Fallon's Fall (6 page)

“I took care of my little problem this time,” he said. “Next time you’ll have to finish what you started.”

Despite her resolve to keep her distance, Dora was thrilled that there’d be a next time. She was so screwed.

H
is orgasm had taken
some of the pressure off Fallon, but not nearly enough. He could still feel Dora’s gaze upon him. It’s what he wanted, but he hadn’t anticipated his body’s reaction to her undivided attention.

Fallon led her down the hall to the transport cylinder. They dropped one level and stepped out onto the med deck. He took her to a lone door on the far wall and pressed his hand against the outside. The door slid open with a soft hiss and the scent of healing herbs hit him.

“Here’s where you’ll be working,” he said.

Dora took one look at the space and scowled. “I already told you that I’m not going to help you.”

“Just check it out and let us know what you need,” Fallon said as if she hadn’t spoken.

Dora knocked on his horns. “Can you hear me now?”

Fallon jerked his head away and his teeth clenched. “I heard every word. Do it anyway. I’ll be back. I have to check in with Captain Hawk on the bridge. Oh, and Dora, don’t get clever. This whole area is under surveillance and is controlled by the bridge,” he said. “I don’t want to lock you in, but I will.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face and left before she could say anything more. He had to or he’d lose control. Fallon didn’t think Dora would appreciate being taken to the ground and mounted by a rutting beast. He pressed his palm to his sternum to ease the tightness in his chest. She had him twisted inside and didn’t even know it.

Dora stared at his retreating form until he entered the transport cylinder. She turned back to the med area. At first glance, it wasn’t much to look at. In fact, it was a wreck. How had anyone managed to work in here? It only held one healing chamber and half the diagnostic equipment needed to treat most space ailments. What would they do if two of the crew were hurt at the same time? She huffed and stepped into the room.

After a few minutes of sulking, curiosity got the better of her. Dora checked out all the storage containers, the crystal tubs, and the healing ointments. It didn’t take long to discover that the ship was woefully under supplied. Did Fallon and his crew think that just because they’d been genetically enhanced that they didn’t have to worry about injuries? What if they had to make an emergency landing?

The disturbing thought had no sooner crossed her mind, when the lights flickered and the door shut, sealing her in. Dora tried to open it, but it was impossible. Had Fallon locked her in? He’d said they could control everything on this deck from the bridge. A second later, a warning siren went off. Oh no! This wasn’t Fallon’s doing.

A loud bang shook the hull and the ship lurched to the side, sending Dora crashing into the healing chamber. Had the
Anemone
caught up with them already? If so, why were they firing? And where was Fallon? Fear latched onto her shoulders before sinking its claws into her chest. She banged on the door, but Dora knew no one could hear her. What if they were hurt? What if they needed her help and she couldn’t get to them? Get to him? She had to get out of this room.

Fallon cursed long and loud as the
Anemone
fired upon them. Behind him, Hawk bellowed orders. Why were they firing with Dora onboard? Didn’t they want her back? His thoughts strayed to her. He needed to get to her. Make sure she was okay. But he couldn’t abandon his position. It was more than Dora’s life on the line.

His fingers flew over the instruments to locate the damage. The med deck appeared to be unharmed for now, but the crew decks hadn’t faired so well.

Another blast hit them and the ship rocked.

“Evasive maneuvers!” Hawk shouted. “Fallon, get us out of here now!”

Fallon cloaked the ship and headed for the closest object on the screen. The
Anemone
stayed right on their tail, which should’ve been impossible. The ship took another direct hit. The metal around them screeched.

“Damage report?” Hawk bellowed.

“Cargo level sustained damage,” Fallon said. “The crew deck is leaking oxygen.”

Hawk scanned the bridge. “Where’s Mars?” he asked.

Fallon took his eyes off the navigational instruments long enough to search the ship for life signs. He cursed long and hard. “I’ve picked up a weak signal on the crew deck. Far side. It’s close to the damage. Reaper, get him and take him to the med deck. Dora is there.”

Reaper nodded and disappeared.

A moment later, the faint life sign disappeared from the crew deck and appeared on the med deck. Fallon was about to turn away, when he caught another faint signal come from the same area where Mars had been.

“The
Anemone
is coming up fast,” Lex said.

Fallon tore his gaze away from the life support readings and went back to the navigation screen. “Shadow, isn’t there anything you can do?”

The silent member of their crew shook his shaved head. As he did so, the symbols covering his skin shifted. “It’ll take too long to cast a spell powerful enough to stop a ship that size,” Shadow said.

Fallon cursed and pushed the ship as hard as he dared. The
Anemone
shouldn’t have been able to follow, but she stayed close. He scanned the instruments to get a reading on the object he’d spotted in the distance. It was the size of a planet, but there were no suns nearby to indicate an orbit. Fallon took a closer look and determined it was an asteroid. He might be able to lose them on the far side, if the
Anemone
didn’t disable their vessel before they reached it.

He jerked the ship to the side, flying in an erratic pattern. It didn’t lose their pursuers, but it did mess with their aim. Fallon studied the asteroid.

“I think if we can land near the rise on the right they won’t be able to detect us. The magnetic energy coming from that area is off the charts,” Fallon said.

“What will that do to our instruments?” Hawk asked.

“It’ll interfere with them, too, but not enough to prevent a safe landing.” He hoped.

Hawk gripped the arm of his chair. “We’re out of options. Do it!”

Fallon flew like he’d never flown before. He pushed all thought of Dora out of his head and hurried toward safety. He found a flat area that nudged a steep cliff and set the ship down. Fallon killed all power, but life-support and the cloaking defense. The
Anemone
flew over them twice, scanning the ground, but couldn’t seem to locate them.

“They’re not going to give up,” Hawk said.

“I know,” Fallon said, but he couldn’t either. Not yet.

“Go check on your woman,” Hawk said. “And update me on Mars’s condition.”

Fallon frowned. “We don’t know that he was hurt.”

Hawk’s face held a grim expression. “Yes, we do,” he said. “Otherwise he’d be on deck.”

Fallon sealed off the damage to the crew deck, then left the bridge. He needed to get to Dora. Needed to know that she was okay. His thoughts drifted to Mars and the faint life-form reading he’d picked up after Mars had been removed. Fallon cursed and switched direction, sprinting to the crew deck. There was only one thing it could be.

When he reached Mars’s quarters, Fallon found a hull breach. It wasn’t big, but it didn’t need to be to do a lot of damage. His heart sank. How long had Mars been exposed to space? It wouldn’t take long to kill him.

He glanced around the room. Where was Echo? Fallon searched the room, but couldn’t find Mars’s familiar. He was about to leave, when he heard a weak squeak coming from underneath a chair.

He crouched down until he could see beneath it and came eye to eye with the creature. “Come here.” Fallon patted the floor in front of him.

Echo didn’t move. Instead, he squeaked louder.

“I’ll take you to him,” Fallon said.

Echo ruffled his yellow feathers and glared at him with beady red eyes.

Fallon took a deep breath and called upon what little patience he had left. He wanted to get to Dora. Need to see her. He lowered his voice.

“Here, Echo,” he murmured. “Come.” This time he held his hand out for the creature to sniff it.

Echo stretched his neck, took two hard sniffs, then bit Fallon in the hand.

Fallon swore and jerked his hand away. Blood oozed from the wound. He knew the creature wasn’t poisonous, but it had very sharp teeth. “Get out here, you little
stinkwell
.” He shoved his bleeding hand under the chair and grabbed hold of Echo.

The familiar scratched and clawed at him, tearing at his flesh, but Fallon refused to release him. If Mars was injured, he’d need his familiar with him to help him heal. Echo continued to screech at the top of his feathery lungs. Fallon did his best to ignore him as he hurried to the med area. His heart nearly stopped when he entered the room and saw Mars inside the healing chamber.

Reaper stood off to the side of the room, while Dora’s fingers glided over the diagnostic equipment. The second Echo saw Mars, he leapt out of Fallon’s hands and landed on top of the chamber. His tiny claws scratched, trying to get to him.

“Get that creature out of here,” Dora said.

“Let him in,” Fallon said.

Dora stopped what she was doing. “No, he could get infected. Who knows what is beneath that thing’s claws.”

Right now it was his flesh, but Fallon didn’t bother informing her. “That’s Mars’s familiar, not his pet,” he said.

Her eyes widened. “Why didn’t you say so in the first place?” She pressed several buttons on the healing chamber panel. A second later, the chamber opened and Echo scurried inside. After circling the same spot three times, he settled upon Mars’s chest and closed his eyes. Dora sealed the chamber once more.

“Is he going to be okay?” Fallon asked.

Reaper still hadn’t spoken. His gaze remained locked on Mars.

“I think so,” Dora said. “But it’s hard to say. This equipment is severely out of date.”

“We do the best we can,” Fallon said.

“Well, let’s hope it’s good enough,” Dora said.

Dora stared at the injured man. His dark face was drawn and his lips thinned in an attempt to hold back the pain. She hadn’t intended to assist Fallon and his crew, but when she’d caught sight of Mars’s wounds she couldn’t turn him away. Doing so went against all of her training. Dora had become a healer for a reason. She liked helping people.

She’d managed to get him stabilized for now, but Dora would have to watch him closely. Had the attack finally stopped? If so, for how long? She glanced up and caught Fallon staring at her. It could’ve just as easily been him lying in the healing chamber and not this man.

The thought terrified Dora. What if Fallon had been the one who’d been hurt? What if no one had been here to help him? The healing chamber could only do so much without being operated by a professional. She couldn’t bear the thought.

“You’re going to get yourself killed, if you don’t let me go,” she said.

“You’re worth the risk,” Fallon said.

“I wasn’t before,” she said. “I doubt that's changed.”

Fallon's face hardened. “I was a foolish boy infatuated with a foolish girl,” he snarled. “I didn’t know the first thing about caring for myself much less anyone else. Had I come back for you, there’s a very good chance we both would’ve died. I nearly did the first year I was away.”

Dora blanched at the truth. They’d been so young, so naïve. They probably wouldn’t have even made it off the planet before having to return home in shame. Had Fallon nearly died? The shocking confession had been ripped from deep inside him and left her more shaken than she cared to admit. But she wasn’t that foolish girl anymore. Hadn’t been for a long time.

“You don’t have to worry,” she said. “I can take care of myself now.”

Reaper cleared his throat. “I’ll give you both some privacy and let Hawk know that Mars is stable for now.”

“You don’t have to leave,” Dora said. “We’re done here.”

“I don’t have to, but I sure want to.” Reaper disappeared in a puff of smoke.

He’d startled her when he’d appeared out of thin air the first time. This time Dora didn’t even spare the man a second glance. The green-skinned male glaring at her held her attention instead.

“You still want me,” Fallon said.

Goddess help her, she did and Dora was tired of lying about it. “I do,” she said. “But I no longer
need
you.”

He flinched and blood dropped onto the floor.

“You’re hurt! Why didn’t you say something?” Dora rushed across the small room and grabbed Fallon’s arm.

“It’s nothing.” He tried to pull away from her, but she wouldn’t let go.

“You are bleeding,” she said. Had he been injured during the attack? Dora might not want to be with him, but the thought of losing him was too much to face. “Come over here under the light. I need to examine the wound.”

Fallon gritted his teeth as she poked at his flesh.

“I’m not asking,” Dora snapped. “Now move!”

He blinked in surprise, then slowly followed her.

Under the light, it was clear that the mangled wound hadn’t come from the attack. “What happened to you?” She frowned as she examined the multiple holes in his flesh.

Fallon pointed toward the healing chamber. “Echo happened to me.”

She followed his line of sight to the furry, feathered creature sleeping peacefully on the Mars’s chest. “Were you bit?”

“And clawed,” he said.

Her eyes narrowed. “What did you do to it?”

Fallon jerked his hand away. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Then why did it bite you?” Dora asked.

“Ask it,” he said.

Dora grabbed his hand once more. “I’m going to have to clean this out. I don’t want the wound to get infected.”

“My enhancements will take care of it,” Fallon said. It was wrong of him, but he liked seeing Dora’s concern. Liked feeling her hands upon him, even if it wasn’t in the way they had been earlier. Fallon wasn’t naïve enough to believe that anything had changed. She’d made her feelings for him crystal clear.

She pulled out a bottle from a nearby compartment and tipped the liquid onto his hand.

Fallon hissed in pain and pulled away.

Dora’s gaze froze him in place. “I’m not finished yet.” She grabbed a cloth and gently cleaned out the wound, then spread ointment over it before bandaging the whole thing.