Authors: Laurie Roma
“Commander Spartan, Commander Archer. That door was locked. You’re not authorized to interrupt this interrogation,” High Commander Newgate bit out in a harsh tone.
Ignoring him, Sullivan Archer yanked Serra’s chair to the side so he could kneel in front of her. Gripping her chin he raised her head so she was staring into beautiful light-brown eyes. Just the sight of them calmed her more than anything else could.
“Hello, hummingbird. Just breathe. I’m here. Nothing is going to hurt you.”
She focused on Sully as pain surged through her head. It hurt to look at him, but she couldn’t seem to look away. She
needed
to see him. Needed him there with her.
High Commander Newgate made a move to push Archer away, but Jax shoved him back before he could get close.
“Commander Spartan, you are very close to being brought up on charges.”
Jax ignored the cold fury in High Commander Newgate’s voice. “You can’t touch her when she’s in this state. She’ll react without thinking and lash out. If you read her goddamn file, you would’ve known that.”
High Commander Newgate relaxed at the reminder. “Yes, I did. You’re right.”
“I’m sorry,” Regent Wyland-Ross said softly, shaken herself for almost making such a costly error. “I shouldn’t have tried to touch her, but I just wanted to make sure she was okay.”
“Archer and I will see to her.”
“You shouldn’t be in here,” High Commander Newgate said, but the heat of anger had faded.
Jax’s deadly smile would have made a lesser man shiver with fear. “Serra Lysander is ours to protect. And we will, from anyone. Even you. We claim her.”
He ignored High Commander Newgate’s curse and Regent Wyland-Ross’ sharp inhale, and turned at the sound of Archer’s voice. It was low, but there was a sense of urgency in it that instantly alarmed Jax.
“Jax. Something’s wrong.”
Dismissing everyone else, Jax quickly squatted down next to Archer so he could look into Serra’s eyes. Damn, the impact of those light-green eyes seared straight through to his soul. He could see that they were glazed with pain and fear, but there was something else shining back at him. There was relief. Relief at seeing him and Archer. She should have known they would come to her when she needed them.
This woman owned them.
And now they would own her as well.
“She’s in pain, but I don’t know why,” Archer whispered as he reached up to wipe away the sweat beading her brow. “Something is really wrong. This isn’t just a panic attack.”
“What is it, son?”
Gone was the powerful regent, replaced by a concerned father as Jax felt a hand grip his shoulder. “I don’t know. Get a med tech in here. Now!”
Jax didn’t look away from Serra as he barked out the order. The sound of scrambling feet behind him assured him that help was coming, but seeing the pain in her eyes was making him crazy. Beside him, Archer ripped off his uniform top and wrapped it carefully around her shoulders when she began to shake.
Serra winced as she raised a hand up to touch her fingers to her temple and Jax grabbed her other hand, gripping it tight in his own. Fingers wrapped around his like a vise, as if she were desperate to hold onto something. Her skin was cool to the touch, and he could feel her trembling increase. “What is it, sweetheart?”
“Don’t…know…head hurts…”
“Everything is going to be okay. We’ll take care of you. You know we will. You belong to us, Serra. Do you deny it?”
The throbbing in Serra’s head was making it hard to think, but she was aware enough to give him a small smile. “There is no denying it. Jax, I—”
Her words were cut off. The moment she said his name, stars exploded behind her eyes, making her cry out. She heard Jax and Sully both let out savage curses as she pitched forward in her chair. Her body never hit the ground as she felt Jax’s strong arms surrounding her, cradling her against his hard body. Unable to combat the pain any longer, she let the darkness claim her, knowing they would watch over her and keep her safe.
****
Serra woke slowly, drifting in a sea of serenity that only came from being on some sort of drug. For once, her mind was blessedly calm. Thoughts and equations that usually ran through her head like some sort of ticker were missing, chased away by whatever treatment she had been given.
Her eyelids where heavy, and she gave up trying to open her eyes, content to just relax on the gel-bed she was laying on. From the smell in the room, she assumed it meant she was in a medical center. Normally, she would have started to freak out at finding herself there, but she knew she was safe with Jax and Sully.
Despite her confusion, she was sure of that to her very core.
She mentally paused as she thought about them without feeling any pain in her head. God, how long had it been since that had happened? Silently amused, she thought she might have to stock up on whatever the med-techs had given her to combat the throbbing headaches she usually got.
Letting her mind drift, Serra felt a heavy weight over her body that added to her sense of safety, and knew without looking that Jax and Sully had placed a weighted blanket on her. They knew from back when they were young that such things helped her center herself and calmed her. Hearing low voices in the room, a fissure of alarm shot through her, but she settled again as she recognized the familiar cadence of Sully’s voice.
“Thanks for coming, Dom.”
“No thanks needed. This is some shit you’ve gotten yourself into, you know.”
“We know it, and that’s why we asked you to come.” Jax’s voice was brisk, but there was a warmth in his tone that Serra knew he only used with friends and people he trusted. “The medicals can’t find what’s wrong with Serra, but we know something is making her head hurt to the point that she passed out earlier. Arik, we need you to help us figure out what that is.”
There was a long pause, then a new voice spoke. It was deep, masculine, and so beautiful Serra felt like she was blessed just hearing it. She had heard voices like that before, and knew whoever it belonged to had to be of the D’Aire race.
“I would be happy to aid you anyway that I can, but I will not truth test her without her consent. It is not my way. I will not do it without her permission, even for you, my friend.”
“She’ll consent.”
This time hearing the arrogance in Jax’s voice made her smile a little.
“What are you smiling at, hummingbird?”
Serra pried her eyes open and met the brilliant whiskey color of Sully’s as he looked down at her. The endearment he had pinned her with when she was young due to her propensity to tap her fingers made her smile. “Can I have—”
Before she could finish her request, he held up a small cup with a straw sticking out of it. She took the straw into her mouth gratefully and took a long pull of the cool, refreshing liquid. She wanted to smile again as the taste of her favorite juice hit her taste buds and drank more down greedily.
Archer set the cup back down on the side table and picked up her hand, needing the connection with her. She looked so small on the stark white gel-bed. The elevated medical console over the center of her body made it impossible to sit down next to her, when all he wanted to do was snatch her up into his arms so he could keep her safe from anything, everything.
In all his life, Serra was the one thing he had wanted that had eluded him. He ached for her until he thought he would go mad. He searched her face, studying her as satisfaction filled him at seeing Jax and his mark near her eye that told the world she belonged to them.
They had claimed her.
It was an action that both he and Jax had been in complete accord with, and one that could get them court-martialed if she brought them up for sanctions. After Serra had gone down in the interrogation room, they’d been ordered away from her. With no claim on her and without authority over the investigation, they would have been banned from her.
And that was something they wouldn’t have allowed.
Before the med-techs had arrived, Archer had used the device he had brought with him to the security center. Hearing she was in custody had made him take the marking device with him when he got the call. It had only taken a few seconds as he’d touched the device to the left side of her face, instantly transferring the tattoo on her skin, but the result made her theirs for the rest of their lives. The stylized pattern was a combination of both his and Jax’s initials, comprised of a scrolling design so that it complimented the scroll mark on the right side of her face that classified her as a fertile female.
“You had us worried, sweetheart,” Jax said from where he was standing on the other side of the bed. The gruff sound of his voice didn’t seem to bother Serra, as was evident from the smile playing on her lush lips.
“Sorry. What happened?”
Jax’s jaw tightened at the weak sound of her voice. He didn’t like seeing her lying there looking so helpless. “You passed out in the interrogation room. They have you on some sort of blocker now, but they can’t figure out what triggered your attack.”
“We’ve brought some friends with us that may be able to help you,” Archer added.
Serra smiled up at him, then reached out to take Jax’s hand so she was holding onto both men. It felt so good to have them with her again. She’d missed them so much, but amazingly, she still felt like she knew them. Over the years, she’d tried to keep tabs on them, in her own way. She knew they were both dedicated to their positions in the Alliance—just as she was—but it touched her heart that they had come to her at the first sign of trouble.
“Before that happens, we need to ask her a few questions.”
A tall, muscular man moved into view. He was wearing the standard grey uniform of an elite, but the two metal bars on his lapel designated him as a director instead of the four bars both Jax and Archer wore as commanders. Serra barely held back a shiver as eyes black as midnight bore into her from a harsh face that could have been chiseled from marble. Dominic Stryker was a handsome man, but there was a lethal edge to him that made her think he was dangerous. Something about him made her extremely uncomfortable.
“Serra, this is Dominic Stryker, the Director of Security and Interrogation here in the Capital.”
“Ms. Lysander, I need to know if you would like Commanders Spartan and Archer brought up on charges.”
She felt more than saw Jax and Sully tense, but she didn’t understand the cold statement. Even though it had been a long time since she had been able to spend time with them, she would never do anything to hurt Jax and Sully. Ever.
“Why would I do that?”
“Your records state that you have been given exempt status. They claimed you while you were unable to protest. Your status allowed you to choose your own bonding unit.”
They’d claimed her? Her heart gave a hard thump of joy even as the insistent throbbing in her head began again. The medical console beeped in warning as it picked up the change in her vitals.
“Damn it, what is that? What’s wrong? Dom, get the doctor in here. Now.”
She heard the fear Jax masked behind his barking command, then saw Jax’s father step forward to place a calming hand on his son’s arm. “You can’t blame the poor girl for being upset, Jax. Stars, it’s bad enough that you claimed her while she was unconscious. I tell you, when your mother finds out, she is going to skin you alive.”
Jax shot his father a glare. “She won’t find out.”
Regent Spartan snorted. “Of course she will. That woman knows everything.”
“You better hope she doesn’t. Or else she might also find out you’re the one who ordered her daughter-in-law into interrogation.”
Serra wanted to laugh at the pained expression that settled over Regent Spartan’s face, but another man stepped forward, claiming her attention. The newcomer was taller than the other men in the room, and so beautiful, it almost hurt to look at him. He had an innate sensuality that hit her like a psychic punch. His long white-blond hair was pulled back at the temples, leaving his perfect face free of encumbrances. Iridescent blue eyes stared down at her, swirling with sympathy and a calm so soothing that it helped her center herself again.
This new male was one of the D’Aire race. Humans had nicknamed them
Angels
due to the majestic wings they could spring from their backs. They could call forth the wings at will, but like now, often kept them hidden using the magic of their species. Serra had been to the home planet of the D’Aire many times, and had a deep respect for their people.
“Greetings to you, one of the light,” she said the formal greeting of his race and watched as his lips curved in a small smile. He gave a slight bow of his head.
“Greetings to you as well, little one. I am Arik of the V’Dir clan.”
Serra thought that Arik and Dom looked comical standing next to one another. It was like looking at the devil standing next to an angel. Arik had a lean body compared to Dominic’s stockier build, but both of them were packed with muscle that would warn anyone that they’d be formidable opponents.
“Whatever is ailing her is not something your medical technology can counter. I can sense a blank space in her mind, even standing over here. If I am right, her memory has been altered and that is what’s causing her pain.”
“What does that mean?” Archer demanded, but Arik didn’t look away from Serra. He took a step forward, only stopping when Jax put a hand on his chest.
“Explain.”
Arik tore his gaze away from Serra, and looked at the barely restrained fury on Jax and Archer’s faces. They were her protectors, her bonded. In the D’Aire culture they would be called the
keepers of her heart
. Of course they would require an explanation.
They all would.
***
Chapter Three
“Help me up.”
At Serra’s request, Jax moved the medical console down toward the foot of the bed as Sully raised the gel-bed so she was sitting up. She felt better, more stable being able to see everyone. Gripping the weighted blanket to her chest, she focused her attention on the D’Aire, but remained acutely aware of the two men by her sides. “You’re talking about
xili
, aren’t you?”