Star Brigade: The Supremacy (SB3) (15 page)

She never got the chance. Ghuj’aega caught her by the throat with startling speed, hauling the Narii off her feet. Ghuj’aega’s stringy muscles flexed as his angular tattoos radiated white-hot, his hand gripping the Narii female’s throat glittering as well.

Suddenly her war cries turned to shrieks again, echoing across the landscape of stone fangs. Like Kai’asha, her body began to shrink under the glow surrounding her. Not as rapid as her mate’s, but she seemed to wither. “No,” Taorr whispered. “That’s…impossible…”

As the glowing and the female’s screams escalated, several Narii Farooqua hooted again. Still, none dared to make a move to stop Ghuj’aega or the Ghebrekh. Ghuj’aega released his chokehold and the Farooqua female slid to the earth in a shriveled heap, with Taorr seeing the impossible right in front of him.

Next to that wailing infant lay the curled-up frame of an elderly Farooqua. Her once svelte and supple body appeared wizened, grey and painfully bent from age—clearly over a hundred years—every limb trembling from the onset of rheumatism. Her hair, formerly lush, long, and gingery, was now only sparse and scraggly shoots atop her head. All other body fur had fallen out. The female opened her mouth, but all that trickled out was a crotchety groan and dribbles of drool. She weakly lifted her head to stare up at Ghuj’aega with milky, cataract-filled eyes.

The leader of the Ghebrekh looked up at his terrified audience, a gaunt and terrifying figure among his fellow Farooqua. He gestured again, and Taorr needed no help understanding.

“[Join me…or join them. You have till sunrise.]” Without another glance at his victims, Ghuj’aega turned to the hills. The Narii watched Ghuj’aega, understandably petrified by what they’d just witnessed. As Taorr’s captors started dragging him after Ghuj’aega, he felt as if someone had slapped all his senses away.

Taorr? Taorr, answer me, please!
Zojje’s telepathic cry barely registered.

Seeing this small demonstration of Ghuj’aega’s abilities, Taorr had no idea what sort of monster they faced. Simmering heat rose up from the dusty earth, but Taorr knew it had nothing to do with the merciless sun above.

The Ghebrekh—hairless, chiseled, and tattooed, followed him as one through the rocky teeth of the Suthron Wastelands. Ghuj’aega stopped, spread his hands wide again and clapped. The world before Taorr washed over in vivid blue once more, and that familiar tugging on his sternum returned as he and the rest of the Ghebrekh tribe vanished.

“Whoooa,” Samantha sighed. They’d just finished again, covering any positions they missed the first two times. She lay on top of Habraum in a naked, blissed-out heap. The Cerc felt weary yet satisfied from their lovemaking. A film of sweat glistened on his tall, strapping frame. “
Where
did you come from?” Sam exhaled.

“A big ball of red rock,” Habraum deadpanned. She answered with a playful punch to his ribs. “Ooph! Well, you asked!” The Cerc winced as he chuckled. One hand was cradled behind his head, the other tracing slow circles on Sam’s back. “
Rogguts
, I could do that all day.”

She lifted herself from Habraum’s chest, tempting him through tangled curtains of blonde hair. “Good to know. Cause if I were you, I’d ride me a little harder next time.”

You rode me wildly enough for both of us,
Habraum mused, laughing from deep in his chest. “So
coarse
!”

“Comes with the package, flyboy.” Sam arched an eyebrow.

“Not complaining,” the Cerc murmured. She pulled in closer with a soft kiss, her flesh piping hot to the touch, as if she ran a constantly high fever. But her body received no complaints from Habraum, every slope and ample curve a marvel to behold. For the past two orvs they had feasted on each other, locked in their secret little world. Habraum found it easy to forget the rest of the universe like this.

As far as most in Star Brigade knew, Habraum and Sam were scheduled for a confidential holoconference with UComm Joint Spec Ops Group’s higher-ups. No one would question that.

The pair had spun similar stories these past four months in order to spend time together, like when they vacationed together with their respective wards on Cantalese and Cercidale for two weeks.

The story everyone else believed was only Habraum and his son had gone to Cantalese, while Sam and Tharydane traveled to Fortuna. Sam didn’t love being saddled with what she called “the tacky-ass casino planet,” but did as asked—even forging her flight records to Fortuna.

Habraum wanted to keep whatever this relationship was with Sam secret for more reasons than he had fingers, chief among them that he wasn’t ready. A relationship out in the open with someone besides his late wife, Jeremy’s mother, engulfed him with a disquiet he couldn’t shake.
Especially with someone like Samantha D’Urso,
he thought, feeling skeptical and guilty all at once.

Sam’s throaty voice pulled him back to the present. “I should get going.” She rolled off him.

A puzzled Habraum propped himself up with an elbow. “Why?” As Sam slid off the bed to her feet, he glimpsed at two familiar tattoos on her back. One was a little Xibetan symbol on her left shoulder, the other a larger diamond-shaped Voton symbol right at the small of her back.

“We got half an orv before the kids get back,” she reminded him. Sam’s butter-blonde hair was in shambles, her chocolate-brown eyes alight as she searched for her clothing. “Need to prep for Tharyn and my FSG binge watch, and do a little task for Ari.” It still amazed Habraum how Sam was on a first-name basis with
former Chouncilor Ari Bogosian. Since the Battle of Terra Sollus, she somehow found time between Star Brigade and raising Tharydane to assist Bogosian and help Korvenite refugees integrate into the Galactic Union.

But that workload had costs. A few times this last month, Habraum had peeled an exhausted Sam from the couch after back-to-back all-nighters and tucked her into bed. Superwoman or not, Habraum didn’t want today to end yet. Just gazing at her caused another stirring in the loins. “Fifteen more macroms. That leaves fifteen for errands.”

“Mathematic seduction!” She made a face and pulled her sweatpants back on. “Help me, my knees are weak.” Playful yet cheeky, making Habraum ache for her even more. Sam scanned the room and slapped a hand across her flat and firm stomach, partly covering the thorny Kedri tattoo ringing her belly button. “Where’d you throw my—aha!” Sam dove down, snatching something velvety and red from the floor. Glittery green reflections from the Cantalesian heartknot danced across the walls.

The Cerc pushed himself into a seated position on the side of the bed and snaked a leg out around Sam’s waist—snagging her into his lap. “One more go, Sammie,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her. Sam’s skin, bronzed and silky, smelled like heaven.

She cast an amused look over her shoulder. “Oh, stop,” she scolded. “I have to go.” However, her attempts to escape were half-hearted at best. Habraum grinned boyishly.

“All talk, but no walk...” He nuzzled her neck, breathing her in. “Stay.”

Sam’s eyes rolled all the way back just before she melted into him. “Mmmmmokay.”

Habraum whooped happily and pulled her down to bed with him. As soon as they landed, Sam twisted and straddled him in one fluid motion. He moved to sit up. She shoved him back down hard.

“Uh-uh.” Sam shook her head, causing golden sheets of hair to spill around her face. “I’m in the pilot’s seat now.”

The Cerc stared up and barely moved past her exposed chest. “Yes ma’am,” he murmured, wide-eyed and aroused.

Sam’s lips pulled into a lopsided smirk pregnant with mischief. Habraum couldn’t get enough of that smirk. She intertwined fingers with his and swooped down for the kill. Her kisses were eager and greedy, lingering awhile on Habraum’s lips before searching down the length of his throat and chest.

The Cerc shuddered, a blissful warmth flooding through him—

“We’re home!” yelled a female voice from downstairs—Tharydane.

Habraum and Sam froze. The kids were early.

Dread coiled within the Cerc’s belly. He sat upright and twisted to one side, accidentally flinging Sam off the bed. There was a hard
thump
, followed by an “OWW!”

“Sorry!” Habraum hissed contritely, throwing on his white V-neck and dark slacks so fast he nearly gave himself cloth burn. “Y’ollrigh’?” He didn’t wait for an answer. The image of Jeremy accidentally walking in on them consumed all thought. “I’ll go first!” he hissed again, and hurtled out the door.

Descending the staircase, Habraum heard Jeremy ask, “You think they’re at Aunt Sammie’s?” Just then, the Cerc saw two children in the foyer. The eldest was a slender Korvenite teen of unusual loveliness, standing just taller than Habraum’s nipples. She wore a little red dress, strappy and slim-fitting, perfectly complementing her chalk-white skin and that waist-length tumble of lazy violet curls. These past six months, Tharydane appeared healthier and more filled out, yet retained her svelte dancer’s figure. Her eyes, golden irises on black sclera, brightened when she saw Habraum.

The small boy at her side was eight years younger, half a head shorter, and human. The almond shape of his eyes came from his late mother, but the hazel-grey color was more Nwosu. He wore a slim school satchel over his maroon Poseidon Prep uniform. His dark-brown ’fro matched his light-brown skin well, having been trimmed down four days ago.

Seeing his son always filled Habraum’s heart to the brim. “Daddy’s right here!”

“Daddy!” Jeremy Nwosu dropped his satchel and launched himself at his father. Habraum stepped off the staircase and scooped his son up with one arm.

“Hey, sprout!” He kissed Jeremy’s forehead. The boy flung his arms around the Cerc’s neck. “Hello to you, Dani.” Habraum offered the Korvenite a warm smile. Despite his initial distrust, he had grown rather fond of Tharydane.

“Hi, Habraum,” she grinned, then wordlessly asked
, Upstairs?

Yep,
Habraum replied.

Jeremy seized his father’s chin and stared at him curiously. “You smell like Aunt Sammie.”

For a moment, Habraum could only stare blankly before the remark sunk in. Of course Sam’s spicy fragrance still clung to Habraum’s skin. “She gave me a big hug earlier.” A forced smile did little to sweeten his half-truth. Jeremy wasn’t ready for the
full
truth.

Really?!
Tharydane hid her laughter behind a cough, but her psychic mirth rang loudly in his head. Habraum silenced the Korvenite with a look. Her amusement wasn’t appreciated.

“Who’s that I hear?” Sam’s smoky voice turned all attention toward the staircase. She came down the steps, fully clothed in matching velvety crimson hoodie and sweatpants, with her tousled hair in a loose ponytail.

“AUNTIE!” As soon as she stepped off the stairs, Jeremy ran to her.

“Jerm! Hullo!” With arms spread wide, Sam knelt and embraced the boy. Habraum didn’t miss how she gushed, “My
favorite
Nwosu.”

Jeremy pulled back, grinning from ear to ear. “Whatcha doing upstairs?”

“Work stuff with your dad.” Over the boy’s shoulder, Sam gave Habraum a look that made him gulp.

Ah, fekt
. Obviously she was still seething over what happened upstairs. Before the children noticed, Sam stood up with a glowing smile.

“Hey kid!” She wrapped Tharydane in an enthusiastic hug. The petite Korvenite stood slightly shorter than Sam’s curvaceous five feet six inches. “How was your day?”

The teenager shrugged, her long and lazy ringlets of hair bouncing. “The usual. Academics and Telepathy lessons with Lethe, then picked Jeremy up from the hangar bay. Oh, we had a run-in with the
biotech
.” Tharydane spat out the last word like sour water.

“
Really
?” Sam’s features soured as she glanced at Habraum. “What happened?”

Habraum was confused. “Biotech?”

“What biotech?” Jeremy asked naively.

The Korvenite eyed Habraum and Sam cautiously.
Drop the O and the E…
Tharydane messaged telepathically
.

Habraum’s hazel-gold eyes narrowed in distaste. Clearly, the “biotech” in question was Marguliese. He scowled at Tharydane, expecting better behavior.

“The name was her idea!” Tharydane jabbed an accusing finger at her adoptive parent.

Sam gasped and wheeled around on the Korvenite. “Snitch!”

“You mind-messaged Daddy!” Jeremy griped. “What did you say?”

“Not important, Jeremy.” The Cerc focused his gaze on Sam. “Name-calling? Very mature.”

“A lecture on maturity? From you?” She gave him a barbed smile. “Hi-larious!” The tension between the two Brigadiers hung thick in the foyer, even young Jeremy noticing.

Tharydane made the save. “Jer, let’s go play with that new Uniopedia expansion pack.”

Jeremy gave a cry of joy. “Non-Union Worlds and Moons?” He looked to his father for approval. “Can I?”

Habraum turned from Sam to his overeager son. “A short while.”

“YAY!” Jeremy immediately tore up the stairs, with Tharydane trailing behind.

Top marks for that save, lass,
Habraum thought to her.

Once the children were upstairs and out of sight, Sam dropped the sugary-sweet facade and gave Habraum an irate onceover before stomping off to the kitchen. The halolights automatically brightened the wide, round cooking space as she entered.

“Samantha.” Habraum followed her, and for his troubles received a stinging smack to the forehead.

Habraum yelped as quietly as possible at the blow, staggering back and covering his head. “What the
hazik
?”

“That,” Sam hissed, “was for upstairs and making me hide like some backwater-world slut!”

“One accidental toss and you’re madder than a moonbat?” The Cerc raised his hands in resignation.

Sam looked away, frowning. “How long do we have to keep doing this?”

“
Rogguts,
woman,” the Cerc exclaimed, attempting at some levity. “Am I boring you already??”

Sam rolled her eyes, fighting back a wistful look. “Never. I’m just sick of the sneaking around.”

Habraum stared at her, puzzled. “I clearly recall you enjoying that bit.”