. It’ll be at least another hour, probably more like two.”

True to Bandar’s prediction a gray-haired man stormed into the clinic a few minutes later. His hostile gaze swept from Bandar to Ashley and back. His uniform had wide gold stripes across the shoulders, but he didn’t need the uniform distinction to identify him as commander. Every movement emanated authority. “Nox,” he snapped. “A word.” And he motioned to the corridor.

“The ship’s commander, I presume?” She waited until the two men left before she asked Irron.

“That would be Commander Tarr, Keyran to his friends, which are few and far between. Bandar should have asked before bringing you on board.” Apparently the commander agreed. Though somewhat muffled by the wall, his shouts soon echoed in the infirmary. Much to Ashley’s surprise, Bandar didn’t raise his voice. Irron patted her shoulder with a reassuring smile. “Keyran’s bark is worse than his bite, especially where that one’s concerned.”

“Why is that?”

“Keyran was Bandar’s mentor. Can’t help but thinking of him like a son. Besides, Bandar isn’t technically part of the crew. A fact Bandar’s quick to point out. He answers directly to General Nox.”

“How convenient.”

One of the medics snickered and Irron snapped at him in Rodyte. Then he looked at Ashley and said, “If you’re going to spend time on the
Crusader
, you need a translator patch and vaccinations. Let’s take care of that while you’re here.”

“A what?”

“Vaccinations will keep you from spreading human diseases among the crew. Most Rodytes are disease free, but the injection will protect you just in case. The other injection contains specialized nanites that translate languages. You’ll need a full language infusion if you want to read and write, but this will allow you to speak with most anyone you encounter.”

“Are they safe for humans?”

“I’ve had to tweak the programing, but I’ve used them on humans before. Morgan has had both and she’s still alive and kicking.”

Only knowing one language was rather limiting. Then a naughty thought made her smile. “Let’s not tell Bandar you did this. I want to have some fun with it.”

“Always happy to perpetuate mischief.” He flashed a conspirator’s smile and motioned toward one of treatment tables.

She barely felt the vaccination, which he injected into her upper arm. The language patch, however, was injected at the base of her skull and felt like it unleashed fire ants into her brain. She gasped and clutched his arm for support until the burning passed.

“You could have warned me.” She rubbed the spot, which was still stinging though the worst of the fire had burned itself out.

“I did.”

“You said, ‘this could sting a bit’. That was significantly more than a bit.”

“Shall I put you in a regeneration bay?” he asked with melodramatic fear.

She slapped his arm and scooted off the side of the bed. “You’re a horrible doctor.”

He laughed. “I’m a wonderful doctor. I’ve just spent too much time patching up warriors who walk in holding their own severed arms. I’m not sure what to do with such a delicate flower.” Before she could take offense at the characterization he smiled. “Actually, I know
exactly
what to do with someone like you, but Bandar won’t let me.”

Both of the assistants were chuckling now and she began to catch words she’d been unable to understand before. The words still sounded harsh and guttural, but her new nanites provided their meanings, most of which were semi-obscene. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Rather than over-analyzing the situation, as she so often did, she changed the subject. “I know you haven’t had much time with the new information, but has it been helpful?”

“Yes and no.” He motioned her toward one of three doors spaced along the outer wall of the infirmary. “When Bandar returns, send him to my office.”

“Yes, Doctor,” one of the medics responded without looking up from his holodisplay.

Being taken to the privacy of a doctor’s office was never good. Trepidation tightened Ashley’s stomach as she lowered herself into one of the chairs in front of Irron’s desk. “Is it bad?”

“It was.” His expression was nearly blank, but compassion softened his tone. “You were dying of leukemia and human medicine had failed.”

“I never had leukemia. What are you talking about?”

“It’s well documented in Daniel’s notes. You were diagnosed when you were nineteen months old, so it’s not surprising that you don’t remember.”

“But why… This can’t be… My mother had to have known.” The final realization swept through Ashley like an artic wind. “She had to have
allowed
it.”

“Not necessarily.” Irron extended his hand across the desk, but couldn’t reach her.

Bandar rushed into the office, expression thunderous. “What’s the matter? Her emotions are all over the place.”

Ashley cringed. She hadn’t realized their link was still active. Sharing emotions during sex was one thing. She wasn’t sure she wanted Bandar to feel it every time she had a mean thought or cried at a commercial.
Turn off the connection until we’re alone. I don’t want it on all the time.

She sensed his resistance before she heard his thoughts.
I just constricted the empathic layer of our link, but I’ll still receive strong surges of emotion. It stays like this until this crisis is resolved. Then I’ll teach you how to shield your end of the connection.

She nodded. It was obviously the only compromise he was willing to make. “Dr. Irron was explaining what he’s learned so far.”

Bandar sat beside her and pulled her hand onto his lap, entwining their fingers. “Continue.”

By human standards, Bandar was seriously chauvinistic. But then Bandar wasn’t human. His life had been formed by forces most humans wouldn’t survive much less understand. He was strong because he had to be strong, which made him fiercely protective of anyone and anything entrusted to his care. She would never allow him to shut her away in an ivory tower, but having someone solidly on her side was novel and endearing. He could growl and glower all he liked as long as the threats were issued on her behalf and never directed at her.

“According to Daniel’s notes, his initial interest in genetic engineering was born of love, a father’s love for his dying child to be exact.”

Bandar looked at her and his fingers gently squeezed her hand. “Were you aware that you had a sibling?”

“I didn’t. He’s talking about me.”

Shifting his head back toward the doctor, Bandar silently waited for the explanation.

“Ashley had leukemia. That’s an aggressive form of cancer that sabotages a human’s ability to fight infection. The traditional human treatments didn’t work for Ashley, so her father began searching for some less traditional methods.”

“Were you aware of any of this?” Bandar asked her.

“At first I said no, but thinking back now, I actually remember a lot more than I originally thought. This is the first I’ve heard of leukemia, but I remember blood transfusions and IV medications. I was in and out of hospitals clear up until I was in my teens.”

“How did your parents explain these treatments?” Bandar wanted to know.

“No one knew what was wrong with me. That was the problem. I was exhausted all the time, I’d turn a simple sniffle into a major infection, and my test results were always abnormal yet non-conclusive. They tried all sorts of things, but the symptoms kept coming back.” She paused as memories rolled through her mind. Despite their recent conflicts, Abigail had been a constant fixture at Ashley’s bedside. Which brought her back to an unanswered question. “You said my mother might not have known what was going on. How is that possible?”

“She obviously knew you were ill,” Irron explained, “even suspected that your father was pushing boundaries with his treatments. But Daniel is very clear in his notes that he never revealed the source of his new techniques. He only told her they were experimental.”

She waited for the doctor to continue, to fill in the gaping holes in the story, but he stared off into space for so long Ashley began to fear he was having some sort of seizure. “Dr. Irron.” And when he still didn’t respond, she said his first name in a sharp, impatient tone. “Hindel.”