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There, passing on the side of the solar system giant, was a distant round planet, black with a golden glow around it. Dotted underneath the glow were flickering yellow lights.
“Hot damn! Am I a fucking genius or what?”
Jelena leaned on the counter for a better look. The ship shuddered violently and threw her to the ground. She landed hard. A sharp pain streaked up her tailbone. The acidic smell of something burning matched a loud groan of stressed metal.
“Are you okay?” Zamush’s gravelly voice came out muffled. He grasped her upper arms and held tight. “Are you hurt?”
Her vision blurred. The smoke made her eyes fill, and she ran a hand down her face. “I’m okay.” She looked around.
Qhasheik was draped over the console with a tight grip around the edges.
Katsuki and Abiditan were helping each other stand.
She glanced at Zamush, mere inches away.
His dilated dual-colored turquoise-and-gold eyes blinked as a thin trail of red blood rolled down his temple.
Everything in the background faded at the mesmerizing sight. Her mouth watered. For the first time in her life, it wasn’t the blood that held her spellbound. Zamush’s plump, tempting lips had her full attention. They were right there, waiting for her to savor. Her eyelids lowered as she came close enough to feel his beckoning warm breath.
“What was that!”
Jelena jerked at Katsuki’s demand. She blinked to get a clear head. With a frown, she pulled back.
“Come on. I’ll help you up.” Zamush’s large hands circled her waist and he lifted her to set her on her feet.
“I think we’ve been attacked.” Abiditan’s voice was tight as he pointed to the floating display still up.
The ship’s automatic life-support systems vacuumed the smoke and put out whatever caused it.
A whisper of fresh air made Jelena take in a deep, appreciative breath.
“Attacked by who or what?” Zamush held her close and kept his massive arm around her waist.
Shivering, Jelena refused to move. No reason to. At least for now.
Qhasheik wiped his forehead and studied the monitor. “Hells bells, folks. Looks like the Akurns found us without even trying.”
Chapter Six
~Agent Stygian, Claude Reese~
Shutting the bedroom-closet door, Claude examined his reflection in the full-length mirror and concentrated. He pictured the place on the moon he’d been in before.
The enchanting vision of the beautiful Amata took over. The soft curtain of her platinum hair framed her exotic features.
Her brilliant turquoise eyes called to something deep inside him. A swirling movement in the mirror caught his attention. His reflection faded as the image of a white room solidified in a dim light. This wasn’t where he’d been before. Nothing looked familiar.
A blinking light from a transparent monitor floated across the room. Unusual hieroglyphics scrolled across the surface.
The scribble was close enough to the technology he’d seen on those alien monitors. He straightened. The thunder of his heart made his mouth dry. This had to be it. Before talking himself out of it, he stepped over the mirror’s threshold.
With his hands on his hips, he looked around. Behind him was a massive mirror. His standing reflection showcased the white dais with a set of steps that led to the floor. He crinkled his nose at the strange recycled scent in the cool air.
The wide, white room was devoid of any furniture or fixtures except that floating monitor. This had to be somewhere on FarDeep Base.
With a fortifying breath, he let his arms drop and lifted a leg to step down.
“Don’t move, dhasa.”
