Salvation (9 page)

Se took his hand in hers. “You aren’t weak. I was a soldier for a long time and Rock has led
an…
interesting life. We need someone like you in our lives to balance us. And I think you need us, too. Science isn’t everything.” She kissed his cheek.

“Right.
If you say so.
What is he doing?” Zander pointed over at Rock and focussed on his breathing.
In and out.

Can’t panic.
Calm.
Be calm.

“Trying to get Rave or
Kain
on the line and to see if the Alliance will help out.”

“So who are Rave and
Kain
again?” The small-talk was helping him to calm down. They hadn’t done much talking in the time they’d spent together.

Se’s
presence might have something to do with it as well. They were bonding. That was good. If this was real, they would need more than sex to keep them going. He stopped thinking and started listening. He didn’t want to miss what Se said.

“That is a whole other story. I’ll give you the highlights.
Kain
is my cousin. Rave is his partner. A bit ago Rave was wrongly accused of a crime and led to believe
Kain
was involved or didn’t care. They both found out they were being set up by some sick man named Seth Davidson. The two of them were with the Alliance and now they freelance with a cargo ship.”

“And how do you know Rock?” The story was getting interesting.

“He helped Rave out and had a thing for him, but Rave only loved one man and that was
Kain
.”

“So why didn’t the two of you hook up?” Now Zander was really curious.

“Rock says it’s because he wanted to make sure he wanted me and I wasn’t just some rebound.
For me?
I didn’t know if he was gay or not.” Se shrugged.

“All you had to do was ask.” Rock had joined them.

Se snorted. “Were you able to reach anyone?”

An explosion shook the room.

“Fuck. Yeah. Rave and
Kain
will be here in about two minutes. They were actually on their way here already. They planned on a surprise visit. Well, surprise.” Rock gave a dry chuckle.

“The Alliance?”
Se questioned.

Before Rock could answer, someone hammered on the door. Rock put a finger to his lips, indicating he wanted them to stay quiet. Zander had no problem with that. He rocked back and forth. Se soothed him by petting his arm. He stopped moving and listened.

It sounded like they were shooting at the door. It must have been something powerful, because dents started to appear. Zander tugged at Rock when he positioned himself between the door and his lovers.

A few shouts and gunfire, then silence surrounded them. Could they have found a way to open the door? He clutched at Rock’s boot and Se grabbed his hand in a tight hold. He took a deep breath and let calm enter his soul. He didn’t want to be anywhere else but with his lovers. If he had to die, this would be as good a place as any, but he wouldn’t go down without a fight. He gripped the barrel of the laser gun tightly and flicked off the safety.

The knock made him flinch and he almost squeezed the trigger.

“Open the door. Is this how you treat guests on this hell hole?”

“It’s Rave.” Se laughed and stood up.

Rock visibly relaxed and reached down to help Zander up. He put the safety back on and set the gun down on one of the tables in the room with shaky hands. It was good to be rid of it.

Before going to the door, Rock pulled them both into his arms. Zander felt safe and a little relieved, if he was being truthful. He squeezed his lovers tight, kissing any skin he could find.

Zander thrust his body against Rock. If he could, he would have crawled inside and never left. He needed to feel alive. Hands were everywhere. He couldn’t tell who was who, but it didn’t matter. He reached for Rock’s shirt but the pounding started again.

“Come on guys. Stop fucking around and come out of there.”

“Now there’s the Rave I know.” Rock smiled against Zander’s neck. “Keep your britches on, you bastard.”

They untangled their arms and legs and Zander moved back, letting Se and Rock rush towards the door.

“What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time?” the voice they said was Rave’s asked.

“Me? It’s usually you getting into trouble, old man.” Rock sounded happy. Zander liked to see the big man with laughter in his eyes.

“Well, it wasn’t us this time. What is going on here?” That was a new voice.
Must be
Kain
.

Rock looked back at him and motioned Zander forward.

“That’s what we are trying to find out. This here is Dr Alexander
d’Ado
. Se and I saved him from being blown out of the sky. Someone is after him and we need to figure out
who
.”

Zander nodded at the two men.

“Hello, Dr
d’Ado
. I’m Rave and this is
Kain
. And you don’t have to wonder any longer. The coward that ran away from here is none other than
Larrison
Walker. I recognised his ship.”

Zander shook hands with Rave and
Kain
. Both men were strikingly handsome. He could see why Rock had had a thing for Rave. It made him feel a little jealous and lacking. As if Se and Rock could sense his thoughts, they surrounded him, hugging him close.

“It can’t be possible. Why would he be after me? Or want me dead?” Zander whispered, now
more unsure
than ever.

“He’s a sick fuck.
Puts Seth Davidson to shame.
Never could pin anything on
Larrison
while I was in the Alliance. No proof. But the rumours surrounding him are enough to make the hardest man shiver in his boots,”
Kain
answered.

“I’ve heard of him. So have you, Rock. Remember that story about the corpse left on
Alfe
II?
Cuts all over the place.
They almost couldn’t identify the man. That was rumoured to be
Larrison
. It’s said that he likes to play rough with his toys and they don’t survive. I’m not sure how he got this crew.
Must be paying them a lot.
His family has money. Could be how he never got caught.”

“Shit. I remember. Let’s go.” Rock tugged Zander and Se out of the door, shouldering his way past Rave and
Kain
.

“Go where? Not after that man. It’s me he wants. I’ll just go and find—”

Four voices shouted in harmony, “
No!
”

They halted in the hallway. Zander was shocked at the fury in Rock and
Se’s
tone.

“Are you fucking crazy?” Se asked calmly.

“Over my dead body,” Rock made his opinion known.

“Well now, Rave, isn’t this interesting.”

Zander turned away from his lovers to look at the two men.

“Yes it is,
Kain
.” Rave looked amused.

“At least now I don’t have to worry about Rock being after your ass.
Seems like you’re last season.
Ouch!”
Kain
chuckled when Rave smacked him.

“Would you two quit fucking around? I don’t remember giving you a bunch of shit when we went after Davidson.
Larrison
isn’t going to get his hands on Zander and that’s all there is to it. I’ll kill the bastard myself if I have to. He came to my home and put my lovers in danger. That shit is not going to be forgotten.”

“Calm down there, Romeo. You know
Kain
and I are with you a hundred per cent.”

“Yeah, we are, but what are your intentions with regards to my cousin?”

“
Kain
,
now is not the time. Someone is after
Zan
. We have to fix this.” Se tried to put a stop to the questions.

The care with which Se and Rock spoke of him warmed Zander’s heart. He didn’t think he’d ever had anyone care for him this way.
Certainly not his one-night-stand lovers.

“They’re both mine. That’s all you two need to know. Now let’s make a plan so the three of us can have some more time together.”

Rock ignored everyone and left the hallway for his office. Zander followed. Maybe things would be all right and his life could get back on track.
With a few variations.
He needed to make room for Se and Rock. It looked like things might become long term, if he made it through alive.

Chapter Six

Larrison’s
rage knew no bounds. “Why did you flee? I specifically said I wanted Zander on this ship. Not for you to turn tail and run at the first sign of resistance.”

He slapped the man in front of him. The crack echoed in the small space of the bridge. It calmed him down enough that he could reel in his anger.
At least on the outside.
Inside he seethed. To be so close to Zander and not have him in his grasp was not acceptable. Someone would die.

“Sir, another ship came and we had to get out of there. They radioed us and told us that the Alliance was on the way. We put the ship outside of their range. We did not make a full retreat. We pulled back enough so we could make a second strike.”

Finally, someone who had a pair of balls and wasn’t afraid to speak up. He turned to see who spoke. It was Roberts. He gave a nod.

“Fine.
Watch and make sure they do not, under any circumstances, leave. If they
so
much as blink, I want to know about it. The good doctor will be on this ship by that planet’s night fall or the lot of you will know my wrath.”

Larrison
left the bridge and stalked to his room. He needed to finish off his playmate to make room for the real Zander. It wouldn’t do for the doctor to see his stand-in. Nope, wouldn’t do at all.

A whimper greeted his entrance.
Larrison
paused to admire his work. The stand-in had his hands cuffed to the headboard, a spreader bar between his legs, cuts crisscrossing his appendages. His ankles were twisted in ropes and hooked to the edge of the bed. There would be no movement. No screaming, either.
Larrison
had stuffed a ball gag in earlier. Screaming had its time and place and it wasn’t now. He was too agitated.

“No need to worry, my sweet. I’m here now. Sorry I had to leave during our playtime, but I had another matter to take care of. Let’s get back to some fun.”

Larrison
smiled at the sounds of struggling coming from the bed, his good mood coming back. Yep, a little blood would make him feel better. The cuts were starting to scab up. It was time for something fresh. He walked to his knife collection and ran a finger lovingly over his favourites. He loved old Earth tools and was a collector.

He decided on the
Spyderco
Dragonfly SS Tattoo with the two and five-sixteenths blade. The dragonfly etched on the side was faded from years of use, but his fingers still traced the spot. It was small, but left a perfect cut.
It also held sentimental value. The knife had been his great grandfather’s. He’d sat with his grandpa and learnt to love knives. He ran a finger over the blade. Sharp. He’d have to have Reginald sharpen it again when he had finished playing. It wouldn’t do to have a dull knife when he needed it.

‘Zander’s’ eyes widened when
Larrison
returned with his weapon.
He grinned and decided it was time to take away the ball gag. He’d changed his mind. He wanted the others on the ship to hear what their fate would be if they failed him. It would be good to keep them on their toes.

“Where should we start? I want to go slow. Smith was such a disappointment. I can’t have that happen again. You seem a lot stronger and handle pain beautifully. Like your body was fated to be mine. Let’s see, shall we?”

Before he removed the gag, he ran the knife blade up the sole of Zander’s foot. Not the sharp end. Not yet. He wanted to tease first. The flinch turned him on even more. His cock throbbed in anticipation.

“I’m thinking my name carved into your chest would be lovely. What do you think? Oh, how rude of me. Let me take care of this.”
Larrison
reached for the buckle. He contemplated cutting it off, but didn’t want to waste a good toy. He unfastened it. “Do you need some water?”

“Please—don’t—oh God. No more.”

“Less talk.
I don’t want to have to gag you again. Then again, I could always cut your tongue out. I’d still get to hear your sweet sounds without all the words.”

That shut the other man up. What fun. The body under the knife tensed when he eased the blade down to Zander’s stomach.

“This spot looks good.”

At the first scream he almost came in his pants. He was so turned on by the blood flowing in rivulets down the pale, hairless belly.
Larrison
had to stop to take off his clothes. His dick hurt and needed to be free. He’d give the man a small reprieve. He did want it to last, after all.