“Scarlett!”

  Cruel laughter followed. “Goodbye, foolish one. You’ll be dead soon.”

  Scarlett looked over her shoulder, but Madame Mthunzi had vanished. She slumped to the side. Jon handed his brother to the guard. He scooped her up into his arms.

  “What were you doing?”

  She winced. “I couldn’t… let them… take you.”

  He held her close, and she could hear his beating heart. “Scarlett, stay with me.”

  Red-hot pain turned to burning agony, and she couldn’t talk. Her eyes went out of focus. Numbness tingled on the tips of her fingers. Her insides were on fire.

  Jon put his hand on her forehead. “Scarlett, you’re feverish. You’ve got to hang on. Why didn’t you go first?” His voice seemed far away.

  “I wanted you to go first, because I love you. You’re the first man to believe in me.” Scarlett shook her head, trying to figure out if she just told Jon how she felt. Her mouth ran dry and she shuddered in his arms. It has so hard to lose something she’d found, something she’d wanted her whole life. But even a small bit of happiness was worth having.

  He cradled her to his chest, and she couldn’t make out any sounds but his heavy breathing and the thumping of his blood.

  “Don’t leave me, Scarlett.”

  Jon’s panicked voice was the last thing she remembered before she passed out.

  Chapter 18

  Jon and the guard climbed the stairs two at time. He held his eruptor in one hand, ready to burn down anyone who got in his way. The door opened to the corridor. He peered around the corner. It was empty.

  The guard was right behind him, holding Hunter’s unconscious body. They had to get the hell out of here and get both Hunter and Scarlett to Tryker. Tears pushed on the back of his eyelids. What if the doctor couldn’t save Scarlett? He couldn’t live without her.

  “Come on,” he said over his shoulder.

  Scarlett moaned, and his heart nearly stopped.

  He kissed her forehead. “Hang on, Scarlett. Don’t leave me.” His voice cracked.

  He never should have let Scarlett come on this mission. He held her close, needing to feel her warmth breath on his neck. This was all his fault. It happened again. He would lose someone he loved.

  Her blood seeped between her fingers. They rushed down the hallway and burst outside, ready to battle.

  Hoss, his mate, Agnes, and the two guards were still unconscious. At least they were all in humanoid form.

  “We’ve got to get everyone out of here,” Jon said.

  The guard cursed under his breath and looked up at the crater. “This isn’t going to be easy.”

  Not easy was an understatement. Dragons could carry twice their weight, but carrying unconscious people without harming them would be difficult. No way could he put anyone on his back. They’d just fall off. By talons and by mouth were the only options.

  “If we don’t try, we’re all dead… or worse. Madame Mthunzi will be contacting Ian, and he doesn’t like to lose.”

  The guard’s face turned grim. “Yeah, I don’t want to be a mindless drone.”

  Jon didn’t answer. He gently put Scarlett down on the ground. Her face was too pale and her breath shallow. He shoved up her blood-soaked shirt.

  “Oh, Fates.”

  The guard gripped his shoulder. “Tryker will know what to do.”

  He quickly ripped off his shirt and shredded it into three strips. He tied each one carefully around her waist. His hands were shaking so badly he could barely bind the wound. It looked like a six-inch knife cut. How the hell had Madame Mthunzi done this? He should be lying there, not her.

  No one had ever risked their lives for him. Not even his brothers.

  Shouts and thundering footsteps sent adrenaline gushing through Jon’s veins. He and the guard looked at each other and immediately shifted. Jon grabbed Scarlett and Hoss with his talon, and using teeth, he snagged a guard. He lunged into the air. A green dragon flew next to him, holding his brother and Agnes in his talons. He gripped the last security guard in his mouth.

  Szzzik

  Just like last time, a powerful force field sizzled over him, making it harder and harder to flap his wings. Biting sensations rippled over his scales, but he refused to give up. Salvia built up in his mouth from the guard, but he couldn’t swallow. Bits of rock rolled between his teeth.

  Spwee Spwee Spwee

  Hot lasers whizzed past him. He tilted to the left and right. The green dragon flew past him, but a laser smacked into his flank side.

  Fear shot through Jon. The green dragon arched his back and screeched. The unconscious guard fell out of his mouth, twirling toward the Kamtrinians below. Hunter and Agnes both slipped from his talons, but the dragon tightened his grip.

  Jon drew on every ounce of dragon power and flapped his wings harder, aiming for the sunlight. The biting sensation intensified, but he didn’t care.

  Lasers buzzed next to him, but he swayed back and forth, refusing to drop anyone. He prayed the green dragon wouldn’t lose Agnes or his brother. Agnes wouldn’t survive.

  With one blast of energy, he burst through the energy field and flew into the sky. Humidity gushed over his scales, but his precious cargo was still secure in his mouth and talons. The clearing was free of any strugnuses, but he could see tracks around where the shuttle had been cloaked.

  He glided down to the clearing and landed next to the ship. He released his beloved load. None of them had woken during the trip.

  A shriek dashed his hopes. The trees moved shuddered again and the ground thundered. He quickly shifted into humanoid form.

  A soulful screech brought his attention to the skies. The green dragon’s wings had collapsed against his side and fell. Hunter and Agnes spun toward the ground.

  The shriek got closer. In a split second, Jon shifted and flung himself into the air. He let loose a stream of fire toward the trees, lighting up the jungle. Whatever was coming screamed in agony. He hoped it was enough.

  His heart pushing against his ribs and blood roaring through him, he flew underneath Agnes and Hunter, and they crashed onto his back. He carefully glided to the shuttlecraft.

  Thak

  The green dragon had crashed into the jungle, wiping out trees and bushes. His choices were bad. He wasn’t sure if the guard was alive or dead, but he couldn’t check. If he did, Scarlett could bleed out, and he’d lose everyone else.

  He landed carefully on the ground. Fire and smoke streamed from the jungle. He shifted, and both Hunter and Agnes rolled onto the ground. His eyes watered, and he wiped the sweat off his brow. He grabbed his transrecorder with his shaking hands and opened the shuttle door. In rapid speed, he hulled in the survivors inside and locked each of them in a seat. Luckily, they were all breathing, but slumped over. He couldn’t tend to them. If he did, either the Kamtrinians, Ian, or the strugnuses would attack.

  He rushed to the commander’s chair and turned on the engines. He plotted a course off this cursed planet and navigated the shuttle off the ground.

  Ping ping bam bam

  Leaves, dirt, and pebbles spun around the window and banged against the metal walls.

  Something slammed hard into the shuttlecraft, and it shifted to the left. Fear pumped through him, but he ignored it. He had a job to do.

  A black dragon flew in front of them, and he turned sharp. He cursed. It was Fabian, his youngest brother. Where the hell had he come from? The last thing he wanted was to hurt him, but he couldn’t risk his passengers.

  Fabian swirled around and released a stream of fire. The shuttle trembled, and the metal heated up.

  “Damn it, Fabian,” he yelled. “Don’t make me do this.”

  But Fabian wasn’t Fabian.

  He let loose another stream of fire, but Jon maneuvered the shuttle, and the blaze rushed next to them. If he didn’t do something fast, Fabian would bring them all down. Fabian swirled around, and his chest burned red.

  “I’m sorry, Fabian,” he murmured, tears blurring his vision.

  Hating himself, he fired a photon ruptor, smashing his brother in the chest.

  Fabian screeched, his wings collapsed, and he spun toward the jungle. Tears streamed down Jon’s cheeks, and he flew the shuttle toward the atmosphere.

  He cleared his throat and contacted the Orion. “Padean, this is Jon. Can you read me?”

  “Jon, this is Padean. We read you. Where are you?”

  “We’re leaving Kepra. We have casualties. We need to rendezvous.”

  “We’ve suffered damages, and we’re under repair.”

  Jon held his breath. “Are you under attack?”

  “No, the Kamtrinian ship veered off course.”

  Jon exhaled a shaky breath. “Good. Have Tryker and a medical team meet us in the shuttle bay.”

  Jon left Kepra’s atmosphere, not knowing if Fabian was alive or dead. He’d no idea if they’d be able to wake Hoss, Agnes, or the remaining security guard.

  Their casualties were high, and he placed this all on Ian. Jon could lose his mate—the woman who had stolen his heart. Damn him. If it was the last thing he did, he’d rip that bastard apart.

  Back on the Orion, Jon paced in the corridor. He couldn’t sit down, he couldn’t eat, he couldn’t sleep. Tryker had rushed Scarlett into emergency, and the prognosis was grim. Hoss, Hunter, Agnes, and the security guard were still unconscious.

  The Orion had orbited a vacant moon to make repairs. Hypodrive had been damaged, and it would take three days to make repairs. However, the photon ruptors were functional. He really didn’t care about the Orion. All he cared about was Scarlett.

  She could die. She’d risked her life to save him. How could he live without her? She was the air that he breathed.

  The medical door opened. Tryker’s grim face squashed Jon’s hope. Jon held his breath.

  Tryker gripped his shoulder. “We’ve done all we can for your mate. She’s in critical condition.”

  He frowned. “What does that mean?”

  “It’s touch and go right now. We’ve stopped the bleeding, but something is working through her system that I can’t stop.” He bowed his head. “I’m sorry.”

  “Voodoo magic,” Jon growled. “Can I see her?”

  Tryker dropped his hand. “Yes, but be prepared. She’s very pale and barely breathing. She’s in a lot of pain. I gave her a sedative to help ease her suffering.”

  “Thank you,” Jon choked. He rushed into the medical lab.

  Scarlett and the others were all stretched out on beds. Medical boards were over their heads. Scarlett’s was the only one with a low heartbeat and oxygen rate and a high pain. He sat on her bed and wiped her sweating brow.

  “I can’t go on without you.” He lifted her hand and kissed it.

  Tryker came up next to him. “Did you see that?”

  Jon brushed his tears off his cheeks. “No, what?”

  “When you kissed her hand, the pain threshold went down.” His excited voice stilled Jon’s heart.

  “Really?”

  “Yes. You’ve mated. You’re the one who has to save her.”

  “But it’s black magic. I don’t know what to do.”

  Ryker clapped him on the back. “I think you do. There’s nothing more I can do.” He left Jon alone and checked on the others.

  Jon racked his brain, trying to think of what to do. Maybe it was simpler than he thought. Scarlett held many secrets and seemed to hold something back from him.

  He leaned over and kissed her. “I claim you again in the name of the Fates. You’re mine. Now and forever. No matter what you’re hiding, I’ll always want you. I love you.”

  Not knowing what else to do, he blew his breath into her nostrils. “Come back to me.”

  Scarlett gasped, and her body shook uncontrollably.

  Shit, what had he done?

  “Tryker!” He jumped off the bed, his heart shattering.

  Tryker rushed over. “What happened?”

  “I don’t know.” He could barely get the words out.

  Scarlett arched her back and screamed. Black smoke burst from her mouth and spewed to the ceiling. As fast as it had erupted, the smoke dissipated into nothingness.

  “Jon.” The sweetest, tired voice dropped Jon to his knees.

  Scarlett looked at him with tired eyes. “What happened?”

  Tears slid down his cheeks. “I thought I’d lost you.”

  She smiled weakly. “You’re crying.”

  He kissed her limp hand. “Yes, you’re the only who can do this to me.”

  “I thought…” She moistened her lips. “I thought…”

  He grinned. “Say I love you?”

  Tears glistened in her eyes. “Yes.”

  “Because I do. You’re my mate, and my heart belongs to you.”

  “And you have mine.”

  Tryker looked at her medical board. “She needs to rest. Don’t excite her.”

  Jon kissed her briefly on her lips. “Sleep, my lovely mate.”

  “Wait. Madame Mthunzi told me Odi and Ian’s plan.”

  Jon’s heart stilled. “What?”

  “They’re headed to the planet Aria. There’s a traitor waiting to help them attack Zalara.”

  Jon and Tryker shared a glance.

  Don’t leave me,” she whispered.

  He squeezed her hand. “Wild drummners couldn’t drag me away.”

  She frowned. “Drummners?”

  Tryker gave her a sedative. “I’ll contact Padean; he can let the Confederation know.”

  “They’re large beasts with horns on Zalara.”

  “You’ll have to show me one day.” Her voice trailed off, and her eyes shut, but the pain threshold on the medical board was back to normal.

  “I will.” He would love to show her his home planet. It had been so long, but no matter where they ended up, home would be with her.

  Chapter 19

  After a week in the medical lab, Scarlett was released and back in Jon’s quarters. The Orion was headed to Earth. Three brothers and their mates might have the power to undo Madame Mthunzi’s spell and free Hunter from the Hooke Distorter.

  The Arians had been notified. No sign of the Kamtrinian ship had been detected. Maybe Madame Mthunzi had lied.

  Scarlett sighed. Her muscles and insides were still shaky. She snuggled next to Jon in his bed. His strong arms were wrapped around her.

  She still couldn’t believe he had said he loved her. He’d shared everything with her, including admitting he’d had to fire on his brother to protect him. It was time to share her darkest secret. He was such an honorable man. Like her father, she was afraid he’d leave her.

  Jon stirred. “How are you feeling?”

  “Still tired.” She turned around. “I need to tell you something.”

  He shot up, the sheet falling, revealing his six-pack. “Are you ill? Do we need to call Tryker?”

  She laughed. “No, nothing like that.” Her laughter died. “I need to tell you something about my past.”

  “What?” He pushed the hair off her face.

  Her chest tightened. “I don’t know if you’ll still want me.”

  He kissed her on the cheek. “There’s nothing you could tell me that would push me away. Why would you say that?”

  She looked down at her wringing hands. “Because my father never forgave me.” Tears blurred her eyes.

  He lifted her trembling chin. “Tell me.”

  She cleared her throat. “It’s my fault my mother died.”

  His eyes widened. “What?”

  She lifted her knees and wrapped her arms around them. “We were hiking in the hills when shots were fired.”

  He rubbed her back. “I’m sorry. How was this your fault?”

  “My mom had just arrested a man, and his wife wanted revenge. I returned fire and killed the woman, but my mom was bleeding. We couldn’t move her. My father told me to get help, because our cell phones had no reception. I raced as fast as I could down the mountain, but I tripped and sprained my ankle. When I finally reached the base and called for help, she was gone.” She choked back a sob and wiped her cheeks.

  “Look at me,” he coaxed. “I don’t understand why your father blames you.”

  She turned around. “I was supposed to arrest the wife, but I screwed up on the paperwork. Because of me, she murdered my mom.”

  She couldn’t hold back the tears. Her mom had been her best friend.

  Jon took her in his arms. “Nothing you’ve told me has pushed me away.” He kissed her tears away. “Why would you think that it would?”

  “Because I killed my mother. I didn’t follow procedure. My father—”

  “Is a bitter man.” He pressed his palms against her cheeks. “You didn’t pull the trigger. You need to forgive yourself. Do you think your mother would blame you?”

  “I don’t… I don’t know. My dad said she wouldn’t.”

  “Was that the kind of woman she was?”

  Scarlett took a shaky breath. “She was the sweetest person I know. She was my best friend.”

  “She doesn’t sound like she’d hold on to a grudge.” He pressed his forehead against hers. “Do you?”

  “I guess not. Dad––”

  “I think he sound like a hard man. You need to let go. We all make mistakes. I never thought I deserved a mate. Because of me, my brothers were taken.” A vein trembled in his cheek. “And I might have killed my younger brother. Do you still love me?”

  “But you didn’t have a choice.” She straddled his hips. “Of course, I love you.”

  “Scarlett, you make a mistake, just like I did when my brothers were captured. Because of you, I’ve learned to forgive myself. Can you do the same thing?” He kissed her on the nose. “I love you, warts and all.”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “I’ll try. Dad said no man would want a woman who killed her mother.”

  “First of all, you didn’t kill her. The shooter did.”

  Scarlett had been carrying the guilt for so long, and her father had pounded it into her head. Even her partner had hinted it was her fault. For the first time, a wrinkle in her guilt cracked.

 

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