Sons of Amber: Michael (11 page)

    “Hold that over the pot and grate this snillet until I say stop.”

    Leah did as she was told, gratified by the slightly cinnamon smell rising from the alien snillet as she ground it up into little slivers that fell into the porridge pot.

    Leah returned to the bedroom compartment about an hour later with breakfast and a great deal of information. She knew the smile on her face was smug, but she couldn’t help herself. Michael would be proud of her, once she figured out how to convey her intell without alerting those who were undoubtedly monitoring them.

    That might prove difficult, but she’d come this far. She’d figure a way to drop it into the conversation.

    “Where’ve you been?” Micheal’s harsh tone put a little damper on her spirits, but she wouldn’t let him get to her.

    “I got breakfast, master.”

    Just that quick, the worry in his eyes changed to guarded observation. Slowly he nodded. “You may serve me.”

    She had to stop herself from laughing at his kingly tone and set about serving him breakfast in bed like the dictator he was pretending to be. His gaze followed her every move.

    “Where did you get this food?”

    “I found a kitchen where some of the other women were cooking breakfast for the group. I helped and they let me borrow the tray and utensils when I left. They’re very nice, especially since most of them are here by choice.”

    “Unlike you?”

    “No master,” she was quick to answer as he pulled her down by one hand to sit on the side of the bed. “Like them, I started out as your prisoner, but now I want to stay. I like having a man in my life again. Truly.” She was playing a part, but the love in the hand that rose to stroke down his shoulder to his chest was real. Still, she had to stay on track here. There was something Michael really needed to know. “Especially since all your jit women are dead. Don’t you think it’s fate? That the virus that killed all our males turned back on your people and killed your women?”

    She felt Michael’s muscles tense, but his expression stayed cool. “Perhaps only fate could be so cruel,” he said after some moments. His hand cupped the back of her neck and he pulled her in for a kiss. “You’re a beautiful woman, Lilla, and an obedient slave. Sometimes.”

    He was teasing her. “But you like it when I disobey. Don’t you, master?”

    He nodded, nibbling at her lips. “As much as you do, sweetheart.”

    She reveled in his kiss until her conscience stopped her. She had to tell him the rest. She pulled away just slightly. “I’m glad the mutated virus doesn’t affect human women. I understand now why you captured me, master. If I were a warrior, I’d have lassoed any man I could find when all of ours died. Your people are suffering, just like mine did and I’m sorry for it.”

    “You have a compassionate heart, Lil.”

    He’d be damned if Leah hadn’t just handed him the biggest piece of intel he’d received thus far. Could it be true the jit virus had turned back on its creators? That would certainly be some kind of poetic justice, though a tragedy to be sure.

    Mike worked hard to hide his racing thoughts. Kissing Leah was a good way to disguise his internal upset at the news of such staggering death in the jit’suku galaxy, but it was also distracting. He set her away and tried to smile.

    “No time for that now, wench. I have work to do today.” He slapped her curvy ass playfully as he rooted around for his clothes. She’d folded them and placed them on the room’s only chair like a good little slave. Playing the part, he knew, but it felt kind of nice to have a woman care for his things. “Gather our stuff, we’re heading out.”

    She buzzed around the small room, doing his bidding. They didn’t have a lot of things with them, but it wouldn’t do to leave anything behind. Leah was ready by the time he’d dressed. They ate together quickly and then headed out of the small compartment. Michael wasn’t letting her out of his sight for a moment. Not now. Not ever.

    He found the pirate leader in the same common room from the night before, eating breakfast. A few of his men were there as well, but most looked half-awake after a night of debauchery.

    Michael sat opposite the captain and tried hard to repress his excitement. This op was nearing its conclusion. All he had to do now was finesse all the players into position. That would start now, with this man.

    “I have some other business I need to attend to,” Michael said. “Can you help me with the fifty or not?”

    The captain sat back, eyeing him. Just when Michael was sure he’d overplayed his hand, the man dug out a crystal from his pocket and rolled it across the table.

    “The information’s on there. Coordinates, instructions for credit transfer and everything else you’ll need. Be ready tonight at seventeen hundred station time.”

    Mike thought fast. That would be cutting it close, but it could be done. He had his troops on alert, waiting for his signal. He nodded to the jit captain.

    “I’ll be ready.” Michael stood, noting Leah’s warm presence behind him. “Thanks for your hospitality, Captain.” He reached across the table to shake hands the way jits did—a bone-jarring elbow clasp—and quickly took his leave.

    On the way out of the room he caught Ty’s eye and with a silent signal, their plan went into motion. Michael knew Ty would be taking his leave of the pirates shortly, though he’d be monitoring their movements closely while the strike force prepared. As for the troops, Michael would take great pleasure in leading the team himself, though of course he’d be helmeted like all the other troopers, so it was likely the pirates wouldn’t even recognize him.

    He’d remember them, though. And he’d be on the lookout for certain particular devils he’d taken note of last night. Some of these men were worse than barbarians. They were downright cruel in the way they treated the women.

    Mike knew they were being followed as they ducked into the access tubes that would bring them to the docking area. No doubt the pirates wanted to be certain just where their new contacts were going. Of course, he’d planned ahead. There was a small civilian craft waiting for them, which they used to their advantage. Mik and Leah got on the craft, greeting the specialist they’d assigned to this particular task, a veteran named Suzette. She was a crack pilot and something of an ace. She was also one of Leah’s closest friends and a trusted member of the command staff.

    Suzette looked them over as they entered the craft. One dark eyebrow arched and her sparkling eyes danced with humor, but she refrained from commenting on their appearance. She had a change of clothing waiting for them and they took turns in the ship’s small necessary. Michael contacted his strike team through the secure comm while Leah changed.

    After setting the wheels in motion, Michael went aft to change out of his pirate garb and into battle armor. He’d stripped down in the hall, not waiting for Leah to finish up in the even smaller sanitary compartment. He’d donned the lower portion of the battle suit, letting the sleeves of the flexible underskin hang around his waist while he fastened his boots and the armor plate that went over his legs. He heard the compartment door slide open and looked up to find Leah standing before him.

    The sex kitten was well hidden under her starched battle dress uniform, but there was a knowing light in her gaze as it roved over his bare chest. He walked right up to her and cupped her cheek.

    “It’s good to have you back, Colonel. Not that I didn’t enjoy Lilla.” He winked and she laughed.

    “It’s good to be back, Commandant. And it’s good to finally know what’s going on in this sector.” Michael nodded and stepped back, turning so she could help him with the sleeves. He could do it himself, but it’d be awkward, and soldiers often helped each other. Leah knew just what to do, setting to work dressing him with her usual efficiency. If he noticed the brush of her fingers over his skin more now than he ever had before, he supposed that was to be expected after the intimacy they’d shared.

    Of course, they’d never gone into battle together before. All the time Leah had worked for him, he’d never taken her along on a mission where he knew he’d see fire. That she was here now was both troubling and uplifting. There was no other woman he wanted by his side, through thick or thin, but he couldn’t find the words just yet to tell her. He didn’t know how she’d respond and the uncertainty chipped away at his normal calm. Plus, there was a lot to get done tonight and in the coming days in this messed up sector of space. They had serious amounts of work to do and he didn’t feel quite brave enough to broach the subject of the future and his uncomfortable feelings just yet.

    First they had to clean up Smithson’s mess and put an end to the slavery ring. Leah would play her part, as would he.

    “I agree wholeheartedly. And even better,” he turned back around to face her, “we finally have a reason to get rid of Smithson.”

    “You took a look at the data crystal then?”

    “First thing. That…woman.” He bit back the curse he would rather have used. “Is in this up to her neck. She’s the pirate contact. And the payment account is her very own.”

    “The bitch!”

    Michael nodded. “You know what to do, Leah. I’m counting on you to get the station under control while I go after the pirates.”

    A steely light entered her eyes. “It will be my pleasure. I’ve been wanting to kick Smithson’s ass for quite a while now.”

    He leaned in to peck her cheek. “God, I love it when you’re fierce.”

    She surprised him, placing both her hands around his neck and drawing him close. She cradled his head in her soft hands and looked deeply into his eyes.

    “Be careful, Michael. I—” She swallowed hard. “I don’t want to lose you.”

    “You won’t ever lose me, Leah. I’ll be careful, but you know I have to do this. I can I.D. the pirate leaders and do this part of the job more efficiently than anyone else. Trust me, I won’t take any unnecessary chances. I’m a Dom, not a Risker like Ty.”

    His lopsided smile melted her heart. “Thank heaven for that.”

    She bit back the cautions she wanted to voice. She knew he was a warrior of the highest caliber. He was one of—if not the—best. She shouldn’t worry, but she did. Still, they both had tasks to perform. That he’d leave the station side of things in her hands was a matter of trust that was very flattering.

    Sure, she knew she could handle anything Smithson could dish out, but for Michael to trust her with such a task indicated just how much he believed in her abilities. How much he trusted her to get the job done right. She had to trust him just as much. Still, it wouldn’t prevent her from worrying…just a bit.

    She reached up to kiss him one last time, then helped him on with the rest of his battle armor. His body would be well protected behind layers of flexible armor. He’d be fighting the pirates while she conducted her own battle on the station.

    He pressed a small data crystal into her hand. “Here’s everything you need to arrest Smithson and her entire command staff. I want them all confined and separated until we can investigate and discover which of them were in it with her. I’m also giving you full authority to deal with anything on the station as you see fit. You’ll be acting Commander in this sector until we can get someone else out here.”

    “Colonel,” Suzette’s voice piped in over the comm. “Your ride is here.”

    Leah clutched the crystal and gave Michael one last hug and kiss. They’d arranged for Suzette to pull away from the station and rendezvous with the troop carrier that held the strike force Michael would be leading. They’d docked with the larger ship and the small shuttle that would take Leah back to the military side of the station was now docking on the other side of the ship. Within a few minutes, Colonel Leah Blackfoot would be back in her domain, on the military side of the station, kicking butt.

    “Give ‘em hell, Leah.” Michael winked at her.

    “You too, Michael.”

    She left through the small hatch that would take her to the shuttle. She wanted to say more, but there was no time. And truth be told, she wasn’t quite brave enough to tell Michael of her feelings. Not just yet. Maybe not ever.

    She boarded the shuttle, drawing her mantle of authority around her like a protective shield. There was work to do. Hard work. She had to capture and confine a general and all her staff, and do it without giving any of them a chance to warn the jits of what was coming. Tricky business, but Leah had a plan, and several of her own people in key positions, ready to execute it.

    Chapter Eleven

    “Is your team in place, Tracey?” Leah spoke softly into the battle comm. They were communicating through shielded headsets on a coded frequency that only her group could access. None of the station personnel would know what hit them—if this went off as planned.

    “We’re ready when you are, Colonel.” Tracey’s quiet voice came back within moments.

    So far, so good.

    Leah straightened her spine and pressed the access panel that would open the command and control center’s doors. She also had it rigged—courtesy of one of the women who were standing behind her, a wizard tech named Jane—to lockout all command functions the moment Leah entered the proper code.