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Uruk activated a large floating screen.
The headshot of the commander of FarDeep Base filled the monitor. Kud’s abominable shorn hair exposed the prominent throbbing vein at his temple. His razor-sharp cheekbones tightened as his thin lips pressed into a frown. “Yes, Lord. How may I assist you?”
Murduk crossed his arms and gripped his trembling fingers into a tight fist. “Something quite alarming has just come to my attention. There appears to be a rebel city right under your nose.” His sneer was hard. “Apparently that’s where my sister is.” He nodded for Uruk to send Kud Damkina’s information. “You will capture Inanna and eliminate the rest of the traitors there. Every one of them.” He leaned toward the monitor, making sure what he said next would not be missed. “Your life depends on how quickly and thoroughly you carry out your orders. I expect a daily report of everything you do. I will tolerate nothing else. Understand?”
Kud’s stoic expression never changed. He slammed a fist over his heart with a bow, keeping his eyes fixated on Murduk. “I will do your will, my Lord.” The communication ended.
Uruk stepped close. “Your orders, my liege?”
Murduk sucked a calming breath and released the tense grip on his hands. A pool of blood gathered where his nails had bitten into his skin. “Keep a constant eye on that female. Every move she makes is to be reported to me. I believe the knowledge she’s gathered has made her dangerous. At the right time, she has to be eliminated.”
~Jelena~
Aboard the spaceship Nergal headed for Akurn in stealth mode.
What in the hell does that man think he’s doing? Jelena fumed and watched Zamush’s legs twitch under the navigation console as he worked with Qhasheik. She doubted he had any experience fixing a sophisticated spaceship. So why was he under there pretending to know what he was doing?
Not that Qhasheik seemed to care. He kept yammering a mile a minute while Zamush either grunted or snorted at whatever nonsense the Ibbin spouted.
If she hadn’t seen for herself that Zamush hadn’t taken Qhasheik’s blood, she would have thought he was under compulsion. Of course, her foster father had an ornery sense of humor. No telling why the reticent Zamush worked with the chatty male.
Maybe he’s trying to form some kind of bond with Qhasheik. BoD chimed in. Or maybe he’s smart enough to take a break from following you around all the time.
Her eyebrows rose as she watched the firmly packed thigh muscles of Zamush strain against the formfitting black pants he wore. Observing the flex and release of his bulging leg muscles made her throat tight. When his leg bent at the knee, the movement exposed the sizable bulge at his crotch. Face red, she averted her gaze.
He doesn’t follow me around all the time. She concentrated on the blackness of space with its spattering of distant stars dancing across the cockpit view screen.
Dammit. Maybe BoD had a point. Zamush’s hooded gaze followed her whenever they were in the same room. She bristled as the sizzling gleam of his dual-colored eyes felt like a caress. When he spoke, his raspy baritone sent shivers down her spine. When he talked with one of the others, she’d end up his focus instead of the person he spoke to. Normally, that would creep her out, but it didn’t when he did this. Instead, her traitorous body warmed as tingly shivers ran along her spine.
Even when she was ready to fall asleep, there he was, uppermost in her mind’s eye. She couldn’t count how many times she forced herself to concentrate on Sychar’s male beauty instead of Zamush’s disturbing countenance as she struggled to fall asleep.
When she tried to enthrall him again, he smiled with a sensuous grin and a slight shrug. Narrowing her eyes, she pushed harder.
He whispered a sigh and caressed her cheek with a light touch, his fingers lingering. “If it makes you feel any better, anshar, I can’t read you either. I guess we’ll have to get to know one another the old-fashioned way.”
She wasn’t proud of the squeal that came out of her stupid mouth when she jerked from his near-hold and ran away like a coward. As if the distance between them would erase his tempting suggestion.
The whole thing was enough to drive a sane woman crazy.
“I’m going to the galley. Need anything for you or your creature?”
She jumped when his gravelly voice spoke behind her. How did he get from under the console so quickly? The only thing between them was sizzling heat and smoldering spice. She turned around and blinked at him.
He stared at Shther perched on her shoulder.
Swallowing with a dry throat, she slid her gaze back to the room’s vid screen. Not that she saw anything on it. “No thanks. I’m good.”
Shther croaked and slid a gentle scratch down her neck.
Ah, crap. When was last time she fed him? She ran a forefinger over his snout to let him know she heard him. “If you don’t mind, could you bring back some meat scraps for him?”
The minuscule smile creasing his full lips softened. “I would be honored.”
A strong mental snort from BoD. Oh, for Ilu’s sake. I’m going to lose it.
At his snarky comment, she hid her smile behind her splayed fingers. If you have nothing helpful to say, just be quiet.
Whatever. I’m going into sleep mode. That way, I don’t have to watch the ridiculous way he fawns over you.
