“Why are we still in orbit?”
Aedan startled at the control board, spinning in his chair to glance back at Bricus.
“I—I just like the view here.”
Bricus sighed and slunk into the chair beside Aedan. “You don’t want to leave without her?”
How do I possibly answer that?
“I think she could love us. I think she could be the one.”
Bricus stared down at his hands. “Perhaps for you both.”
“No,” Aedan touched his brother’s knee. “I think for all of us. She just needs to see who you are deep inside. If she gets to know you, she’ll love you.”
Bricus glanced up, his eyes a pale silver. “She was the first female who didn’t know about my station. Who didn’t know about my bad blood. But, she still didn’t want me.”
“She—“
“It’s okay. Don’t say it. Perhaps it’s just time for us to accept that this bonding was cursed from the start. Perhaps… perhaps we should retrieve her.”
Aedan stared in shock. “What are you saying?”
“Gods,” Bricus ran a hand through his dark hair. “I’m saying that I will give up the bond.”
Not even in death will I leave you, my brother.
“No.”
“There’s no other way.”
“Of course there is, damn it!” Aedan rose, paced, and slammed his fist into the metal wall. “You both just need to give each other a chance. I know you could learn to care for her if you just—“
“I do care for her.” Bricus’ admission was soft, pained. “But it wasn’t enough.”
“Brother—“
A crackling came over the communication channel Aedan had left open.
“I—need—you.” Mara’s voice sounded wrong, frightened, slow and strange.
“Is that—?”
Aedan rushed across the room and clicked the button. “Mara, are you okay?”
Static filled the channel. Did we lose her?
Then, so quiet they had to strain forward to hear her, her voice came, “No. They’re hurting me.”
Rage coursed through him.
Bricus swore, his face twisting in fury. “We are going to get her back, and they’re going to pay.”
Aedan brought the ship back into dock, ignoring the questions of the security team on board the facility.
Knowing they might need backup, Aedan searched for nearby ships. Finding one and recognizing the identification number, he opened communication.
His old friend, Lucus’ face came onto the line. The male smiled, running a hand through his short, blond hair. “Red Fire, long time no—“
“I don’t have time for this. I need your help.”
Instantly his friend was no longer the man who smiled easily and laughed hard. He had the dangerous look of an Enforcer on edge. “What is it?”
“The research facility is hurting humans on board. We are going to retrieve a friend. Can you—?”
“We’ll be there as fast as our engines will take us.”
Aedan thanked him, overcome with gratitude and ended the communication.
Hurrying down the hall, he discovered Bricus and Drustan, fully armed, waiting at the access hatch. Rage had turned their eyes to pure black.
These males will regret the day they harmed our female.
When the green light dinged, they entered the white hall. At the end of it, Hanus waited, two security personnel flanking him.
“Did you forget something?” the male called, looking uneasy.
Bricus spoke when they were almost close enough to touch the men. “Yes, we forgot our mate.”
The men didn’t have time to react. Bricus smashed one of the guard’s heads into the wall, while Aedan punched the other one, sending him crashing to the ground. Drustan grabbed his friend by the lab-coat and drew him close.
“Where is she?” his brother asked, his voice low and threatening.
“I—I can’t take you to her.”
Bricus pulled a blade from his waist. “Is the information worth your life?”
The man visibly swallowed. “Follow me.”
Good choice, coward.
They wound through one hall after another until they came to a hall lined with glass windows. Aedan’s heartbeat raced in his ears with every step they took. Where is she? If she’s not okay, we’ll kill every piece-of-garbage on board. The scientist stopped in front of a glass window.
When they glanced inside, there was Mara, lying strapped to a table. Naked.
Needles poked into her pale arms, and her beautiful face was twisted in terror. An old man stood over her typing into a control panel. A second later, white robotic arms reached down toward her.
Bricus threw Hanus through the window, shattering the glass. The noise echoed through the silent halls like a gunshot.
The old man looked up, and Bricus launched into the room, catching him by the throat. His brother slammed the old man back against the wall, his expression deadly.
“Release her,” he demanded, squeezing the male’s throat.
The old man flailed his arms for a moment, struggling uselessly, before finally nodding in resignation. Bricus released him, shoving him back to the table, and the old man began clicking on a control panel. His fingers trembling.
Seconds later, the whirling machine stopped. The needles pulled from her arms, and she turned her brilliant eyes filled with tears toward them.
Time seemed to stand still.
Bricus looked at her, and then in one quick movement, slit the throat of the old man.
Aedan and Drustan entered the room, not caring about the two men on the floor. Their eyes were only for their Mara. You’re okay now. We’ve got you. And we’ll never let you go again.
Bricus removed her straps and swept her into his arms. “You’re safe,” he whispered, then brushed a soft kiss against her hair.
Tears slid down her face. The sight heartbreaking. “Thank you.”
They left the room, without looking back.
Aedan and Drustan killed, or gravely injured, four security guards on the way to their ship. The fights were short and painfully easy. These males had never encounters warriors like them before.
Torturing tiny humans is more their speed. Aedan thought, his teeth clenching together.
When they reached the hall to their ship, Aedan heard the sound of a ship docking next to theirs. Lucus and his brothers got here just in time.
“Backup,” Aedan told his brothers. “Get her to the ship.”
Aedan watched them go, tension making his every muscle tighten. He wanted to be with Mara. To see to her wounds. To take away all of her fears.
But this must be done first.
When Lucus and his brothers emerged in their deep green Enforcer uniforms, Aedan had never felt more grateful to have such loyal friends. These are good, worthy males. They’ll help the other unfortunate test subjects of these monsters.
“We have come as representatives of our government. What reason can you give for our presence on a government-sanctioned research facility?” Lucus asked, putting on his helmet.
“The tests here are cruel and violate every legal and moral rule of our kind. The humans need to be freed and returned to their world. This place needs to be destroyed. And nothing like this should ever be allowed again.”
Lucus’ expression darkened. “It’ll be done.”
His friend took two steps toward the facility, then turned back. “But you know it is illegal to have a human.”
Aedan didn’t react. “I know.”
“And you have nothing to tell an Enforcer of the Iceilus World?”
Aedan spoke without hesitation. “Nothing.”
Lucus smirked, his expression knowing. “Alright then.”
His brothers shook their heads and started after Lucus. Aedan turned back to his ship. Please just let her be okay.