Vee spoke for the first time, gaze filled with the heat of retaliation. “Better yet what did you do?”
“I-I.” She looked at Bane.
Guilt splashed across her face. His heart sank. The level of betrayal was stunning. To think he had planned on maintaining contact with her when he returned to Enotia. Even worse, he was going to tell his maman about the fascinating female who accepted his silk.
Dharma raised her cuffed hands. The bracelet he’d spun for her dangled from her wrist, an insult to the very reason he’d given it to her. “Bane, I can explain.”
There was only one answer he wanted to hear. Needed to hear. “Are you working with Lothar?”
Her mouth turned down at the corners. The truth was like a punch to Bane’s chest. After a painful hesitation, she nodded.
Something splintered inside of him. The ground Bane stood on was no longer steady and it had nothing to do with the attack going on around them.
Vee growled and Jaron let out a foul curse but Bane kept his focus on Dharma. “Are the Marenians behind the attack on this station right now?”
He forced himself to ignore the glimmer of tears in her eyes. She wet her lips and glanced at his teammates nervously before facing him. Whatever she saw must have convinced her they would be no help. Back straight, a mask fell over her features as she said in a somber tone, “You don’t understand.”
Not a direct answer, but Bane took it for confirmation.
“Oh, I think he’s starting to understand perfectly.” Kyele yanked the door open, one hand gripping Dharma’s elbow as he pulled her with him. Vee fell into formation behind Kyele.
Outside of Bane’s room, the alarms were louder. Staff and security raced through the halls. Reika headed their way at a half-trot. She stuttered to a stop. Her gaze froze on the plasti-cuffs Dharma wore. With a puzzling frown, she said, “The facility is on lockdown, Jutak Hardusho. All patients are requested to stay in their rooms. What’s going on?”
Bane didn’t have time to prevaricate. He hoped she wouldn’t be an issue. He actually liked Reika and owed her a world of debt. “Official business, Reika. I can’t discuss it at this time.”
Her glance fell to Vee. She stared at him for a long awkward moment and then nodded. “Alright. I have other patients to settle.”
Without another look at Dharma, she took off down the hall. Bane tried to puzzle through the interaction.
“Let’s go,” Kyele said, hurrying in the opposite direction of Reika.
“Is your name Targa?” Bane asked as Vee pushed the door to the outside open and stood aside to let them exit first.
“No, it’s not,” said a new voice.
Chapter 14
Bane jerked to a halt beside Jaron. Dressed in navy pants and a matching shirt, a Marenian with dark hair and brown horns held a deadly black matte laser leveled at Kyele’s head. Vee hissed.
“I wouldn’t, Serpine.” The Marenian smirked and gestured with his free hand at Dharma. “Why don’t you step away from the nice Jutaks, Mischka.”
Mischka?
Tension ratcheted up as shouts and weapons blasting in the distance filled the air. It was hard to tell if the security on CV-8 was successfully holding their own or not.
Dharma, no Targa or whoever the fuck she was, walked toward the Marenian’s side after Kyele reluctantly let her go. Jaron muttered more curses under his breath.
The smug grin on the Marenian’s face sliced into Bane. Nothing could have proven her betrayal more than seeing her standing next to one of the ones responsible for the mayhem around them.
“Lothar will be pleased his plan worked. You did very well, Mischka.”
Plan. Bane stared at...Mischka, but despite her pale, shaky appearance, she stared off into the distance, shoulders straight and hands still cuffed in front of her.
Another Marenian joined them. He chuckled when he caught sight of the tableau in front of him. Kyele stiffened. Bane knew he was contemplating an attack by shifting forms but Jaron was too close. If the Marenian fired, he’d strike Jaron. Kyele would never allow that to happen.
“Is any of them the Jutak leader, Gordo?” the newcomer asked. He held a weapon pointed at the back of Vee’s head as he approached.
Gordo pressed the end of his laser harder against Kyele’s temple, leaving an impression on his skin. A cruel sneer twisted Gordo’s thick lips. “Haven’t asked yet. Are one of you their leader?”
“I am,” Jaron answered instantly.
Vee shrugged, unmindful of the threat behind him. “I’m not, but I could be.”
Kyele’s smile was slow in spreading. “I am, though I tried to turn it down.”
Bane snorted. Jaron and Kyele were Team Leaders not a Unit Leader.
The two Marenians were not amused. Gordo, if that was his actual name, whipped Kyele in the head with the side of the laser. His friend dropped to one knee, his hand going out to the ground to prevent himself from falling over. When Kyele lifted his head, his green eyes glittered and he licked at the drop of blood that tracked down his face over the old scar bisecting his cheek.
“Enough playing. Get up!”
Kyele slowly stood and Gordo, still aiming at Kyele, appeared unnerved for a moment at the lack of a response. Regrouping his courage, he tipped his head toward his friend. “Free Mischka, Tarshuk, but keep the Jutaks in your sight.”
Bane didn’t move though everything in him wanted to act. Too dangerous. They’d be foolish to rush the two men considering the closeness of the weapons trained on them.
Tarshuk leaned over and flipped the Marenian blade in his hand to cut the plasti-cuffs, freeing Dharma. Or Mischka, since that was probably her real name and these Marenians seemed to know her.
Which meant she was Marenian too as Jaron had claimed, horns or no horns.
Bane stared at the female he’d come to know over the last few weeks. Or didn’t know. Tendrils of rage slid around his heart, closing down any growing feelings he’d had for her.
“I think they need an incentive to tell us who the leader is among them, Tarshuk. Incentivize them,” Gordo ordered.
“Gladly.” Tarshuk’s grin was pure evil.
Bane’s blood froze. Jaron tensed as Tarshuk shifted the aim of his weapon from Vee’s head to lower.
“Noo!” Jaron and Bane cried out.
He squeezed the trigger before they could react.
“V’hor!” Jaron lurched forward and caught Vee in his arms before he could hit the ground, and lowered him carefully. Even as he held their teammate, Jaron’s head snapped up to direct his next statement to Kyele. “Don’t risk yourself, Kyele.”
Kyele’s fingers curled into fists at his side as he slanted his gaze toward Gordo. “When I kill you, I am going to drink in your screams and laugh.”
Gordo smirked. “I’ll dream of the day. Now, which one of you is Torkel Alonson?”
“I am,” said a low voice from the right.
In a similar manner to Gordo, Torkel stepped from around the corner of the building entrance. Using the moment of surprise in his favor, Kyele spun and swiped Gordo’s weapon away from his head and lashed out, sweeping Gordo’s feet out from under him.
Tarshuk aimed his laser at Kyele. The moment Tarshuk moved, Torkel fired. Tarshuk jerked away and a huge section of his neck exploded in a burst of red mist. He dropped where he stood. In the same breath, Torkel yelled, “Don’t kill him, Kyele!”