Return to Dark Earth (30 page)

Nik stepped back and made a scoffing sound.
“I’ve been hanging out with Dathan a lot more these days. He’s a
master at it.”

Galen laughed. “We’ll see.”

Nik smiled back. He had his best friend
back, and a tempting offer of a job.

Now he just needed the woman who held his
heart to stay with him.

***

Nera took a deep breath and opened the cabin
door.

Alarah leapt to her feet, her gauzy dress
fluttering around her. “Nera.”

“Gunn’s dead.”

Alarah rocked on her feet, pressed a closed
fist to her chest. “Really?”

Nera moved closer. “Yes. We left his body on
the planet.”

The young woman dropped onto the bed. Her
breathing was shallow. “He’s dead?”

“Yes.” Nera sat too, careful to keep some
space between them. “He’s gone and you’re free.’

“Free.” The word was said in a bewildered
tone.

Nera’s hand gripped the silky bed cover. “I
know it will take some time to sink in. But you’re truly free,
Alarah.”

The woman turned to look at Nera. A tear
slid down her cheek, her golden eyes were wide. “My name isn’t
Alarah. He called me that.” She straightened her thin shoulders.
“My name is Ela.”

Nera nodded. “Hello, Ela. It’s a pleasure to
meet you.”

Ela made a hiccupping sound and raised a
shaking hand to her mouth. “What will I do?”

Nera gently grabbed the woman’s hand and
moved it back to the bed. “It’s your choice. Whatever you
want.”

“I’m afraid. Where do I start?”

Nera let her own memories wash over her.
Now, they didn’t seem to hurt so much. Just a bittersweet sting
that underscored how far she’d come. “You start with baby steps. Do
the things you’ve always wanted to do.”

Ela gave a small nod. “I’ve always wanted to
swim in the ocean.”

“There you go. I can recommend the resort
world of Duna. Lovely place.”

“I don’t have anything. I can’t afford to
just…go where I please.”

“I’ve arranged for Gunn’s portion of the
payment for this expedition to go to you.” Nera tapped a finger
against her knee. “That’s quite a sizable sum.”

Ela’s mouth opened, closed, opened again. “I
don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Just live.
Make a good life for yourself.” Nera stood. “Don’t bury this.” She
nodded at the room. “You have to work through what Gunn did to you.
If you want to move forward, you can’t forget the past. Use it as a
stepping stone to get somewhere better.” Nera drew in a breath.
“Believe me, if you try to ignore it or hide from it, you’ll only
hurt yourself and deny yourself the chance for more.”

Ela nodded. “I’ll…I’ll try.”

“Good.” Nera knelt and grabbed Ela’s hand.
“You deserve more. It’s out there, somewhere. Don’t be afraid to
reach for it.”

“Like you’ve been?”

Nera shot her a rueful smile. “This isn’t
about me.”

“If I had someone as delicious as Dr.
Phoenix, who looked at me the way he looks at you…I’d never let
that go.”

Nera smiled and stood. “Then you’re already
a lot smarter than me.”

Ela managed a small smile. “I can take him
off your hands.”

Nera wagged a finger. “One step in his
direction and I’ll hurt you.”

The young woman gave a rusty-sounding laugh.
“Thank you. For everything. How can I ever repay you?”

Nera headed for the door. “Live.”

***

Nik was still at the observation window.
They’d hit space, and now the Earth was nothing more than a dark
ball hanging in a field of distant stars. Humans had let their
differences tear them apart, not bring them together, and in the
end, they’d destroyed themselves.

He wasn’t about to let that happen to
him.

He didn’t hear her, but he sensed her. He
turned and spotted her leaning against the wall. She was in an
all-in-one black jumpsuit that outlined every lean line of her
strong body. She had her arms crossed, her nebula-gaze watching
him.

“Ryant offered you a sweet job,” she said.
“What you’ve always wanted.”

Nik didn’t bother asking her how she knew.
He heard the emotion under her cool words. He could read her far
more easily now. He stalked toward her.

She shifted a little, a sure sign of nerves.
“I know you’ve missed working for the Institute.”

“I enjoy working with my brothers.” He
stopped in front of her.

“I didn’t say you don’t, but it isn’t quite
the same as having all the resources of the Institute at your
fingertips.”

He pressed his hands to either side of her
body and leaned in. “People seem to enjoy deciding the kinds of
things I like and want. No one thinks to ask me.”

“Fine.” She lifted her chin. “What do you
want, Niklas?”

“You. Just you.” He moved until his lips
were a breath from hers. “I love you.”

He felt her chest hitch.

“I know,” she said. “I heard you tell me on
the ground.”

He pressed his body against hers, marveling
at every inch of her. He kissed her jawline. “You love me,
too.”

“Really?” she asked carefully.

“I know you’ve never experienced it before,
but you must know how we feel about each other…it’s special. Once
in a lifetime.”

“Caring…makes you weak.”

He nuzzled her neck, felt her fingers land
on his shoulder and dig in. “You couldn’t be weak if you tried.
Take a risk, Nera. You’ve never let fear stop you before. Don’t be
a coward now. The payoff this time will be bigger and better than
any treasure hunt.”

She forced his head back so she could look
at him. “I—”

As her words broke off, he saw a flash of
vulnerability in her face and his heart clenched.

“You can love me, Nera. I’ll take care of
your heart.”

“I’m not sure I have one. Or if I do, it’s
just a dried-up, shriveled husk.”

“No, it isn’t. Give it to me and I’ll treat
it as the greatest treasure I’ve ever held. I’ll protect it and
give you what you need.” He dropped to his knees and pressed his
face to her belly. “I’m already yours. Whatever you choose…I’d
never force you. It’s your choice if you want to be with me.”

She tugged him up. “Damn you, Niklas
Phoenix. Why did you have to appear in my life and tempt me?” Her
lips nipped at his. “Why did you have to show me how love could
be?” Her fingers curled into his shirt. “I choose you. It’s always
been you.”

Elation soared through him. He yanked her to
him and fused their lips together. Damn, he felt like he’d just
uncovered the galaxy’s greatest treasure. He boosted her up and she
wrapped her legs around his waist.

She pulled back, panting. “I’ll probably
still beat you up sometimes.” Her eyelids lowered a little. “And
tie you up sometimes too.”

His cock surged against his pants. “I hope
so. I still owe you some debts, from all those times you helped us
out.”

She rubbed her cheek against his. “No you
don’t. You’re the one who taught me that when you love someone, you
don’t have to keep score.”

“So, you’re admitting you love me.”

“Maybe.”

He made a growling sound and she
laughed.

“Okay, okay.” Her face turned serious and
she cupped his cheeks. “I love you, Niklas.”

His chest swelled. It was the greatest
treasure he’d ever hunted down. “Thank the stars.”

She smiled. And it was edged with a little
bit of evil. “Your brothers are going to have a fit.”

Shit
. When he brought Nera home, his
brothers would have a fit the size of a supernova. Nik grinned. He
didn’t care one bit.

“They’ll get over it.”

She snorted. “Sometime next century.”

“Well, you have beaten them up…a lot.” His
smile dissolved. “I still plan to hunt treasure.”

She tilted her head.

“It’ll just be paid for by the Institute,
and all the treasures will go into museums now.”

She wrinkled her nose for a second. “Very
well, Director Phoenix. And I will be right beside you, keeping you
safe.”

He pulled her close again, his mouth meeting
hers. “I’ve got a feeling amazing adventures await us, Nera.”

“Then let’s find out.”

The Magellan, Galactic Institute of
Historical Preservation Starship.

Communication Records #PCR-998-2

Subject: Private Transmission between Dr.
Niklas Phoenix and Dathan Phoenix.

“What the hell, Niklas!”

“Calm down, Dathan.”

“Calm down? You just told me you’re
rejoining the Institute. The same Institute that screwed you over,
tossed you out and has been running a black market antiquities
ring.”

“It’s a long story, Dath—”

“Did the radiation of Earth melt your
brain?”

“No. Look, I’ll tell you all about it when I
get back.”

A period of silence. “Fine. I’m just glad
you’re alive.” Another silence. “Is Darc alive?”

“Yes.”

“Bummer.”

Clearing of throat. “She’s actually coming
to work for me at the Institute.”

“
What?
”

“Uh, and this is probably a good time to
tell you that she’s also coming to live with me.”

Expulsion of breath. “Have you fucking lost
your mind?” [Cursing redacted from record]

“Careful, Dathan. You’re talking about the
woman I’m in love with.”

[More cursing]

“Dathan, look, we’ll talk when I get back.
After you’ve calmed down.”

---

I hope you enjoyed Nik and Nera’s story!

The Phoenix Adventures continue with ON A
BARBARIAN WORLD, the story of Phoenix cousin and deep-space scout,
Aurina Phoenix and the sexy barbarian who claims her on the planet
where she crash lands. On a Barbarian World will be out in Nov/Dec
2015.

If you’re looking for more action-packed,
science fiction romance, then read on for a preview of MARCUS, Book
1 of the Hell Squad series.

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Her team was under attack.

Elle Milton pressed her fingers to her small
earpiece. “Squad Six, you have seven more raptors inbound from the
east.” Her other hand gripped the edge of her comp screen, showing
the enhanced drone feed.

She watched, her belly tight, as seven
glowing red dots converged on the blue ones huddled together in the
burned-out ruin of an office building in downtown Sydney. Each blue
dot was a squad member and one of them was their leader.

“Marcus? Do you copy?” Elle fought to keep
her voice calm. No way she’d let them hear her alarm.

“Roger that, Elle.” Marcus’ gravelly voice
filled her ear. Along with the roar of laser fire. “We see
them.”

She sagged back in her chair. This was the
worst part. Just sitting there knowing that Marcus and the others
were fighting for their lives. In the six months she’d been comms
officer for the squad, she’d worked hard to learn the ropes. But
there were days she wished she was out there, aiming a gun and
taking out as many alien raptors as she could.

You’re not a soldier, Ellianna
. No,
she was a useless party-girl-turned-survivor. She watched as a red
dot disappeared off the screen, then another, and another. She
finally drew a breath. Marcus and his team were the experienced
soldiers. She’d just be a big fat liability in the field.

But she was a damn good comms officer.

Just then, a new cluster of red dots
appeared near the team. She tapped the screen, took a measurement.
“Marcus! More raptors are en route. They’re about one kilometer
away. North.” God, would these invading aliens ever leave them
alone?