Ann Aguirre - Havoc

As they headed for the north border, Dred spotted Tam, along with Martine and Calypso. They each carried an armload of miscellaneous articles, and Calypso had a crate. “Mission accomplished.”

“What did you get?” she asked.

“Ammo and replacement parts mostly. They didn’t leave much for us in the command post.” Tam didn’t seem surprised. “I wouldn’t either.”

“He probably moved their more valuable gear,” Jael said.

Dred offered a half smile at that. “If he’s started hiding his goods, creating caches, then he’s going native.”

“We barely made it out,” Calypso put in. “The assholes came back singing. Seems like it went well in Munya.”

“Is there a party on?” Martine cocked her head, listening to the racket coming from the common room.

Dred stepped aside and made a sweeping gesture. “Have at it. They’re gambling, too, so you should be able to hustle a bunch of suckers.”

“Come with me. You’re a genius at spotting tells.”

Jael didn’t move, but Dred knew he was expecting her to accept the invitation. She found that she wanted to surprise him—in a good way. It had been so long since she gave a damn about anyone else’s feelings. This was both liberating . . . and terrifying.

“I’ve got other plans,” she said quietly.

“Oh?” Martine grinned. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“Fortunately, that gives me a lot of leeway.”

Martine grinned. “Seems like we’ve bonded, queenie. I approve.”

Dred put a hand on Jael’s arm. “Let’s finish our rounds, then retire.”

“Sounds good, love.” He wore a light expression, but she saw that he expected her to bitch about the endearment, used in front of people.

Instead, she waved at the others and went to make sure the sentries were sober.

At the east checkpoint, the sentries reeked of rotgut and could barely stand upright. Jael bit out a curse. “I doubt there’s a sober man left in the place to relieve them.”

“Not who isn’t already assigned elsewhere.” Dred scraped an angry hand through her tangled hair. The trinkets clacked with the movement.

“Then we’ll have to finish their watch.”

She sighed. “It’s not how I wanted to spend our night, but it’s necessary.”

“I don’t mind.” He could’ve said that was because he had her with him, but it seemed like too close to a confession. Though he’d promised to help her escape, they’d never talked about a future. In here, such a thing didn’t exist.

“I appreciate it.” She turned to the drunken guards. “Get to bed. Now. If I find out you went to the common room to keep drinking, you’ll get worse than a flogging tomorrow.”

Jael could see that the men believed her, and they stumbled off, leaving their post. Dred took up the weapons they’d left behind and handed one to Jael. He’d never stood watch like this, and he guessed it had been a long time for her, too.

“Did Artan ever station you here?” he asked.

She shook her head. “He preferred to keep me close.”

So do I.

It was a long night, listening to distant shouts from sotted Queenslanders. And when relief turned up, they were visibly worse for the wear and stunk of liquor.

“Are you two sober enough to stand watch?” Dred demanded. She put them through a series of a tests and eventually gave grudging permission for them to take over. “If there’s an incursion on your watch because one of you passed out, you better hope the enemy kills you before I do. I guarantee it’ll be faster.”

“We’ll keep each other awake,” the soldier promised.

“You almost made him piss himself,” Jael said, once they moved off.

“That’s my job.”

Together, they walked in silence to her quarters. Things had died down at last in the common room, the din replaced by periodic snoring. “I can only imagine how long it’ll take to set the place to rights.”

“Cook will see to it. He’ll kick the ones awake who passed out in the hall and make them clean.”

“That’ll teach them not to drink themselves stupid.”

“It hasn’t so far.”

After Jael stepped inside her quarters, she sealed the door behind them. “Not in the mood for company?”

“Just yours. Let me shower; and then . . .”

“And then?”

“We get some shut-eye.”

“Really?” He tried a mocking smile. “Don’t I deserve a reward for keeping you company tonight?”

“Maybe you just needed to ask.”

She slipped into the bath, then he heard the water running. If there was more space, he’d join her, but the san-shower was designed so tight that one person of average size could barely fit. It wouldn’t be seductive to get wedged in there. So he waited for her, sprawled on a chair while his eyes burned with weariness. He didn’t sleep much at the best of times and he was still mulling what had happened with Vix and Zediah. Keeping such a huge issue from Dred didn’t feel right, but he couldn’t let Zed spill his secret, either.

When she stepped out a few minutes later, she was clad only in a threadbare towel. Jael didn’t stir, letting her come to him. And once she dried off, she did.

“Did you want a turn?”

“I probably should.”

But Jael made his ablutions quick, an effort of necessity rather than luxury. She was already in bed waiting for him when he stepped out, and the lights were down, wreathing the room in darkness. External noises made him think downtime was almost over, but Queensland could get by for a few hours without them.

“I’m tired,” she said softly.

“Then we can sleep.” He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t disappointed, though.

“I find that a workout before bed helps me to relax.”

Jael grinned. “Don’t invent reasons for sex, love. Just tell me that you want it.”

She propped up on an elbow and reached for him. “Not it. You. ”

It took him two seconds to reach the bed, but she flipped him as soon as he touched her. “You smell good. Clean.”

“I do what I can.”

Heat simmered in Jael’s head, making it difficult to lie still. Dred was all shadow and hollows, but the play of muscle beneath her skin hinted at strength—and that he liked, very much. She was fire and vengeance. Blood. Sex. The two swelled around her until the two urges melded; she was carnal death, kneeling over him. He ached. She smelled luscious as she leaned down. Her mouth brushed the side of his throat.

He turned his head with a little growl, allowing her better access. Then she gripped with her teeth. The mock-threat should’ve been laughable; there was no way she could hurt him. But pleasure rolled through him regardless, particularly when her tongue traced where she’d bitten. More softness and heat. Desire careened in his veins, spiraling along nerve endings that could scarce contain its breadth.

He shifted, already wishing he could push her down and seize control. Never had he permitted a female to take charge of him like this. Yet there was a delicious, addictive quality to her softness—the way her hair fell across his throat as she ran her lips around to the other side. He breathed her in, delighting in her closeness. Dred bit her lip with her curious, blunt teeth, and phantom pleasure stole through him; he registered the bite as if to his own body.

“Ahh.” He arched. It was all he could do not to overpower her right then. Yet this was not a game of dominance, but something else, frightening and new. Jael trembled with the need to reach for her; closing his eyes helped a little.

“So you like that. Good to know.”

“Please tell me you’re not stopping.”

“I’m not.” She lowered her head.