Sam? Had she just called him Sam? “How do you know of Lucy’s name for him?” I asked, which was completely out of character and off topic. It was not my job to veer into personal matters, especially not my own, but I couldn’t help it.
That made Gwen laugh. “Oh, you boys are funny. I know all about you two and Lucy. From what I’ve heard, she’s a sweetheart, so you better take good care of her.”
How the fuck did this female who hunted Hive on the other side of the galaxy know about the mate I’d just met and had yet to officially claim?
My shock must have shown on my face, because Dr. Helion chuckled. “I did warn you. The human females have some kind of secret communication network. They keep secrets from us.” He glared at Gwen, but the face she made was another I recognized from watching Lucy every moment since we’d met, and from dealing with Queen Jessica the last few years. Annoyance. She was annoyed with the most powerful male in the Intelligence Core. Not upset or intimidated. Annoyed.
“Why am I here, Helion? Rachel said you’ve got a Nexus unit locked up. Good for you for capturing one, but I heard all the credit goes to Vice Admira
l Niobe. Another Earth woman, right?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “What do you want from me? Let’s get this show on the road and get these guys back to the party.”
My thoughts exactly.
Helion actually huffed. “I need to know how you are finding and targeting the Nexus units. I need to know exactly how you are taking them out. You have destroyed two that I know of. How?”
She crossed her arms and shook her head. “Nope. Nothing I can say would help you. Just stay out of our way so we can get the job done. The one you can’t.”
“I can’t do that.”
Now her annoyance turned to aggression, and I wisely stepped back to watch the interaction play out. There were times for diplomacy, and this wasn’t one. I had never seen anyone refuse Helion anything.
This should be interesting.
9
Sambor
I should have been shocked at the female’s sharp words. Instead I found myself amused. Wearing the collars was interesting, even without Lucy here. I assumed Niklas would also find the female entertaining. Now I knew he did. His amusement enhanced mine. And this human female? So much fire. Passion. Just like our Lucy. Makarios was a lucky man. When Niklas and I got off this battleship and back in Lucy’s bed, we would be, too.
“Listen, Doc,” Gwen continued. “I know you sent that stupid probe to try to track our ship.”
“I—”
“No.” She raised her hand, palm out, toward his face. He was so shocked he actually stopped speaking. “No. You are not going to stand here and lie to me. I know it was you. Or someone under your command. Whatever. You aren’t going to order me around like I’m one of your soldiers. I’m not. But I’m on your side. Be grateful and leave Mak and me alone to do our thing.”
“And what, exactly, is your thing?” Helion asked, a brow raised as if he were in control here. “I have no clear indication that you are, indeed, on our side.”
“We are here, and you are not dead,” Makarios interjected.
“That means nothing,” Helion snapped.
I disagreed. Looking at Makarios, and assuming what he said about the female’s strength was true, the fact that we were all still alive meant everything.
“I see time hasn’t changed you, Doc. You’re still an ass.”
Oh fuck. I knew that look. The human female was losing patience with the doctor. I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the wall to watch and enjoy. I had no doubt, probably due to my bias in the human female’s favor, that she would not attack Helion, no matter how much he provoked her.
Niklas referred to the doctor as a necessary evil. He was very good at what he did. Loyal to Prillon Prime and the Coalition to a fault. Ruthless and merciless when dealing with our enemies.
Didn’t mean I enjoyed Helion’s company, especially today. Apparently Gwen had come to the same conclusion, and Niklas’s amusement increased, the link through our collars calming me even more than his demeanor usually did, which was saying a lot.
Fucking Niklas Lorvar was ice. Or at least I’d always assumed. Since placing these mating collars around our necks with Lucy, I’d learned a lot about him. Primary fact was that the calm, icy demeanor was a complete facade.
“Let’s go, Mak.” Gwen took a step back, and the Forsian cyborg moved with her.
Helion moved forward and reached out to grab Gwen’s arm, to stop her.
Mak’s huge hand surrounded Helion’s fist faster than I could blink. Fuck. Those Hive integrations were no joke. Not only was he massive, he was fast. “Do not.”