Authors: Stormy Glenn Lynn Hagen
“New around these parts, are ya?” the stranger asked as he cleaned a mug with a bar rag. Gigi studied him for a moment. The man was no beauty prize, but he had kind eyes.
“That obvious?” A genuine smile tugged at one side of his mouth before he took another sip.
“Kinda.” The stranger chuckled. He set the mug on the shelf behind him and grabbed another, polishing it as he eyed Gigi. “You know, these parts aren’t hospitable for a neophyte like yourself. You should go back the way you came. Just some friendly advice.”
Agreeing with the stranger, Gigi glanced down at his steaming cup. He wanted his mate so badly that he could feel the separation bone-deep. “I just need some fuel cells. Can you tell me where I might find some?”
The stranger tossed the bar rag over his shoulder as he leaned onto the counter. “What do ya need them for?”
Duh.
What else would one need them for? Gigi didn’t say this out loud even though he thought it. “My ship.”
The man nodded, giving Gigi a grin. “I have a few in the backroom. I’d be willing to part with them for a price.”
“Of course.” Wasn’t there always a price? Gigi just hoped the guy meant credits. He’d been kind so far, but he wasn’t one to trust a guy, even if he had kind eyes. Gigi squirmed a little in his seat, becoming uncomfortable with the conversation.
“Calm down, human. I’ll be asking for credits, nothing more.” The stranger’s voice became soothing, making Gigi relax.
“How much?” Gigi asked as he set his mug down. He had one hundred credits in his front pocket and prayed that was enough. Livewire had been so amped up with his genius plan that they had forgotten about the credits Gigi would need to pay for the fuel cells.
“Hundred credits each. I’ll even throw in a bag to carry them in.” The stranger straightened and picked up the forgotten mug, beginning his ritualistic rub.
“Then I’ll need just one.” Gigi smiled and lifted his mug, tipping it toward the man.
“Deal. Follow me.” The stranger put the mug up onto the shelf with the others as he set the bar rag down, walking away from Gigi.
Gigi hopped down and trailed behind the strangers into a backroom that resembled a storage area. He couldn’t believe his luck. Within the hour he’d be back in his mate’s arms, and all would be right with the world. Gigi felt giddy at the prospect of being in his strong mate’s arms, Remy loving all over him.
“Here you go.” The stranger hefted the cylinder-shaped fuel cell up and set it on some crates.
Holy hell. Thank goodness he could only afford one. The thing was humongous! What the hell had Livewire been thinking sending his small ass down here to lug these ten-ton containers around?
Gigi handed the credits over as he picked the bag up, the stranger sliding the fuel cell inside. Gigi tried to swing it around to his back to strap the bag over his shoulders and damn near fell down when the weight of the cylinder smashed into his back.
The stranger chuckled. “Let me help ya.”
He grabbed the straps and held them out for Gigi to slide his arms into. Gigi knew the moment the stranger let the bag go. The weight on his back nearly brought him to his knees.
“Careful now.” The stranger chuckled as he patted Gigi on his shoulder, almost making him kiss the floor.
Gigi grunted as he readjusted the straps to a more comfortable position. “Thanks for your help.” Gigi extended his hand, the stranger’s large, beefy one swallowing his as he shook it.
“Anytime. Name’s Ryan. Come back and see me again if you need anything else, young man.”
“Thanks.”
Gigi walked from the backroom and out of the tavern. He pulled the communicator from his front pocket and clipped it onto his ear. Pressing the com link, Gigi waited for Livewire to pick up.
“Mission accomplished,” he stated proudly when the other end beeped, indicating that Livewire was on the line.
“Don’t move a fucking muscle while I lock onto your coordinates.”
Gigi gulped when he heard Remy’s steel-hard voice. As badly as he missed his mate, he wasn’t so sure he wanted to see him right now. “Okay,” he whispered.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
And he prayed that status wouldn’t change when Remy got ahold of him. His mate never showed a cruel side, but then again, Gigi had never done something this irresponsible and stupid either. He just kept screwing up with the guy. Was he ever going to get it right?
“We’ll be entering the atmosphere in ten minutes, and I expect you to be exactly where your coordinates are reading.”
“Yes, sir.” The old honorific term slipped from his mouth as his body began to shake. He hated the feeling churning inside of him right now. It was the same way he felt when he flipped off Drake and knew he was going to be punished for it. Bile rose to the back of his throat as he walked back over to the tavern and waited against the brick wall.
He knew he shouldn’t be feeling this way. Gigi knew in his heart that Remy would never hurt him. But it didn’t stop him from dreading the sight of his mate. He pulled the com piece off his ear and shoved it back into his pocket as he stood there in the cool, rainy mist.
“I see he left you out here to sell some ass. That won’t be necessary,” a cruel and familiar voice snarled darkly from beside Gigi. “Your ass belongs to me.”
Chapter 12
Remy strapped the buckle across his lap as his hands gripped the armrest on his commander’s chair. He had gone to his quarters to get dressed after returning to human form and felt the emptiness inside as he looked at the deserted room. The ship didn’t seem the same without his mate aboard.
“Hold onto your tits. This is going to get rough,” Tank warned as they entered Beta Five’s atmosphere.
Remy felt like so much shit was coming down on him at once that he wasn’t able to breathe. He looked to his right to see Crank holding onto the small console in front of him with a knuckle-white grip.
Lady Blue began to shake uncontrollably as they cleared the outer atmosphere. Warning sounds blared and red lights began to flash on various consoles as the ship descended. Remy prayed they made it down there in one piece. Gigi needed him, and he couldn’t let his mate down.
“We lost our shield,” Tank hollered through the chaotic noise filling the bridge.
Remy clenched his jaw as the ship plummeted toward the planet. All they needed was their thrusters to land. That was all they needed.
“We’re overloading,” Tank warned as the console lights flickered, some going out.
Remy gulped when half the console panel went dark. They might not make it out alive this time around. The reality hit him hard. He thought of Gigi’s smiling face, those vivid amber eyes, and that gorgeous sandy blond hair. Remy thought of how good his mate had felt in his arms, just holding the little guy to his chest.
Remy’s brows dropped into a frown as he thought of his mate out there on his own, possibly forever. The bridge lights flickered as the ship shook so hard his teeth rattled. Remy thought of the look on his angel’s face when he first discovered him in the cupboard. The proud smile he wore when he cooked his first meal on the Lady Blue. They had to survive this. Remy wasn’t about to leave his mate in the cold and dark universe alone.
“Hang on!” Tank shouted as the ship hit the surface hard, bounced, and then slid two miles along the sandy planes. When they came to a full stop, Remy almost cried in relief. He wasted no time unbuckling his belt and getting to his feet.
“Colt, you’re with me. Crank, you and Blade go take care of that blasting job. I want Tank and Livewire to get as many repairs done as possible. The sooner we take care of everything, the sooner we can get the hell out of here.”
Remy stalked from the bridge and headed down to the weapons room on the lower deck. He strapped himself with two phasers, three squares of RK05s, and a few blades shoved into various sheaths. Colt did the same before they jogged to the retractable ramp and walked off of Lady Blue in search of his mate.
* * * *
Gigi shot his hands out in front of him to stop his face from hitting the cement floor as he toppled over. The weight of the fuel cell on his back propelled him forward after Drake had given him a hard shove.
The palms of Gigi’s hands scraped across the unfinished concrete as he bit back a cry. He cradled his burning and bleeding hands against his chest. They were in some sort of private hangar. Drake’s ship was there, and it looked like it was undergoing some repairs. He hoped the repairs needed were major. That would buy him some time.
“If you move one damn muscle, I’ll shoot you and save myself the hassle of chasing you down. You’ve cost me enough already.”
“Why?” Gigi summoned the courage to ask. “Why did you come across the galaxy to find me? I’ve caused more trouble than I’m worth. I would think you’d be glad to get rid of me.”
Drake’s face remained stoic, but Gigi caught a glimpse of surprise in the bastard’s eyes. His chuckle was low and menacing as he squatted down in front of Gigi. “You really don’t know, do you? Oh, this is rich.”
Gigi’s temper flared as the bastard laughed at him. “Care to enlighten me?”
Being mated to Remy and being part of a real family must have done more good than Gigi realized. Sure, he was scared out of his mind, but his backbone seemed to be ramrod-straight. He had lived alongside real men who fought with honor, and Gigi liked to think that some of that had rubbed off on him. Either that or he had totally cracked.
“Boy, do you have any idea who you are? Any fucking clue whatsoever?”
“As much as I like to tongue-spar, I’d rather do it with someone who has an ounce of intelligence.” Gigi looked into Drake’s soul-sucking eyes as the man crossed the distance and dispensed an open-handed slap across Gigi’s face.
“I’m getting really tired of you slapping me around, Drake.” Gigi wiped his hand across his mouth and then spit a small amount of blood onto the ground. He ran his tongue along his teeth as he smirked at the bastard. “Is that all you got?”
“Why you little…” Drake raised his hand again.
Gigi lifted his chin in defiance, waiting for the next strike. He wasn’t into pain, but he wasn’t going to let Drake know how frightened he was either.
“You’re a fucking Magi, you little shit. You’re one of the rarest breeds of your kind. Your blood can be traced back to fourth century BC. You can read the stars and manipulate the fate that the stars foretell. Your dumbass father wasn’t even aware of this. Your mother was the Magi that gave you your bloodline. Too bad she died giving birth to you and took the secret with her.” Drake stood and curled his lip up at Gigi. “Your father sold you for a mere three hundred credits. Tell me, Giovanni. How does it feel knowing your family didn’t even want you?”
“Drake, I need you over here,” someone shouted from the direction of Drake’s ship.
Drake narrowed his eyes on Gigi, pointing a cruel finger at him. “I see what the hell you’re doing, boy. It won’t work. I need you in tip-top shape for what I have planned for your runaway ass. I won’t mar your face, so stop with the flippant tongue.”
Gigi growled at Drake before the bastard turned on his heels and walked away, heading over to his ship. Gigi was stunned to learn who he was. He wasn’t so sure, though. Trusting what came out of Drake’s mouth was a toss of the credit. It could be true, or it could be a load of shit. He pushed it out of his head for the time being. Gigi had more pressing matters to think about.
Gigi leaned sideways and made sure no one was watching him as he pulled the com link from his front pocket and pressed the button for a connection. He slid it back into his pocket and then sat up straight.
All he had to do was wait for one of the crew members to lock onto his coordinates. In the meantime, Gigi lay back against the wall of the hangar and prayed that his mate got to him in time before Drake’s ship was repaired and he was taken off of this planet.