“Keep going,” Bronc ordered. “It’s gonna come down. Head for the back of HQ.”
Kiri headed for the back of HQ as fast as the spider could carry them, Bronc behind them. There, she turned the spider. Logan straightened as far as he could in the tight cockpit, slid his arm around her, and together they watched the old factory crumple in on itself and tumble down.
Logan held Kiri close, and she burrowed into his heat and strength.
“I can’t believe we just spent so much time up on that building,” she said. “And all the time it was about to fall apart.”
“I can’t believe you were up on that roof,” Logan said, his voice tight. “It could have come down with you.”
“Um, parts of it did,” she admitted. “I just made it onto the parapet.” She shuddered, remembering.
Logan wrapped his other arm around her and pressed his face against her hair. “My brave woman. I’m so proud of you. But please, keep you and our little star out of harm’s way from now on, hmm? My heart can’t take any more sights like looking over and seeing you on that wall.”
“Me? You’re the one who walked out to face a madman, to save a girl you don’t even know. You’re the hero, Logan.”
He shook his head. “We did what we had to. There were many heroes tonight, and we’ll hear all about them soon. But for now, how about if we get out of this vehicle? I’ve got a cramp in my leg.”
She didn’t feel so great herself.
“My God, you’re pale as bone,” he muttered. “Hang on, Tyger, I’ve got you.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Logan took over the joystick. He walked the spider down the ramp, and into the tech cave while Kiri concentrated on trying to quell the trembling that had taken over her body.
“Whoa,” she mumbled, closing her eyes as the cockpit spun around her. Also, there was a loud roaring in her ears.
“It’s reaction,” he said, tugging on her harness. “Perfectly natural. You’ve been through a battle.”
“Help her down,” he ordered, raising his voice.
Kiri dragged her eyes open, vaguely surprised to see people swarming everywhere in the huge tech room. And the roaring in her ears was the sound of the crowd cheering and clapping, their glowing faces turned up to her and Logan. Okay, some of them were cheering for the hoverplats gliding into the room behind her and Logan, too.
It was Kai who leapt up on the spider to help her from the cockpit.
“Kai ... you’re okay,” she mumbled.
“We’re all okay,” he said. “C’mon, sis. Let’s get you down.”
“Careful,” Logan ordered. “She’s shocky.”
“I’ve got her.”
Kiri let her brother hand her down to a burly medtech, who laid her on an aircot, and ran a medwand over her, grinning at her all the while. Logan climbed down after them.
“Vitals okay, but blood sugars very low,” he said. “How long has it been since you ingested any nutrition?”
“Just give her something,” Logan said. “She probably hasn’t eaten all day.”
“We’ll get some nutrigel into her.”
“I’ve got you, kitten,” Logan said over her. His hand touched her cheek, and she turned into his touch.
“Don’t you have … people to see to?” she asked, although she really didn’t want him to leave her side—for the next year or so.
“The two most important people in the galaxy are on this cot,” he said softly. “I have very competent teams seeing to the others.”
She dragged her eyes open and looked up at him. “Oh, Logan.”
“Here, have her sip this,” the tech said, handing Logan a tube with a straw. “Fix her right up.”
Long moments later, having been fed sips of rich, fruity gel, Kiri was ready to sit up and sip a mug of hot, sweet tea. Logan sat beside her, his arm draped over the top of her pillow. He still wore the body armor, although the jacket was unfastened.
“I really like the beret,” she told him. “Very dashing.”
His eyes crinkled in amusement. “I’ll have to begin wearing them more often.”
She sighed. “Thank you. Okay, love, I know you have a bazillion things to see to. Please, go and do what you have to do. I’m fine now.”
He stared at her, an arrested look in his gaze. “What?” she asked.
“You called me love,” he said softly. He bent and right there in front of all his people eddying around them, he kissed her, very thoroughly. Then he straightened. “Here’s Kai to look after you. I’ll see you later, okay? And if you need me, link me.”
Kiri nodded, and watched him stride away, immediately accosted by a varied group of his people, all talking at once.
“Hey, sis. Feeling better?”Kai plopped onto Logan’s chair, exhausted, sweaty and grimy—probably just the way she looked. He was watching the LodeStar people moving briskly around the huge space.
“Much, thanks.” Kiri followed his gaze. Bronc was beckoning a large group to follow him outside. “I wonder what Bronc’s off to do now?”
“Whatever they have to do after a battle, I guess,” Kai said. “There are a lot of bodies and a huge mess out there.”
Bronc looked their way, lifted his chin, and then walked away. Kai blushed.
Kiri clutched her warm mug. “So Bronc’s good. Are Joran and Creed all right?”
There were what looked like families huddled together on the step seats, among them a familiar auburn-haired teen and a woman who looked just like her. They were holding each other and crying, while Patroc stood by, looking both proud and uncomfortable.
She glimpsed Zaë and Taara, talking with families.
“Far as I know.” Kai gave her a wry look as a pair of young women walked by, both of them eyeing the two of them with what looked like awe. “You and I and Patroc—and Stark, of course—are apparently the only ones crazy enough to get into real trouble.”
“And Bronc,” she added.
Kai looked away, color staining his high cheekbones. “Yeah. Although he’s a trained warrior, so ...”
“So, he saved my life. And Logan’s. We wouldn’t have made it off that building without him.”
Kai ran a hand through his disheveled hair, refusing to meet her eyes.
“Kai? What happened?” she asked, fascinated.
Her brother groaned. “I sort of ... kissed him.” He glared when she smiled at him. “I was grateful, that’s all. He saved my sister.”
Kiri’s smile widened. “Yes he did. And he’s rezzed about you.”
Kai shot to his feet. “No. That’s just—it won’t do him any good. I can’t—I’m never gonna be like that again with anyone, after—. Shit. I’m gonna go help somewhere. See you later.”
She watched him walk away, her heart aching for him. He might have come through tonight unscathed, but her brother bore wounds deeper than anyone else here tonight. She just hoped Bronc was as patient as he was strong, because the big security specialist could make Kai feel safer than he’d ever felt. But Kai had to come to his own realizations, just as she and Logan had.
Meanwhile, enough of lying about while others helped. She swung her legs from the cot, and stood.
“Ms. te Nawa,” protested the medtech. “You should rest.”
Kiri shook her head. “No. Thanks for your help, but I know you could be helping others if I get out of your way. And I want to do something too.” She wasn’t going outside to look for bodies or anything, but she could help in here.
She walked to where a small, dark-haired woman stood looking around for someone, tears pouring down her face. “May I help?”
The woman looked up, her almond eyes widening. “Oh, Ms. te Nawa. I ... I can’t find my son.”
Kiri took the woman’s hand in her own. “Don’t worry, we’ll find him.”
The woman nodded shyly. “His name is Le. He works in the galley here.”
Several moments later, the woman was in the arms of a slim young man who hugged her fiercely, both of them crying. “Ma, I didn’t even know you were one of the prisoners,” he said. “I thought you were safe at home.”
Both of them looked to Kiri, and Le held out his hand to her. “Thank you, Ms. te Nawa. For fetching me, and for saving Mr. Stark.”
His mother nodded vehemently. “You are a hero. Thank you.”
Kiri felt a strange sensation both disconcerting and pleasant swell inside her. She’d certainly never been called a hero before.
She smiled at both of them, her face hot. “Logan—Mr. Stark is the real hero. But thank you. I ... I should go and ...” She gestured vaguely, and they both nodded, smiling at her.
“Kiri!” Taara called, just before Kiri was enveloped in first one and then a second perfumed hug, both Taara and Zaë holding her between them. “Oh sweetie. I think I lost five years off my own life watching you out there, hanging off that wall in that—that machine.”
“And falling from the ledge, with Logan hanging off your machine’s leg like an acrobat,” Zaë added, her blue eyes wide. “I nearly peed myself.”
“You’re not the only one,” Kiri admitted with a grin.
“But Kai and Bronc helped,” Taara said. “And you saved Logan.”
Kiri’s face flamed. “It was just—I had to,” she said gruffly.
“Of course you did,” Zaë said softly.
Taara nodded. “But you’re still a hero.”
Kiri tipped her head down and groaned.
“What’s wrong?” Taara grinned. “Hero.”
“Stop,” Kiri begged. “I just want the guys back, and then I want a showerdry ... and—and I want our lives back to normal.”
“And a good long sleep,” Zaë added. She stepped back just far enough to look toward the open hatches outside, and gave an audible sigh of relief. “And here come the first part of your wish. Our men are back.”
The three of them turned together, and looked to watch as Logan, Joran and Creed walked down the ramp and into the big room. The three of them were grimy, exhausted, and Creed had a bloodstain on one sleeve, but they were alive and safe.
Bronc followed them, Kai at his side and Bronc’s guards behind them, ushering a ragtag crowd of people who looked to be suffering from shock too.
“The hostages,” Kiri realized. “We need to help them.”
“Lead on,” Taara said.
“Now what are you grinning at?” Kiri asked.
“Just thinking what a perfect mate you’re going to be for Logan Stark.”
Kiri’s heart gave a funny little leap—or maybe that was Peabean, doing a tiny jump for joy at the idea of her parents uniting. Kiri rubbed her belly soothingly, even though logically she knew her daughter was much too small to make her presence known. “We haven’t really figured that part out yet.”
“Oh, you will,” Zaë said confidently.
“Yeah, and by the way,” Taara said, “I’ve finally put all the clues together. Decaf—no brandy or wine—sleeping all the time—emotional … Kiri, you’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” Kiri admitted. “I am. I wanted to tell you but—y’know, things happened.”
Zaë squealed. “Oh, that’s wonderful.”
“We’re gonna be aunties!” Taara grabbed both of them. The three of them hugged each other, laughing—and maybe crying just a little—together.
“A new generation of Starks,” Taara murmured. “Now maybe I can get Creed to agree to get me pregnant too.”
“This baby needs cousins,” Zaë agreed. “I want three myself.”
Kiri shook her head. “I just want to survive having this one. I’ll worry about siblings for her later—much later.”
“You’ll do great,” Taara said. “Logan will see to it. You watch, he’ll spoil you terribly, which is as it should be, of course.”
“He’d better,” Kiri said. “He owes me. Now, let’s get busy and help out here, ladies.”
Smiling, her two friends flanked her as she crossed the big room.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Logan called a press conference for the next morning.
To his satisfaction, every news channel in the city was there, ready to stream galaxy-wide. The New Seattle police commissioner, fire chief and mayor were also present, standing with him on the podium.
Joran and Zaë, Creed and Taara, Bronc and Brother Tige of the Zhen Lau were grouped to the sides, along with Kiri and Kai. Kiri and Kai had not wanted to be on the podium. Logan had instructed his brothers and their wives to simply bear them along. This had worked, although both te Nawas bore the same hunted look. This made Logan want to laugh every time he looked at them, but he refrained as it was not appropriate for the situation.
Tal Darkrunner was notably absent. This surprised no one.
The mayor spoke first, pontificating as mayors do on the greatness of his city and her citizenry, and how he personally wanted to thank all the players for working together to rid the city of a major threat to all, so that they could return to their illustrious and bountiful lives.
The police commissioner thanked LodeStar and the Zhen Lau for working with his officers to round up the GloJacs. He mentioned the death of their leader, said that he and his officers and citizen patrols had also repelled a number of other gangs from out of the area who had tried to move in, gave a brief death count for the gangs—a staggering number—and moved away from the podium.
The fire chief did not wish to speak.
Logan took the podium. “On behalf of the employees of LodeStar Corporation and my family, I would like to thank all of you for your tireless reporting of this terrible situation,” he said to the news teams. “Although if whoever is responsible for saying I was in rehab is here today, the nearest exit is that way.”
He paused to allow for laughter, and then went on. “New Seattle is a great city, only because her citizens make her that way.” He went on to thank the city police and fire for their prompt and courageous response to the GloJacs attacks, his employees for bravery above and beyond the call of duty, and then turned to Kiri and Kai.
“You may recognize these two faces,” he said with a smile, “As the pilots of the two spider vehicles that came to my rescue last night, under heavy fire, and straight down the side of a building that was crumbling around them. Kiri and Kai te Nawa, both natives of New Seattle.”
He then drew Kiri to his side, his arm around her in a way that made it clear she was special to him for more than rescuing him. She smiled for the holocams, although her eyes did not lose their look of glazed discomfort.
The reporters went wild, shouting questions and sending their camerabots whizzing around Kiri and Kai, who stood guard on her other side, scowling at the cameras. Logan could have told him this would only make him more attractive to audiences, but he refrained. Instead, he enjoyed holding his woman at his side while they answered questions. Kiri received her share.
“Ms. te Nawa, how did you feel when you were coming down the side of that building?”
“Scared.”
“Are you and Mr. Stark an item?”
“An item? You mean like on a menu? Well, we’re, um, dating.”
“Weren’t you involved with Tal Darkrunner at one time?”
“What? I’m not going to answer that.”
“Are you carrying Mr. Stark’s child? Is that why you’re together?”
“Next question,” Logan said, shaking his head at this reporter.
And so on.
Finally Logan held up a hand and waved goodbye, and led the way off the stage. The interview was over.
They watched themselves that evening on the news. Kiri groaned when she saw herself, and Taara teased her unmercifully by mouthing ‘hero’ every time they made eye contact.
Tal and Scala, who Logan had made a point of inviting for a buffet dinner and drinks, watched them all like visitors to an exotic zoo.
Scala toasted Kiri. “Better you than me on that podium, girlfriend. Those reporters are vipers. They go for blood.”
“And this is why we weren’t there,” Tal said.
“Well, you’re a three-day wonder,” Joran said to Logan. “Some other scandal will emerge, and they’ll forget about you for a while.”
“Unless you pull some other stunt like disappearing for a month,” Tal drawled.
“I don’t plan to disappear ever again,” Logan assured him.
“Thing that bothers me,” Creed said, “We still don’t know how you came to be drugged in the first place, Logan. And there’s no way I’m letting that go.”
“Same,” Joran added. He pulled Zaë closer and pressed a kiss to her temple. “That’s two of the people I care about most who’ve been tagged.”
“LodeStar Security won’t stop until we find who, why, where and how,” Bronc swore.
“You wanna know when, try going back to the last time you saw him acting normal,” Tal said. “Normal ‘lord of the galaxy’, that is.”
He and Logan exchanged a look of mutual dislike.
“Tal could be right,” Kiri said.
Tal smirked, and she made a face at him.
“That would be at Bone Arch,” Joran said. “Logan, you were exhausted on the flight back to F City, looked like shit and frankly, acted kind of out of it too.”
“You’re right,” Logan said. “That is the last time I remember feeling well—physically that is.”
He gave Kiri a veiled look, and she flushed, knowing he meant he’d been well before that, but not happy.
“So what happened there?” she asked him. “Were you injured in the fight?”
He shook his head. “There were weapons drawn, one or two shots fired, but no real fight. Joran had it all well in hand. And afterward, I escorted Kai, Lady Ellianne and her parents to the lodge in Adamant. We all ate and drank the same things.”
“We’ve established that the slavers are the ones who deal this kind of drug out,” Bronc put in. “And Bone Arch was where you were near them, sir. Maybe we should watch the surveillance holovid of the confrontation, see if we spot any of them near you.”
“I want to see it too,” Taara said.
Tal exchanged a look with Scala and shrugged. “We got nowhere to be right away. And I gotta admit, I’m curious.”
The room darkened, and Kiri watched, fascinated as a holovid of the rough interior of a frontier lodge filled the center of the room. Joran stood stage center, while a motley crew of beings filled the tables and ranged behind them.
She gasped when she saw Kai, standing stoically behind a flashy Serpentian woman. He looked like a beautiful statue, except for his smoldering eyes. They were full of such banked rage, Kiri was surprised all the others in his vicinity didn’t burst into flames.
She reached for his hand and held it tightly. “Are you okay watching this?” she whispered to him.
He nodded, but turned his hand so he was hanging onto hers as well.
Kiri glared ferociously at the Serpentian in the holovid. Hard to believe Slidi had slithered her way from working in an exclusive boutique in New Seattle to being a wealthy slaver, although it certainly suited her vicious personality.
At least Kai was free of her now—and he’d stolen her credit. She would’ve hated that.
Kiri gaped when a cage lowered beside Joran, with a beautiful, scantily clad woman in it.
“She agreed to be auctioned to the slavers?” she whispered to Kai.
His lips twitched. “In a manner of speaking. You’ll see.”
The tense confrontation moved on, and Kiri gripped Kai’s hand more tightly as a phalanx of Galactic Space Forces guards burst into the room, followed by other beings.
And there was Logan, standing by the door, watching it all with a faint smile. The others faded into the background for Kiri as she gazed at him hungrily. He was his old self, well and strong, elegantly clad in dark trousers and shirt with a warm overcoat.
Then Kiri gasped again, this time with outrage as Slidi slapped Kai across the face. She nearly cheered aloud as he hit the woman back, knocking her to the floor.
“That must have felt wonderful,” she said to him. “Oh, I wish I’d been there. I would’ve snatched her bald!”
Kai made a strange noise, half-way between a laugh and a groan, but he squeezed her hand.
They watched as a Space Forces soldier took Slidi by the arm. But she slipped free, and stopped before Logan, smiling up at him in a way that made Kiri’s skin crawl.
When she darted forward and kissed him, full on the mouth, Kiri gave a cry of revulsion.
“Stop,” Tal ordered. “Right there.”
The holovid stilled, frozen on the image of Logan wiping his mouth with a snowy handkerchief, a look of disgust on his face, while Slidi smiled vengefully up at him.
The lights came on in the room. Tal and Scala were both on their feet, and the look on their faces sent a chill through Kiri.
“What is it?” Logan asked.
Tal waved his beringed hand at the holovid. “That’s how she did it. That kiss.”
There was a short silence as everyone stared at the image of Slidi smirking up at Logan.
“She’s—she’s gloating,” Kiri realized.
Logan moved forward, staring at Slidi’s image. “She said something odd to me.” His deep voice was hoarse. “She said ... ‘I’ve ruined you, and you don’t even know it. But you will.’”
“She had the drug in her lipgloss,” Tal told him.
Logan scowled at him. “How do you know this?”
“Because she did the same thing to him,” Scala said. She gave Tal a wry look. “Nearly killed him, too. She used serpent venom that time.”
“She must be insane to put dangerous substances like that on her lips!” Kiri and Taara exchanged a look of incredulity.
“She wasn’t insane, she was a psychopath,” Scala said.
“Was?” Logan demanded.
Tal smirked, his arm going around Scala. “Was,” he repeated. “My beautiful warrior killed her—with her bare hands.”
The women gasped, staring at Scala. Taara and Kiri with admiration, Zaë looking pale.
“You go, girl,” Taara said.
“The bitch is dead?” Joran asked. “Why didn’t we know about this?”
“I knew,” Bronc said. “It was in our intel from Ms. Raj’s mission. But if you’ll recall, we’ve been a little busy lately. Didn’t think to mention it.”
“Well, I’m glad she’s dead,” Kiri put in. She gave Kai’s hand a last squeeze and rose, going to Logan. She slipped her arm around him, and looked up at him. “And you have Scala to thank for ridding the galaxy of the woman who not only made my brother’s life hell, but tried to destroy you.”
She gave him a meaningful look, and he returned it with one that promised consequences, even as he drew her close to his side, his arm around her waist. Then he bowed slightly to Scala.
“Thank you Ms Raj. I believe this cancels out your debt to LodeStar.”
“Quarking straight it does,” Tal said. “You all owe her now.”
Scala and Kiri exchanged a rueful smile.
“Enough of anyone owing anyone else,” Scala said. “If I can have lunch with Kiri once in while without getting lasered by over-zealous LodeStar employees, that’s good enough for me. I promise we won’t be trying to board one of your ships anytime soon.”
“Or ever,” Tal added with a near snarl.
“We’ll definitely do lunch,” Kiri promised Scala.
“Whatever,” Tal muttered. “We’re done here.”
And with that, he and Scala swept out, rather like a dark king and his queen, Kiri thought with amused fascination. They both knew how to make an exit.
She stared at the holovid from Bone Arch, with all the players frozen in place. She wanted to watch it again, but later, when Kai wasn’t in the room. He had a frozen look on his face, as if it had forced him back into a dark place.
But just as she started to go to him, Bronc broke the link, making the holovid wink out, and moved to bend over her brother, murmuring something to him. Kai looked up slowly, and then nodded. The two men left the room together, Bronc’s huge hand on the small of Kai’s back.
“Unless I’m very much mistaken, Kai has a protector,” Logan murmured in her ear.
Kiri smiled. “I couldn’t have chosen better myself.”
“It won’t be easy for them,” Logan warned. “Kai may never be able to accept intimacy.”
She nodded. “I know, but ... I hope. We have to have hope.”
His arm tightened on her waist, and he pressed his temple against her hair.
“Believe me, kitten, I know.”
Warmth bloomed inside her, because she knew he did know.
And she was going to do her best to see that his hopes and dreams came true, and let him do the same for her. Because that’s what couples did when they trusted each other.