Mesmerized (34 page)
Authors: Lauren Dane
Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Erotic fiction, #General, #Adult, #Erotica, #Mercenary troops
In Julian, Vincenz found a piece he’d been missing. A piece to fill part of the emptiness he’d been feeling as long as he could remember.
They had a depth of connection and companionship that had soothed Vincenz’s gaping wounds. And, he liked to think, Julian’s own wounds were healed a little as well.
They’d come together in an improbable way. But most things in Vincenz’s life had been improbable, so he went with it. Accepted it.
P
iper woke up with the telltale symptoms of having been tranqued. She sat up and realized they weren’t on Parron anymore. They weren’t on a transport of any kind either.
iper woke up with the telltale symptoms of having been tranqued. She sat up and realized they weren’t on Parron anymore. They weren’t on a transport of any kind either.
She remembered two things. Kenner, dead. She clutched her chest as the pain nearly felled her again. And Andrei shot. Panic ate at her insides.
“Andrei?” she called out, getting from the bed.
The room smelled like him, and she realized wherever they were, he’d been with her not too very long ago. Her panic subsided a little by the time she reached the door.
On the other side she heard voices, his was one and Taryn’s was the other. She moved toward them, calling out for Andrei.
They were in a communal space of some sort. Probably a military installation. Where, she didn’t know.
He jogged toward her, and she held her hand out to stay him so she could look at his leg.
“Your leg?”
“I told you it wasn’t a big deal. Tore through some muscles, shot clean through. I’m fine. Not even limping. Are you all right?” He sighed, shaking his head, impatience on his face. “I’m sorry, stupid question.”
Taryn moved past Andrei to hug her. “You’re awake. We were worried for a while.”
Tears hit again as she simply flopped down on a nearby couch. The sadness made her so cold. As if she were made of ice. Just numb and it felt better than the rage. Better than the hollow grief.
Taryn sat on the couch next to her and Andrei fell to his knees before her, his head in her lap. “I’m sorry. I’m so terribly sorry.” Emotion tore at his voice.
“Did you kill the one who did that to him? Destroyed his face and left him to die alone?”
Her voice was flat, and Andrei lifted his head.
“Yes.”
“Did the processing plant blow?”
“Yes.”
“I wish I could go back there and kill them all twice.”
Andrei said nothing, simply remaining at her feet.
“I shouldn’t have agreed to his coming.”
“Do you think you could have stopped him, Piper? Really?” Andrei’s gaze on hers was gentle and full of emotion. She took his hand in hers, joining her fingers with his.
“It was too dangerous. He wasn’t trained for that sort of thing. He wouldn’t have been there if I hadn’t been.”
“Neither of you would if I hadn’t put you there. I’m sorry. So, so sorry.”
She saw it clearly then, the way he’d expected her to blame him for Kenner’s death. He blamed himself for it, so why shouldn’t she?
She took his face in her palms, tipping it so he faced her fully. She shook her head. “No. Oh, baby, I’m sorry. You can’t possibly blame yourself.”
“I could have fought harder to keep him away.”
“Bullshit.”
Piper looked up, startled to find the man she’d only seen on a vid screen.
Daniel Haws paced over to where they sat. “Fought harder? How so, Andrei? You argued yourself very nearly into the brig on this.”
Piper looked back and forth between them. “What?” She’d known he’d protested, and she really wasn’t surprised he’d gone that far for her, but he hadn’t even hinted at that sort of trouble. She’d yelled at him about Kenner coming, and he’d never tried to defend himself.
Heart overflowing with love to counter the sharp sting of grief, she turned to Daniel.
“Stop it. Now’s not the time.” Andrei glared at Daniel.
“Again, that is bullshit. You told Wilhelm Ellis you’d quit your commission if he sent Kenner.” Daniel looked back to Piper. “And Ellis reminded him you were out there and how could he get you back safely if he just quit. And he threatened to send him to permanent lockup and you’d be out, unprotected, all because he refused an order from his superior.”
Piper shook her head sadly, with a sigh. “He wanted to be there. Kenner, I mean.”
Taryn snorted. “Gods, yes. Piper, you couldn’t have stopped him. He begged to go, especially after the attack on Ceres and Julian was called away. I was there. He made a strong argument. Appealed to Ellis’s sense of honor and duty.”
Daniel scrubbed his hands over his face. “Ellis gave him his word, which is why he pushed Andrei back so hard.”
“He wanted to be there.” Piper accepted it as she said it. Let the blame go.
Well, not entirely. She had a bill she expected the Imperialists to pay.
“It’s not your fault, Andrei. Or mine. It was the fault of an enemy soldier on our land. The Imperium is responsible.”
Andrei nodded. “The Portal . . . in Parron.” He paused. “They collapsed it. We used the device, but it took half a day to get it there. They’re trying to figure out the extent of the damage. More dead, obviously. But we know there’s some time lag before the Portal is totally destroyed.”
“That’s something.” Her lips were still numb.
“Yes, and small bits of good news are better than none. Troops have been mobilized, and we’ve closed the border with the Imperium. Roman ordered strikes on Imperialist targets using portals he’s been hoarding for years and years.”
“Sneaky bastard.”
Piper looked up, surprised to hear Wilhelm’s voice and even more surprised to see Roman Lyons standing next to him.
Ellis got to one knee as Andrei had moved to stand when the leader of the Federation Territories had entered the room.
Wilhelm bowed his head. “Please accept my deepest condolences. It was my decision to send your brother to the field.” He looked up to Andrei briefly before he turned his attention back to Piper. “Against my third-in-command’s very strident protest. Kenner wanted to do something. I gave him my word to allow him to serve his government. I am truly sorry he paid with his life. But he gave it with honor and a sense of duty I found myself deeply humbled by. Your brother was a true hero, Ms. Roundtree.”
She nodded, unknotting a little more. “Yes, he was. Thank you.”
“If there is anything I can do to help you and your family in this difficult time, please let me know.” Roman Lyons bowed deeply over her hand.
“There is something you can do. Since you offered and all.”
She tipped her chin up, daring him to back out.
“Ask it.”
“I would like to be made a permanent member of Phantom Corps.
As
Andrei’s partner. I want him to be my primary trainer. I expect to be his backup on every operation.”
As
Andrei’s partner. I want him to be my primary trainer. I expect to be his backup on every operation.”
Roman stood, clearly surprised.
“Well, every operation it is appropriate I accompany him on. I can give that much.”
Daniel murmured something to Andrei about never introducing her to Carina or there’d be more trouble than the men could handle.
It was Comandante Wilhelm Ellis who answered.
“Done. But being in Phantom Corps is not easy. Do you think they came to me polished and trained? Hells no! Andrei got into fights at training camp all the time for the first year. Daniel couldn’t use a knife to save his damned life. And now look at them. I will train you until you are broken down and remade into a stronger, better, brighter human being. You will understand your worth by the time I am through with you. If you truly want this, you need to understand I expect a total commitment from you. This isn’t a favor so Andrei can get tail while he’s on an op. You want in, you earn it. Do we have an understanding?”
She stood, moving next to Andrei. “Yes sir, we do. And thank you.”
Ellis snorted. “You joined the military during wartime, young lady. Don’t thank me for your foolhardy sense of loyalty to yon lunkhead there.” He indicated Andrei, who sighed heavily.
She sat back down, pinning Andrei with a glare. “Sit down! You have a wounded leg.” She couldn’t resist sending Wilhelm a glare over that.
Andrei sent her a look from the corner of his eye.
“She’s right, Andrei. Sit.”
“Where are we? I don’t remember a lot. The roof. There was shooting.” Piper slid a palm up her forearm, remembering the sharp bits of pavement. She found the skin patch just below her elbow.
“Ravena. This is Corps HQ.” Andrei adjusted as she curled into his side.
“Andrei’s leg needed treatment, so everyone was brought here. He insisted you be seen by the medtech as well,” Daniel explained.
She sat up, remembering more. “Vincenz had a woman with him.” Piper paused, remembering the way the woman had clung to him, as if her life depended on it.
“Her name is Hannah. We’re working on more, but she’s . . . having a rough time of it.” Daniel began to pace.
“They’d been experimenting on her. We know that much. Vincenz is working on the test journals to figure out what exactly they did to her.” Exhaustion threaded Andrei’s voice.
“I want to go home.”
Andrei froze and then took a deep breath. “All right. It’ll take a while to get you and Taryn a transport. But I’ll make it happen.”
She turned to him, the sound of his voice catching her, jagged and sad. “No.” She snorted. “Your flat. I just had to pledge my ass to Comandante Ellis there. Do you think I’d run after I did that?”
“Oh.” A small word, filled with emotion.
“There’ll be a briefing in four hours. If you’re feeling up to it, your presence is required.” Ellis checked his comm. “Conveyance outside to take you to your flat.”
“If it’s all right with you two, I’m going to stay here for a while.” Taryn shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Why?”
“I ended up speaking with one of the Federation scientists on your transport from Parron. I might be able to give some help with the work they’re doing to create weather-hearty grain.”
She realized she wasn’t the only one who’d been limiting her options by remaining out on the Edge running cargo.
It was Andrei who spoke next. “My flat has an extra room, and you’re welcome to it for as long as you need it. The address is in your personal comm. Come when you’re ready.”
He took Piper’s arm, and they got out of there before another disaster struck. As it was, he knew there’d be a fast turnaround before they were rotated back into the field.
The ride to his flat was quiet as she stared out the windows. It was full day, and the streets teemed with people on their way somewhere to do all manner of something. He saw it through her eyes. Remembering what it had been like the first time he’d made this trip through the city.
Miraculous to have landed here after Asphodel. So big and bright. Clean. Organized. It wasn’t until he had gone farther out, into the other circles of Ravena, that he discovered poverty and hunger were not just a product of places like Asphodel.
“It’s massive.”
He rolled the windscreen down so she could get a better look. The breeze was warm as it lifted his hair. The warm season. In other years people would be talking about their trips to the lake district or other outings to forests and other ’Verses for holiday.
This year they talked of war.
“Are you mad at me?” she asked still looking up at the spires as they reached into the clouds.
“For what? What could I be angry over? It’s you who should be angry with me.” The guilt at losing Kenner burned in his belly.
“It’s not your fault, Andrei. I know that, and you should, too. I mean, I barged into your life and then made your boss hire me. You’re stuck with me, so I hope that if you are angry, you get over it fast.”
“That was a ballsy move.” He smiled, remembering the surprise on Roman’s face and the pleasure on Wilhelm’s. “He admires that. Not that he’d tolerate it on a regular basis, so keep that in mind.”
Other books
Sit! Stay! Speak! by Annie England Noblin
devil 04 - the devil you know by cheever, sam
World Memorial by Robert R. Best
Dirty Trick by Christine Bell
The Devil's Badland: The Loner by J. A. Johnstone
Far-Seer by Robert J Sawyer
American Freak Show by Willie Geist
Night Bites by Amber Lynn
Fatal Hearts by Norah Wilson
