Ignite by Tana Stone

Chapter Twenty-Five

Kalex

“Captain!” Serge clutched one hand to his side, as if he were attempting to hold himself together.

For a moment, I thought he might be injured but then he swung his gaze to Zoey, his eyes widened, and he put both hands on his hips.

“I didn’t think I’d find you here,” the Gatazoid said, drumming his short fingers in unison. “But I suppose you’re making the same complaints I was going to?”

Zoey recovered her composure quickly, smoothing her hands down her wrinkled pants. “No doubt.”

I would have loved to remind her that she hadn’t been issuing complaints moments ago, but I held my tongue. “What complaints are those?”

Serge huffed out a breath, the roots of his purple hair turning pink. “I’ve been told that the design work has halted.”

“Until we get the security systems completed and shields working at full capacity, I’ve ordered all the crew to focus only on these tasks.”

Serge opened his mouth as if to argue, then clamped it shut again, swiveling his gaze to Zoey. “And you’re fine with this?”

“If it protects this station from an alien attack, I’m more than fine with it. I insist on it.”

Although it was a logical statement, my heart still swelled a bit that she’d taken my side. It might have been the first time she’d ever agreed with me, and it felt even better than the thrill of arguing with her.

Serge staggered back, putting a hand to his throat. “Alien attack?”

So much for keeping that bit of information secret, although I hadn’t thought it would be possible on a station as compact as this one.

I stepped forward, pulling myself up to my full height and towering over the little alien. “We believe the blackout is connected to a Kronock attempt to jump in and wage war on this station. I hope I can count on your discretion.”

Serge’s spiky hair was now entirely fuchsia, giving him the appearance of wearing a head full of pink flames. “I didn’t know.” He nodded absently as he fluttered one hand in the air. “Of course, the safety of the station comes first, but I thought the Kronock were on the run.”

Even the thought of our enemy made my hands curl instinctively into hard fists. “They were, but the Kronock never give up. The continue to crawl back, no matter how many times we drive them away.”

“Like cockroaches,” Zoey said, wrinkling her nose.

I tilted my head at her in question.

“Disgusting insects on Earth that have been around through more than one apocalypse and survived. No matter what, they live through it all.”

Serge swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “These cockroaches sound like Kronock.”

“But you don’t stop killing these insects just because they don’t die easily, do you?” I asked.

“Hell, no,” Zoey said with a grin. “We make more Raid.”

I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I liked thinking of the Kronock as insects I could stomp on. “That is what we do. We keep beating back the Kronock.”

Serge sniffed and threw his shoulders back. “You can count on me, Captain. Whatever you need.”

I couldn’t imagine how I could put the wedding planner to use, but I also knew firsthand that he was tougher than he looked. He’d survived captivity by Ganthar space pirates and being held prisoner on Spartos, a hedonistic alien planet that held a dark and deadly secret that had almost gotten Serge killed.

I put my fist across my chest and bowed my head to him. “Thank you.”

Serge’s cheeks flushed nearly the color of his hair, and he thumped his own small fist across his chest.

“We should probably let the captain get back to his work,” Zoey said after a few seconds. “I was just on my way out when you arrived.”

“I’m glad you were here,” Serge said, his tone shifting back to its usual chirpiness, and the hot pink fading from his hair. “I was going to come looking for you next.”

Zoey shot me a desperate glance.

Serge hooked an arm through hers. “I know your vid date got preempted because of the blackout, but we should talk about setting up another time for you to meet Dryx.”

An unfamiliar sensation reared up inside me like hot bile bubbling in my gut and searing the back of my throat. Even the mention of Zoey considering another Drexian made me want to punch something—or someone. I didn’t care if what we were doing was purely for release. I wasn’t going to share her with anyone, certainly not Dryx.

“Captain?”

Serge’s voice made me look up. Both he and Zoey were gaping at me.

“Did you growl?” The Gatazoid asked blinking rapidly.

Had I? Heat crawled up my neck as I realized that I’d let my possessive desire for Zoey—and my feelings about Dryx—come out as a primitive sound.

“I was thinking about the Kronock,” I said, avoiding Zoey’s gaze. “Forgive my warrior’s response.”

“Don’t apologize.” Serge gave a shudder. “It was quite fierce and intimidating. I’d hate to be on the receiving end of that anger.”

I took a few long steps around to the other side of my desk, trying not to think of Zoey spread out on the glossy black surface only minutes earlier. Then I thought again of Dryx and how smoothly he seduced females. The idea of him using his charm on Zoey was unacceptable.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news regarding your communications with Dryx,” I said, leaning my hands on my desk. “Until we’ve locked down all security frequencies, non-essential communication will be on hold.”

Serge frowned. “That’s disappointing, but I suppose I’m not surprised.”

“Neither am I,” Zoey said, narrowing her eyes at me then twisting to face Serge. “I was really looking forward to meeting this Dryx guy.”

Serge patted her hand. “You’ll love him. Tall, handsome, and built, if you don’t mind me saying so. Not to mention, he’s a sparkling conversationalist.”

If those conversations involved sweet-talking females out of their panties, I thought.

“Between you and me, sweetie, I’m shocked he hasn’t applied for a tribute bride before. Earth women would be falling all over themselves for this one.”

“Good husband material?” Zoey asked, as the doors swished open, revealing the bustling activity on the bridge.

Serge winked at her. “I’d say so. From what I hear, he’s the master of romantic gestures.”

If you considered hopping from bedroom windows romantic.

“What woman doesn’t love a romantic gesture?” Zoey said, with a laugh.

Was she trying to provoke me, or trying to keep Serge from suspecting anything about us? Either way, she was doing an impressive job. Serge appeared completely convinced, and I wanted to put my fist through a wall.

Serge craned his neck to look back at me as they paused in the doorway. “You’ll keep me posted about when communications will be back online?”

I gritted my teeth, forcing the words out. “You’ll be the first to know.”

After the doors slid shut behind them and I was alone in my strategy room, I sank down in my chair and raked my hands through my hair. The last thing I needed now was a distraction, but I couldn’t bear the thought of Zoey with Dryx.

Despite saying she didn’t want anything serious, she was asking Serge if Dryx was husband material and claiming to love romantic gestures. Was that what she wanted?

Grek.How was it possible that one human woman could baffle me more than Kronock battle strategy?