Favored by Felix (14 page)

“Thanks.” Felix hugged the twins too and
escorted them to the door. He closed and locked it behind them before turning
back to Casey. “You okay?”

“Tired,” she said.

“Let’s go to bed then. Ma will let me know
if I’m needed.” He urged her toward the sleep-bed and pulled back the covers.

“Do I need a dressing on my shoulder?”

“No, sweetheart. The wound healed after I
licked it.”

She frowned. “How?”

“Don’t know.” He helped her remove the rest
of her clothes and after settling her in his sleep-bed, he stripped too. He pulled
her into his arms, and his feline stretched sleepily beneath his skin, totally
satisfied with the state of affairs.

Gradually she relaxed, her breathing
becoming even as she fell asleep. Felix wasn’t tired, but he was content to
hold her close while his mind raced.

If he ever met the fuckin’ general
face-to-face, he intended to punch him in the nose and send him sprawling on
his smug, arrogant ass.

* * * * *

General Seonaid stood before the floor-to-ceiling
windows of his office, his hands clasped behind his back, feet together as he
peered out at the view of Dalcon City, the palace and the mountainous region
beyond. But instead of seeing the view, appreciating his accomplishments, the
general dwelled on Captain Seonaid.

Captain Seonaid.

He’d like to wring her bloody neck.
Phrull
,
he’d do it and enjoy seeing the life seep from her eyes, if her death wouldn’t
get in the way of his plans.

He wanted to demand a status update from
his aide, but he remained at the window, aware he was starting to raise
curiosity. He couldn’t afford to let word of his plans get out. Not everyone
would appreciate his brilliance.

The general returned to his desk and buzzed
his aide. “Refreshments, please. My usual hot lotus juice and something to eat.
Anything,” he added with a trace of impatience.

“Yes sir.”

General Seonaid leaned back in his chair
then gave a heavy sigh and pulled up specs on an upcoming mission to Janus, a
planet full of militants. He’d concentrate on his mission to build a new base
on the planet. The base was necessary, no matter what the local opinion, and he
intended to see that the base succeeded.

His aide tapped on his door and carried in
the requested refreshments. “I have news, sir.”

The general’s stomach lurched but he kept
his expression impassive. “Yes?”

“Captain Seonaid appears to be en route to
Dalcon. At least, reconnaissance reported her tracker signal is near the
planet.”

“Any idea where she came from?” She’d been
at a resort on Tiraq. Or at least, his wife had told him their daughter had
intended to go there with her guttersnipe friend.

“No sir. All we know is that her tracker is
sending a signal from off planet and the vector indicates a destination of
Dalcon.”

“Keep me posted.”

“Yes sir.”

The general waited until his aide left
before he poured himself a glass of hot juice. Satisfaction crawled through him
and found an outlet in a rare smile. She’d come around. If she was returning to
Dalcon, that meant she was within reach.

He plucked his private com-circle from his
pocket and made a call to the head doctor at the military medical center. “Captain
Seonaid has returned to Dalcon. Please schedule the surgery for tomorrow.”

“Her body will require further preparation
before the final transforming nanos are inserted into her system. It will take
a solar week while we pump the necessary hormones through her bloodstream.”

The general’s hand tightened around his
com-circle, but he didn’t let his impatience bleed into his voice. “Do whatever
is necessary. Captain Seonaid will report to the medical facility tomorrow.
Expect her.” He clicked off the communication and settled back into his chair.

Finally his plan was progressing in the
right direction.

Finally his rebellious daughter was
stepping in line with his wishes.

Finally
he’d
gain everything he’d worked for, everything he deserved.

Casey walked through the resort at Felix’s
side. The funny blue bird that Felix said he was looking after for his brother
waddled after them, trailing like a pet.

She wore a floaty dress, one of her own
designs, and early this morning she’d made a decision not to shave her hair
again. She was going to grow it longer. Funny how liberated the decision made
her feel.

She’d even allowed herself to believe Felix
when he said the general wouldn’t whisk her away to the medical facility.

Felix reached for her hand and laced their
fingers. The blue bird paused to peck at a patch of light-purple grass and let
out a contented honk. She knew just how the bird felt. With the tracker gone,
her fears had dispersed, the weight of the general’s expectation lifting off
her shoulders.

Though, while she felt more relaxed, the
analytical part of her brain—the part that made her a good soldier—wouldn’t
shut up with its niggling worries.

It couldn’t be this easy.
It couldn’t.

Scarlett came running toward them,
perfectly balanced on her new pair of
Elsa
shoes, her long black hair in
its normal tight donut bun. “Someone is trying to cut the fence. North
quadrant.”

They broke into a run, only slowing when
they reached the area.

“There he is,” Casey said in a low voice.

Not quietly enough, because the man froze
and sprang around to face them.

“Laurence,” Felix gritted out, surging
forward with a furious growl. He grabbed the man by the back of his shirt.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m not doing anything!” Laurence’s green
gaze skittered, not settling until it found a point over Felix’s shoulder. “I
found this damage. I’m trying to fix the hole.” He wrenched from Felix’s grip
and put two feet between them, his body language screaming guilt.

Felix let him, but he continued to eye the
smaller man as if he were an annoying bug. “You’re assigned to work at the
shuttle port. The supply vessel is due in soon.” Felix crossed his arms. “Why
are you out here?”

“It’s my break,” Laurence said, still
avoiding their gazes. He bit down on his bottom lip. “I’m allowed to take a
break. You can’t make me work all the time.”

“Doesn’t look like a break to me,” Scarlett
said. “He’s talking too fast and biting his lip. Those are both signs of guilt.
What do you think, Casey?”

“He’s slumping his shoulders too. That’s
another sign. Stand straight, man! Have some pride,” Casey barked, falling into
a military leader role without even thinking about it. “What’s in the bucket?
Doesn’t smell too good.”

Felix snarled, obviously adding two plus
two and coming up with the same answer as her. “You’re feeding them, you
bastard! You’re doing it on purpose, attracting the zylon, knowing that someone
might die from their bite.” Felix let out another vicious growl and sprang at
Laurence.

The man let out a girlie shriek and tried
to run.

Casey slid in front of Felix before he
struck the smaller man and took the brunt of Felix’s angry charge.

“Oomph!”
Casey slammed into Laurence and would have fallen, but Felix held her upright.

“That was silly. A spanking offense,” Felix
said in a quiet voice meant only for her.

“Promises, promises.”

“Playing with fire, sweetheart. I haven’t
graduated to anything really kinky yet, but I’m happy to add variety anytime
you say the word.”

A shiver sped through Casey and
she
couldn’t meet Felix’s gaze either.
Scurvy sky pirates.
The man did
things to her insides, made her crave physical touch when she’d never been prey
to girlish or romantic notions.

She swallowed upon seeing the promise in
his eyes, recalled they had two witnesses and called on her training again.
“Now wait a minute, Felix. Why don’t we give the man a chance to explain?”
Casey gave Laurence a friendly smile, intent on playing her part. “What’s in
the bucket, Laurence?”

“I was feeding the animals.”

“Which animals?”

A chitter came from the bushes just outside
the fence. A black nose poked out of the pink leaves, pushing out farther to
reveal a cute fluffy head and big round eyes.

“Fuck,” Felix said.

Casey jabbed Felix with her elbow. “Are you
feeding zylon, Laurence?”

“Yeah.” Defiant, he lifted his head—until
he caught Felix’s furious glare. The color fled his cheeks and he edged closer
to Scarlett.

“Why would you do that?” Casey asked in a
pleasant voice.
Low-down dirty scumbag.
“The zylon are dangerous.
You
know that.
I
know that. Why would you encourage them to come here, to
creep through the holes you’ve been making in the fence?”

“I didn’t— Oh, all right! The Mitchells get
everything
! Everything they do turns to gold. It’s not fair! It’s
their
fault Lori died. It’s their fault I’m on this god-forsaken planet!”

Sniveling of the worst kind. Casey glimpsed
the disbelief on Scarlett’s face, figured Felix’s expression would be a heap
worse. Laurence not only expected others to take care of him, but when things
went wrong in his life, he shifted the blame.

“How old are you?” Casey asked in a soft
voice.

“Twenty-eight. What’s that got to do with
anything?”

“You’re old enough to strike out on your
own. Why haven’t you done that, Laurence? If you don’t like living at
Middlemarch Resort, then leave. Go to Dalcon. Get a job there or go back to
where you came from. No one forced you to move here, to take a job at the
resort.”

“But they owe me. It’s their fault Lori
died!”

Scarlett glared and moved into his personal
space. “That’s
not
true. The virus killed Lori.”

Laurence’s chin angled up a fraction, until
Felix growled, and then his shoulders rounded to a slump. It was like watching
the beings on Jervois. They had protective shells, and the instant trouble
presented, they retracted their heads, retreating into their hard outer skins.
Perhaps she should suggest he travel to Jervois.

Laurence coughed to clear his throat, then
coughed again. “If…if she hadn’t hooked up with Saber, she wouldn’t have spent
so much time in Middlemarch. She wouldn’t have caught the virus.”

“Bullshit,” Felix said. “Shifter
communities in Australia, Canada, USA—they lost people the same as us.”

“That’s not true. Lori would still be
alive—”

“For fuck’s sake,” Felix muttered. “It’s
obvious nothing we say will persuade you. But we’ve seen your complicity with
our own eyes. You’re letting zylon through the fence. Encouraging the bloody
things to come inside the compound by feeding them.”

“That’s a crime,” Scarlett said.

“It’s not a
crime
. Besides, I don’t
force them to bite,” Laurence said, this time with a sullen edge to his whine.

“
Scurvy sky pirates
,” Casey said.
“What is wrong with you? It
is
a crime. You could be charged with
manslaughter if anyone dies.”

Laurence made a scoffing sound. “I don’t
think so.”

“Fuck off,” Felix snarled and elbowed
Scarlett out of his way. “You’re not welcome here. Pack your things and
fuck
off
.”

“You can’t do that!” Laurence said.

“Watch me,” Felix snapped, and Casey saw
the feline in him, saw the elongating of his eyes and the claws begin to extend
when he grabbed Laurence by his shirt and shoved him back against the fence.
“You don’t want to be here. We don’t want you. You’re lucky I’m not giving you
the hiding you deserve.” He pushed his face close to Laurence’s. “I want to.”

“You can’t do this!” Laurence’s voice took
on a bleating tone.
Irritating.

“When’s the next shuttle coming through?”
Casey asked. She’d met men like Laurence. Clueless, intent on revenge and
stupid with it.

“He can leave on the supply freighter. It’s
due to arrive later this afternoon,” Scarlett said. “I’ll arrange his pay and
for his stuff to get packed up.”

“No.
No!
Please, you can’t do this.
Shifters don’t do well on their own.”

“Should have thought of that before,” Felix
said, and he shoved Laurence toward the resort.

“I hate it here anyway,” Laurence spat.
“This place is full of sluts with one thing on their minds. It’s
disgusting
the way they paw at the staff.”

“Yet you were in the office bellyaching
about how it wasn’t fair you were stuck working at the shuttle port.” Felix
shoved Laurence farther down the path, and Casey heard Laurence protesting and
making excuses until he and Felix rounded the corner in the path and
disappeared from sight.

“I never liked him,” Scarlett said. “Lori
was okay, but there was something off about her too. Not that I’d ever said
anything to Saber.” She plucked a com-circle out of the pocket of her jacket.
“I’ll contact the twins and get them to fix the fence. Hopefully it’s for the
last time, now that we’ve caught the culprit in the act.” She spoke with one of
her brothers and disconnected. “Will you be okay here until Sly and Joe
arrive?”

“No prob. He didn’t finish cutting the
fence anyway.”

Left alone, she turned her attention to the
fence. Bluebird honked and appeared behind her, waddling here and there to peck
at plants. On the other side of the fence, two zylon sniffed the bushes. Hard
to think their bite was so dangerous. They looked like harmless fluffy balls.

Felix appeared with a bag of tools slung
over his shoulder.

“That was quick.”

“Joe and Sly escorted Laurence back to his
quarters to pack. They’ll put him on the freighter.”

“He was shortchanged in the brain
department.”

Felix snorted. “You’re not wrong there.
Hold this part of the fence for me, will ya?”

Casey held the bit Felix indicated. “So
you’ve caught the phantom fence cutter.”

Felix let out a laugh. “At least that will
be one less thing for Saber to worry about when he returns. Eva is coming back
with him.”

“Eva? But what about her restaurants?”

“Saber will talk her around.” Felix used
the auto-bang to fasten the last staple. “I’m not intending to let you go
either, Casey.”

She frowned at him and started to speak.

He clapped his hand over her mouth and
kissed the tip of her nose. “Don’t argue because you won’t win.”

The second he removed his hand, she spoke.
He had to listen. “The general isn’t stupid. He’ll figure it out eventually and
come looking for me.”

“If he comes looking, you’ll tell him to
take a running jump,” Felix said. “You’ll tell him you intend to stay here with
me. You’ll tell him you love me.”

“I don’t love you. We haven’t known each
other long enough.”

Her blunt words seemed to hang in the air
between them, and she wished she could snatch them back. They mightn’t have
known each other for long, but she cared for him. The thought of leaving and
never seeing him again ate at her like a flesh-eating bug.

“Maybe you don’t yet, but you will,” Felix
said with smug confidence. “You won’t be able to resist me for much longer.” He
reached for her hand and towed her back toward the main resort buildings.

“But I’m a soldier.” She wasn’t qualified
to do anything else, a fact the general had pointed out to her.

“No, you’re a fashion designer and a
boutique manager,” Felix countered. “You’re my lover and my mate. You’re Eva’s
friend.”

Casey sighed at his descriptions, a large
part of her wanting to believe his words, but a tiny voice at the back of her
mind didn’t think the general would give up as easily as they expected.

“Don’t,” Felix said. “Don’t think of him.
Don’t give him the power to hurt you.”

“And how am I meant to forget? I’ve spent
most of my life trying to please the general, most of my career trying to gain
his approval. It’s not easy to switch off the need for praise.”

“Hell, Casey.” Felix stopped walking and
cupped her face in his hands. “I intend to fill your days with work and your
nights with loving. I intend to keep you so busy, you won’t have time to brood
about the general and the things missing in your relationship with your
parents.”

Hard to put her faith in his words. He
didn’t know the general, didn’t understand the depths he’d go to get his own
way. She’d seen him in action. “Aunt Elsa and your mother have everything under
control. There’s not much for me to do with the boutique.”

“So get out your design tablet and get
designing. Start working on designs so the boutique has products to sell.”

He made it sound so simple. “But what if
the general is right and I have no talent for anything apart from the
military?”

“Say that again, and I will spank you.”

Casey closed her eyes, fought to quell the
stirrings of panic. Her fears for their safety, her aunt’s safety. Hell,
her
safety.

“Start with a project you can sew in a
short time and show some of the women how to make the garment. Start small and
get your confidence going. Casey, the few women here need this as much as you
do. Everything is different and new to us all. We’re struggling to make a new
life for ourselves. We’ve lost family and friends to the virus. How are any of
us different from you?”

Casey winced. “You’re right. I don’t
usually hide from things that scare me.”

“Everyone has an off day, sweetheart. Don’t
you think I’m worried about failing? Saber does everything well. Our people
count on him, and sometimes I feel as if I’m floundering and lost in the mighty
shadow he casts. Yet, he left me in charge and trusted me to take care of
things. It’s made me realize I don’t
have
to stand in his shadow. What I
need to do—what we both need to do—is step forward with confidence and let
ourselves make mistakes. As long as we learn from them, it doesn’t matter. What
do you say, sweetheart?” He offered his hand. “Walk at my side. Share this
adventure with me.”